What Holidays Bring
Chapter 38: Divorce
When you're backed into a corner, there's only so many things that can be done, and only so many people that can help you. Depending on the situation, there could be no one but you that can fix the problem, or the answer to it all could be as simple as 'yes' or 'no', or even 'I'm done'.
The living room was dead silent, and everyone's heads seemed to be stretched to where they could see Yukio's door. Mostly murmurs could be heard, but it was clear the conversation was quite heated.
"I wonder what the idiot did this time." Sango said as she fed Yukio his mini ravioli's.
Miroku sighed, "I wish they'd stop fighting, and make up already. There was once upon time they were the second sane couple, but now I think InuYasha and Kagome just took their place."
"Just?" Bankotsu asked with a raised eyebrow. "Was the fight not enough? How about the part where he threw me at Kita and Yukio? They didn't drop to third then?"
"At least it's comforting Sango and I will always be first." Miroku said with a big huff of relief.
Sango smacked his arm, "Don't be selfish. Our relationships aren't competitions. We all just need to be happy, but at this point...I don't know. After everything that's happened, I don't think their relationship can really be-"
The door slammed, and Sango stopped talking. Everyone watched as Kita left the room, and went right out the backdoor, slamming it behind her.
"That doesn't look good." Miroku said, about to get up. "I'm going to see what's wrong."
"I got it." Bankotsu said, getting up. "You stay. You're going to need all the practice you can get, man. So much practice."
Miroku looked at him, and blinked, "What are you..."
Sango burst out laughing, "Well, he has a point. There are many things you need to learn NOT to do before our baby gets here."
"Huh?" he asked, still confused.
Bankotsu just laughed, shaking his head at Miroku before turning and walking down the hall. He stopped at Yukio's door for a second, and heard footsteps. Back and forth. Back and forth. If Sesshomaru was pacing, then this fight had to of been pretty bad. Worse than all the others. With a breath, Bankotsu walked out the back door, and stopped when he saw Kita literally a step down from the door. He slipped by, closing the door behind him, and then sat down beside her. Realizing she was crying, Bankotsu frowned, and put his hand on her arm. Before he could ask what was wrong, though, she shook his hand away and yelled through clenched teeth,
"Don't touch me!"
"Kita..."
Bankotsu had never, ever in his life seen her so upset. He'd honestly never even seen her cry before, and seeing it hurt him. Bankotsu was too use to her smile, her jokes, and Kita just being Kita, that it hurt to watch her be this way.
"Kita, tell me what happened? Why are you crying?" he asked. "What did he do to you?"
Kita sniffed, lifting her head and glaring at him with blackened eyes, "Go away, Bankotsu. I don't want to talk about him, and I don't want to see your face! Both of you are bastards. I don't-"
"Whoa, whoa." Bankotsu said, furrowing his eyebrows, "What did he tell you, Kita?"
She scoffed, wiping her eyes but it didn't help because tears continued to fall, "Don't act like you don't know. I was just a competition between the two of you. Fresh meat. Another game for your amusement."
"Kita." he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I won't lie to you. Yes, at first, you were going to be a competition to me also, but it never got that far for me. I didn't want you to meet Sesshomaru, because...because I fell in love with you. I didn't want you to like him, but you did and there was nothing I could do about that. Sometimes...I lied to you about where he was, but he always seemed to be nearby. Eventually, he started noticing you were with me a lot and you eventually became the competition I didn't want you to become. I confronted him, and told him it wasn't going to be like the other times. It wasn't in a 'I mean it, or else' way...more in a best guy friends, joking, and I guess I should have been more serious. Anyway, Kita, I didn't want it to become that. Before I could really do anything, he'd shown a lot of interest in you and drew you in. I couldn't do anything about it. You love him. What could a guy like me back then do other than beg, right?"
Kita looked at him with teary eyes, "Why didn't you tell me before, Bankotsu?"
"I did, Kita!" he retorted, looking into her eyes sadly. "You told me to leave, and that's what I did."
