August

(Update from last time: Hi. I'm not dead. I'm so sorry to any of my readers who were waiting on a real update to this story. I know it's been years, but check out my profile to see what I've been up to while I've been gone. Again, I'm sorry it took so long to get this out. But it really came from lack of inspiration. However, recently I did get my inspiration back after my fiancee, White Wolf Ayame and I had started watching InuYasha: The Final Act. We were both inspired to continue writing our stories. But not just that alone. Writing for Kouga and Ayame was how she and I met, and they have always been very important to us, and she and I have been together for 6 and a half years now. So on top of watching new episodes my inspiration also came from the woman whom I love the most in the entire world. She is the Ayame to my Kouga, and I couldn't live without her.

This chapter is dedicated to her. I love you baby.)



I was surprised by how well the dinner was going, Kouga kept his father wrapped up in conversations concerning college and scholarships-something I was totally unaware of… it hadn’t even occurred to me until just this moment. Of course coming from a wealthy family and such, Kouga’s father had aspirations for his son to go to college after high school, but it honestly didn’t seem to be what Kouga had wanted to do when he graduated. College was in his plans, but not immediately, so they were discussing when exactly Kouga would go off to college once he graduated.

I ate my soup quietly, out of respect for their conversation but also because I was lost in my own thoughts. Going to college opened a whole knew can of worms in my brain, and these worms weren’t helping to say the least with my already conflicting emotions. Going off to college would present Kouga with the typical temptations. Parties, alcohol, and lots and lots of girls. I felt very insecure about that fact… the parties and drinking I could look past, but the thought of being cheated on was really starting to plague my mind.

“What do you think, Ayame?” I heard Kouga ask me, but since my mind was elsewhere, I hadn’t heard the part of the conversation that lead up to my opinion.

“I’m sorry…” I said softly, “I was thinking and not paying attention.”

I blinked a few times, setting my soup spoon down and folding my hands in my lap. I noticed Kouga staring at me intently with one dark eyebrow raised as if confused. Did I look like I had been listening the entire time? Wonderful… now I looked like a ditz in front of his father. Oh don’t mind Ayame, she’s a space cadet! Haha! Ugh…

“I was telling my father that I was thinking about waiting a year before going to college, he’s trying to convince me that I should go ahead and take summer courses. I want to know your opinion,” Kouga said with a pout.

This was clearly not something he had anticipated discussing with his father at our dinner tonight, and I couldn’t help but wonder if some of the disappointment on his face was also due to the fact that he hadn’t wanted to repeat himself, and that I should have been paying attention. Oi vey!

If I had known that being in a relationship was so much stress on my mind then I might have passed on the whole thing. Don’t get me wrong though, I adore Kouga. He’s gorgeous, confident, and getting to know him better has shown me that he has more to him than most people think. But I feel this tremendous pressure to live up to some sort of standard now that he and I are together.

Now it was time for me to give him my opinion. And just before I did, I found it oddly amusing that Kouga and his father both had the same expression on their faces as they waited for me to speak. Hands folded together just under the chin, eyebrows knitted together, eyes concentrating and focused. I couldn’t help myself but smile, I glanced at my lap a moment to quickly gather my thoughts. I had to do my best to be unbiased about the opinionated advice I was about to give my boyfriend. I wanted to make sure it was an answer both he and his father would like, so both understood where I was coming from instead of being caught in the middle of a family feud.

“Honestly,” I started, before I had realized I had opened my mouth the rest came out. “Kouga, you should do what you think is best for yourself. If you have scholarships on the line, then waiting a year might not be the best idea. Those scholarships just don’t hang out in a secret vault somewhere. If you don’t use it when it’s offered to you then it will be used for someone who will use it immediately.” I could see the disappointed look in his eyes, but the approving look from his father.

I sighed but continued, “But I don’t think starting summer classes as soon as you graduate would be good either. Only because I know that you must be under a lot of stress, this is your senior year, and a lot of things are going on for you right now in just high school. Having to worry about when you take your first semester of college should really be something you worry about later unless you are trying to get into a particular university.”

That statement made him smile at me, it was small, but I saw it more so in his eyes than on his lips. When I glanced at his father, I had expected him to be looking at me with some sort of disapproving glare… but to my surprise he was glancing downwards at something or nothing, but rubbing his chin in thought. He was a busy man, perhaps he hadn’t thought about the pressure that his son was under right now… perhaps my words hit home, somewhere.

