Part II

Twisting underneath the covers, the raven haired young woman released a faint, aching moan into the silence of her room. Her eyes darted back and forth beneath her fluttering lashes, as her thighs shuddered and tilted off the bed into a pretty arch. Feet caught in the pink comforter, it slid further down across the expanse of skin where her shirt had ridden up as a result of her nightly routine. The movement caused goosebumps to appear in its wake, and forced an audible gasp from her throat at the added stimulation. Sweat gathering on her brow, one hand clutching desperately at the pillow that had been pushed high up on her headboard, the quiet sound of her voice finally drifted forth in a broken syllable.

"K'oya…!"

Tangled locks trapped beneath her and pulling her head back, her entire body seemed to give, as she finally sank back into the comfort of her bed with a quiet, pleased sigh. The euphoria etched itself across her relaxed features, before she bit her lip and twisted herself up as if prompted by an unseen force. Caught in the blanket wrapped around her legs and her knee meeting the edge of the bed, the young woman released a yelp when she was unexpectedly sent tumbling out of her dream when she met the cold floor below.

"Ow…" the Higurashi girl whimpered. Allowing herself to lay there for a moment or two in her embarrassment as she fully awoke, she felt her face flush when the faint, phantom feel of fingers gripped insistently along the back of her thighs. Reaching blindly for the blanket that had helped in her untimely fall, she pulled it up and over her head with a strangled attempt to hide the scream of frustration that desperately wanted to spill forth. The sound caught in her throat as a half-choked whine, muffled slightly by the thick material covering her face, as she squeezed her eyes shut as tight as possible.

Shuddering only somewhat from the cold, Kagome quickly pulled the thick comforter between her teeth when her attempt to block out the feel of Kyoya's insistence only brought forth the memory of his molten gaze watching her like a hawk. Her thighs began to rub together instinctively, despite her efforts, as she felt the faint, whispering caress of his fingers in a place she desperately wanted… needed…

No!

A soft glow pierced through the blanket surrounding her, casting shadows about her room, as she panted heavily through the fabric she had stuffed in her mouth. The barrier only dampened the sensation, however, and she found herself releasing a low, wanton sound of longing when those insistent, greedy fingers were quickly replaced by a deeper, penetrating caress that had her seeing stars. Her barrier wavering slightly, she released a gasp when her traitorous brain brought forth an image of Kyoya beneath her, watching her as she… and then it shattered like glass around her.

Immediately clamping a hand over her mouth when the first needy moan spilled from her lips, she could only hope that she had not woken her mother in the room over with the sound. Already embarrassed beyond belief, the last thing she wanted was for her mother to find her thrusting out her chest like an offering at the mental image of her mounds quickly finding themselves at home in Kyoya's… "Nnnghh!" Fisting her other hand in her pajama bottoms to stop herself from following the burning path Kyoya's ghostly caress paved across her flesh, Kagome could only whine softly at the desperate need to bury those fingers into his dark hair that followed.

Caught between reality and the dream Kyoya was obviously still having, the modern day priestess could do little more than rock her hips when the sensation started to become too much. Tears of frustration started to gather on her lashes, because all she wanted… all she needed was for him to… she just…

"Pl'se," she whispered into her hand, the sound muffled. "...K'oya."

Her eyes rolling back, one glistening tear rushing down her cheek with her fluttering lashes, she felt her entire body jerk when he seemed to sense her desperation to finally just be able to touch him. She did not even know him, but… he was real. She had known he was real, and she could see him there, offering her his hand, flirting, teasing, as those molten silver eyes stared up at her from beneath hooded, pleasure filled lashes and his hands settled roughly around her hips to help guide her find the...

Oh god!

The overlap morphed into that smug little smirk of his, and she barely contained the noise that the expression drug from the back of her throat. He was so, so…! Just the desire to wipe that satisfied look from his face sent her spiraling back into the dream he was having, as she felt the rough caress of his mouth locked tight against her own. Her tongue heavy with the sensation of his wrapping around it in an ancient, saliva filled dance, she bit into the flesh of her palm when she opened her mouth and felt the urge to replicate the motion.

