I Believe in Yesterday

Chapter 24

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"What the fuck's your problem?" Inuyasha glared at his roommate, who kept loudly sighing from the other side of the room. "You've got a girlfriend now, even if she's annoying as fuck. Shouldn't you stop angsting? Look at Miroku, even he's happier than you, and the girl he likes wants him to jump off the roof." He indicated the other man, who was sitting in the ugly armchair, productively knitting with a look of intense concentration on his face.

"You're one to talk." Kouga grumbled and tossed aside his sketchbook. Ayame was like a block on his inspiration. He hadn't been able to draw anything for days, and his nerves were constantly shot. She didn't want him to spend time in Kikyo and Kagura's room because she thought (not entirely mistakenly) that Kikyo was out to get her, so he barely got to see his friend. "At least you have a good girlfriend, what are you so pissy for?"

"Well, let's see, she's fucking all crazy about something, and she won't even tell me what the fuck happened to make her hide like she thinks someone's out to get her. And she keeps disappearing, like at night, Sango was looking for her yesterday, and she was gone, and she wasn't even in the dark rooms, and she won't tell anyone what the hell her deal is and she has bruises all over her…" Inuyasha trailed off and looked at Kouga seriously. "Hey, do you think she's doing like, underground cage match street fighting and she like…totally fucking killed someone, so now she's all freaked out?"

"Inuyasha…did you even hear what you just said?" Kouga was concerned about Kagome too, but she had never been very good at keeping secrets. Surely, in a little while, she'd confide in Inuyasha, or Sango, or even himself, if something was really bothering her. "She could just have some bruises, like she fell in the shower or something. And maybe like…someone tried to mug her, so she's freaked out. I don't know. She'll tell us eventually."

"Wow, thanks for solving all my damn problems, love doctor." Inuyasha shook his head sarcastically. "Do I owe you a fucking fee now?"

"No, that one's on the house." He looked back over at Miroku. "When did you even learn how to do that?" he asked, and the other man looked up from his needles.

"My grandmother." He answered, not a trace of shame in his voice, and just then Shippo came in the room, looking a bit annoyed. "Did she like it?"

"Yes, well, she didn't plant a bomb in it and put it back in our room, so I guessed that she liked it." Shippo threw himself down next to Inuyasha, who scowled at him. "She's not really saying that much about it, she's too worried about Kagome."

"Inuyasha, make your girlfriend happier so that I might win over Sango's heart without obstacle." Miroku told the surly young man, still steadfastly stitching. "This scarf is taking forever, and I want her to accept it with an unclouded heart."

"You're leaving her presents?" Kouga sounded doubtful. "That's not going to work, man."

"Would you stop? I only just got him to stop moping all day, and you're going to smash his hopes?" Shippo sighed heavily. "At least his plan doesn't involve scalding Kikyo half to death."

"Okay, I'm not her keeper, I can't control everything Ayame does." Kouga answered in annoyance. "And that was almost two weeks ago. And besides, it isn't like Kikyo didn't get her back."

"Honestly, pouring scalding hot acid on Dumpface can only make things better." Inuyasha slammed shut his chemistry book. "And thanks a lot, by the way. Now that you said her stupid name, I won't be able to get any of this done, I'll just sit there thinking of how much I want to shove her in a wood chipper."

"Hey, you're talking about my girlfriend!" Kouga protested.

"Yeah? Well it only fucking counts if she isn't some lousy silver medal revenge fuck for you to try and get Kagura all hot on your shit again. Which is like the stupidest plan I've ever fucking seen, because the only time you got anything from her in the first place was when she was drunk off her ass, so I'd take that as a sign that it ain't gonna fucking happen unless you've got enough damn Rohypnol stashed away to keep her in the mood for however long it takes you to find your damn balls and just tell her you want her damn body, even if she's a massive fucking bitch and turns you away at every chance. And even then, she'll still just kick your ass when she comes down, and probably get you locked away for drugging her up and trying to get in her cookie jar. I mean, shit, just give up already. And by give up, I mean get rid of the amazingly brainless barnacle girl fucking clinging to you and move on with your fucking life!" Inuyasha stood up and grabbed his book. "I'm gonna go find my girlfriend. You guys…don't let him bring that thing in here, she always breaks my shit." And he stormed out of the room while the others watched him go.

"So, it seems Inuyasha does not approve in your choice of women?" Miroku asked calmly as the sound of his stomping died away. "Might I suggest—"

"Don't! Just don't! Okay, I fucking know she's irritating, and I know that it looks like I'm just trying to get even, but that isn't it! I mean, can't a guy just want to get with a girl without some other reason? Maybe she's a demon in the sack!"

