After a few more minutes of searching for Naraku's missing necklace on the football field, we all had finally given up and decided to leave. The sun had finally set and searching for the chain in the dark would be completely useless. Naraku, Bankotsu, and I all climbed into Bankotsu's Black Explorer and pulled out of the football stadium's parking lot. Naraku sat in the back while Bankotsu and I sat in the front. "I'm sorry that we couldn't find your chain Naraku," I said, trying to cheer him up.

"Ah, its quite alright. I'm sure it'll turn up eventually," Naraku replied with a forced smile.

"So you think Muso knocked it off when he was tackling you?"

"Yeah. It must have broken and flew off when my helmet got knocked off."

"Why do you think that he was hitting you so hard?"

"I don't know. It's no secret that Muso and I can't stand each other, so maybe he was just trying to take me out of the game for good."

"I'm sorry, Naraku."

"For what?"

"I think that Sesshoumaru called those passing plays on purpose so Muso would hurt you." He chuckled a bit.

"It's okay. I'm not hurt badly. I should be fine by tommorrow. And anyways with all those passes Sesshoumaru threw, I should be in rare form by Homecoming."

"Amen to that dude," Bankotsu said with a smile, as he looked at Naraku through the rear view mirror. "Say man, what is it with you two and those necklaces anyway?"

"I don't know. It's like as long as we have them with us, we'll always have a piece of each other with us as well," Naraku replied. Bankotsu busted out into laughter.

"Naraku, that has to be the most feminine thing I've ever heard and I am Jakotsu's brother. You been watching Oprah again?"

"Stay out my DVDs," Naraku replied laughing too.

"Oh shut up Bankotsu," I said smiling, "I think that it's sweet. You're just mad because you don't understand women like Naraku does."

"Like I said, he's been watching Oprah again. Might as well call him 'Broprah'. No, I'm just joking with you man. You know, you and Naima can always get new necklaces. Like maybe for your birthday." I turned around in the seat and looked at Naraku.

"That's right, your birthday is coming up isn't it?" I asked. Naraku's ruby eyes lit up.

"You remembered?"

"Could I forget? I don't know anybody else but you that has a birthday on Halloween."

"Yep and Homecoming is that Saturday too man," Bankotsu said.

"Is it really?"

"Yep. You'll be playing on your birthday."

"No problem for me."

"I bet. Sooo Naraku how does it feel to be turning twenty?"

"Twenty?" I joked, pretending that I didn't already know, "God, you're getting old."

"Yep. He won't be a teenager anymore. He'll be a grown man."

"I'm already a grown man."

"Right. Right. So I guess I should take you were the grown men go. I know! I'm going to take you to Oasis!" I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Oasis was a popular strip club a few blocks down from Yokai University. Bankotsu, Koga, and a few other guys I knew went there all the time. Naraku was now grinning from ear to ear.

"Oasis you say?"

"Yeaaaah buddy! I'm going to introduce you to this chick named Honey."

"Oooo, Honey? Sounds sweet."

"Ohhh yeah man. You should see what she can do. Man, she can make it pop."

"Oooo."

"She can make it drop."

"Oooo."

"And she can..."

"Okay!" I cried waving my hands, "let's change the subject please. Gosh, now I remember why I don't hang with you two often when you're together. You guys are awful." Bankotsu laughed again.

"Aww come on Naima. I thought that you liked hanging with the boys."

"I do. It gives me insight about how stupid you guys are when it comes to women." Naraku started to laugh too.

"She's talking about you Bankotsu."

"Oh please. I know how to charm the ladies."

"Yes, but do you know how to keep them?"

"Screw both of y'all. What kind of friends are you two anyways?" By that time, Naraku and I were laughing so hard at our friend's expense. "God I hate you guys...say, I'm hungry. Y'all want to go get something to eat right quick?"

"I don't have any money," I said.

"I got you covered Naima," Naraku said.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

"You know, you always took care of me when I was broke. Both me and Tarei."

"Oh yeah, speaking of which, how are your sisters?" I smiled as I reached in my purse and pulled out my cell phone. I handed it to Naraku.

"Find out for yourself. I'm sure Tarei will be glad to hear from you. I told her that I'd have you call." I saw the soft glowing light from my phone as he opened it.

"Uh...Sesshoumaru called you," he said. I rolled my eyes. I was still upset with him and I wasn't ready to be a big girl yet and work things out.

"I'll call him later," I sighed with a wave of my hand. Naraku nodded in reply as he found Tarei's number in the contacts and called my little sister.

"...Hey Tarei, do you know who this is?...Yep it's me baby girl..." All of a sudden, I heard a loud sqeual from the other side of the phone causing both Bankotsu and I to jump and Naraku to hold the phone away from his ear. My little sister, Tarei, had always had a crush on Naraku ever since he saved her favorite frisbee that she threw in a tree when she was six years old. Unlike Tsubaki, her crush was merely innocent and not nearly as obsessive. I always thought that it was cute, actually.

"Tarei's still got it," Bankotsu laughed as he pulled into a Burger King parking lot.

"Yes, that she does," I replied, laughing as well.

After we had finished eating, Bankotsu took me back to my house for the evening. "Thank you for taking me home," I said to Bankotsu as I hopped out of the car with my things.

"Anytime," he replied with a smile.

"C'mon, I'll walk you to your door," Naraku said as he got out of the car as well.

"No Naraku, you're still hurt."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm fine? We'll be right back Bankotsu."