Kagome shuddered, the pain throwing her off the edge unexpectedly, and she could feel Kyoya's satisfaction when he joined her with a muffled, distant cry of her name in the back of her mind. His phantom fingers clutched her close, the sensation sending a few more glistening tears cascading down her face, because she…

Then it vanished. The sensation gone in an instant, she felt her entire body sag in relief. Knowing that the after effect must have woken him at last, Kagome almost laughed at the bitter smile that stretched across her lips with the lingering thought that he was somewhere else again. That despite the nightly, phantom visits within her room, he might never come back. That it would be all her fault, too, because she had stupidly ran away from him, even though she… she…

"Kyoya… I..." she whispered into the dark.

BEEP BEEP BEEEEPP BEEEPPPP

Jolting up from where she had fallen asleep on the floor, Kagome frantically smacked her alarm clock until the dreaded sound finally silenced itself. She released a quiet, aching sigh afterward, rubbing at the crick that had developed in her neck over the last few hours. Pouting slightly as she got to her feet, the Higurashi girl stretched leisurely for a moment, before kicking her fallen comforter out of the way and halfway under the bed so she would not trip over it like she had the week prior.

"Kagome dear, breakfast is ready!"

Having showered the night before, she grabbed the fresh uniform draped across the back of her computer chair with a hollered, "Okay, mama!" and set about getting ready for school. The routine habitually ingrained over the years, it was not long before she was buttoning up her navy blue blazer and patting down her pleated, checker patterned skirt to make sure everything was in place properly. Satisfied after a tiny adjustment to the bow tied around her neck, she nodded at her reflection in her vanity mirror, knowing that every second counted against her rushing for the bus if she took too long.

Stepping back to grab for her backpack, Kagome yelped when she stumbled over the edge of the blanket still sticking out from underneath her bed. She caught herself before she hit her head, and quickly whipped her gaze down to glare heatedly at the object with an aggravated huff. "Stupid," she muttered, blaming the silver eyed devil that haunted her dreams for the near mishap.

It really was just all his fault.

The brief thought opened up a floodgate within her mind, and she bit her lip rather harshly when she remembered how warm and solid Kyoya had been when he tugged her into his chest during their annual Obon festival. How utterly weak in the knees she had become with just the feel of his breath across her ear, and how his rich, mellow voice had made her make an absolute fool of herself. Touching her cheek lightly when her face began to flush, she tried to shake away the memory of his liquid silver eyes before it shifted and dove straight into the gutter she knew was waiting just along the edge.

Now was so not the time, especially when she was about to go down and have breakfast with her family.

Allowing her eyes to linger on the pink fabric innocently laying on her floor for a moment, Kagome steadied herself and shouldered her backpack with a visible shake of her head. Get it together, girl, she told herself, as she finally opened her bedroom door and stepped into the hallway to make the journey downstairs.

Bouncing down the steps two at a time, the young Higurashi girl paused in the doorway when she noticed an odd splash of color added to the kitchen table.

"There you are," her mother smiled, setting a full plate on the table for her. "I was starting to wonder what was taking you so long. You're usually in such a rush."

Blinking at the beautiful, decorative display of purple roses rather owlishly, Kagome wondered if maybe her mother had gotten a new suitor and not bothered to tell anyone. They had definitely not been there the night before, and she was fairly positive that there was no way she could have gone to the florist shop and back this early in the morning.

"Souta already left for school," her mother continued, seemingly ignoring the added addition to the table, "so go ahead and eat up, dear. I know you don't want to miss your bus."

Dropping her backpack by the chair, Kagome said, "Uh… mama?"

"Mm?"

"What is this?" Kagome asked, watching as her mother followed her gaze toward the flowers.

Clapping her hands, her mother brightened. "Oh, Kagome, I completely forgot, these came for you this morning! Aren't they just lovely?" Watching the way Kagome's mouth dropped at the declaration, she chuckled humorously at the oblivious, flabbergasted look that crossed her face. Pulling a decorative card from the pocket of her apron, she waved it through the air with a beaming smile. "I'd thought maybe that young Hojo boy had sent them. He's always had an eye for you, dear, and he was always bringing those medicinal items over when he thought you were sick."

Frozen beneath her mother's immediate gushing, Kagome felt like a fish with how her mouth opened and closed time and again. They're for… "...me?" she squeaked, unable to look away from the enticing display of color the vibrant roses created against the tabletops dark backdrop.

