InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Same Thing, Different Time ❯ Saturday Morning ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer: Same as any of the other chapters. Don't own any part. Not looking to gain anything.

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Same Thing, Different Time

by: aishiteru_inu

Part 12: Saturday Morning

The bottom corners of the thin powder blue sweater flipped upward and back across her hips from her movement of motion. She wore it, single buttoned across her chest, over a short sleeved, light rose colored cotton dress that swished and bounced against her thighs as she rushed down the steps; footsteps falling in soft taps. Black, unconfined hair that reached just to the middle of her back, streamed slightly behind her, slapping against her, bouncing in rhythm of her flight also. Her hand slid down the railing as a precaution -- just in case.

Today was Saturday, and if meeting with her friends to go shopping at the mall wasn't enough to be happy about there was always the fact that there wasn't any school for the next two whole days! Even the weather had turned out to be beautiful with the sun shinning instead of the forecast of rain that they were calling for. It was perfect. Perfect to mingle with her friends and get lost in a world that she knew as 'normal' and leave behind the events that had happened over the past week. Past week? Had it been that short? There had been enough excitement to last through two lifetimes, let alone only a week.

'Get your mind away from thinking about all that," she chided herself as she continued her quickened pace across the shrine's courtyard. 'Mall. Friends. Shopping. Clothes. Fun. Boys.'

An image instantly sprung to mind. InuYasha. InuYasha with his ruffled, long white hair that was easily twice the length of hers; the golden amber eyes; the white triangled ears atop of his head… 'Whaaat…? No! No! No!' her mind clambered, causing her to pause her stride, and even shake her head as if to clear it. 'Not him. Not today.' but her mind was already conjuring up the look he had on his face just before he had stomped off night before last. Slapping her hands against her eyes, she pressed the balls of them against her lids until the pressure made sparks of light. She even stomped a foot in resistance to her traitorous thoughts. With set determination she dropped her hands to her sides, balling them tightly and then relaxing them.

'OK. Let's try this again. Mall. Friends. Shopping. Clothes. Fun. NO BOYS. Mall. Friends. Shopping…' The words chanted in her head as she resumed her walk, absently passing several Sakura trees that stood at the edges of the courtyard.

So intent was she with her 'chanting' and reaching the other set of steps, Kagome didn't notice the movement that one of the high branches made as she hurried by. Nor did she see the entity that moved into a crouch, having no difficulty with it's balance on the limb, and leapt to the ground as if it was little of nothing to land from that distance.

"Where are you going in such a rush?"

Kagome had reached the top of the steps and let out an 'eep' when she heard the all too familiar voice demand. She twisted sharply around without thinking and miss stepped. She caught the image of InuYasha standing there at the base of the tree she had passed moments ago before her sight came upon the leafy foliage of the tree itself, and then the sky above as her body lurched back over the steps. She made a grab for the iron hand rail, but she was already too far gone to encircle her fingers around it to snag a hold; instead they slid from the last bit of safety there was until there was nothing but air to grab at.

The next instant, instead of hitting the hard, perhaps even fatal steps, she felt her body come to a sudden halt, making her head snap back as a muffled cry escaped her lips. She felt cool, strong arms wrapped beneath her; while her fingers dug into whatever part her hands fell upon. Finally she felt herself being lifted up and placed back on her feet upon the landing.

Even after he set her down, he did not release her, but he did shift his hold a bit to take hold of her arms instead, and waiting until she regained her balanced footing once again.

Above her head, Kagome heard him say, "You are definitely not very graceful," as if it were a thought that he had been processing in his head for some time instead of a direct criticism. She tilted her head up to be able to look him directly in the face.

"As of lately…no," she retorted with something that resembled a half a pout from the mixed emotions of embarrassment and injured dignity. No -- definitely -- no grace at all any time he was around.

It was a moment that InuYasha should have released her and moved away, but when she turned her face up to his, he noticed the bruise on her forehead that showed between the hair of her bangs, which was evidence of her ordeal of hardly two days gone past. A foreign sensation started to weld up with in him. Why did seeing her hurt like that bother him?

Then realization of the little fact that she was still within his grasp and stood only a couple of inches from him, set in. Her eyes went to the hands that held on to her and then to her hands that gripped him. She immediately let go and moved to take a step back. Upon feeling her sudden and tense withdraw, he dropped his arms to his sides.

