AN: Hey I'm back with a new chappie. It would have been up earlier if ff.net hadn't of been down. I'd like to send a special thanks to my new beta reader Icewings for doing such an awesome job. Well, enjoy the new chapter.
CH: 5 Of Relationships and Puppies
Kagome awoke to her alarm going off. Her hand absently hit her dresser a couple of times before actually hitting the clock and turning off the irritating noise. She wearily blinked open her eyes and groaned as light quickly invaded her senses, then rose to sit up straight and softly yawned as she stretched her arms.
Kagome felt refreshed and was actually looking forward to the day even though she had school. She sat on her bed and pondered why she would be feeling such a way and all the memories of what had transpired that weekend came crashing down on her. She suddenly felt incredibly anxious. 'What will people at school think?' She silently wondered and then her eyes widened as she thought of another worry. 'Oh Kami I hope Inuyasha doesn't make a scene.'
Kagome threw back her blanket and slid out of bed. Her first stop was her brother's room to wake Souta and Shippou. She turned on the light and both of the boys groaned and tried to hide their face either under their pillow or blanket. Kagome sighed and walked over to them pulling them both up. "Come on there's school today." She said and the two boys rubbed the sleep from their eyes.
When she was sure the two boys weren't going to just roll over back to sleep she went downstairs and started on breakfast. When she got there she opened the refrigerator to find not much was left since the last time she had gone shopping. 'I guess it's cereal for breakfast.' Kagome thought to herself and pulled out the milk and went to get some bowls.
Kagome, Souta, and Shippou sat down for breakfast. It wasn't unusual that Shippou was with them. The two boys were very good friends and nearly inseparable. They were always sleeping over at each other's houses. After she ate Kagome ran up the stair to get into the shower before Souta. It was a morning pretty much like any other as they finally exited the small house and walked to their respective schools. The only difference was that Kagome was incredibly torn between being happy that she was free and dreading how the rest of the world would react. She remembered to pick one of the dark purple flowers that were growing near her house before she left though.
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Sesshoumaru got out of bed easily as usual though not completely rested. He never seemed to get a decent night's sleep ever since his mother had passed away. The only time had been when he had shared Kagome's bed a few nights ago. As he got up he looked down at the puppy that was still lying on his bed. The pup looked up at him and they stared at each other until it seemed they came to an agreement that the pup wouldn't ruin his room while he was away.
Sesshoumaru heard a knock at his door and wondered who could be intruding on his privacy so early in the morning. He opened it to see a sleepy Rin. "Jaken-sama made Rin get out of bed." The girl said as she rubbed her eye and seemed to be stifling a yawn.
Sesshoumaru couldn't help but wonder at the child. Most children he knew would be complaining and probably would have yelled at Jaken to leave them alone. He affectionately ruffled the girl's hair and began to walk down the hall for a shower. He told Rin over his shoulder to get dressed and he would meet her for breakfast.
Sesshoumaru turned on the shower and ran his hand under the water to test the temperature. He then tossed his boxers to the laundry basket sitting in the corner and stepped inside the shower. His muscles relaxed under the warm spray of the shower. His mind however was on how he would get Kagome to come over to his house to give her the puppy. He knew she wouldn't want to come on account of his brother. All he could really do was reassure her that he would keep Inuyasha at bay.
At the breakfast table the scene was much like that at dinner. There were only two differences. One, their father was away on business so he was absent. And two, Inuyasha had a major hangover so he wasn't really able to make any clever jabs at Sesshoumaru. Well as clever as Inuyasha's insults ever were. Sesshoumaru then took Rin to her new school before driving to school himself.
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When she got to school Kagome ran straight to her locker knowing that Sango would be there soon. By the time she had grabbed her books she heard someone lean against the lockers and looked up to see her friend looking back at her. "So how do you feel?"
"Confused." Kagome answered.
"How so?" Sango asked. She silently hoped that Kagome wasn't considering on taking the jerk back.
Kagome sighed. "On one hand I really do feel great. I feel free and I had one of the best night's sleep ever..." Kagome paused.
"But..." Sango prompted her.
"But on the other hand I feel really guilty for what I did. I mean I didn't even give him a chance to speak." Kagome said and looked down at her schoolbag.
"Don't worry everything will be fine." Sango reassured her. She considered on how best to distract Kagome from her problem and what better way than teasing her. Kagome would either get flustered or mad, but either way she would forget her problem. "So...when you say best night's sleep does that mean better than the time you shared a bed with Sesshoumaru?" Sango asked.
Kagome stopped dead in her tracks as they had been walking down the hall. A blush crept up her cheeks as remembered that night and the interesting morning that had followed. Before she could answer though, another voice interrupted.
"Kagome, I'm hurt. To think you would do such a thing with Sesshoumaru and not with me." Miroku said as he came up to them having overheard the last part of their conversation. He also knew about the break up because he had to listen to Inuyasha's drunken ranting over the phone.
"Nothing happened." Kagome said getting flustered. Sango and Miroku both nodded and gave her a look that said 'sure we believe you.'
"So how's my lovely girlfriend this morning?" Kagome felt an arm go around her shoulders and was surprised to see Inuyasha smiling at her.
"What are you doing Inuyasha? We broke up." Kagome said keeping her voice down to keep from attracting attention.
"I know that's what you said this weekend, but you never gave me a chance Kagome. I know we can work this out. We've been through so much together." Inuyasha said. On some level behind all the possessiveness and stupidity he really did care for her and would be damned before he lost her.
"I don't believe him." Sango growled. "Why I'm gonna..." She was about to approach Inuyasha when Miroku held her back.
She was about to yell at the hentai, but when she turned to look at him he had one of his rare serious faces on. "Don't Sango. Kagome needs to fight this one on her own." He said. Sango knew he was right, but she didn't want to see her best friend either hurt or back with that idiot.
"I meant what I said Inuyasha. We're through. I've honestly had it with this relationship." Kagome said slowly as to make sure Inuyasha understood ever word clearly.
"I don't believe this!" Inuyasha said suddenly getting upset. His sudden outburst caused a group of people to stop their own conversations and watch the scene that was unfolding. "We've been going out for months and you just want to throw that away?!"
