Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha! Capisce?!
Bubble-Wrap
The merry rays of light that trickled onto the floor were currently being stomped over by a girl who was very busy trying to fit an entire room of stuff into her bag and the boy watching her.
From among the many unsual things of her time one peeked out, rousing his curiosity.
"Oi, Kagome, what's that?" Inuyasha poked at the weird material.
"Oh, that's bubble-wrap-it's used to protect fragile or precious things from getting damage. "
"Bubble-wrap...?" he repeated with a serious look on his face.
2 months later
"Inuyasha, how lovely to see you." Mrs Higurashi's voice rang out. "Kagome's at school. She might be a little late since today is Valentine's Day...she'll be busy giving out chocolates to her classmates." Upon seeing Inuyasha's cringe she quickly added: "It's a tradition dear; a duty if you will."
He looked at her shyly, from behind his bangs.
"I need some bubble-wrap!" he blurted out turning red. Mrs Higurashi nodded.
"Just a minute."
There! It was all done! Would she like it? What if it was horrible?What if she hated it?
He looked at the package-bits of coloured paper stuck up every which way and a lop-sided bright green ribbon took up the role of pièce-de-résistance.
Perhaps too much colour? Would he have time to change it?
Footsteps on the stairs told him he wouldn't so he tucked it safely in of his sleeves and hid his hands behind his back.
"Hi Inuyasha!" Kagome burst into the room. "I'll be ready in a few minutes...unless...could we stay for dinner? Please?" She looked at him imploringly; he just nodded.
She squealed her thanks and began moving quickly around the room packing up bits and pieces and storing them in her bag while he watched on, unmoving.
She stopped abruptly and peered at him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing" A slight blush picked this moment to stick to his cheeks.
"You're letting me stay longer and you're not complaining...you're up to something. What did you do?" she leaned in closer, keeping his gaze.
"Oi! Wench! Why you gotta think the worst of me?!" There was a hidden connotation to that statement that made Kagome feel as though she had been slapped. "Maybe I just felt like givin' ya a break. Thought of that?!"
She stepped back.
"I'm sorry. You were being nice and I was...ungrateful."
"Keh!"
"Thank you!" she smiled sweetly and gave him a brief hug.
"Er...I...I" his blush darkened. "Here!" Kagome felt something being pushed into her hands.
"For me?" She looked down at the misshapen package with its bright green bow and couldn't smother another smile.
"Can I open it?"
"Do what you like!" He looked away adding another 'Keh' for good measure.
Gingerly she peeled the ribbon and the garish paper. Inside it was bubble-wrap...a lot of bubble-wrap, and within the many layers of plastic lay nestled a small bouquet of snow-drops and a lacquered scroll.
"You said that stuff was for...you know...precious...er...fragile things...and I thought it'd help keep you safe in your world...and...and I couldn't find no roses." he mumbled.
"Oh, thank you Inuyasha" she giggled "I meant it was to keep objects safe...like glasses and porcelain figurines...it's not for people." He looked stricken. She patted his arm softly.
"I don't need anything else Inuyasha. I'm safe with you."
"Keh" his blush deepened.
"Can I open the scroll?" he nodded silently.
A long gasp was followed by a squeal.
"It's beautiful!" her eyes lit up. "Did you write...draw...er...do this?" He nodded again.
"You like it?"
"I love it! It's amazing! I didn't know...You can write...?"
He looked at her, eyes pained as though she'd hit him.
"So what if I did? Just coz I'm a half-breed does that hafta mean I'm stupid?" he sighed bitterly "Of course it does. Why do I even bother asking?! Never mind that I am of royal blood, never mind that my mother was a princess...I am a no-brained pathetic half-breed by default!"
"Inuyasha" his name slipped softly from her lips. She raised herself and placed a kiss on each of his cheeks, drying tears that had never fallen, knowing that they couldn't.
"I didn't mean it like that."She raised her eyes to his. "In my time, most people learn a bit of calligraphy when they are young...but not this...there are special classes for this; even so, very few people can do it...that's why. I never..." her voice shook "I'm sorry it came out wrong."
"Oi...don't you cry now wench!" his voice was impossibly tender.
"I love it, I really do Inuyasha...here help me hang it up." After a few minutes she was happy with the result and she stepped back to admire it.
A verse from the Manyoshuu was detailed on the paper: powerful strokes offset by equally gentle ones weaving together; from a small distance it created a simplistic illusion of a delta at dawn - reeds stretching tall and a barely visible egret spreading its wings to the sky.
"Thank you Inuyasha." He stared at the ground. "I got you something too." She handed him a neatly-wrapped package. His eyes lit up shyly. "You can open it."
He was mindful of his claws and managed to keep the wrapping intact as he carefully undid the bow and ribbon.
Nestled on a soft white scarf were a black comb and a bead bracelet that matched the colour of his necklace.
