InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ To Begin Again ❯ Scroll Eight: Dates Part II ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

They were already halfway to Kaede’s hut when Kagome was tackled by a russet haired kitsune. She giggled as he buried his head in her hair, hugging her around the neck as best as he could with his short arms. “Kagome! Kagome! I thought you weren’t coming back,” he wailed piteously. “Inuyasha said your chichi-ue showed up and that you couldn’t come back to us anymore.”


Inuyasha gave him a warning growl for twisting his words around, knowing Kagome would likely get angry if she thought that was what he had really told them. “That ain’t what I said kid. I said I didn’t know when she’d be able to get back.”


Kagome hugged the kit tightly and kissed his brow. She was the closest thing that he’d had to a mother in a long time and she felt responsible for him. She cared about him just as much as she would have if he had been hers. She had, after all, raised him for the past three years. “I know Shippou and I’m sorry, but with my father being around I can’t go back and forth the way I used to. As it is I can only stay for an hour or so.”


Two figures were approaching them and Kagome smiled when she recognized Miroku and Sango. “Ohiyo!” Sango and Kagome embraced and Miroku patted her arm. “I missed you guys so much! I hate not being able to come back here when I want to. I hate this whole situation.”


Inuyasha was feeling as if he’d been pushed to the side with the arrival of their friends and it was a feeling he knew he shouldn’t be having. Kagome had found a sister in Sango. He knew that and he knew the kitsune had adopted her. Even the monk had a special place in her heart. It was obvious they had all missed each other, but he had had Kagome to himself for nearly a week and he had become spoiled. Now, as she paid close attention to the other three, he felt left out and ignored, old insecurities coming back.


Kagome had the kit tucked in one arm and linked her other arm through Sango’s as the taijiya led her back towards Kaede’s hut leaving the hanyou and the Houshi to follow behind them. As they walked Kagome told them the details of her father’s disappearance as a child and then his sudden homecoming the week before with a new wife and child on the way. She ranted shortly about the dinner that her mother had convinced her to attend the following night. She didn’t, however, mention the dance they were attending that night because she knew that it would have made Inuyasha uncomfortable when Miroku and Shippou started poking fun at him.


They had just gotten to the hut when Inuyasha growled and cursed under his breath, his hand going to the Tetsuseiga. While Kagome was getting ready earlier he had changed into the fire-rat hair haori and hakama and tied the sword at his waist for their trip back. She did still have the jewel and he wasn’t going to go back to the feudal era without being able to protect her. Now he scowled and pulled her beside him.


Kouga came up in a whirlwind of dust, his speed nearly undaunted by the disappearance of his Shikon shards. Hakkaku and Ginta still had trouble keeping up with him and he was fast enough to rival even Sesshomaru. When he came to a stop, he stood directly in front of Kagome. She gasped, not having expected to see him there. There had been no warning. “Good morning, Kouga-kun,” she greeted once she got over her initial surprise.


Inuyasha growled deep in his throat. For the mangy ookami to have shown up so quickly after his arrival, he must have been waiting for her return. Suddenly he was regretting his decision to stay in Kagome’s era for the last few days. If he’d been here he could have sniffed the wolf out and run him off before he brought Kagome back.


Kagome sighed. She had hoped for a peaceful visit with her friends, but she should have known something was going to happen to ruin it. “Kouga-kun, I’ll be right back. Let me put my stuff up.” Taking the backpack filled with candy for Shippou and a few trinkets for Sango and Miroku, she gripped Inuyasha’s sleeve and tugged him behind her into the hut where she deposited the backpack. "Inuyasha, please don't start another fight. Please? This may be the last visit for awhile and I'd really like it to be as uneventful as possible." She looked at him with large blue eyes, pleading with him to not be so protective this time.


"Feh," he grumled under his breath and followed her back out to the questioning faces of their friends.


“So, Kouga-kun, how have you been?” She asked smiling sweetly. “Thank you for your help with Naraku, by the way - and for not putting up an argument when I needed your shards.”


“Bastard had it coming to him. It was on his orders that that Kagura bitch killed my pack.” He spit out his words with uncontained anger. If he could, he’d kill Naraku all over again and without the dog turd’s help. “As for the shards, how could I deny my woman anything?”