Kagome was slightly frightened by his tone, but held strong. "Hai, it's over Inuyasha." She said and then walked away with Sango. Miroku looked back at his angered and confused friend. He wanted to stay and comfort his friend since he knew Inuyasha would soon regret his actions. Another part of him, however, decided that it would be better to let the boy calm down a bit first.
Students started talking immediately about what they had just seen. Who would have guessed that one of the most popular and seemingly happiest couples would break up? It was even worse that the break up seemed rather messy. Among those watching was a certain golden eyed senior who had been standing near the end of the hall.
Though he had not been close up, Sesshoumaru had heard everything that had been said. His heart felt so very confused at that moment. It jumped for joy knowing that Kagome was unattached again, but it also sank when he saw the tears that she seemed to be holding back when she walked past him.
'I can't believe I just did that.' Kagome thought to herself as she sat in her first period class. She was silently pleased with herself that she was no longer the meek Kagome that would just keep taking everything and she had finally learned to say no.
As Kagome walked down the halls she could feel the eyes watching her and barely made out the quiet whispers. She heard many whispers wondering how dare she break up with Inuyasha since he was seen as a great catch at that school. Others were wondering what had taken her so long since apparently Kagome, though she didn't agree, was also looked at as a wanted commodity.
She let out a sigh of relief as she walked into her music class. 'No talking, no whispers, just playing nice music.' She thought to herself. As she walked in she saw Sesshoumaru in his usual seat and went to join him. When she sat down he gave her a small smile after making sure that no one else would see it. Seeing as though smiles during school time from Sesshoumaru were very rare, Kagome felt pleasantly warmed.
She took out her flute and began to clean it a bit. As she was doing this she noticed someone walk right in front of her. She looked up to see another senior with crimson eyes and braided hair.
"Hey Kagome. How's life?" Hiten said and leaned in close to Kagome making her feel slightly uncomfortable. Sesshoumaru withstood the urge to pummel the guy who was so obviously getting ready to hit on Kagome. He couldn't believe someone was as low as to do that when she had just gotten out of a relationship. He was also slightly worried that she would be picked up on the rebound and he would miss his chance yet again.
"Fine I suppose." Kagome said and tried to smile her best as she was feeling incredibly wary of his nearness.
"I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me tonight to say...dinner." Hiten said and gave her a smile that would have made most girls swoon. Luck for her and Sesshoumaru that she wasn't like most girls.
"I don't think I'm ready to start dating again." Kagome said trying to let him down easy. Hiten just told her to get back to him and then went to his seat.
"So...how are you feeling?" Sesshoumaru asked her.
"Surprisingly good." Kagome said and smiled at Sesshoumaru. "And if I recall you said you had a surprise for me." She added.
Sesshoumaru nodded. "Hai, I do. You'll just have to be patient though." He said knowing that when waiting for a surprise Kagome was like a little kid. He could just see her already getting antsy wondering what it could be. The teacher then walked in and class began.
At the end of class, they were again reminded of the recital that would be occurring next week Friday. Kagome was going over notes in her head as she walked out of class and too lunch. She suddenly stopped in her tracks as she remembered something. 'I have the same lunch period as Inuyasha.' Kagome made a small sound that could have been akin to a whimper.
Sesshoumaru, who had been walking right beside her, gave her a small sympathetic look since he knew what she was thinking about. He swore that if his brother tried to embarrass her in any way he would drag the idiot up the stairs and toss him off the roof.
"Ne Sesshoumaru?" He looked down at her and she held out the flower she had been carrying around with her. "It's to say thank you for all the things you've done for me lately. I know it's not much of a thank you and that being a guy you probably don't like flowers much, but I wanted you to have it."
Sesshoumaru hesitantly took the flower as if the entire scene before him would shatter if he made a wrong move. He knew he would look ridiculous carrying a flower around and girls would most likely bother him thinking it was for them, but it was from Kagome and that automatically made it special. "Arigatou." He said softly as they finally walked into the cafeteria. They went their separate ways as always, but both wondered why they never sat together.
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Once Kagome walked into the cafeteria she automatically noticed the way everyone began to whisper when she arrived. She saw Sango waving at her and went to sit with her. Miroku soon showed up as well. Kagome smiled when Sango began to start a conversation on the usual things and steered clear of the subject of Inuyasha, who was suspiciously missing.
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"Hello Inuyasha." Kikyou cooed as she looked at the teenage boy who was sitting at the base of a tree.
"What do you want Kikyou?" Inuyasha asked. He did not want someone interfering in his self-loathing. He had finally come to terms with the fact that he and Kagome were not together anymore. Also, after a very long talk with Miroku that came almost to blows, he admitted at least to himself that he had been wrong. 'It's too late now.' He kept telling himself.
Kikyou sat down next to the boy and placed a hand on his. After a long night of thinking she had come up with a plan. "You deserve better anyway Inuyasha." Kikyou said. "She shouldn't have done that to you. Don't you want to get back at her? Don't you want revenge?" Kikyou asked and leaned closer to him.
'Do I want revenge?' Inuyasha thought to himself. This was high school. It wasn't supposed to be so complicated.
Kikyou continued to whisper poisoning words to him. Things like how wrong Kagome had been and how angry he must be with her. When the bell rang Kikyou laid a small kiss on Inuyasha's cheek. "I can help." She whispered in his ear as she stood up and walked back inside.
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Kagome was almost ready to run out of the school when the last bell finally rang. All the whispers and strange looks she had been getting had been too much. She also couldn't believe how many guys had asked her out. She had just had a rather unpleasant break up and guys were already hitting on her. She was so lost in thought that she jumped when she felt someone's hand on her shoulder.
She turned to see Sesshoumaru's golden eyes looking back at her. "Gomen." He said. It took her a moment to process what he had said
"It's okay. Today had just been really...something." She said. Sesshoumaru nodded. Kagome then perked up when she remembered her surprise. "So do I get my surprise now?"
Sesshoumaru smirked at the childlike anticipation in her voice. "It's at my house. We need to pick up Rin first though."
"You're still taking care of Rin?" Kagome asked as they walked over to Sesshoumaru's car.
"Hai. The social worker said that they hadn't found any family. She asked if I wanted to adopt Rin if they didn't find anyone by the end of the week." Sesshoumaru said.
Kagome looked at him in surprise. "Sugoi! Are you really going to adopt her?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru gave a small nod. "Hontou? I don't think I would be able to take care of a child already. But then again you could probably do it." Kagome continued to gush over Sesshoumaru kindness, making the usually stoic senior begin to blush.
