InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sachi ❯ Sounkyo ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6

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With a little sigh, Kagome slipped the sweater over her head, smoothing the soft fabric over her chest and hips before she turned to view her reflection in the mirrors. The dressing room was small--one of only three in the quaint, street-side clothing shop--but it had three full-length mirrors that showed her more angles of her body than any female could lucidly wish for.

This was the third shop they’d visited today. For most of the morning, they’d been systematically going through the various clothing stores that were scattered among Sounkyo’s hotels and other specialty shops. And thankfully, she thought she was almost done. After all, besides clothing, she also had a small list of kitchen supplies to fill for Kaede before they returned to the Sachi, and she didn’t want to spend too much time trying on clothes.

She turned once more, frowning at her reflection in the mirror. This whole shopping expedition had felt somewhat odd to her from the start, and it had kept her mildly flustered since they’d gotten into town. Maybe it was because her whole situation--lack of memory, lack of clothes, lack of life--was so absurd. Maybe it was because Kaede wasn’t with her this time.

Or maybe, it was because this time, InuYasha was.

The last time she’d been in Sounkyo, the older woman’s presence had been a comfort, making the fact that she was shopping for clothes because she didn’t have any--and didn’t know why she didn’t have any--almost fun. This time, both Kaede and Shippou had remained at the Sachi, seeing to the fresh influx of guests who had mysteriously appeared with the snow a few days before. That had left Kagome driving into town with Miroku, who was his usual charming, disconcerting self, and…InuYasha.

When he’d declared over breakfast earlier this morning they were going back to Sounkyo--and that she would be going along to “get the rest of your damn clothes”--she hadn’t thought he’d meant that he would be coming with her. And yet, as soon as Miroku had parked the Sachi’s lone vehicle--a rather large, four-wheel drive SUV--and locked up, he had given them both a cheerful wave and headed off to do…whatever it was he was here to do, calling over his shoulder that they would meet up for lunch.

There had been an awkward moment while they stared at each other, and then, with a snort and a shrug, InuYasha had grabbed her arm and steered her across the street to towards the nearest store. He’d been with her all morning, and he was being particularly cranky and belligerent about it. Even worse, he’d been waiting for her in every store they’d gone to, so that he could approve her choices before they bought them.

She didn’t know whether to throw a fit or burst out laughing. She was mostly leaning towards throwing a fit; but occasionally it was all she could do to keep from giggling aloud, because he obviously didn’t want to be here even more than she didn’t want him here. So far, all he’d done in each store was find a seat--against a wall or on a chair, it didn’t matter--somewhere near the dressing rooms, scowl bad-temperedly at anyone who came near him, and contribute pestering comments until she’d made her choices. Then, to her utter mortification, he insisted on looking them over to make sure they were what she needed.

The whole morning had been embarrassing, awkward at points, and…actually kind of fun.

Her lips twitched.

She was on to him. It had taken her a while to notice, but she was on to him. He’d made such a show of being bored out of his mind while he watched her pick out her clothes, such a point of making sure everyone in the vicinity knew he was unhappy about being there that she’d been ready to strangle him.

But then she’d started catching the smallest hints of a smirk, twitching at the corners of his mouth. It happened each time his attitude had sent both customers and clerks flinching in the opposite direction of either one of them. She’d watched him closely, and puzzled over the phenomenon for a bit before she’d finally realized: he was getting kick out of the whole process.

She wouldn’t go so far as to say he was enjoying himself, but he surely wasn’t as miserable as he was pretending. Once she’d noticed what he was doing, it was kind of amusing. When it wasn’t annoying.

TMP! TMP! TMP! TMP!TMP!

She jumped, jerked from her thoughts by the heavy pounding on the dressing room door.

“Oi! Are you done in there yet? We ain’t got all day, you know!”

Annoying…like right now.

Her hands clenched into fists and she turned to glare at the door. “Don’t you have anything better to do with your time than bother me in a dressing room?!”

There was a pause, then a caustic, “I might have--if I could trust a certain bitch to be smart enough to get all the clothes she was supposed to get in the first place!”

Indignation widened her eyes at his newest nickname for her. He’d been using the insult on and off for the past couple of days, and--while she’d gotten that it denoted a certain level of ease with her--she didn’t really appreciate it. With an exasperated sound, she turned her back on the door and glared at her own reflection. “Well, I might move a little faster if I didn’t have a certain someone dogging my every move!”

