InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sachi ❯ Glue ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: Proof of ownership…. ? Wait, let me check…. Hold on a sec, I know I have it somewhere…..

Oh. Guess not.

Inu and friends still aren’t mine. I guess my evil plot to switch bodies with Takahashi and have them all to myself failed. *cry* Oh, well. Enjoy what I’ve borrowed. ^_^

Chapter 8

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&nb sp;

The drive back to the Sachi was much more pleasant than the ride into Sounkyo had been--although, surprisingly, it was Miroku who was quiet this time around. On the drive into town, InuYasha had been the one who was obstinately silent, and Miroku the one who supplied the easy chatter. But Kagome spent the drive back in aimless, rather pointless--but agreeable--conversation with InuYasha about the various aspects of Sounkyo’s seasons, as well as its famous hot springs and gorges. For someone who didn’t actually like to be in the town, he sure knew an awful lot about it, as well as the area that surrounded it.

He’d just finished telling her about the upcoming ice festival--and the various sculptures and light effects that would help bring in a further inundation of guests--as they pulled off the dirt road that led to the Sachi. The gravel ‘parking area’ that sat in front of the small mansion was reserved for the few guests who actually drove cars. Since most guests traveled by train and bus, and used the ropeway station that was only a few minutes’ walk away to get to and from Sounkyo during their stay, it was usually empty save for their vehicle.

“This festival sounds like fun. Do you all take a night out to go see it every year?” Kagome jumped out of the truck and followed as the two men disembarked and walked around back of the vehicle to start unloading their supplies.

InuYasha grunted, lifting the back gate and pulling out the large bag of rice that Kaede had requested. “Are you kidding? We have too much work to do around here to bother with tourist shit.”

She gave him a sour look--which he ignored--and held out a hand to take some of the bags. He handed Miroku a few, but continued to act as if he didn’t see her obvious bid to help. Her eyes narrowed.

Miroku glance slid between InuYasha and his housekeeper, who was beginning to look seriously affronted, and chuckled, speaking up for the first time since they’d left Sounkyo. “The festival lasts for a while, Kagome. Kaede takes Shippou in at least once during every year, and since I’m the one who goes into town most often, I usually manage to catch it as well.” He reached out and hooked a few of her clothes bags over her still outstretched arms. “It’s our dear employer who hasn’t ever experienced the wonders of the Sounkyo ice festival.”

“Oh.” Her arms dropped to her side. She propped her fists on her hips and considered InuYasha as he gathered a few more bags and set the rice bag over his shoulder. “But that’s terrible. You live so close and you’ve never seen it? We should--”

“Forget it.” He cut her off flatly, turning to brush past her as he made his way towards the front door of the Sachi.

She blinked, then frowned at him. “But--”

“I ain’t goin’ into town for something silly like a festival. It’s a waste of my time.” He paused to slant her a look over his shoulder. “If you want to go, that’s fine with me. But I’m not.” He walked off again, his feet crunching softly across the snow-spattered gravel.

Behind her, Miroku chuckled again. “Don’t bother, Kagome. In all the years we’ve been here, I’ve never seen him even remotely interested in attending the ice festival.”

Exasperated, she glanced back at Miroku, then turned to follow after InuYasha at a determined march. “But aren’t you the least bit curious about what it’s like? Aren’t you the least bit interested in seeing the sculptures?”

He didn’t even look at her as he climbed the short steps to the front door. “Nope.”

She persisted, sticking right on his heels as he threw open the door and stepped inside, kicking his shoes off into the tiled area that made up the floor immediately beyond the threshold. The Sachi didn’t have a traditional genkan, but the tile served the same purpose, and had presumably been built solely for keeping visitors’ shoes--several of which were lining the wall, evidence of their recent increase in business. “Well, I think you should. It sounds beautiful--especially at night. And everyone deserves some time off for something fun, right?” She followed suit and stepped after him in her socks.

He gave a short, derisive snort and stepped onto the wooden floorboards, heading past the reception desk towards the kitchen. “I’m giving you whatever time off you want for the stupid festival. Just don’t expect me to go with you.”

She made a face at his back. “Working all the time is bad for you. You shouldn’t be afraid to relax every once in a while. If you did that, maybe you wouldn’t be so cranky all the time.”

He came to a dead stop in the middle of the reception area, opposite the desk, the heavy bag of rice still over his shoulder. Surprised, she only just managed to stop before she ran smack into his back. He turned, eyes narrowed in annoyance to glare down at her. They were only inches apart.

Too close.

Kagome swallowed and backed up a step.

He barely seemed to notice. He even leaned in a little to emphasize his point. “I don’t fucking care what you do. But if you think you’re going to get me into the middle of a bunch of damn tourists wandering around without any real fucking clue what they’re doing, you’re out of your fucking mind. Stop wasting your breath trying to convince me.”

She forgot her discomfort and returned his glare, immediately ticked off. “Hey! Anyone ever tell you to watch your mouth?” She gave a soft huff. “I just thought it might be fun!”

He growled at her. “As if you even knew what my definition of fun is! And if you don’t like the way I talk, then quit bothering me and you won’t have to hear it!”

Her hands, still occupied with the bags she’d carried in, fisted. “You don’t want me talking to you?” Her shoulders straightened. “Fine!”

Color high with indignation, her shoulders straightened, and she fixed him with her haughtiest stare. She gave a sniff of disdain and stepped forward, intending to brush right past him. “I won’t bother--”

She didn’t get any farther than that.

Looking rather indignant himself, he started to back up a few steps as well, obviously intending to avoid her--only to have his feet abruptly stop moving. His entire body swayed as if he were suddenly fighting to retain his balance, as well as his hold on the bags in his hands. “What the….” The expression of confusion that flashed across his face was almost comical.

But she didn’t have time to find it amusing, or even to smile, because--disconcertingly enough--at the exact same moment, both of her feet landed in a thick, cold, gooey substance. And stuck. Her socks sank firmly into the oddly textured stuff and it adhered to them, sucking her feet down as she automatically tried to lift them. They wouldn’t move more than an inch in any direction.

Too bad her momentum didn’t follow suit.

Her feet jerked to a halt, but the rest of her didn’t. Glued to the floor, bags in her hands, and utterly off balance, she pitched helplessly forward. Straight into InuYasha.

The hanyou saw her coming, saw the inevitability of her collision with his body, but barely had time to react with a growled “Hey! Watch ou--” before the full weight of her body slammed into him. Equally unable to move his feet, he lost his barely-regained equilibrium and started to fall back. Panicked, he dropped everything in his hands and grabbed at her. His arms wrapped around her back and pulled her tight against him, using their bodies as a brace to keep them upright.