InuYasha issued a low growl, which snapped her eyes back to his immediately. His brows were knitted together, the scowl firmly in place with his ears bent slightly.

"Feh! Baka! I'm not going to hurt you! I don't feel like getting my face plastered on the concrete either! If I wanted you to get hurt, I'd let you fall down those damn steps!" he snapped irately.

"I… wasn't… thinking… that…," came her meek, yet truthful, reply. "I wasn't… afraid…"

"Oh, yeah? Why not?" He demanded.

She dropped her eyes from his, feeling the faint twinges of heat prickle at her cheeks. Stammering she tried to say, "I--I… I was…just… standing t-too close to y-you, that's all."

"So? A hanyou isn't good enough to stand close to?"

Embarrassingly exasperated, she was not going to get into a detail explanation of it all. "That is not the reason why!" She almost shouted with a touch of indignation. "And you should know that isn't true!"

"Then…"

"Just drop it, OK?" And to change the subject, "What are you doing here, anyway?"

InuYasha gave her a cynical look that said 'what do you think', and then said a familiar phrase bluntly, "Waiting for you."

"What for?" As soon as the words slipped out of her mouth, Kagome beat herself in the head with imaginary fists. Stupid question! Stupid question! How in the world could she let that one slip her mind?

His expression didn't help much either, letting her know that he knew exactly what she was thinking, as a muscle pulled one corner of his mouth back in a half smile, the gesture wickedly displayed one of his fangs. Even an eye brow shot upward, and the gleam that sparkled in those golden orbs was answer enough. Then, his eyes dropped from hers to her throat and his face quickly returned back into a frown. She wasn't wearing it.

She steeled herself against his reaction.

"Where is it?" He barked a bit flustered.

"Like I'd tell you." She rolled her eyes up, and the next instant, Kagome escaped by quickly treading down the remaining set of steps, -- or so she had thought she would anyway. Before she had gotten even half way down, she was brought up short at his sudden appearance in front of her.

"Is it safe?"

Her eyes grew wide upon seeing him, just stopping herself in time from smacking into his chest full force. Glancing over her shoulder, her gaze took in the ten or so steps she had just descended to the spot where she had left him standing, and then turned back around to where he stood now. Mentally she told herself 'why bother to be surprised'; learning that anything InuYasha did was never in the ordinary.

"For the time being."

"You shouldn't leave it unguarded."

Kagome eyed him critically, and the difference in which they stood, she could look directly into his golden yellow eyes flicked with amber without having to look up. "It's not like I wear it all the time."

He looked as if he was about to say something, and she restated, "I'm not telling you."

There was a battle of thought between the two as they each stood staring at the other. Up close like this, she was able to have a much better view of the smoothness of his face, the softness of his hair, and most of all the set of ears on top of his head. Her gaze shift as she stared at them, noting the insides were of a pinkish shade and they were covered with short white fur that looked really soft. The urge to reach out and tweak them between her fingers was very strong and she had to force herself to keep her hands where they were. She couldn't, however, prevent the smile that started to etch across her lips when suddenly she was broken out of her revere by his sharp tone.

"What in hells are you looking at?"

Her gaze immediately returned to his and was confronted with a pair of the hanyou's angry, scowling eyes.

"Y-Your ears."

If it was possible, his brows knitted closer together and his shoulders square back as if offended. "What about my ears?" he growled.

"I-I just think… they're… kawaii (cute)."

"Whaaa…" The elongated sound was all he could make out as the wind got knocked out of his anger. "You think my ears are kawaii?" he sputtered in disbelief.

She nodded her head, giving him a smile. "Of course."

Recovering almost immediately, InuYasha folded his arms together, and turned his face away from her. "My ears are not kawaii." he responded with an irritated voice. The next thing he knew, one of them was captured between her fingers and felt her gentle rub.

His eyes popped wide open as he stood there a moment, then he jerked his head away and gruffly said, "Don't do that."

Kagome drew her hand back amazed at the velvety softness, and even though she knew they were real, touching them still had her in a state of awe.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I just… couldn't help myself any longer."