Sesshoumaru drove to Rin's school. All the children were already waiting outside. Kagome and Sesshoumaru stepped out of the car and Kagome was instantly almost knocked over and grabbed the car door to steady herself. She looked down to see Rin hugging her leg. "Kagome-kaasan! Rin missed you." Kagome smiled sweetly at the small girl and picked her up. "Otousan brought Kagome-kaasan to see Rin." Rin cheered.
"Otousan?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru just shrugged and patted Rin's head. Someone called Sesshoumaru's last name as they turned to leave and he turned around to see a slender woman walk up to them.
"Hello I'm Ms. Yoshimura. I just wanted to let you know what a pleasure it was having Rin join our class. She really is a ray of sunshine. You two must be very proud parents." She said and smiled at Sesshoumaru and Kagome.
Kagome blushed at the woman's implication. "Arigatou." Sesshoumaru said simply and they left. Kagome turned to give him a surprise look that he didn't correct the woman.
"Rin is so happy she has parents now." The small girls said from the back seat. Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome to see her blush darken. He didn't want to correct the child and Kagome didn't want to destroy the child's hope.
Kagome tensed when Sesshoumaru's house came into view. "Don't worry. I'll throw him in a closet and lock it if need be." Sesshoumaru said as he parked the car. Kagome turned and gave him an assured smile. They both gathered their things and followed the bouncing little girl into the house. Kagome smiled to herself when she saw that a small flower peaking out of Sesshoumaru's bag.
"Kagome-kaasan needs to close her eyes for her surprise." Rin said when Kagome had sat down on the couch in the living room. To humor the girl Kagome shut her eyes. Rin waved her hand in front of her face to make sure she couldn't see anything. The small girl then ran to go find the puppy.
Sesshoumaru watched Rin run off and then took a seat next to Kagome. Kagome felt the dip the couch dip as Sesshoumaru sat down. They waited in comfortable silence and soon Rin reappeared with a small white puppy in her arms. "Surprise!" Rin yelled and Kagome opened her eyes just in time to catch the small puppy that jumped into her arms.
"Kawaii!" Kagome said and petted the soft white fur. She them noticed that the puppy looked strangely familiar. "This is the puppy I was looking at when Sango dragged me to the mall yesterday." Kagome said and scratched its ears.
"Well, he's yours." Sesshoumaru said.
Kagome's blue eyes widened as she looked at Sesshoumaru incredulously. "Hontou?" She asked hopefully. Sesshoumaru nodded and Kagome almost knocked him over in a tight hug. "Arigatou. I can't believe this. You're the best Sesshoumaru." Kagome said as she hugged him tight.
Sesshoumaru let his arms circle her waist and held her against him. He never wanted to let her go. His fingers ran lightly through her raven locks which were splayed against his contrasting silver hair. 'If only I could freeze time like this.' He thought to himself.
Kagome blushed when she finally realized what she was doing. She pulled away from Sesshoumaru and their eyes locked for a moment. Sesshoumaru got lost in Kagome's deep blue pools. His eyes finally broke away only to trail down to her full lips. He silently wondered if they would taste as sweet as they looked.
"Does Kagome-kaasan like the puppy?" Rin asked not noticing the other two were so entranced.
Kagome was thankful for the interruption and scooted closer to Rin. "Hai. I love him." Kagome said and picked up the white puppy and placed it in her lap. "Now he just needs a name." Kagome said thoughtfully.
Sesshoumaru immediately missed the warmth of Kagome next to him. He was however, somewhat thankful for Rin's distraction. He knew that had the girl not spoken he would have probably kissed Kagome. He knew that no matter how badly he wanted to he didn't want to unless she wanted him as well. He wondered if she would have pushed him away had he given into his desires and claimed her sweet lips.
Kagome continued to run her fingers through the pup's soft fur thinking of a name. "How about Fluffy?" Rin said as she jumped up onto the couch to sit between Sesshoumaru and Kagome.
"That's a great name, Rin." Kagome said and look down at the puppy in her lap. "So what do you think of your new name?" The pup gave a small bark as if answering the question.
She played with the puppy for a bit with Rin while Sesshoumaru sat back and watched. When Kagome finally looked at her watch she was surprised to find it was so late. "I need to go home and make dinner for Souta." She said and stood up. Sesshoumaru handed her the leash that had been on the table.
"I'll give you a ride home." He offered and Kagome smiled and nodded.
"Ja ne Rin." Kagome said and gave the girl a small kiss on her forehead. "Don't give Sesshoumaru too much trouble." Kagome then hooked the leash onto Fluffy's collar and followed Sesshoumaru out. "I still can't get over the fact that you're going to adopt her." Kagome said. "I don't think I could do it.
"You do just as much for Souta as a mother would." Sesshoumaru pointed out. "Besides, I'll have you to help me right?" Sesshoumaru asked trying not to sound too hopeful.
"Zutto." Kagome answered with a smile as they got into the car. Sesshoumaru gave a small smile wishing what she said was true, that she really would always be there with him.
"Ne Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked. He made a small noise to tell her he was listening although he couldn't turn to look at her because he was driving at the moment. "I really wanted to thank you for all the things you've been doing lately. I mean, you've done so much and I don't think I've been able to pay you back for any of it." Kagome said looking down at the sleeping bundle in her lap.
'Same Kagome. She always did like to give as much or more than she got.' Sesshoumaru thought with a small smile. "You still haven't told me what happened." He pointed out to her.
"Oh...well...Inuyasha tried to...to force himself on me I guess you could say." Sesshoumaru's smile instantly faded and his grip on the steering wheel tightened to the point of his knuckles turning white. "I got him off me and ran out of the house. Then I called you." Kagome said. "On Sunday, Sango helped me to break up with him. I really think it was the right thing to do."
Kagome turned and looked at Sesshoumaru to see his shoulders tenser than usual and he had a death grip on the steering wheel. "Daijoubu?" Kagome asked worried that something was wrong.
Sesshoumaru was making a mental note to kill his brother when he heard Kagome's question. He gave a small nod though Kagome didn't buy it for a second. "I wish you'd tell me what's wrong sometime that way I could repay you for all the times you listen to my problems and help out. I would also get to know you a lot more."
