Begin Again - Rated T
Chapter Five
you can read it on AO3!
Chapter 4 on tumblr here.
(please remember it isn't beta read. I check for errors as best as I can *cries*)
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Inuyasha was regretting his decision.
It’s not because Kagome and her friends seemed like bad company, on the contrary, they seemed like a great company. No, Inuyasha was nervous that he was going to be bad company. He struggles in social settings because he doesn’t know what to do, and he becomes hyper aware of the things he says. When he was younger he was always excluded from certain things because of his hanyou blood which led to his social awkwardness. He tries his best, but he never seems to get it right, and it only makes him irritable as the night goes on.
That’s why he only hangs out with Shippo.
He admits that it’s lame but can anyone blame him for that? Being teased for his half-demon blood and appearance was normal for him, and although it’s toned down a bit now that he’s older there are still plenty of things being said about him.
People think that he can’t hear their hushed comments, but if someone’s going to talk shit about his ears, it should be common knowledge that he’s going to have superhuman hearing.
Inuyasha is very aware that Kagome likes his ears, and he’s sure that her friends don’t care about his lineage. She isn’t a shitty person; therefore, she wouldn’t surround herself with shitty people either. He’s nervous that his awkwardness will ruin their night, and possibly turn away Kagome.
Looking back into his bathroom mirror Inuyasha checks himself out, making sure his clothes looked somewhat presentable. After a few seconds of poking and prodding, he scowled back at his reflection.
“Tch. Why do I care so much? It’s just Kagome and her friends.”
In truth, Kagome wasn’t just Kagome, she was the girl next door who had his heart beating quicker than normal, his cheeks flaring up no matter what she said or did, and she had him questioning his every move.
He was nervous, and nobody could blame him for that. This is the first time in a while that he was hanging out with people besides Shippo, and one of those people was his extremely attractive neighbor, the neighbor he was beginning to feel something for that was beyond the friendship category. Of course, he didn’t want to actually admit that he liked her. No, his plan was to completely ignore his feelings and keep Kagome as his friend. He had no idea if she liked him back because playfully flirting with each other could mean anything, even though for Inuyasha it definitely meant something.
He didn’t want to get hurt again or get the wrong idea. He doesn’t believe Kagome would intentionally hurt him, but with his past, he always wanted to be a bit more reserved on the matter.
Inuyasha checked the time on his phone and blew out a gust of air. It was time for the group to meet up for the night. He was fully aware that Kagome’s friends had already arrived at her apartment around 20 minutes ago and Inuyasha was just stalling. Unfortunately for him, time waited for no one.
He clapped his hands together as he made his way to his door. "Now or never.”
Laughter and the sound of familiar giggles seemed to come directly toward him as he was locking his front door, and as he was placing his key in his pocket he met her kind, chocolate brown eyes that he’d grown fond of staring back at him.
“Hey, you.” She shyly greeted him.
“Yo.” He replied, the slight crack in his voice giving away how stunned he was to see her.
Kagome always looked good. It never mattered how she looked or what she was wearing in front of him because he didn’t care about that shit at all. Although, with her hair tied up in a ponytail and her green top complimenting her perfectly Inuyasha was having trouble focusing on anything that wasn’t Kagome.
“You-“ He cleared his throat. “You look good.”
That earned him a few giggles and it made his embarrassment fade off just a little bit. “Thanks,” She replied. “You look good too.”
He laughed. “No oil marks all over my arms this time.” He awkwardly ran his hands over his forearms to show off that they were clean.
“Aw, but they complete the look.” She pouted.
“Damn. Let me go take apart the car real quick, should only take an hour, and then I’ll be ready to go.” He pretended to walk back to his apartment door and fish out his keys in his pocket.
“If you do that Sango’s gonna have both of our heads.” She leaned her head on the doorframe as she stared at him with flushed cheeks. “Just for tonight, keep those arms car oil-free.”
Inuyasha pretended to weigh out his options with his hands. “Eh, I guess I can make an exception. But just for you.” He pointed at her.
She hugged herself tightly, suddenly shy and very aware of just how handsome Inuyasha looked tonight. He was wearing something casual and comfortable while his denim jacket hung limply in his grasp. “That sounds like a deal.”
Brisk footsteps and laughter echoed from Kagome’s apartment inside which caught the two neighbors' attention. Miroku appeared out of the door first, with Sango following close behind him as they seemed to be laughing about something.
“Inuyasha!” Sango greeted the half-demon warmly. “You made it!”
“I mean, I do live right next door.” Inuyasha awkwardly laughed.
“Details details.” She replied, swatting at the air between them. “You could have just stayed inside and ignored us.”
“Tch.” He rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze shifting from Sango to Kagome. “Probably not.”
