By the Bay

By The Bay: Chapter 5: Miroku in Glasses, Inuyasha in a tux.

To my reviewers:
I’ll give personal thank-yous to everyone that reviewed on the next update! But in the meantime…THANK YOU!!!!! I love each and everyone of you greatly, but not in a creepy way. Hugs!

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Kagome released a heavy sigh. “Miroku…do you believe in fate?”

“Only when it’s convenient for me. You have to tell me what’s on your mind first, and then I’ll decide.”

“Inuyasha came over the other night.” Immediately, Miroku stopped scribbling on the legal-looking documents before him and set down his glasses (A/N: glasses on the right guy are H-O-T-HOT. There is no arguing with me on this.

“Did he…stay over?”

“Nooooo. On the contrary actually, I kicked him out.”

“Ugh, Kagome, you have just as much right as anybody to have sex, and you even said the guy was cute, so why, WHY in God’s name would you throw away an opportunity like that?”

“You know I’m not one for casual sex Miroku.”

“Yeah yeah, but what’s this about fate?”

“Before he left, he said something like people don’t run into each other three times without a reason.”

“He said that?” Turning to the side in contemplation, he said, “He’s good.”

“It stopped me dead in my tracks. I just started crying after I closed the door and…and…I wasn’t even PMSing or anything! I thought I wasn’t into him, but now…now I don’t know WHAT to think.”

“I think you should meet him again, get to know him, figure out how you feel…and then have some tension-releasing rabbit sex.”

“Miro! Not funny.”

“Then why are you smiling?” She half-assedly glared in his direction.
“But I don’t have his number or address or anything.”

“I’ll have it for you in the morning.”

“But h-“

“Ah ah! No buts. No let me get to work.”

“Pshh. Like you EVER do work anyways.”

“Out.” As soon as the office door gently clicked closed the glasses went back on. But Miroku did not resume his previous work, oh no, his fingers began furiously dancing on the keyboard in front of him.

++++++++++++++The next Morning++++++++++++f

“Here you are milady.”

“But Miro, how’d you get this address?”

“Simple. I googled him.”

“Well THAT’S not creepy in anyway whatsoever.”

“Yes, but highly effective none the less. Did you know he’s a film critic for the Chronicle? (A/N: the local newspaper)

“No kidding.”

“Yeah, his reviews popped up all over the web. Now scoot and go work. I’m sure you have lots to do with the end of the month coming up and all.”

“Ugh. Tell me about it. Allison gets so moody when there’s pressure to get the cover out.” But Kagome really didn’t have that much to do today, Allison had finished the layout for this August’s cover early, and even if she hadn’t, Kagome was only her assistant.

Back in her cubicle Kagome stared at the slip of white office paper. ‘What if he hates me? What if he really is a creep? What if he’s perfect? What if it doesn’t work? What if it DOES work?’ At the optimistic yes frightening thought Kagome’s pen dropped to the crossword puzzle in front of her, drawing her attention back to her “work”, but alas, her mind was trained to afford the pleasure of multi-tasking. ‘How do I know? What if I show up and- Oh! Macarthur!’ She scribbled something down in the allotted kind-of-white-but-maybe-brown boxes. As she continued putting her UCSD education to the test, questioning thoughts beckoned her to zone out completely as she reassured her self more and more that nothing would or could ever work. ‘There’s got to be a way, there just HAS to…craaaaap.’ Her thoughts were finally put on hold when 15 down challenged her to a duel. ‘A question whose answer must be solved…equation? No…ummmm…oh, my…oh my gosh!’ “I got it!”

The rest of the day slugged by as Kagome devised a plan. It would be a good weekend indeed.

The next morning Kagome woke up with a smile, the smile was just there to cover for her uncertainty, but it was a smile none the less. Her Saturday morning routine began as Kagome made her was to the Farmer’s Market; there was only one thing she would be needing today.

++++++++++++several hours later++++++++++++++++

‘Breathe…just breathe Kagome…in, out, in, out, in…oh fuck. What the hell am I doing?’

Her finger was barely rested on the white round button that held the power to change her life entirely. Bzzzzz. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, no answer. Bzzzzz. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, still no answer. She knocked three times just to be sure, before admitting to herself that he was not there. ‘Duh Kagome. Way to randomly show up and expect him to be there.’ Turning her head to the contents in her hand, she set them down with reluctance on Inuyasha’s doorstep.

45 minutes later, at the very same doorstep, Inuyasha and Sango walked up to their apartment with a childish curiosity to their faces.

“Yash, who the hell would leave blood oranges on our doorstep?”

“No way, No fucking way. It’s Kagome, the girl I told you about.”

“Psycho bitch?”