"What do you want to know?" Sesshoumaru asked her. He hoped she didn't ask any questions about things like who he liked because he had already come to terms that he couldn't lie to her.
"Well..." Kagome thought for a few seconds. "How come you're not as open with everyone at school as you are with me?" Kagome asked. It was a little too close to the questions he didn't want her to ask.
He wondered how he was supposed to answer a question like that. 'I can't tell her it's because I love her.' He told himself. It was because of one of the two fears he had. A fear that had arisen after his mother had died. His first fear was that Kagome would find out how he felt and reject him. He knew she would never tell him off, but by just not returning his feelings he knew his heart would break. His second fear was of losing another person he loved. That was why he stayed away from everyone and seemed so aloof. His mother had died after he had met Kagome so he hadn't had the time to shield his heart before she had gotten in, though a part of him knew that even if he did she would have still found some way in.
Kagome just waited patiently for an answer. 'Did I ask something wrong? I just want to know more about him. I want to know why his eyes always seem to hold some sadness and why he's never had a steady girlfriend when he's the most popular guy in school.' Kagome was pulled from her thought when Sesshoumaru finally spoke.
"I don't want to get close to people. I don't want to lose anyone like how I lost my mother." He said. A small part of him told him not to tell her these things, but a stronger part wanted her to know. It told him to tell her everything and held close to the knowledge that she would never break his confidence.
"I guess I can understand that." Kagome said. She had lost her father though she hadn't known him that well at the time because she had been too young. But now she feared she would lose her mother as well. "Everyday I'm afraid of getting a call from the hospital saying something went wrong with my mother. But I know I have people who would help me through it, like you." Kagome confided in him.
"She's going to be fine, Kagome." Sesshoumaru reassured her though he silently wondered if she would be. He knew that she had been in the hospital more frequently than normal lately.
Kagome could tell by the look in his eyes that he was only trying to cheer her up. She knew that he wondered also. "I'll believe you if you believe me when I say that you'll never be alone either." Kagome said and smiled at him as he stopped the car in front of the shrine steps.
Sesshoumaru turned to her and gave a small nod. It was fall already so the sun was setting already. The light danced in Kagome's hair, making her look ethereal to Sesshoumaru. He clenched his hands around the steering wheel again and resisted the urge to lean over and kiss her.
"Well, see you tomorrow, Sesshou-kun." Kagome said. Sesshoumaru gave her a strange look after she had said that and realized she had done it to lift the mood that had been almost stifled with depression. He smirked.
"Hai, see you tomorrow, Kagome-chan." He replied and felt pleased when a small blush rose on her cheeks. Kagome carried the small puppy out of the car and waved to Sesshoumaru as he drove away. She then ran up the shrine steps and into the house to meet with a very hungry Souta. He forgot his hunger however, when he met Fluffy.
Kagome made a quick dinner consisting of ramen and then went off to do her homework after she had fed Fluffy and Buyo as well. She sat in her room working on her math problems. Fluffy walked up to Buyo who was lying upside down on Kagome's bed. The pup sniffed at the cat. Buyo merely made a small noise and almost slid off the bed.
Kagome sighed. 'Aa Owatta.' She thought with joy. She turned her chair around and almost tripped over Fluffy who had been lying next to her. Kagome picked the pup up and set him on her bed. "You have the same silver hair and golden eyes as Sesshoumaru." Kagome told Fluffy.
That got her thinking about Sesshoumaru. 'I'm happy that he opened up a bit to me. He needs to show that side of him to more people.' Kagome began to dress for bed. She put on a pair of shorts and a tank top. She went down the hall and told Souta to go to bed. She then went back to her room and would have collapsed on his bed if it hadn't had two occupants already. "Yasumi Buyo, Fluffy." She said as she managed to get under her covers without disturbing the two other sleeping on her bed.
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Sesshoumaru sighed as he finally got Rin to go to bed. She had calmed down after Sesshoumaru had promised that he would try to get Kagome to come with him the next day to pick her up again. He smirked as he looked at the small sleeping figure before he turned out the light. 'I think I could get used to this.' He thought. Sesshoumaru would have never thought he would enjoy such a fatherly role. He just swore to himself that he would do a better job than his own father.
Sesshoumaru went to his own room as usual stripped down to his boxers to sleep. He decided he would ask Kagome out to a friendly dinner the next night. He knew she probably still wasn't ready to date, but he wanted to help her forget about her problems at home. 'Who knows, maybe she'll help me forget mine.' Sesshoumaru thought as he rolled over and closed his eyes.
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Inuyasha sat staring at his phone for a moment. He had seen Kagome go off with Sesshoumaru after school. He hated that they were getting so close and he hated the knowledge that with them broken up Sesshoumaru had a clear shot for Kagome. He made up his mind then. 'There is no way I'll let Sesshoumaru have her. If she's not with me, she won't be with anyone.'
Inuyasha picked up the phone and dialed. "Kikyou? You said something about revenge?"
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Yay, another chapter done. Sorry for the little cliffy but if I didn't do it the chapter would never end.
Translations:
Kami: God
Hai: Yes
Moshi moshi: hello (on telephone)
Arigatou: Thank you
Gomen: Sorry
Kaasan: Mother
Tousan: Father
Sugoi: Great
Hontou: Really
Kawaii: Cute
Ja ne: See you
Zutto: Always
Daijoubu?: Are you okay?
Owatta: Finished
Yasumi: Good night
Review responses:
Wildflower92490: I know, I'll tell Sesshoumaru to hurry up.
Aira^o^: I wonder why Sesshoumaru can't be real often too. As for killing Kikyou it is a highschool fic so I don't know if I can kill Kikyou, but then again who knows what'll happen.
Moon goddess: I have something planned for how Kagome finds out about Sesshoumaru so you have to wait and see.
Tamababymiko-chan: Thanks, and don't worry Naraku will get his.
MysticalAngel: If there's anything left of Inu and Naraku after you strangle them I'd like a try also.
Lunabelle: If you like him in boxers I hope you liked the short little shower scene.
SesshoumaruFreak: Yep more Sess/Kag fluff ahead.
Fluffy+kagome=kawaii: Don't worry you won't feel sorry for Kikyou for long.
Profiler120: Something like that might happen. Kikyou definitely sees Kagome as her way to freedom.