It didn’t go unnoticed by the couple, but they chose to say nothing of it, knowing exactly what he meant.
“We’re really loud.” Kagome chimed in, completely oblivious to Inuyasha’s attention. “You definitely can’t ignore us!”
“You mean, Sango’s loud.” Miroku added.
“Hey!” Sango yelled. “I just get excited!” She crossed her arms across her chest and pouted.
Kagome laughed at her friend and hugged her. “It’s not a bad thing! Your excitement keeps me pumped for whatever it is you have planned.”
“Good. Because tonight we’re going to the Carousel Club.”
Inuyasha suppressed his smile when Kagome squealed out of excitement. He figured she already knew where they were all going, but if her friends had planned to do something to celebrate her 2 months of living at their apartment, they probably had planned not to tell her until now. “The what?”
Kagome looked at him with bright, excited eyes. “The Carousel Club! I’ve been wanting to go for months since it opened, but with how crazy everything’s been I haven’t had the time! It’s this giant, outdoor, opened spaced bar and lounge with a working Carousel right in the middle of the space.”
He chuckled at her and looked at her friends. “Yeah. I’ve never heard of it. Guess I don’t get out much.” 'Or at all.' He thought.
Miroku nodded at him. “I just go whatever she tells me to go and I find out what it is when we get there.”
Sango scoffed. “You guys are the same. But I swear, you’re gonna like it! They have good food and drinks. The carousel is the main showcase, but they’ve got a bunch of other things you can do too.”
Inuyasha shrugged. “Guess we’ll have to see when we get there.” He really had no idea just what this place was, and how busy it would be. Whenever he goes drinking with Shippo, it’s a local bar where they know all of the workers by name, and it isn’t crazy busy. This is a new level of socializing, and he’s definitely nervous about it.
Kagome poked his arm, the action completely grabbing his attention. “It’ll be fun, Inuyasha. You’ll see.”
The shy, gentle smile that was directed toward him had his insides warming up, and he had to fight back a blush. “Tch. What are ya waitin’ for then? Let’s go already.”
Sango and Miroku shared a look with each other that Inuyasha and Kagome couldn’t read and it made them uneasy. They led the way to the car, where Miroku was the designated driver for the night, and Kagome and Inuyasha had to sit together in the backseat.
The car ride couldn’t be more awkward, and Inuyasha was already overthinking his every move. Kagome and her friends were engaging in a random conversation that Inuyasha couldn’t focus on while a pop hit was playing smoothly on the car radio. He was staring at his hands and bouncing his leg unintentionally in his seat.
Was he going to be able to talk to them normally? They’re already such good friends, and he only just met Sango and Miroku, what if they think he’s not the person that Kagome’s said he is? On top of that, he has no idea what she’s even told them, has she told them good things? He hopes it was all good things, but; he also hopes she hasn’t over-exaggerated anything about him so they don’t get their hopes up.
Quickly, he glanced over at Kagome as she was giggling at something her friends said, and he started to wonder about what she thought about him. If she didn’t like him as a person, obviously she wouldn’t even give him a chance to talk to her, and she wouldn’t have introduced him to her friends. Shit, he wouldn’t even be hanging out with them tonight if Kagome didn’t like him. Regardless, Inuyasha couldn’t help but wonder about all of these things at a time like this.
He was very aware of the things she made him feel, although he had to remind himself not to dive too deep into those thoughts because he had no clue if she might feel the same way about him. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin something that was still growing.
Inuyasha thinks Kagome is an untouchable person, someone who deserves to experience a life filled with beautiful things. When she cried in front of him after her encounter with her ex, something inside of him woke up, and ever since then all he’s ever thought about was her well-being. After getting to know her more, that feeling has only grown stronger. He wants to protect Kagome, not just from her ex-boyfriend; but from everything that raises a hand against her. He doesn’t have a reason for any of this, but he shouldn’t have a reason to protect something that embodies sunlight.
“Inuyasha?”
Kagome’s voice, gentle and shy, pulled him out of his mind and back into the present. He stared back at her with wide eyes as if he had been caught doing something wrong.
“Are you okay?” She asked him. “You’ve been quiet since we got in the car.”
He looked at the driver's seat of the car and noticed that Miroku and Sango weren’t inside with them. “Yeah, m’sorry. Just got a headache.”
She scooted a bit closer to him and his heart almost stopped. “Are you sick? Do you wanna go back home?” Her warm hand touched his cold forehead and his skin immediately tingled.
“Tch!” He gently pushed off her hand. “I’m fine, it’s a little one.”
Kagome pulled her hand back, “I know we haven’t known each other for too long, but I know when you’re lying, Yash.”