Her eyes flooded with tears again, and she hugged her legs to her chest tightly.
"I wish I'd listened." Kita sobbed.
Bankotsu took her wrist gently, tugging her toward him, "Shh. It's okay. You're going to be okay."
She let him pull her into his arms, and she didn't protest. Kita sobbed into his chest,
"No it's not! I'm not going to be okay, Bankotsu! If it was okay, do you think I'd be crying like a baby!?"
"No, I guess not." he said with a sigh.
Kita continued, "Our entire relationship has been a lie. I thought he loved me all this time, but he didn't! I'm nothing to him. I lost my family for him! I lost EVERYTHING for him, Bankotsu! I lost everything TO him."
She began to cry harder. Bankotsu whispered,
"If he told you he didn't feel anything toward you, Kita, then you can't believe it. You know him...he puts up a front when he can't-"
"No!" she yelled. "He meant every word. He said he was 'fond' of me. Kagura was never a competition to him, so what was I!? I was his possession. A naive, stupid little girl that would do anything for him because she didn't know any better. What did he think of me when he started to mate with me!? Did he even see me as Kita, or as...as-"
"Stop, Kita. Stop." Bankotsu said to her as he held her tight. "Just stop."
She continued to cry into his arms. Bankotsu was infuriated. His possession!? He was 'fond' of her!? He told her he'd only thought of her as a naive girl!? Sesshomaru knew how much Kita meant to him, and when he decided to work so hard to keep her...what was she to him!? It was then that it dawned on him. Bankotsu shot up,
"I'm going to kick his ass!"
"Bankotsu!" Kita called, standing, and following him.
She took his arm, stopping him,
"Don't. I don't want him to know I cried to you. I...I can take care of myself!"
"Not right now you can't Kita." Bankotsu said as gently and softly as he could.
He cupped her cheek, wiping some of the tears from her eyes.
"Let someone take care of you for once." he said softly.
Kita just looked up at him, and then sighed. Bankotsu turned, and walked into Yukio's room. She watched as he went into the bedroom. When the door closed, for the first time, Kita felt completely unsure of the situation, because for once it was out of her hands. She honestly just felt tired...and done. Kita took in a breath, wiping her face and listened outside the door.
"I've known you since the day I was born Sesshomaru, and I know how heartless you can be." Bankotsu started, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at him. "But what you're doing to Kita? This is monstrous, Sesshomaru."
"This is none of your business, Bankotsu." Sesshomaru said from where he'd stopped pacing when Bankotsu entered the room. "Stay out of it."
"It became my business when Kita told me everything you just said to her." Bankotsu retorted through gritted teeth. "We both know her pretty well, Sesshomaru. She was crying. Kita doesn't cry. If anything, she gets mad and obviously she's done that enough with you."
Sesshomaru didn't say anything. Bankotsu scoffed,
"I can't believe this. You knew how much I loved her, Sesshomaru. You knew, and you tok her from me without any real purpose. You fought for her, and when I left that day you shoved that proposal in my face. I thought, 'Hey, if 'Sesshomaru the Almighty' has the heart to fight for her then she'll be happy.' Knowing she'd be happy was the only thing that helped me forget. It was the only thing that helped me forgive you, and move on. Yet, come to find out, it wasn't going so great after all. So explain to me why you took her when you didn't really love her?"
"I don't have to explain myself to you." Sesshomaru said with an irritated tone.
Bankotsu didn't even say anything. He opened the door, took Kita's wrist and pulled her into the room.
"No." Bankotsu said. "You're right. You DON'T have to explain yourself to me, but you do have to explain yourself to her."
"I've already answered that question for her." he said, not seeming to be able to look at Kita.
"Bullshit!" Bankotsu spat, yelling now. "Are you seriously telling me that she was simply a 'possession' to you!? That you were just 'fond' of her? That's bullshit, and you know it!"
"What are you trying to get out of me, Bankotsu?" he asked.
