InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Other Life ❯ The 'date' and lake ( Chapter 7 )

A/N: Well here comes another chapter. This may be a little longer than the other chapters. I wouldn't know. Actually I should since I am the writer. Anywho, this chapter came a lot sooner than I thought it would. Okay, I can actually promise you though, that the next one will be put out longer.

Inuyasha sighed to himself as he sat in one of the many trees spread out on the vast property. The tree that he was sitting in happened to be his favorite. The tree was practically dead, but that really didn't matter. This was Inuyasha's `thinking' tree. That was what Inuyasha was doing at that moment: thinking. Inuyasha was lying down in the tree, sprawled on his back with his eyes closed, thinking.

That was how Kouga found him. To Kouga, it looked like Inuyasha was taking a nap. It seemed that mutt face was lazing about again. And whenever Inuyasha was trying to relax or take a break from someone or something, he could always count on Kouga to create havoc for him. This was exactly what Kouga was planning to do as soon as he saw Inuyasha's relaxing position.

However, from years of experience, Inuyasha never completely fell asleep. He now expected Kouga to do something to him to wake him up or make him angry. Inuyasha mentally sighed to himself as he heard a twig break. So much for that good old R&R. Inuyasha didn't move his body, but just waited until he was sure that Kouga was getting ready to attack before he jumped out of his comfortable tree and made a graceful landing in front of a stunned Kouga who had a red bucket in his hands.

Inuyasha smiled to himself slightly as he crossed his arms and waited for Kouga to say something. But Inuyasha was going to be in for a surprise if he had thought that Kouga was going to start blubbering. Instead, Kouga copied the same act Inuyasha had just done and crossed his arms over his chest and smirked at Inuyasha. Neither was willing to be the first one to break the silence.

Finally Kouga couldn't take the silence anymore and opened his mouth to speak. "I see you're getting better mutt face. Your reflexes are much better than they were the time I dumped all that dog drool from the dogs last year."

Inuyasha's face turned a light red before he replied in a sneering tone, "Well that wouldn't have happened if you had been doing your job wolf boy."

Kouga sent Inuyasha an irritated glance before muttering, "Why does he insist on calling me that name?"

Inuyasha heard what Kouga said and grinned. "Because wolf boy, you're a wolf in case you didn't know that. Not to mention, you smell like one."

Kouga's face grew red with barely suppressed fury, before he said, "Are you saying I smell dog breath?"

Inuyasha grinned to himself, knowing that his silence was going to make Kouga even angrier no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

Kouga glared at Inuyasha a few more minutes before surprising Inuyasha by grinning. "I'm not even going to bother with that statement, dog breath." Kouga went over to the brick wall of the house and leaned against it. With his smile still in place, he asked, "So what do you think all of all your potential brides?"

Inuyasha grunted. "What of `em?"

Kouga sighed before giving Inuyasha an obvious stare. "I mean what do you think about them? Are you interested in any of them?"

Inuyasha's pretended disinterest about the girls didn't fool Kouga for a minute. He knew that he didn't like any of them. Especially Kagome. He just wasn't willing to admit it.

Kouga's face brightened as he thought of Kagome. In a casual tone, he said, "I bet I can pick out which one you would most likely want to be your bride."

Inuyasha gave him a doubtful look and said, "Okay. Who then?"

"That one wench with rags as clothing. I think her name is Kagome."

Inuyasha looked at Kouga as if he had grown three heads, before replying in a sarcastic tone, "Yeah, I happen to like getting all of my valuable things stolen. It's something that I can't live without."

Kouga ignored the obvious sarcasm and said, "So you won't mind if I claim her as my own." This was not asked in a question, but was actually stated as a command.

Inuyasha laughed. "Do I mind? Of course not! I would love to see you go broke and your woman get rich because she steals everything you have that's valuable."

Kouga didn't make a reply to Inuyaha's comment. Instead he smiled to himself, which gave Inuyasha the sneaking suspicion that he had just made a very bad deal. Brushing away his concern, Inuyasha lazily said, "Now if you don't mind wolf boy, I have a brother to pound. So if you'll excuse me."

Inuyasha didn't wait for Kouga to reply as he went towards the main entrance of the house. Before he had taken even a few steps though, Kouga decided at the last minute he wanted a fight with Inuyasha. So he picked one of the many things that would be sure to annoy the heck out of him. "I hear Kikyou is looking for a rich husband to pay off all her father's debts. I also hear that you're the most likely candidate."

Inuyasha had paused when the name Kikyou had come out of Kouga's mouth. He knew that whatever Kouga had to say about Kikyou would be lies, but it still made him angry to hear anything bad being spoken about her. With calmness he didn't know he possessed, Inuyasha walked over to the wall where Kouga was still leaning on. Kouga mentally winced to himself as he looked at the swinging fist flying straight for his face.