Inuyasha put his hands up to his face and groaned in embarrassment. He really did it this time. Everything he’s been worrying about since yesterday is coming to bite him in the ass. “It’s nothin’. I swear.”
She knew it definitely wasn't just 'nothing', but she didn’t want to keep pushing him any further. Maybe if she gave him some space, he would talk to her about it later.
“Okay then, well. We’re here.” She grabbed her purse and opened the car door. “Sango and Miroku already made their way inside, so I’ll wait for you out here.”
Gently, she closed the door and Inuyasha was left alone inside. He felt stupid. He wanted to run home, and yet he also wanted to stay and see how the night would go.
He sighed defeatedly, knowing already that he wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity like this to get closer to Kagome. The girl was going to give him a heart attack no matter what she did, but he wanted to chase after that feeling.
Quickly he climbed out of the car and closed the door, the lights automatically blinking twice once it shut. Confused, he looked at the girl standing on the other side as she jiggled the keys and smiled. “He left us the keys. Gotta make sure we lock his baby, or we won’t hear the end of it.”
He didn’t reply, instead; he nodded at her and walked beside her in silence. There was a weird feeling in the air surrounding them, making it tense and awkward. Inuyasha was drowning in his thoughts, while Kagome was staying silent as she calculated what could be going on inside of his head. Ever since they met, it was never this quiet between them and neither of them knew what to do to fix the situation. The walk from the car to the bar felt like a long journey as if the road had stretched out for miles. The duo finally spotted Miroku and Sango waiting patiently by the tall, golden gates that seemed to be the entrance to the lounge. Although as the two neighbors neared, the couple could feel the awkward tension in the air, so thick it could be cut with a knife.
“Remember to lock her up?” Miroku asked Kagome teasingly. He hoped whatever the hell was going on between them would settle soon.
Kagome tossed the keys gently into his empty hand. “After you talked my ear off the first and last time I forgot to lock your car, I made sure I hit the button four times just in case.”
Miroku threw up a finger gun towards her while his keys jingled in his grasp. “That’s all I needed to hear.”
Sango rolled her eyes and moved towards Inuyasha and Kagome, handing them each a bright yellow wristband. “We gotta enter with these bad boys in order to get unlimited drinks, so make sure you put it on correctly!”
“Unlimited drinks?” Kagome asked wide-eyed. “You guys didn’t?!”
“We did.” Miroku grinned.
“It’s your 2monthaversary! We want to celebrate this milestone, so the wristbands are on us.” Sango added.
Inuyasha sputtered in reaction. “Wait, no way. I can pay ya back.”
Sango raised her hand at him, a kind smile on her face. “Nope! The best way to pay us both back is for you guys to enjoy the night. The wristband includes all the games too. This place doesn’t close until 4 AM anyway, so we have plenty of time!”
“Holy shit.” Inuyasha whispered to himself. He looked at Kagome, who seemed just as surprised; as she ran towards her friends to hug and thank them for their generosity.
Miroku noticed the shock on his face and nodded his head at him in understanding. “No need to thank us, but if we stay out here any longer we’re not going to enjoy anything.”
Sango grinned and looped her arm around Miroku’s, giggling excitedly. “Let’s go in! I want to ride the carousel!”
Inuyasha and Kagome quietly followed after them, the two neighbors continuing to not exchange any words with each other. They watched as Sango and Miroku talked and laughed with each other, and it only made the space between them more uneasy. The Carousel Club was filled with people all dressed up and having fun, eating food, and playing different yard games. The lighting wasn’t harsh on the eyes thanks to the fairy lights hung up above, and the twinkling lights from the carousel added a carnival-themed feeling to the place. There were booths offering different kinds of foods and drinks, and the main bar was right in front of the spinning carousel.
Everything looked so fun and exciting, and yet Kagome couldn’t fully appreciate it because of the longing she felt with Inuyasha not speaking to her. He still looked off his game, even with the fluorescent lighting coloring his face, and it seemed like he was in between wanting to stay or go home. She felt bad for him, and all she wanted to do was help him, but if he wouldn’t talk to her she couldn’t do anything about it.
“Kagome, let’s go ride the carousel!” Sango pulled her away from the sulking half-demon and towards the giant ride. “The guys will catch up!”
Miroku nudged Inuyasha gently, a grin plastered on his face. “Wanna get motion sickness with me while we sit behind the girls?”
Inuyasha swallowed back his nerves and smirked at him. “You get motion sickness? C’mon man.”
Miroku shrugged. “Things that spin are my biggest enemy.”
“Tch. I’ll go on with ya as long as ya don’t fuckin’ puke on me.” Inuyasha replied before following after the giggling girls.
Miroku laughed. “I can’t promise you anything!”
