InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ As I Am ❯ Blossoming Curiousity ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha©. Rumiko Takahashi does.

 

 

 

As I Am

 

 

Chapter 2

 

 

The exterior of the house looked as if it had been made of smooth marble, every last inch abnormally polished and so perfectly aligned that it was hard to make out the outline of each brick that had been repeatedly stacked on top of one another. Even the curtains seemed unusual, long strips of dark navy-blue fabric fluttering in and out of the windows like ebony-colored angel wings, free and mysterious as they danced in perfect rhythm with the wind.

 

 

Only the front door, a large plank of oak wood, took on the appearance of being somewhat inviting, left purposely ajar, two days' worth of newspapers stuffed between the crack. There was a fancy, pearl-white doorbell dangling beside the door too, but directly above it was a strip of baby-blue stationary that read Doorbell is currently out of service. Please knock.

 

 

It had taken a while for Kagome to make out what the sign said. She had been forced to squint her eyes just to make out what the first word was, as strange as it sounded and as good as her eyesight usually was, all due to how stylishly it had been written.

 

 

“What the hell are you doing?”

 

 

Kagome straightened instantly from the harsh tone of his voice and spun around on the back of her heels to face Inuyasha Tiasho himself, a scowl pulling down at his lips. His arms were crossed up against his bare chest, something Kagome could not stop herself from blushing at, and his dark black hair had been pulled back from his face, a few damp strands caressing the sides of his cheeks.

 

 

“I-I was just trying to read this,” Kagome stammered, pointing at the sign. Inuyasha followed her finger with narrowed, amber eyes. “B-but I guess it really doesn't matter any more, does it?”

 

 

“Not if you're trying to get someone's attention.” Inuyasha retorted.

 

 

“Uh, yeah, I-I was trying to see if you were home or not.”

 

 

The teenage boy didn't answer, nor did he show any gesture to tell Kagome that she could be invited inside. He was still scowling, but it wasn't as deep as it had been before.

 

 

“And, umm, I, well…” Kagome couldn't seem to find the right words. Her mouth felt as if it were full of cotton, though she wasn't sure why, and she could feel the intense heat spreading to the very tips of her ears. “Um, you see, I was wondering…”

 

 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Yeah?”

 

 

Why is this so hard? Is it because you've never asked a boy out before?

 

 

Kagome began to chew on her bottom lip, staring down at her dark-green sandals as if she were waiting for them to give her encouragement.

 

 

This was the first time she had ever gathered enough courage to actually walk over to a boy's house and ask them out on a date. She was more used to them asking her out and then bumbling about how she had too much schoolwork or how she was too busy baby-sitting her little brother.

 

 

But, for some reason, she didn't want to have to make up excuses. She wanted to go out with Inuyasha Tiasho and to get to know him. To understand why he was so grumpy and depressed.

 

 

“Spit it out, already,” Inuyasha growled. He was obviously starting to lose his already wavering patience. “Either that or move on to the next house.”

 

 

“W-will you go out with me?”

 

 

Silence.

 

 

Kagome tilted her head upwards and locked onto Inuyasha's widening eyes.

 

 

“W-Why?” he asked. His arms had fallen to his sides and were now fiddling with the openings of his jean pockets. “Why would-- You mean, like a date?”

 

 

“Yes,” Kagome murmured, smiling contagiously. “Like a date.”

 

 

“Oh…. When?.. And what time?”

 

 

The teenage girl giggled, her blush darkening. “Well, I was actually wondering if you didn't mind coming to my house tomorrow for a sandwich or something and then we could go out for a movie or, well, whatever you'd like to do…” More silence. “Would noon be okay?”

 

 

Inuyasha nodded. He looked absolutely dumbfounded.

 

 

“Yeah, noon's fine.”

 

 

 

Xx

 

 

 

Can you say… faggot?

 

 

Inuyasha threw the turtleneck sweater back into his laundry basket and then flattened it with his foot before Ayame could jump up from his bed and rescue the poor, abused fabric. He just didn't want to give her any more reasons to coax him into wearing something that would make him look even more ridiculous than wearing a big purple dinosaur costume, so every time Ayame would pick something out he would look at it thoughtfully for a few seconds, as if he were debating whether or not it would go good with his jeans, and then toss it aside or wrinkle it beyond repair.

 

 

“Inu-chan, you can't keep doing that,” Ayame pouted, her emerald-green eyes as wide as her hair was bright. “You just can't!”

 

 

She ran over to the wicker basket he was standing next to and pulled out the sweater to hold it out infront of her. The material that it had been made from was extremely thick and Inuyasha hadn't even been able to wrinkle the cursed object. It was still as good as new.

 

 

The wide-eyed maid smiled, turning to face the black-haired boy beside her, and tossed the sweater back to Inuyasha. Inuyasha simply watched it as it dropped to the ground, much to Ayame's dismay and childish frustration. There was no way he was going to even touch the stupid thing, especially after he hadn't been able to, in a sense, destroy it.

 

 

Maybe it is cursed, Inuyasha mused, staring down at it. He could hear Ayame starting up; ranting and raving about something Inuyasha really didn't care enough to actually listen to. Maybe some voodoo woman put a spell on it because Ayame wouldn't shut her stupid trap.

 

 

“I think Ayame's right. That sweater is just handsome.”

 

 

Inuyasha growled as he felt an arm drape over his shoulder, a hand cupping around his arm and rocking him back and forth.

 

 

“No one asked for your opinion, Koga,” Inuyasha spat angrily, squirming out of the other boy's arm and backing towards his closet. “So just sit down and shut up.”