She couldn’t help the natural blush that rose to her cheeks when he called her his woman even though he wasn’t the one she wanted to hear say it. His claim on her was without merit as far as she was concerned because he had not asked her but had simply just assumed it was what she wanted. He couldn’t believe that she was happy with the hanyou.


“She ain’t your fucking woman!” Inuyasha growled from behind her, his hand going for Tetsuseiga’s hilt.


Kagome knew what was coming next and did not want to have to go into it. Instead she put a hand on his arm to stay his actions and turned to where Miroku and Sango stood just outside Kaede’s door. “Can I borrow Kirara for a few minutes?” She asked her friend. They had no idea what she was planning, but Sango looked at the neko youkai who was on her shoulder. The feline blinked and jumped to the ground, strutting over to where Kagome stood, looking at her expectantly. “Kouga-kun and I are going for a walk. Shippou, you’re coming with us.” The kitsune kit nodded and jumped from the ground to her shoulder. He had disentangled himself from her arms when they first arrived at the hut ready to get into her backpack.


“What the hell? Kagome, you’re not actually going with that mangy wolf are you?” Inuyasha questioned angrily, but she ignored him shooting him a ‘trust me’ look.


They walked down the path Inuyasha and she had just come from, towards the well. He reached for her hand and just barely brushed the skin when she jerked it away, covering up the movement by rubbing an imaginary itch on her arm and then reaching up to brush her hair from her face. To keep any other such situations from arising she stuffed her hands in her pockets. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Kouga, she just didn’t want to lead him into believing there was more to their relationship than there really was. She’d ignored it for three years and now was the time to set things straight and make it clear to him once and for all that while his sentiment was sweet and well appreciated, a marriage between them would never work.


The ookami and the miko walked away from them, towards the well for a private conversation and it was all the hanyou could do to keep from going after them and slicing the mangy youkai to bits. As soon as they were out of earshot, he turned, heading in the opposite direction, stalking off.


“Inuyasha, where are you going?” Sango called, starting to worry about the situation at hand. Why was he leaving? Didn’t he understand what Kagome was doing? She did once she thought about it. Then again, she had been privy to Kagome’s secrets and knew the girl’s heart belonged to the hanyou - that it always had. This was something, however, that had never been mentioned to the said half youkai.


“I’m going for a walk,” he called, not turning around. “I’ll be back later.” Later, after he’d had time to cool down. He headed for the river, deciding the tranquil sounds of the running water might soothe his anger and his shattered heart.


Only, it didn’t help. It just reminded him of her laughter and how much he loved to see her smile. With a deep throated growl, he leapt into the branches of a tree over hanging the water and settled in for a nice long sulk. How could she do this to him? She knew how much he despised that wolf. Didn’t she care about his feelings at all? Stupid bitch. I get yelled at and I’m supposed to feel guilty whenever I do something that hurts her, but then she goes off with that bastard. And he’s so damn cocky about it too, throwing it in my face how she’s his woman. It’s obvious she likes it or she’d have made him stop a long time ago. Ungrateful, inconsiderate wench.


So maybe he’d never really told her how he felt about her, but it’d been obvious in his actions...or so he thought. He’d shared things with her he hadn’t shared with anyone else. She knew his fears and his weaknesses and about his past. Well, some of it. And she had accepted him for who he was, despite what he was. At least he thought she had. Guess I was wrong. Who’d want a hanyou when they can have a pure youkai anyway? Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. It ain’t like this is the first time. No one wants a half breed.


Why though? Why would she have pretended to care about him like that? She’d cried for him and she’d healed him and promised to stay with him. Why would she do that if she was just gonna leave him for that...that...wolf? It just didn’t seem like something that Kagome - his Kagome - would do. A tiny flicker of hope lit in his heart. Perhaps she wasn’t...


No.


He would not start believing that she was going to choose to stay with him instead of leaving with the wolf. He would not start hoping that she did, perhaps, have feelings for him...maybe she did love him. Still, it was getting harder to stay mad at her. The scowl he’d been wearing disappeared and was replaced with a look of utter sadness, the likes of which would have broken the strongest of hearts. He leaned his head against the tree and sighed, looking up through the leaves at the early morning sky. Why did he even care?


Because he loved her.