Using the card to hide her mirth, she only nodded at her daughter with twinkling eyes.

"B-but… who?"

"I was hoping you could tell me that, Kagome dear!" her mother said. Holding out the card, she giggled at the way her daughter robotically took the little decorative square with both hands. "I don't remember you having mentioned a young man in your life since, well…"

Inuyasha.

The unmentioned name seemed to snap her out of her stupor, as Kagome brought the card close to her chest. She glanced away from the little tilt to her mother's lip, knowing that she had had high hopes about someday having grandchildren with tiny puppy ears to tweak at every given opportunity. Some things were just not meant to be, though, and her time stuck in the Meidou, fighting a malevolent spider attempting to suck her inside a jewel along with it, had drastically changed whatever might have been.

In the end, she was honestly happy just knowing he was still her best friend. Even if they were separated by five hundred years and a magic well that no longer worked, she knew that Inuyasha would have happily been there to tease her wholeheartedly over a silly flower pot.

Not to mention the, well… she probably would not have ever told him that.

Or anybody, for that matter.

Her mother waved away the awkward silence with a smile, saying, "I'm just delighted to know that you have such a thoughtful suitor, dear. You'll have to tell me about him sometime." Putting a hand to her face, she sighed blissfully at a happy memory of her late husband that came to mind. "Maybe you'll even bring him home someday to me and your grandfather!"

"M-mom!" Kagome groaned, feeling her face darken.

"Though, I am curious, Kagome dear—"

Finally glancing down at the card she still had a death grip on, Kagome sputtered at the words, unable to quite register what her mother was saying.

Kagome,

I hope you find these as enchanting as I find you.

It was the name underneath that stilled her heart and abruptly made it beat again, though.

"—where did you meet him?" her mother paused. "Does he go to your school?"

Snapping her attention back to the beautiful arrangement set on the table, the young Higurashi girl felt her mouth open in absolute wonder. Flushing completely beneath her mother's scrutiny, she felt like her heart had leapt straight into her throat as she found herself unable to keep the bittersweet love song she often sung in her dreams from forming on her lips over and over again.

Kyoya.

Kyoya..

Kyoya…

Her fingers threaded into the locks along the nape of his neck, as her mouth slanted across his. Holding his jaw tenderly with her other hand, she released a breathless sound the moment he began to prod insistently for a taste of her. Her lips parted without hesitation, happy to let him devour every inch, as she knocked her tongue against his between them. The sound that resonated from deep within his throat and into her open mouth made her shudder, but it was the first brush of his fingers that caused her to release him with a desperate moan.

Burying her face against his throat, she gasped, "Please…!"

He only chuckled at her, those greedy fingers of his parting her dripping, wet center from behind, as he used his other hand to pull her against the proof of his need for her. He teased her then, running his fingers lightly across her burning core, and held her tight the moment she began to squirm within his hold.

So enticingly close to what she knew would fulfill her ache, she nipped at his neck. The unexpected pain made him jerk, but she quickly found the wind knocked from her lungs when he trapped her against the floor beneath them. Panting heavily, caged as she was, she looked up at him from beneath sooty lashes. Begging him, pleading with the look alone, and hoping that he would take the plunge to satisfy them both.

He was never one to give in so easily, so soon, though, and it frustrated her to no end.

Feeling him return to teasing her, his fingers a whisper against her flesh and his liquid silver eyes watching her, she—

"...ome-chan!"

Groggily batting at the object digging into the side of her face, the Higurashi girl mumbled, "'ot no', K'oya… just..."

The poking intensified, as another feminine voice hissed, "Kagome-chan!"

Attempting to rub the sleep out of her eyes, Kagome lifted her head and blinked at the sight of Eri's horrified face against the harsh classroom lighting. The silence of the room caused her back to stiffen abruptly, suddenly realizing that every gaze was settled on her in equal amounts of mock horror and amusement. Turning her head slowly, she released a low, quiet whine when she found herself face to face with the narrowed, displeased eyes of her math teacher.

"Welcome back to the realm of the living, Higurashi-san."

Silently she prayed, knowing there was no use.

"Since you seem to think my class is so easy that you can sleep through it," the teacher snipped, "you won't mind answering the equation on the board."

