Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. I do not own Snuggle. I do not own PopTarts. I do not own J.G. Wentworth.

Chapter 4: The Glance

Bankotsu had the day off from school. So he was finally home at the same time as Jakotsu. He didn't hear her come in from work. So he was slightly surprised to wake up to her face around noon. Bankotsu just wiped his eyes, peed, and brushed his teeth. Although he could explore the city or hang out with his friends. He decided that his time would be better spent watching trash TV. He opened his generic, blueberry pop-tarts and flipped through channels. Jakotsu moaned, upset at the new disturbance. She'd only been sleep for a few hours. She usually woke up an hour before school let him out. She wasn't too thrilled about Bankotsu snatching her from her beauty sleep.

Bankotsu finally settled on a station after seeing too obese women grab each other's hair. He snickered and took a bite of his food. He couldn't wait to be eighteen. Then he could take off any be any studio audience he wanted. Jakotsu threw a pillow at Bankotsu. He caught it without breaking his gaze from the screen. "Hey."

"I'm sleeping!" Jakotsu complained.

"Come on, it's Jerry Springer! We always loved daytime TV."

Jakotsu folded her arms and pouted. "That was before I got a midnight job."

"Do you want me to wake you when they talk shit to the guests?"

Jakotsu shook her head and laid on her stomach next to him. "No need. Once I saw that wig fly, you had a daytime partner!"

"Yes!"

The guest put the mangled wig back on her head. Jakotsu rolled her eyes. "Seriously, I will never figure out why they choose to wear wigs knowing they're going on Jerry Springer. Most likely, you're going to fight! Why would you embarrass yourself on national TV like that? So not only are you trashy, but now you're bald and trashy."

"It's usually Black women who wear the wigs on this show. I don't get it either. The Black chick I mess with has cornrows. Now that's a fighting hairstyle! I love it. I like when she pulls my hair, but when I pull her-"

"Um TMI!"

Bankotsu smirked. "What can I say? Women love me, I can't disappoint the fans."

"You are ridiculous." Jakotsu turned her attention back to the screen. It changed from the fight to a J.G. Wentworth commercial. She sighed. "I wish riding the bus was like this commercial."

"I know right! Hell, I don't even trust saying the slogan out our window without being shot. I bet you your poptart that a Mesothelioma commercial is coming up next."

"I'm going with one of those colleges that want you to come join their school by first showing you what a failure you are."

Unfortunately they were both wrong. A commercial for a local business came on. Bankotsu groaned and flopped back on their mattress. Jakotsu giggled and gave him half of hers. Poptarts were high in calories and she valued her figure. She would eat later on at work. Jakotsu yawned; if the commercials didn't hurry up, she'd fall asleep on them. When it came on, Jakotsu lost her joy when she noticed it was a transgendered woman. She met a guy she liked and was afraid to tell him. Once she did, the guy got mad and started beating her as the crowd cheered. Jerry's security did little to stop it. Bankotsu watched in silence, but didn't comment until the next commercial break.

"Jamie... You've got to tell that guy."

"Call the show." Jakotsu joked.

Bankotsu got excited. "Really?! Hell yeah!"

"Sarcasm, Benjamin Andrew Kotsu, sarcasm."

"Oh. But don't change the subject. You have to tell, Inuyasha."

Jakotsu faked a yawn. "I'm tired. Let's talk about this some other time."

"Jakotsu-"

"I'm not you Bankotsu. I can't just bounce from partner to partner. It's so rare to find someone I like and almost impossible for them to stay once I tell them my secret. I like Inuyasha and he likes me. Can I have a couple more days of that before he starts looking at me like a freak?"

"You're not a freak because you were born the wrong way. You're a freak because you just are."

Jakotsu smiled and hugged Bankotsu. "Really?! Thanks!" She yawned genuinely. "I don't think he'll react badly anyway. He doesn't want children and I can't give him any. It seems like a win-win."

"If he puts his hands on you call me." Bankotsu said with a glare.

"He won't." Jakotsu said laying down. She fell asleep and didn't wake up until later. She was a real woman and didn't have time for Jerry Springer. She had to work to provide for the boy who'd do the same for her and loved her even if Inuyasha wouldn't.


Jakotsu had returned from the laundry mat. The warmth from the clothes in addition to the flight of stairs she had to walk was causing her to sweat. She was wearing snake skin pumps. Her work shoes were her only shoes that were not high heels. Although Keds didn't cost much; they didn't have enough to replace them if they got worn out. Jakotsu was saving money for Bankotsu's prom. So she but back wherever she could. This included detergent. The cheap flowery scent disgusted her; but, to make up for it she put in extra fabric softener and a dyer sheet. This was when she started to miss being home. Her mother always had her clothes neat and smelling amazing. They were fragrant and didn't overpower her nose. She loved the scent of Snuggle. Her detergent was called Detergent and smelled as such. Bankotsu had been adamant that he didn't want to go to prom; but, it was a memory she didn't want him deprived of. He was going. She knew he would enjoy it. When prom was over she'd buy Snuggle.