"Take your time," Bankotsu replied.

As we walked to the door of the building, I could see that Naraku was feeling a little better for he wasn't limping anymore. I was glad that he was okay and not as hurt as he could have been.

"So when do you want to start on our project in Taisho-Sensei's class?" Naraku asked me as we stood outside of the door.

"Mmm...I guess there's no time like the present. How about tommorrow? At my place."

"Sounds good to me. You sure Sesshoumaru won't mind?"

"Does it look like I care?" He chuckled softly and I smiled back. As I stood in front of him, I couldn't help but notice how attractive Naraku looked in his football uniform. How the black and red of the outfit matched his hair and eyes. And how toned and well built he was. He was indeed a looker. My thoughts were cut short as I felt two red and black gloved hands grab hold of my own hands. "Naima. Call your boyfriend and talk things out with him. I know that you love him and you'll be missing him by tommorrow." I slightly cocked an eyebrow.

"And just how do you know that?"

"Who knows you better than me?" I smiled as I nodded my head. Naraku smiled too as he opened his arms for a hug. I complied and warmly hugged my best friend back.

"Goodnight Naima."

"Goodnight Naraku."

Bankotsu's POV

As I sat in the car watching those two hug, I couldn't help but feel a little bit sad. Those two were meant to be together. They were tighter than Michael Jackson's pants back in middle school and I just knew that Naraku was going to make her his mate. I just knew that they would have a happy life and that I would be godfather to their children. So where did he go wrong? I mean, what was my boy Naraku thinking when he stopped calling Naima like that? It's not like him to turn his back on a friend, especially her. So what went wrong? I can still tell that to this day his heart belongs to Naima, yet he won't make any effort to win her back. Even as I sat there watching them hug, I could see that he still loves her. I don't care what anyone else says. Naraku and Naima were made for each other and they belong together. I mean, what other woman alive can melt away the ice around his heart with one simple touch. With one whisper of his name. She's good for Naraku. He didn't know real happiness until he got with Naima. His whole life had been hell until they started dating. He and his brother don't get along and he has a father who hates him. Now, the woman he loves is in the arms of another man. I don't see how Naraku can take all of this pain and still walk around with a smile on his face.

"So what did you say to her, Naraku?" I asked my long time friend when he got back in the car.

"I just told her that she needs to call Sesshoumaru and talk things out," he solemly said.

"How can you tell her to do that when you know that you still have feelings for her?"

"It's not time to tell her yet. I want to see if she still has those feelings for me too."

"Still Naraku, you need to just lay her down and make sweet love to her like I know you want to. You know, just erase everything that happened in the past and start fresh." Naraku slightly laughed as he stared at his hands in his lap.

"Yes, I wish I could do that. But...she's not my woman anymore."

Naima's POV

"Sesshoumaru has been calling here looking for you, Naima," Kagome said when I walked in the house, "did something happen between you two?"

"Yeah I kind of snapped at him for throwing those passing plays out there on the field today," I replied.

"Oh yeah, he was passing to Naraku non stop. Muso was really beating him up because of it too."

"Yeah I know."

"So is Naraku alright?"

"Yeah, he's fine."

"What about you and Sesshoumaru?"

"I don't know. I mean, it wouldn't be so hard if he could just open up to me more and tell me how he feels. He likes to hide his emotions from everybody. Even me."

"Try talking to him." I chuckled a bit at her response.

"You know, Naraku just told me the same thing." I sighed. "...I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. Goodnight Kagome."

"Goodnight."

I went to my bedroom and shed my clothes and put on a pink, lacy baby doll. I climbed into bed and called Sesshoumaru on his phone. It rang two times before he answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey baby."

"Naima. Hi."

"Look. I...I want to apologize for yelling at you earlier, but I want you to be completely honest with me. Did you call those passing plays on purpose?" He was silent for a few moments.

"...Yes. Yes, I did."

"Sesshoumaru, I can't know how you feel about things unless you talk to me baby. If you're still upset about Naraku and my past then you should have told me."

"I thought that I was fine, until I saw him at school today. I guess seeing him triggered my jealousy. Can you believe it? Me, Sesshoumaru, jealous?"

"What are you jealous of?"

"Do I need to say it?"

"Ahh I see." We were both silent for a few moments. "Well, I guess what all this means is that its more than likely time for us to take the next step in our relationship."

"What do you mean, Naima?"

"We've been together for two years now. I think that our relationship is strong enough to handle us taking that next step."

"Yes, I agree, but I don't want this whole Naraku issue to be the reason why we make love for the first time."

"I don't think that it will be. I know that I've had a sexual attraction to you for a while now and I think that you've had one for me. This issue just so happened to come up at a bad time." He fell silent again.

"Are you sure about this Naima? I mean, this is a big step. One that shouldn't be treaded over lightly." He was right. The last time I fully gave myself to man, it ended up in heartbreak. But I was certain that Sesshoumaru would never do that to me though.

"I'm positive. So when do you want to get down? I mean I'm already dressed for it." I heard him laugh slightly, something he rarely did.

"When the time is right, we'll know." I smiled as I twirled a finger in my hair.

"You're such a gentleman."

"And you're my lady. I love you Naima."

"I love you too."

"Goodnight and I'm sorry too."

"Goodnight." I smiled as I hung up the phone and placed it on my dresser. I was glad that we had made up. I'm glad that I listened to Naraku and called him. Hmmm...I guess my best friend does know me the best after all.