“I think,” I continued again, “That you should take summer break like most people would be doing, go exploring a little, and then start taking courses in the fall semester so you aren’t burning yourself out with a lot of school work, and you are also not procrastinating with the potential scholarships you would be earning.”

“I like this plan!” Kouga’s father declared, his eyes no longer trained on something elsewhere, but instead were focused directly on his son. “Do you think you could do that for me son? I’m not asking you to go to a giant law school or even medical school. I’m letting you pick the college of your choice. I’ve been very generous and understanding. If you can at least agree to going to college in the fall, I don’t mind if you have a summer break.”

Kouga nodded once, “Yeah, that sounds fine with me.” He turned towards me and gave me that smile that just made my heart melt and my knees weak. “It’s awhile away from now but, would you want to go on a vacation with me for summer break?”

“Vacation?” I asked, making sure I was hearing things correctly.

He nodded at me, that charming smile still on his face, “Yeah you know? Like maybe a trip to Europe, or a cruise to Jamaica, or even a safari or something… in Africa or Australia. You wanna go?”

I was dumbfounded.

“Kouga, just as you said it’s some time away from now, months even. Why don’t we worry about that more once we get closer to your graduation day,” I answered with a tiny smile.

The rest of the dinner went by rather smoothly and so did the conversations. The tension died down a great deal and I could tell that Kouga’s father genuinely liked me. I wasn’t just another pretty face. I was flattered when Mr. Ookami had told me that he was impressed with how intelligent I was, and said that I was a good match for his son. I wasn’t expecting that at all… and I don’t think Kouga was expecting it either.

Things at the table quieted down after we had all finished eating and Mr. Ookami’s phone rang. He had apologized to us, and explained that he really needed to take the phone call. He told us if we were finished that we were allowed to be excused, and that he would pick up the bill. I thanked him, even though he had already started his conversation over the phone, he reached over and gave me a hug as Kouga and I got up from the table. He spoke quickly, “Again, it was lovely to meet you Ayame, and I’m very happy that my son has found such an amazing young lady like yourself.” I would have answered but he went back to his business call almost immediately as he finished making his statement to me.

I felt the flush race over my cheeks and I glanced over at Kouga who was also blushing… I could only guess that his father’s actions somewhat embarrassed him. The thought made me giggle, which made Kouga narrow his eyes, pout, and the blush spread further across his features. I moved to take his hand, and the scowl almost immediately left his face. Instead he just shook his head, “I should probably take you home.”

“Yeah, probably…” I said. I sounded so sad. And Kouga picked up on the tone in my voice just as quickly as I did. Why could I never stop myself from sounding like an idiot?

“Do you not want to go home?” He asked me as he escorted the both of us out of the restaurant. I shrugged my shoulders, I wasn’t sure what else we could do exactly but I wasn’t ready for the night to be over yet.

“There’s gotta be something we could do… I mean I know I have to go home eventually… but the night is so young! I want to spend more time with you,” I confessed to him. “I liked meeting your father, Kouga. He’s a nice man. But I want to spend time with just you… so it doesn’t feel like just going out to dinner with Dad. Don’t you want this to feel like a really hot date or something?”

That caused him to chuckle, “A hot date?”

“Yeah well… you know what I meant,” I said with a pout.

“I think you are adorable,” he said as he gave me his trademark smirk.

“So… where else can we go, smart-ass?” I asked as I lightly shoved him, and he continued to chuckle at me.

“Let’s go swimming,” he suggested.

“I’m not going swimming, Kouga,” I said with a roll of my eyes.

“You can go swimming, at my house,” he countered, “It’s heated.”

“I don’t have a swim-suit,” I argued.

“Bathing suits are for the weak!” he stated boldly. “We shall go naked!”

“You are insane…” I giggled and shook my head at him. “You just want to see me naked again.”

“Oh! You got me!” He said as he clenched his hands to his chest, pretending as if I had shot him in the heart with an invisible bullet. “Seriously though… if you are worried about my dad coming home and seeing us naked in the pool, don’t be. He’s gonna be working. That phone call he had to take was one he’s been waiting on all week and so He’s more than likely going to go back to the office.”

“And spend the night there?” I asked.