 

 

Koga Hiwitari snorted, a fit of air ruffling his short jet-black hair. The hand he had used to grasp Inuyasha with was now massaging his own broad shoulder, the calloused fingers working on a large knot that was at the base of his neck. He looked half-angry, half-entertained.

 

 

“I didn't know I needed your permission, Inu-chan… And besides, I'm tired of sitting down, so you can just go ahead and shut up yourself,” Koga said, before letting out a yawn and leaning back against one of Inuyasha's abandoned bookshelves.

 

 

Inuyasha snarled.

 

 

“Why the hell I ever let you be my friend--”

 

 

Koga smirked.

 

 

“Is because no one else wanted to--”

 

 

Inuyasha snarled.

 

 

“I dare you to say that again, ass-wipe!”

 

 

“Inu-chan!”

 

 

Ayame stepped in between two boys, hovering suggestively close to Koga, and wrinkled her nose in frustration. They were supposed to be friend, not enemies, and it made her so mad that they were constantly fighting with one another. Why couldn't they just get along?

 

 

“You need to stop bickering and start focusing on what you're going to wear to your date,” she huffed. “And if you don't, you're just going to have to wear what I pick out for you!”

 

 

Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something, but all that managed to escape past his lips was an unintentionally defeated-sounding sigh. Ayame was right, as was every person that got mad at him and started pointing out what he was doing wrong and what he was going to have to do to fix it.

 

 

“It's just--I--just what the hell am I supposed to wear to go to some girl's house, a girl I hardly even know, and then a movie? It sure as hell can't be a turtleneck sweater, I know that much.” Inuyasha muttered bitterly, bending down to pick up the unruly sweater.

 

Just thinking about Kagome Higurashi and their date made him feel light-headed, gasping for air.

 

He had never been on a date before, especially not with some girl he had just met, and he was still feeling sick to his stomach. He couldn't help but wonder what he was going to do wrong, or if it was some kind of trick. There was no way that everything was going to work out as he had secretly hoped the moment he had agreed to meet Kagome at her house.

 

 

What if this all some social service crap, trying to find out why I was in the hospital and if it had anything to do with my stupid, stupid brother?

 

 

Ignorant of the stares he was getting from his friend Koga and the maid Ayame, Inuyasha laughed aloud, his heart stammering pitifully against his chest.

 

 

Here's to hoping I'm just paranoid…

 

 

 

Xx

 

 

 

Inuyasha stared down at the marble countertop, absently running his finger across it's cold, smooth surface and stroking each indention or groove that the tip of his finger fell into. It was amazing, it seemed, that it had managed to survive this long, despite everything that had happened to it: cloaked in grease because of Ayame's lack of cleaning skills and disheveled by long, thin scars from the knives Sesshomaru had used to cut meat with. It still looked sturdy though, sturdy enough to last a couple of years or so until it would actually need to be replaced.

 

 

Eventually, though, Inuyasha knew that Sesshomaru would become fed up with it and then replace it anyways. Anything that could dishevel Sesshomaru's precious image would not be cared for and would be disposed of immediately, banished from both his sight and his life. Everything had to be perfect and flawless, just like himself.

 

 

That must be why he hates you so much, Inuyasha chuckled to himself, fingering a speck of dirt that had accumulated at the very corner of the countertop. You're the exact opposite of perfect and it's only a matter of time until he throws you out too.

 

 

Honestly, Inuyasha was surprised he was still under Sesshomaru's guardianship and not out on the streets, sleeping in a cardboard box and rummaging through trash bins. Inuyasha was just another inconvenience in Sesshomaru's life, and Inuyasha found the fact that he hadn't been kicked out years ago more amazing than the countertop he was currently tracing.

 

 

“A date,” Sesshomaru mused aloud. He had just entered the kitchen from the backdoor, cradling a basket of fruits and vegetables that he had picked out of his garden. His eyes, a cold golden color, scrutinized Inuyasha from across the room. “With whom?”

 

 

Inuyasha scowled down at the countertop. “Just some girl.”

 

 

“And this just some girl would be,” Sesshomaru pushed, his voice bordering frustration. He despised the moments when Inuyasha refused to cooperate to his fullest potential.

 

 

“None of your God damn business, that's who…”

 

 

Before the young boy could even blink, Sesshomaru reached forward, grasping Inuyasha's shoulders and dragging him over the countertop. His nails, in which were abnormally sharp, drew blood from Inuyasha's arms, small trails of crimson-red seeping down to fall between his fingers.

 

 

Sesshomaru exhaled sharply from his nose, unsuccessfully trying to calm his raging temper.

 

 

“You are not the only one who as problems, little brother,” Sesshomaru seethed. “So I suggest you quit your childish pouting and answer my question.”

 

 

It always happened like this. Inuyasha would do something Sesshomaru didn't approve of, they would both lose their tempers over it and Sesshomaru would be the one to end up on top. He was older and stronger, something he would always be for as long as Inuyasha lived.

 

 

Inuyasha tore himself free from his older brother, glaring. His arms hurt like hell, but he didn't dare reach out to touch them. There was no way he would be seen doing that, especially infront of brother dearest, the one and only Sesshomaru.

 

 

And besides, it wasn't as bad as it could be.

 

 

“Her name is Kagome, Kagome Higurashi,” Inuyasha spat angrily. “She's that girl who walked me home from the hospital.”

 

 

“Hmmm…” Sesshomaru nodded. He was now at the kitchen sink, casually running his bloodied fingers beneath the running water as if nothing had ever happened. “Well, then, you had best head up to your room and get ready. You wouldn't want to be late for your first date.”

 

 

“Like you care,” Inuyasha mattered from under his breath.

 

 

You never have and never will.