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A Fool's Redemption	By : Grumblebear Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > InuYasha/Kagome Views: 23728 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
Chapter
13 - Reason for a Revolution

“Storm's
getting worse,” Kagome said, staring at the rain streaming
across the windows of Sango's apartment. She stood just inside the
doorway, resiting the urge to start impatiently tapping her foot.

Sango
glanced out at the rain, then returned her eyes to the full length
mirror. “Storms this late in the year usually mean an early
snowfall,” she said as she carefully looked over her outfit.

Kagome
tried not to flinch as another flash of lightning lit up the room,
followed by thunder loud enough to rattle the floor beneath their
feet.

“Did it
get cold in Eona?” Sango asked.

“Sometimes,”
Kagome answered, absently wondering why tonight of all nights her
friend was choosing to be so damn particular about her appearance.
“We had sleet every now and then. Does it get cold here?”

“It can,”
Sango said and readjusted a pin in her hair. “We get a lot of
ice and freezing rain.”

She
turned a few more times, checking the angles of her fuchsia ensemble.
Just as Kagome was nearly to the point of dragging her out the door
by force, the older girl finally
turned to her. “Ready?”

Kagome
nodded eagerly and opened the door. She had already been nervous when
she arrived at Sango's door. The delay had only helped fray her
nerves further. She didn't know if she was anxious because of the big
concert or because of Naraku's unexpected invitation to join him for
the occasion. Either way, her stomach wouldn't stop fluttering
uneasily.

As
they headed down the open hallway toward the elevator, Kagome glanced
out over the atrium and was surprised to find the corridors that
circled the inside of the tower mostly empty. “Where is
everyone?” she asked as they entered the elevator and began the
short trip down the inside of the tower.

“Probably
already down there. We are running a little
late...” Sango laughed at Kagome's glare. “Calm down.
It's not like we won't get good seats because we didn't get there on
time. Not with the connections you have,” she teased.

“Speaking
of that connection,” Kagome began carefully, “are you
sure you're okay with this? Watching the concert with Naraku, I
mean.”

“Sure,”
Sango replied, fussing with the ends of her dark hair, as if still
not quite happy with the way it looked.

“I feel
bad about not asking you first.”

“It's
okay. The view from up there is better, anyways,” Sango said
with a smile that Kagome didn't find entirely reassuring.

She
pushed a bit more just to
make sure. “Do you mind that he asked me?” she asked.

Sango
hesitated a moment, and then turned to Kagome with a curious
expression. “No. Why?”

“It's
just you always seem to get a little,”
Kagome paused to search for the right word, “uneasy when
he's around. I didn't know if maybe you two had... If you and he...”
She trailed off, unsure how to continue without sounding silly.

A
second passed in silence as Sango seemed to be working out in her
mind what Kagome was implying, and then her mouth opened in surprise.
“Oh!” Sango raised her hands. “No! It's not that.”
She shook her head with an apologetic
smile. “Sorry. I guess that's the impression anyone
might have gotten. No, you don't have to worry about anything like
that.”

“You
sure?” Kagome asked again, still not entirely convinced.
Sango's hesitation had caught her attention. Something about that
previous question had bothered her.

Sango
gave a small, laughing sigh. “Positive.”

Her
assurance seemed to be genuine, so Kagome decided to drop the subject
as the elevator slowed to a stop and the doors opened to the ground
floor of the atrium. As they stepped out, another crash of thunder
seemed to rattle the entire building. Sango looked up at the long
expanse of glass that ran up the side of the tower. “The storm
is getting worse, isn't it?” she said softly.

Suddenly,
from speakers hidden somewhere Kagome couldn't see, the sound of
cheering filled the atrium, followed by the stirrings of music.

Sango
cursed under her breath, grabbing Kagome's wrist. “Now we're
definitely missing it,” she laughed and broke into a full run
across the atrium and into the half-darkness of the corridor leading
to the underground hall. Kagome ran with her, enjoying the chance to
let out some of her nervous energy.

The
music had worked into a full chorus by the time they stepped into the
birdcage-like elevator that would take them down into the hall.
Kagome breathed deeply, trying to catch her breath, and patted the
gentle twist she'd placed at the nape of her neck, smoothing down any
strands that had fallen loose. She'd been blessed with the kind of
hair that could hold the style easily with the help of just a few
pins and a decorative comb, but she'd still spent an unusually long
time that evening getting the look just right. She just wanted to
look nice for the concert. It had nothing to do with the handsome man
waiting for her downstairs.

She
shifted her weight nervously from foot to foot as the elevator
finally slid down into the
hall.

“Oh, my
God,” she breathed, staring out through the glass. A massive
crowd had gathered, fanned out from a stage that had been set up at
the far end of the hall. Every spare inch of the dance floor and the
surrounding sitting areas was packed shoulder to shoulder with
people. She'd never seen it so crowded before, and found
herself feeling much more confident about accepting Naraku's
invitation. Trying to fight their way to a good spot in this crowd
would have been impossible at this point.

Sango
looked out over the crush of people. “Now we just have to get
through this mess,” she said, nearly having to shout to be
heard over the music. She grabbed Kagome's wrist and together they
headed into the crowd.