Her brain only firing at half capacity, she stupidly said, "Uh…!" as the numbers staring back at her from the white board quickly became a jumbled, chaotic mess that she would not have been able to decipher even on a good day.

"Now, Higurashi-san. We're all waiting."

"Ah…?" Oh god, she hated math.

The teacher's lip became a very thin line, as he said, "Kindly wait in the hallway, won't you, Higurashi-san. I'd like to have a discussion with you after class."

The humiliation afterward was almost more than she could handle, as she apologized over and over again about the disturbance. Beyond embarrassed as the teacher went over the necessity for a proper night's sleep, she felt her face become a flaming mess as she tried and failed not to think about what a proper night's sleep was quickly becoming for her lately. Thoroughly chided, she only nodded in agreement until she was finally released from the clutches of her math class and allowed to return to her desk.

The look on Eri's face immediately made her wary, and she just knew that somehow Kyoya was going to make her day worse. It was bad enough that he was already making her mother fall all over herself with each new purple rose he had sent to the shrine over the last week and a half. The woman was practically beside herself with how sweet and thoughtful he was, so she certainly did not need her high school friends to become aware of her handsome nightly visitor.

She was not sure if she could take it if they did.

"I can't believe you fell asleep in class like that, Kagome-chan," Eri giggled, trying to hide her amusement behind her hand.

"Don't remind me," Kagome said, releasing a long, drawn out sigh.

Eri's face turned mischievous, her eyes slanting, as she asked, "Well, are you going to tell me about it?"

"Uh, tell you about what?" She regretted falling for the bait instantly.

Eri lifted her textbook to hide her face, as she allowed it to twist into a near orgasmic expression. Batting her eyelashes up at Kagome from an angle, she almost choked on her own laughter when she breathed, "K'oya!"

The universe hated her, she decided.

"You were drooling all over your desk!" The other girl did not even give the Higurashi girl the chance to redden completely before she barrelled into the next set of questions she already had lined up. "Who is he? Do I know him? Does he go to school here? He must be someone you know really well for him to make you dream about him like that, Kagome-chan!"

Absolutely, positively, one hundred percent hated her.

Eri gasped then, whispering harshly, "Oh my god, you remembered to use protection, right?"

Sputtering like mad, Kagome hissed, "Eri!"

"What? I'm just making sure!" Eri shook her short, shoulder length hair with a disappointed, pursed look crossing her features. Ignoring the way Kagome immediately started to deny any kind of activity of that nature, she waved her hand. "It's okay to be curious, Kagome-chan. I'm pretty sure everyone is at our age."

The textbook thankfully still hiding the conversation somewhat, Kagome released a tortured groan. Don't think about it. Don't think about it, she chanted to herself, trying to push away the dark, silver eyed image that crossed her mind with the mention. "Eri, it… it isn't… we haven't..." She choked in embarrassment, whispering, "Why would you think that?"

"It's not my fault it sounded like it was good," Eri huffed. A pout formed on her lips, as she pushed forward without another thought. "Aren't you going to tell me anything about him? What does he look like? Is he cute? Rough around the edges? You like that, right?"

Burying her face into her hands, the Higurashi girl decided her only consolation prize was that Kyoya had not been having the dream himself. Lord only knew how exactly she would explain that to anyone, let alone her teacher that had kicked her out of class for falling asleep during the lesson.

Watching as Kagome put her cupped face down on her desk, Eri gasped, "Don't tell me he's another delinquent, Kagome-chan!" Raven locks only shook in response to the question, but the action did little to satisfy her knowing that her friend was slowly dying of discomfort. "We all thought for sure that you'd try to give Hojo-kun a chance after you gave up on the last one!"

"Ughhh!" Kagome's head shot up, as she moaned, "I keep telling you guys that I have zero interest in Hojo-kun." She really did not want to have this conversation, and she was almost willing to say anything to make sure she would not have it again in the future. "Please don't accept any more requests for me to go to the movies with him, Eri-chan. I promise that he isn't a delinquent. Inuyasha was just… just… he wasn't really anything anyway, okay?"

"Well, how am I supposed to know when you won't tell me anything about him," she tutted. Pinning her with a knowing, sideways glance, she added, "And we both know that you were head over heels for Inuyasha until you two finally decided to break up."

