Chapter Three,
Two Phone Calls

"Dude. She's hot."

"And she has a temper. I doubt you will be calling her 'wench' again anytime soon, eh?"

"Shut up. Since when have I cared about what people want?" Inuyasha glared at his two friends and fell on the couch. "Besides, I have a girlfriend, remember?"

"You totally only date her cause she blows you." Miroku grinned and tilted his bottle, draining half of it.

"She's pretty good on her back, too," Inuyasha said, grinning back at his best friend. He probably would have laughed at such a vulgar comment, but Sango got to him first and smacked him with the magazine she was thumbing through to ensure he didn't. She also succeeded in making him lose his balance and almost fall from the chair arm he had settled on again.

"That's disgusting. You're going to have to grow up sometime, get a girl that you can settle with, you know," Sango reminded the Hanyou with a meaningful look. Hearing Miroku sniggering at Inuyasha being reprimanded, she sniffed. "Don't scoff, you need to, too." The male's face fell, though he didn't reply; he knew he was quite the swinger, a bad habit that was hard to break- but it was still unknown if he actually wanted to change, as many times that he sang to Sango about how he'd change for her.

"Keh. Why the hell would I do that?" Inuyasha scoffed, standing. "I like it how it is, I'm not in a position where I have to do anything or commit."

"Meaning you can cheat on her."

"Exactly. She does the same thing."

"Hmph, whatever. You both make me sick, and I would lecture you, but I have to go. I will get into that hospital to see my brother, visiting hours or not," Sango said grimly, rising as Inuyasha went to get a beer.

Miroku rose, jumping on the chance to accompany Sango somewhere, even though it was also partially because of what happened earlier. With them, you never knew what would be coming next. Especially when dealing with Naraku- or even if it turned out not to be Naraku, there was still the caution. "I will come as well." When Sango glared, he shrugged and smiled. "Kohaku is such a great friend."

"Mhmm. You touch my butt, I'll take off your hands," she warned sternly, as she headed towards the front door. She looked out the window and raised her hand in a goodbye to Inuyasha before stepping outside, shutting the screen door behind her.

Miroku sighed. "You trust me so little, my dear." Following her, he grinned at his best friend, who had stopped in the doorway.

"Call me if you see anything. Don't do anything stupid, and don't fuck anything up. I don't need a new team so late in life," the Hanyou ordered, turning and going into the kitchen.

"Yeah, love you too," Miroku called dryly, leaving. In a roundabout way, Inuyasha showed that he cared- which was pretty damn rare for him. And slightly weird.

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It felt amazing to take a shower, wash her hair. The only problem was clothes; she could not put on her uniform again. With hospital potatoes ground into it, it would most likely have to be burned or something.

Rinsing the last of the shampoo from her hair - it was an unscented kind; she figured that Inuyasha's nose was sensitive, because the soap was mild too- she pulled back the curtain. She had laid out towels before she had gotten in, and now she pulled one around her body and tied her hair up in one, debating what to do about clothes. She would have to ask her kidnappers for some, she supposed. Fantastic.

Going over to the door, she poked her head out. "Uh- hello?" she called, not seeing anyone in the living room. When she actually wanted to see him, Inuyasha wasn't there. He was getting more aggravating by the moment.

"What?"

That was him, definitely. The irritated voice gave him away.

"I need clothes," she called meekly, waiting for an answer. None came; instead, she started getting annoyed until Inuyasha appeared with a bundle in his arms.

"Here, wench."

Taking them from him, she glared up at his golden eyes. She was very glad the towels were big. "What did I say about calling me that?" she hissed.

"Just not to, but I've never been one for rules. Now hurry, your towel is slipping."

Letting out a shriek- in her attempt to grab the clothes, she had moved her arm- she slammed the door. She knew that he was smirking; she could practically feel it through the door. "Stupid jerk…" Locking the door, she dropped the towel and unfolded the clothes. A pair of black boxers and a red shirt, his very own clothes, so therefore no under things. Great. Pulling them on, she undid her hair and finger combed it as she left the bathroom, heading towards the living room.

"Hungry? Looks like you had enough food today, but I thought I'd ask."

She started as Inuyasha made a sudden appearance, and she immediately regained herself and glared at him. "Funny. I obviously didn't eat much of it."

"Yeah, I thought maybe I'd teach you were your mouth is."

"Shut up."

Inuyasha smirked, nodding towards the kitchen. "There's ramen in there." Brushing past her, she watched him sit at the couch and turned, walking into the kitchen.

Going over to the pan on the stove, she looked in. Chicken, her favorite- and it looked like he cooked four or five packages. "Fatty," she said quietly, placing her hands on her hips. "Where are the bowls?" she called, going and opening a nearby cabinet- nope, just ramen. A lot of ramen.

"In the cabinet next to the ramen!"

The response came and she nodded, opening the next cabinet over and grabbing one of the plastic bowls.

"And forks?"

"In the drawer right under."

Everything seemed to be in reaching spot- he didn't even have to move from the stove and he'd get his ramen. Either he was lazy or he loved his ramen, or both. She counted on the latter.