Another pause, this one somewhat shocked, followed by a flat, rather sulky, “If that was supposed to be a joke, it wasn’t fucking funny.”

An involuntary grin turned the corners of her lips. Ok, so maybe she was moving a little slower than normal this time around--but really, did he have to hover over the dressing room as if he was a jailer making sure she didn’t escape from custody? It was irritating. She rolled her eyes. “Look, I’m almost done. Give me a few minutes, ok?”

She heard a faint snort, and a mumbled “keh”, before she sensed his absence from the small foyer that fronted the three stalls in the dressing area.

She returned her attention to the mirrors. Dissatisfied with her appearance, she tugged the sweater off her body and dropped it in the small heap of rejects to her left. Picking up the next one, she held the soft material in her hands, rubbing it absently between her fingers.

It had been three days. Three days since the night they’d stood on the porch and watched the season’s first snow. Only three days to have affected such a change. It was subtle, but real. It had started the next morning, when he’d shown up for breakfast, and continued throughout the day with the simple evidence of his presence. She actually saw him now as he went about his errands during the day--she passed him in the halls, provided refreshment in his never-ending quest to fix whatever was wrong in the baths, and even managed a few brief, mundane chats while she did the dishes.

He didn’t stiffen and stalk away. He didn’t glare at her as if she was trying to infect him with some rare disease. He wasn’t exactly friendly, but he no longer made her feel like she was an unwelcome intruder--and for that, she was grateful. She was finally starting to feel that she might actually have a place here.

And for that, she was immensely grateful.

Sighing, she pulled on the next sweater. Making a face, she decided she didn’t like the bulky cut at all, and immediately shucked it. As she pulled it over her head, a glint of silver around her neck winked at her from the mirror.

She ran her fingers along the warm metal of the necklace that had given her the name that she knew as hers. It was one of the only things she ever really wondered about. Nothing else--not her injury, not her history, not the precarious situation she’d been found in--ever generated as much curiosity from her as this simple necklace. It just seemed to be so precious to her. The only time she ever removed it was to bathe; touching it gave her such comfort, she didn’t want to risk losing it.

And comfort had been so priceless to her recently. If there was anything about her current situation that she hated, it was the aimless, wandering uncertainty that had plagued her night and day from almost the moment she’d awoken. It was absolutely awful--to feel so unconnected to anyone or anything, to feel so alien and out-of-place. She felt as though everything around her was exceptionally fragile--and she was haunted by the horrifying possibility that it could break, that it could all crumble in an instant.

It was as if…as if she, herself--Kagome--wasn’t even…real. As if she were….false somehow.

It was a feeling of distortion, a warped sense of abnormality, lurking to assault her in her most unguarded moments. She would be immersed in the most mundane of tasks--doing dishes, hanging laundry, reading a book to Shippou--relaxed and peaceful, and it would emerge suddenly; it would well up and drift through her entire body and mind, reaching with the glacial fingers of an unwelcome specter. And always, it was accompanied by an elusive sense of terror--colder than the snow at night, freezing the core of her being into a thick chunk of anguish. Those were the times she wanted to curl up and hide.

Or run. Sometimes, at night, alone in her room, it felt like she was always running. And she could never quite understand why.

But slowly, that fear was going away--fading, melting, losing its power over her as she blended more completely into life at the Sachi. The Sachi’s very walls seemed to ooze companionship and camaraderie, and with every night she spent in the company of a mischievous kitsune, or a wise old housekeeper, or a rather perverted manager, contentment and well-being were slowly creeping in, phasing out the terror.

She shook herself, then turned back to her shopping with a tiny smile. The next garment in her pile--the last one--wasn’t actually a sweater, but a thick, woven top in pale green, and she needed to remove her shirt before she put it on. The sight of herself in her simple white cotton bra gave her pause, and she hesitated again, locking intently with the gray of her eyes in the mirror.

There was something else creeping in, too. With the hanyou owner. Something deep and burning that gained more and more prominence and force as the days went on and they settled into the mundanity of routine. It was like the warm glow of a fire burning deep within, heating up her body and squirming around in her stomach whenever she was near him. A gentle, insistent tug on her spirit, an indefinable lure that drew her closer to him.