Several bags plopped down into the strange goo around them. The bag of rice made a loud ‘whump’ as it hit the floorboards and split open and rice spilled across the floor.

For the second time that day, Kagome found her face shoved into the pleasant warmth of the clothes against his chest. Except this time, the entire upper part of her torso was nestled comfortably against his front, the feeling deceptively similar to a hug. It was the closest she could ever remember being to him.

“Don’t move.” His voice muttered close to her ear. His body felt tense, and a serious, urgent warning laced through his tone. As per his instructions, and because she found she couldn’t do anything else, she froze. He didn’t make another sound for the next few moments, and it seemed to her--though she couldn’t see him--that he was scanning the reception area and surrounding rooms.

Into the silence, the only sound that was heard was the soft rattle of tiny kernels rolling over each other as the flow of rice slowed to a stop. Stunned, Kagome just stood there, leaning against him as if he were the only thing holding her up. Which was probably true. She drew a deep breath, and blinked.

What…. What just happened?

He muttered something else--something so soft and quiet that she actually missed it--and abruptly, she felt him relax. It was his turn to draw a deep, calming breath, and then, “What…the…hell…is going on here?!”

She jumped as his yell rumbled through his chest and into her cheek. He sounded just as stunned--and twice as angry--as she felt. Snapping out of her disorientation, she jerked back, pulling away from the stability of his body. He allowed it, but refused to relinquish his hold on her entirely, his hands sliding to lay heavy on her shoulders. Good thing, too, because she overcorrected with the unthinking action, and almost tipped over backwards.

He steadied her again. She turned her face up to stare at him with wide eyes. His scowl was ferocious; however, it wasn’t directed at her, but at the floor beneath them.

“Wh…wha…” Unable to voice a coherent question, her mind scattered by shock, she just looked down. And frowned in disbelief. The goo they were standing in was white and thick, and was spread over a small area of the floor from the reception desk to the middle of the foyer. And they were smack dab in the middle of it.

“What….” She tried to lift her feet and met with soft-textured, yielding resistance. She didn’t understand. The stuff looked like rice pudding--it even made that wet, slopping sound that pudding made when it moved. It was pliable and slick, so she should just be able to slide right out of it--except her feet refused to move more than a half an inch in any direction. It wasn’t even simply being stuck, either. Since whatever it was had suppleness and pliability, she wasn’t stable, and every time she moved, she risked losing her balance. “What is this stuff?” Better question: how in world had they missed seeing it?

He was growling--quiet, low, and steady in his chest. “I haven’t got a fucking clue, but whatever the hell it is, I can barely move.” He lifted his foot, but only managed to get it about an inch off the ground before it was sucked back in. His lip curled. “Shit! What the fuck is this?!”

Confused, she tried again, tugging experimentally upward with her legs. She got the same result as before, but with the bags still in her hands, she almost lost her balance again. With an alarmed cry, she finally dropped them and grabbed onto his arms.

“Don’t do that, idiot!” He snapped it at her, frustration deepening his usual roughness. “You’re too damn close--if you fall, I will, too! This shit is too slippery to move around in much, and the last thing I want is to be stuck to the floor with you.”

She bit her lip. “Sorry.” Then she frowned at him. “So how are we supposed to get free?”

“Fuck if I know!” He grimaced and ran his eyes over the deserted foyer. His ears twitched, and he snorted. “Of course. No one around.” His eyes went to the open door behind her and his voice raised in a yell. “Oi! Miroku! Get your ass in here!”

No response.

Either the manager didn’t hear, or he was ignoring his boss. Not unusual. Kagome sighed and glanced back down at her socks. The strange goo had pretty much covered them, but it hadn’t seeped through the cotton yet. Maybe if she…. Experimentally, she started wiggling her toes.

With another snort of disgust, InuYasha twisted, looking behind him at the stairs, the doors, and the hallways, all leading into various areas of the inn. “Baba! You there?” His voice echoed off the walls, but nothing moved and no responding sounds were heard. On her shoulders, the grip of his fingers tightened almost imperceptibly. He sighed, then looked up at the ceiling, sounding rather desperate as he yelled at the house in general. “Anyone?! Someone get me the hell out of this!”

His tone irked her even more than his words, and her brows narrowed in annoyance. “What? Am I bothering you again? Sorry, but it’s not like it’s my fault.”

He glanced down at her in surprise and reflected her annoyance back at her. “Of course it bothers me! We’re practically stuck to each other now! Shit--this whole damn day has been bothering me!”

A dull flush of heat spread across her cheeks and neck. So he really didn’t like being so close to her, huh? He really did find her that troublesome? Jerk. Avoiding looking at him, she concentrated on freeing one of her feet. It was tricky. The muck had molded itself around her feet, and it stretched to kept its hold when she tried working them out of the socks.

Does he always have to act like I’m a such burden?

“Well I…” Tug. “…want…” Tug.

I’m not really that bad, am I? I try my hardest.

“…to…” Tug. “…get out…” Tug.

And here I really thought I was making progress with him, too. Humph.

“…of here.” Tug. “…too!” Her next fierce yank sent her into a precarious wobble.

“Hey!” Black brows shot down warily, and he immediately steadied her. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? If you keep that up--”

She shook her head. “My socks are stuck, but my feet aren’t.” Her hands wrapped tightly around his forearms and she braced herself for a strong wrench. “I think I can get--” She tugged again, and felt her feet starting to slip from the material encasing them.

His eyes widened. “Whoa--stop! Just stop! Someone will come and--”

One foot came loose. Unprepared for the sudden release, Kagome overbalanced and, with a shriek, tipped forward into InuYasha. He caught her and tried to steady them both as he’d done before, but her other foot slid from it’s anchoring sock a split-second after the first, and she slammed into him. Hit with the full force of both their weight combined, and still unable to move his feet around properly to adjust for the change in center, he was unable to prevent them from falling.

They crashed to the floor, landing hard in the goo with a wet-sounding splat.

The impact pushed most of the air from Kagome’s lungs. Breathless, stunned to find herself horizontal rather than vertical, she groaned. Then she lifted her head from where it had collided with his jacket, and struggled to take in her initial rush of impressions.

Breasts to chest. Belly to abdomen. Hips, pressed firmly against a warm, living surface.

Her eyes widened and her lungs sucked in a tiny gasp of air. Ohhhh….

