God, with this chapter, I really didn't want to stop writing, so it was difficult to find a cut off point. I don't really know if I'm confident on one scene in particular but I'll let your lovely reviews tell me whether I did good. So here's chapter 4. BTW thanks to Technochocolate and Inuwoman3773 for their lovely reviews :D
Chapter 4
Inuyasha noticed Sesshomaru's car outside looking brand new. He must have picked it up on the way back.
At that moment he remembered that he had said he would tell his Uncle when his brother had returned, so he headed straight up to the office.
"Inuyasha? Come to ask another favour?" Naraku teased, keeping a good eye on his nephews mood. He was positively raging with radiance.
"No Uncle, just telling you Sesshomaru's here." Inuyasha noticed that his Uncle perked up after hearing this. He picked up the phone on his desk.
"Helen?" He was speaking to the secretary, "When you see Sesshomaru can you send him up here please? Thanks." he hung the phone up.
"Any particular reason why you want to see him?"
Naraku thought about telling his nephew, but he wasn't quite ready yet. It was fine of course, Inuyasha would find out soon enough, fate was working it's way to him. First came Sesshomaru, then his little brother and everything would be secure.
"I just want to talk about his aspirations after he finishes school, that's all. You have homework to do I suppose, no need for you to stay up here."
Inuyasha turned to leave, but couldn't figure out why he had a terrible feeling in his stomach. He tried to ignore it.
Friday morning was dreary as it chose that day to rain down like the world was ending. Inuyasha's first thought was about Kagome riding her bike on those wet slippery roads and he decided he had to leave early to pick her up. His instincts were right too; as he pulled up to her house, Kagome opened her front door. She ran over to his car and he rolled down the window.
"What are you doing here?"
"Knowing what I know about road safety and how far you have to ride and how the weather is, I thought I'd pick you up early and take you to breakfast. Get in, you look cold." She did look cold, she hadn't dressed in much, just a tshirt and some ripped jeans, probably because she hadn't seen the rain until opening her front door. He noticed the necklace swinging from her neck and warmed knowing she was still wearing it.
She sighed as she hopped into the car, already shivering. In response he turned on the heat and let the car heat up.
"Don't know why you bothered, my mother does have a car."
"I'm still trying to get on a friendly basis with you, Kagome, if you hadn't noticed." He smiled at her and her look of surprise wasn't as great as all the other times. Maybe it was finally sinking in that he really wasn't going to stop trying to be her friend. Not after yesterday anyway.
Turning away from her, he took his silver hair out of it's man bun and let it cascade down past his shoulders. It wasn't as long as Sesshomaru's but it was still pretty long. He'd noticed Kagome looking at his hair the last time she was in the car...he realised he wanted her to look and just like clockwork she did. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her staring. He tried to hide his smile as he reversed out of her garden.
"So where are you taking me for breakfast?"
"There's a pancake place in the mall near school."
"Pancakes?"
"Who doesn't love a good pancake on a rainy day like this?"
"Kikyo did." she whispered. He almost stopped the car in his shock. He'd forgotten. Kikyo had loved the place they were heading to now and they used to stop there before school all the time. "Don't confuse me with her, Inuyasha. We're not the same person."
In his peripheral vision he looked at her. Her hair was up today and he could see her all of her face. She looked a lot like Kikyo, but how could he mix them up when he felt a fire inside himself he'd never felt with Kikyo, no matter how much he had loved her?
"I'd never confuse you with her." he assured her, as well as himself.
She stayed silent as he drove and he hoped she'd believed him. He didn't want her to think he was trying to replace Kikyo with her, no matter how much he missed her...This was all about friendship. He repeated it to himself a couple times, almost missing Kagome's next question.
"So what side of your family do you get your hair colour from? I noticed your brother has silver hair too."
"We get it from our dad's demon side...well I do anyway. Sesshomaru is a full demon."
"He is?!"