Yes, he loved her more than he’d loved anyone else. When she was there, he was just Inuyasha, a teenaged boy…normal. There were no worries about the names that were thrown behind his back by the villagers they had passed along in their travels. When he was near her, he didn’t feel dirty or filthy or unwanted. His life, his feelings, his words mattered to her. His human nights, the nights when no moon appeared in the sky, were the worst nights of his life. He’d always felt exposed and vulnerable, forcing himself to stay awake and keep on guard because anyone could have snuck up on him at those times and killed him right there. She had relaxed him. Her presence made him feel secure and because of her he had learned that he was not completely useless during these times. He could still hold his own in his human form. But only because of her. If it had not been his concern for her safety and his need to stay alive long enough to protect her when they were in the Ninmeka temple, he probably wouldn’t have made it. He’d even been able to kill Bankotsu as a human. He’d nearly died himself from it, but he had killed him. He survived because he knew if he didn’t, she might get hurt or worse...She’d cry.


Kami, he hated it when she cried. Especially when she cried for him. It made him feel guilty because he hadn’t been strong enough or fast enough or skilled enough to avoid being injured. And he hated to feel guilty. I guess I don’t have to worry about that anymore, huh? Bet he won’t ever make her cry. He snarled at the thought. He’d better damn well not make her cry or I’ll kick his fucking good for nothing ass. Kami-sama, Kagome...


Why?


Why is he staring at me like that? Is he... Her eyes widened when Kouga put a hand around her bicep and leaned in closer to her, his own eyes closing. Gah! He is! Help! She tried to lean back away from him, but he kept coming closer and she was trying to find a way out as quickly as possible.


Shippou yelped from behind her and she whirled finally escaping his grip and, thankfully, his kiss as she went to see what was wrong with the kitsune. Still, she couldn’t miss the evil glare the wolf prince was giving her kit. It was the same glare that Inuyasha usually gave him when he got ready to pummel the child. Inuyasha...I hope he didn’t take this the wrong way...maybe he understood...


She knelt down, giving Shippou a curious look. He was going into dramatics, tears pooling in his eyes and then spilling over while he sat on his bottom, wailing. “K-Kagome! It hurts! I stepped on something sharp and its stuck in my foot,” he whined.


She carefully picked up the foot he held out and examined the pad of his paw, not seeing a thing. She furrowed her brow and looked at his now tear stained face. “Was that a distraction?” She mouthed, keeping her back to Kouga. Louder she said, “Does it hurt here?”


“Yeah,” he whimpered, but she couldn’t help but notice that his grimace was beginning to resemble a grin.


“Then I’ll have to carry you till we get back and I can take a better look at it.” She picked him up, cradling him in her arms. When she leaned down to place a kiss on top of his head she whispered, “Thank you.” She turned back to the agitated wolf and sighed. He was not going to take this well and he certainly wasn’t going to make it easy, but it was well past time that she dealt with it. When he’d first started pushing his claim on her three years before she had taken it in stride, mostly ignoring it and any implications that it made. By the time a year had gone by it had begun to become annoying - as had the fights that broke out every time he came near Inuyasha. She had been able to overlook and forgive the insults he threw at her hanyou because she considered him a friend, but after so many months of forgiving over and over and over again there comes a point where one just cannot forgive anymore. That line had been crossed and left in the dust.


And it was more than annoying the way he acted as if she had no say in the matter - expecting her to come with him willingly without being able to voice her opinion. Oh, sure, she’d tried when he first started. She’d told him she was with Inuyasha and she’d told him she was not his woman. He’d simply decided he’d have to kill Inuyasha then so that she could be his woman. He never so much as gave a thought to the idea that maybe she wasn’t anyone’s woman and didn’t want to be anyone’s woman, just assumed she was gonna be his or Inuyasha’s.


Kouga was approaching her again, trying to put a arm around her and she swiftly and deftly dodged his advance. “Kouga-kun we need to talk. Actually I need to talk and you need to listen.” She waved a hand towards the well. “Your gonna want to sit down.” He gave her a funny look and took a seat on the lip of the well, his legs stretched out in front of him. Kirara looked from the girl to the ookami and, seeming to make a decision, sat between them with her two tails curled around her legs while her large, red eyes watched him carefully. Tiny as she was at the moment, she was ready to spring into action at the drop of a hat.