She was literally plastered on top of him. Every inch of her front molded intimately against every inch of his. She paled, then flushed a hot, fiery red, bombarded with mortification, dismay--and a tiny zing of hyper-awareness that rushed through her, leaving a faint, tingling sensation in its wake.

He groaned, drawing her eyes to his face. His eyes were still closed, his face scrunched up from the impact of the fall. A growl rumbled in his throat, vibrating through his whole body, and he hissed in annoyance. “Fuck.” His eyes cracked open, and he glanced around. “Stubborn bitch. I told you not to do that, didn’t I?”

They focused on her. Widened. She saw that same awareness flare bright in his golden gaze, accompanied by a brief flash of panic. She felt his chest expand as he drew in a breath, and realized that the heavy weight pressing down on her back was his arms, keeping her from tumbling off into him the sticky mess around them. She started to flinch back, bracing herself for some close-proximity yelling.

But he didn’t say anything. He didn’t move. He didn’t look away. He just lay there, staring at her with eyes so intense that she almost felt as if they were penetrating into her very skin.

Kagome stared back, caught in the look. She felt…heavy, sluggish. She knew she should get off him; dimly, a part of her brain even ordered her to so. She just couldn’t make herself move. Her heartbeat had kicked up a furious rhythm in her throat; her breathing had grown scatty and shallow. Every time she inhaled, her chest pressed a little closer to the firm surface of his, and the air ghosted through sensitive lungs to swirl in the pit of an anxious belly.

Involuntarily, her tongue slipped out to wet dry lips.

His eyes widened even further, and then he gave a tiny start--one so insignificant that she almost missed it--and abruptly yanked his gaze off to the side. “A-are you ok?” His words were quiet and gruff, but lacking in the anger he’d had only moments ago.

He startled her out of her daze, and she blinked for the first time in what seemed like hours. “I--y-yes.” Finally regaining control of her body, she made an attempt at movement, squirming around to get her elbows under her. Bracing her palms on his chest, she pushed herself into a semi-sitting position, making them both aware, at the same time, of yet another problem for them to deal with.

They froze and stared at each other in horror.

His feet were still stuck to the floor, so he’d fallen with both knees bent. She’d been off balance, so she’d fallen at an angle to lay flat along his side. In order to accommodate their positions, her legs had draped on either side of his leg, forming a straddle over his thigh. His legs had her thigh cradled between them, while she…. She was pressed firmly against him in one of the most intimate ways possible.

She watched his eyes close tight. She watched him draw a deep, calming breath. “Think you can get off me without my help?” His words were carefully pronounced, but his voice sounded strained.

Even though he couldn’t see her, she nodded. Cautiously, she attempted to push up and away from his body. The movement pressed her even harder against his thigh, producing the oddest sensation--a warm, thick, spreading heat in the pit of her stomach. Her lungs constricted tightly, and she pressed her lips together in a desperate bid to ignore the reaction. Instead, she focused on getting out of the mess they currently found themselves in.

And failed. When she realized why, she glanced down behind her, winced, and looked up at his face. “Umm….” She kept her tone appropriately meek. “I…can’t.”

One golden eye popped open to glare at her. “What the hell do you mean you can’t?”

She bit her lip, worrying it for a moment. “My legs are…stuck.”

The declaration prompted both eyes open and he glanced down to where her visible leg rested flat in the sticky goo, adhered to the floor from pant knee to bare toe. He gave it a harassed, disbelieving look. “Oh, come on!”

In sympathy, she tried again. “Maybe if I…” Using her hands, she tried pushing away from him again, and only managed to wiggle around a bit.

An odd choking sound escaped his throat, and his hands clamped down tight on her hips. “Stop. Moving.” His voice sounded strangled, and he looked a little bit like he was in pain. His eyes were closed again, too. “Just stop.”

She stilled, save for the shallow breathing that the wriggling had produced in her. Almost absently, she placed cool fingertips against her cheek, trying to soothe the heated skin. Considering the friction that moving around caused, she found herself silently agreeing that trying to free themselves that way was probably a bad idea. “Wha--what do we do now? We can’t stay here like this.”

He swallowed visibly, then his eyes opened and he scowled at her again. “Shit. All right. You’re obviously not strong enough--we’ll never get anywhere with you doing the work. Don’t move. I think I can sit up, and it’ll be easier if I have more leverage.”

“Now isn’t that the most interesting thing I’ve heard you say in a while? I’ve never known you to have trouble with your positions, InuYasha.” Miroku’s highly amused, somewhat speculative voice drifted out from the back hallway, drawing closer as he spoke.

Kagome’s head jerked up in shock to see the Sachi’s manager come to a stop just in front of the stairs, arms crossed lazily, head tilted to the side. He was studying them as if they were some fascinating new life form that had managed to sprout from the floor. “And here I was wondering what had happened to you two.”

InuYasha twisted his head around to glare behind him. “It’s about time. Where the fuck have you been?”

Miroku looked surprised and walked a few steps forward. “Me? I was putting the supplies away--in the kitchen, where most of them belong.” His dark violet eyes took in the open door before returning to the two on the floor. “I just didn’t bother going through the house when it’s easier to go around it.” He paused, reflecting briefly. “Although, now I’m kind of sorry that I did.” He nodded, eyebrows lifting in inquiry. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t these kind of things usually kept in private?”

Kagome almost groaned aloud when she realized what he meant. Oh, well. At least my face can’t get any redder than it already is.

Beneath her, InuYasha just snarled viciously at his manager. She was a little surprised to see a tiny bit of red dusting his cheeks as well. “Look you…. It’s nothing like…. We’re not---can’t you see that we’re stuck?!”

“Stuck?” Miroku just looked at them blankly. “How so?”

For a moment, they both just gaped at him, equally incredulous.

Then Kagome stirred, not really sure if he was being serious or not. She lifted a hand to gesture cautiously at the floor around them. “We’re stuck in--in all this. This gooey stuff.”

Miroku’s eyes drifted leisurely across the floorboards, then returned to rest on her with mild curiosity. “Gooey stuff? What gooey stuff?”

She blinked at him. “You don’t see it? But it’s all over this part of the floor.” She waved her hand again. “It’s…white…and…sticky….and we can’t move because it’s all over us.” InuYasha started making those choking noises again. She looked down at him, slightly concerned, only to find his eyes closed and his expression twisted into a long-suffering wince.

Confused, she went over her words. Her eyes widened, then abruptly squeezed together into a horrified cringe as she found (much to her dismay) that the crimson on her face actually could go a few shades darker.

