An insistent sound woke a disgruntled man from his restless sleep.
A low growl rumbled in his throat as he pulled his head from the warmth of his elbow crook. The early morning sun slipped through his white blinds and made patterns all over his black comforter.
Moving to a sitting position with his legs hanging over the side of the bed, he stretched his arms over his head, flexing the muscles in his shoulders and back.
A groan from across the room quickly reminded him why he woke up in the first place.
“Inuyasha…” his groggy roommate, Miroku, mumbled into his pillow. “Turn that annoying thing off!”
“Yeah, yeah… I was about to,” Inuyasha replied as he hopped off his bed, slightly wincing as his bare feet hit the cold, ceramic floor. Seconds later, the nagging blare of his alarm clock was silenced.
“6 o’clock mornings… man, I’m still not used to it,” Inuyasha mumbled to himself as he walked over to his wardrobe and pulled out his shower essentials.
He shook his head when he found a pair of Miroku’s socks near his shoes. His eyes rolled like the socks as he threw them at his sleeping roommate’s head.
“Wake your lazy ass up. You know we have practice in less than an hour.”
The sting of a suddenly misplaced pair of socks jolted Miroku up, looking around in a daze as he tried to figure out what hit him. “Dude, I was up. But this bed was like the warmth of a woman’s body; I just couldn’t pull away.”
Inuyasha huffed. “Yeah, whatever. If you thought about track as much as you did women, then maybe you wouldn’t still be in the #2 spot.”
Miroku chuckled, slowly allowing his mind to crystallize. “Of course, but it’s no small feat to overcome a runner who thinks only about running.”
“That’s not true.” Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at Miroku with a wry grin. “I also think about winning and breaking records.”
“Ah,” Miroku agreed. “Silly of me to have forgotten.”
Pulling on his robe, Inuyasha freed his dark hair from its tie and let it fall over his shoulders and down his back. The black tresses contrasted beautifully against his tanned skin, darkened by summer nights spent at the beach. It’s only been a few weeks that school was back in session for Tokyo University, but with the increased intensity of their workouts due to the departure of the team’s key seniors, Inuyasha and Miroku were starting to feel their junior status.
“Yo, Inuyasha.” Shower tote in hand, Inuyasha brought his attention back to his best friend. “We’re still going out tomorrow night, right? You’re finally turning 21, so we have to celebrate with your… well, first legal drink,” Miroku added with a wink.
Inuyasha smirked. “Hell yeah. Tomorrow is Saturday, so you know we’re hitting all the spots. Just don’t be trying to drag any of those drunk females back to our dorm,” Inuyasha added with a warning in his tone. “I’m not risking suspension from the team and you’re already on your second strike.”
Miroku, who was now fumbling around in his wardrobe, threw his hands up with a sheepish grin. “Now now, Inuyasha. You should know I’ve learned my lesson by now.”
“I hope so. Maybe it was the woman that threatened a restraining order against your lecherous ass who taught it to you.”
Miroku winced at the memory. “Oh Inuyasha, why did you have to bring up such an unpleasant situation?”
“To make you behave tomorrow.” Slipping his slippers on, Inuyasha headed to the door. “Don’t drag your feet. We have to be down on the track by 7:15.”
“Aye aye, Captain,” Miroku, slightly mocking his best friend’s title on the team.
The sudden rush of hot water in the empty showers echoed off the walls as Inuyasha walked beneath the torrent. His hair quickly found its way across his face, but he pushed it back in irritation.
My hair’s getting too long again, he thought to himself. I should probably drive down to Kyoto Sunday so Kaede can trim it.
Letting the heat soak into his skin, Inuyasha closed his eyes. He had to admit that he’s had a tough week. Toothaches so painful that he had to schedule an impromptu visit to the dentist; trouble with his eyesight forced him to buy a pair of reading glasses; but the worst was probably his unusual streak of dropping the baton during practice due to unexplainable sensitivity in his fingers.
Inuyasha opened his eyes and lifted his hands palm up, flexing his knuckles until he could see the veins popping up in his large hands. Last night, he could barely pick up his fork at dinner. Now, he didn’t feel anything at all. It was almost as if it never happened. He took note that the pain in his mouth was gone as well and his eyesight was as crystal clear as ever.
“My body is weird,” he grumbled to himself. He decided not to tell Kaede what he was experiencing because he didn’t want to worry her, but he wished for her guidance. He made a resolve to talk to her about his problems when he went home. After all, he had to make sure his health didn’t take away from his efforts on the track team.