And sometimes--in those rare moments when she caught his golden eyes flashing at her, darkened with some quick, unspecified emotion--she thought he felt it too.

“Kagome! What the hell are you doing in there--taking a fucking nap?!”

But only sometimes.

With a tiny growl of her own, she dragged the top over her head and whirled. “Fine! Why don’t you tell me what you think about this one?!” she snapped, yanking the door open, too aggravated to care about her tone.

He was just on the other side of the door, his fist poised in the air, ready to pound on the door. When she jerked the flimsy partition of wood away, she stepped forward, intending to storm out--only to abruptly find her nose buried against the thick, pale fleece of the vest under his jacket.

They both froze.

Her eyes widened in shock; her heart gave a violent skip. Then, sucking in a sharp breath--along with the natural, heady scent of his body permeating his clothes--she reversed direction, jumping back to putting some breathing room between them.

He did the same, his voice bursting out as he jerked a few steps away from her, “Hey! Watch what you’re--”

The fact that he cut off with an audible gulp passed over her head with little notice. She took a second to regain her composure, to calm her thudding heartbeat; then she slowly lifted her eyes to face her irritated employer.

And found his glued to her chest, eyebrows raised, mouth open as if to yell--but making no sound.

Baffled, she followed his gaze, tipping her chin down to stare at her shirt--and immediately, heat surged through her, swirling up to color her face. The top was a button-down, fastening along the front with a long row of tiny white buttons. Unfortunately, when she’d dragged it over her head a few seconds ago, she’d failed to realize that almost half the buttons were undone. The upper half of the top gaped open, allowing the pure white of her bra--the basic, soft-molded, front-closure bra--to stand out in stark relief against her skin. Her breasts were prominently displayed, pushed into the parted edges of the soft wool.

Her breath caught in her throat; her eyes flashed back to his face for just a second.

Then her reactions kicked into gear. She shrieked, one hand clutching the edges of the top together, the other reaching out to slam the door shut on his stunned expression. In the quiet following the bang, she clapped her free hand over mouth and spun on her heel, setting her back firmly against the door to confront her mortified image at three different angles. Wide gray eyes peered over the fingers griping at her mouth, and a cherry-red flush covered every inch of visible skin.

Oh, no, no, no, no! I didn’t just…. Oh, gods! Please tell me I didn’t just flash my boss!

Of course, technically, everything was still covered, but….

She’d opened the door with her shirt hanging open. That practically qualified as a proposition. Letting out a small groan, she buried her face in her hands and slid down the door until she was sitting one the floor, knees drawn protectively against her chest.

Behind her, she heard a half-growl on the other side of the door. “What the hell are you so upset about?” A snort. “It’s not like it’s anything I haven’t seen before anyway.”

She winced, then clenched her fists. Damn him! It was all his fault anyway! If he hadn’t been bugging me…. Her head fall back to thud against the door and she yelled up at him. “Not on me, you idiot!”

“Oh yeah?” He shot back immediately, impatience and sarcasm dripping through his tone. “And just whose shirt do you think you were wearing when you first woke up? You think you put that on by yourself?”

She blinked. When I woke…. Oh. That was right. According to Kaede, she’d been almost naked when he found her in some river. That meant that, technically, he’d already seen her in far less than a bra and gaping shirt. Her belly gave an unexpected flip at the thought. She bit her lip. All right. So maybe I did react just a little too….

She gave a small start and jerked her head upright to meet her own wide-eyed stare. His shirt?! No way….

But…. She’d been sleeping in that shirt. It was her way of avoiding the nightgown they’d found her in. Something about the frill-edged garment had given her the shivers since she‘d first seen it, and she found the simple t-shirt both relaxing and…well, comforting. She hadn’t spared a thought to where it had come from, or whether its original owner would want it back.

“Kagome?” Now he sounded gruff, almost tentative, as if he was afraid his words had upset her. “Look, it wasn’t--”

She sighed loudly to cut him off, and got to her feet, glaring at the floor to avoid her reflection as her fingers did up the rest of the buttons. “Never mind. It was an accident. We’ll forget it happened, ok?” She sighed again, then sent a sidelong glance at her side of the door. “I’m done. I’ll be out in a minute.”