"You didn't know? Well, you've never really met him have you? He'll be back in school today, when we get there I'll introduce you."
"So you have a human mother?"
"Had."
She paused to look apologetic, "Sorry, yeah."
"You're not intruding, go ahead and ask anything, we're nearly there."
She nodded and continued on, "What was her name?"
"Izayoi."
"What made her fall for a demon?"
He took a minute to think about it. "She told me it was his persistence to do what was right in a city so lacking in justice. Demons weren't as numerous back then but in my mother's adulthood that's when they started to openly move here and cause trouble. I remember her telling me...well, she hated demons just as much as you do," he chuckled at the thought, "but he avenged her father's death, killing a strong demon. Because of that she wanted to share that life with him and joined the family. She started to learn there were different demons out there who weren't all that bad, and changed her mind about...well them being all dangerous."
"Who was Sesshomaru's mother?"
"Ask him when you meet him today. We're here." Inuyasha parked the car and they ran into the shopping mall between the raindrops. They got up to the second floor and Inuyasha directed Kagome to the seating for "Flip 'n' Cake".
He ordered for both of them; blueberry pancakes with maple syrup. For once Kagome didn't argue with him and he could see why when their plates were brought to the table. She ate it all like it was the last meal on earth and then asked for another which she savoured a bit more than the first.
"Guessing you like blueberry then?"
"Love it. One of the things me and KIkyo loved more than anything were blueberries in our food. Blueberry pancakes, blueberry muffins…" she went on and on, but Inuyasha started chastising himself again. Every nice thing he tried to do reminded her of Kikyo. "Thanks for bringing me here and reminding me of that. I miss her." This stopped him. She was smiling, at him, outright, without any hesitation.
"You're welcome." he smiled back, finally happy he'd done something right.
"She said you were a great guy."
"Do you believe her now?"
"Partially." she teased, and then she went back to eating.
When they both finished they still had at least twenty minutes to kill before heading to school, so he suggested she look around.
"I doubt you've had time to look, let alone shop, since moving here."
"True." She said, heading into the first clothing store they came too. She ran all over the place and he loved watching; she even bought a couple of things, t shirts mostly, a skirt here and there.
He was about to tell her it was time to go when she stopped in front of a tattoo parlour. She watched as a man rolled up his sleeve showing his bare skin, which was then promptly stabbed with a needle.
"You interested in tattoos, Inuyasha?" she asked.
"Not really." he scrunched up his nose, knowing she couldn't see him. He actually really hated them. All the demons that worked for his Uncle had tattoos and it was unnerving.
"I think one would really suit you. Silver hair and tattoos…"
"What?"
She turned away quickly, letting go of what she was about to say. "Nothing." He watched her linger on some sketches in the window before finally walking away. Maybe she was into ink, but he didn't really want to ask.
They headed back towards the entrance of the building to the car park. He unlocked the doors to the car and let her in before getting in himself and starting the engine.
"Why don't you plait some of your hair?" she asked, as he drove onto the main road.
"My mom used to before she died, probably wishing she had a daughter. In all that time I never learned how."
"I could do it for you."
"That would involve touching a demon you hate. Also, that would involve a friendly inclination to said demon."
"You're not so bad, ok." she seemed to be blushing, perhaps out of embarrassment or of being proved wrong, but it was still cute.
"Whatever you like, Kagome."
She was warming up to him and she knew it. It was difficult when he was...well to use his mother's words "persistent" in terms of being nice and sorta chivalrous. He had even opened the car door for her like a gentleman. Kikyo must have fallen head over heels for that, but not Kagome.
From the rain they ran into school heading to their lockers. His was slightly close to hers but not too close that in the future she could always count on him to be there in the mornings. Even after that relieving thought, he still got his books quicker than she did and returned to her in a second. "I'll see you in Algebra right?"
"As much as I'm tempted to skip, I have to pass it. So yeah you will."