Inuyasha missed by a couple of inches, but he was too angry to notice. He swung again, but this time Kouga was ready for him. As Inuysha's punched missed again, Kouga's hit Inuyasha right in the face. Inuyasha staggered a little before regaining his balance. Kouga smiled smugly to himself before giving Inuyasha a cocky smile.

"I guess I was wrong Inuyasha. You're not getting better with your reflexes. You're getting worse. You should have easily been able to dodge that punch if you had really been good. But you aren't." Kouga gave a brief sigh. "Oh well."

Inuyasha glared at Kouga with fire in his eyes. "One day, Kouga I'm going to make you eat those words. One day." Inuyasha turned around and was halfway toward the main entrance of the house when Kouga's voice stopped him.

"Don't you even want to know why I came here, mutt face?" Kouga asked.

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks and sighed to himself. "I don't have to guess. It's because you wanted to make my life a living hell, right?"

Kouga grinned. "Didn't I already do that?"

Inuyasha glowered at him but didn't say a word.

Kouga finally grew weary of toying with Inuyasha and said, "Sesshomaru wanted me to tell you that you have five minutes to get ready for your date with Kagome. He wants you to wear your blue swim trucks also."

Inuyasha's face became horrified. "You're kidding me right? Wear that sissy looking thing? I'd rather spend my time eating a delicious old shoe."

Kouga smirked at Inuyasha. "But they would suit you since you are a sissy."

This time Inuyasha didn't give any warning that he was about to attack Kouga. He just did it. Inuyasha lunged for Kouga's midsection where both males fell down onto the mushy grass with a soft thud. Inuyasha noted with satisfaction the loud whoosh of air that went out of Kouga's lungs as he hit the still wet mud.

Kouga laid there while Inuyasha got up and dusted himself off with a satisfied smirk on his face. "That will teach you to mess with me, wolf boy."

Kouga jumped off the floor glaring at Inuyasha. "You know I was trying to be nice to you, but you just make it so damn difficult. So I won't even say a word about the other message Sesshomaru wanted me to tell you."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply, but by then, Kouga had already left a trail of dust in his wake. With Kouga out of the way temporarily, Inuyasha's thoughts turned toward his upcoming `date'. Thunder boomed in the distance, and Inuyasha's spirits rose hopefully at the chance of rain. If there's rain, then that could mean I don't have to endure her presence. Inuyasha walked back to the house with a happy grin plastered on his face.

~*~

Kagome patted Sango's hand in sympathy as she told her the story of why she was enduring this little competition.

Sango looked down at the hand that was over hers and gently smiled to Kagome. In a soft voice, she said, "You know what Kagome? I don't think that I ever and anyone before that would listen to me about my problems. No one, it seemed, cared enough to bother. I just always felt that I would have to bear the pain and suffering alone. And it was killing me to a point, I guess you could say."

Kagome gripped Sango's hand a little harder encouraging her to continue. Sango did in a shaky voice. "My father and I don't know what to do. Kohaku is getting worse with every passing day. I'm afraid that if I don't win this thing, that there will be no chance for Kohaku. That he will die. And I don't think I could bare that." Sango had to stop speaking or else tears would have begun to fall down her already pale face.

Sango was surprised enough when Kagome had let go of her hand and gave her a hug. Sango didn't pull away until she composed herself again. After a few moments, Sango put back the barrier that she hid beneath and said and in a false cheery voice, "So what are you going to wear to your date with Inuyasha?"

Kagome's facial features went from a smile to a frown. Just the mere mention of Inuyasha's name could take the joy out of her mood. Frowning, Kagome dismissed him and the `date' they were supposed to have from her thoughts. Nothing was going to ruin her moment of happiness right now. Not even him.

But before she could even act on this thought, a knock was heard on the door.

Sango was the one who answered. "Come in."

The doorknob turned and a butler entered the room. Not showing any expression on his face, the butler said, "Miss Kagome is to come down the stairs around five minutes where she will be escorted to the lake to have her date with Master Inuyasha." Kagome barely had time to reply to this startling announcement before the door was shut and she was left alone with Sango again.

In a huff, Kagome said, "Well that was nice. I get a few moments without having to suffer Inuyasha's presence, and then what happens? I have to go back down to meet my nightmare again. How convenient."

Sango gave her an encouraging smile. "I don't think Inuyasha is that bad. I mean, I can understand where you are coming from and all, but still. Do you hate him that much?"

Kagome paused at her complaining to consider Sango's question. After a moment's hesitation, she finally replied, "Actually I don't hate him. I just extremely dislike him is all. He's just an arrogant jerk."

Sango looked at Kagome strangely but didn't make a comment. Instead, she got a mischievous glint in her eye before saying, "Do you want revenge Kagome?"

"If you mean, do I want Inuyasha to experience the same pain and humiliation that I felt when he accused me of being a thief, then yes, I do want revenge."