Lathering soap in his hands, Inuyasha didn’t want to think about the possibility of quitting. Despite his complaints about the early practices, he loved nothing more than feeling his cleats dig into the asphalt track. As captain, he couldn’t let his teammates down. Despite his worries, he couldn’t hold this off any longer. He had to make sure he was ready for anything.
The soap rinsed off of his body, Inuyasha turned the steaming stream off and let the cool air sink into his skin before reaching for his towel. Noticing the sound of another shower running not too far from him, Inuyasha figured Miroku finally made it to the showers.
Drying up, he pulled his robe back onto his lean, chiseled frame and finished up his shower routine. The clean feeling leaving him satisfied, Inuyasha returned to his room and got dressed in a t-shirt and pair of sweats. He pulled out his duffel bag and made sure everything he needed was already ready to go. His backpack would stay in his room until after practice, because his first class wasn’t until 11:30.
Not long after, Miroku returned and donned an outfit similar to Inuyasha’s.
“How unfortunate. It agonizes me every morning that the lovely ladies of Tokyo University won’t be able to feast their eyes on my nude form. To deprive them of even a tantalizing glance should be a crime,” Miroku mourned.
His lamenting only invoked an eyeroll from Inuyasha. “Whatever. Look man, are you ready to go?”
“Patience,” Miroku cooed. Checking his duffel bag and throwing in a water bottle, Miroku grabbed his music player and put in his earphones. Turning to Inuyasha, he grinned. “I have arrived.”
Pulling his hair up into a ponytail and throwing his headphones over his ears, Inuyasha harrumphed as he headed towards the door. “Let’s go.”
*****
“I hate getting up this early,” a young and clearly irritated woman groaned as she finished putting her books in her backpack.
Her roommate looked over at her, silently observing the look of frustration that pulled her beautiful face down into a frown. Her pink eyeliner seemed to enhance the sparks of agitation in her usually warm brown eyes.
“So do I, Sango, but remember our promise?” she replied.
Pulling the backpack over her shoulders, Sango looked over at her best friend, whose books were already wrapped in her arms. Her best friend’s dark, wavy hair was unusually pulled back into a low ponytail, though her bangs still waved freely.
“I know, I know. If we study now, tomorrow doesn’t have to be dedicated to studying.” Looking at her watch, she frowned. 6:45. “Kagome, we may be up sooner than most roosters are, but it beats spending all of our Saturday studying for those awful midterms.”
Kagome nodded. “I don’t know about you, Sango, but I’m going to enjoy laying on the beach all day tomorrow. We’re going to need it heading into midterms next week.”
Sango laughed. “I swear I had a dream last night where I was taking my midterms at the beach. Now that I think about it, I’d probably get a better grade thanks to the gorgeous scenery.”
Kagome shook her head, a smile breaking across her lips. “Knowing you, that gorgeous scenery would only distract you.”
Taking a moment to contemplate her words, Sango had to nod in agreement. “You’re right. When it comes to nature and tests, nature immediately wins.”
“Oh really? Then it looks like we’re going to be studying at the library instead of the quad today,” Kagome laughed as she left out the door.
Quickly locking up, Sango ran up to catch her. “Kagome, that’s not fair! Studying and tests are different, so let’s go to the quad.”
Kagome shook her head. “We’re going to the library because laying out on the quad is probably going to distract me, too. No distractions.”
Sango huffed as they left their residence hall. “I brought my beach towel and everything,” she lamented.
“Don’t worry, we have plenty of time for that tomorrow,” Kagome reassured. “But since it’s our first year at Tokyo University, we have to do our best and I wouldn’t want you to lose your fencing scholarship.”
Sango beamed. “I can’t wait until tomorrow so I can fill you in on everything I’ve done and learned at practice this semester. I even found a class about swords and samurais that I plan on signing up for next semester.”
Kagome smiled as they found themselves waiting at a stoplight. “Now that sounds like something right up your alley. And remember how I signed up for that archery class? I haven’t practiced it since I was 15, but after only a few weeks, it feels like I never stopped.”
“The archer and the swordswoman. Loving it,” Sango replied with a grin.
“Tales will be spun about our valiant achievements,” Kagome joined in. “Hopefully they’ll shine bright enough to block out the grades on our midterms.”
They roared simultaneously as they walked towards the library, so high in spirits that they didn’t hear the “Watch out!” before they crashed.
“Oomf!” Sango groaned from the ground, Kagome barely moving in time.
“Sango!” Kagome cried as she saw her friend tucked underneath a stranger in dark sweats, almost overlooking the other young man who currently sported a scowl on his face. “Are you two okay?”