Miroku looked like he was about to choke, too. On laughter. “Oh, now I am impressed, InuYasha. All that with your clothes on?”

InuYasha responded with a deep warning growl. “Use those brains you’re so convinced you have, you damn pervert! Do you really think I’d still be on my ass right now if I could get up?”

His words had the desired effect of sobering Miroku up enough to have him taking a closer look at their predicament. He studied the floor around them once again, and this time a frown flickered in to replace his gloating expression. “But…. I don’t see anything.” He took a few more steps forward, bringing his bare feet dangerously close to the edge of the mass of goo.

InuYasha’s expression was half skeptical, half pissed-as-hell. “How the fuck can you not see all this shit?!”

“Well, it’s not like we saw it either,” Kagome felt compelled to point out.

His eyes narrowed back on her. “Of course we didn’t see it. You were too busy taking up all my attention by harassing me about the stupid ice festival.”

Her back stiffened slightly, and she sat forward, almost oblivious to the way it pressed her entire body harder against his. “You were the one who started yelling at me, remember?”

Still around her hips, his fingers tightened, pressing into the material of her pants. “Only because you don’t understand the word no! Something must have gone wrong in that brain of yours when you got hurt.”

Her hands fisted, thumping softly against his chest. “Well excuse me if I think that relaxing a little is just as important as--”

“Wait.” Miroku crouched down suddenly, and they broke off to stare at him as he tipped his head to the side, concentrating intently on the floor in front of him. Then his eyes widened. “Oh.”

“Oh?” They glanced at each other.

Instead of responding, Miroku held two fingers up to his mouth and murmured what sounded like a soft series of chants. Abruptly, his hand swung down and waved over the odd substance keeping them glued to the floor. All around them, the air just above the sticky stuff shimmered faintly. Then a strange seeping feeling, similar to heat rising off a hot stove, as power dissipated into nothing.

A chill went through her body, raising the hair on her arms. Kagome frowned, disconcerted by the sight, and by the nagging sense of familiarity that flooded over her. She’d seen something like that before. What was it?

A spell. A dispersal. The words flickered to life in her mind, bright points of light in the otherwise pitch-black emptiness of her memories. She went still.

She knew what he was doing. She knew those terms, knew what they meant. The brief flash came to her so naturally that it was almost instinctive. Miroku was exercising a fairly basic skill with the spiritual powers everyone assured her he possessed, but rarely used. More knowledge that she didn’t know where it came from, knowledge that was just there, hanging unsupported and alone in her mind, a jagged piece of a bigger picture that she simply couldn’t see. Her eyes drifted down, focusing on her hands as she tried to figure out what that meant.

After a moment, Miroku pulled his hand back and studied them again. He whistled low. “That is quite a mess.” Dark violet eyes leveled on InuYasha. “An illusion. Designed so that you could only see the stuff if you were touching it. A decent one, too. I’m impressed. He couldn’t do anything this complicated when we got here. He’s been practicing.”

The hanyou groaned, then started shouting. “Shippou! You little brat! How many times have I warned you about playing pranks on the guests!”

“Ah….” Miroku scratched at his head, his amused expression beginning to return. “Somehow, I don’t think this was intended for the guests.” When the two on the floor just looked at him, he shrugged and pointed around in a vague, general wave. “All the signs today are directing the guests away from the front entrance.” A hint of a grin hovered at the corners of his mouth. “Something about a big mess and repairs necessary.” He added, almost to himself. “I was wondering what that was about.”

The significance of that took a full minute to sink in. Then, with an infuriated growl, InuYasha was slapping his hands down into the goo on either side of him and pushed upright, struggling against the gummy elasticity as it tried to pull him back down. “Like…hell!”

Kagome--half-preoccupied with her stubborn mental block--gave a startled cry at the unexpected movement. Her hand fisted in the jacket covering his torso, trying to keep from being dislodged as the hanyou beneath her fought into a sitting position. Her thighs tensed, tightening their clasp around his, and for a few moments, she wobbled precariously.

It took him a good thirty seconds to break the hold the stuff had on his back. It was only after he was all the way up that he realized how close he’d put them. His nose brushed against her forehead, and his entire body came to an abrupt halt. His eyes, darkened gold, locked with hers and widened slightly. She was fascinated to see his pupils dilate with shock.

Kagome’s lips parted, and she stopped breathing at almost the same instant that she felt the warmth of his breath wash over the skin of her cheek. Her mind blanked out, leaving her at a complete loss--not that she could have done much of anything anyway.

She was trapped now, even more effectively than she had been before. Her legs were still stuck to the floor, and with his shift, she found herself wedged tightly between his knee and his torso. She’d just effectively lost any range of movement she’d had before. Except her head. She could mover her head. And that presented a whole other range of problems. If she bent her head about half an inch forward, her face would fit comfortably between his shoulder and neck--but if she tilted her head up, just a little bit, the her lips would….

He knew it, too. In the second it took them to look away from each other, she saw the realization flash--like the small heated sparks thrown out by a fire--through his gaze. She felt an answering jolt, deep in the pit of her belly, and then they had both turned their heads to stare at opposite sides of the floor.

A few seconds of odd, thick silence ensued.

When InuYasha realized that his hands were still stuck in the odd muck, he growled again and started tugging cautiously, attempting to free his hands without sending them both back into the weird paste. “Shippou!” He sounded frustrated, and as infuriated as she’d ever heard him. “Start running now, you damn spoiled little brat! Because when I get my hands on you, you’re going to beg me to let you clean the damn baths all by yourself! Both of them!” He wasn’t having much success with his hands; he would get them a few inches off the ground, only to have the strings of goo attached to his fingers and palm snap it back down. “Fuck!”

“Interesting.” Miroku hadn’t moved from his crouch, and now had his elbow propped on a knee and his chin in his palm. He appeared to be thoroughly engrossed by the whole dilemma. “You’re right, you know. It’s a problem of leverage. Technically, you should have no trouble getting out by yourself, but with Kagome…ah…in the way as she is, you can’t make full use of your strength.”

His response was another growl. “Are you just going to sit there, or are you going to do something useful?” His hand lost its battle once again. “Gah!”

Miroku lifted his chin from his palm, looking genuinely shocked. “You don’t honestly expect me to get in the middle of that, do you?” He paused, then added. “You should try freeing only one hand first. You might get more impact if you focus all your strength on one hand.”

“After I’m done with Shippou, you’re a dead man.” He followed Miroku’s advice anyway, shifting just slightly to the side so he could focus on his right hand. Kagome’s grip on his jacket tightened as their center of balance changed once again.