Sango stood up and walked over to her wardrobe. She didn't say anything until she had pulled out a plain black swimming suit. She then proceeded to place it on her bed and then turn towards Kagome.

"What if you make him fall in love with you?"

Kagome just sat there staring at Sango. Sango didn't wait for Kagome to fully grasp what she was saying before she grabbed Kagome off the bed and pushed her toward the bathroom. "I'll explain my plan later, but for now, go and try on this swimsuit. I can bet you it would make Inuyasha definitely take a better look at you."

Kagome snapped out of the fog that had clouded her brain when she realized that Sango wanted her to go and try something on. With this realization also came the knowledge of the reactions she got when people saw her in anything other than clothing that had long sleeves. Kagome stopped in the middle of the room and turned around to Sango with a determined look around her face.

"Sango," she began quietly, "you know how I said that my step mom would always beat me for one reason or another?"

Sango nodded.

Kagome took a deep breath and said, "Well, those beatings always left scars in their place. Some of the scars have disappeared by now, but there are still some that are pretty ugly to look at." Kagome lifted up one of the sleeves of her maid out fit until Sango could see the damage that had been done by her mom. The scars that were there went up and down her arm. Most of them were now mostly gone, but the remaining of them still left now doubt as to her have been beat in the past.

Kagome was ready for Sango's gasp of surprise, but not for the hug she felt a few minutes later. Kagome let the sleeve drop back down and hugged Sango back with a genuine smile on her face.

Sango pulled back and said, "Well, I guess you won't be able to go swimming today after all."

Kagome just shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I had no intention of going swimming anyway, whether I had these scars or not. But as far as I'm concerned, I think I'll still meet Inuyasha. But before I do, tell me about this little plan of revenge you were talking about earlier."

Sango grinned. "My pleasure. See, all you have to do is…."

~*~

Inuyasha glared at the clear blue water. He had been sitting at the lake he was supposed to meet Kagome at for the last fifteen minutes, and she still hadn't shown up. Inuyasha was about to explode with the pressure of not doing anything. In fact, he wouldn't have even been there if he hadn't been blackmailed into it.

Sesshomaru had said in a voice not to be argued with that he would go and accommodate Kagome to the lake and he would give her a chance before he completely wrote her off and kicked her out of the palace. And if he hadn't, then he would simply let it slip that he was a hanyou to Kagome and let her do with that little bit of information as she wanted to.

So here he sat. Without Kagome. Inuyasha was not pleased at all. If he was to be on time, then she was to be on time too. He didn't have time to be wasting, especially when it wasn't time he had to be wasting.

Inuyasha sighed. It seemed to him that she wasn't coming, so he decided that it wouldn't hurt anyone of he took off the hat he was wearing. It wasn't like the servants hadn't seen him like this before. As Inuyasha felt the hat fall off, he picked up the distant sound of footsteps coming his way. With a mumbled curse, Inuyasha jammed the hat back on his head, and waited to see who the person would be.

Even from a distance, Inuyasha could tell it was a female. She had on a white summer dress that went up to the knee and covered her arms. The dress wasn't fancy or anything, but just a plain white color. Her hair wasn't put up and every once in a while, the wind would blow it from side to side. Inuyasha didn't even notice that she wasn't wearing any shoes. From a distance, the girl looked like Kikyou, and Inuyasha's spirits rose at the thought of talking to Kikyou.

But it wasn't Kikyou at all. It was Kagome. Inuyasha could feel his ears twitching as she came closer and closer. Inuyasha mentally sighed before grinning to himself. If he was actually going to have to suffer through this girls company, then he might as well make sure that the first time she had alone with him, would be the only time she would want to be alone with him.

~*~

Kagome was nervous as she approached Inuyasha. She knew she was late, but she couldn't help it. Sango had taken a long time to explain the `plan' to Kagome. Kagome had been wary at first, but eventually, Sango had talked her into it unmindful that Kagome didn't know how to make a guy fall madly in love with her.

Kagome stopped in front of Inuyasha and just stood there staring at him. She knew she should start apologizing for being late but she didn't want to do that at that exact moment. Inuyasha was the first to look away.

"So, what took you so long wench?"

Kagome took a deep breath and said cheerfully, "I'm so sorry Inuyasha! I totally lost track of time. It will never happen again." With her apology being said, Kagome sat down next to the tree Inuyasha was leaning against and folded her legs up against her.

The silence was a comfortable one, which is why Kagome began to hum a melody to herself. The melody she was humming was perhaps the only one she knew that was from her mother. She had only been humming a few minutes before Inuyasha growled, "Will you stop humming that damn song? It gives me the creeps."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha in surprise before she did as he asked. Determined to get some kind of conversation going, Kagome said with her false smile still in place, "Nice weather we're having huh?"