Quickly rising, the young man reached out his hand to help Sango up off the ground. “My sincerest apologies! I didn’t mean to run into you, miss.”
Back in an upright position, Sango let her free hand knock the dirt off of her black jeans. “Ah, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”
“How can I not? A beautiful young woman such as yourself shouldn’t be subjected to such violence!” The man gave her an earnest look, his indigo pupils practically begging for forgiveness.
Sango blinked in confusion. Was that a compliment, she asked herself. “No, really. It’s not like I’m fragile or anything. No harsh feelings.”
The young man beamed, the worry quickly leaving his face as he held her hand captive. “Your forgiveness has brought new meaning into my life. I believe I heard your name was Sango, yes?”
Sango glanced at Kagome in her peripherals. Kagome, who was still recovering from the crash, looked as confused as she felt. “Uh… yeah.”
“What a beautiful name. My name is Miroku and my friend over there is Inuyasha.” Miroku gestured behind him, which was only met with a ‘Keh!’. “Sango, if you don’t mind, may I ask you a question?”
“Sure?” Sango hesitantly surprised, wondering why he hadn’t let go of her hand.
In her peripheral, Kagome saw Miroku’s friend tense. “Miroku, don’t-”
“Would you bear my children, Sango?”
Sango and Kagome just stood there, wide-mouthed. In a nano-second, Sango’s hand was out of his hand and across his face. “What the hell kind of a question was that, pervert?!”
“You happy now, Miroku?” Inuyasha barked, his hands tightening into fists. “We’re about to be late for practice now thanks to you messing around with these females!”
Hearing the lecher’s friend speak for the first time, Kagome spun quickly to look him in his face. “These females? Your buddy over there ran into us, so he owed Sango an apology, but instead she got a perverted question. And last time I checked, we females have a name.”
Done lecturing, Kagome was expecting a smart retort, but instead she found herself squirming underneath his intense gaze. For crying out loud, are both of these guys missing a screw, she wondered to herself.
Inuyasha suddenly stepped forward, one arm lifted as if to touch her. Instinctively, Kagome stepped back.
“K-Kikyo,” he softly muttered.
Kagome’s brow immediately furrowed in anger. The nerve! He said they were heading to practice, so he must be one of those athlete-types that goes around confusing women for his groupies! Kagome’s misguided conclusion led to her getting into Inuyasha’s face and setting him straight.
“Listen, pal. I don’t know who this Kikyo is, but it sure as hell ain’t me. My name’s Kagome. KA-GO-ME,” she empathized with deliberate enunciation.
She saw the look of confusion melt into a look of surprise, but she no longer cared what the brute had to say.
“C’mon, Sango. Looks like we ran into a couple assholes today.” Wrapping her arm through Sango’s elbow, Kagome pulled them away with a fiery determination to get to the library and start studying.
“Ugh, I knew waking up this early was a bad idea,” Sango murmured as she let her best friend drag her off, still not believing the lecher’s nerve.
*****
Miroku looked at the two ladies speeding off, his hand still massaging the imprint left by Sango’s slap. “Eh… maybe I shouldn’t have purposely ran into them.” Thinking back to how his body felt pressed against her soft curves, Miroku immediately shook his head of the thought. “No, The risk was certainly worth the prize.”
Not hearing anything from Inuyasha, Miroku turned around to figure out why his best friend wasn’t currently clawing him at his neck. “Inuyasha?” Then, he remembered what happened. “Who’s Kikyo?”
Still in shock about what had just occurred, it took a moment for Inuyasha to find his voice. “Kikyo… why did I call that weird girl Kikyo?”
“I don’t know,” Miroku replied, not understanding Inuyasha’s confusion. “She made it very clear that her name was Kagome.”
Inuyasha shook his head. “No, Kikyo was the name of Lady Kaede’s sister.”
Miroku’s eyes widened. “Your caretaker’s sister?” Miroku’s mind fell quiet. “Was?”
Inuyasha looked in the direction that Kagome and Sango went. “Miroku, I just called that girl by the name of a dead woman. Why?”
Miroku frowned, unable to answer his question. “I do not know. Let’s just hurry on to practice. If we’re not too late, we might only have to run two laps instead of five like last time.” Miroku lightly slapped Inuyasha’s arm in support before running off to the track.
“Yeah,” Inuyasha mumbled as he started a light jog. He spared one more glance in their direction before catching up to Miroku. “It was a mistake. That’s all.”
Even with this assertion, Inuyasha just couldn’t shake his distinct sense of déjà vu.