"Don't worry, I'll help you. We have lunch straight after so I'll show you where we eat when it rains."
"Another place you're not allowed into right?"
"Of course. See ya."
He waved, and she waved back. She thought to herself about what he'd said about his mother getting over her hatred for demons. She supposed with men like the Taisho's, it was difficult to hate them when they were so..nice. She didn't think about his Uncle though, the ruling was still out on him...and maybe Sesshomaru too, since she had yet to meet him.
As she had now met Sango, she noticed her in English when she walked through the door. Her cat was still with her and it was just sleeping away on her desk.
"Did you do the reading?"
Algebra came too quickly for Kagome. Of course, this time the teacher was in attendance and he surprised them all with a quiz, which after completion, they promptly got in partners to mark. Inuyasha was next to her in a heartbeat.
"Oh...Kagome." his pity was palpable as he looked at her paper. She placed her head on the desk and pretended to weep.
"How bad is it?"
"3/20"
She gagged on her tears. "I have to pass."
"You did manage to use the method I gave you last time. Why don't I come to your house after school? I'll be dropping you off there anyway; I'll help you with your algebra and as a reward I'll let you plait my hair."
"Like that's a real reward..."
"Well, I've seen you eyeing it...as well as my ears." She felt her cheeks burn but she managed to keep a straight face.
"Silver hair is an aberration, of course I was looking. And fine, my mother would love that. The great Inuyasha Taisho at my house. She'll cook you dinner..."
"How nice. I'm hungry just thinking about it." he said jokingly, and like his wish had been granted, the bell for lunch rang. "Great, come on."
He led her down the corridor to the middle of the school which was emptying, as everyone was heading in the opposite direction. He came in front of some double doors and inside was the main hall. Red seats lined the side they were on, but in front of them was a huge stage.
"Sango helps the theatre company so she has rights to be in here, so by extension so do we."
Hearing her name, Sango waved at them from the stage and with her was Miroku and the mysterious Sesshomaru. Inuyasha and her made their way to the stage, and sat down next to the rest of the group.
"How are you today, Kagome?" Miroku asked. He still seemed to have a flirtatious spark in his eyes when he spoke to her, but it had lessened today.
She smiled in return hoping to lift his spirits. "I'm okay."
"Sango tells me you got your bike back."
"Yeah, Inuyasha helped a lot. I hate to admit it but so did his Uncle."
"You asked him for help?" Sesshomaru burst in awe, almost whispering in some sort of outrage.
"Kagome," Inuyasha stated, "this is Sesshomaru." Inuyasha introduced him to her like his brother hadn't even spoken.
"Hello." she tried in greeting but he never even looked at her, all his attention on his brother.
"He's in the year above us, but since Rin usually hangs around with us, she's in our year, he has no choice but to sit with us lowerclassmen." The group seemed to laugh at that, but not Sesshomaru. Instead he jumped up and grabbed Inuyasha's arm, walking him quickly towards the door.
"We need to talk." Kagome heard him say, before the double doors closed.
"Sibling tension." Sango explained, and they all carried on eating.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Inuyasha couldn't help yelping as his older brother threw him against the wall.
"Why did you go to our Uncle for help?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Because it was Kōga who had taken the bike. I knew Uncle Naraku would know where to get it, and he was generous in doing me the favour."
"He didn't ask for anything in return?"
"No. Why are you so violent right now? It's not like you..."
Sesshomaru took a deep breath and upon inhale he sensed the raging fire in his brother.
"I'm guessing Kagome is happy now?" he pondered.
At the mention of her name the fire piqued and Inuyasha's heart rate increased without his knowledge.
Instead he proudly answered, "Yes. Yes, she is."
"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru sighed, "have you realised that you're demon has awoken?"
Inuyasha stared at his brother in shock, not remembering it was obvious to full demons when this happened, not that they always mentioned it. "Yes."
"Because of Kagome?"