Navigating
through the sea of people didn't end up being as difficult as Kagome
was expecting, though. Pushing and shoving when they had to, they
slowly weaved their way through the crowd, toward the stairs leading
up to Naraku's terrace. At the foot of the stairs, they paused to
catch their breath before beginning the climb, and Kagome took the
opportunity to turn and look up toward Inuyasha's terrace.

He
was there along the railing, staring out absently over the crowd
below. There was already a drink in his hand. Well, she
thought, he'll just have to find someone else to drag him home
tonight.

Ever
since the party in the observatory two nights ago, Inuyasha's
attitude had remained surprisingly mild. He'd looked so agitated just
after her conversation with Naraku, but by the time he'd joined her
at the window once again, he seemed to have completely regained his
composure. He didn't asked what she and Naraku had been discussing,
and eventually she found herself so unnerved by waiting for him to
bring it up that she'd simply come out and told him on her own as she
was preparing him for bed that night.

Inuyasha
had practically ignored the news of the invitation. “Well, have
a nice time,” he'd said as he reached across his pillow to
switch off the light, leaving her standing in the dark next to his
bed.

The
response had surprised and annoyed her, and she'd lost a good deal of
sleep that night trying to figure out why. She'd
eventually come to the
realization that she'd foolishly wanted him, maybe even expected him,
to be jealous, if only just a little bit.

Now,
standing at the base of the stairs leading up to Naraku's terrace,
Kagome silently chided herself. Why the hell would he be jealous? It
was clear he didn't care
about what she did with her social life. Besides, she'd already come
to terms with the idea that their relationship would never be
anything more than it already was. She'd probably just been reading
too much into everything that had happened between them lately. Hope
remains ever vigilant, she thought ruefully.

His
eyes were moving her way. Quickly, she turned away from Inuyasha and
looked up at the stairs before her. Well, there was at least one
person here tonight who wanted her company. She took the lead and
headed purposefully up the stairs, Sango
following closely behind.

“There
you are,” Naraku said, standing at the door, waiting to greet
them as they reached the top. There was no need to shout up
here. The music could still be heard clearly, but it wasn't
quite as loud. It was an acoustic trick unique to the terraces, one
that she had grown accustomed to during her nights working for
Inuyasha. The moment she saw Naraku's wonderfully magnetic smile,
Kagome's mood began to lift.

“I was
beginning to think you were going to stand me up,” he teased,
and turned to Sango. “And you brought a friend. What a
delightful surprise. It's been a
while since you've graced my terrace with your presence, Sango.”
Coming from anyone else, the comment might have been considered
snide, but from Naraku it sounded honey smooth.

“The view
is better up here,” Sango replied casually.

Naraku
nodded and took Kagome's arm. “I was worried you'd
changed your mind,” he said, smiling down at her as he ushered
them toward the railing. “I've been saving the best seat in the
house for you.”

“We were
just running late,” Kagome explained. As they reached the edge
of the terrace, she looked down and out over the hall, and sucked in
an awed breath. The massive gathering was even more impressive from
above. As the current song began to rise in crescendo, the energetic
atmosphere of the crowd also increased. It was a sea of constant
motion beneath them, rising and falling to the beat of the music. The
crowd's attention was fixed on the stage at the far end of the hall,
where a woman with bright pink hair stood, belting out the song's
lyrics in a radiant voice.

Kagome
grabbed the railing and leaned out, a huge smile spreading across her
face. Best seat in the house, indeed.

Naraku
motioned to the singer. “She's just getting the crowd warmed
up. Kouga and his band should be up in a minute,” he said. He'd
taken the spot to her right, and was standing close enough that she
could almost feel the warmth from his body. Just another inch more
and her arm would brush against his.

“I told
you we wouldn't miss much,” Sango said from her other side. She
looked a bit distracted.

Kagome
studied her for a moment before leaning toward her. “You okay?”
she asked, just loud enough for the two of them.

Sango
quickly nodded and gave an easy smile. “Yeah. Just excited
about the show.”

Kagome
didn't buy it, but if there was something bothering Sango, it was
obvious she wasn't going to disclose whatever it was tonight. She
turned her attention back to the stage just as the song ended and the
lights went out, plunging the hall into darkness, sending the crowd
below into renewed waves of cheering and screaming. A single, steady
drum beat pulsed through the air, giving rhythm to the exultation. As
the crowd clapped in time to the sound, Kagome felt Naraku close that
last inch between them.

“Here we
go,” he said, an arm slowly encircling her waist.

Lights
and music suddenly
exploded around her, and the show began.

*****

He
was touching her.

Inuyasha
took a deep breath and focused on relaxing
his fierce grip on the drink between his hands. The last thing
he needed tonight was shattered glass all over the place. He tore his
gaze from the hand on Kagome's waist and focused on the stage below.
He wasn't a huge fan of Kouga's music, but it would provide a good
enough distraction for a little
while, he hoped. Don't think about Kagome.

The
song was loud and aggressive, the lights blinding if he looked
directly at them. He swirled the liquid in his glass and took a
drink. Don't think about Kagome.