"Yeah, okay." Shippo shook his head wearily. "Welcome to Delusion-ville, population you. Just keep that walking disaster area away from Kikyo. I don't know what will happen, and honestly, I'm a generally forgiving guy, but if Kikyo goes after her with a red hot poker, I might just turn a blind eye."

"She's not…she's not really that bad, is she?" Kouga asked, groaning and laying down.

"Let me just ask you this, Kouga." Shippo closed his eyes as though straining to find patience within himself. "Do you love her? Honestly?"

"No, I mean, not yet, but maybe…" Kouga trailed off.

"Then why are you with her?" Miroku asked, looking up from his knitting. "When there is a woman you really care about, just there," he pointed at the door, indicating the room across the hall. "Someone you could be happy with if you could just try to show her how you feel. Is it fair to yourself, or Kagura, or even to Ayame to carry on this charade?" Kouga sighed heavily, not answering, not knowing what he could possible say to that, in any case.

I tried. I honestly tried everything I could, but she threw my feelings back in my face, and she made me know that just because one life let's you have something, that doesn't mean you'll get a second chance the next time around. I wish I could…

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"Hey guys." Inuyasha didn't even bother knocking anymore, but he looked a lot more excited than he usually did while seeking refuge from Ayame in Kagura and Kikyo's room. "You have to see!"

"Is she on fire?" Kikyo asked, glancing up from her magazine, and Kagura laughed a bit more maniacally than someone who was not jealous and did not care at all that Kouga had a girlfriend. A dumpy girlfriend. In her extremely objective opinion, of course.

"Kouga's breaking up with her!" he chortled with glee, and there was a loud crashing noise behind him. "Fuck, I hope that wasn't mine."

Kagura and Kikyo moved rather quickly, and soon they were all at the door, listening to the crashing noises and nearly incomprehensible yelling from inside the room, but just then, Kouga opened the door, causing them to run across the hall and look overly casual, standing in Kagura's doorway.

"Just go, Ayame." He sounded extremely exhausted, and completely drained of all his patience, but he still manage to duck the shoe that went flying at his head.

"Not a very good arm on her." Kagura commented to her fellow bystanders in a low tone so the couple wouldn't hear. "I mean, where's the force behind that? That was a big boot, it should have done some serious damage."

"Are we rating this breakup?" Inuyasha asked her incredulously, and she shrugged, unable to hide the look of glee on her face.

"Why not?" she winked at him, and Kikyo chuckled slightly at her roommate's enthusiasm.

"You can't do this to me!" Ayame screeched, coming into sight deeper inside the room she seemed very loathe to vacate. "I gave you everything, did everything you ever asked! You can't just throw me away like yesterday's trash!"

"Ayame, seriously, we were together like three weeks." Kouga seemed like he was at a breaking point, as though only every ounce of nobility he possessed was keeping him from smacking the girl silly and physically throwing her out of his room. "It's not like we were engaged or anything."

"If you'd asked me, I would have said yes!" Ayame screamed, tears streaking her face as she picked up a book and lobbed it at him. Inuyasha grumbled in annoyance when he saw it was his biology textbook. "Is that what you want? Tell me what I need to do! I told you already we could have sex, but you just—"

"Ayame, please!" Kouga flushed and held out his hands, trying to quiet her. "Everyone can hear you, you're just embarrassing yourself. Just go! It's nothing you did, okay? I just can't do this anymore. I'm not in a good…place to be with another girl, and I just—"

"Another girl?" Ayame pointed at him in accusation, her other hand closing over a ruler, that would likely be making a trip toward his head pretty soon. "Another girl? What's that supposed to mean? There's someone else, isn't there! I knew it! Why would you lie to me like that?"

"Ayame, seriously, just leave!" Kouga shouted back. "You can whine and cry all you want, and I told you I'm fucking sorry, but it isn't going to change anything! You can't just force me to stay with you if I'm not happy!"

"But I did everything you asked!" she was losing her will to fight, and she threw the ruler at the floor. "I can make you happy! You just have to let me—" she moved toward him, her arms open, and he blocked her approach, angling himself so that she couldn't get back in the room she'd left to try and embrace him. "Please, Kouga, don't you see how much I care about you?"

"Ayame, I told you I'm sorry, what else do you want?" he told her in a weary tone. "I shouldn't have asked you out in the first place, okay?"

"But…why?" she asked him, sniffling and wiping her eyes.

