InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Big Trouble Comes in Small Packages ❯ We Need to Talk ( Chapter 27 )

Okay, I've really been bad about updating this story, haven't I? I honestly didn't mean to go this long between posts, but I hit a bit (well, far more than a bit) of writer's block with it. The final chapters are always the most difficult for me to write, so I guess I'm not really surprised that I've had such a problem with it, but I know it drives the readers crazy when an author pulls such a long vanishing act. So I'm really very sorry! Thank you for being so patient with me, though.

From now on, just don't forget to keep an eye on my profile if you want to know how much progress I am making on any particular story, because I keep updates posted of how much I've finished of each chapter. Sometimes I slack off with those as well, but not nearly as often as I do with my actual writing.

 

Oh, and I would say two more chapter left after this one, and then the epilogue!

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Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha...what, were you expecting me to say something else? I can't always be the intelligent, witty, charming person you all think I am, you know. Everyone has flaws! {looks offended at the hysterical laughter her statement elicits} What, what did I say?!?

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Big Trouble Comes in Small Packages
Chapter Twenty-Seven

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Kagome groaned pathetically and rolled over to face the wall beside her bed, although she knew that it was probably something she was better off not doing at the moment. Because with the way she was feeling, it was all that she could do to fight the urge to bang her head against it in frustration.

Insomnia was evil...pure evil...

Normally going to sleep wasn't a difficult task for Kagome. She was one of those that most people would say had a clear conscience, because very little tended to keep her from getting a good night's sleep. She would always fall asleep shortly after going to bed, and wake up annoying cheerful. But for once that wasn't the case, and even after laying awake for an unusual amount of time, Kagome had the feeling that she wasn't going to be able to fall asleep any time soon. After all, nothing she had already tried had done her any good...

First, she'd tried counting sheep.

When that common solution hadn't succeeded in lulling her to sleep, Kagome had tried humming a lullaby until a very grumpy Sango had efficiently put a stop to her efforts with a well-aimed pillow.

Finally, in a last ditch, desperate effort, she had resorted to thinking about her math homework, that being the most boring thing she could possibly think of. But to her annoyance, all that served to do was to make her anxious about something else, since she was so close to failing that one class.

Now it felt as though hours upon hours had passed since she'd gone to bed, but in reality she wasn't sure what time it was. It would have been easy enough to sit up and look at the alarm clock situated on the nightstand between her bed and Sango's, but she was so frustrated with her inability to sleep that she knew she would probably burst into tears if something confirmed it. Better not to know...

Darn it, why was she having such a hard time falling asleep?!?

Really, she should have been happy with the results of the day, and tired from all the work that she'd put into making it happen. Kagome had waited so long for her stubborn roommate and perverted friend to get a clue, but now that what had once seemed to be impossible had actually happened, she felt a little...empty? It wasn't quite the word she was looking for, but it was the best one she could think of to describe how she was feeling.

Why couldn't she find it in her to at least be happy for her friends?

'Who am I kidding? I know why...' Kagome rolled over again before pulling the covers up over her head. 'It was fun at the time, helping them out and using them as a distraction from my own problems. But now that everything is quiet again, I can't avoid thinking about my own depressing circumstances anymore.' She sighed unhappily. 'I admit it, I'm jealous of Sango and Miroku now, something I NEVER would have thought possible. Oh, why does Inuyasha have to be such a stubborn idiot?!' A fist slamming into her pillow punctuated the thought.

After that a small amount of time passed with Kagome completely lost in her miserable musings. And she was so far gone from reality, that when the phone suddenly rang, she jumped in surprise and ended up nearly falling off the bed.

"What the heck?!"

After hurriedly sitting up and untangling her legs from her blanket in an effort to prevent herself from really making a painful trip to the floor, she glanced around the dark room with a confused expression on her face.