“Hey, it was just that one time…and she wasn’t THAT mean about it. I mean, she can’t be all that horrible if she left me a present.”

“And an apology.” Sango added as she picked up the slip of paper in the bag. It read:


Inuyasha-
Please forgive me for the other day.
I believe what you said before leaving…
About reasoning I mean. If you still want to
Meet me, the oranges will tell you when and
Where.
-Kagome


“What the fuck Yash.” Inuyasha, scrutinizing an orange, knew what she ment.

“It’s a riddle Sango. Look, each orange has a word or two on it with a symbol.”

“Those aren’t symbols Yash, those are numbers.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s either Japanese or Chinese. She’s Asian?”

“I don’t know…I mean, you can hardly tell at all.” The two made their way inside and Sango retreated to the bathroom. Inuyasha began laying out the oranges on the table in front of him. “Sangoooo, hurry up and come help me.”

“You’re actually going to try and solve it!?”

“Yes.” He sounded matter of factly. “Now start being supportive and tell me what orange this is.” After a couple seconds, the Japanese minor had correctly placed each orange in a row. Marveling at their work, Inuyasha stepped back and read:


Meet me at what looks like 2:00 on
A hand, where my heritage collides.
Sunday.


“Uhhhhhh…” And at that, Kagome left Inuyasha (and Sango) to their wits.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“Morning.” Inuyasha cuddled into Kagome lightly kissing her skin. “Guess what day it is?” Kagome moaned and turned slightly in the queen sized, duvet covered bed.

Breathing in through her nose, she responded with a smile, “My birthday!” She threw her arms up at the ceiling in a cat-like stretch and gently let them fall over the sex God on top of her. “Mmmmm, Yash, you always treat me like a princess.”

“Because you are.” Her mumbled into her neck. “Now,” he said as he bent his elbows at her ears and rested his temples on the palms of his hands, “I have eggs, bacon, toast, and a spoon of organic chunky peanut butter for you, aaaand, some money for your dress, shoes and maybe even some undergarments…” Adding in as a side note he mentioned, “That is, you chose to wear them at all.”

“Oh Yash, you don’t have to, really.”

“Sure I don’t HAVE to…but I WANT to.” She gave a low, sultry laugh.

“Okaaay, so where are we going?”

“Somewhere fancy, but it’s a surprise for now.”

“Like fancy fancy fancy or just fancy?”

“I’m wearing a tux.”

“Oookay!” Her reaction illuminated surprise, delight, and laughter. ‘Hahaha, oh God, Inuyasha in a tux…I’m going to die!’ “I’ll make sure to get something good.”

“No. I want you to get something stunning, so it matches your personality,” A kiss on the right. “And beauty.” A kiss on the left. The remark was made quite flamboyantly, but was well taken. She smiled and leaned in for a kiss. “Now, I have some work to do around town, and then I’m going to go see Miroku. I’ll be back around seven to get ready.”

“Mmkay. Have fun.” After one last kiss Inuyasha left Kagome to her eggs and peanut butter. “Okay, lets see.” She pulled the tray onto her lap. Just as she picked up her fork, she glanced at the corner of the stained wood. ‘A blood orange, how cute!’ She picked it up and began slicing it to her hearts content when she received another pleasant little surprise…well, it was more than a little, it was A LOT of a surprise.

She picked up the plastic with delicate hands, like it would shatter right there over her breakfast. She fell back on her pillows and began breathing a little faster staring at the visa gift card for exactly one grand in front of her. Forget breakfast, this girl was going shopping! She reached over to the bedside phone and speed dialed for reinforcements.

“Sango? I need your helllllp.” A shower and a bus ride later, Kagome and Sango met at the center of Union Square to begin today’s adventure.

“Happy 30th Kags!”

“Thanks. Macy’s first?”

“What’s the budget?” Kagome blushed.

“One thousand dollars.”

After Sango was recovered from her publicly humiliating spit take she managed to squeeze out, “Saks, Louis Vuitton, then Versace, and if you don’t find something after that you’re screwed. We’ll do Vikki C’s after the dress.” The pair giggled with girlish enthusiasm as the headed for the massive Saks Fifth Avenue.

After trying on what seemed like 3 thousand different dresses in both Saks and Louis, Kagome had only a total of three “maybe dresses” on hold.

“Fuck. Versace better be good.”

“Don’t worry, it will.”

1st floor: nothing, 2nd floor: nothing, 3rd floor: there it was. Both Sango and Kagome were speechless, and made no sound except for the breathless gasp they each emitted.

“It’s beautiful.” Well, you can only guess which dress she took home that afternoon.

By six o’clock she was actually getting nervous. After her scented oil bath and soothing face mask, she towel dried her hair, did a little make-up, slipped into the lacy number from Victoria Secrets, and the Inuyasha-in-a-tux-worthy dress, then the shoes, then the hair, and just as she finished the man it was all for walked through the door.