"Just go, okay?" he pointed down the hall, and she took a few steps before noticing the audience and pointing at Kikyo in fury.

"It's her, isn't it!" she demanded. "You always spend time with her, even though I told you not to! And she hates me, because she has to date you in secret!"

"Awesome deduction, Detective Dumbass." Inuyasha deadpanned.

"Yeah, who would date Kouga in secret if they already had Shippo?" Kagura joked, not realizing how it would sound until the words left her mouth. Kouga gave her a betrayed look and went back to his room, slamming the door and locking it without even dignifying Ayame's accusation with an answer.

"I'm going to tell Shippo!" Ayame announced, wiping her eyes. "Then you'll see how it feels! Home wrecker!" she stormed up the stairs to go to Shippo's room.

"Yeah, I wonder how that'll pan out." Kikyo rolled her eyes and went back to the room while Inuyasha picked up his book and tried to convince Kouga to let him back in the room. Kagura felt all her fun had been spoiled by her stupid comment and she followed Kikyo back into the room, sighing sadly. "Oh, calm down, at least he isn't with someone else now, is he? Just tell him how you feel."

"I can't!" Kagura threw herself on the bed dramatically. "I mean...after everything I've done to him…if I tell him, he'll just laugh in my face. He'll think it's a trick or a joke, and even if he ever felt the same…it's too late now."

"Yeah, okay." Kikyo picked up her phone, intending to call Shippo and warn him about the disaster heading toward him at that moment. "Instead you should suffer in silence. That will solve everything."

"I hate you." Kagura grumped and left the room, heading to visit Sango and Kagome. She wanted to see how Kagome was, and also she was pretty sure she could get some sympathy from Sango, if nothing else, but she paused at the door, where there was a basket of gifts waiting, addressed to Sango herself. She picked it up, puzzled, and knocked.

"Hey!" Sango opened the door and looked at the basket in surprise. "Another one?" she looked partway between annoyed, pleased, and confused as she took it from Kagura and moved to let the other girl in.

"What's in it?" she asked, recalling that Sango had recently received a basket of gifts from a "secret" admirer. As if anyone thought it could be anyone besides Miroku. But she hadn't thrown the presents away, which was saying something.

"There's this scarf, a stuffed cat, and this…" she trailed off, taking a small book out of the basket. "It's Shakespeare's sonnets…"

"You are being won over to the enemy side…" Kagura sing-songed, and Sango frowned slightly, opening the card. "What does it say?"

"To keep you warm at night, during the day, and any time you feel lonely." She read and sighed before shaking her head and putting the card down, pursing her lips. "I don't…I just can't, okay!"

"Okay." Kagura wasn't sure why Sango was trying to argue with her. She didn't think a basket of tricks would make her forget that Miroku had slept with about half the campus. But then, I'm not in love with him. What if Kouga did those things? Would I forgive him? "It must be nice, though." She smiled at Sango and picked up the card, looking at it before picking up the book of sonnets. "Nice presents all the time…he really cares about you."

"I thought we were banding together?" Sango scowled at the girl who was engrossed in the sonnets at this point.

"Hm? Oh, yeah." Kagura blinked at her slowly and looked back down at the poems. "Yeah, stand up for your rights, or whatever."

"I need someone to help me stay strong, come on!" Sango insisted, and Kagura brightened up, looking away from the sonnets.

"Oh man! I almost forgot." She giggled slightly, trying to feel optimistic about what this meant. "So Kouga dumped Ayame."

"Was that what all that shouting was?" Sango's eyes went wide. "Sounded like she wasn't really on board with the plan."

"Yeah, well, so if you want someone who's really angry at men, I'd recommend her." Kagura smiled wickedly.

"Yeah, I like all my stuff the way it is. Not broken." Sango snatched the book of sonnets out of Kagura's hand and stuffed it in the basket, which she shoved into her closet, as though hiding from the decision it presented her with.

"So how's Kagome?" Kagura asked, and Sango sighed as she tried to ignore the other basket in the closet.

"She seems better, but she still won't talk about it, so I just don't know." She answered honestly. "I mean, it's not normal to just freak out like that."

"Next time, tell Miroku you want money. Then we can go shopping. That's like the best therapy there is." Kagura called at her, and Sango couldn't help laughing. At least she was making the situation seem less horrifying. That was a plus.

I can't just forgive him!

But I can't help thinking…would he really do all this just to get in my pants?

Possibly…but still.

Okay, seriously, no more mental discussions when you have company. Kagura's going to think you're a whack-a-doo.

Whack-a-doo?

Okay, shut up.

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The End (Of Part 24, That Is)