Thanks to everyone else who reviewed and don't forget to check out my new website and help out by suggesting fics to put up there or giving me permission to archive your fics. ^_^
~*Shichan
CH: 5 Of Relationships and Puppies
Kagome awoke to her alarm going off. Her hand absently hit her dresser a couple of times before actually hitting the clock and turning off the irritating noise. She wearily blinked open her eyes and groaned as light quickly invaded her senses, then rose to sit up straight and softly yawned as she stretched her arms.
Kagome felt refreshed and was actually looking forward to the day even though she had school. She sat on her bed and pondered why she would be feeling such a way and all the memories of what had transpired that weekend came crashing down on her. She suddenly felt incredibly anxious. 'What will people at school think?' She silently wondered and then her eyes widened as she thought of another worry. 'Oh Kami I hope Inuyasha doesn't make a scene.'
Kagome threw back her blanket and slid out of bed. Her first stop was her brother's room to wake Souta and Shippou. She turned on the light and both of the boys groaned and tried to hide their face either under their pillow or blanket. Kagome sighed and walked over to them pulling them both up. "Come on there's school today." She said and the two boys rubbed the sleep from their eyes.
When she was sure the two boys weren't going to just roll over back to sleep she went downstairs and started on breakfast. When she got there she opened the refrigerator to find not much was left since the last time she had gone shopping. 'I guess it's cereal for breakfast.' Kagome thought to herself and pulled out the milk and went to get some bowls.
Kagome, Souta, and Shippou sat down for breakfast. It wasn't unusual that Shippou was with them. The two boys were very good friends and nearly inseparable. They were always sleeping over at each other's houses. After she ate Kagome ran up the stair to get into the shower before Souta. It was a morning pretty much like any other as they finally exited the small house and walked to their respective schools. The only difference was that Kagome was incredibly torn between being happy that she was free and dreading how the rest of the world would react. She remembered to pick one of the dark purple flowers that were growing near her house before she left though.
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Sesshoumaru got out of bed easily as usual though not completely rested. He never seemed to get a decent night's sleep ever since his mother had passed away. The only time had been when he had shared Kagome's bed a few nights ago. As he got up he looked down at the puppy that was still lying on his bed. The pup looked up at him and they stared at each other until it seemed they came to an agreement that the pup wouldn't ruin his room while he was away.
Sesshoumaru heard a knock at his door and wondered who could be intruding on his privacy so early in the morning. He opened it to see a sleepy Rin. "Jaken-sama made Rin get out of bed." The girl said as she rubbed her eye and seemed to be stifling a yawn.
Sesshoumaru couldn't help but wonder at the child. Most children he knew would be complaining and probably would have yelled at Jaken to leave them alone. He affectionately ruffled the girl's hair and began to walk down the hall for a shower. He told Rin over his shoulder to get dressed and he would meet her for breakfast.
Sesshoumaru turned on the shower and ran his hand under the water to test the temperature. He then tossed his boxers to the laundry basket sitting in the corner and stepped inside the shower. His muscles relaxed under the warm spray of the shower. His mind however was on how he would get Kagome to come over to his house to give her the puppy. He knew she wouldn't want to come on account of his brother. All he could really do was reassure her that he would keep Inuyasha at bay.
At the breakfast table the scene was much like that at dinner. There were only two differences. One, their father was away on business so he was absent. And two, Inuyasha had a major hangover so he wasn't really able to make any clever jabs at Sesshoumaru. Well as clever as Inuyasha's insults ever were. Sesshoumaru then took Rin to her new school before driving to school himself.
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When she got to school Kagome ran straight to her locker knowing that Sango would be there soon. By the time she had grabbed her books she heard someone lean against the lockers and looked up to see her friend looking back at her. "So how do you feel?"
"Confused." Kagome answered.
"How so?" Sango asked. She silently hoped that Kagome wasn't considering on taking the jerk back.
Kagome sighed. "On one hand I really do feel great. I feel free and I had one of the best night's sleep ever..." Kagome paused.
"But..." Sango prompted her.
"But on the other hand I feel really guilty for what I did. I mean I didn't even give him a chance to speak." Kagome said and looked down at her schoolbag.
"Don't worry everything will be fine." Sango reassured her. She considered on how best to distract Kagome from her problem and what better way than teasing her. Kagome would either get flustered or mad, but either way she would forget her problem. "So...when you say best night's sleep does that mean better than the time you shared a bed with Sesshoumaru?" Sango asked.
Kagome stopped dead in her tracks as they had been walking down the hall. A blush crept up her cheeks as remembered that night and the interesting morning that had followed. Before she could answer though, another voice interrupted.
"Kagome, I'm hurt. To think you would do such a thing with Sesshoumaru and not with me." Miroku said as he came up to them having overheard the last part of their conversation. He also knew about the break up because he had to listen to Inuyasha's drunken ranting over the phone.
"Nothing happened." Kagome said getting flustered. Sango and Miroku both nodded and gave her a look that said 'sure we believe you.'
"So how's my lovely girlfriend this morning?" Kagome felt an arm go around her shoulders and was surprised to see Inuyasha smiling at her.
"What are you doing Inuyasha? We broke up." Kagome said keeping her voice down to keep from attracting attention.
"I know that's what you said this weekend, but you never gave me a chance Kagome. I know we can work this out. We've been through so much together." Inuyasha said. On some level behind all the possessiveness and stupidity he really did care for her and would be damned before he lost her.
"I don't believe him." Sango growled. "Why I'm gonna..." She was about to approach Inuyasha when Miroku held her back.
She was about to yell at the hentai, but when she turned to look at him he had one of his rare serious faces on. "Don't Sango. Kagome needs to fight this one on her own." He said. Sango knew he was right, but she didn't want to see her best friend either hurt or back with that idiot.
"I meant what I said Inuyasha. We're through. I've honestly had it with this relationship." Kagome said slowly as to make sure Inuyasha understood ever word clearly.
"I don't believe this!" Inuyasha said suddenly getting upset. His sudden outburst caused a group of people to stop their own conversations and watch the scene that was unfolding. "We've been going out for months and you just want to throw that away?!"
Kagome was slightly frightened by his tone, but held strong. "Hai, it's over Inuyasha." She said and then walked away with Sango. Miroku looked back at his angered and confused friend. He wanted to stay and comfort his friend since he knew Inuyasha would soon regret his actions. Another part of him, however, decided that it would be better to let the boy calm down a bit first.