Bankotsu was turning slightly red, "Someone like you does not 'waste' their time playing with a girl's emotions."
"Is that not what the competition was about?" he asked.
Bankotsu glanced at Kita, then looked back at Sesshomaru.
"Despite the fact we made it all a competition, I still treated them like human beings." he said.
Sesshomaru smirked. He actually was laughing...at a time like this!? In front of his mate, no less.
"You're really fucked up in the head, Sesshomaru." Bankotsu whispered.
Sesshomaru once had a fire in his eyes. When he was fighting for Kita...when he was protecting her, there had been a fire, but now...there was nothing. Bankotsu remembered this. He hadn't seen him like this since his mother had left him with his 'new family' without any explanation. Bankotsu knew this cold, yet angry look in his eyes.
He didn't care anymore.
"If it's talking you want me to do, Bankotsu, then fine." Sesshomaru started. "Then let's talk."
He leaned back against the nearest wall, and crossed his arms. Bankotsu shook his head,
"Sesshomaru, don't do this. You don't have to keep hiding-"
"I settled." Sesshomaru interrupted, looking right at Kita now. "Kagura left, and I needed an offspring."
Bankotsu yelled, "Sesshomaru!"
That did it for him, because he stormed toward him, but a hand grabbed his arm, stopping him. Bankotsu looked back at Kita, expecting to see her in tears...to just, say, 'Don't bother' before leaving the room, but he was wrong. There were no tears, and if anything she seemed at ease.
"Kita." he said.
She shook her head, then looked at Sesshomaru,
"I'm done, Sesshomaru. I want a divorce."
Bankotsu looked at her with surprise. He looked at Sesshomaru, and he hadn't even blinked. As if he'd seen it coming.
"Kita, don't jump to that. I mean, you can't even-"
"I know that I'll always be his mate, and I'm sure he knows the same about himself. I'm not human, though, Bankotsu. I'm not confined to only him. I'm also demon. I can mate with someone else. I'll find someone better. I'm tired of caring, so yes; I will jump to that." she interrupted.
Sesshomaru pushed off the wall, "Yukio-"
"I'm not taking him from you. Deep down, he knows you're his father even if he hasn't called you that yet, and I won't take you from him, because I can see you at least love him. That's all that matters. Yukio is all who will matter between us, but other than that...I'm done, Sesshomaru."
Sesshomaru just looked at her, and Bankotsu swore his gaze got colder. He looked at Bankotsu,
"You finally got what you've always wanted. I hope the both of you best of luck."
He actually gave a soft laugh before walking out of the bedroom. Bankotsu sighed, then turned toward Kita,
"Kita-"
"I meant what I said." Kita said, stopping him. "I'm done, Bankotsu, okay? Just let it go."
With that, she turned to leave, but Bankotsu grabbed her wrist. He turned her back toward him,
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." she said.
Her eyes seemed dim, and lifeless. Bankotsu sighed, and then pulled her into his arms.
"You don't need to put up a front, Kita." he said softly. "I'm still here. He may be gone, but I'm still here."
"Bankotsu?" Kita said, leaning into him heavily and wrapping her arms around his torso.
He asked, "What?"
"Shut. Up." she whispered shakily.
Bankotsu laughed, then began to rub her back. He sighed,
"Whatever you say, Kita."
With Kagome
It was a pretty long ride, but they eventually came to a stop. It was a Wal-Mart. Kagome frowned, getting out with Aina, and followed her inside. She asked,
"We're meeting your friend forty minutes away from home at a Wal-Mart?"
"Okay, maybe now would be a good time to freak out." she thought to herself.
Aina laughed, "No! This is just a stop. We're here to get something."
"What?" Kagome asked, looking at her suspiciously. "What are we getting?"
"Aina didn't respond, and just led Kagome into the clothing section. It couldn't be a bathing suit; it was only February!"
Aina never ceased to amaze her, of course. She picked out a black bikini top and held it up to Kagome's body,
"What size are you? Medium?"