"MIROKU!" The ringing had stopped during the time Kagome that had spent freeing herself from her covers, and now an outraged voice cut through the darkness. "If you call and ask me to spend the night with you ONE more time, I'm gonna make sure you can't EVER do anything even if I decide to-"

There was silence for a moment as whomever was on the phone managed to cut off her roommates angry tirade, and Kagome waited quietly for her friend to speak again. 'That's funny...how did Sango manage to get to it before me, anyway? I thought she was asleep...'

"Oh, sorry about that." Sango had gone from angry to sheepish in a matter of moments. "Obviously, I thought you were Miroku calling again...hey, wait a minute! What are YOU doing calling in the middle of the night, anyway? I shouldn't be apologizing to you, you idiot! You woke me up!"

She was back to being angry again, and Kagome couldn't help but be slightly amused as she wondered who could possibly be calling so late. If it wasn't Miroku, then who...?

"Fine, fine. I guess I'll let you talk to her, though I really should just hang up on you. Hold on a second."

"Huh?" Kagome's eyes widened as Sango held the phone out to her, the other girl's form barely discernable in the darkness. "Someone wants to talk to me?"

A huff of impatience followed the question. "Come on, would you just take the phone already? I'd like to get back to sleep sometime tonight, and I have a feeling he won't go away until you talk to him."

"..." Feeling a bit hesitant, though she wasn't sure why, Kagome reached across the space between their beds and took the proffered receiver gently as if she was afraid it would explode. "Hello?"

There was nothing but complete silence in response to her greeting.

"Hellooo? Is anybody there?" Irritation was beginning to creep into her voice. Surely he, whoever 'he' was, hadn't hung up on her, had he?

From across the room, Sango muttered "Don't tell me he woke us up just to chicken out! Moron."

Narrowing her eyes in suspicion after hearing Sango's 'chicken out' comment, Kagome suddenly had a very good idea about who it was calling her in the middle of the night. She couldn't believe she hadn't realized it sooner, but then, she decided, she could easily just blame it on lack of sleep. "Inuyasha? Is that you?!?"

"Uh..."

"I knew it!" Kagome slapped the nightstand with her right hand, causing the lump in the bed across from her to jump and mutter unrepeatable things. "What in the world do you think you're doing, calling me so late?"

"Sorry for waking you up." He muttered.

She didn't bother to admit to him that she'd actually been awake the whole time. Let the jerk feel guilty...though perhaps he'd feel even guiltier if he knew that he was the reason she hadn't been able to get any sleep at all? That thought almost made her reconsider. "Well, what were you calling me about? Might as well tell me now since I'm awake." She could almost feel his wince at her callous tone.

"I...uh..."

 

He seemed to be struggling with whatever he was trying to say, but instead of feeling any pity, it just served to make Kagome more irritated. "Would you please just tell me so that I can go back to bed?" She grumbled. "I've got a class tomorrow, in case you've forgotten."

 

"I just...you..." Kagome resisted the urge to hang up on him. Inuyasha had never been very good with words, but really, this was ridiculous! "You...I was just wondering why you didn't show up tonight!" He suddenly blurted out. "Where were you?"

Inuyasha's stick-foot-in-mouth moment was followed by a long, heavy silence.

"Oh, so that's all I'm good for now?" If she'd sounded upset with him before, nothing compared to the way she sounded right then. If possible, Kagome's voice was as cold as Kagura's after taking the time to comprehend Inuyasha's question. "I can't do anything for myself, so let's get Kagome to do it! She won't care!" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"No!" Inuyasha protested in a panicky voice, obviously realizing what a stupid thing he'd said. "I didn't mean to say that!"

 

"Then what DID you mean to say?" She questioned, suddenly sounding as tired as she felt. All she wanted to do at the moment was to hear him out and get everything out in the open so that she could finally get some rest. "Just tell me, because I can't much more of this, Inuyasha."

 

The guilt-wracked hanyou on the other end of the line took a deep breath.

 

"I meant...I meant..."

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Damn it! When he had decided to call Kagome, he hadn't planned on the conversation going so badly. What in the world was wrong with him? Why was it suddenly so hard to ask her something that he'd asked a million times before? Stuttering and acting pathetic was NOT something that set well with him, and that was all he seemed to be doing at the moment. It was so embarrassing!