Miroku gave a noncommittal hum. “That’s if you ever get out.”

“You’re fucking asking for it, you know that!”

“Maybe, but I ask for a lot of things I never get.” A sigh. “Sadly enough.”

Kagome just rolled her eyes and decided to ignore them for the moment. She honestly didn’t know what she was supposed to do. She’d never (at least, she thought she’d never) been in a situation like this before. She was literally glued into an embarrassingly intimate position--with her boss--in the middle of one of the most public rooms in the Sachi. They were unable to move even after they’d acquired an audience, and now InuYasha and Miroku were playing one of their verbal games. And here she was, in the middle of all of it, more hindrance than help.

And to top it all off, she was actually starting to feel comfortable in the middle of this mess, too. Her neck felt strained from holding her head away from InuYasha’s chest, and the temptation to relax a bit and allow her forehead to drop against his shoulder was a becoming difficult to ignore. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

At least she could feel the tension leaving InuYasha as well. With each tug of his hand or snapped word, a little more of the rigidity would leave his body--subtle degrees of change that left the feel of the frame cradling hers far more…natural and relaxed. Less forbidding, more accepting.

She wondered if he even realized it was happening.

With a loud sucking sound, his hand came free, but it was still covered in the goo. He scowled at it, then turned to his other hand, somehow managing to avoid looking directly at her as he did so.

Miroku nodded. “There. See? If you’d listen to me more often--”

“Shut up.”

She sighed. “How does that help? His hands may be free, but if he touches anything, won’t he just get stuck again?”

“Keh! Does anyone even know what this stuff is?”

A weathered chuckle sounded from behind Miroku, and this time it was Kaede’s voice that drifted into the reception area from the back hallway. “A rather old kitsune trick. A paste, made by mixing rice with the juice and seeds of certain plants. Shippou started working on it the moment you left this morning.”

InuYasha must have been tired of twisting around to glare, because this time he didn’t even bother. “You knew about this, you old bat?”

Another chuckle. “I helped him gather all the plants he needed.”

“WHAT?!” His head darted up and around so quickly that he winced, and Kagome and Miroku simply stared as the older woman shuffled to a stop beside the manager, her dark eyes twinkling with mirth. She was dressed as warmly as always, with thermal socks and house slippers and a shawl around her shoulders. Dangling from her gnarled fingers was a large plastic jug, filled with what looked like water.

“I was under the impression that Shippou had broken yet another item of importance and simply desired to fix it before anyone found out.” She studied them in a manner very similar to Miroku, and then shook her head. “He informed me that it was his father’s extra sticky formula.”

InuYasha’s eyes clamped almost as tight as his jaw. His eyebrows started to twitch in annoyance, and the fingers of his free hand cracked a bit as they curled, then lifted to scratch at his forehead. Sucking in a sharp, panicked breath, Kagome wrapped her fingers around his wrist, stopping it before it came into contact with his skin. His eyes popped open and he glared at her. She gave a tiny moue of impatience and tossed a meaningful glance at his hand, still coated with Shippou’s ‘extra sticky’ formula. His eyes followed hers, and his expression quickly morphed from angry to shocked…and then to faint embarrassment as it dawned on him what he could have done.

Miroku, fortunately for InuYasha, missed the entire exchange because he was climbing to his feet to address Kaede. “Indeed?” He sounded intrigued. “His father developed that recipe? It’s no wonder they can’t get loose.”

Trying to play off his lapse in judgment, InuYasha rolled his eyes and huffed. That struck her as funny and her teeth dug into her bottom lip as she swallowed a giggle. He renewed his glare, which only prompted a tiny grin to form on her mouth. His eyes narrowed even further, sending her a clear “It’s not funny” message. She agreed, conceded the point with a subtle, negative shake of her head.

Her grin widened.

He frowned at her, his eyes probing her grin in an odd, questioning manner. Then, to her amazement, she could swear she caught an answering--grudging--smile flicker through his gaze.

“Shippou’s father made that, huh…? Kaede….” Now Miroku sounded suspiciously thoughtful. “I don’t suppose you know the exact process that Shippou used to get this particular consistency, do you?”

His attention snapped away from her as if it had never been, and he turned (at an angle that made her uncomfortably aware of just how awkward their position was) to snarl at the two behind them. “Hey! You greedy bastard…. Stop worrying about the brat’s old man and get us the hell out of this!”

“Yes but…” Miroku cast a doubtful look over the floor. “If we try to help, we’ll get stuck. What can we do but let you two work yourselves free?” He shrugged. “I mean, it may take a while, but I’m sure that eventually, with InuYasha’s strength, you’ll be able to do it.”

“Or we could give them something to neutralize the adhesive quality in the paste.” The old woman sounded even more amused as she shuffled forward, her fingers starting to twist the cap of the jug in her hand. “I had a feeling this might come in handy after your shouting sent Shippou running in the middle of separating my herbs.”

InuYasha entire body tensed with outrage. “You had something like that this whole time and you just fucking stood there?!”

Kaede must have really been enjoying herself. She hummed, soft and amused. “Well, you both look so comfortable; I assumed you weren’t particularly eager to be free of each other.”

Kagome’s color, which had died down to a dull pink, flared once again as InuYasha forced out a retort between gritted teeth. “Listen, you old bitch--” The cap finally came loose, and he broke off, a strange look crossing his face. His nose twitched. “What….” His eyes snapped to the jug, filled with pure dread. “No.”

“Plus, I didn’t think you would appreciate it, InuYasha.” Kaede turned and handed the jug to Miroku. “Pour this over them. It should relax the mixture’s hold.”

Miroku held the small opening of the jug up to his nose, then immediately jerked it away, his expression going momentarily sour. He looked askance at her. “Pour this over them? Ah….” His gaze skidded over InuYasha, who looked revolted. Murderous golden eyes glared at him, promising severe pain should he decide to follow Kaede’s suggestion. “Why me?”

“Don’t even think about pouring that shit all over me!”

Kaede gave the hanyou a pointed stare, not at all intimidated by his growl. “It is the only way I know of to release you both quickly, InuYasha. Unless you wish to continue on as you have been, I suggest you endure it.”

InuYasha turned his glare on her, speechless and aghast. Kagome was just confused. What in the world was in that jug?

Miroku expression remained uneasy, but he shrugged and added his two cents. “Of course, if you actually want to stay like that for a while longer, we could always just leave and let you two do…whatever it is you want to do.”