"Are you insane!?" Kagome yelled. "It barely reaches 40 half the time, Aina! There's no way I'm swimming."
"It's an inside pool, Kagome. Relax!" she said with a roll of her eyes. "It's just a little party, and I don't want to swim alone."
Kagome was gonna protest, but Aina pouted and she sighed.
"Alright, alright." Kagome sighed.
Aina squealed, and then continued to look for a bathing suit for her. She eventually just found a bikini that clipped from the front, and bottoms that clipped at the sides. She also got her a pair of shorts. She got herself a red bikini that had some sort of orange mist-like design (in Kagome's opinion, it was red with a pee stain on it...it's just what it looked like!), and a pair of shorts. They were more faded than the ones Kagome got. She also got them each a pair of black flip flops.
"Looks like we're set to go." she said excitedly once she paid for everything and started out the store.
Kagome sighed heavily, "How long do you plan to stay, Aina?"
"I don' t know." she said with a shrug.
Right about now, Kagome was wishing a car would just come and hit her. Anytime now...
Later that Day
When they finally arrived, Aina and Kagome went to the porch; they were already dressed in what Aina called an 'appropriate' pool party outfit. Kagome felt naked. She just had on a bikini top, and bottoms with shorts that were too short over them and flip flops. Kagome felt so exposed. A guy opened the door; he had sandy, brown hair, was shirtless...and muscular...but in a lanky way. She'd be dumb to not acknowledge the fact that he was attractive. He grinned,
"So you weren't lying, Aina. She really is back."
"Told you." she said with a smile.
Kagome blinked, "Uh...do I know you?"
"Wow." he said with a laugh. "You really don't remember me? I chased you all through middle and high school."
Kagome studied him, but it still wasn't clicking. She smiled nervously,
"It's still not ringing a bell. I'm sorry. I'm horrible with faces."
"Hojo." he said simply.
That name...Kagome's eyes widened and she looked him over. Hojo had been pretty popular when she was in high school, and he often liked to flirt with her. They'd sort of...kind of...had a thing before Souta died. It'd been left off pretty much in the middle of things. Awkwarrrrd...
"Wow...it's been forever! How are you?" she asked.
Hojo didn't respond, and stepped aside to let them in. Aina walked in, and Kagome followed. He talked as he led them into the kitchen, his house was pretty empty and she assumed the party was in the back where the pool was. Kagome still remembered this place like the back of her hand. She'd spent a lot of time here.
"I've been good. How about you?" he asked. "I didn't think you'd come back after..."
He trailed off. That 'friend's' house she'd went to that night...it'd been him, and remembering what'd happened...she turned slightly red. Kagome felt a rush of guilt come over her as she thought about this. She'd been doing something awful while her brother had been murdered going to a friend's house of his own during a storm.
"Beer?" he asked.
Kagome looked at him, and was going to object, but Aina spoke before her,
"We'd love one."
Hojo nodded, not taking his eyes off Kagome until he finally turned and went to the fridge. He took out two beers, and handed them over to them.
"Well, I'm going to go socialize while the two of you catch up." Aina said, smiling and winking at Kagome before walking away.
Kagome wanted to yell at her not to leave, or at least go with her, but she was pretty much stuck.
"This is just great. Just freaking great."
With Kita
The day seemed to go really slowly, and all Kita wanted was for the next day to come. She just wanted this day to be over. After their conversation, Sesshomaru had taken Yukio and left. She'd been pissed until Sango said he'd told her he was going to be at his father's house. It pissed her off, though, when she said he'd said he was giving her and Bankotsu some 'alone' time. He didn't even care. Nothing that'd ever happened between them mattered. Except Yukio...
Clearly seeing her bad mood, Sango and Miroku headed home. Kita curled up on the couch, and looked at the TV with an expressionless face. Bankotsu kept bothering her, but she didn't pay him any real attention.
"Kita?" he walked over after coming down the stairs. "You need to eat something."
When she didn't respond, he sighed, and sat down on the couch.
