A/N: Hey there, faithful reader! This fic is rated for all the guys' bad language. ^^
Road Trip: Chapter Two: Questions
Sango and Kagome strolled through the park on their way home. Soon, though, Sango burst out with questions. "Well? What do you think?"
Kagome grinned cheerfully. "You lasted three minutes longer than I thought you would!" she reported, glancing down at her slim blue watch.
Sango waved that aside. "What did you think of his friend?"
Kagome shrugged. "I don't know.. unstable?"
Sango frowned slightly. "Miroku told me that Inuyasha didn't really want to go.. but Miroku said that he was worried about him staying here alone."
Kagome politely refrained from snorting. "What do you mean?" she demanded. "Inuyasha looks more than capable of taking care of himself."
"It's not that!" Sango glanced around and lowered her voice. "There're these people after him." Kagome raised her eyebrows. "You're kidding, right?"
Sango ignored her. "It's not some big corporation or anything." she explained, still keeping an eye out for nosy eavesdroppers. "It's like a group of people our age that Inuyasha used to hang out with.."
"Hang out with?"
"Okay," Sango admitted. "he was their leader. But," she held up a hand before Kagome could protest. "he left, which is pretty much why they're after them."
Kagome thought this over. "Okay." she said. "Let me get this straight.. we're going on a road trip with a guy who has a gang after him.. and if he joins us, the gang will be after us."
"That's the thing!" Sango said, eager to explain. "If we leave, Miroku thinks that'll discourage them from going after Inuyasha."
"Inuyasha doesn't seem like the type of person to take the easy way out."
"And how would you know?" Sango teased. "You just met him."
Kagome pretended not to hear her friend. Sango smirked. "Kagome! You have a crush on him!"
Kagome reddened. "Do not! It's just.. he really doesn't."
Sango mulled this over. "I know." she murmured. "I wonder how this happened."
Miroku leaned back in the seat of Inuyasha's convertible. "This is a nice car." he remarked.
"I know." Inuyasha said. "And no, you can't drive it."
Miroku sighed. "But-"
"No."
Miroku rolled his eyes. "Red light." he said mildly.
"Nah, it's still yellow."
"It's red!"
"Shut up, Miroku. It's yellow."
Miroku looked back at the cars honking and drivers gesturing rudely. "Tell that to the people back there."
Inuyasha ignored him. Miroku sighed. "So, what'd you think of the girls?"
"Sango fits you." Inuyasha shrugged, dipped his hand absently into his shirt pocket.
"You quit three months ago." Miroku reminded him.
"Damn it." Inuyasha screeched to a halt at a stop sign. "This wasn't here before."
"Yes it was." Miroku disagreed. "You just always drove past it."
He glanced out at the scenery flying by. "What do you mean, she fits me?"
A rare smile crossed Inuyasha's face. "Exactly how it sounds, kid. You two just click together."
"And you're spouting poetry." Miroku said dryly. "But what do you think about Kagome?"
Inuyasha's mind flickered back, to the smoky black hair and soft touch. "I need a beer." he muttered.
"You're underage."
"So? That didn't stop you when you were drinking yourself blind over Sango."
"I'm older than you." Miroku shot back sullenly.
"By a month." Inuyasha swerved into a parking space. Miroku opened the door and groaned. "I hate driving with you."
Inuyasha shrugged. "Get your own damn ride then."
Miroku patted the shiny red exterior of the car affectionately. "I just like your car."
Inuyasha pulled off his sunglasses and grinned. "Got it with the first big job we did."
Miroku leaned against the vehicle, grinning with a far off look in his eye. "That was a good one." he agreed.
"Yeah.. what was it? The miniature statue, right?"
"Yeah.. marble. Antique." Miroku sighed. "I almost wanted to keep it."
Inuyasha smirked. "Until you remembered the kids in the shelter. God," he shook his head. "I hate you do-gooders."
"What are you complaining about?" Miroku asked as they headed for the lobby. "You got your cut. A very generous one too, if I remember correctly."
Inuyasha pulled open the door, pushing past the startled old lady heading out. Miroku smiled weakly as Bubbles, safe in the woman's arms, hissed at him.
"I deserved it." Inuyasha said. "How many people can find you a buyer for an ancient Greek statue?"
"The orphans thank you." Miroku said dryly. "But hey, I was the one who went in danger of arrest to steal it."
"That fool'd never miss it." Inuyasha said scornfully. "He probably went right back out and bought a fake to make up for it."
