DEPARTURE: Chapter 1 "InuYasha, I wish that you would hurry up." This was a very unusual thing for Kagome to say to the hanyou, as he was usually the one to rush her. But nothing about this day was normal for them. InuYasha was accompanying Kagome to school in her time. It was something Lady Kaede had come up with to help the hanyou understand what the young girl was always so stressed about. "I still think that this is a stupid idea," InuYasha grumbled, dragging his feet to the bus-stop. He was dressed in civies--black slacks and a white shirt with a black hat to cover his ears--and wouldn't stop cursing at what he was doing. Kagome looked over her shoulder at him, "Then you shouldn't have agreed to it. But it's too late to back out now; everyone is expecting you." That's right, she added to herself, All of my friends are looking forward to finally meeting InuYasha. But they all think he's a dangerous, jealous jerk... Which he is sometimes. She hung her head and whimpered, knowing that the day would be hectic. "Hey," InuYasha said, coming up behind her with a concerned voice. "You all right? Are you that bent on me doing this?" "It's not that, it's just..." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. InuYasha growled to himself, wishing that she wouldn't do that. Everytime she ran her hand through her hair, she sent this little shiver through the hanyou's body and he had a hard time not blushing. "Well," he cleared his throat, "Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be all right. I mean, how bad could your school be?" He found out by the end of the day. "That was pure torture!" He barked as they walked back to Kagome's home. "How can you do that everyday?" "So now you get why I am always so stressed?" Kagome stopped walking and turned to face him. "InuYasha, I need to stay here for a week or two. I really need to catch up or I'll never get anywhere." "A week or two?!" InuYasha was about to get really angry, but the look in the girl's eyes stopped him and he softened. "If you really need to stay, then I guess it's okay. But I want to stay with you." "Really? You mean, you want to help me?" "No." "Then what?" "I want to make sure you aren't goofing off." What a jerk, Kagome thought, then she sighed. "All right, I guess I'll go prepare a place for you to sleep." She crossed the street to her house and filled her mom in on the plan before tearing blankets out of closets. In a few minutes, she had a nice little bed set up on the couch in the living room. "Sorry that we can't offer you more," Kagome's mother said to InuYasha, "But we don't have many guests in our home, it seems. I do hope that the couch isn't too lumpy for you." "Feh, I sleep on the ground every night," InuYasha said dismissively, looking at the couch. "This shouldn't be a problem." "That's good. Now please, come join us for dinner. We're having fish." The hanyou licked his lips and raced into the kitchen, seizing a peice of fish from the table. Kagome walked in right as he was about to take a bite, "Sit, boy!" InuYasha was slammed into the floor, face first. "What was that for?" "When you are in our home in our time," Kagome told him, "You eat with manners, okay? Wait until everyone is seated and they all have their servings and then eat your food politely." "Tch," he threw the fish back on the table. "Yeah, whatever." So he sat at the table with the others and waited as Kagome gave them each a peice of fish and a spoon of rice. Then he had to eat his food slowly and steadily, which irritated him to no end. After the meal he settled into his makeshift bed as Kagome took a shower. He moved to sleep on the floor and was almost completely incoherent when Kagome came downstairs. "InuYasha?" She whispered into the dark room. "Are you awake?" "Barely." He covered his eyes when Kagome turned on a light, "What's wrong?" "Nothing," she said, tugging on the arm of her pajamas. "Why are you sleeping on the floor? Is the couch not comfortable?" "Too comfortable," he told her with a shrug. "I'm just used to sleeping on the ground by a fire." "Under the stars," Kagome added. "Surrounded by trees." "With all of our friends." She shook her head, "Look at us. Gone for one day and we're already getting nostalgic." InuYasha grunted, "I don't miss it. It's just a broken habit." He yawned widely, "I'm so tired, but I can't really sleep." "I know what you mean," Kagome moved to sit on the couch behind InuYasha. She began rubbing the hair on his head, between his two doggy ears. "Don't treat me like a pet," the hanyou snapped, but his eyes began winking lazily. Kagome brought her head down on his shoulder, her hand still massaging his head. "I'm just trying to help you get to sleep, InuYasha. Don't worry so much; I don't think of you as a pet puppy." As she spoke, her eyes, too, began drooping. Soon they were sleeping in that position. Kagome's head on InuYasha's shoulder, her hand on his head, and his head leaned gently on top of hers. Souta found them like that in the morning and laughed, waking them both up. "Hey, you two. Have fun last night?" "Souta, you little creep!" Kagome jumped up, sending InuYasha falling forward. "What are you doing up so early?" "Early?" The little boy raised an eyebrow. "Sis, its almost noon." "What?!" "Yeah, and I came in here because there's someone at the door for you." "Really?" Kagome walked into the hall and InuYasha started to follow, but Souta stopped him. "I don't think you want to go out there." "Why not?" The hanyou lifted the boy up by his collar and moved him out of the way, walking into the hallway. There he was a man at the door talking sweetly to Kagome. "So," he was saying, "Do you think you might like to go to the movies with me tomorrow night?" "Well, Hojo, I do have a lot of homework, but..." Kagome tapped her cheek. "I guess that I could go to a movie with you." The colour ran out of InuYasha's face and he growled lowly. "Excuse me?" Hojo looked over Kagome's shoulder, "Whose