Inuyasha grunted in reply.

Kagome was going to get some reaction out if him whether it would be good or bad. As Kagome looked out on the lake, a plan began to from in her mind. With a smirk, Kagome looked at Inuyasha and the lake and began to calculate how hard she would have to push him to get him to fall into it.

Kagome decided not to hard since the tree Inuyasha was leaning against happened to be pretty close to the water. So with an evil smile, Kagome silently began to make her way toward the annoyed hanyou. Making sure her footsteps were as quiet as possible, Kagome went over to Inuyasha's back and gave it a hard shove. However, Kagome hadn't been counting on Inuyasha's hands to automatically reach out and grab the nearest thing to keep his balance. And unfortunately, that thing was Kagome.

Kagome didn't even bother to try and hold onto something for balance, she was that surprised. So both Inuyasha and Kagome made a big splash with the impact of their fall. A few seconds had passed by before Inuyasha rose out of the water with a furious expression on his face. Inuyasha yelled, "I have no idea what your idea of a joke is, but this was not funny! I can't believe you just did this to me. I hope you drown woman!" By this time Inuyasha had already gotten out of the lake, and was ringing out his wet hair. Not hearing a response from Kagome, Inuyasha looked out onto the lake and saw with astonishment that Kagome was laughing. This made him even angrier.

Throwing up his arms, Inuyasha shouted, "I think my brother has officially gone crazy! First, he sets me up with some thief, and then he expects me to actually date her! Before I'll know it, my money will be gone and so will the thief!"

Inuyasha noted with satisfaction that his ranting and raving of Kagome being a thief had stopped her laughing. She was coming up onto the shore with the biggest glower he had ever seen on a person's face. Now that Kagome was getting angry, Inuyasha's humor was restored.

With a glare at Inuyasha, Kagome sat down next to him, and began to ring out her hair while saying, "I hope you aren't implying that I took that damn sword of yours Inuyasha."

With a smirk, Inuyasha said, "You bet I am. Besides, I only say things that are actually true. I wouldn't make something like this up."

Kagome closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to hold onto the temper that was about to explode. Opening them again, Kagome said, "I will not fight with you on this Inuyasha, since it happened over three years ago. It's in the past. Let it go."

Inuyasha was having too much fun making her angry to stop. So he said almost cheerfully, "Why should I stop? You're not the boss of me. Besides, I'm only stating what's fact. You took my sword. Whether you want to admit it or not, you did take the sword. Ask Kikyou. She's the one who even saw you take it."

Kagome had been doing fine before Inuyasha had mentioned Kikyou. With the mention of that hated name, all the pain and sickness she felt came rushing back. That's when her control snapped. Ignoring the wet feeling of her dress against her skin, Kagome jumped up and pointed a shaking finger at Inuyasha. "I don't know why you would believe her Inuyasha. She was a liar. She still is. She only wanted you for your money. How do you know that Kikyou didn't take the sword? That Kikyou didn't want any suspicion to be put on her, so she blamed me? How do you know that Kikyou didn't have money problems? How do you know Inuyasha? How do you know?"

Inuyasha frowned at Kagome but didn't say anything. Kagome knew he didn't say anything because he couldn't. Because he didn't know everything about Kikyou. "And just to let you know Inuyasha, Kikyou did have money problems. You just hadn't noticed it."

This time Inuyasha was the one who got up and was pointing at Kagome. "You don't know everything about Kikyou! She was a good person. She would have never done anything wrong to anyone. She didn't need money. I was always invited to her home. Why would she invite me if she didn't want me to know? Why would she want me to come to her house, if she was in debt?"

Kagome looked at Inuyasha like he was crazy. "She's not stupid Inuyasha. You would have gotten suspicious if she had all of a sudden just stopped inviting you over her house." Kagome walked up to Inuyasha and poked him in the chest. "She was staying at a friends home Inuyasha. Or did that never occur to you? It wasn't Kikyou who was in debt. It was Kikyou's parents. Most likely, they wanted her to get you as a boyfriend. A rich boyfriend is probably what they needed at that time. Everything was going great until I came along. Kikyou was afraid that she would lose you to me, and that was unthinkable. So she stole the sword, and blamed me. And the funny thing is, is that you actually believed her."

Inuyasha shook his head at Kagome even before she had finished. "I wasn't interested in you. Not like that at least."

Kagome glared at Inuyasha. "You know Inuyasha, Kikyou's fears could have came true. I could have gotten you to like me in a girlfriend type of way."

Inuyasha laughed. "I doubt it. I most likely would have dumped you when you had gotten to be fifteen. You're butt-ugly."

Kagome grew red and before Inuyasha could do anything, she pulled him forward and kissed him.

A/N: I finished! Yay! I'm sorry for leaving it at a cliffhanger but I think this is enough, don't you? Okay, I'm going to go away now and let you guys review!!