He hesitated. “Yeah. Just hurry.” She sensed him start to turn away, then, into the quiet, he spoke again, tossing his words out casually. “Hey…. That top.” For a moment, he sounded strange--somewhere between uncomfortable and amused. “I like that one. Bring it with you.”

Her mouth dropped open in surprise, but he was gone before she could think to sputter a reply. She turned with a huff, thinking he was making fun of her. Likes this one? Honestly. She caught her reflection and stopped. Her eyes swept her image up and down, and her brow wrinkled.

Buttoned up, the top was actually very…flattering.

It was a perfect fit. The soft wool of the garment caressed her skin, falling gently around the curves of her chest and waist, and the long sleeves hugged her arms before loosening around her wrists. The neckline was wide, starting far out on her shoulder and dipping in a modest curve to about an inch below her collarbone, showing the graceful lines of neck and shoulder and just hiding the gleam of her necklace. The pale shade of green complimented her color nicely, enriching the tone of her skin and emphasizing the grayish swirl of her eyes.

It was nothing she could work in, really…. But it was nice.

Her embarrassment from earlier had settled into a faint pink blush high on her cheekbones. She gave a couple startled blinks at her reflection, and twisted a bit to view the different angles. Then, utterly bemused, she took it off and folded it neatly before adding it to the small pile of clothes she’d decided would be acceptable.

Well what do you know? Tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear, she slowly made her way out of the dressing area. I like this one too.

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“You do that on purpose.” Kagome was trying hard not to smile as she pushed out of the small clothing shop ahead of him, stopping outside to avoid the sporadic couples and groups meandering along the sidewalk. She adjusted the single bag on her arm and allowed her gaze to sweep along the various shops and restaurants lining the stone-paved street. The late morning sunshine reflected off neatly swept, randomly scattered piles of snow, causing her to squint from the resulting brightness.

She drew in a deep breath of chilly air and let out a sigh. Sounkyo was an absolutely beautiful place. The day was crisp, the sky clear blue, complimenting the snow-sprinkled vegetation of the surrounding mountains. The alpine-inspired buildings of the town nestled perfectly in the wild backdrop of nature.

What a pleasant way to spend a morning.

“Do what on purpose?” InuYasha sounded a bit surly as he came to a stop beside her. The baseball cap on his head shaded his eyes so he didn’t have to squint as he glared down at his gloved hands--which were completely occupied with rest of their purchases for the day. She’d offered to take some earlier, but he’d snorted her off, muttering something unflattering about her weak human body.

She took a moment to shrug deeper into her jacket. It wasn’t too cold today--the temperature had warmed considerably with the sun--but even during the day the normal temperatures didn’t get that warm. She was beginning to understand the necessity of this shopping expedition.

In response to his statement, she tossed him a knowing look. “Every time we‘ve gone into a shop, you’ve been such a jerk that everyone is ready to throw you out--” she rolled her eyes, “--and then, when we get to the counter, you pull out this huge wad of cash and watch them humiliate themselves to make sure you’re happy. You’ve been doing it all morning.”

It was true. He had a small fortune of paper yen in his jacket pocket, and he’d paid for everything they’d bought today with cash. For the life of her, Kagome couldn’t imagine how it was safe to carry so much money on your person, but he didn’t seem to be worried. More like, he seemed irritated that it was even necessary.

He didn’t even bother to deny it. One side of his mouth curled up into a smirk. “Heh. That’s what you get in a tourist town. If a customer looks like they have enough money to come back, it doesn’t matter who they are or what they do. You can get away with pretty much anything.”

“That’s terrible!” She frowned at him. “Do you act that way every time you come into town?”

“Tch.” He glanced around, ignoring her reproving stare. “I don’t usually come into town. Mostly that’s Miroku’s job.”

She sighed. “So why did you come along this time?”

He rolled his eyes at her to emphasize to his point. “Because the last time I let you go shopping on your own, you didn’t buy everything you needed, and it’s stupid to keep coming back for the same things over and over again.” She flushed lightly, and he smirked. “Besides, did you really want me to leave you trapped alone with Miroku in a moving vehicle?”

She made a face at him. “He’s not that bad.” With me.