Kagome took a deep breath her arms tightening around Shippou as she thought of all the not-so-good reactions he could have to what she was about to say. Wish me luck. I think I’m going to need it.


“Kouga-kun, I’m not leaving with you,” she blurted out in a rushed manner. So much for calm and collected. The smile he’d been wearing dropped and his shoulders seemed to slump a little. Before he could say anything she hurried to continue trying to ignore his obvious hurt at her lack of tact. “Kouga-kun, I know your intentions were good and I think you might even have convinced yourself that you love me, but you don’t...not really -“


He was up and coming towards her in a second. “But I do, Kagome, you have to believe me.” His movements were halted by a hissing Kirara who stood baring her fangs at him, the hair along her spine standing up. While everyone doubted he’d ever hurt Kagome, no one was about to let him force her to do something she obviously didn’t want to do. Not even Kirara.


“No, Kouga, you don’t. You only think you do. How could you love me? You don’t even know me. What if you got me and found out I wasn’t the girl you thought I was. What if you realized that I was so completely different from this vision you painted of me and you realized you were wrong, that you don’t love me and you’re not happy. You’d be absolutely miserable and then where would we be? We’d be stuck.” She paced as she spoke, trying to convey to him the feelings behind her words so he would understand she really was serious about not wanting to be his girl and not just getting nervous.


“This is that mutt’s fault, isn’t it! He did this! He made you start thinking this stuff, didn’t he?” Kagome jumped at his angered exclamation as he balled one hand into a fist and hit it against the other. “I should’ve known he’d do something like that. Fucking coward! Doesn’t he have enough sense to leave other men’s women alone?” He tried to side step Kirara but she growled and lunged for him, making him take a step back despite her being in her small form. “Kagome, you’re my woman, of course I love you. You won’t be making me miserable. I promise.”


“What about me?” Kagome demanded, her anger rising as he continued to persist. “What if I wouldn’t be happy? Doesn’t it matter to you if I’m happy?” The kitsune scrambled onto her shoulders as she pointed an accusing finger at Kouga. “Inuyasha has nothing to do with what I decide. He hasn’t said a thing about me going with you. He hasn’t asked me or told me not to and he hasn’t encouraged me not to go. He hasn’t even mentioned it once, so don’t you go trying to bring him into this. At least I know Inuyasha cares about me!” She was going into a full blown temper tantrum and she knew it, but she couldn’t help it. Enough was enough.


She’s scary when she’s like this. I’m glad it’s never directed at me, Shippou thought as he watched the interaction between his ‘okaa’ and the wolf prince. He had to give the other youkai credit though. Not even Inuyasha was prepared to argue with her when she got like that. Of course, Inuyasha had learned the consequences a long time ago and this was the first chance that Kagome had gotten to show her not-so-sweet side to Kouga.


“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kouga demanded, fuming now. “That filthy, good for nothing, half breed better not have laid a hand on you, Kagome.”


“It’s really none of your business if he has or not.” She crossed her arms, putting her nose in the air as she turned away from him. “And that’s another thing - do you really want some ‘filthy, good for nothing half breed’ pups to have to take care of? ‘Cause that’s what you’re gonna get if you settle down with me. In case you have forgotten, I am human.” He had to pause as he tried to think of a retort and she looked back at him letting an unnerving calm settle over her. “Now I would appreciate if you would stop calling him all those horrible names. He shouldn’t have to be ashamed because of who his parents chose to love. People like you are the reason he is the way he is. Think about it Kouga. You, an ookami youkai, are professing your undying love to me, a human miko. If I were to accept being your mate our children would be hanyou. How would you feel if someone started calling them the same ugly names you call Inuyasha? Or would you leave them to die because of what they were?”


He opened his mouth about to say something and then closed it again without having come up with a response. He tried to form a comprehendible thought, but he’d never actually considered the possibilities before. Finding Naraku, getting revenge for his pack, taking Kagome as his mate, finding a good use for the Shikon no Tama - all of those things had been the forerunning thoughts in his mind and he’d never actually given thought to the every day life he and his mate would have or what their children would be. His mouth worked a few more times, but still no sound escaped his throat.


Kagome nodded once and looked him dead in the eyes. “I would never allow anyone to harm my child and I could never be with anyone who could.”