Students started talking immediately about what they had just seen. Who would have guessed that one of the most popular and seemingly happiest couples would break up? It was even worse that the break up seemed rather messy. Among those watching was a certain golden eyed senior who had been standing near the end of the hall.
Though he had not been close up, Sesshoumaru had heard everything that had been said. His heart felt so very confused at that moment. It jumped for joy knowing that Kagome was unattached again, but it also sank when he saw the tears that she seemed to be holding back when she walked past him.
'I can't believe I just did that.' Kagome thought to herself as she sat in her first period class. She was silently pleased with herself that she was no longer the meek Kagome that would just keep taking everything and she had finally learned to say no.
As Kagome walked down the halls she could feel the eyes watching her and barely made out the quiet whispers. She heard many whispers wondering how dare she break up with Inuyasha since he was seen as a great catch at that school. Others were wondering what had taken her so long since apparently Kagome, though she didn't agree, was also looked at as a wanted commodity.
She let out a sigh of relief as she walked into her music class. 'No talking, no whispers, just playing nice music.' She thought to herself. As she walked in she saw Sesshoumaru in his usual seat and went to join him. When she sat down he gave her a small smile after making sure that no one else would see it. Seeing as though smiles during school time from Sesshoumaru were very rare, Kagome felt pleasantly warmed.
She took out her flute and began to clean it a bit. As she was doing this she noticed someone walk right in front of her. She looked up to see another senior with crimson eyes and braided hair.
"Hey Kagome. How's life?" Hiten said and leaned in close to Kagome making her feel slightly uncomfortable. Sesshoumaru withstood the urge to pummel the guy who was so obviously getting ready to hit on Kagome. He couldn't believe someone was as low as to do that when she had just gotten out of a relationship. He was also slightly worried that she would be picked up on the rebound and he would miss his chance yet again.
"Fine I suppose." Kagome said and tried to smile her best as she was feeling incredibly wary of his nearness.
"I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me tonight to say...dinner." Hiten said and gave her a smile that would have made most girls swoon. Luck for her and Sesshoumaru that she wasn't like most girls.
"I don't think I'm ready to start dating again." Kagome said trying to let him down easy. Hiten just told her to get back to him and then went to his seat.
"So...how are you feeling?" Sesshoumaru asked her.
"Surprisingly good." Kagome said and smiled at Sesshoumaru. "And if I recall you said you had a surprise for me." She added.
Sesshoumaru nodded. "Hai, I do. You'll just have to be patient though." He said knowing that when waiting for a surprise Kagome was like a little kid. He could just see her already getting antsy wondering what it could be. The teacher then walked in and class began.
At the end of class, they were again reminded of the recital that would be occurring next week Friday. Kagome was going over notes in her head as she walked out of class and too lunch. She suddenly stopped in her tracks as she remembered something. 'I have the same lunch period as Inuyasha.' Kagome made a small sound that could have been akin to a whimper.
Sesshoumaru, who had been walking right beside her, gave her a small sympathetic look since he knew what she was thinking about. He swore that if his brother tried to embarrass her in any way he would drag the idiot up the stairs and toss him off the roof.
"Ne Sesshoumaru?" He looked down at her and she held out the flower she had been carrying around with her. "It's to say thank you for all the things you've done for me lately. I know it's not much of a thank you and that being a guy you probably don't like flowers much, but I wanted you to have it."
Sesshoumaru hesitantly took the flower as if the entire scene before him would shatter if he made a wrong move. He knew he would look ridiculous carrying a flower around and girls would most likely bother him thinking it was for them, but it was from Kagome and that automatically made it special. "Arigatou." He said softly as they finally walked into the cafeteria. They went their separate ways as always, but both wondered why they never sat together.
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Once Kagome walked into the cafeteria she automatically noticed the way everyone began to whisper when she arrived. She saw Sango waving at her and went to sit with her. Miroku soon showed up as well. Kagome smiled when Sango began to start a conversation on the usual things and steered clear of the subject of Inuyasha, who was suspiciously missing.
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"Hello Inuyasha." Kikyou cooed as she looked at the teenage boy who was sitting at the base of a tree.
"What do you want Kikyou?" Inuyasha asked. He did not want someone interfering in his self-loathing. He had finally come to terms with the fact that he and Kagome were not together anymore. Also, after a very long talk with Miroku that came almost to blows, he admitted at least to himself that he had been wrong. 'It's too late now.' He kept telling himself.
Kikyou sat down next to the boy and placed a hand on his. After a long night of thinking she had come up with a plan. "You deserve better anyway Inuyasha." Kikyou said. "She shouldn't have done that to you. Don't you want to get back at her? Don't you want revenge?" Kikyou asked and leaned closer to him.
'Do I want revenge?' Inuyasha thought to himself. This was high school. It wasn't supposed to be so complicated.
Kikyou continued to whisper poisoning words to him. Things like how wrong Kagome had been and how angry he must be with her. When the bell rang Kikyou laid a small kiss on Inuyasha's cheek. "I can help." She whispered in his ear as she stood up and walked back inside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kagome was almost ready to run out of the school when the last bell finally rang. All the whispers and strange looks she had been getting had been too much. She also couldn't believe how many guys had asked her out. She had just had a rather unpleasant break up and guys were already hitting on her. She was so lost in thought that she jumped when she felt someone's hand on her shoulder.
She turned to see Sesshoumaru's golden eyes looking back at her. "Gomen." He said. It took her a moment to process what he had said
"It's okay. Today had just been really...something." She said. Sesshoumaru nodded. Kagome then perked up when she remembered her surprise. "So do I get my surprise now?"
Sesshoumaru smirked at the childlike anticipation in her voice. "It's at my house. We need to pick up Rin first though."
"You're still taking care of Rin?" Kagome asked as they walked over to Sesshoumaru's car.
"Hai. The social worker said that they hadn't found any family. She asked if I wanted to adopt Rin if they didn't find anyone by the end of the week." Sesshoumaru said.
Kagome looked at him in surprise. "Sugoi! Are you really going to adopt her?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru gave a small nod. "Hontou? I don't think I would be able to take care of a child already. But then again you could probably do it." Kagome continued to gush over Sesshoumaru kindness, making the usually stoic senior begin to blush.