that? And what's on his head?" Kagome turned around and let out a squeaky gasp, "Uh... He's a friend from... Russia. Yeah, he's just visiting for a while. And his head... They do that over there around this time of the year. Some... Russian thingy." Before Hojo could say anything, Kagome pushed him out the door, "Thanks for stopping by, see you tomorrow, bye bye Hojo!" And she shut the door. "What was that all about, Kagome?" InuYasha demanded, "Who was that guy? Your boyfriend or something?" Normally, Kagome would have told him that Hojo was not her boyfriend--he wasn't, really--but something in the hanyou's voice angered her. "So what if he is? Am I not allowed to have a boyfriend? Or are you just surprised that any guy could stand dating me?" InuYasha's head snapped up, "Hey, I didn't say that. I just want to know what you see in that guy? And what he sees in you." "What's that supposed to mean?!" InuYasha backed up, "Nothing, nothing. It's just... You aren't exactly... Um..." He put his face in his hands and sighed. "Uh..." "I'm not exactly what, InuYasha?" Kagome demanded, her hands on her hips. Meanwhile, her family was gathered in the living room, watching from a safe distance. "I don't know. I just... Don't see what's so special about you." As soon as the words hit his lips, InuYasha wanted desperately to call them back. He knew how wrong they sounded as soon as he heard them with his own ears. Apparently, so did Kagome. "What's so special about me?" She screeched, "Do you want to go back to the Fuedal Era and detect your own jewel shards?" "I didn't mean it like that." "Well, it sure sounded like it!" Kagome's eyes welled with tears of pain and anger. She stormed up to her room, slammed the door, and locked it. Souta walked up to InuYasha, shaking his head. "InuYasha, you really don't know anything about women." Grandpa and Mother Higurashi nodded in agreement before they all left for the store, leaving the hanyou in the house with a sobbing girl. InuYasha walked up the stairs and quietly knocked on the door, "Kagome?" "Go away, you jerk!" She sobbed. He leaned against the door, "Look, I didn't mean it the way that it came out. I know there's a lot of special stuff about you, but I know that as you back in my time. I don't really know who you are here. I don't know what qualities someone would like about you?" "Why? Because I'm not cute? God, I'm just never going to be that good, am i?" "What do you mean?" There was the sound of Kagome slamming herself into her bed and hiccuping a sob. "She'll always be smarter and stronger and more beautiful. I'll never measure up and you'll never even notice if I do." "Kagome," InuYasha raised an eyebrow, "Who are you talking about?" "Kikyou, of course!" He froze, his skin pale, and he gulped heavily. "Kagome," he said, his voice raspy, "You know that's not true. You know how much I care for you. You're my best friend and I don't care how smart, strong, or beautiful you are." "Yes, you do." Inside her room, Kagome sat up in the bed and rubbed her red eyes, "I see the way you look at me. Constantly comparing me to her. Admit it, InuYasha, you can't even look at me without thinking of her. I saw that look just yesterday when we were walking to school. That twisted look in your eyes, like you were wishing for her." She must be talking about yesterday when she ran her hand through her hair, the hanyou thought in a panic. "Kagome, that's not true. I admit that it used to be like that, but I know who you are. You are Kagome Higurashi. You're the best friend I could hope for and you have been good to me. I try to be good to you, too, but sometimes I just confuse myself." "How so?" "Sometimes I find myself being kind of... Dominate." He lifted something from his collar and stared at it. "Remember this locket thing you gave me? The one with our images in it and you told me not to ever take it off." "Yes," she whimpered, still slightly crying. "And you said you wouldn't be caught dead wearing it." "I've worn it everyday." "You have?" The door popped open, revealing Kagome with red eyes and a blotchy face, her clothes wrinkled and her nose running slightly. Most would have found her unappealing at that time, but InuYasha had never seen her look so attractive. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. Everything he'd told her was true. He didn't care about her physical or mental features and he wanted nothing more than for her to be happy. Though, sometimes, he did still Kikyou in her. However, that didn't influence him to love Kikyou, but to want to be with Kagome even more. "InuYasha." She hugged him back, burrying her head into the warmth of his fire-rat kimono. "I'm sorry that I went off on you like that. I just... I guess I get confused sometimes, too." "About what?" He held the back of her head with his hand, his finger gently stroking her hair as she held him. "I... I always pick a fight with you because sometimes..." She began crying lightly again. "I never know what you think of me and I get to unconfident." "I make you feel like that? I'm sorry, I don't mean to," he pulled back and wiped a tear from her face and then stared deeply into her eyes. "I think that you are very strong, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I think that you are very smart and determined; sometimes stubborn, but usually for a good reason. And I also think that you are beautiful." Kagome's eyes went wide, "You do?" InuYasha showed her the golden locket, "If I didn't, why would I carry this thing around with me all the time?" She ran her fingers over it and as she did, her hands brushed against the hanyou's chest unintentionally. He took a deep breath. "No," she decided, "I guess you wouldn't, would you?" She looked up, "Are you all right? You look kind of awkward." "Hmm? Oh, no, its nothing." She pulled away from him and his body ached with longing. "Well, uh..." Kagome looked around, "I guess I should do my homework, eh?" Return to fic page