Getting herself some of the food, she went back to the living room and sat down on a chair, her eyes going over everything. From the outside, the house was tiny and not well kept at all. Inside, though, everything was clean. It was messy, with things everywhere, but clean. And his things did not come cheap; they all must have been expensive.

"How do you get all this nice stuff?" she asked, looking over the plasma TV.

"Money," was the short answer, but it was all that he could muster through his food. He could shove more noodles in his mouth than anyone she had ever seen.

Kagome frowned, eating a bite of the food but not pushing her point. She had no business in it, really. Instead, they sat in silence- obviously, Sango and Miroku had departed and they were alone. It was slightly unnerving, but the fact that Inuyasha went bowl after bowl of ramen made things easier. Less time in the same room.

As he went to go and get what seemed to be his millionth helping the phone rang, and the only receiver was sitting by Kagome. "Get the phone, wench," Inuyasha called from the kitchen as he poured what was left in the pan into his bowl.

"Not with that mouth I'm not."

"Fine, Kagome. Just get the damn phone!" He set the pan in the sink and turned, drinking some of the broth. It might be Sango and Miroku; he would go back to his calling her names later.

"Thank you," chirped Kagome, reaching over and taking the receiver. "Hello, uh…Inuyasha's house…" She blinked, realizing how stupid that sounded.

"Who the hell is this? What are you doing answering his phone, bitch?"

Kagome sweat dropped. "Inuyasha? I think you'd better take the phone…it's a woman…"

He stopped mid-chew, looking quite amusing with noodles hanging from his mouth. Messily slurping them up, he gained a repulsed look from Kagome before shoving his bowl in her hands and swallowing. "Hello?" he said into the receiver, looking down at the nurse- she seemed faintly amused, faintly horrified, faintly embarrassed, and somewhat sorry.

It was definitely Kikyou on the other line. As she responded, he knew he was right- she always made people uncomfortable, even if she wasn't right in front of them.

"Inuyasha! Who was that? I could tell it was not Sango." She was half-drunk- her voice was slightly slurred. Kikyou tended to be a very mean drunk.

Sighing, Inuyasha sat on the couch, watching Kagome turn and watch the TV. She seemed to try and not listen, but he knew she would fail. "Just some girl, Kikyou."

"Are you sleeping with her?" Kikyou's voice demanded. "And you let her answer your phone!"

Scratching his head in annoyance, Inuyasha closed his eyes. "No, I'm not sleeping with her," he replied in monotone. "And yes, I did. I thought it was going to be Miroku."

He could practically feel her sulk seep through the phone. "You sure you aren't cheating on me, Inu-baby?"

Repressing another sigh, Inuyasha nodded. "Of course. But listen, honey, I gotta go. I've got some business to take care of…"

"Not in bed, surely?"

"'Course not. 'Night, Kik." Opening his eyes, he looked at Kagome, who was still staring at the TV.

"I love you, Inu-baby," her voice drawled from the phone, accompanied with giggles. Yura was there with her.

"Love you." He abruptly hung up the phone, not knowing why he was embarrassed with talking in front of Kagome; it was like he didn't want her knowing he had a girlfriend or something. As the phone clicked, he leaned over and retrieved his food, sitting back.

"So." Gold eyes met brown as Kagome spoke, a smirk tugging at her lips. "How big is her chest?"

Slurping up more noodles, Inuyasha laughed, but he turned it into a choke. She didn't need to know that the flame that burned between him and Kikyou died when he decided he liked her better for fucking than for talking. Before, he really had loved her; it had just changed when they lost their virginity to each other and decided there were more fun things than sitting around and being in love.

"She's more than just boobs, thanks. She's smart." He said this just to defend himself, but it was not a complete lie. She did have a lot of common sense and her grades had never suffered. "Like you, but…more boob."

Kagome rolled her eyes, looking back at the TV. "Not my fault that I prefer to be all natural."

"And I guess baggy things just don't do you justice?" he asked, grinning. The shirt really did bunch everywhere. In his clothes, he couldn't tell if she really was as small as she looked.

"You would like to know," she said lightly.

Getting up, Inuyasha let a low growl escape his lips, walking by and running a finger along her jaw. "Mm, you have no idea." He pulled his hand away before she could slap it and yell at him and walked back into the kitchen. He could practically feel the blush on her cheeks, something he got joy out of. She blushed so easily, from both anger and embarrassment.

As he was shoving more things into the sink, he heard the phone ring.

"Inuyasha!"

She obviously didn't want to risk his girlfriend again, even though he knew it wouldn't be her. She was with Yura; they were probably somewhere getting smashed and flashing people.

"Yeah, yeah, wench." Walking into the living room, he went to the phone and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hello, Inuyasha." The voice was all-to familiar.

"Old woman?"

"I tend to prefer Kaede, but that is not the object of my call. You might want to come down to the hospital; we have your friends Miroku and Sango. They are not in good condition, but they wish to speak to you before anything else."

A stream of curses emitted from his mouth, but apparently that was not all she had to say. "Please hurry, Inuyasha, for their sakes. They need attention immediately, but they demand to speak to you first."