That was surprisingly true. Miroku had actually been keeping almost strictly proper around her--recently, anyway. Her first few days at the Sachi had been a bit of a trial whenever she was in his presence. His initial spate of ‘accidental brushes’ had been a surprise, but she’d adjusted readily, quickly learning the arts of the guarded dodge and the outraged shriek. Then, after one particularly disconcerting incident when InuYasha had almost taken his manager’s hand off after finding it placed on a very inappropriate part of her anatomy, Miroku’s wandering hands had ceased to be a problem altogether.

She had noticed, however, that occasionally some of their more attractive female guests hadn’t been so lucky. But he didn’t mean any serious harm; all he ever did was inspire a few enraged fits and a resulting irritated put-down from InuYasha. Miroku, she’d concluded, was simply a helpless flirt with a little too much charm and little too little self-control where women were concerned.

“Like hell he isn’t,” InuYasha grumbled in reply, still searching the area. “He’s probably being that bad right now.” Finally, he just sighed and turned back to her. “We’re done, right? We have other supplies to get before we can go back, and I want to get this stuff put away so we can--” He stopped, then scowled. “Shit, Miroku’s probably with Koharu. That means we have to meet him for lunch before we can get into the truck. I should have just kept the damn keys.”

“Who’s Koharu?” Her question was absent, since she was looking over the bags in his hands, checking items off in her head. Pants, shirts, sweaters, socks….

“She’s a local business woman. A friend of Miroku’s. The two of them are….” He paused, then looked away. “Let’s just say they have a mutual arrangement if either of them ever starts feeling lonely.” His scowl deepened. “That’s another one of those reasons why I don’t generally come into town with him.”

“Arrangement?” Gloves, another jacket, a fleece liner, some scarves….

He gave her a steady, expressive look. “Koharu runs the local love motel.”

“Love motel?” Brow furrowed, she focused her attention back on him. “What does that…?” She trailed off as she finally caught his insinuation. She blinked, her skin flushed red, and this time it was she who looked away. “Oh.” That was information she could have done without. She was sorry she’d asked.

They actually have a love motel in a town as small as this?

“Well then….” Non-plussed, she returned to her blank stare at the bags, thinking. “Ummm…. I think I have everything…. ” She trailed off, frowning. Why did she have the feeling she was forgetting something? Something important? Silently, she went over her checklist once again.

InuYasha had already started walking down the sidewalk. “Fine. Let’s go find the damn restaurant. At least we can sit down and eat while we’re waiting for him.”

She trailed after him, still preoccupied. They passed several lavishly decorated store windows while she tried to recall what she was forgetting. “How will he know where we are?”

He sighed, never breaking stride as he brushed past an older couple who had paused to admire a display of painted artwork, ignoring their double take at the sight of so many bags in his hands. “We always have lunch at the same place. It’s where we meet when there’s a group of us in town. It cuts down on confusion if we all have different errands to run.”

“Oh.” Momentarily distracted, Kagome dug around in her jacket’s pockets, finally coming up with a folded slip of paper. Hurrying to catch up, she fell into step beside him and waved the white slip at him. “I have this list from Kaede for kitchen supplies. Shouldn’t we get those before we go to lunch?”

Frowning, he stopped and shifted all the bags to one hand, reaching out to pluck the paper from her hand. His action drew her eyes to his gloved fingers as he opened the list and read it over. He shook his head and returned the list to her hand. “Don’t worry about it. We can pick that stuff up on our way out. All I want to do right now is eat.”

“O-o…kay….” She stared after him for a moment, a tiny, thoughtful frown wrinkling the skin between her brows.

He made it a few steps away before he realized she wasn’t following and stopped to turn around. At her look, he frowned again. “What?”

Realizing she was staring, she started studied the sidewalk. “Nothing.”

He gave her a suspicious once-over, then shrugged. “Come on. The restaurant’s just a few streets away, and I’m tired of carrying these damn bags of yours.”

This time, he waited for her to go first. She sent him a glare, but obediently moved beside him. “I told you to let me carry some.”

“Feh! Are you always so ungrateful when people help you?”

“Only when they’re as rude as you.” She eyed his hands. He was carrying at least six bags in each one. She hadn’t realized they’d gotten so much. Plagued by a sudden fit of guilt, she reached out. “Here, let me at least--”

He actually stopped walking in order to jerk his hands away from her touch. “I told you not to worry about it!”