Sesshoumaru drove to Rin's school. All the children were already waiting outside. Kagome and Sesshoumaru stepped out of the car and Kagome was instantly almost knocked over and grabbed the car door to steady herself. She looked down to see Rin hugging her leg. "Kagome-kaasan! Rin missed you." Kagome smiled sweetly at the small girl and picked her up. "Otousan brought Kagome-kaasan to see Rin." Rin cheered.
"Otousan?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru just shrugged and patted Rin's head. Someone called Sesshoumaru's last name as they turned to leave and he turned around to see a slender woman walk up to them.
"Hello I'm Ms. Yoshimura. I just wanted to let you know what a pleasure it was having Rin join our class. She really is a ray of sunshine. You two must be very proud parents." She said and smiled at Sesshoumaru and Kagome.
Kagome blushed at the woman's implication. "Arigatou." Sesshoumaru said simply and they left. Kagome turned to give him a surprise look that he didn't correct the woman.
"Rin is so happy she has parents now." The small girls said from the back seat. Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome to see her blush darken. He didn't want to correct the child and Kagome didn't want to destroy the child's hope.
Kagome tensed when Sesshoumaru's house came into view. "Don't worry. I'll throw him in a closet and lock it if need be." Sesshoumaru said as he parked the car. Kagome turned and gave him an assured smile. They both gathered their things and followed the bouncing little girl into the house. Kagome smiled to herself when she saw that a small flower peaking out of Sesshoumaru's bag.
"Kagome-kaasan needs to close her eyes for her surprise." Rin said when Kagome had sat down on the couch in the living room. To humor the girl Kagome shut her eyes. Rin waved her hand in front of her face to make sure she couldn't see anything. The small girl then ran to go find the puppy.
Sesshoumaru watched Rin run off and then took a seat next to Kagome. Kagome felt the dip the couch dip as Sesshoumaru sat down. They waited in comfortable silence and soon Rin reappeared with a small white puppy in her arms. "Surprise!" Rin yelled and Kagome opened her eyes just in time to catch the small puppy that jumped into her arms.
"Kawaii!" Kagome said and petted the soft white fur. She them noticed that the puppy looked strangely familiar. "This is the puppy I was looking at when Sango dragged me to the mall yesterday." Kagome said and scratched its ears.
"Well, he's yours." Sesshoumaru said.
Kagome's blue eyes widened as she looked at Sesshoumaru incredulously. "Hontou?" She asked hopefully. Sesshoumaru nodded and Kagome almost knocked him over in a tight hug. "Arigatou. I can't believe this. You're the best Sesshoumaru." Kagome said as she hugged him tight.
Sesshoumaru let his arms circle her waist and held her against him. He never wanted to let her go. His fingers ran lightly through her raven locks which were splayed against his contrasting silver hair. 'If only I could freeze time like this.' He thought to himself.
Kagome blushed when she finally realized what she was doing. She pulled away from Sesshoumaru and their eyes locked for a moment. Sesshoumaru got lost in Kagome's deep blue pools. His eyes finally broke away only to trail down to her full lips. He silently wondered if they would taste as sweet as they looked.
"Does Kagome-kaasan like the puppy?" Rin asked not noticing the other two were so entranced.
Kagome was thankful for the interruption and scooted closer to Rin. "Hai. I love him." Kagome said and picked up the white puppy and placed it in her lap. "Now he just needs a name." Kagome said thoughtfully.
Sesshoumaru immediately missed the warmth of Kagome next to him. He was however, somewhat thankful for Rin's distraction. He knew that had the girl not spoken he would have probably kissed Kagome. He knew that no matter how badly he wanted to he didn't want to unless she wanted him as well. He wondered if she would have pushed him away had he given into his desires and claimed her sweet lips.
Kagome continued to run her fingers through the pup's soft fur thinking of a name. "How about Fluffy?" Rin said as she jumped up onto the couch to sit between Sesshoumaru and Kagome.
"That's a great name, Rin." Kagome said and look down at the puppy in her lap. "So what do you think of your new name?" The pup gave a small bark as if answering the question.
She played with the puppy for a bit with Rin while Sesshoumaru sat back and watched. When Kagome finally looked at her watch she was surprised to find it was so late. "I need to go home and make dinner for Souta." She said and stood up. Sesshoumaru handed her the leash that had been on the table.
"I'll give you a ride home." He offered and Kagome smiled and nodded.
"Ja ne Rin." Kagome said and gave the girl a small kiss on her forehead. "Don't give Sesshoumaru too much trouble." Kagome then hooked the leash onto Fluffy's collar and followed Sesshoumaru out. "I still can't get over the fact that you're going to adopt her." Kagome said. "I don't think I could do it.
"You do just as much for Souta as a mother would." Sesshoumaru pointed out. "Besides, I'll have you to help me right?" Sesshoumaru asked trying not to sound too hopeful.
"Zutto." Kagome answered with a smile as they got into the car. Sesshoumaru gave a small smile wishing what she said was true, that she really would always be there with him.
"Ne Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked. He made a small noise to tell her he was listening although he couldn't turn to look at her because he was driving at the moment. "I really wanted to thank you for all the things you've been doing lately. I mean, you've done so much and I don't think I've been able to pay you back for any of it." Kagome said looking down at the sleeping bundle in her lap.
'Same Kagome. She always did like to give as much or more than she got.' Sesshoumaru thought with a small smile. "You still haven't told me what happened." He pointed out to her.
"Oh...well...Inuyasha tried to...to force himself on me I guess you could say." Sesshoumaru's smile instantly faded and his grip on the steering wheel tightened to the point of his knuckles turning white. "I got him off me and ran out of the house. Then I called you." Kagome said. "On Sunday, Sango helped me to break up with him. I really think it was the right thing to do."
Kagome turned and looked at Sesshoumaru to see his shoulders tenser than usual and he had a death grip on the steering wheel. "Daijoubu?" Kagome asked worried that something was wrong.
Sesshoumaru was making a mental note to kill his brother when he heard Kagome's question. He gave a small nod though Kagome didn't buy it for a second. "I wish you'd tell me what's wrong sometime that way I could repay you for all the times you listen to my problems and help out. I would also get to know you a lot more."
"What do you want to know?" Sesshoumaru asked her. He hoped she didn't ask any questions about things like who he liked because he had already come to terms that he couldn't lie to her.