His
terrace was crowded tonight, everyone lined up along the railing to
watch the show. He'd already shunned the company of two or three
women, and now stood off to the far side of the terrace's edge, near
the door. It was where Kagome often stood night after night, looking
out over the hall. Just last night he'd watched as she stood here,
leaning out to catch the breeze as it drifted up from the dance
floor...

God
damn it! Stop thinking about Kagome! He sighed and shook his
head. Why was he letting this
bother him so much? It was her night off. She could spend it
with whomever she wanted. Besides, it was just Naraku.

Inuyasha
mentally kicked himself for that last thought. He knew better than to
underestimate the man. Naraku was handsome, cunning, suave as hell,
and remarkably adept at using those attributes to get what he wanted.

He
should have kept that in mind when Kagome told him of the invitation.
He could tell that she'd been expecting a reaction different from the
one he gave her. Perhaps she'd thought he would throw some kind of
jealous fit. Truth be told, he'd wanted to. He'd wanted to tell her
that Naraku and his invitation could both go to hell.

But
he hadn't. Instead, he'd feigned
indifference, acted like it hadn't mattered that she'd accepted the
offer. But an act was exactly what it had been, and one
designed to incite her. She may have been expecting it to bother him,
but he sure as hell wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of
knowing that it did.

But
glancing back to Kagome, he thought
that perhaps he should have shown at least
some resistance to Naraku's invitation. It didn't appear that
she'd made any effort to move away from his touch, and every once in
a while they would share a laugh or a smile about something and then
return their attention to the stage. Watching
it made Inuyasha's stomach turn and his pulse pound furiously.
He knew what jealousy felt like, but he'd never experienced it with
this much intensity before. The reaction felt strange in his head,
inconsolable, blindly irrational, and completely unwelcome.

He
released a breath through his teeth and forced his gaze back to the
stage. Just watch the show, enjoy your drink. Don't think about
anything else.

Drums,
screaming guitars, and Kouga's voice singing words he barely paid any
attention to filled his head as he tried desperately to focus on the
music. Anything to draw his mind away from the urge to turn
his eyes back to things that would only frustrate him further.

It
wasn't working. Inuyasha threw back the last of his drink and shoved
away from the railing. As he was turning to head to the bar, he took
one last glance at where Kagome stood with Naraku, and froze.

The
hand had lifted from her waist to her shoulder. As Inuyasha stood
staring, Naraku's fingers trailed
a slow line up her neck, and then down again, coming to rest
at the curve where her neck and shoulder met. It was the same spot
Inuyasha had hovered just a breath's width away from a few nights
ago. He could still remember the scent of her skin that night.

He
wanted Naraku's hand gone. Now.

The
thumb on Kagome's neck slowly began stroking up and down. Inuyasha
tore his eyes away to look at her face. She was still watching the
stage below, but her expression had
stiffened a bit.

He
was being watched, he realized.
Inuyasha flashed his eyes to Naraku's. The man was smiling
at him, staring him down over the top of Kagome's head. His red eyes
were shining with his normal charm, and his lips were pulled back
from his teeth, but there was nothing friendly about the expression.
He leaned a little closer
to Kagome and continued slowly running his thumb over
the spot on her neck. It
was a provoking gesture.

Naraku
was taunting him. Challenging him.

Son
of a bitch! Without even realizing
it, Inuyasha's feet were suddenly
propelling him forward, past his
guests, and toward the fifteen feet of open air that separated
the two terraces. He didn't stop to think as he placed a foot on top
of the railing, his leg muscles bunching in anticipation.

The
jump was too easy. He landed lightly, nearly in the middle of
Naraku's terrace. He was vaguely aware of a few squeals of surprise
from around him as he stormed toward Kagome and Naraku.

That
hand was still on her shoulder. It was the only thing he focused on
as he approached them, reaching out.

*****

The
fingers on her neck had sent her heart racing. It seemed as if it had
been forever since anyone had touched her in such a sensual
way. She was still trying to calm her heart when his hand slipped
away, and for a moment, she was glad for it. His touch was too
distracting. She was having a hard time paying attention to the show.

But
her relief was short lived. As Naraku's touch left her, he also
seemed to take a step back, just as two strong arms gathered around
her and lifted her off her feet. It took Kagome a moment to process
that she was being carried away from the railing, toward the other
side of the terrace, and away from Naraku and Sango.

“Hey!
What...”, she managed to stutter past the shock, looking up at
her abductor. Her breath
caught in her chest when she saw who it was.

“Inuyasha,”
she gasped. When he didn't
answer, she squirmed a bit in his arms. “Hey,” she said,
smacking at his chest to get his attention. Still no reply. His gaze
was fixed directly ahead of him, and as she turned in the direction
he was staring, she saw
that they were nearing the far edge of the terrace, and he wasn't
slowing down.

“Inuyasha,
put me down!” she demanded, her tone showing a hint of fear,
and she squirmed against him again.

“Hell
no,” he growled, tightening his grip.

She
felt his muscles gathering, his pace quickening as they approached
the railing.

