I do not own InuYasha….
"Damnit!" A roughened mumble broke the silence in the apartment complex corridor along with a metal jangling of keys, quickly ending with a gentle thud on the carpeted hallway floor. InuYasha's short fuse took over him as he dipped down to snatch his house keys up one handed from their still position on the floor beneath him. The day had not been a particularly satisfying one, as he had faith in landing a new gig, writing short stories for a local writers magazine, hoping to get some recognition and a step up from his career as a computer technician to published writer. Of course he had chosen an unforgiving career in literature, because following your dreams in becoming the next world renowned writer was about the most logical thing you could do in a world of evolutionary technology. But what did he know? He knew fiction for sure. And fixing computers.
InuYasha sighed for about the millionth time that day, if he had even cared to count, and put his key into the door lock, turning it while holding the handle and pushing through as he held a bag of stress relief in the other hand. In other words, beer. He left the door open for a moment to set the six-pack on his kitchen counter before his phone rang in his pocket. Pausing to glare at the bag on the counter as if it were the person calling him, he dove his hand into his pants back pocket, grabbed the phone and glanced at the screen.
"Miroku," he mumbled again to himself before tapping the answer button.
"Hey man, still up for this evening? I hear…"
"Not really," InuYasha grumbled, purposely cutting off his friend mid-sentence, not being in the mood to have much more conversation but to give the least consideration of letting him know that he wasn't down for any shenanigans that evening. He turned around, realizing that his door was still opened and began to make his way towards closing it.
"Come on InuYasha, I would have suggested going out to the bar but your TV is large enough for the movie theater. Perfect screen to watch the fight tonight." InuYasha responded with silence, which told Miroku enough about how his day had gone.
"So I'm guessing they didn't take interest. Sorry about that man. But that's all the more reason to throw this fight party!" exclaimed Miroku on the other line. Miroku was InuYasha's best friend from college. At first, InuYasha had thought Miroku was a "grade A" idiot and womanizer, taking freshman upon freshman back to his dorm at least 3 times a week. But when they had a class together during their sophomore year, Miroku turned out to be useful in the sense that he happened to be smart as hell. InuYasha, falling behind in their Religion Studies course, which he had no idea in hell why he decided to take it as he was an English major, thought to seek the help of this guy. Miroku happened to tutor during his free time on campus, being that it brought upon many opportunities to score some ass. But besides that, he actually took high interest in the subject and welcomed InuYasha to a couple study sessions. They would review, have some beers, watch a couple sports games and before they knew it, they were the best of buds. Miroku graduated with honors and InuYasha, had just barely graduated. Now, he had taken a side job fixing computers while quite frequently having his work rejected by various publishers including that day's, "Original Works" section of the Tokyo Writers Journal.
InuYasha definitely wasn't in the mood to have a party, let alone have anyone in his apartment, roaming around, laughing, enjoying their time while he was utterly miserable.
Miroku went on trying to convince InuYasha that it was an absolutely appropriate idea to get drunk and have a good time after his days shortcomings as he made his way to the front door to close it. He was about to shut the door as Miroku took his silence as agreement to the much needed festivities, when something told him to look up again. There was a girl chatting with his neighbor Sango as they approached her apartment door. He hadn't seen this girl before and Sango had never mentioned she had a sister or friend living close by. Nor had Sango ever invited anyone into her apartment as far as he was concerned. Except for Miroku that is.
Miroku and Sango had an unusual relationship that they kept strictly private, being as every time InuYasha brought up the subject of the two, they'd give him looks of disbelief, asking "What are you talking about?" and quickly responding "No," usually in unison and followed by unbelieveable expressions, leaving InuYasha smirking with eyebrows raised.
InuYasha leaned against his door frame, taking in the sight of his neighbor's' sister or friend, or whatever she was, not realizing that he was subconsciously absorbing every detail she revealed to him from the side. She had long brown wavy hair, ending midway down her back. One side tucked behind her triple pierced ear. Her eyes were also brown but a few shades lighter than her hair, seeming to have a few golden flecks slightly shimmering in her irises. He caught a few very light, almost invisible freckles dusted across the top of her nose bridge and down atop her cheekbones. They were the kind that only someone looking too closely would catch. She was wearing a casual form fitting dress with short sleeves in white, patterned with sunflowers, coordinating the outfit perfectly with white strappy wedges that tied a couple inches above her ankles.