He gave her a sideways glance, watching her reaction, seeing the flush that crept into her cheeks again, and that she was starting to get antsy about standing there.

"Well, I've got to go, InuYasha." Motioning him to step aside to allow her to continue down the stairs. She wanted at least to be able to hold onto the railing just so she didn't go tumbling down the rest of the steps.

"Where?" He didn't budge.

"I'm going shopping with my friends at the mall, which I'm late as it is."

Without a thought, Kagome reached out her left hand and place it against the side of his right arm, and gave a little requesting push to the side so that she could pass. He did the same of not thinking, and complied with the silent appeal.

"That's a pretty crummy place to spend a nice day like this at," he grumbled as she glided down the remaining steps. Her heard her tinkle of laughter drifting up to him.

"You spend the day how you like, InuYasha; I'm spending mine how I like." She started to disappear out of the gate, but then she stuck her head back around the corner. There was a warm smile on her face as she looked up at him. "'Bye, InuYasha. I know I'll see you later…some other time."

Then she completely vanished; gone again.

InuYasha just sat down on the concrete steps wondering whether to follow or not. He sniffed the air and didn't detect any nuisance nearby whether demon or the wolves. Finally he resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't, she was just a stupid girl, and she didn't have the necklace anyway to make it worth his effort. It was somewhere laying unprotected, here, for anything to come across it.

Then a smile came gradually to his mouth.

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With a push of his hand against the window, InuYasha slid it over. The grin was still on his face as he peered inside, scanning it quickly before pulling himself up to perch upon the sill. Everything was quiet inside and he stepped in.

He gave the room a more thorough inspection, taking in the neatly made bed, with her soft pillows and stuffed animals, and a night stand next to it with the lamp he'd seen her switch off that one night, along with an alarm clock and an empty glass. There was a desk and chair, which sat against the wall on the opposite side. It had her books from school, a lamp, pens and pencils, and other odds and ends that she seemed to think was necessary for her studies. There was also the dresser, which he had seen her leave the necklace upon before too, a mirror that hung on the wall over it, and a closet that stood particially open.

The room looked very neat and tidy, and it should be easy enough to locate the object he'd came for. All he had to do was follow her scent as to where she had been. But instead of resorting to that right away, InuYasha decided that the first place he would look was where he remembered her laying it down -- the dresser. Confidently, he moved closer, scanning the various items that adorned the top, but he didn't see the shining piece of jewelry. He even moved a few things to make sure he wasn't missing any place. Some things fell over, but he didn't pay any mind to setting them back in place.

It was a bit of disappointment, but that was alright, too obvious a place anyway.

Instinctively, he opened the top drawer of the dresser. Inside laid a variety of undergarments in a mixture of colors and styles. He picked one of them up to inspect the curving cups and straps. He rubbed the black silky like material between his fingers much like she had done with his ear. He replaced it and picked up another one. This one was different, causing a slight frown as he squished the pliable contents that was within it. He grinned in amusement. It felt really neat and he squeezed it again. And again. And again, until he felt something cool ooze between his fingers. Staring at his hand he noticed that his claws had punctured the material.

Not knowing what else to do with it, InuYasha dropped it back into the drawer, shaking his hand of the thin jelly like substance which splattered upon the other garments there. Having not finished his search, he reached his hand in to feel around through the contents resuming his search for the necklace. When he didn't find it there, he closed the drawer, and went to the next.

Opening the second drawer, he found it just as varied and colorful. He recognized some of them to be like the piece of underclothing she had been wearing a couple of days ago, just plain and simple. Then there were others that -- well, holding them up in his fingers -- made no sense at all; they just looked like small straps of elastic. Of what use they were for, he guessed only Kagome knew.

He dug around shuffling through all the pieces of clothing there too and found nothing of what he was looking for. Closing it he went to another drawer.

This one had neatly folded piles of white squares lining almost the whole of the drawer. There were others of different colors, different looks, but the white ones took up the most space. Socks. Sticking his hand in, he searched around the contents disturbing the neat stacks until they were in total disarray. Not finding the item there either, he moved to the next one.

Shorts. Shirts. Each drawer had something different kept in them, but each one was a failed attempt at finding that necklace also. But there was one last drawer of the dresser to search.