The area around the ride was very loud and extremely crowded. Inuyasha’s ears were twitching reflexively at the loud noises coming from all around him, but even though it was loud, he was still hyper aware of Kagome and her infectious laughter.
“You guys coming with?” Sango finally asked them.
“Only because you’ll drag us onto it if we don't.” Miroku replied.
Inuyasha said nothing as he looked at all of the people currently on the ride, whether they were sober or buzzed, everyone seemed to be having a good time. Something Inuyasha knew he was currently lacking, and prayed to any higher power that existed that it wasn’t ruining the rest of the group's moods. Sango and Miroku looked like they were having a good time, and on the surface, it would appear that Kagome was too. But he knew better than to assume that for her. She hadn’t said a word to him since they were alone in the car, not that he was helping; and it was starting to make him feel like a giant piece of shit.
He could see that she was sparing quick, little glances at him, and whenever she turned her attention to her friends or something else, he’d go back to looking at her too.
Soon after, it was time for them to get on the slow spinning contraption, and while the girls sat on horses that were next to each other Miroku and Inuyasha sat on their marching horses as well. The ride was as boring and uneventful as any other carousel, but what made the ride entertaining was watching Kagome giggle and cheer with her friend beside her. Right now, she looked happy, and it made Inuyasha’s heartbeat pound roughly in his chest. She was acting like her usual self while strapped onto her pink horse as if what was going on between her and Inuyasha was blissfully forgotten while they spun around in circles.
It made Inuyasha want to bang his head against a wall.
He missed talking to her even though it hasn’t even been a full hour since they left their apartment, and he was beginning to feel stupid for another reason that wasn’t his anxiety talking.
If he was afraid of ruining the night for Kagome and her friends, he was definitely already doing it by giving them all the awkward, silent treatment. None of them deserved any of it. He was sulking over something that hasn’t even happened yet, but if he continued to act like this, it was going to happen for sure. They had included him in their plans on the same day they met, and while he was drowning in his own thoughts they had continued to talk to him and include him in their endeavors.
The only person not doing any of that was the person he wanted to speak to the most.
“Bro.” Miroku spoke, the desperation in his voice catching Inuyasha off guard. “I’m not gonna make it.”
The hairs on Inuyasha’s neck stood up. “What the hell do ya mean by that?!”
“Babe!” Sango squealed in worry from in front of them. “It’s almost over! Hold on!”
Miroku laid his hand on Inuyasha’s shoulder and squeezed it, all while holding tightly to the bar that was connected to his horse with his eyes shut tight.
“Breathe through the nose and out the mouth!” Kagome shouted at him in worry.
He did just as he was told while the carousel slowly spun to a stop. Miroku dared not move, the grip on Inuyasha’s shoulder so tight it would actually hurt him if it wasn’t for him being a half-demon. Brisk footsteps echoed against the metal floor as the girls ran in his direction.
“Baby, come on.” Sango softly spoke to him. “Let’s get you water.”
“Good idea.” Miroku managed to choke out as he ungraciously got off the porcelain horse.
“We’ll be right back!” Sango called out to them with her fiancé slumped over her small frame.
Inuyasha and Kagome made their way towards the exit of the ride and waited patiently for their friends to come back. The tense energy in the air coming back in between them reminded Inuyasha of what he had been thinking while on the ride.
He cleared his throat, the sound immediately getting the raven-haired beauty's attention. “Is he gonna be okay?”
She sucked air between her teeth and ran a hand through her bangs. “I’m sure he told you that he gets motion sickness, but yeah, he’s gonna be fine eventually. He just needs some water and a nausea pill. I think in our excitement, Sango forgot to give him one.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah.”
Another wave of silence washed between them, and as Inuyasha stared at her as she worriedly bit her bottom lip while she stared at anything else that wasn’t him, he realized it was now or never.
“Can we talk?” He asked her. His voice sounded strained as his chest swelled up in nerves.
Brown eyes met his molten gold and she nodded in reply. “Of course, we can.”
Inuyasha looked around them as they were surrounded by people, none of them were paying any attention to the pair, but he couldn’t help but feel watched. “Uh, let’s go over there.”
In his bubbling nerves, he took Kagome’s hand in his and gently dragged her to an area with an empty booth.
He looked nervous and uncomfortable, and all Kagome wanted to do was to make him stop feeling that way. “What did you want to talk about, Inuyasha?”
“I just-“ He stopped midway as he noticed their hands and a bright, red blush colored his cheeks.
“Oh, I-“ Kagome responded once she noticed as well, the color on her cheeks matching his.
Quickly they let go of each other’s hands and stared at their feet. This was getting them nowhere, and as time went on Inuyasha became more flustered at the situation and irritated with himself.