His heart happened to skip a beat but going unnoticed, InuYasha stuffed his phone in his pants pocket with Miroku still on the line, smirking and staring at the beautiful stranger that Sango conversed with, catching her attention. Sango narrowed her eyes at him with furrowed brows in question, as the girl with her turned to fully face him. Her eyes widened and immediately relaxed but not before InuYasha caught it and registered the information in the back of his mind for later without showing that he had noticed.
"Hey InuYasha. What's with the face?"
"Hey. Nothin' just didn't know you had actual friends. It's weird. I thought Miroku was the only one invited to your apartment," InuYasha responded with a chuckle. Sangos mouth dropped open and then closed.
"I don't know what you're talking about InuYasha and anyways, don't you have party or something to throw? Or anything else you could be doing besides creeping outside your door like some pervert?" InuYasha disregarded the snarky comeback he was accustomed to with another chuckle. She still hadn't responded to his comment about inviting friends over. He was becoming more and more curious about the girl she stood next to; as seconds passed, who stood quietly watching their playful banter with one another. She had still been staring back at him and when he glanced at her for just a moment, she looked down, blushing a little in embarrassment. InuYasha thought it was cute but he didn't particularly want do anything about it, with it potentially blossoming into something more and distracting him from his career, so he didn't bother to introduce himself. Unfortunately, Sango, realizing her lack of manners, remembered his comment about friends being invited.
"Oh sorry, Kagome, this is InuYasha, my neighbor. Don't mind him, he's kind of an ass,"
"Hey!" InuYasha retorted. Sango ignored him.
"InuYasha, this my COUSIN, Kagome." Kagome then spoke for the first time since her conversation with Sango had ended a couple minutes before, still seeming to recover from embarrassment with a hint of red in her cheeks.
"Hi, nice to meet you," Her voice more softer now than it was before when it was just her and Sango talking.
"Sure, pleasure." He said quickly before looking back at Sango. He was going to ask her if they were going to join his party when he remembered that he hadn't even wanted to throw it and that Miroku was still on the phone in his pocket.
"Shit," he mumbled to himself and grabbed the phone again from his pocket, bringing it to his ear. "Hello?"
"Yeah,"
"You're still on the phone?"
"I heard you talking to Sango. Is she coming tonight?"
"What are you talking about?"
"To the party, dick head,"
"I told you that wasn't happening. I'm not in the mood."
"Well too bad, I already texted Kouga and the guys. They're on the way."
"What the fuck Miroku! You guys better bring your own shit, cause I ain't prepared, nor am I going to provide."
"That's the spirit! Make sure Sango comes. I heard her cousin is coming to town. I also heard she's hot,"
"Shut up, Miroku," InuYasha said before hanging up.
Sango and Kagome had resumed their prior conversation as InuYasha had continued his with Miroku while they still stood outside her door.
"You guys wanna come over to watch the fight?" InuYasha asked, secretly hoping for a yes while unconsciously glancing at Kagome who returned with a soft smile. Sango, finding InuYasha's sudden invitation a little odd responded with, "We'll think about it," as she had then grabbed her keys from her pocket and unlocked the door to let the two of them in before closing the door behind them, leaving a quite suddenly anxious InuYasha standing.
InuYasha felt a low rumbling in his chest, as if a growl was soon to emerge, confusing himself for a moment, wondering why he cared so much. It was just Sango after all. He saw her all the time as she passed him on his way to work in the mornings. So what could have possibly been the difference this evening?
Surely, if Miroku were there to observe the situation, he would have stated that he was longing for a woman and Kagome was exactly the reason for his frustration. She was, in fact "hot," just as he had imagined. And Inuyasha would have sucker punched him out of the clouds as the drool dripped from the corner of his mouth, stars in his eyes. InuYasha would roll his in response.