"I know you don't want to talk about it, but-"
"Then don't." she said simply.
Bankotsu retorted, "I wouldn't bother you so much if you weren't acting like this. I'm just worried."
"I'm just tired, Bankotsu." she replied softly. "Just tired."
"Physically? Mentally? Emotionally? All the above?"
When she didn't respond, Bankotsu huffed, then moved closer, and began to pull her up by the arm.
"Bankotsu, stop!" she whined, trying to pull away but didn't even really put up a fight.
Bankotsu soon had her sitting up, and then he made her rest her head on his shoulder.
"Look, listen...until all of this is sorted out, I'm going to be here for you. Until you don't need me, I won't go anywhere. I promise."
"Don't promise me something you can't keep. They're meant to be broken after all." she muttered bitterly.
"Don't compare everyone to him, Kita. You know no one can be compared to someone like Sesshomaru." he replied. "You're a psychologist, and I'm guessing you can only help your patients. So, today I'm going to be your shrink. My diagnosis is depression. Treament? Fun."
Kita rolled her eyes, "I told you I'm tired. I don't want-"
"I don't care what you said." he said with a grin, beginning to wiggle his fingers at the sides of her stomach.
Kita burst out laughing, "Bankotsu! Stop!"
"Not until you agree to let me take you out to have some fun!" he said, laughing along with her as she tried to squirm away from him.
Bankotsu had always loved making Kita laugh. It was the most hilarious, contagious laugh he had ever heard. Bankotsu started to move his hands up to her armpits.
"OKAY! OKAY!" she exclaimed breathlessly.
He stopped, "Hnn?"
"I said okay!" she repeated, still giggling. "Gosh...you're such a cheater."
Bankotsu grinned, "Only when it comes to getting what I want."
He pushed some strands of hair behind her ear.
"I wouldn't cheat on you." he said softly. "You deserve to be happy like everyone else."
Kita looked into his eyes, his smirk falling slightly.
"I'm going to get changed."
Kita got up from the couch then headed upstairs to change. He sighed and relaxed back on the couch,
"I guess that was too soon?"
Bankotsu shook is head, then ran his hand down his face.
With Kagome
Kagome had made a decision NOT to drink at this party, but after Aina left her with Hojo, and he started talking her up, she started popping bottles. He brought up old, good, bad, and embarrassing memories. He asked what she'd been up to, and even started flirting with her. Kagome swore his eyes travelled down to her breast at least a hundred times while they talked. Ugh. How had she ever liked such a pig?
She'd made it as clear as she possibly could that she was seeing someone. It didn't seem to phase him, though. It never had before either.
When she was working on her fourth beer, Aina finally returned, and was already wasted. The room was spinning and everything (big or little) made her laugh. Kagome supposed she was up there with Aina. Subconsciously, she was just hoping she'd finally lost it, and not drunk at a party where ANYTHING could happen.
Aina stumbled into Kagome, and took her arm. She grinned at Hojo,
"Can you excuse us for a second?"
Hojo grinned back at her, and nodded. Aina led her into the living room that was beginning to fill with people, and loud music. She started speaking, but Kagome couldn't hear a thing she said. She raised her voice,
"DO YOU LIKE HOJO!?"
Kagome shook her head, "YOU KNOW I'M WITH SOMEBODY ELSE! WHY WOULD YOU ASK THAT?!"
"Doesn't mean you can't flirt!" Aina said in her ear. "You promised me you'd let loose, so LET LOOSE!"
She cheered, and everyone joined her. Aina gave her a nudge, and Kagome ran into something hard. She turned around to see Hojo who'd just exited the kitchen. He grinned down at her,
"Wanna dance?"
There was no fear.
No conscience.
No regret, or guilt.
There was only adrenaline, thrill, and excitement. She felt like she had before Souta died, and Kagome didn't want it to end. Not for a while, at least. So she smiled,
"Sure!"