Less ecstatic he answered again, "Yes."
"Did it ever occur to you that our Uncle noticed this too, that he wanted this to happen, which is why he didn't ask for anything in return? Half demons become so unstable when their full demon spirit awakens. Did you not think that he would want to take advantage of that fiery uncontrollable power inside of you for his own purposes?!"
Inuyasha's brother had never spoken to him so much, especially with that much fervor. He tried to understand but couldn't, "But why would he do that?"
"Because he still wants us to take over his dirty 'business'! You think when he asked the first time and we said no, he would just let it go?"
"Of course. We're his only family, and he respects that-"
"No he doesn't, little brother. He has no other heirs, no children. All he has is us and he will do anything to get us...force us to comply. His devious plans infiltrate our very lives, our futures. He's pulling the strings of this entire city…" his voice took on a darker tone, "Kagome had the right idea."
"What?"
"Of course he hurt Kikyo. All your attention was on her, and she wasn't even awakening your demon, so what does he do? Kills her."
"No." Inuyasha said quietly, dreading to think his brother right. After Kagome telling him and now his brother… "No, no, no!"
"Kagome is the center of your attention now and he knows exactly what her presence, her very name, does to you, so he's going to use her-"
"Shut up!"
"He's going to use her to awaken that angry rage your demon possesses, and with my calm strength and your brutal anger, we are finally the heirs he wants." After saying this, all the strength of his argument sputtered out, and he slid onto the wall next to Inuyasha.
"But..he said-"
"It doesn't matter what he said, Inuyasha, or what he claimed. I know the truth. I wish I'd known sooner but I now know…"
It took a while for Inuyasha to puzzle it out, and when he did, fear clutched his heart. "Where's Rin?" Sesshomaru didn't answer. "Where is Rin?!" Instead his brother's head just lowered.
"Keep a close eye on Kagome, Inuyasha. This is only just beginning." And then he walked away.
Kagome noticed a change in Inuyasha's mood when he returned, plus his brother didn't come back with him. The rest of the day she saw him in the halls and expected his annoying friendly smile and his ears to twitch when he saw her, but they didn't. He was late getting to the car as well and she realised it annoyed her.
She felt like she needed to fix it, and she did things the way she knew how, she confronted him. "What happened to being all cheery and not giving up the friendly fight? What's your problem right now?"
"Nothing." he quipped.
"Couldn't be nothing, droopy ears. Friends talk to each other don't they? Tell me what's wrong."
"You would only say I told you so."
"Maybe so, but at least you'd get it off you're chest."
"I don't want to talk about it, Kagome."
"Why not? I bet if you just-"
"I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" He roared. His claws grew twice as fast this time and he felt his fangs lengthen with a hunger. Kagome stared at him in utter horror.
In Inuyasha's head a voice, voices, screamed at him; to protect, always protect no matter the cost. She was his and no one else's. She should always do as he said. Her pestering, her stubbornness, was aggravating, and her fear of him silenced it. He was more powerful, he was the one in charge and if anyone dared to hurt her…
"Inuyasha….I'm sorry. You don't have to talk about it. Just...calm down." In her eyes, he recognised a serenity and it coated him in a soothing embrace. Everything sharp retracted and he opened his renewed golden eyes at her, calm. She still looked so afraid of him, and Inuyasha now knew what his brother had meant by uncontrollable rage. Once it was unleashed, it was hard to reign back...unless it was Kagome. She had managed to do it with her voice.
"I didn't mean-" he started.
"I know." she didn't bat an eyelid, or want to talk about it, or talk at all anymore. She had to get over her fear and calm down too. She stepped into his car and waited. A few seconds later he joined her, started the engine and they were on their way to her house.
Hey so how was that. It's long but feels short, I'll probably update again after I get a few reviews cause I kept writing even after the cut off point. WHat did you think of the scene with Sesshomaru? Be honest, I can take it. Until next time!