“Yeah probably. It’s not like it would be uncomfortable for him. It’s his building. He’s made it so that if he has to stay the night there, he has accommodations. Dad always plans things out like that,” Kouga replied with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

“What about you?” I asked.

“What about me?” He asked in return, raising an eyebrow at me.

“Does he ever plan out what you would do if he wouldn’t come home?” I clarified.

“He did when I was much younger. But now that I’m old enough to take care of myself, as long as I don’t destroy the place, he doesn’t mind. He says it teaches me responsibility and whatever…” Kouga said with a casual grin.

“Even with the kidnapping when you were younger?” I found myself asking.

Kouga nodded, “Yeah but that was when I was kid, and my dad hardly let me out of sight then. Now I’m an adult and I can take care of myself so it’s no big deal, ya know?”

I nodded a few times. We had managed to make it out to his truck and the business even this late at night downtown was booming. Traffic was moving at a steady pace and the city lights were sparkling. It made me smile as I leaned against his vehicle and glanced up towards the sky. Kouga and I had been through so much over the last few days, and it was just in this moment that I really stopped to think about ALL of it. Sure, things were always going through my mind and my thoughts as of late were focused on many different things. But right now my focus was on all the things that I had gone through specifically with Kouga.

He stood next to me leaning against his truck as well staring up into the sky as I had been doing. I heard him take in a deep breath and let it out slowly. A lot must have been on his mind as well.

“What are you thinking about, Kouga?” I asked as I leaned my head over to rest on his shoulder.

“Honestly… the talk with my dad inside, about going to college and all that stuff… I know it’s my senior year and I should be focused on college but it isn’t really something I find myself focusing on,” he answered me honestly. That was something I could always count on with Kouga, he did his best to always be honest with me. Even in moments when things were bumpy between us, or when I saw him flirting with Kagome… or even that girl from earlier… I think he had called her Mara, he didn’t hide it. He was honest with me.

“Well what would you do instead if you didn’t go to college right away?” I found myself asking.

The greedy part of me really wanted him to stay with me, and so that way we could possibly go to college together, but that would be too much to ask for from him… and not fair at all. But he was a year ahead of me, so when it came down to the time when it was my senior year, he’d be a freshman in college so the time apart was to be expected. And I’d heard so many horror stories of girls who had boyfriends who went off to college and promised them that they would stay together and just keep things long distance, and sure enough soon after one of them had gone off to college the cheating started. If Kouga ever cheated on me… I’d be devastated. And I’m pretty sure he knew that too.

He shrugged at me, “It’s too early for me to tell honestly. But my plans for the future aren’t that detailed. I mean I want a good job. Not the kind of job that my father has that requires way too much time and attention. But a good job that pays well and is a respectable and good job that I can be proud of and whatever. But whatever that job is… I have no fucking clue yet. I want a family one day too. Two kids, a dog, white picket fence… I mean I love the house I live in now, and even though it’s awesome, I don’t want to live there my entire life and mooch off of my dad.”

I found myself looking at him with a small smile on my lips and I could feel the expression of total adoration on my face, and as he glanced down to look at me while he was talking a small blush washed over his nose and cheeks. He was so handsome.

“What?” he asked me.

“Nothing…” I replied in a soft whisper that was almost in a sing-song tone.

“You have a dreamy look in your eyes,” he said as he raised an eyebrow at me.

“I do?” I asked.

“Yeah… when I mentioned the family and kids thing you got this wistful look in your eyes and started to give me that cute little smile,” he answered, “And you wanted me to invest in condoms. Tisk Tisk.”

I rolled my eyes and giggled at him, “While the thought of having children with you is nice… I’m not ready for that right now. Kouga we’ve only been dating for a month and you’ve already told me you loved me, now you are confessing that you want kids.” I shook my head at him, “Next month you are gonna put a ring on my finger and ask me to marry you.”

He shrugged, “Maybe.”

I blinked in shock a few times, “Kouga… don’t play around like that.”

“You said it not me,” he said as he waggled his eyebrows at me suggestively. That bastard. I felt the blush racing over my cheeks.

“Do you really have your heart set on swimming?” I asked him, it was my turn to raise my eyebrow at him, but I also wanted to change the subject away from having unprotected sex with him.

“A little,” he answered, his gaze turning back to the city sky that was twinkling with constant motion of night life.

“Well then don’t you think we should head back to your house?” I asked.