Offended and slightly put off by his insistence, she huffed, crossed her arms, and tromped off ahead of him. “Fine! Carry it all by yourself, if you want!” After a brief hesitation that didn’t escape her notice, and a near-silent snort, InuYasha joined her. For the next few minutes, they didn’t speak.

She glanced over at him again, sidelong and surreptitious, her eyes drifting back to his hands. He was wearing gloves today--fitted, dark brown, and made of some kind of leather that his claws didn’t easily puncture--and she found them curious. She’d seen him working outside since it’d started snowing, and he’d never worn gloves. It wasn’t as cold today as it had been in the past couple of days, and yet, today he covered his hands. Why now?

“Why do you wear them?” she asked, nodding towards his hands.

Surprised at the abrupt question, he frowned at her before following her gaze to his hands. “What the hell are you--oh, these?” He wiggled two of his gloved fingers. His mouth twisted sardonically. “Heh. Local authorities tend to get a little nervous when youkai start walking around with natural weapons exposed.”

Kagome thought about that for a moment. “So…you’re keeping them unexposed to avoid the police?” She had no objections to that. “Is that why you wear the hat, too?”

He grunted, still looking down at his hands. “Something like that.”

“Are you hiding the fact that you’re youkai?”

He finally looked up at her, taken aback. Then his frown returned, tinged with distaste. “Not hiding.” He sounded frustrated at the word. “It’s not exactly a secret that the owner of the Sachi is youkai. It’s more like…protecting.”

“Protecting who?”

His frown deepened into a scowl. “Them. You. Me. Everyone.”

“But youkai have been around forever, and you’re not trying to hurt anyone. Why would they care?”

“They wouldn’t.” InuYasha was quiet for a moment, then snorted again. “Look--people are happiest when they don’t have to deal with the unusual. I’m happiest when I’m left alone. I just don’t want the bother.”

Well, that was something to chew on. She glanced down at his hands again. “Natural weapons, huh? Have you ever actually hurt anyone with those things?”

To her surprise he stopped, turning his head toward the nearest window--a lingerie shop, displayed with mannequins dressed in nothing but bits of lace and strings--and only somewhat managing to hide his expression in doing so. She stopped, too, and stared at him.

“Yeah.” When he finally spoke, his voice had gone flat and dark. “I have.”

Speechless, Kagome just blinked at him for a few long moments. Her gaze wandered to the array of intimates in the window in front of him. She blinked again.

He seemed to shake himself and turned back to her with a sigh and a slightly annoyed expression. “Drop it. What I choose to wear in public is none of your business.” He nodded across the street to a little café that had a dozen or so white, umbrella-shaded tables scattered in front of it. “That’s where we’re going, so let’s just--”

Gaze still glued to the window behind him, she snapped her fingers. “Ah! That’s what I was forgetting!”

“What?” His eyebrows shot up. “There’s more? I thought you said you were done!”

“Well, yes, but--it’s just that I don’t quite have enough….” Her words died in her throat as her eyes drifted back to him, then widened in dismay. She felt the beginnings of a blush climb her features. “Uhhh….these weren’t on the list.”

Oh, dear.

How was she supposed to approach this? It had been an honest oversight--the last time they’d been in Sounkyo, Kaede left her to her own devices when it came to what she wore under her clothes. Unfortunately, she’d been so preoccupied and self-conscious at the time that she hadn’t really thought out how many panties and bras a girl really needed when she didn’t have any to begin with. She’d…been a little short recently.

InuYasha’s scowl was back, and he eyed her blush suspiciously. “Fine, whatever. Let’s just get whatever it is now.”

Oh, no. No way am I going underwear shopping with him! I don’t care if he is my boss! “No! You can’t….” She stole a peek at him, then glanced away. “You don’t have to come this time. I can handle this on my own.”

Now he looked perplexed and suspicious. “Why the hell wouldn’t I come?”

She was already shaking her head. “No, no, really. I can get the rest on my own. You go eat. I know where the restaurant is now--I’ll come find you once I’m through.”

For some reason, he decided to dig his heels in on the subject. A quick, negative shake of his head displayed his opposition to the idea. “You’d probably just get lost on your own anyway, and that’s more bother for me. Besides, I’m paying for it, remember?”

She almost groaned aloud. Did he have to remind her like that? The last thing she needed right now was caustic comments on her choice of bra color. “You know, I really don’t think--”

“Forget it. I’m coming. We can stand here and argue, or we can get it over with now.” The hanyou’s head tilted forward as he looked down at her, his golden eyes flashing a challenge at her.

