Chapter 9:

The Snake of a Brother

It was a late afternoon when Kagome went to Shigure's home with Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru, so Yuki could help her study. After a while, both of them decided to take a little break from there and go to Yuki's garden he had in the woods.

"What can we pick in May?" Kagome asked. She was outside in with Yuki in the garden, kneeling down to tend it.

"Hm…well, carrots, turnips…leeks," he said. They laughed at that. "…and strawberries." He smiled.

"Yay! Finally, I cannot wait! I love strawberries. Tohru will be excited too!" Kagome smiled.

"Yeah…I can't wait either," he agreed. Kagome sneezed. "Are you okay?"

"Yes! It's April, but it's so cold today…"

She must be freezing then. "Kagome, you go ahead to the house," Yuki decided. "We're pretty much done here."

"Oh? But—"

"Besides, I'm hungry," he said, just as his stomach rumbled. Kagome laughed.

"Then I'll go to the house and help Tohru to get started dinner," She told him. Several days have passed since Akito came to the school…but Yuki has remained cheerful. And that's a very good thing. She smiled. "I can't wait to pick the strawberries."

Her thinking slowed as she saw a pile of clothes in the path. She bent down and picked up a very long, red, traditional women's robe. Clothes on the ground…why would someone leave clothes? It took her a moment to realize a possibility. "Could it be a member of the Chinese zodiac?"

A flash of a snake aura hit her senses but that then something then went quickly up her leg and up her clothes. Kagome fell to her knees and screamed at the top of her lungs, completely panicked. Yuki dropped everything and ran to her; thankfully, she was not far down the path. He came to find her shaking, violently. "Kagome?"

"Some—S-s-s-"

"Strawberries?"

"Something's in my clothes!" she shouted.

Yuki was seriously alarmed, now. "Huh?" A snake's head revealed itself, coming out of the top back of Kagome's shirt.

"Damn, I'm hungry." Kyo paced the kitchen.

Shigure glanced up from his newspaper. "Tohru will be starting the food soon; she wanted to wait for Yuki and Kagome."

"Its fine," Kyo sighed. "I'll make something myself."

Refolding and setting down his newspaper then grabbing a bowl of leeks, onion, and miso, Shigure rose and held out the bowl. "Here, Kyo…have some of this. It will hold you over until dinner." Kyo smacked the bowl away and it flipped upside down, causing all of its contents to fall out and onto the floor.

"Dammit, quit making fun of me!" Kyo yelled. Shigure snatched his hand back.

"Oh my! You mustn't mistreat food like that, Kyo!" Shigure condemned. The front door slammed and angry, stomping steps came into the room. Shigure brightened. "At last! It looks like they're ba—"

"SKIN HIM," Yuki demanded. He held out an off-white colored snake to Shigure by its neck. "NOW. BARBECUE THE BASTARD!"

"Huh?" Shigure leaned in to further examine the reptile. "Aaya…?"

"Eh…!" Kyo recognized him too, unfortunately for him.

"Well if it isn't Aaya!" Shigure said cheerily, "What's going on here?"

Kagome walked into the room carrying the clothes she'd found. "Uh…um…"

Yuki tightened his hand around the snake and said, "SKIN HIM…RIGHT…NOW." His eyes gleamed, angry.

"Wait a minute," Shigure's voice shook, "Let's calm down, Yuki."

Shigure eventually got Yuki to give him the snake and they put it in the other room with the clothes, letting him rest, and waiting for him to transform back. "Ayame Sohma, as you can see, is the snake," Shigure explained to Kagome.

"Oh…"

"Snakes hibernate in the winter…that may be why Aaya can't handle the cold. Sometimes," Shigure continued, "When it's as cold as it is today, he just transforms like that."

"Winter must be terrible," Tohru assumed.

"It is terrible," Shigure said. "Hatori, Aaya and myself are all roughly the same age, so we went through elementary, middle, and high school together. The three of us make up the one and only Madubachi Trio." He smiled.

Tohru gasped. "Really? That's so cool!"

"Who cares?" Kagome said then suddenly her priestess powers flared. "I will skin him once he awakens." Tohru immediacy started to panic and tried to calm Kagome down.

What the hell does he mean 'the one and only Madubachi Trio…? Kyo glared.

Yuki sighed annoyed with Shigure's stories and such. I can see why Hatori must have had a hard time…

"Well?" Shigure asked. "What were you so upset about, Yuki?"

"…It's so disgusting I don't even want to say."

"Oh, come now, it couldn't be that bad," Shigure said. Kagome laughed, nervous, and failed to try and explain in a less negative way. "You're talking about your older brother," he said to Yuki.

It was silent. Said Kagome, "Eh?" There was a loud noise and smoke spilled through the crack under the bottom of the door. EH? B-b-brother?