He blinked, finally finding his voice again. “I’m not that dishonorable Kagome, but you do have a point. If I ever heard anyone bad mouthing my cubs, I’d kill ‘em. I’ve never really given it any thought - about our cubs - you know. It wouldn’t matter to me if they were hanyou or not - I’d still like to have you as my mate.”


She shook her head. “I won’t do that to you. You deserve to have someone who loves you and who can make you happy. I can’t do that. You’re my friend, Kouga, and you always will be, but I won’t be your mate.”


He sighed, finally defeated. “So, you chose Inuko...er...Inuyasha over me. He took my woman...”


He’d hit a sore spot, Shippou realized when he felt her ire rise once more.


“Despite what you and Inuyasha may believe,” Kagome clipped out, “you are not the only two men vying for my attention. I have a life on the other side of that well, you know. And there are several guys who have expressed interest in me. I could just as easily choose one of them.” His eyes widened when he realized he’d made a mistake. He put his hand out to touch her arm, but she jerked away. "Leave me alone you egotistical jerk!" She started to turn away when he grabbed at her arm again.


"Kagome -"


"Idiot!" She sidestepped him and Shippou, tired of Kouga bugging Kagome and taking up her time with them, did what he had to do.


Drawing a pebble out of his pocket and tossing it with expert aim at the ookami, Shippou couldn't resist a grin when Kouga automatically grabbed at it. "Kitsune bi!" As soon as the pebble connected with his palm, the magic took affect and it grew ten times it’s original size affectively weighing his hand so that it was smashed between the rock and the grass.


Kagome had turned tail and was walking back to towards the village with Kirara following close behind. “If you’d stop being such a stuipid, self-centered jerk, Kouga-kun, you might have better luck with women!” She called out behind her.


A/N: I've always wanted Shippou to do that to Kouga...like he did when Inuyasha and Kagome first met him? I think that stupd wolf deserves it.


When they arrived back at the hut where Sango, Miroku and the two wolves waited, Shippou jumped to the ground and bound over to them. “You two might want to come with me. I don’t think Kouga’s gonna be in a very good mood.” They glanced at each other and then at Kagome who wore a ‘don’t ask’ look and followed the kit back towards the well.


“What happened, Kagome-chan?” Sango questioned standing and crossing towards her.


Kagome sighed, relieved it was over. “Thank Kami I had Kirara and Shippou there,” she commented. “He actually tried to kiss me. If Shippou hadn’t faked stepping on some thorn or something, he might have succeeded. And then, when I told him that I was sorry if I’d misled him but that I wouldn’t be going with him and he needed to stop calling me his woman, he started going off on me about how I let Inuyasha brainwash me or something.”


Miroku’s brow rose in curiosity. “So the two of you argued?”


“Hai. I snapped at him for calling Inuyasha names and then I think he finally got the message. Then he had to go and make some stupid comment about me choosing Inuyasha over him and Inuyasha stealing his woman. I was already mad, but I guess that just put me over the top.” She shook her head. “Like he and Inuyasha are the only two men in the world and I have to choose between them.” She started to grin and then began to giggle. “So Shippou usde his kitsune magic on him. Right now his hand is stuck under an unmovable rock.”


Sango giggled and Miroku chuckled under his breath. “No wonder Shippou was in a hurry to get back to the well. That is not going to go over well with Kouga,” the taijiya remarked.


“Probably not.” Kagome looked around frowning when she missed the one person she wanted to see. “Where’s Inuyasha?”


“He stalked off right after you left with Kouga.” Miroku pointed to the path that led to the river. “He should be hiding out there somewhere. I must say, you really managed to upset him this time, Kagome-sama.”


Kagome sighed. And she’d thought the hard part was over...


“Inuyasha?” Kagome called tramping through the trees towards the river. She kept her eyes on the branches above her for any flashes of red. When he wanted to hide that’s where he usually went. She was also sending out her own miko energy trying to locate his aura, but was coming up short so far.


However, keeping her eyes above her left her traveling an unknown path through the woods and she did not see the half buried tree root that was smack dab in the middle of her path. The toe of her tennis shoe connected with it and before she could regain her balance, she was tipping towards the earth. “Ah!” She squealed and put her hands out in front of her, to catch herself, giving a small cry when she landed. Good one Kagome. You’re just full of great ideas today, ne? Her leg burned in the spot where it had connected with the root and she maneuvered herself so she was sitting up and could get a look at it.