Her eyes narrowed in response, just about fed up with his attitude. “You want to come along? All right.” She gestured behind him. “We’re here. Let’s go.” She crossed her arms, waiting to see his reaction--and prayed he wouldn’t insist on coming inside with her anyway.

Confused, he frowned at her, then turned on his heel to stare at the store on the sidewalk behind them. She watched as he read over the sign above the door. The oddest look crossed his face. He took a step back and cocked his head. For a long, silent moment, he stared in the window, at the particularly racy display of silk and lace as if he’d never seen it before.

“Kagome….” His voice was quiet, and as strange as his expression. Deeper, maybe. Rougher. “This is…what you were forgetting?”

She hesitated, thrown by his manner. He wasn’t looking directly at her, so she couldn’t read his eyes, but…. Something about his voice was….

Suddenly, she felt very…exposed.

The heat in her cheeks intensified, and her arms tightened over her chest as her stomach flip-flopped uncomfortably. “Oh, um…well….” She fidgeted, keeping her gaze off to the side. “The last time we were in Sounkyo I wasn’t really thinking about how much I would….”

“Never mind.” His interruption was brusque, and his voice hadn’t lost its roughened quality. “I really don’t want to know.” An aggravated grumble filtered into his tone. “You should have just said so in the first place instead of arguing with me.” He sighed, then shifted bags around until he reached into his pocket. “Here. I’m going to find a table.”

She blinked at the roll of money that appeared in her hands. She glanced up at his face but he had already started turning away. Really? Just… ‘Here’? “But…. Are you sure?”

“Keh! You sure as hell don’t need me for this.” He paused, hesitating at the edge of the sidewalk. “Besides, the last thing we need is for someone to see us together in there.” He cast a glance at her over his shoulder, his eyes a dark, turbulent amber, locking with hers with peculiar intensity. “Wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong impression.”

The breath in her lungs stopped moving.

What…?

What exactly was with that look? It hit her so hard she almost felt it--right there, in that tiny part of her stomach that had been doing random summersaults since the moment they’d been left alone together. She saw anger and frustration and…and a hint of speculation, which she wasn’t quite sure he’d meant to show her. Thanks to that look, she just stood there like an idiot caught in a trap, staring while her mind scrambled for something intelligent to say.

Then he released her, dropped his gaze abruptly and turned his back on her. “The café’s right across the street. I’ll be nearby if you get into any trouble.”

She stared at him in shock as he stepped off the curb. The money in her hand suddenly felt heavy, and--flustered, heart thumping loud and fast in her chest--she blinked down at it. “InuYasha, wait. You didn’t need to give me all of it, you know.”

He didn’t even turn around. “Bah. I know how expensive that kind of stuff can get. Just…buy what you need.” He paused for a car to pass. “And hurry up. We haven’t got all day.”

And then he was across the street.

Kagome drew a deep, calming breath, and turned to face the store behind her. Buy what you need? Why did those gruffly mumbled words cause such a twisting in her belly? And why--why, oh why--did she feel this nagging twinge of disappointment that he’d given in so easily?

The door pushed open smoothly. The inside of the little boutique was as tastefully arranged as all the rest had been, with the slight difference in merchandise making the whole store seem rather surreal. She bit her lip, staring around until a salesclerk greeted her with a friendly smile and asked her if she needed help. Relieved, she opened her mouth--then frowned.

Wait a minute. How does he know how expensive this stuff can get?

*************************************************************** ****

A/N: Hello everybody! *waves* It’s Quill--still a part of the living and still writing. Because that’s what I do…. (Erm, sometimes. Hee.)

Sorry about the long wait, but I’ve been otherwise occupied for the past couple months. The good part is that this chapter turned out to be much longer than I had envisioned (Surprise, surprise. That seems to happen a lot with me. I wonder why? O.o) so I had to split it up. This first part is a little shorter, but the next one is almost finished and should be forthcoming in the next couple of days. (Yipee! A close update for once.)

Anyway, I now humbly submit chapter six to your scrutiny. Please enjoy, and let me know if you have any questions or comments, or if you find anything amiss. I welcome all input.

Cheers and Blessings,

~Quill