Once upon a time, maybe. She really hoped her friends would forget all about that.

"Come on, girl, just tell me something," Eri begged. "Like, um, where did you two meet?"

"I don't know where he goes to school." She released an exasperated sigh with the sentence, deciding to finally give a little if only to get the other girl off her back. A little white lie never really hurt now and then, anyway. "We met at the Obon festival hosted at the shrine, and I haven't seen him since. For all I know he could be some university student."

Eri squeaked rather loudly at the information, whispering, "Obon wasn't that long ago, and you… you're…!"

She knew immediately from the look that Eri cast at her that there was more. There was always more.

"You must have it really bad, Kagome-chan." Eri's eyes twinkled humorously, as she lowered the textbook between them with the signal of the bell for class. Giggling over the sound of their history teacher starting the new lesson, she whispered, "I bet he's a real looker."

Oh god, he was, and she was pretty sure he knew it, too.

Her traitorous mind bringing forth that dark, silver eyed image she had shoved away beforehand, Kagome quickly found herself spiraling at the memory of him looking down at her while they were standing close together.

Eri only giggled louder at the way her ears reddened.

The Higurashi girl released a quiet, grateful sigh when she was finally able to toe off her shoes by the front door upon arriving home. Having been thoroughly grilled by her three friends during the entire bus ride about her Obon hottie, as they so tastefully decided to dub him, she knew that she had let entirely too much slip without needing to check her rapidly vibrating phone. She had tried to stay firm, really, she had, but those girls were absolutely ravenous. Just the thought of a boy capable of leaving her aching for him after only one festival meeting a few weeks ago was enough to send them into a tizzy.

If only they knew.

Already trying to forget the whole experience and knowing that that would be next to impossible the next few weeks, Kagome patted quietly toward the kitchen. Her high school friends would not be satisfied, ever, until they managed to catch a glimpse of her mysterious Obon hottie, and she could only hope she had deterred them enough that they would not come prowling the shrine looking for him. The last thing her mother needed was three horny teenage girls trying to uncover some secret boy they thought she was hiding in her closet, after all, and it was not like they would find him there anyway.

Pushing the thought away when she poked her head around the corner, Kagome called, "I'm home!"

Only the vibrant splash of purple colored roses answered her.

Humming a little at the sight of the empty kitchen, she shrugged after a moment and moved to make sure the beautiful flowers still had enough water to satisfy them. Plucking lightly at the petals with a fond smile, her elbows leaned onto the kitchen table, she wondered if her mother had left to pick up Souta or to get something from the grocery. A quick assessment of the room allowed her to spy the little note attached to the fridge, and she returned to maintaining the roses after she discovered it was the latter.

The poor decorative vase was steadily overflowing with each new blossom sent every morning, but Kagome found herself almost reluctant to part with even a single one as she slowly infused them with a bit more of her holy energy. The blossoms happily soaked up the attention, visibly perking up where a few had wilted along the edges, and she found herself slowly kicking up one leg as she considered them. They were beautiful, full and vibrantly colored, and she could not stop the little giggle that escaped when she wondered if Kyoya had personally handpicked each one to send only the best with what they meant.

He knew, after all, she was certain, considering the little note that had come attached.

Enchantment; love at first sight.

It was all stupidly romantic, and once again Kagome had to mentally smack herself with the reminder that she knew next to nothing about the boy other than his name and how much he liked to—

No.

No.

No.

Her mind dipping into the dark place she tried so hard not to think about all day, she dropped her face onto the table with a strangled sound of frustration. Allowing herself the chance to slowly bang her forehead against the wooden surface, she silently cursed the silver eyed devil that refused to stop haunting her every step.

"Uhhh, what are you doing?"

Stiffening, Kagome whipped her head up to watch as her little brother dropped his backpack by the kitchen door. Her face quickly became a flaming mess underneath his assessment, and she pouted with a growled, "Nothing, go away."

Souta only shrugged, saying, "You have that look on your face again."

Her eyebrow twitching, Kagome hissed, "I'll kill you, twerp."

Her little brother was not deterred, though, as his entire face twisted up in amusement. He tucked both of his hands underneath his chin, leaning forward dramatically, and gifted her with his dreamiest, most heartstruck expression. "Oh, Kyooooyyyyyaaa!"