There would be a nasty bruise there the next day and there was a pretty bad scratch, but it had only made a tiny little cut that was already starting to clot. She wiped the dirt and blood from her legs and onto the back of her blue jean shorts before standing to continue her search. This time she only glanced at the tree branches every now and then, making sure to keep an eye on her path.


“Inuyasha? Where are you?” She continued to call out to him, hoping he’d eventually answer. Dang it! How far up stream did he go? She shook her head and stuffed her hands in her pockets. I need to get a dog whistle or something. She giggled, but quickly stifled the sound. Miroku and Sango had said he was upset and he would not appreciate her coming up on him laughing.


His ears twitched when a light breeze tickled the hairs on the tips. The cool wind brought with it a new scent...Now it was his nose that twitched as he tested the air, making sure the faint aroma was what he had thought it was. Much to his dismay, he’d been right. Kagome’s blood.


Damn that wolf! He’s supposed to protect her! He stood on the tree branch he’d previously sat on and headed in the direction from which the wind was coming. If he’s gonna take her as his woman he’d better fucking protect her. Why the hell is she bleeding? I’ll kill him. I’ll slice him in half with Tetsuseiga if he’s let her get hurt.


“Inuyasha? Where are you?”


Was she calling his name? Why would she be calling him? But then, if she had gotten injured in the wolf’s care she might have needed him. Especially if Kouga himself had been the one to hurt her. His blood was boiling now as he jumped down and started in her direction at a run determined to find out what was going on.


She was walking calmly towards his hiding spot, her hands in her pockets, looking around. She didn’t look injured, but then there was no telling with her. Inuyasha was in front of her before she realized he was nearby. “Where’s the wolf?”


She jumped involuntarily and took a step back, he was nearly nose to nose with her. “Either at Kaede’s or on his way back to the mountains, why?” She knotted her brow. He looked ready to kill someone - probably Kouga - but why? Well, besides the natural reasons of course.


“Why aren’t you with him?”


Her frown deepened in confusion. “Why would I be?” She had never considered that he might still believe she would chose Kouga. Her mind had been made up a long time ago, long before Kouga ever came in the picture, that Inuyasha was the one she wanted to stay with and she had thought that she’d made that clear, but then again, after her ordeal with the wolf prince a few minutes before, she should have realized that they hadn’t been clear enough.


He ignored her retort and sniffed the air again. “You’re bleeding.” It was a statement of fact, not a question. “Did he hurt you?” His hand automatically went for Tetsuseiga’s hilt and he looked around the forest for any signs of the ookami so that he could kill him.


“No! Of course not!” She exclaimed surprised Inuyasha would come up with such an accusation. “I tripped over a root a few minutes ago and scratched my leg. It’s not even bleeding anymore.” She rolled her eyes when he looked slightly disappointed at not having a reason to slaughter his foe. “I came out here looking for you. Miroku and Sango-chan said you ran off in a bad mood. Why? What’s wrong?” She put her hand on his arm, worry evident in her eyes.


He looked down his nose at her, trying to avert his gaze, not wanting to tell her that he had been worried she would leave. “Nothing,” he muttered. “Come on, lets get you back to the others so you can visit and get back.” He turned to the side and crouched down so she could get on his back.


She sighed and got on, wrapping her arms around his neck, laying her head on his shoulder. “I can’t believe you actually thought I was going to leave with Kouga,” she said softly and felt his muscles ripple beneath her as he stood and started moving through the trees. “If I really wanted to be with him, don’t you think I’d have gone with him a long time ago?”


His hands tightened their grip on the back of her legs, she could feel the slight prick of his claws on her thigh as his entire body seemed to stiffen slightly. “I don’t know…” he admitted finally. His voice was so quiet that she barely heard him. “Maybe you thought it’d be different - better - with him…”


She almost smiled, but bit the inside of her cheek. “It’d certainly be different, but I don’t think it’d be better. He wouldn’t have argued with me over going back through the well. He just wouldn’t have let me go. I wouldn’t have ever had to worry about him running off and leaving me because he’d be too worried about loosing the jewel shards I was carrying. He wouldn’t have saved all those villages or those people just because I asked him to.” Her arms tightened around his shoulder and he could feel her breath warm on his neck. “Don’t you remember, Inuyasha? I asked to stay by your side, not his.”