“Wait!
Wait!” she nearly screamed, grabbing onto him in panic
as he crouched to leap.

And
with that, he launched them into the air.

The
initial force of the jump took the breath
from her lungs. Her arms tightened around him as they flew into the
air, up and out over the railing. The flight was brief, quickly
evening out to a second of weightlessness, and then they began
falling.

A
moment later, his feet landed back on solid ground, his legs bending
to absorb the impact completely. By the time she realized
they were on his terrace, he was already striding past the small
crowd that had turned from the concert to the much more interesting
scene playing out before them. Inuyasha paid them no attention as he
walked past, heading straight to the spot where she had seen him
standing earlier, near the door.

Without
a word, he came to a stop at the railing, put her back on her feet,
and, standing closely behind her, turned his attention back to the
concert as if nothing had happened.

“Wh...wha...”
She was stammering so badly that the words wouldn't come out. She
turned and leaned away from him, pressing back against the railing,
glaring at him. “What the hell!” she finally
managed.

He
regarded her coolly. “What? Did the jump scare you?”

“My legs
are shaking so bad I can hardly stand up!” she almost yelled.

“Want me
to hold you?” The look on his face was dangerously close to a
smirk.

“No!”
She shoved at him. “I want you to tell me why the hell you did
that!”

He
shifted his eyes back toward the crowd and said simply, “I
changed my mind. I want you with me tonight.”

She
stared at him, speechless for a moment. “No way. It's my
night off,” she said, her tone defiant.

“I don't
want you to work,” he explained. “I want you here as a
guest.”

She
paused and stared up at him. As a guest? “Why?”
she asked.

He
shrugged. “Why not?”

“I told
Naraku I'd spend the evening with him,” she argued, stealing a
quick glance across to the black prince's terrace. Naraku was
watching them from the spot where she'd left him.

“I'm sure
he'll understand,” Inuyasha said. He was barely paying
attention to anything she said, and it was beginning to infuriate
her.

She
made an angry noise and tried to brush past him, but he moved to
block her way. When she tried to move around him a second time, he
did the same thing. She resisted the urge to shove at him again. It
was like shoving at a solid wall, anyway.

“Quit
being a bully!” she snapped.

He
turned his eyes back down to her. “I can't help it. You know I
get like this when I'm lonely.”

She
froze and eyed him suspiciously, weighing the honesty in his
expression, unable to tell whether or not he was being sincere. It
was true, the mirth from earlier seemed to have been replaced by a
hint of sadness.

Her
eyes narrowed. Clever. He'd almost made her forget her anger.

“Oh, no
you don't. I'm not falling for it,” she said and started to
move around him again. “You can spend one evening by—”

She
was cut off as he grabbed her arm and pulled her close, leaning down
to speak right next to her ear. “Stay with me,” he said
roughly, imploringly.

Her
heartbeat lost it's rhythm for a moment as her eyes flashed up to
meet his. His expression was calm and completely open as he stared
back at her. For once, it felt as if he was showing his true face to
her, without any pretense at all. She swallowed. “You're not
giving me a choice,” she said weakly.

He
released her arm, but that hadn't been what she meant. How could she
say no to his request when he was looking at her like that?

“What the
hell was that?” It was Sango's voice that pulled their
attention away from each other.

She
stormed through the door, heading straight toward Inuyasha with a
violent look.

“Asshole!”
she said, punching him in the shoulder. “I don't know what that
jumping thing was just now, but don't ever do it again.”

He
blinked at her once, and then the smirk touched his lips again. “Yes,
officer,” he replied.

After
throwing another heated look at him, Sango turned concerned eyes to
Kagome. “Are you alright?” she asked.

Kagome
nodded. “Yeah. It just scared me, that's all.” She tossed
her head toward Inuyasha. “He's insisting I stay here tonight.”

“Oh?”
Sango raised an eyebrow. “That won't make the black prince very
happy.”

Inuyasha
muttered something rude under his breath.

“Well,”
she said, turning to glance across to Naraku's terrace, “in any
case, I'm not fighting my way back through that crowd again, so I
guess this is where we stay.” She began heading toward the
mini-bar, shaking her head. “I need a drink after all that.”

Kagome
cast another quick glance toward Naraku, but his attention had
shifted back to the concert. She turned her eyes up to Inuyasha with
a dark expression.

He
was smiling down at her smugly.

“Don't
look at me like that,” she muttered. “I'm only—”
She broke off as the music shifted to another song.

Inuyasha
moved to her side. “What is it?” he asked, placing a hand
on the railing to lean next to her. He was standing closer to her now
than he had before, and she had to fight the nervous urge to put a
couple extra inches between them.

“I love
this song,” she said, staring down at the stage. “I
didn't know it was one of Kouga's...” She narrowed her eyes at
him again. “Don't change the subject!”

“You're
the one who got distracted. Don't get mad at me for that,” he
said, sounding amused. “Relax. Just watch the show.”

Kagome
took a deep breath. He was right. She
needed to calm down. Yes, he'd taken a ridiculous risk with
both their lives just to get his way. But even though the measure had
seemed a bit extreme, when she thought about it, she was actually a
little flattered by his
actions. He'd made quite a show of getting her to stay with him.