He was floored to say the least, as the love of his life turned in surprise like the exquisite beauty she was. “I’m speechless.”

“Payback for the heart attack you nearly gave me after I found the visa.” She moved in for a hug and a kiss. “You spoil me.”

“Anything for my woman. And besides, I like taking care of you.” He always knew how to make her smile.

“You should get ready.”

“I’ll be quick.”

While Inuyasha showered and blow dried his hair, Kagome laid out his tux and finished the fine-tuning, girl stuff really. Inuyasha then walked out of the bathroom bearing only a small towel around his waist (A/N: *drools* *melts* *dies*), and had no reservations about dropping trou and changing into the tuxedo. Just as the utterly gorgeous duo approached the door, a hand whipped her around the other way.

“One more thing.” His hand slid in a gentlemanly fashion to his left breast pocket and pulled out a shimmering piece of fabric. “You’ve got to wear this.” Kagome rolled her eyes as she turned around and closed them. The hands that slid over her face, her straight hair, had shown her so many things over the past 3 years: the joy of being in love, comfort in one pair of eyes, steamy passion on a hot summers night, even the fact that with love comes pain, no exceptions.

“There.” He whispered lightly brushing his lips against her neck. “Ready?” Kagome was so wrapped in the romantic mist that all she could manage was a nod of the head. The sensation of Inuyasha’s hand gliding down her spine to the small of her back was indescribable.

They had either taken a taxi or a limo…no, never mind, they had DEFINITELY taxi…she hoped, because the whole way there, Inuyasha’s hands were pretty much everywhere as he showered Kagome with kisses and sweet nothings, or rather, sweet somethings.

When the car stopped, Inuyasha led the still blindfolded Kagome through a door, and there it was: the all too familiar sound of a brass bell.

‘Oh my God, it isn’t is it?’ And when the silk fell back into Inuyasha’s hands, ‘Oh my God it is!’ “Inuyasha…” was all she could say to express every feeling rushing from head to toe at that very moment. Marco’s Diner was now decorated with red roses and filled with impeccably clean and European-looking waiters.

“Happy Birthday Kagome.” She couldn’t Imagine feeling happier than she was at that moment. “I know it might look a LITTLE over the top, but I wanted to be romantic for a change so-“

“A CHANGE?” Inuyasha had stuck with the same woman for 3 years, just as she stuck with him, and he thought he hadn’t been romantic ONCE? He didn’t even have to TRY at it and yet he succeeded in so many ways.

“Well yeah…I mean-“

“It’s perfect.” Now HE was the one stunned as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “So where are we sitting tonight?”

“Right here madam.” As they took their seats one of the men in white came to take their order. “If I may?” Inuyasha questioned to Kagome. A nod was all he needed. “I’ll have a burger, the lady will have a BLT, and get us a bottle of you best champagne please.” Kagome’s side split after he made the order, EXACTLY the reaction he wanted.

After the two had gotten sufficiently tipsy with the bubbly drink AND full with diner food, the dessert was brought in.

“Cheesecake?! Oh Yash, you shouldn’t have!” Obviously, she was more than overwhelmed.

“Keh! Just eat it.” Watching her take the first bite was enough to make him grin. But at the dawning realization that the night was almost over, Inuyasha downed another glass of the bubbly booze. Then the dessert forks were dropped.

“So Yash, shall we head home are you taking me for a night on the town?”

“Well actually, there was one thing I wanted to do before we go.” ‘Breathe…just breathe. ‘ One more thing…that one more thing was the key for tonight, tomorrow, and the rest of their lives.

He bent his knees, extended his palm, and drew in a deep breath. “Kagome, I love you, and I can’t imagine my life ten, twenty, a hundred years from now where you’re not in it. Will you marry me?”

“I…I’m sorry Inuyasha I can’t.”

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A/N

Ooookay! So I know I’m being evil, but trust me, you guys are going to love the next chapter. It’s already done and revised in my notebook, I just need to get it onto a computer. And seeing as I’m on a fucking cruise ship right now using the family computer…well, let’s just say it’s been hard. The next chapter should be up in about a week, at the latest, August 22.

But in the meantime, I need your guys’ help DESPERATELY. I need you to tell me how you are perceiving the past/present thing. Do you see the present (Inu and Kags together, proposal, etc.) as a DIFFERENT present than the one in which Inu and Kags are getting interviewed? Thanks to anyone that helps.

And one more thing, the riddle thing is based on a real place in SF, bonus points to anyone that can guess the answer.

Cross your fingers for me! I feel like I’m gonna die on this ship…urgh.