"I meant...I meant..." He seriously wanted to hit himself right then when he still failed to say what he wanted to, but refrained since Kagome would probably have been able to hear it on the other end. As if she didn't think he was crazy enough as it was!

 

"Inuyasha, if you don't spit it out right now, I'm going to hang up on you."

 

The hanyou cringed at the threat, know she was perfectly serious. "Fine! Actually, I called to see if you would come over." There he'd said it!

 

"W-what?"

He could tell she was surprised, and perhaps even a little suspicious. He wasn't sure what she could be suspecting him of, but it wasn't like he was planning on attacking her or anything once she got there! What kind of guy did she take him for, anyway? One like Miroku?

The idea that she of all people didn't trust him caused him to sound irritated when he answered. "Would you just come over already? We need to talk."

"That's it? Just 'talk' and nothing else?"

Now if he didn't know better, he'd say she was being downright sarcastic. What the hell...?

"Keh, what else do you think we'd do? And here I thought Miroku was the only pervert I knew!"

Inuyasha could hear Kagome spluttering in embarrassment before she finally pulled herself together.

"NO, you dummy!" She practically shouted at him "I thought that you probably just wanted me to help you with Rin like you always do!"

"Oh..." Now it was his turn to blush was embarrassment.

It was quiet on both ends for several moments as Kagome worked on getting her annoyance and embarrassment under control, and Inuyasha attempted to come up with something to say that WOULDN'T get him in trouble. It wasn't easy, though, because he seemed to have a great talent for sticking his foot all the way in his mouth and out the other end.

He made a face. What a lovely mental image that was.

 

"Kagome, I think we really need to talk, but I need to do it now before..." He trailed off, not wanted to finish the sentence. His ego just couldn't take it at the moment.

 

"Before you chicken out?" Kagome obviously had no desire to spare his male pride and hit right where it hurt.

 

"Keh."

 

The line was quiet on both ends as Kagome contemplated Inuyasha's request. And the longer the silence stretched, the more nervous he became. Would she finally tell him to get lost? He knew she would probably be a lot better off without him around to drive her crazy, but still, he couldn't help but hope that she hadn't quite had enough of him yet.

 

"Okay. I'll come over, but you'd better already have Rin in bed and everything else taken care of before I get there." Her voice was firm, and he knew that there would be hell to pay if he didn't follow through.

 

"Why the hell wouldn't she already be in bed? I'm not THAT pathetic!" He glanced over at the bedroom door as if willing her to stay where she was. Knowing his luck, the moment Kagome walked through his front door, she would probably come out still wearing her day clothes, and that would make Kagome angry and then he'd probably never see her again. Or perhaps he was feeling just a little paranoid at the moment.

 

"Whatever you say, Inuyasha." The sound of her voice showed Inuyasha exactly how much she believed that particular statement of his. "Anyway, just give me a few minutes to change clothes and then I'll be there."

 

After hanging up the phone, Inuyasha scrambled to make sure the mess in his living room area was cleaned up (can't have Kagome realizing that he'd fed Rin ramen AGAIN for dinner) and checked on the sleeping child once more to make sure she was well tucked in and that no sign of her clothing was visible to anyone that might see her while she was sleeping. And once that was done, he waited as calmly as he good for the girl of his dreams to show up on his doorstep in the middle of the night.

 

Good thing Miroku didn't live in their building, because he would certainly have a ball with that scenario!

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Whew! Done! I can't believe I finally got the next chapter written after so much time. But hopefully it wasn't too awkward, because it was really hard for me to get the flow going for this chapter and keep it tuned to the rest of the story. It was so bad that I literally worked on this one chapter off and on for months. And when I would get fed up with this chapter, I would move on other another story or even another chapter of this story, and then come back later and try again. But I FINALLY feel as if I am happy with it! And hopefully you guys will be just as happy with it (even if it is just a bit shorter than average because I felt that think was just the right spot to end at), so leave me a review and let me know what you think!