She
glanced at him again. His eyes had returned to the concert, and of
course, he still had that infuriatingly
satisfied expression on his face. He seemed very proud of himself.
But he also looked more at ease right at that moment than she'd ever
seen him. The earnest look that he'd given her as he asked her to
stay with him flashed through her mind again, and
her heart faltered a bit at the memory.

So,
he had been jealous after all. The thought forced a tiny smile
onto her face. Determined not to let these damned men steal any more
of her attention from the concert, she moved her eyes back to the
stage and focused on the music.
And when Inuyasha leaned closer a moment later, this time Kagome
didn't feel the urge to move away.

*****

The
second he felt Kagome's attention shift away from him and back to the
stage, Inuyasha leveled his gaze over her head, straight toward
Naraku. He was watching them again. Shifting closer to her, Inuyasha
let a cunning smile spread across his lips. It was similar to the one
Naraku had given him earlier.

Naraku
met his stare for a moment, and with a smile of his own, gave a slow
nod. Then he turned and didn't look their way again. He was admitting
defeat.

Inuyasha
released a long breath, and concentrated on relaxing the tension in
his muscles. As put out as he'd been by Naraku's sudden
interest in Kagome, he realized
that the black prince might have actually done him a favor. The
jealousy had helped stir up emotions that he'd been hesitant to
acknowledge or act upon until now.

He
glanced at her again. Kagome was a beautiful woman. It was amazing
that she hadn't slipped out of his reach yet, that she hadn't been
stolen by some other man. Inuyasha understood that if he didn't make
a move soon, someone else would. The thought sparked another small
jealous flame inside him.

But
she was here with him now. That's what mattered. Now it was time to
start enjoying the evening.

*****

And
so I got stuck dragging him home again, after all, Kagome
thought.

But
the truth was they were both having to do a fair bit of propping each
other up during the trip home. Kagome was just having to do more of
it. But she was enjoying enough of a buzz that it didn't seem to
annoy her as much as it normally did. They'd called it quits before
Inuyasha could drink himself to the point where his legs stopped
working. He was doing very well on his feet as they entered the
apartment and started up the stairs. So was she for that matter.

“I still
can't believe the look on your face when I picked you up,” he
said as they fumbled through the dressing area.

She
rolled her eyes. They were back to this again. He'd been teasing her
about it all night. “If someone started throwing you through
the air, I'm sure you would have reacted the same way.”

“I didn't
throw you. I carried you very securely.” They reached his bed
and he flopped down onto it with a happy sigh. “I'll have to
find some way to scare that face out of you again.”

“I'd
rather you didn't,” she said, staring down at him.

“Oh, come
on.” He folded his arms behind his head. “It wasn't that
bad. You were safe the whole time.”

Kagome
considered his words as she crouched down and started removing his
boots. Though it had scared her at the time, when he'd lifted her in
his arms and launched them through the air, she'd never worried that
he might drop her. It even felt a little like he'd been sharing
something special with her.

“I
didn't know you could jump like that,” she said.

He
smiled crookedly. “Neither did anyone else, 'til now.”

“That's
the first time you've done that?”she asked, looking up at him.

“In
front of others, yeah. I'm sure you've seen the commotion when I go
smash rocks.” He gave a bitter laugh. “Now people will be
asking me to jump all over the damn place. So much for acting
normal.”

She
set his boots aside and stood up, holding out her hands to him. He
reached up and took them, letting her pull him into a sitting
position.

As
she began undoing the buttons at the top of his shirt, he sighed.
“You always make trouble for me,” he said, but there was
no resentment in his tone. It sounded as if he was trying to tease
her again.

“Excuse
me?” She asked, yanking the shirt up over his head. “I
didn't ask you to come flying through the air. You could have taken
the stairs.”

“Sorry. I
wasn't blaming you,” he said, running his hands through his
hair. “It's like you said the other night. I can't blame you
for the consequences of something I chose to do on my own.”

She
stopped folding the shirt and stared at him.

“What?
Was that too mature?” he asked with a wry smile.

“Yes.
You'll ruin your reputation if you keep it up.”

Inuyasha
gave a soft laugh and laid back into the pillows.

“What
about your pants?” Kagome asked.

He
glanced down. “Leave 'em. I'm comfortable.”

“Alright,”
she said, leaning over to switch off the table lamp. Natural
moonlight streamed through the windows, taking the place of
artificial. Even in the
semi-darkness she could still see clearly. The storms from
earlier had completely passed, she noticed.

“Did you
have fun tonight?” he asked.

Kagome
glanced down at him. The light was caught in the edges of his irises,
reflecting gold up at her. It was hard to think straight when staring
into those eyes.

“Yeah,”
she answered.

“You're
not mad at me anymore?” he asked.

She
smiled and shook her head. “I think I was more startled than
anything.” She hesitated before adding playfully, “How
about next time, when you want me to stay with you, tell me before
you get to the point where you feel the need to sweep me off my feet
and carry me away.”

He
tilted his head to the side and stared up at her for a moment with an
unreadable expression.