"He did." Miroku admitted. "I went back there once, to steal.. what was it? A necklace, I think. Anyway, scared the hell out of me when I saw the exact same statue standing there. Freaky." he shuddered at the memory. "I thought he bought it back somehow." They stepped into an elevator, and Inuyasha pressed the button for the fifth floor. "Until you realized that I check the backgrounds of potential buyers very carefully?" Inuyasha asked wryly. Miroku grinned. "Hey, I trust you, man."
"Is that why you're dragging me on this trip?"
Miroku winced. He'd known this was coming, but.. He put on his most winning smile. "What do you mean, drag?"
"Damn it, Miroku. I don't want to spend the summer running around with you and your two girlfriends!"
"Okay, first of all, only one of them is my girlfriend. Second of all," he swallowed here.. Inuyasha was going to kill him for this. "it's for your own good."
Inuyasha swung around and glared at him. "I can take care of myself."
"I know!" Miroku protested. "But you have more enemies than friends in this town. Especially when I leave."
Inuyasha shrugged, the irritation apparent on his face. "Those idiots can't hurt me."
Miroku shook his head. "Don't underestimate Naruku, Inuyasha. That guys messing with some pretty serious stuff."
Inuyasha dug in his pocket for the key to his apartment. "I know them. If they were planning something against me, I'd know it before the whole group did."
Miroku groaned in exasperation. "And just _how_ would you find out, Mr. Bigshot?"
"Easy." Inuyasha smirked. "Kikyou would tell me."
Miroku followed him into the apartment. "Thought you didn't like her."
"I don't." Inuyasha swung open the refrigerator door and peered inside. "Hella annoying bitch. But she does have useful information, from time to time."
"Did she have useful information the time I came in the morning and found her here?" Miroku asked rather sarcastically. Inuyasha frowned as he tossed a him a bottle of soda. "I told you. She passed out the night before."
"Please." Miroku ranted as he led the way into the living room. "If she had only passed out, you would have thrown her into the hallway."
Before Inuyasha could reply, Miroku's cell phone rang. Glaring so that it was apparent to all that the conversation was far from over, Miroku flipped open the phone. "Hello?"
A second later the expression on his face warmed. "Oh, hey."
"Mm hm. Okay. Of course. No, he wouldn't mind. Why would he? Okay. See you later, babe."
Inuyasha stretched out on the couch. "Who was that?"
Miroku grinned. "Sango. She and Kagome are coming over." Inuyasha sat up abruptly. "When did this happen?"
"Just now." Miroku shrugged and looked around the messy apartment in distaste. "We have to clean this up."
"We?" Inuyasha shook his head. "I didn't agree to let them into here!"
"That's because you never agree to anything." Miroku explained patiently. "So I just went ahead and told them to come."
Inuyasha sneered. "Acting like this is your place."
"It's half mine." Miroku said mildly. "Remember? I paid half."
Inuyasha sulked. "You won't let me buy it back!"
"Well, I need a place to stay sometimes."
"Like that ugly mansion isn't enough for you." Inuyasha glared. "You have to take half of my place."
"It was ours." Miroku pointed out. "Until you got the police on your tail and had to stay here."
"That was Sesshoumaru's fault!" Inuyasha protested. "Those drugs weren't even mine."
Miroku shook his head. "I know. I believe you. But the police don't." Inuyasha growled. "That's their problem."
"On the contrary. It's yours."
"One good thing came out of it." Inuyasha grinned. "I don't have to live with Sesshoumaru anymore." Miroku groaned. "That's only because the government thinks you're under the custody of your uncle. Where is he, by the way? Haven't seen him in a while."
Inuyasha shrugged. "A resort, I think. The last amount of money I gave him was enough to keep him away for a couple more months."
Miroku rolled his eyes. "You're lucky your uncle is greedy _and_ stupid. If he was any smarter, he'd start blackmailing you."
"He doesn't want to live with me anymore than I want to live with him." Inuyasha scoffed. "Besides, he has nothing to blackmail me with. He thinks that money comes from my after-school job." Inuyasha snickered. Miroku sighed. "You have such a screwed up life."
"Exactly." Inuyasha said. "And I don't need to screw it up more by going a fucking road trip."
"Oh yeah." Miroku said, tossing a couch pillow back on the couch. "Don't cuss around the girls."
Inuyasha groaned just as the doorbell rang. Miroku bit his lip. "Clean up." he commanded, hurrying toward the front hall. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.