“I’m sorry.” He blurted.
Her chocolate brown eyes lifted from the ground and back onto his golden ones. “What? Why?”
Inuyasha leaned onto the wall of the booth and released a big puff of hair. “I’m not… I’m just…” He groaned. “I miss talking to ya.“
Kagome blushed. “I missed talking to you, too.”
“I’m not used to goin’ out like this. With people. I only hang out with my coworker who’s a runt, but he’s a good kid, and he doesn’t give a shit about me bein’ a half-demon even though he’s a full demon and I got worried that I was gonna ruin the night because I suck ass at socializing and I just met yer friends and I don’t wanna look like a fuckin’ idiot in front of ‘em or you.”
He was blabbering and out of breath, his entire face was a shade of bright red. He really did it now, completely looking like a fool in front of the girl that was making his heart race and not think straight.
She smiled up at him, shy and kind, and she stepped closer to him. “Inuyasha, it’s okay.”
On the outside, Kagome was doing her best to seem cool and collected; even if her flushed face was failing her. Although, on the inside, Kagome was a flustered disaster. Inuyasha made her feel things she hadn’t felt for anyone since her ex, and it scared her. But she couldn’t keep denying it anymore, as much as she wished she could.
When he didn’t respond to her, she leaned on the wall beside him and continued. “I had no idea that was what you were worried about. I knew something was wrong but when you told me you were fine I didn’t want to pry. I know how it feels to be stuck in a corner where you’re scared to come out, and I didn’t want to force you to talk if you weren’t comfortable.”
“I don’t go out much. I work all the time, and I don’t know that many people who aren’t my coworkers. I was worried I wasn’t gonna be good enough for yer friends.” He hesitated. “Or you.”
Her cheeks couldn’t turn anymore red, and yet somehow they did. “Y-you don’t have to worry about that, Inuyasha. Miroku and Sango think you’re cool, and they want to include you in our group because they want to get to know you better.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, “And you don’t have to worry about me either.”
He turned to look at her with an intense gaze in his eyes. “And why is that?”
She hugged herself as she met his eyes, the deep look he was giving her only making her more rattled. “B-because I already think you’re enough. You don’t have to prove anything to me.”
He stared at her eyes before his gaze flickered to her lips and back up again. Kagome was so frazzled that she caught his stare and did the same thing in return.
Between them now there was a new feeling, not one of awkward tension or frustration but of a deep wanting and longing. Although they both wanted to set the fire ablaze and give in to this desire, they were still hesitant.
“Um!” Kagome breathed, “Let’s go check if Miroku and Sango are back?”
Inuyasha blinked at her, half wanting to just pull her in closer and continue talking to her while the other half wanted to run away from what just happened along with her.
“Alright.”
The pair of neighbors pushed off from their secluded booth and made their way back to the carousel. Once they arrived they found Sango rubbing Miroku’s back while he slowly drank a bottle of water.
“Feeling better?” Kagome chirped.
“Yeah. The nausea pill is kicking in. I’ll be back to it in a few minutes.” Miroku explained.
“I didn’t think yer motion sickness would be so bad.” Inuyasha spoke up.
“Yeah, me too.” Sango laughed. “Imagine how I felt when we went to the carnival together for the first time. Long story short, I have to throw out my jacket in the nearest trash can.”
Inuyasha held his head between his hands and laughed. “Oh, no, dude!”
Miroku chuckled along with him. “Hey, I wanted to impress her. I just ended up barfing on her instead.”
Kagome patted his shoulder. “And yet here you are, engaged and planning your wedding.”
Miroku shrugged before standing up and throwing his water bottle away. “Well now, if we’re done laughing at my expense, I say we play a game of giant beer pong. I’m definitely not drinking tonight after all of that, but go ahead and get what you guys want while I set up the giant cups.”
As Sango, Inuyasha and Kagome went to the bar to get their first drinks of the night, Miroku went ahead to set the giant red-painted cans together. The game was just like regular beer pong, but with trash can-sized cups and volleyballs as ping pong balls. The same rules applied to this game, except Miroku will be drinking shots of juice instead of alcohol.
The game went on for a few rounds before the group decided to play a different game. It turns out that Inuyasha is just as competitive as the rest of the group, which led to an intense round every single time. After a few rounds of table tennis, bean bag toss, giant connect 4 and bowling the group had tired themselves out. Besides Miroku, everyone else was buzzed thanks to the alcohol. Inuyasha wasn’t as bad as the girls were, since his tolerance for liquor is much higher since he’s a half-demon, he was still a bit tipsy and he was enjoying himself. The girls were giggling, happy messes that wouldn’t stop trying to one-up each other with every game they played.