"Well..." Kagome thought for a few seconds. "How come you're not as open with everyone at school as you are with me?" Kagome asked. It was a little too close to the questions he didn't want her to ask.
He wondered how he was supposed to answer a question like that. 'I can't tell her it's because I love her.' He told himself. It was because of one of the two fears he had. A fear that had arisen after his mother had died. His first fear was that Kagome would find out how he felt and reject him. He knew she would never tell him off, but by just not returning his feelings he knew his heart would break. His second fear was of losing another person he loved. That was why he stayed away from everyone and seemed so aloof. His mother had died after he had met Kagome so he hadn't had the time to shield his heart before she had gotten in, though a part of him knew that even if he did she would have still found some way in.
Kagome just waited patiently for an answer. 'Did I ask something wrong? I just want to know more about him. I want to know why his eyes always seem to hold some sadness and why he's never had a steady girlfriend when he's the most popular guy in school.' Kagome was pulled from her thought when Sesshoumaru finally spoke.
"I don't want to get close to people. I don't want to lose anyone like how I lost my mother." He said. A small part of him told him not to tell her these things, but a stronger part wanted her to know. It told him to tell her everything and held close to the knowledge that she would never break his confidence.
"I guess I can understand that." Kagome said. She had lost her father though she hadn't known him that well at the time because she had been too young. But now she feared she would lose her mother as well. "Everyday I'm afraid of getting a call from the hospital saying something went wrong with my mother. But I know I have people who would help me through it, like you." Kagome confided in him.
"She's going to be fine, Kagome." Sesshoumaru reassured her though he silently wondered if she would be. He knew that she had been in the hospital more frequently than normal lately.
Kagome could tell by the look in his eyes that he was only trying to cheer her up. She knew that he wondered also. "I'll believe you if you believe me when I say that you'll never be alone either." Kagome said and smiled at him as he stopped the car in front of the shrine steps.
Sesshoumaru turned to her and gave a small nod. It was fall already so the sun was setting already. The light danced in Kagome's hair, making her look ethereal to Sesshoumaru. He clenched his hands around the steering wheel again and resisted the urge to lean over and kiss her.
"Well, see you tomorrow, Sesshou-kun." Kagome said. Sesshoumaru gave her a strange look after she had said that and realized she had done it to lift the mood that had been almost stifled with depression. He smirked.
"Hai, see you tomorrow, Kagome-chan." He replied and felt pleased when a small blush rose on her cheeks. Kagome carried the small puppy out of the car and waved to Sesshoumaru as he drove away. She then ran up the shrine steps and into the house to meet with a very hungry Souta. He forgot his hunger however, when he met Fluffy.
Kagome made a quick dinner consisting of ramen and then went off to do her homework after she had fed Fluffy and Buyo as well. She sat in her room working on her math problems. Fluffy walked up to Buyo who was lying upside down on Kagome's bed. The pup sniffed at the cat. Buyo merely made a small noise and almost slid off the bed.
Kagome sighed. 'Aa Owatta.' She thought with joy. She turned her chair around and almost tripped over Fluffy who had been lying next to her. Kagome picked the pup up and set him on her bed. "You have the same silver hair and golden eyes as Sesshoumaru." Kagome told Fluffy.
That got her thinking about Sesshoumaru. 'I'm happy that he opened up a bit to me. He needs to show that side of him to more people.' Kagome began to dress for bed. She put on a pair of shorts and a tank top. She went down the hall and told Souta to go to bed. She then went back to her room and would have collapsed on his bed if it hadn't had two occupants already. "Yasumi Buyo, Fluffy." She said as she managed to get under her covers without disturbing the two other sleeping on her bed.
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Sesshoumaru sighed as he finally got Rin to go to bed. She had calmed down after Sesshoumaru had promised that he would try to get Kagome to come with him the next day to pick her up again. He smirked as he looked at the small sleeping figure before he turned out the light. 'I think I could get used to this.' He thought. Sesshoumaru would have never thought he would enjoy such a fatherly role. He just swore to himself that he would do a better job than his own father.
Sesshoumaru went to his own room as usual stripped down to his boxers to sleep. He decided he would ask Kagome out to a friendly dinner the next night. He knew she probably still wasn't ready to date, but he wanted to help her forget about her problems at home. 'Who knows, maybe she'll help me forget mine.' Sesshoumaru thought as he rolled over and closed his eyes.
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Inuyasha sat staring at his phone for a moment. He had seen Kagome go off with Sesshoumaru after school. He hated that they were getting so close and he hated the knowledge that with them broken up Sesshoumaru had a clear shot for Kagome. He made up his mind then. 'There is no way I'll let Sesshoumaru have her. If she's not with me, she won't be with anyone.'
Inuyasha picked up the phone and dialed. "Kikyou? You said something about revenge?"
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Yay, another chapter done. Sorry for the little cliffy but if I didn't do it the chapter would never end.
Translations:
Kami: God
Hai: Yes
Moshi moshi: hello (on telephone)
Arigatou: Thank you
Gomen: Sorry
Kaasan: Mother
Tousan: Father
Sugoi: Great
Hontou: Really
Kawaii: Cute
Ja ne: See you
Zutto: Always
Daijoubu?: Are you okay?
Owatta: Finished
Yasumi: Good night
Review responses:
Wildflower92490: I know, I'll tell Sesshoumaru to hurry up.
Aira^o^: I wonder why Sesshoumaru can't be real often too. As for killing Kikyou it is a highschool fic so I don't know if I can kill Kikyou, but then again who knows what'll happen.
Moon goddess: I have something planned for how Kagome finds out about Sesshoumaru so you have to wait and see.
Tamababymiko-chan: Thanks, and don't worry Naraku will get his.
MysticalAngel: If there's anything left of Inu and Naraku after you strangle them I'd like a try also.
Lunabelle: If you like him in boxers I hope you liked the short little shower scene.
SesshoumaruFreak: Yep more Sess/Kag fluff ahead.
Fluffy+kagome=kawaii: Don't worry you won't feel sorry for Kikyou for long.
Profiler120: Something like that might happen. Kikyou definitely sees Kagome as her way to freedom.
Thanks to everyone else who reviewed and don't forget to check out my new website and help out by suggesting fics to put up there or giving me permission to archive your fics. ^_^
~*Shichan