InuYasha visibly gritted his teeth. His gaze darted around the room before finally settling on her from the corner of his eyes, and he sighed heavily. Then he pulled his wrist from her grip. “The runt is dead,” he muttered flatly, his voice edged with finality. He pressed his hand--the back of it--to his nose. “Just hurry the fuck up.”

Kagome’s frown was quite prominent by now, and she opened her mouth to inquire about the contents of the jug. But Miroku took InuYasha’s words to heart, and immediately stepped right up to the edge of the goo, reaching out as far as his arm would stretch and shaking the clear liquid over and around them.

The first splash hit squarely in between them, coating their arms, soaking into their clothes, and dripping along skin--and Kagome figured out on her own why all the fuss. She wrinkled her nose as the biting, unpleasantly tart smell drifted up her nostrils and lingered there, making her want to sneeze.

Vinegar.

She had to physically resist the urge to put her own hand to her nose--considering that it was now covered in the preservative, it wouldn’t help anyway. Fumes from the acidic liquid rose to overwhelm the air. The urge to sneeze was quickly joined by the urge to cough as Miroku poured more, seeking to cover every place where bodies and goo touched.

A hard wince of sympathy settled over her features as she watched InuYasha. If she was having such a hard time being doused with the strong-smelling stuff, how much harder must it be for him, whose sense of smell was ten times more sensitive?

He blinked a few times, his eyes narrowing in reaction to the strong smell. A soft, nearly inaudible rumble was vibrating through his chest. Really, he was starting to look…ill.

But his other hand was suddenly loose. He lifted it into the air, and they stared as the vinegar thinned the gunk considerably, its consistency going from thick, sticky pudding to something that reminded Kagome of cake batter. Darting a swift look at her, he gave his hand an experimental shake, and it slid off his skin easily, smoothing out to drip from the tips of his fingers and claws.

Realizing that everything in the area immediately surrounding them had reverted to the thinner, much more manageable state, they both started moving at the same time, scrambling away from each other as if they’d been burned. Kagome pushed herself up and off him, and InuYasha pulling his legs out from under her so fast he almost tripped her on his way to his feet. The stuff was more slippery now, but since they were no longer sticking to the floor, they were able to tiptoe their way through the mess and onto the more solid, cleaner part of the floorboards with very little trouble.

InuYasha was cursing soundly and stripping from his jacket before they’d even made it onto safe ground. “Vinegar! You’ve got to be fucking kidding me! Dammit!” He seemed to be ranting to the room in general, though he was glaring at Miroku--who had stepped back behind Kaede as soon as he’d seen they were free, and was prudently hiding the mostly-empty jug behind his back. “Do you have any idea how long it will take me to get rid of this stench?!” The jacket hit the floor, along with the fleece vest he’d been wearing underneath, leaving him in only his long-sleeved shirt and jeans--which were currently soaked through with vinegar. “I’m going to kill that kid!”

He half-whirled, looking determined to do exactly that, only to stop, put a hand to his forehead and rub at his temples, a pained sneer ghosting across his face. “Shit, I have a headache.”

Kagome bit her lip, concerned, and eyed him as she stripped off her own jacket and added it to the pile of vinegar-and-goop-soaked clothes he’d already started. The strong smell permeating the whole room must be starting to affect him; he sounded slightly confused, and his skin had actually started taking on a greenish tinge. She was a little surprised. He seemed so strong; she hadn’t expected him to have such a simple vulnerability.

He’s probably had enough of this room for the moment. It would really be bad if he passed out in here. Getting him cleaned up would be a lot more difficult if he couldn’t help. Of course, if she just told him to leave, he’d probably bite her head off.

“Well, you can’t kill Shippou,” she stated crisply. That drew everyone’s attention to her, but she’d already turned to take in the spreading, untidy muck that covered most of the reception area floor. If they didn’t get it cleaned up soon, it would be everywhere.

Behind her, InuYasha snorted, half-angry, half-disbelieving. “You’re not really going to defend him! That brat--”

“You can’t kill him until he helps clean up this mess he made,” she interrupted, rolling her eyes at him over her shoulder.

He gave her a blank look. “Oh.”

When he didn’t seem to have anything else to say, she rolled her eyes again. “Can you find him?”

Disgust crossed his features. “I can’t find anything until I get rid of this smell.”

She only nodded, having already expected the answer, and started pulling up her sleeves, noting--with no small amount of satisfaction--that her hands were clean, save for a thin coat of drying vinegar. “Okay, then. You go take a bath. Miroku, you go find Shippou. I’ll go get the buckets and start cleaning this up.” She put her hands on her hips and glared a challenge at the mess, while everyone just continued to stare at her. When no one moved, she looked up at Kaede. “Where did all the guests go? I would have thought the yelling would have brought everyone over here.”

Kaede lifted her brows. “At lunch, Shippou suggested everyone take a walk out to the gorges to see if they could find the ‘legendary waterfall that grants wishes’.”

Miroku looked startled. “What legendary waterfall? I thought I knew all the legends in the area.”

She gave him a serene smile. “I believe you do.”

“Ah.”

“Keh! The rat had this fucking planned for a while, baba.” InuYasha didn’t sound pleased, but his growl lacked his usual luster and passion. His lip curled, and his face had a faintly tormented cast as he stared at the floor. “You knew and you just let us walk into it.”

Kagome didn’t like the way he was acting. She waved a hand dismissively. “Never mind, never mind. You can deal with it later.” She pointed at InuYasha, hiding her worry behind a busy demeanor. “You go take that bath. You’ll just make more work if you pass out in here.”

He drew himself up indignantly, irritation renewing the color in his eyes. “Hey! I’m not--”

“And while you’re at it, leave your clothes in the hallway outside your room. I’ll collect them when I do the laundry.” She turned away before he could object again, frowning at the now watery substance in the middle of the floor. “What a mess. And we still have to worry about dinner for the guests.” Her shoulders slumped for a moment under the mental weight of so much added work, and then straightened as she nodded to herself. “All right. First things first.”

She turned again and blinked at InuYasha, who still stood in the hallway behind the stairs, staring at her. “What are you still doing here?” A pointed look. “Or are you volunteering to stay and help clean this up?”

That got him moving.

“Keh!” His face took on that revolted look again, and he whirled on his heel and stalked down the hallway. “You won’t get me near that room again for the next godsdamned year!” He muttered something unintelligible, then, “What the hell was that kid thinking?”

“Don’t forget to leave out your clothes!”

He snorted. “Tch! You can burn them for all I care!”

“And remember, if you find Shippou, he has to help clean first!”