Sango was getting hungry and she wouldn’t stop telling Miroku about it for the last 10 minutes. They had snacked on finger foods while they switched from game to game, but it wasn’t cutting it for her anymore.
“I’m gonna go buy her something to eat. You guys wanna come with?” Miroku asked.
Kagome shook her head and smiled. “Nope! Not hungry yet. I’ll go if Inuyasha goes.”
Inuyasha shook his head. “I’m good for now, too.”
“Alright, we’ll be at the main booth if you change your minds!”
They were left alone, this time in very different circumstances than earlier, both feeling giddy and warm from the amount of alcohol they had.
“Wanna come with me to the bar?” Kagome asked the half-demon. She felt fine and knew she could handle another drink.
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at her. “You sure you’re good?”
“Mhm!” She giggled. Feeling brave, she tugged him alongside her by the hand until they arrived at the bar. There were a bunch of people crowded around the area, but they managed to squeeze through and sit on two empty stools that two patrons had just gotten off from.
“Heya there, I’m Vick! What are you guys feeling tonight?” The bartender greeted them with an infectious grin and kind eyes.
“I want something fruity.” Kagome giggled. “What about you?” She poked Inuyasha’s arm playfully to get his attention.
Inuyasha cleared his throat to calm himself down. “I’ll have a beer.”
Their friendly bartender left them to prepare their drinks, and the bar only got busier and more crowded as the second passed. Inuyasha was a little overwhelmed by the number of people, so he kept most of his focus on the girl in front of him. They were sitting with their knees facing each other, one arm close to the bar while the other was left idle on the other side.
“Why beer?” She asked him. “Be more fun!”
Inuyasha laughed. “I’m not drinkin’ any of the fruity shit yer getting.”
Her lips pouted at him, and he couldn’t stop himself from staring at them. “Aw, why not!”
He shook his head. “There’s enough alcohol in there to kill me. Sure, my tolerance is high, but once it’s mixed up in all of that extra shit I’m gonna turn out like you.”
“What’s wrong with that?” She leaned into him.
“W-well, nothin’, actually. But someone’s gotta watch over ya when yer like this” His cheeks were flushed, and it wasn’t because of the beers he’s had in the last few hours they’ve been here.
Kagome pondered over what he said for a few seconds before she nodded in agreement. “You’re right! Usually, it’s Miroku who’s watching Sango and me, but they’re not here.”
She scooted a little closer to him, somehow without losing her balance, and laid her head on his shoulder. “It’s just you and me.”
He prayed to whatever god there was out there that she was too out of it to hear how fast his heart was beating against his chest. “Y-yeah. Just us. Alone.”
“With a bunch of strangers around us, but yeah.” She added.
“You’re still a smartass when yer drunk, huh.” He deadpanned.
“What can I say?” She lifted her head and their faces were closer than before. “You can take the smartass out of the girl, but you can’t take the girl out of the smartass.”
“I think… you said that wrong.” He replied.
Two glasses loudly clanking onto the wood grabbed their attention as their bartender Vick arrived with their drinks. “A malibu sunset for the lady, and a beer for the dude. Let me know when ya want anything else.”
Kagome took a sip of her drink and her eyes went wide. “Yash, come on! Try my drink!“
He swallowed some of his beer and shook his head. “Hell no.”
“Please.”
“No.”
“Pretty please?”
“Kagome-“
“Pretty please with a cherry on top?” She batted her eyes at him, full lashes and puppy dog eyes getting the better of him.
He groaned. “Fine, whatever. Stop doin’ that!”
She giggled happily and leaned into him to give him some of her drink, carefully holding the cup in one hand and the straw in the other. Inuyasha didn’t stop her as she slowly placed the thin straw into his mouth, and they didn’t break eye contact as he took a long sip of her beverage.
“Like it?” She whispered.
Inuyasha continued to stare at her. Her eyes, her hair, her little nose, the pink shade on her cheeks, and her lips. He looked at every part of her and wondered how someone as beautiful as Kagome could have stumbled into his life.
“Yeah. I like it a lot.” He simply replied cheeks tinged pink.
Kagome flashed him a smile before placing the straw into her mouth and biting it. “See, I told you.”
In comfortable silence they continued to drink their desired beverages, looking around at all of the people around them who were having a good time. Many of whom were absolute, beyond drunk. Kagome chose to watch this group of friends dance around in a little circle and cheer for each other whenever they made a new dance move, and every single time they did something funny she would giggle, and it was infectious.
“Up for more drinks?” Their bartender, Vick, abruptly asked.
“Yes!” Kagome squealed as she placed her empty cup back on the counter. “Another one of those, please.”