“Okay,”
he said finally, and then
raised a foot toward her, wiggling his sock-covered toes. “No
socks tonight.”

“You
sure?” she asked. He didn't like his feet getting cold at
night.

“Yeah,”
he said, bending his other leg to pull off his second sock.

She
pulled the material from his foot and then reached out to take the
other one from where he held it, dangling it above his chest. But
just as she reached for it, he pulled it away a few inches.

“Inuyasha,”
she said in a warning tone.

He
chuckled and offered it to her again. “Fine. Here.”

She
reached for the sock. Her fingers were about to wrap around it when
he suddenly let it go and
grabbed her wrist.

“Here's
your warning,” he said with an evil grin, reaching up at the
same time to wrap his other arm around her waist. In one swift,
effortless move, he pulled her over him and down into the bed,
fastening her securely against
his body. Frozen in shock, she stared at his collarbone for a
moment, then raised her eyes to his face. He was beaming down at her,
his expression a mixture of smugness and triumph.

“You...”
was all she could manage.

“What?”
he asked innocently. “I gave you warning this time, like you
asked.”

Regaining
a bit of composure, she rolled her eyes. “Very funny,”
she said, pushing against his hold. “Okay, let me go.”

“No,”
he replied.

She
stared up at him, stunned to silence. No?

His
gaze was piercing as he met her eyes. “You said you'd stay with
me tonight.”

“For the
concert! Not anything else,” she said, pushing against him
harder now.

“I don't
remember being specific.”

“You're
drunk!”

“I'm
completely sober. Have been for a while now,” he replied.

“You were
faking it?” she asked in
disbelief.

He
shrugged. “Maybe just a little.”

She
groaned and balled her fists on his chest, trying to force her way
out of his hold. But his arms remained tight around her.

“You
know,” he said, sounding bored, “there's a few women out
there who would love to be in your position right now.”

“They can
have it!” she said, giving one last futile push against him.

A
cocky smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. “Give up?”

She
narrowed her eyes. “No.”

“That's
my girl.”

Her
cheeks flared with a fierce blush, and she ducked her head, praying
he hadn't seen it. His girl? Where the hell had that come
from? Was he lying about not being drunk? A sober Inuyasha would
never say something like that.

Still,
she couldn't deny the slight jolt of happiness his words had sent
through her. Her arms were still braced against him defiantly, but
now, without thinking, they began to loose some of their tension. As
if in response, Inuyasha's arms loosened as well, still holding her
securely but not as tight.

She
sighed. “How long?”

“How long
what?” he asked.

“Do you
want me to stay?”

“I told
you. For the night.”

She
regarded him warily, suddenly
unsure of his intentions. He couldn't possibly mean...

Inuyasha
seemed to realize what she
was thinking. “Just to sleep, Kagome,” he said with a
hint of amusement. “Just for one night. I want to know what
it's like to have you sleep next to me.”

Kagome
was certain that her face was going to burst into flames any minute
if Inuyasha didn't stop assaulting her with all of these soft,
confusing words.

“Same as
any other girl,” she grumbled.

“No. It's
not,” he said, his tone thoughtful.

They
were both silent for a while, until Kagome shifted awkwardly and
said, “You know, these clothes aren't exactly comfortable to
sleep in. Can I at least take my shoes off?”

Inuyasha
sat up and rolled her onto her back. “I suppose,” he
replied.

Kagome
began to sit up, thinking for a moment that she might be able to bolt
away now that she was free from his arms, but that idea disappeared
the moment he placed a hand on her chest and gently pushed her back
onto the bed.

“Stay.
Put,” he said, tapping his finger against her collarbone to
emphasize each word. He was doing
that piercing thing with his eyes again.

Dazed
into compliance, she lay there as he bent down the length of her
body, reaching toward her feet. It was too far to reach and keep his
hand on her chest at the same time, so he let his hand slide down to
her stomach, pressing firmly, keeping her still. After he'd removed
her shoes and tossed them off the foot of the bed, he turned and gave
her a devious smile.

“Anything
else you'd like me to remove while I'm at it?” he asked.

“Your
hand, please,” she answered flatly.

“Nope.”
He laid back down, trapping her in his arms again.

She
sighed. She'd been hoping he would decide to trust her not to run,
and stick to his own side of the bed once he finished with her shoes.
Or at least give her a bit more
space so she wouldn't suffocate against his chest. But neither
appeared likely as he pulled her close, and then reached up to touch
her hair.

“These
pins can't be comfortable to sleep in either,” he said, probing
the twist at her neck with his fingers.

“Wait.”
She reached back to grab his hand. “You'll just make a mess of
it.”

“No, I
won't,” he said, brushing her hand away. Smoothly, he pulled a
pin from her hair, then a second and a third. As he pulled the last
one, he began unraveling the twist, using his fingers to gently comb
out the curls. She couldn't prevent the tiny shiver that flashed
through her at the feel of his fingers dragging
through her hair.

“Cold?”
he asked.

“No.”
Smart ass, she
thought. He knew her reaction
hadn't had a damn thing to do with the temperature.