Releasing a war cry, Kagome launched herself at him with a vengeance.

Managing to slip just out of her reach, Souta snorted when she slid straight into the opposite wall. "Oh god, you look… you look…!" He pointed at her, unable to stop the bubbling laughter, but it was the way her dark cerulean colored orbs narrowed menacingly that made the sound quickly die in his throat. He made a tactical retreat with the look, quickly scurrying up the stairs to the second floor before she had the chance to pounce on him again.

"Get back here!" Kagome shouted, growling at the kissy faces he started making from the second landing.

"Nghh!" Souta mocked, sticking his tongue out and rushing for his room.

Ready to take the fight upstairs, the Higurashi girl hit the first stair when the sound of the front door made her pause. Clutching the banister, she felt her heart pick up unexpectedly at the shiver that rushed up her spine. Her features slowly melting into confusion, she raised her other hand to steady the rapidly beating muscle, and could have sworn it stopped beating altogether when her mother called for her.

"Ah, Kagome—"

Greedy, insistent fingers danced across her flesh suddenly, making her breath hitch.

"—you have a visitor!"

Her raven colored locks becoming a cloud with how quickly she turned her head toward the door, Kagome felt her mouth run dry at the sight of the boy adjusting his glasses and holding several of her mother's grocery bags in the hallway. Appearing immensely satisfied with himself, he returned her mother's friendly, pleased smile with an enchanting one of his own that slowly slipped into a smirk when it turned in her direction. He caught her eye then, from over the top of his rimless glasses, and she fisted her hand in the front of her blazer as she felt her heart kick start itself back to life. Kagome gasped, unable to look away from the bottomless molten silver pit that beckoned her from across the distance.

Her mother's smile flickered between them, as she said, "I'll take those now, dear."

"Uh… you…" Oh god, why could she not speak?

Kyoya only waved away the suggestion, causing his white, long sleeved shirt to crease slightly at the edges, as he returned his attention to her mother. "I'd be happy to set them wherever you'd like, Higurashi-san," he said, returning to the award winning smile from before. "It's really no problem."

"Ah!"

Oh no, Kagome internally screamed, look at mama's face!

There was little doubt that the older woman was already envisioning little silver eyed grandchildren running merrily around her feet, and the thought alone was almost enough to send Kagome scampering up the stairs after her brother in tactical retreat.

"That's so sweet of you, Kyoya dear!" Her mother perked up, her eyes twinkling. "You've been so helpful already, I'd love it if you were able to stay for dinner."

Kyoya preened, saying, "That would be delightful, Higurashi-san. I'd love to stay."

Oh no. Oh noooo. Oh no Oh no OhnoOhnoOhnoOhno.

The Higurashi girl squeaked, feeling her face start to flush with the embarrassing situation. Immediately she blamed him, that stupidly satisfied, smirking devil that was easily sweeping her poor, innocent, unaware mother off her feet. The urge to run rooted itself deep within her bones when another sweep of phantom fingers brushed along her inner thigh, and she noticed that that leering devil had turned his attention back on her the minute her mother moved to usher him into the kitchen behind her. Tugging on the edge of her skirt, her mouth fell open with the realization that he was staring at the expanse of skin where that lingering, insistent phantom touch had settled.

Oh god!

"I… Igottachangebye!" she shouted in a rush, before darting up the stairs.

Her mother's giddy laughter followed, and she heard her say, "Don't worry about her, dear, she's just a little shy."

It was Kyoya's deep, mellow chuckle that had her slamming her door against the wall, though, as she threw herself into the safety of her room and separated them with the wooden barrier. Almost tripping over the chair she had left in the middle of the room, she quickly threw herself into the soft, sweet sanctuary of her bed with a muffled scream, "OH MY GOOOOOD!"

Could this day get any worse!?

Knowing that her mother would be disappointed in her if she did not freshen up for the embarrassing dinner she knew was about to occur, Kagome had almost reluctantly set to the task. It was only after she managed to blow dry out her hair completely, fluffing it up in the mirror and nodding in satisfaction, that she realized her first mistake upon reentering her bedroom to change.