"Please, allow me to explain myself," said Ayame's uncanny voice from behind the door. "My body was extremely cold earlier…I was merely looking for warmth. When I sensed someone with warm skin approaching…Can you blame me if my survival instincts take over?" The door opened to expose a tall man with long, nearly white, silver hair past his waist. "Greetings, everyone!" Kagome blinked repeatedly. He looked, to her, like an adult version of Yuki but an ungodly resemblance to Sesshomaru. "Have you been well…little brother?" he asked, turning his golden-green eyes to Yuki.

"What do you mean, 'survival instincts'?" Yuki demanded, yelling into his brother's face as Ayame put on his red, long, coat looking robe that Kagome had first found. It looked strangely like women's clothing. "You should be glad I haven't taken you to the police!"

Kyo sat down next to Kagome. "What? What did he do to you?" he asked.

Kagome turned so fast to Kyo. "He went up my skirt!"

Kyo's eyes went big, mouth in a circle before he started really getting pissed. "You bastard!"

"Oh my!" Ayame looked to Kyo, surprised. "Kyonkichi really is here!"

"I TOLD YOU TO STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Kyo shouted. He truly hated Ayame's nickname for him.

"Well, Kyonkichi aside—"

"STOP IT!"

"I haven't seen you since New Year's," Ayame smiled, giving Shigure a small wave.

"Long time no see," Shigure replied.

Ayame smirked. "You didn't cheat on me while we were apart, did you, Shigure?"

"Why would I do something like that…Aaya?" Shigure also smirked, slightly.

They both gave each other thumbs up and cheered, "All right!"

What's all right? Yuki and Kyo have always wondered. It disturbed them anyways when Ayame and Shigure pretended as if they were gay lovers. It was sickening to Yuki how his cousin and his brother would joke about that. Kyo, as Yuki only sometimes did, found it amusing. Tohru did not exactly get it, but she did not focus on that. Um…well…at least his personality is different from Yuki's…

"Anyway," Shigure continued, "This is Tohru Honda and this is the one and only Kagome Higurashi. You came to see them, right?" Tohru, hearing her name, immediately gave her attention. Kagome did not; she just folded her arms and looked the other way.

"Yes! Of course!" Ayame said, walking over. He bowed politely. "Please excuse my behavior earlier. I am Yuki's own older brother, Ayame."

Kagome just nodded at him, "Please to meet you," She said but still turned away from him and walked into the kitchen. "I am going to make some tea, Shigure, would you like any?'

"Yes please," he said politely, and Kagome walked into the kitchen. She finished with the tea and came back out pouring some into Shigure's cup, and into Yuki and Kyo's. "Where did Tohru and your brother go?"

"He took her out to eat, so we don't have anyone to cook," Shigure said sobbing a little.

"Oh don't worry, I can make something, how about steamed rice, with grilled fish and dumplings?" Kagome offered with a kind smile and all of the boys looked at her.

"Kagome, you don't have to do that for us," Yuki said to her.

"Yeah we don't need you making something for us...you're the guest," Kyo said.

"Oh don't worry, I want to, besides who is going to feed you if Tohru isn't here, besides it makes me feel like a am part of a real family again," A few seconds after she left the kitchen she stuck her head back out into the living room with a goofy smile on her face. "Boys, I am afraid we don't have the stuff I need for lunch, can we go to the store?" Both of the boys nodded agreeing to accompany her, and Shigure gave her some money for groceries. When all of three friends made it to the store Kagome started looking at the list searching for what they needed and she decided to pick up some extra things for them too.

"Yuki, do you like fish?" She asked the rat of the Zodiac casually, he looked at her.

"Yes very much,"

"Good," she replied putting the fish into the basket. "I just want to learn more about you and Kyo, things you like and things you don't like."

"Why would you do that?"

Kagome smiled putting some lettuce in the cart, "You both are are important to me."Kagome said before turning to walk to the milk, "Do you guys like 2% or skim?"

Kyo decided not to walk with the miko and the rat, he just stayed behind them "Kyo!" He looked up to see Kagome smiling at him from the other side of the store, "Hurry up Mr. Slow kitty!"

"Don't call me that," He said as he ran up next to them.

"She can call you anything she wants stupid cat,"

"Shut up you damn rat!"

Their fighting, it reminded Kagome a little bit of Koga and Inuyasha. Suddenly without warning, she started to laugh. It was not just a chuckle but a nice heartily laughs. Both of the boys looked at her, and broke apart. "Are you okay Kagome?"

"Yes, it is just the way you are fighting, it reminds me of my old friends," Kagome started laughing again holding her stomach tightly. Both of the boys just smiled softly at her, and they all paid for the food and went home together…

"Eat up everyone!" A triumphant Kagome set the table, with all of the food she had prepared.

"This is wonderful Kagome," Shigure said before taking the first bit, he bit it and instantly liked it, "This is heaven." Kagome laughed softly and sat down between Kyo and Yuki.

"Dig in boys," she said before taking the bite of her meal.

"Miss Honda!" Yuki exclaimed as soon as she walked in the door. She crossed her hands over her chest. He quickly came over to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yes! What did you do for lunch?"