"But I was going to take a nap at home." Kagome mourned. Sango pressed the doorbell again. "I hoped I remember right."
Kagome sighed. "Why are we here again?"
"Because you're worried about the whole gang thing." Sango replied.
Before Kagome could protest further, Miroku opened the door. "Hey there, ladies."
"Hi." Kagome replied. "Are you going to let us in?"
"Yeah." Miroku opened the door a little more, smiling nervously. "Excuse the mess."
Kagome bounced past Miroku, looking around with interest.
"This way." Miroku guided them past three closed doors and the kitchen. "Inuyasha's in the living room."
"Inuyasha's here too?" Kagome asked, wrinkling her nose a little. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about seeing him again. 'Well, get sure.' she scolded herself. 'If we're all going on a road trip, you'd have to spend a whole lot more time with him. And, I mean, what if he has a girlfriend? Though what kind of guy would leave his girlfriend alone for a whole summer I don't know..'
They entered the living room, where Inuyasha hadn't moved from his spot on the couch. "Hi Inuyasha!" Kagome said cheerfully. Inuyasha raised his soda can in reply. Miroku frowned at him, then moved over to pull back the curtains in front of the balcony door. "Didn't I tell you to clean up this mess?" Miroku hissed as Kagome and Sango studied a grotesque little wooden skull. Inuyasha shrugged. "Everything's where it's supposed to be."
"You keep your laptop on the floor?!"
"Yeah. By the way, Kagome's about to step on it. Oh, I did tell you that you were going to pay for all damages they cause?"
Miroku had already rescued the computer from the floor and dumped it onto Inuyasha when he finished the sentence. "You live like a pig."
"On the contrary." Inuyasha drawled. "I live like a normal person does when no one like you is around to bug them."
Sango came over to Miroku. "I'm impressed." she said, slipping her hand into his. "This was cleaner than the last time I came."
Inuyasha frowned. "When did you ever come?"
Miroku smiled sheepishly. "It was when we were still just using this as a storing place."
"And a make out apartment." Inuyasha added. Sango raised an eyebrow. "Anyway," Miroku said quickly. "we only came to do homework."
Inuyasha snorted. "And you call me messy."
"You used this as a storage room?" Sango looked around their spacious surroundings. "Isn't it too luxurious for that? This is the most expensive apartment complex in town!"
Miroku shrugged. "It fits us. They have a good security system."
"Good?" Inuyasha said in disgust. "The doorman won't let me in half the time."
Sango hid a smile. "I guess you don't look like the type who lives here."
"You live here, Inuyasha?" Kagome came up, holding something in her hand.
Inuyasha put the empty soda can on the coffee table. "So?"
"Do you have a room mate?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"What?! I just-"
Miroku interrupted the beginning of what was no doubt going to evolve into a long and complicated argument. "I stay here sometimes, but otherwise he's the only one here."
"Oh." Kagome seemed to be thinking something over. Inuyasha glared at her suspiciously. "What?"
"Well, then does this belong to one of you?" Kagome held up what she'd been holding-a brand new Barbie doll, still in its packaging. Sango raised an eyebrow, Miroku burst out laughing, and Inuyasha fell off of the couch. "Where the hell did that come from?!"
Ending Notes: If anyone thinks this is very very delayed, you can blame the bane of my life, ..... LITTLE SISTERS. Actually, in this case, there's only one.
So.. next chapter: Where _did_ that doll come from? Is there something Inuyasha's not telling us? Next time, on Road Trip!
P.S. Aii..I didn't do the reviewer reply thing this time, because this chapter took so long and I wanted to get it out as soon as possible. Could you guys give me your opinion on this? Like, should I reply? It would take longer, but I could do it..
So, review!
Road Trip: Chapter Two: Questions
Sango and Kagome strolled through the park on their way home. Soon, though, Sango burst out with questions. "Well? What do you think?"
Kagome grinned cheerfully. "You lasted three minutes longer than I thought you would!" she reported, glancing down at her slim blue watch.
Sango waved that aside. "What did you think of his friend?"
Kagome shrugged. "I don't know.. unstable?"
Sango frowned slightly. "Miroku told me that Inuyasha didn't really want to go.. but Miroku said that he was worried about him staying here alone."
Kagome politely refrained from snorting. "What do you mean?" she demanded. "Inuyasha looks more than capable of taking care of himself."
"It's not that!" Sango glanced around and lowered her voice. "There're these people after him." Kagome raised her eyebrows. "You're kidding, right?"