The tiny, opened black box in Kyoya's hand held her attention, as she slid up behind him where he had seated himself at her desk. Narrowing her eyes at the dull, lifeless jewel that had followed her across time itself after her final wish, she pursed her lips and held fast against the dark, endless void of the Meidou that seemed to stare back at her. Only the span of a breath passed, her slivered gaze half expecting some form of life to reignite in the useless bauble, before she reached out to snatch it from his grasp. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't go through my things, Kyoya-san."

"I apologize, I was actually more interested in…"

Tossing the blasted box back into the far corner of her desk where it belonged, the Higurashi girl allowed her attention to flick down toward the test paper he settled his hand on. Hearing his voice trail away, however, she lifted her eyes to find his gray eyes melting into molten silver and realized her second mistake. "Ah!"

The glare of his glasses suddenly hiding his eyes, Kyoya pulled himself from the desk and stalked her as she backpedaled. The upward turn of his lip reminded her of an overly satisfied feline, and she clutched the edge of her large, fluffy bath towel. Her eyes widening when she bumped into the bookcase behind her, her breath caught in her throat when she felt that faint, greedy touch begin to pave its way across the expanse of skin her blush was quickly covering. Feeling like her heart was going a mile a minute all of a sudden, she sputtered, "I… you…!"

He chuckled, settling one hand on the wall near her head.

"K-Kyo… ya…?" She turned her head when he leaned into her, reaching out to push on his shoulder in the hopes of keeping some kind of distance between them.

"You're so shy," he said, blowing on her ear.

Shuddering, Kagome bit her lip to stop the noise that attempted to slip through when she felt his knuckles brush gently across her cheek. He tipped her head back in his direction, and she snapped her eyes open to find him watching her with a half tilted smile across his face.

"I feel it, too, Kagome," he admitted softly, allowing his fingers to thread into the few loose strands of hair that had fallen over her shoulder. His forehead settled onto hers, and he took a moment to just breathe her in as his eyes slid shut. "You're so much more beautiful in person."

The familiar way he said her name made her grab onto the shelf behind her, hoping that the added support would keep her from falling off her feet. Still refusing to let go of the death grip she had on her towel, however, she was glad for the slight reprieve when he hid those devilishly wicked orbs behind his lids. "I-I don't know why… I'm sorry, Kyoya-san," she said, immediately hating herself for the little lie.

Because she did.

She knew why, and it was all that useless jewel's fault that he was stuck with her.

"Sorry?" he blinked, refocusing on her.

"You don't have to…" an old wound opened, "I'm not…"

Kyoya huffed, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be."

Sucking in a gasp, she reached up to touch the spot as he leaned away from her. Watching as he straightened the collar of his shirt and patted the pristine material back into proper order, she felt her mouth open in wonder at the smile he gave her when he walked away. "Wh-what? Where are you…?"

"Your mother sent me to get you." Kyoya paused at the door, before turning his amused smirk back in her direction. "I highly doubt it'd be considered proper if I stayed while you dressed, Kagome." His gaze heated across the expanse of exposed skin she presented, and he chuckled at the way she squeaked with the look, adding softly, "As much as I'm sure I'd enjoy it."

Listening to the door click softly into place as he left, the Higurashi girl slid slowly to the floor. Pulling the fluffy towel up to her face, she released a sound caught somewhere between excitement and frustration, and wondered what the heck just happened. She felt herself slip a little, knowing that he was always so demanding, that he knew what he wanted and he took it no matter how much it frustrated her, and yet he had just walked away when given a shining opportunity to do just that.

Not that she had exactly been…

Was that why?

She felt her face darken, as one handwritten sentence flooded across her mind.

I hope you find these as enchanting as I find you.

Another strangled sound escaped her then, because she was almost absolutely positive that it sounded like… like he… like… and her heart skipped a beat thinking about those pretty purple roses waiting for her downstairs.

When she wondered if the day could get any worse, she had obviously forgotten that dinner was still in the cards after her mother had invited Kyoya to stay for the meal. Between her grandfather's eccentric mannerism, her mother's heart filled eyes and her brother's not-so-subtle kissy faces, she quickly found herself flabbergasted as she watched Kyoya completely and utterly charm the pants off her family. She was not entirely sure how he was doing it, either, but it was a marvelous and disconcerting performance that made her fairly certain he could have easily charmed the pants off her, too, sacred jewel or no.