"I know that look on your face and I know exactly why so DON'T EVENNN try to hide it Kagome because I KNOW you have the hots for my neighbor InuYashaaaa, YESSSS!" Sango boomed loud enough that even InuYasha may have been able to hear from across the hall but completely ignored her tone as she opened the fridge to grab a beer and grabbing another to wave at Kagome to offer in silence. Kagome raised his arm to grab towards it from across the living room where she had plopped herself on her cousins cozy sectional. She felt the heat in her cheeks rise but kept stubborn and tried her best to deny her cousins absurd accusations.
"I have no idea what you're talking about Sango. We were standing out there for about .5 seconds and you somehow caught the feeling that I'm feeling something for your neighbor? I literally JUST broke up with Hojo. I came here for a fresh start, not more drama with the guy next door. And how would that look when we broke up? Talk about awkward. And you mentioned this is Miroku's best friend? Red flags everywhere!" Kagome confessed her predictable spiel as to why there was no reason to have such a connection with a complete stranger in a matter of minutes. She didn't believe the whole love at first sight thing. Because that was a load of shit, of course. Absolutely. Sango would buy it. Wouldn't she?
"That is complete bullshit and you know it Kagome! Come on! We're in a new place, in our 20's and full of life to live here. I say give InuYasha a chance and have sex with him tonight." Sango had still stood in the kitchen, taking a sip of her bottle and balancing her weight on the kitchen counter with her free arm, smirking at her own remark and trying to contain herself from bursting into laughter.
"WHAT?!" Kagome had whipped her head around from the couch to see Sango at the counter spit some of the beer out and burst into obnoxious bellowing. She was clearly here to entertain herself. Kagome narrowed her eyes, ignoring her cousins blunt joke.
"I'm just kidding. But in all seriousness, InuYasha's a pretty cool guy. He keeps to himself for the most part but he's Miroku's best friend, he's a writer I think and I mean look at him, he's delicious and a perfect rebound for you." Sango had made her way over to the couch where her cousin sat and took her spot on the opposite end to stretch out her legs and lay back as she continued to take gulps of her bottle.
"I don't do rebounds Sango. And maybe this guy IS handsome, and the fact that he's a writer seems kind of romantic, but I don't see myself just jumping into bed with a stranger."
"Kagome, you need a rebound. Like the dick. If, you're really trying to get over Hojo and move on."
"Do you need to be so vulgar about it?"
"Yes."
Kagome frowned. Though she was the one who had broken up with her now ex, Hojo, back in Kyoto, she still felt a little obligation to him. She felt as if she had to wait a certain amount of time to move on, out of respect to him but then again, she had no reason to do so. She had to find a way to get the chip off her shoulder and Sango may have been right about taking a rebound. She just wasn't sure about the guy across the hall. InuYasha. Sure, he had pretty lean arms, perfect for holding up her frame against a wall or something. And those eyes, almost like gold. She definitely wouldn't mind staring into those during a hot session in his bedroom, or bathroom, or living room. At that moment of catching herself in a fantasy, her blush from earlier had returned and grown darker than before.
"I know. He probably has big dick."
"Oh my God, Sango!"
"What?! I know that's what you were thinking about. And did you see his eyes?" Sango raised her eyebrows in that perverted type of way a guy in those old movies did to let a girl know that they were looking to get in between the sheets. So corny. Kagome narrowed her eyes at Sango once again, hating that her cousin knew her too well.
"You can think about it before we head over there." Sango abruptly announced as she raised herself to move back over to the kitchen to grab another beer from the fridge. The heat that had been simmering upon Kagome's cheeks had spread through her whole body after Sango's remark and her eyes grew wide but she kept her back to the kitchen, not wanting to give Sango any more reason to believe that she had instantly felt an attraction to her neighbor. She wasn't going to give her more ammo than she already held but she wasn't ready to face this guy again so soon. But why was she being such a baby about it? They had just stood in the hall with him for less than 5 minutes and he couldn't have possibly caught all of her bursting emotions seemingly appearing out of nowhere. She had hardly even said a word. What was the big deal? Sango would be there. Suddenly she was torn about something that was clearly nothing and couldn't see the reason for not trying to have fun in this new place right after a breakup. This was the perfect idea for putting the past behind her. Meet some new people, watch a fight, have some beers, a typical Saturday night. Absolutely harmless.