Everything seemed to become a blur. She danced, laughed, and talked with anyone. Hojo seemed to be her reoccurrence, though. Aina showed herself once again with some guy right behind her. She'd smiled at Kagome, then pushed a cup into her hand. It looked like beer. More beer. Was that the only drink being served?
"Stay hydrated!"
Kagome could have laughed, but she just thanked her before basically gulping the stuff down. After that, Kagome went back to dancing, but something changed. The room became louder, she felt hot, confused, and over-energized. It was strange, but Kagome loved it. Every second of it. That was until she didn't know what she was doing anymore, but it all felt so good that she didn't want it to stop. Before she knew it, though, everything went black.
With Aina
The party ended around four in the morning, and by then, Aina had woken and was sober. She couldn't escape the inevitable hang over, though. When she woke up, she found herself naked, and in the arms of the guy she'd hooked up with last night.
Aina stumbled out of bed, and searched for her clothes. She quickly put them on, then walked out of the bedroom. Aina went into the bathroom across the hall and shut the door; she turned the water on, and then wet her face. This was not the first time Aina had attended one of Hojo's parties, but this had to of been the craziest. Maybe it was because it was usually Hojo she slept with, and not some stranger.
'At least he looked hot.' she thought with a grin as she washed her face.
Aina grabbed the mouth wash near the sink, and gurgled some of it before spitting it out. Afterward, she looked at herself in the mirror. As the silence of the house rang in her ear, it was then she remembered Kagome. Aina's eyes widened and she hurried out of the bathroom. She looked into every bedroom, but she was nowhere to be found. Aina's blood drew cold when she neared Hojo's bedroom. Aina swallowed, remembering what she'd done last night, and began to immediately regret it:
Flashback
"So you're here with her?" asked the guy whose name she still did not know; despite that she'd been with the guy since she arrived.
Aina watched Kagome dance with Hojo, frowning,
"Yeah...I came here with the intention of ending her...uh, 'troubled' relationship. I want her to stay here, but she needs persuading."
"Troubled relationship?" the guy repeated, shaking his blonde hair from his face. "Is the guy hitting her?"
"Mm..something like that." she lied.
As she thought, a big grin spread across Aina's face.
"Hey, umm..."
"Jay." he finished for her.
She smiled apologetically, "Got anymore of those pills?"
"Yeah, why?" he asked, taking out a silver pill holder.
Aina smiled flirtatiously at him, "I just figured out how to get her spirits up. If she 'gets' with someone like Hojo, maybe she'll drop this other guy, ya know?
"Ah, sounds like a plan. How many?" he asked.
Aina looked back toward Kagome, and clenched at her cup lightly when she saw Hojo kissing at her neck. Kagome was smiling, and giggling drunkenly. She was completely letting him kiss her, and he was taking full advantage. Aina finally gave an answer,
"Two."
Jay just looked at her. She glared back,
"What?"
"Has this chick ever had this stuff before" he asked.
Aina smiled reassuringly, "Yeah, sure, of course."
He gave her the two pills, and then Aina walked over to one of the many red Solo cups filled with beer and dropped the pills in. She then picked up the cup, and walked over to the couple. They stopped their kissing and dancing when she cleared her throat. Kagome looked at her sort of dazed like she didn't know who she was. Aina wondered how long it'd been since Kagome had last drunk alcohol. She usually knew how to hold it.
Aina pushed the thoughts away, and gave Kagome the cup she was holding. She smiled as innocently as she could,
"Stay hydrated!"
Kagome just smiled at her before downing the drink. Aina grinned, turning, and returning to Jay. She smiled up at him, then wrapped her arms around his neck,
"Thanks."
"No problem." he said with a grin.
The Present
Aina's heart was pounding in her chest now. She stopped at the door. After a minute, or two of summoning the strength she knew she was going to need, Aina turned the knob and carefully opened the door. Her face paled. Kagome was lying close to Hojo, beneath the covers, and on her stomach. Her bikini top was gone now, and on the floor. Aina brought her hands up to her hair, and clenched at it frantically,
"Oh no...oh god, no..."