He
pulled her closer anyways.

“You'll
regret this in the morning,” she said softly against his chest.
It was a concern, not a threat.

“I don't
think I will.”

Silence
again, until Inuyasha said, “You know, it was your night off. I
was going to undress myself.”

He
was right. “Damn it,” she muttered.

A
small, rumbling laugh shook him, and then he sighed against her
bangs. “Go to sleep,” he said.

Kagome
resisted the urge to snort. She didn't know how he could possibly
expect her to sleep now, after getting her so worked up. Besides,
what if she drooled on the pillow, or said something weird in her
sleep? What if her leg did that weird twitching thing it sometimes
did when she was half asleep and she accidentally kneed him? What
about morning breath?

“Hey.
What's wrong?” he asked softly. “Your heart's pounding
like crazy.”

“Stop
listening to my heart and go to sleep.”

“I can't
help it. It's so loud. Like your stomach right before you eat.”
More teasing.

“Inuyasha.”

“Hmm?”

“Shut
up.”

“Only
because you asked so nicely.”

She
could hear the smirk in his voice.

He
didn't speak again after that, and somehow, they both eventually
managed to fall asleep.

Kagome
had no idea how much time had passed when her eyes opened again. She
froze for a moment in confusion, but then the haze in her mind
cleared, and she remembered exactly where she was and how she'd
gotten there.

She
was still facing him, still pressed to his chest. It was amazing
that, even in sleep, his hold hadn't lessened any. She held very
still, watching for any sign that he was awake. His breath was warm
and steady against her forehead, and with the exception of his tight
embrace, his body was relaxed and pliant against hers. Still
sleeping.

She
turned her gaze toward the window behind her, as far as she could
without risking any movement that might wake him. A few hours at the
least had passed since they'd fallen asleep. The moon had disappeared
somewhere beyond the span of glass. The only thing lighting the loft
now was starlight.

The
sky was exceptionally clear tonight, and the gentle glow filtering
through the windows illuminated everything around her in crisp
blue-white hues.

Slowly,
she turned back to Inuyasha. His eyes were still closed, his
breathing still even. She'd never been this close to him before,
never seen him like this. That beautiful face that she had wanted to
touch so many times before was now right in front of her, just inches
from her own.

His
white hair shined in the light, and his
skin, which had just enough color to make him look suntouched without
ever having to step outside, had faded to pale ivory.
Starlight had a funny way of bleaching the color from everything it
touched. She stared in amazement for a long time, taking in every detail of his features.

It
was both exciting and terrifying at the same time; being so close to
him, lying with him like this. Exciting because she enjoyed it, but
terrifying because she didn't understand his motivation for acting
the way he had. She found herself wondering at how strangely
their relationship had evolved. He'd gone from hating her to...this.
Whatever this was.

His
antics during and after the concert had been so disconcerting at
first. She'd thought he was just doing it to toy with her, but now
she knew that wasn't the
case. His reactions to her seemed unusually warm and honest. There
had been very little of
his normal posturing. Even his taunting had been lighthearted.

So
exactly what were his intentions? She sighed softly. How could
someone be so damn confusing and annoying and amazing all at the same
time?

He
stirred slightly, and she held her breath as he shifted his head just
enough for a length of white hair to fall across his face. With no
human ears to hold his hair back, the long strands always ended up
spilling over his face when he slept. It was something she'd seen
many times when waking him in the morning or from a nap.

Very
carefully, she reached up and delicately hooked a finger under the
stray lock, brushing it away from his face. It felt like silk on the
tips of her fingers, and she took her time pulling her hand back,
whispering her fingers down the line of his jaw. She stopped when she
reached his chin, but didn't pull her hand away just yet.

His
lips were just above her fingers, a shade darker than his pale skin,
and parted slightly. She remembered the way those lips had twisted
and curved into smug grins and playful smiles earlier in the evening.
His demeanor changed so easily. Would he wake up tomorrow his old
self and never show her those expressions again?

Boldly,
she raised her hand an inch and brushed his bottom lip with the
faintest of touches. His breath was steady against her hand as she
marveled at the feel of his lips, smooth and warm under her fingers.

She
found herself smiling. Even if he did return
to the way he used to be, even if it was the only night she
would ever spend with him like this, she would treasure it; this
small glimpse of the way he looked without all the complications and
cruelties of the world haunting his mind.

His
teeth suddenly clamped
down on her finger.

It
was so quick and so
unexpected that she yanked her hand back with a shriek. The arms
around her started shaking, and she blinked up at him dumbly. He was
laughing at her, so hard that his entire body was shaking from
it. His laughter filled her ears, louder and more genuine than she
had ever heard it before.

She
stared at him, speechless, until she noticed
that her poor heart was hammering wildly with fright.

“Damn it,
Inuyasha!” She gave him an angry little
shove, as best she could considering that he was still holding her
against him. “You scared the shit out of me!”

He
only responded by laughing harder.

“It's not
funny! Seriously, knock it off!” she demanded, the awe she'd
experienced at his laughter now completely faded to resentful
embarrassment. “Inuyasha!”

He
didn't appear to be listening.