Almost to the end of the hallway, he stopped and his ears twitched for just a moment. Then he looked at her over his shoulder, the tiniest of smiles lifting the corners of his mouth. “Heh. Don’t worry. I’m not gonna kill the brat. Just make him miserable as hell.” He may or may not have caught her involuntary smile because he was turning down another hallway almost before he was done speaking.

Kagome turned to the two by the stairs, both of whom were watching with avid expressions. She shifted, suddenly uncomfortable, then shrugged off the feeling, deciding she had too much to do to speculate about it. “Miroku, go find Shippou, please. I’m going to get the buckets. If we’re lucky, we can get everything washed and aired out before the guests get back.”

And without waiting for a reply, she darted off at a brisk walk, taking a different route from InuYasha, heading for the kitchen and muttering to herself as she went. “Just what it the world was Shippou thinking, I wonder?”

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

Into the sour-smelling silence of the room after the Sachi’s owner and housekeeper departed, Miroku’s throat cleared itself loudly. “Did you…. Notice what I noticed?”

Expression still serene, Kaede nodded. “Quite remarkable. They would barely look at each other this morning.”

Miroku allowed his gaze to drift over the remainder of Shippou’s surprise, then back to Kaede. “Out of curiosity, Kaede, what was Shippou thinking? This is an odd thing to do, even for him. What did he hope to accomplish by sticking them to one another?”

Kaede chuckled again--her third such reaction inside of an hour, and something Miroku was sure he’d never heard before so many times in a row. She was usually so grave. “He was talking earlier about how often his parents would kiss in front of him. He seemed quite excited about it.”

“A kiss?” Miroku gave her a doubtful look. “Surely he can’t have understood that much….”

The older woman shook her head. “No, nothing quite so complicated. I believe he thinks that if InuYasha kisses Kagome, then it is only natural that he will keep her with him afterwards.”

“And he thought he could get them to kiss if he stuck them together?”

The prompted yet another chuckle. Kaede seemed quite amused today. “He is a kitsune, after all. They are, by nature, troublesome. He will be very disappointed to find it backfired on him.”

There was a thoughtful pause, and then it was Miroku’s turn to chuckle. “Oh, I don’t know about that. You didn’t see what I did a few minutes ago. So simple a solution, and yet so close to the truth.” He sighed. “It’s been a long time, Kaede--a very long time--since I’ve seen him like this.”

Kaede agreed silently.

“She got him to take the hat off in Sounkyo.”

She turned to him then, black eyes gleaming with surprise. “Indeed? No problems resulted, I assume?”

He shook his head. “No. It’s just a precaution anyway. Still….” He rubbed a hand over his face, then turned around in a semi-circle, studying the different avenues of escape from the reception area. “Which way did Shippou run off in?”

She waved a gnarled hand. “Out into the forest. But I don’t believe he would have gone very far away. I’ve never met a fox who didn’t like to watch his plans play out.”

“Which means he’s probably within sight--or, considering the circumstances, within hearing,” Miroku agreed, turning to pick his way over to the open front door. “Very well, I’m off to drag him out for his punishment.”

“You’ll never get him out if you tell him that.”

“No. I thought I’d coax him out by telling him how successful he actually was.” He hesitated in the doorway to pull on a random pair of boots, absently scanning the snowy, tree-laden landscape surrounding the Sachi. “And, I thought, perhaps, that I could offer a few pointers. He has the right idea, he’s just lacking in technique.”

Kaede gave him a keen look, but seemed unsurprised by the declaration. “Changed your mind about the girl, lord monk?”

He only sighed again, reaching up a hand to tug musingly at the earring in his ear. “Interesting, isn’t it? How children can sometimes see things far more clearly and far more quickly than adults?” The Sachi’s manager closed the front door behind him as he left, leaving the older housekeeper alone with her thoughts.

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

They spent their first day exploring the town, as they always did. Familiarizing herself with the layout and quirks of new places was automatic to her--a habit that had never failed to serve her well in all the years she’d been traveling. By the time the sun had started to drop below the mountains, darkening the streets, both she and her companion were tired and ready for a rest. Fortunately, she’d known where they were going before they even got on the train in Sapporo earlier that morning.

The hotel was one of the largest--but not the largest--ones in Sounkyo, and sat at the very edge of the village town, providing most of its guests with a very impressive view of the rough, forested terrain of the surrounding mountains. It had a heavy western influence in its construction, with several stories, lavish suites, and the obligatory indoor/outdoor hot springs. The lobby was tastefully decorated with carpeting and furniture, and proudly hung with pictures that showed off the best Sounkyo had to offer during its various seasons.

All this she noted almost absently as she stepped inside from the dropping temperatures outside, carrying case in one hand, duffle bag over her shoulder, and walked over to the reception desk.

Only two young women were in sight, both dressed in the dark blue uniform skirt and suit-top that represented the hotel. As she approached, one of the two--younger-looking with short, boyishly cut hair--smiled pleasantly in greeting. “Good evening. May I assist you in any way?”

She felt her own mouth stretch in a wan imitation of a smile. “I would like to check in, please.”

The bright smile never wavered as computer keys began making faint clicking sounds. “Of course. May I ask how long you will be staying with us?”

With a weary sigh, she set the large case carefully on the floor and reached back to unzip and rummage around in her duffle. “My companion and I will be staying indefinitely.”

The other woman’s focus hadn’t moved from the computer. “And method of payment?” Then the typing stopped and she took a moment of to scan the lobby--which was empty save for the three at the reception desk. “Companion?” The woman hadn’t lost her smile, though now she sounded politely confused.

Still fumbling in the depths of her duffle, she reached down and picked up the case from the floor. In answer to the second question, she set it on the counter between them. From behind the wire metal of the door, slanted red eyes blinked innocently at the receptionist from a narrow, yellow-furred face. She blinked back, but still managed to retain her smile. “A…cat?”

“Mmm.” She nodded absently, not looking up as she spoke. “Usually I don’t keep her locked up in that horrible thing, but they wouldn’t let us on the train unless she was caged.” The memory still irked her, so she pressed her lips together to keep from taking it out on the poor, hapless woman in front of her. She finally found what she was looking for, and her hand emerged from her bag holding her wallet.

“I’m sorry, but this hotel doesn’t allow pets to stay in the rooms.”

She flipped open the slim leather case and pulled out a card, not phased in the least by the response. “Kirara is a special case. I never go anywhere without her. I will be most happy to pay whatever added charges will result from her stay in my room.” She slid the card, facedown along the cool, polished wood of the countertop. “And I’ll be paying with this.”