“That would be essential when it comes to swimming at my house,” he responded. He pushed off the side of his truck from where we had been leaning and was nice enough to open my door for me. I gave him a look as he also offered me a hand to get up into the seat, and he shut the door for me too.

He walked around and got in on the driver’s side and we left the restaurant. Again the car ride was mostly silent when it came to talking, but the radio was on, and Kouga didn’t even realize it when he started singing along with some of the songs.

He had a very nice singing voice… and from how softly he sang, I wasn’t even sure if he knew it. He had so many instruments in his room, the wall of guitars and I thought I had spotted a drum set in a corner, but couldn’t quite remember. He really liked music, so why was he so quiet when it came to singing? Maybe it was because I was in the car with him and he didn’t want to sing over the original song for my sake of listening to the radio? Whatever the reason, I wanted to hear him sing more, but I didn’t have the courage to ask him so I sat in silence as I watched him drive.

He casually drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and shook his head in rhythm with the songs he sang along with. I couldn’t help but smile, but he was so focused on driving that I don’t think he even noticed. But that was okay, I thought it was kinda cute that he was oblivious to the fact that I was watching him.

We got to his house and went through security both at the front gates and the front door. This time as we crossed the threshold he just started stripping off all his clothes and tossing them about in the foyer.

“Kouga!” I exclaimed.

“What?” He asked, turning around to look at me. His head was tilted to one side and he had already removed his blazer and button up shirt. He was shirtless and in just a pair of charcoal gray slacks. I lost my focus, instead staring at his stomach muscles. I could wash my clothes on that boy’s stomach if I wanted to.

“I… just…” I swallowed my words.

“You were just staring at my naked chest,” he retorted. “I wanna stare at yours too. Come on don’t be shy! I’ve already seen it once today and it’s not nice to keep a man in suspense!” He grinned and stuck his tongue out at me. That bastard… why did he do this to me?

I suddenly felt nervous. Earlier when I was naked with him, I was already naked in his bed from taking a shower and he was asleep. There was no undressing part then… so now I had the awkward situation of taking off this really nice dress, high heels, and underwear just so he could watch. But he started backing up, and disappeared out of my sight around a corner.

“Kouga, where are you going?” I called after him as I did my best to hop on one foot, taking off my shoes as I moved along after him.

“To the pool,” he said from around the corner.

When I finally rounded that corner I noticed there was a long hallway but it was also tall so it didn’t feel closed in or creepy, in fact it was rather open. Columns were in the place of the wall at the other end of the hallway, and that’s where I saw the silhouette of Kouga disappear.

I walked slowly, I wasn’t familiar with his house at all and so I wasn’t about to go running around and getting myself lost. When I came up to the columns I shyly took a glance around one and gasped softly in shock to what I saw. The pool was inside, not outside… or at least it didn’t look it. Lights suddenly filled the room but they were dim, not turned on all the way, meant to be sensual mood lighting. And steam rose from the top of the water. I could always count on Kouga to be honest… he did say it was heated.

He was already in the water, his pants and boxer shorts tossed onto a chair that also had two large fluffy towels waiting. The dim lighting left a lot to my imagination too, I knew he was naked… completely nude, but the steam coming up off of the water and lighting made it so nothing was really visible at all. I don’t even think he realized how much he was teasing me. I felt my chest suddenly get tight, and knees wanted to buckle. I felt something warm start to collect between my legs again just staring at him in the water.

He finally noticed me hiding behind one of the columns and tilted his head to one side.”Are you just gonna stand there and look like a lost little girl, or are you gonna live a little and go skinny-dipping with me?” He asked.

Nervous. Wonderful!

He stared at me expectantly. I had to do something. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Nothing I could do could make this situation any better or any worse. I stepped out from behind the column, my high heels had been tossed down as I had rounded one of the corners so I was standing barefoot on the tile floor with just the dress on.

I saw him lick his lips. He was like a starving predator and waiting to pounce, and I could see the lust in his eyes. He was waiting for me to strip for him. And I was shocked with myself when I found that it didn’t make me more nervous, but just turned me on more. He wanted me to strip for him. A tease. I could do that. Before when I had thought about getting undressed in front of him made my stomach flip and tie itself in knots… but now seeing that look in his eyes, all the nervousness washed away.

If he wanted me to tease him… I was gonna fucking tease him.