Just where in the world had he learned that kind of skill?

The last person she had seen with that level of charisma was a perverted, carefree monk that she was pretty damn sure she left five hundred years in the past.

His reincarnation, perhaps? She quickly waved that thought away, knowing that it did not make sense considering the nature of the connection tying them together. Maybe a descendant? That one might prove fruitful, even if she did not see any hint of a resemblance to Sango or Miroku that she could immediately identify.

For the first time in months, she found herself wondering just who Kyoya was. Hojo had said he was quite the catch, but for the life of her she could not remember what exactly he had called him several weeks ago. His surname, no doubt. She had not felt the urgency to ask for it after the boy had looked so completely heartbroken after she had declined his invitation during Obon, and it honestly felt rude to ask if Kyoya was happy just to be called by his first name and not offering it up himself.

Sighing quietly, the Higurashi girl returned to listening as her grandfather dictated the conversation. Something about fiances…? and other general shrine related concerns that she quickly tuned out again. Trying to ignore the faint, lingering touch Kyoya's gaze created from across the table, she returned to picking at her food with the hopes that this night would end before she turned into a flaming tomato beneath his stare.

"...in math, dear."

Her mother's voice drew her back into the conversation, something about the way she settled her heart filled eyes on her making Kagome straighten immediately. Flickering her attention to the smirk across Kyoya's face, she wondered what exactly she had missed during her internal musing.

"I'm actually at the top of my class, Higurashi-san. I enjoy this sort of thing, honestly," Kyoya nodded. "And since I'm fairly certain there's just a miscalculation somewhere from what I've been told, finding it shouldn't be too terribly difficult." The smile he gave her mother was downright dazzlingly. "It'd be my pleasure after such a lovely meal."

Souta's own smirk developed, as he snickered, "I'm glad somebody's good at math. Sis sucks at it."

"Twerp," she growled under her breath.

"Ah," Kyoya pushed up his glasses. "I had noticed that Kagome's score was perhaps a bit below average on her previous test. I hope I wasn't being too presumptuous by looking at them while I was waiting for her to get ready."

"Of course not, Kyoya dear," her enchanted, completely unaware mother smiled. "Kagome's just… had a bit of trouble catching back up, is all, but she does try her hardest. That's all I can really ask for."

Her grandfather nodded in agreement.

"I'd be more than happy to offer my assistance if she'd be willing."

Bulls eye.

Kagome felt her jaw drop, as once again he had her mother and grandfather inviting him back to the shrine effortlessly. Floundering, unsure, she did not seem to realize that her voice had heightened when she said, "I-I really don't need…!"

"There's no reason to shout, Kagome," her mother tutted in disappointment. The look she gave her told her that there would be absolutely no funny business, since she had already decided on the matter. "Kyoya is such a smart boy, you should be grateful that he's willing to tutor you in a subject you're obviously struggling at."

Oh no. Oh noooo. Oh no Oh no OhnoOhnoOhnoOhno!

"B-but, I…!"

"It really wouldn't be a bother, Kagome." Kyoya's glasses created a glare beneath the kitchen lighting, hiding that devilish gaze that had been setting her skin on fire the entire night. "I'm certain I can help you with whatever you may need."

"Such a sweet boy," her mother sighed dreamily.

Oh god, if only she knew.

Flushing at the familiar sentence, Kagome gaped. "I-I…" Trapped between the absolute need she felt rush through her and the embarrassment that that feeling caused, Kagome rocked herself out of her chair before anyone had the chance to correct her terrible behavior. Watching the way Kyoya's lip tilted into a tiny, amused smirk, she started running the moment her mother realized she was out of her seat.

"Kagome!"

"I need to go to the bathroom!"

Her grandfather's voice followed her, saying, "That girl."

Note: Guys, I'm pretty sure there's going to be four parts now. It just wouldn't stop.

I dedicate this chapter to I-am-Anonymous-Trash, who's been such a sweetheart and absolutely thrilled by the prospect of me extending this further.

Also, I hope that all of you are doing well during these uncertain times! Stay at home, if you can, and to all of you who maybe cannot, I thank you for your service!

Please review.