“I knew you’d like it, it’s a popular one.” Vick grinned at her, and then looked at Inuyasha. “Another beer for you?”
Inuyasha shook his head, lifting up his barely empty bottle of beer. “Not done yet.”
Playfully, Vick knocked on the wooden counter and smiled. “Gotta make sure you take advantage of that wristband!” She left them alone again to walk to the other side to prepare Kagome’s drink.
“Inuyashaaa, you have to chug that beer!”
The half-demon snorted, “What are we, at a frat? Why do ya want me to chug it so bad?”
“Because why not?” She retorted.
“A+ explanation, Kagome. But I need more convincing.”
“What if I challenged you to a chug off?” She challenged him, knowing well that it may be what gets the game started.
“A challenge huh? Fine, but what are we waging?” He smirked at her with an empty bottle of beer in his hand.
Hook, line, and sinker.
“Winner has to buy the other food from their favorite restaurant.”
He chuckled. “Wow, that’s pretty tame. You sure yer not hungry?”
“One hundred percent!” Kagome exclaimed as she threw up her arms in the air for added measure. “I didn’t wanna be too risky.”
“Ah, yeah?” He leaned closer to her, the scent of alcohol enveloping her frame. “What were ya thinkin’ about?”
“I- uh…” She took a quick glance at his lips and licked hers in reaction.
Inuyasha noticed her behavior and fought to turn away from her, thoroughly enjoying the way she looked so flustered and frazzled. “You uhhh…?” He teased.
“Nothing!” She puffed her cheeks in frustration. Kagome was currently feeling a lot of things right now, one of them being the strong urge to get incredibly close to her half-demon neighbor. The magnetic pull she had for him was very strong tonight, and she had to stop herself from holding his hand or wrapping herself around his arm. She wanted to do it so badly, but something inside of her knew she needed to stay in control.
But she really wanted to kiss him just now, and if it wasn’t for him being his usual, annoying self she would have done it before he could stop her.
And she really hoped that if she had kissed him that he wouldn’t stop her.
She had it bad for Inuyasha, and drunk Kagome could proudly admit it to herself. However, sober Kagome would be freaking out right now at the realization and acceptance.
She’ll deal with sober Kagome later.
“Why do you do thaaaaat.” She whined.
Inuyasha placed his empty bottle onto the wooden counter without taking his eyes off of her. “Do what?”
“That!” She lightly pushed his shoulder.
He smirked at her. “I like making ya mad. It’s fun.”
“You’re such a tease.” She crossed her arms across her chest and pouted at him.
Maybe it was the alcohol finally getting into his system, or it was the fact that she looked very cute while she pouted, but Inuyasha couldn’t stop himself from getting close to her face with a grin. “Do you wanna find out how big of a tease I can be, Ka-go-me?”
Her eyes went wide like saucers, the pout replaced by a pink flush while her arms went limp around her chest. “W-what?”
Inuyasha’s eyes matched hers in surprise at what he said and he immediately backed away from her to give them space. “I mean, you know, with the chug off!” He lied.
Kagome looked at him with a squint on her face and hummed in suspicion. He was acting weird enough that even she could see it while being under the influence of alcohol. She caught the way he looked at her lips after she had looked at his, and the way he got so close to her face made her skin tingle. “Alright Yash, let’s see it then.”
She banged the wooden table in her drunk attempt to call over their bartender and it didn’t work in her favor, because Vick was busy talking to people across the bar and laughing along with them.
Inuyasha raised his eyebrow and grinned at her as she pouted, and he decided to take matters into his own hands and wave at the bartender to get her attention. When Vick noticed him she strut right over with a huge smile on her face.
“Pick your poison guys, what can I get you?”
“Another beer for me and whatever the hell she’s been drinkin’ for her.” He answered.
“Perfect answers. Be right back!”
Kagome danced excitedly in her seat in anticipation of what was to come, because she really wanted another burger from her favorite diner, and beating Inuyasha was also another bonus. Vick returned with their drinks and was made aware of the random game they decided to play.
“On the count of three!” Vick yelled.
“Ready to lose?” Kagome bit her lip.
“You wish.” Inuyasha challenged.
The countdown was called, and the neighbors started strong on their drinks. Inuyasha had not come up for air at all, and Kagome was already beginning to falter because of the strong liquor in her cup. However, Kagome wasn’t a quitter, and she was going to make sure she could rub her win in his face. She threw her straw onto the counter and placed her lips around the rim of the cup and chugged, evening out the playing field while Inuyasha drank from his bottle.
In a blink, Kagome roughly slammed her cup down onto the counter a split second before Inuyasha did and cheered in victory.
“I would like a burger, fries, and milkshake from the diner down the street from our apartment.” She said triumphantly.