Jakotsu held the basket on her hips. Her mind was thinking about money. She almost missed the silver-haired Adonis. Their eyes met for that second. Jakotsu swallowed looking into those hard topaz eyes. They seemed to be more beautiful each time she saw them. Also mysterious, they didn't shine bright or twinkle. They were the eyes of a man who endured suffering and hardship. She wondered who caused his eyes to dim. Jakotsu wanted to be the twinkle in his eyes.

Inuyasha grinned as the beautiful woman came into his sight. She smiled back; but, didn't speak. She passed him and continued walking up the stairs. Inuyasha watched as she strutted up the stairs in those high snake skin heels. Her long creamy legs must've been strong. They definitely looked good in those tattered white linen pants. He watched her hips move and wished she wasn't wearing linens or the pale blue wife beater. Just those snake skin heels.

Linens, wife beaters, heels? Jakotsu had an odd style. This was probably why he wanted her so much. He didn't know if she wanted him. He gave her his number a while ago; but, she had yet to call him. It had passed the "three day rule". Maybe she couldn't say no to him to his face. Weren't Southerners nice? A girl like that was probably into artsy guys. Guys, who wore skinny jeans, had tattoos and wrote poetry. With her looks she could date rich; she was probably used to models, politicians, doctors and lawyers. She probably sensed he had nothing to offer her. What would she want with a divorced security guard?

Inuyasha growled and went to work upset.


Jakotsu waited patiently at 507. She peeled the myriad of colors off her fingernails. Jakotsu rarely used remover. She simply painted over the parts that chipped. She didn't care if they didn't match because the rainbow was beautiful and made her happy. She needed anything to take her off the pain her purple heels were causing her.

She had been waiting for nearly an hour when Inuyasha came shuffling to his door. Seeing her there surprised him. He almost thought she was on the wrong floor again. She smiled brightly. She couldn't contain her excitement and waved frantically at him. "Inuyasha!"

"What are you doing here?" he asked rudely

"It's a long story."

"…why haven't you called me?" Inuyasha regretted asking. He didn't want her to think that he was a punk or whiny. He was truly curious and slightly hurt.

"It's part of that story." Jakotsu took off her heels. Her feet were pink and red from strain. Inuyasha looked at her toes; they were unusual like her fingernails, like her. "When I got your number. I wanted to make you sweat. I wanted you to want me so I waited a bit. Did you want me? Did you miss me? But… My phone service was gone by the time I tried to call. So here I am at your door."

"You're ridiculous." Inuyasha pushed past her and slammed his door. Jakotsu stood outside stunned and confused. She thought he was going to open up; but, he never did. So after knocking and realizing he was ignoring her, Jakotsu and her swollen feet went back to 607.

Jakotsu sighed as she sat at the bar of her job. It took her a while; but, she finally understood. Inuyasha wasn't the type to play games especially one so high school. "Well I sure messed that up." Jakotsu would just have to try harder. She didn't want to give up on Inuyasha. She felt something for him. She wanted them to laugh about this later.

Her coworker snapped her out of her dreaming. "Hey Jamie, your boy walked in."

"He did?"

How Alycia Keys… Jakotsu's heart raced and she smiled. Part of her wanted to offer him the special and a hot chocolate. Jakotsu's hands grew sweaty. She watched as Inuyasha looked at the menu and locked eyes with her.

They twinkled brightly. They glistened in excitement. Inuyasha was sure he wasn't the only one to notice. They were like diamonds –an expression he didn't really get until now. Inuyasha just gazed in them for a moment. He was mad at first; but, realized her intentions weren't malicious. It's not every day a woman like Jakotsu will show interest in someone like him. So he wanted to give it another shot.

Jakotsu stood there paralyzed at first before she walked up to him. "What can I get you, Inuyasha?"

"Sit." And she did.

(A/N) Sorry that this took so long! Please review! Also forgive typos and such. I'm doing this before my bus leaves. This was from Alycia Key's You Don't Know My Name. Also have you noticed on The Jerry Springer Show that security does very little to protect transgender people from their beatings. I don't think it's Jerry's intentions because he's been kind of a double edge sword for the LGBTQ community in my opinion. While he talks of inclusion and that we are all people, he also shows the "typical" transgendered figure and the most ratchet. But hey, it's Jerry Springer, it has to be ratchet!

Next Chapter: Inuyasha and Jakotsu go on their first date.