As
she opened her mouth to launch another round of angry words at him,
she felt his hand lift behind her. Suddenly,
his fingers were tangling in the hair at the nape of her neck,
pulling her face to his.

Pressing
their lips together.

The
breath left her, and every muscle in her body seemed to turn
to stone. Her eyes stretched wide, locking with his. He remained
unmoving, watching her, his gold eyes fervent and burning in the
starlight.

Inuyasha
held her like that for a moment, his lips firmly against hers, her
startled gaze trapped by his steady one. And then he began to move.
He pressed harder at her mouth, eyes closing as his tongue slipped
out to gently sweep her lower lip. He tugged her closer, his mouth
begging for entrance.

Kagome's
shock was quickly giving way to surrender, her frozen muscles
beginning to melt under his touch. Her mind was still reeling,
still trying to figure out whether or not this was really happening.
It was the hammering of his heart under her hand that made her
understand. This was real, and this was something that she'd
desperately been wanting. With a shaking breath, she parted her lips
for him.

He
was ready to take her mouth the moment she offered it, tilting his
head, eagerly dipping his tongue in for a deeper taste. A soft moan
escaped her as his warm breath filled her mouth. He answered by
tightening the fist in her hair and pulling to crush her against him.

It
was almost too much. His smell, his taste, his touch all threatened
to overwhelm her. She wanted to feel more, wanted to hold him as
tightly as he was holding her. Slowly, her hands began drifting down
his chest, wondering at the smooth, polished feel of his skin,
and the tight muscles shifting beneath it.

But
as she slid her arm around him, she felt his grip tense. With an
almost violent shudder, Inuyasha pushed her back, just enough to
separate their mouths. They lay staring at each other for a moment,
both panting, trying to catch their breaths.

“Why?”
Kagome asked finally,
still a bit breathless.

“It was
the only way I could think of to calm you down,” Inuyasha
replied, licking his lips. He gave a short laugh. “I didn't
think you'd get that mad.”

She
hesitated, then asked carefully, “And why did you stop?”

He
stared at her in silence for a long time, and then a smile touched
his face.

“I'm not
running away, if that's what you're thinking,” he said. Gently,
he added, “You were shaking.”

“I was?”
she asked, surprised. She hadn't even noticed.

He
nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her until her back
was to him. He draped an arm over her side and pulled her close,
fitting her against his chest.

“Besides,”
he said, a mischievous edge slipping into his voice, “I not
letting you rush me into anything.”

“Me?”
She glanced sharply back at him. “Rushing you? You're
the one who—”

But
she was cut off by a firm kiss to the back of her neck.

“Go back
to sleep,” he breathed against her skin.

Any
argument she might have managed was destroyed in an instant. She
sagged against him, defeated. Too stunned and tired to put up with
him anymore, she sighed and stared out through the windows, into the
night sky beyond. It had been hard to fall asleep before, but it
would probably be impossible now.

Continued
in chapter 14 – Devil's Fancy

A/N:
So, 9 months later, here is chapter 13. I just realized that I could
have baked a kid in the same amount of time :/. Again, I apologize
for taking so long to update. Long story short, one of the major
problems of having a thyroid that doesn't work is that your brain
follows suit, to a terrifying degree (I started to freak out when my
concentration got so bad that I couldn't even read a book anymore).
The typical pill solution doesn't work very well for me, and that
only added to the problem. But after adjusting my dosages a bit and
adopting a daily vitamin cocktail regiment, I'm doing much better.
God willing, I won't ever have to go through a 9 month brain fart
ever again!

A
couple quick things:

1.
Chapters 1 – 12 have undergone revision once again. While
rereading the story, I discovered a bunch of unpleasant mistakes that
needed fixing. Nothing major, mostly just replacing missing periods
and fixing grammatical errors. I did make some revisions to certain
parts that I felt needed rewording or cleaning up. There were no
changes to the storyline though. Certain small parts just read a bit
more easily now.

2.
A week or so back I released the prologue to the story that I will be
concentrating on once AFR is finished. It's called Lady of the
Midnight House. Just a heads up for anyone who's interested and who
might have missed the release. Updates will be very sporadic until
after AFR is complete. (Available only on FF and MM at the moment.
Once more naughtiness is worked in, I will add it to AFF as well, for
readers who use that site.)

And,
as always, I wanna give a HUGE thanks to you guys. Thank you for the
reviews, the favorites, the recs, the noms, the votes, the emails,
the ratings, the multiple daily hits to my profile page even though I
haven't updated in MONTHS, and for every other way you've all shown
me that you enjoy my silly little hobby just as much as I do.

Influential
music for this chapter

Welcome
To My Fanclub's Night! (Sheryl on Stage) – Sheryl Norm starring
May'n, Macross Frontier OST 1 Nyan Furo

Howling
– Abingdon Boy's School, Darker Than Black OST

Map
of the Problematique – Muse, Black Holes and Revelations

White
Love Story – As One, 1st Shop of the Coffee Prince (insert
song)

Terra
he... – Toward the Terra OST 1
- 12
- 13
- 14
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A Fool's Redemption