He pulled it out, and peering into it, InuYasha found that this one wasn't the same as the others as it had 'different things' in it that wasn't even clothing at all. Inside of this one there was a large white and blue bottle that he picked up and shook, making whatever was inside rattle. Noticing the cap, he tried to twist the lid off, but it wouldn't open so he hooked a claw under the edge and popped it off which caused nearly all the small white tablets to fly out everywhere. Picking a few of them up, he smelled them and found that even though their scent wasn't that strong, they still had a sharp tinge of some kind of powdery smell to them. They did not tempt his curiosity further, so he let the pills fall out of his hand onto the floor.

The next thing that caught his interest were the pink plastic squares of two different sizes, and the tubular things that had white paper wrapping on them. Picking up one of the pink squares first, he fingered it as he had done her undergarments. The wrapping ripped at the seam to reveal a folded piece of white cottony material inside, which he unfolded to inspect it further and noticed that there was still a piece of paper down the middle of it. Thinking it wasn't finished being unwrapped, InuYasha took it off but only found that there was just something sticky underneath. And it stuck to his finger as he touched it.

His brows drew together as he tried to figure out what it was used for -- then he smiled. Bandages! The kind that you could just stick to the wound and have it stay, and even stuck it on his arm to see how well it would stick.

He took out another one, a slightly bigger sized one and opened it as well; finding the same thing in it only of course bigger. These had to be for bigger injuries, but his imagination started wondering and thought if they weren't used for other things too after all. He looked at himself thinking where it could be put. Then, he lifted his foot.

Hummm……

Walking around her room, InuYasha tried out the new type of foot padding that he discovered. They weren't too bad, even had a little straps that went across his foot, but probably wouldn't be very good running in. Perhaps they were just to keep the bottom of the feet warm at night. That was something to try out… see if they really worked. He took a couple of them out and tossed them on the bed so he'd remember to take them when he left.

His attention next turned to the white paper things laying in there. Ripping off the paper, he studied the strange looking tube with a string coming out of one end. He looked at it, and sniffed it, and fingered it until, finally, he accidentally pushed on the ends and it shot out a smaller cylinder type piece of cotton; noticing that that was what the string was attached to.

Now what possible use did that have? Maybe he would just take a couple of those too and he could figure out later what it was used for, because right now his search was about something else and he had delayed it long enough. Reaching down, he grabbed a couple of the white paper wrapped things and tossed them on the bed with the other things.

Continuing his search, InuYasha looked under the bed, and between the mattresses, then in the closet; tossing out a few of the shoes in his search there. He opened the drawers of the desk that had her books on it, scattering the contents all about the drawers and onto the floor.

Nowhere! Nowhere in her room could he find that damn necklace! So, just where did she put it?

The more he searched the more frustrated he became because, for one thing, he couldn't pick up any particular signature trail that she had left to follow. Everything smelled like her, even the walls! It was as if she had rubbed herself upon everything in the room.

He was about to go in search of other places in the house, when he heard a movement on the other side of the door coming closer to the room. Hurriedly, InuYasha picked up his treasures off the bed and scampered out the window, leaving the room in a bit of a shambles. He hadn't really meant for it to be as such, but by that time it was too late.

As he landed on the ground, he heard the door to her room open, then he heard a woman's startled gasp, and then if it were possible for a human to growl a similar sound was quietly made just before the door made the clicking sound that it had been closed.

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Note: OK. I don't really know how you'll feel about the room scene, because you're probably thinking that this is modern day and he would know about 'those things', but my point of view is that he's alone. He doesn't have the female variety around to really know about those things anyway other than they get that 'old blood' smell. Since he's a loner and primarily an outcast, he doesn't have the conveniences like we take for granted everyday to know such information. And I wanted something embarrassing, more so on Kagome's part, and couldn't think of anything else. Oh, and about the strap part of that… yes, you just have to stretch the imagination just a bit, because I know his foot had to be bigger than to get the ends to really touch together. Oh, well. (shrug).

Anyway, this kind of (ahem, eyes rolled up and blushing) did happen to me in a way, especially the 'new kind of shoes' part. Not only that knee pads, elbow pads got invented too…. Little kids when their 3! O_O

Hope you don't flame me too badly.