The receptionist’s smile had grown a bit brittle, but remained intact. Automatically, her fingers plucked the card off the desk and she glanced over it. “I’m afraid that we have a very strict policy against--” She froze, her eyes gluing to the small silver letters engraved onto the golden background. For a moment, she seemed speechless. Then she darted a sharp look at the other woman standing at the end of the long desk, paying them no mind as she typed on a different computer. She gave a quick bow. “Excuse me for one moment, please.”

She just nodded and watched as the woman walked over to her co-worker and engaged in a near silent, furious debate over the card she’d given them. She sighed and glanced down at the hated cage. “Why do we always have to go through this?”

Red eyes blinked at her, but the only real response she got was a soft, high-pitched “Mew,” and a rather bored-looking yawn.

The receptionist returned, her manner suddenly ultra-polite and deferential. “I am so sorry about the delay, Miss Morioka. Of course, both you and your pet are welcome here for as long as you wish to stay.” Her fingers began a brisk, loud clicking on the computer beside her as she talked. “Please inform us of any wishes or preferences you have, and we will be sure to take care of them for you right away.”

Of course. It was always the same. She just barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I do have one request. I would like to stay in suite one-ninety-three, please.”

The receptionist looked only slightly startled by the odd request. “Are you sure? It’s not one of our best suites. It only has three rooms. If you’re looking for luxury, I can recommend far more--”

“Just those rooms, please.” She really didn’t feel like being coddled right now.

The receptionist looked properly chastised. “My apologies. Of course--I’ll have suite one-ninety-three set up for you right away.”

She shook her head. “Is it currently empty?”

“Well…“ A few more clicks on the computer. “Yes. But it’s only just been vacated and housekeeping isn’t scheduled in until tomorrow.”

She heaved another sigh. “Then just give me the key. You can clean it tomorrow.” It felt like forever since she woke up this morning, and even though it was barely dark outside, she desperately wanted a bed.

The woman got the message and shut up, her slim fingers moving expertly as she checked her in. Finally, she turned and did some shuffling at the counter behind her, then returned with a brilliant, self-effacing smile. Making her way out from behind the desk, she gave a deep bow and presented her with two room key-cards and some papers. The golden and silver card lay reverently on top. “If you will follow me, I will show you to your rooms.”

She shook her head again. “Don’t bother. Just point me in the right direction, and I can find it myself.”

The woman hesitated, then simply bowed her head again. “Of course, Miss Morioka.” She pointed down a hallway off to their left. “Go to the end of the hallway and follow the numbers. Your suite is right at the back, and has an excellent, unimpeded view of Daisetsuzan National Park. We also have available--”

She waved off the amenities speech. “Never mind. The directions are enough.” Remembering to be polite, she bowed to woman. “Thank you for your help.”

Another bow. “Of course. And if you have any needs during your stay, please don’t hesitate to ask. Any one of our staff will be at your disposal at any and all times while you are with us.”

She nodded, grabbing the case off the countertop and turning away without further comment. The room took less than five minutes to find. She let herself right in, then stood just inside the door, surveying the suite with a critical eye.

It was decently large, as far as hotel rooms in Japan went. There were three rooms. An open, carpeted sitting room, complete with couch, coffee table, and television set, and what looked to be a nice balcony that opened up almost directly onto the forest. The rooms connecting on either side appeared to be bedrooms, and the small door off to the right of the door probably held the toilet. More than enough for her and Kirara, and plenty of space to examine thoroughly before she did anything else.

First things first, though.

She allowed the heavy duffle to drop to the floor. Massaging at the spot where the strap had rubbed her shoulder raw, she walked into the middle of the room, and set the traveling case on the table before opening it. The small cat leaped out immediately, mewling with indignation, and licking at various spots on her yellow and brown fur. Her tails--two of them, striped dark brown at their tips, and which, along with her red eyes, marked her as a youkai cat rather than an ordinary one--curled and stretched around her body, restless after the long confinement.

She gave another faint smile at her companion as she reached down to nuzzle at the tiny chin. “I’m sorry, Kirara. It was either that or leave you home.” The smile faltered. “And I really need you right now.”

Another mew and the tiny body had leapt gracefully from the low table to her normal place in her arms. In sudden need of comfort, she cuddled her close and stood. The bedroom to the right had obviously been used recently, as the bedcovers were rumpled and pillows and other various items thrown about the small room. The room to the left, thankfully, didn’t look like it had held a guest of late. Though it was slightly stuffy, the covers on the bed were neat, and the small table and chair over by the window seemed untouched.

She chose the left bedroom.

Gathering her things, she set them all near the bed and allowed her weary body to sit, sinking into the comfortable mattress. She felt herself relax as she quietly looked over the room. She would explore more thoroughly later, she decided. Her bath would come first, then her bed. The rest of it could wait until morning. All of it could just wait. She had all the time in the world, because she was taking all the time in the world. She’d decided that before she’d even left.

Her eyes fell on the respectably sized mirror in the wall opposite the bed, and she studied herself as she sat there.

She looked tired. Lines of weariness bracketed her eyes and mouth, making her seem older than she actually was. Her shoulders had a slump to them that she hadn’t seen in a long time, and her hair, she was dismayed to note, was an absolute mess, flying in every direction and practically free from the loose ponytail she’d had it in all day.

She sniffed and swallowed around the sudden, very painful lump in her throat. She hadn’t realized just how close to tears she actually was. Her old defenses came to her rescue, helping her fight off the stinging in her eyes. She looked down at the warm, soft body curled up in her arms. Understanding red eyes stared back at her, and the dark brown sock of one paw reached up to bat at her chest.

She sighed, and hugged her close, burying her face in the silky yellow fur. “Oh, Kirara. What are we going to do?”

Another mew was her only response.

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

A/N: Ok, here it is--the third installment of what was originally supposed to be all one chapter (Seriously, I really didn’t think it was going to be this long.) Ah, well, I had fun with it. (Can you tell?) ^_^

And wow, you guys are awesome! Thanks so much for the reassurances on the chapter length. My only concern was that sitting in front of a computer for long stretches of time can get straining (Believe me, I know. I work with computers and it drives me nuts.). But as long as no one has a problem with longer chapters, then I’m just going to go with my original plans most of the time. Thanks so much! ^^

Anyway, hope everything makes sense. Let me know if you find anything wrong, or confusing, or whatever. I try to answer all inquiries to the best of my abilities. (without, you know, giving away the secrets or anything.:P)

Hope you enjoy!

‘Till next time, Cheers and Blessings,

~Quill (who is currently very late for work O.O)