Inuyasha sighed. “Thank god, I thought you were going to make me buy ya a fuckin’ lobster or somethin’.”
She shrugged her shoulders and smiled at him. “Don’t make me change my mind, Inuyasha.”
“Damn!” Vick boosted as she grabbed the cup and beer bottle, “Your girlfriend can drink dude!”
The neighbors laughed in embarrassment, both too shy to tell her that they weren’t dating, and yet also thinking that the idea didn’t sound too bad. The thought of being something lingered in their heads as they stared at her each other in silence. It was clear that they couldn’t deny what they felt for one another, and these feelings that they couldn’t understand were suddenly crystal clear to them.
It was exciting and terrifying, and yet neither Inuyasha nor Kagome knew if these for each other were mutual.
Kagome laughed at their bartender's compliment “Thank you!”
Inuyasha playfully pushed her empty cup back to their bartender. “That’s enough drinks for her tonight.”
“Aw, no!”
“Kagome, you’re slurring your words.”
She pointed a wiggling finger at him, “Who woke up and made you the word police?”
The half-demon stood up from the barstool and laid out his hand for her to take. “The word king, now let’s go find Miroku and Sango.”
Kagome took his hand and jumped from her seat and the movement had her tripping over her feet from the dizziness she felt. She stumbled into his chest from the fall and immediately felt Inuyasha’s hands wrap around her arms to steady her.
“Holy shit, Kagome! Watch where yer goin’!” Inuyasha yelled in concern. His distress seemed to have gotten ignored as Kagome started laughing noisily, the sound of her joy being muffled from her face in his shirt.
“Inuyasha! You’re so muscley and hard!” She giggled some more, and she was too drunk to notice the red blush on his cheeks. “But, it’s also so soft. It doesn’t make any sense. How is your chest hard and soft at the same time?”
He ignored her questions as his face continued to turn redder. Carefully, he pushed her off of his chest and took her hand in his. “Yeah, you need to go to bed. Let’s get ya home.”
As they started to walk towards the main booth of the club where Miroku and Sango said they would be, Inuyasha could feel Kagome staggering as he dragged her along the way. He could hear her giggling as he lead the way over something that he couldn’t comprehend and continued to push forward. The quicker and safer they got to the rest of their group, the quicker they could take both girls home and get them to their beds.
“Inuyashaaa… can you carry me?” She quietly asked him from behind. Her voice sounded small and hushed, and if it hadn’t been for his enhanced hearing he would have missed it..
He stopped walking and sighed in defeat, knowing damn well he couldn't deny anything from her. “Alright, climb on my back.”
He bent down in front of her, low enough that would allow her to latch on to him easily in her state. Once he felt her legs slide around his side he eased her up the rest of the way and lifted her into a much more comfortable position on his back. His arms wrapped around the bottom of her thighs to support her as she rested on him. “Hold on tight.”
Kagome snuggled into the crook of Inuyasha’s neck and smiled. “Thank you, Inuyasha.”
The way she said it sent shivers down his spine, it was a light whisper, and the puff of air tickled his skin. As he continued to tread towards the main booth he could feel Kagome getting heavier on his back, and the arms around his neck were beginning to loosen. As soon as he found Miroku and Sango, she had fallen fast asleep while clung to him.
“Looks like you two had fun.” Miroku laughed once he spotted them.
Inuyasha looked at Sango, who was sitting at the table with her head hung in her hands. “Seems like you guys did too. Ready to take ‘em home?”
Miroku deadpanned. “Beyond ready.”
The two men were cautious and slow when they brought the girls to the car, both completely blacked out of their right minds, and they were glad the girls were deep in sleep enough that the bumpy walk from the club to the car didn’t wake them up. Once everyone was strapped in, with Sango in the passenger seat and Kagome in the back with Inuyasha, Miroku started the short drive back to Kagome and Inuyasha’s apartment.
Inuyasha kept an eye on the sleeping girl beside him who had fallen limp against her seatbelt. He couldn’t help but laugh at her still form as he unblocked his seatbelt and moved closer to try to fix her position.
“Mmm?” She stirred in her sleep.
Inuyasha froze. “Kagome? M’sorry, I was just-”
She snuggled into his chest and let out a big breath of air before falling back into her deep sleep. “Better.”
Inuyasha's face was red, and he couldn’t stop himself from stuttering as quietly as possible at the sleeping girl. Although, as flustered and confused as he was that she chose to cuddle up next to him; he also felt closer to her in this position, as if he could still protect her even though they were in the safety of Miroku’s car.
He wrapped his arm around her middle to keep her from moving around too much as they continued the quiet drive back to their homes, and Inuyasha selfishly indulged in the feeling of being Kagome’s chosen pillow for the ride.