"I cooked," Kagome, said coming out of the kitchen with a dishrag in her hands, then a very angry cat came out of the kitchen-soaking wet, when Kagome had dumped water on him. "He wouldn't help me so,"

"More importantly, Nii didn't cause any trouble, did he?"

"No!" Tohru told him, "He treated me to gyouza!" She cleared her throat. "Um…Yuki? Yuki, do you hate your brother?"

"Eh?" Yuki's expression changed dramatically to surprise, taken off guard.

"I—I'm sorry!" Tohru apologized. "I shouldn't have asked!"

"Not so much hate," Yuki answered her, a smile appearing. "It's just it's…kind of a sore spot for me…because I don't quite understand what he's thinking."

"If it's a sore spot we should heal it!" came a voice from Tohru, but not Tohru. Yuki's eyes widened and suddenly realized why Tohru's hands were over her chest. Kagome just literally blanched for a second and recoiled back in fear."We need to meet each other halfway!" Ayame's head—in the form of a snake—popped out from Tohru's collar. "…My little brother!"

Kyo saw from behind, just walking in. He glared.

Everyone's mouths fell open as Ayame slithered around the top of Tohru's head. Although everyone could feel a dark aura coming from there, they all turned to see Kagome with her priestess powers flaring. She held up shaking hands and tried to explain. "Um, this—When we left the restaurant he got cold and transformed…and if snakes get too cold, they die!"

"Because I'm a snake!"

Yuki looked down, first defeated, then flamingly angry. His head snapped up. "You're not a brother or anything else to me!"

Ayame laughed obnoxiously. "You can't change the truth, Yuki!" Many crashes and loud bangs followed, as well as smacks.

"No one does that to Tohru!" Kagome screamed.

Shigure walked into the room. "Oh, welcome back, you two."

Tohru watched, worriedly. Oh, Yuki…if only you could have seen Ayame. He looked like an older brother…and smiled.

Ayame wrapped around Shigure's neck, but very lightly. "Shigure, where may I sleep tonight?" he asked, as animated as usual.

"Eh? You're staying here?"

"I am leaving," Kagome said as she turned to the door.

'Thanks for lunch Kagome," Shigure waved.

"You're welcome, see you guys at school." She ran off into the direction of her home.

"She isn't very welcoming is she?" Ayame asked Shigure.

"No, she is a sweet girl, but she is very protective of Tohru and Yuki."

"Really? Aaya's visiting?" Momiji asked after school. He smiled. "I haven't seen him since New Year's either because Aaya lives "outside"."

"Oh! Really?" Tohru thought since Ayame was one of the zodiac, he would most likely live on the inside.

"Tohru he is still staying with you?" Kagome asked her best friend when she sat down on the bench next to Haru slowly eating her lunch.

"For three days now," Tohru said, making Kagome sigh. For the last few days, she refused to go over to the Sohma house making Yuki come Hana's place to study.

"Maybe I'll go see him!" Momiji said. "But I probably shouldn't get in the way of the brothers' bounding!"

Hatsuharu looked up from his place on the steps. "That's bonding…"

Kagome then turned her head to Haru, "And you can't even get a good score on a test but you correct him, use some of that brain power for your homework." Haru turned his head to the upper class men glaring while she glared at him. A battle of wits…

"How's Yuki? Is he happy?" Momiji asked Tohru, ignoring Haru's correction. Tohru looked to Yuki, standing a good distance away from them. Momiji, Kagome and Haru turned their heads, also. "Is Yuki sick?" Momiji wondered.

"Eh! Um—"

Haru stood up. "I see." He placed a hand on his waist. "Really…yeah. Okay."

"It is because of his older brother; you should have seen his face when I asked him to have the normal tutoring session at my house instead of his. It looked like I offered him the most wonderful present in the universe; jeez I have never seen him so happy." Kagome actually remembered he had kissed her cheek, with his fan club watching of course, it made the girls practically wet themselves.

Tohru informed her friend and looked at Momiji questioningly, and Momiji just jumped into another subject. "Is it okay for Aaya to leave his shop for so long? He's the manager."

"Ayame has a shop?" Tohru gaped at Momiji.

"Yes," Haru said. "He sells…" –Haru thought a moment—"outfits…for nurses, stewardesses, maids…and stuff," he attempted to explain. It was silent, for they all knew that was not the whole story.

Tohru and Momiji walked over to Haru. "He sells…dresses?" Tohru clarified.

"Well…I'm not sure…" Kagome said knowing what he was talking about.

Momiji then said, "Aaya says that he sells romance!"

"Romance?"

"Tohru you are too young to know," Kagome said eating her lunch.

Tohru stood with Kagome, Uo and Hana, telling them about Ayame's visit, when she remembered. "Oh yeah!" she gasped. "I forgot to ask what kind of shop sells nurse and maid uniforms!"

"What are you going on about now?" Uotani's eyes narrowed thin.

Hana's did the same. "Are you talking about a cosplay club?"

"No you both are wrong," Kagome said and they all looked at her, "It is a lingerie store."