His ears flattened against his head. Did she really think that badly about him?
"Thanks..." he managed to regain his voice. "Do you...really think I need another subduing charm?" The pain behind his words tugged at her heart.
"It's not a subduing charm. It's...I thought it would look good on you, honest." He regarded her carefully. "And I thought...we could use it to communicate...?"
His eyebrow raised. "We?"
"Here" she picked it up and slid it gently on his left wrist, he flinched but didn't stop her. "I thought...you could wear it...and if you ever feel you want some space or something...you could just switch it to the other wrist, and I'll know to keep Shippo out of your hair." He stared at her floored.
"Maybe it was a stupid idea." she moved to take it off, but he grasped her hand.
"Leave it. I'll keep it...thanks." He wondered if he knew how much it had meant to him just hearing those words. "And the comb...?" he asked silently.
" I thought...you'd let me comb your hair. I know it must get tangled so I just..."
"Keh. My hair is fine!" She looked disappointed. He sighed: "Only sometimes got it? I'm no sissy needing my hair combed like a girl, or nothing...Keh."
"Erm, okay..."
"Tonight."
"What?"
"Can you do it tonight...the combing? We can go back in the morning." He seemed very interested in the carpet all the sudden.
She smiled.
"After dinner then?"
"So where do you want me ?" Kagome blushed at the innocent question, cursing her mind for dredging up other connotations.
"Ummm...on the bed will be fine." she cringed picking up the comb.
He sat down, cross-legged, back facing her.
She began combing down the entire length of his hair-from behind his ears- all the while marvelling at the slightly coarse yet soft texture.
"You really do have beautiful hair." she mused.
"Keh. It's hair. Nothing beautiful about it."
She continued the gentle exercise. "Why can't you take a compliment?" The question was met with silence. The steady sound of her hand moving through his thick mane echoed between them.
Moments melted together and a slight ache in her arm signalled that a considerable amount of time had passed.
"Inuyasha?" Still no reply. "My arm is getting sore. I'm gonna stop now. I'm sorry, your hair is lovely but my arm needs a rest."
The comb came to a slow halt.
"Inuyasha...?"
"It's because I'm not used to it."
"What?"
He kept his back to her.
"The compliments. I'm not used to getting them...heck I still marvel at every word aimed at me that's not a remark on my blood or an insult...or both. Compliments..." his voice sounded far off "...to actually think that you...anyone...would willingly choose to give a half-breed...a tainted, poor-blooded whelp not worth the dust on a true youkai...to willingly give me a good word...it's unreal. Sometimes I wonder if I'm imagining them-if my stupid half-breed mind hasn't finally cracked and started changing all the crap thrown at me into good words...Perhaps it has." he mused. "Maybe I'm making all this stuff up...If I am I don't wanna wake up. Keh. If I'm still stuck to that tree and hallucinating it's okay...there are worse things I could be doing and...it's ok...being here, pretending I'm accepted and I'm not a dumb beast. It feels nice. It's okay...even if it's not real..." he reasoned more with himself than anyone else.
Kagome's arms wrapping around him drew him out of his thoughts; a blush spread across his features when he realised he had been speaking out-loud. She let go and turned him to face her, grasping his face gently, guiding him closer still.
"I am real!" She bestowed a chaste kiss on his parted lips. "This is not a dream. You are not pinned to the Goshinboku, and I meant everything I said: you are my protector; you make me feel safe; I am amazed by your talents; I love your ears; I love your hair; I think you are amazing; you are beautiful, special-perfect just the way that you are. Because of you I'm not afraid to go five hundred years into the past and deal with crazy youkai and dark magic...because you are my shelter...my home wherever I may happen to find myself...and I trust you with every fibre of my being!"
He pulled her roughly to him, burying his nose in her hair.
"If you're not here tomorrow...I'll still thank the gods for tonight."
She drew a ragged breath and tightened her hold on him.
" I will be here as long as you let me...I want to...I'll be by your side."
Slowly, he pulled away from her, his eyes guided shyly at the covers. Her fingers searched out his hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
"Let's go to bed. We start early tomorrow." He nodded and made to get up."
"No...not on the floor...I want you to hold me." she spoke more bravely than she felt. A small twitch of his ears told her he had understood. Strong arms enveloped her in comforting warmth, as she drew the blankets over the both of them.
"Goodnight Inuyasha."
His head rested in the crook of her neck.
" 'Night Kagome." My bubble-wrap.
Author's Notes: Waffy? I do believe so. Slight OOC too, methinks; still it's Valentine's so we all deserve some loveliness and fluff. Am I right? This is to all my friends, my reviewers and my readers! You keep me going! All of you, and I dearly love hearing from you. Other dedications? Neisha-keep strong, take in the fluff and keep smiling! Thank you for everything! To all who read this, I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!