Kagome walked down the stairs that evening wearing the outfit her mother had bought her. The shrug was a light and soft material and tied in the front to reveal the dark red tank underneath. Running down the sleeves of the white shrug were rose vines that had been woven into the fabric and decorated with sparkles. The light denim skirt came to just above her knees and the red heeled sandals completed the outfit. She had combed her hair out and held it back on both sides with sparkly barrettes.


Inuyasha had been waiting impatiently for her to come down, ready to get this whole dance over with. He had been dismayed when he’d found that Keiko had been shopping for him too and came home to discover the new pair of black slacks on the bed with a long sleeved dark red shirt that buttoned up as well as black loafers that pinched his toes. She’d even insisted that he wear a silver bandanna over his ears that just nearly matched his hair color so that it was less visible. The woman had wanted him to tie his hair back, but that had been where he drew the line. No one touched his hair.


He looked up when he saw Kagome coming towards him and his eyes widened as he stared at her, gawking really. It was the first time he’d ever seen her really so…dressed up. Though the outfit was a casual chic, not that different from some of the other stuff she wore, she also had on heels and had done her makeup. Her eyes were lined and a light glitter shadow applied to them, her cheeks held a healthy blush, though that was more from the way he stared at her than from powder, and her lips shimmered with a touch of red lip gloss.


She lowered her gaze, immediately feeling self conscious and fiddled with the straps of her purse. “Eh…are you…uh…ready, Inuyasha?”


He managed to close his mouth and avert his gaze for the moment. “Uh, yeah, I’m ready when you are.”


Keiko waved a finger at them as she came in from the kitchen. “Nuh-huh-huh, not before I can get a picture of the two of you. This is Kagome’s first dance after all.” She maneuvered them so that they stood side by side in front of the door and snapped several pictures before she actually let them leave.


Though Kagome had warned him about the crowds and the loud music, he still had not been prepared for the barrage of attacks on his senses. She’d had to stand with him by the door for several minutes while he adjusted before she could lead him out across the room and towards the concession table where she poured them both some punch.


“Higarashi!” Her name was being called out and she stiffened while trying to ignore it. Please don’t let Inuyasha do anything rash…he was so angry when I told him Houjou asked me out and after Kouga today… She sent a silent prayer to the kamis that both boys would behave before turning to Houjou just as he approached with Yuka on his arm. “Hey Higarashi, I’m glad you could make it.”


She smiled and raised an eyebrow at Yuka who looked up at the ceiling, a smile of her own playing on her lips. “I told you I was coming the other day, Houjou-kun. I didn’t know you’d asked Yuka-chan.”


He blushed lightly and Yuka lightly poked her in the arm, blushing herself. “Neither of us had dates,” her friend explained. “We ran into each other at WacDonalds this morning and…well…we just sorta decided we’d might as well go together.”


Kagome giggled. “Well, both of you should have a really good time together. I know Yuka-chan’s a great dancer.” She grinned at her friend and then remembered Inuyasha standing behind her. In the surprise of seeing the two arm in arm she had momentarily forgotten that she had her own date. “Oh! Inuyasha, this is Houjou-kun, a friend of mine from school, and you know Yuka-chan. Houjou, this is my date Taishou Inuyasha.”


Inuyasha’s hands came to rest protectively on her shoulders. He had been secretly scowling at the boy since he first approached, not liking the way the boy’s eyes scanned Kagome’s body. “Hey.”


“It’s nice to meet you, Taishou,” Houjou replied dryly. “Well, Yuka and I are going to go find the other girls. She’s been looking for them since we got here. Goodnight Higarashi, Taishou.”


“Night.” Kagome brought her hand up and covered Inuyasha’s with it then tugged him out towards where the students were dancing just as a slow song started to play. “Dance with me, please?” Without waiting for his consent, she brought her hands up to rest on his shoulders.


He blinked and blushed slightly before gripping her hips in his hands and bringing her closer to him, moving as she had shown him the day before. When she sighed contentedly and laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes he stopped moving for a moment and then went back into step, wrapping his arms more securely around her then rested his chin on her head. Some of the other couples were watching them, but he ignored them and Kagome didn’t seem to notice.


Maybe dancing wasn’t so bad after all…