Sango ignored her. "It's not some big corporation or anything." she explained, still keeping an eye out for nosy eavesdroppers. "It's like a group of people our age that Inuyasha used to hang out with.."
"Hang out with?"
"Okay," Sango admitted. "he was their leader. But," she held up a hand before Kagome could protest. "he left, which is pretty much why they're after them."
Kagome thought this over. "Okay." she said. "Let me get this straight.. we're going on a road trip with a guy who has a gang after him.. and if he joins us, the gang will be after us."
"That's the thing!" Sango said, eager to explain. "If we leave, Miroku thinks that'll discourage them from going after Inuyasha."
"Inuyasha doesn't seem like the type of person to take the easy way out."
"And how would you know?" Sango teased. "You just met him."
Kagome pretended not to hear her friend. Sango smirked. "Kagome! You have a crush on him!"
Kagome reddened. "Do not! It's just.. he really doesn't."
Sango mulled this over. "I know." she murmured. "I wonder how this happened."
Miroku leaned back in the seat of Inuyasha's convertible. "This is a nice car." he remarked.
"I know." Inuyasha said. "And no, you can't drive it."
Miroku sighed. "But-"
"No."
Miroku rolled his eyes. "Red light." he said mildly.
"Nah, it's still yellow."
"It's red!"
"Shut up, Miroku. It's yellow."
Miroku looked back at the cars honking and drivers gesturing rudely. "Tell that to the people back there."
Inuyasha ignored him. Miroku sighed. "So, what'd you think of the girls?"
"Sango fits you." Inuyasha shrugged, dipped his hand absently into his shirt pocket.
"You quit three months ago." Miroku reminded him.
"Damn it." Inuyasha screeched to a halt at a stop sign. "This wasn't here before."
"Yes it was." Miroku disagreed. "You just always drove past it."
He glanced out at the scenery flying by. "What do you mean, she fits me?"
A rare smile crossed Inuyasha's face. "Exactly how it sounds, kid. You two just click together."
"And you're spouting poetry." Miroku said dryly. "But what do you think about Kagome?"
Inuyasha's mind flickered back, to the smoky black hair and soft touch. "I need a beer." he muttered.
"You're underage."
"So? That didn't stop you when you were drinking yourself blind over Sango."
"I'm older than you." Miroku shot back sullenly.
"By a month." Inuyasha swerved into a parking space. Miroku opened the door and groaned. "I hate driving with you."
Inuyasha shrugged. "Get your own damn ride then."
Miroku patted the shiny red exterior of the car affectionately. "I just like your car."
Inuyasha pulled off his sunglasses and grinned. "Got it with the first big job we did."
Miroku leaned against the vehicle, grinning with a far off look in his eye. "That was a good one." he agreed.
"Yeah.. what was it? The miniature statue, right?"
"Yeah.. marble. Antique." Miroku sighed. "I almost wanted to keep it."
Inuyasha smirked. "Until you remembered the kids in the shelter. God," he shook his head. "I hate you do-gooders."
"What are you complaining about?" Miroku asked as they headed for the lobby. "You got your cut. A very generous one too, if I remember correctly."
Inuyasha pulled open the door, pushing past the startled old lady heading out. Miroku smiled weakly as Bubbles, safe in the woman's arms, hissed at him.
"I deserved it." Inuyasha said. "How many people can find you a buyer for an ancient Greek statue?"
"The orphans thank you." Miroku said dryly. "But hey, I was the one who went in danger of arrest to steal it."
"That fool'd never miss it." Inuyasha said scornfully. "He probably went right back out and bought a fake to make up for it."
"He did." Miroku admitted. "I went back there once, to steal.. what was it? A necklace, I think. Anyway, scared the hell out of me when I saw the exact same statue standing there. Freaky." he shuddered at the memory. "I thought he bought it back somehow." They stepped into an elevator, and Inuyasha pressed the button for the fifth floor. "Until you realized that I check the backgrounds of potential buyers very carefully?" Inuyasha asked wryly. Miroku grinned. "Hey, I trust you, man."
"Is that why you're dragging me on this trip?"
Miroku winced. He'd known this was coming, but.. He put on his most winning smile. "What do you mean, drag?"
"Damn it, Miroku. I don't want to spend the summer running around with you and your two girlfriends!"
"Okay, first of all, only one of them is my girlfriend. Second of all," he swallowed here.. Inuyasha was going to kill him for this. "it's for your own good."
Inuyasha swung around and glared at him. "I can take care of myself."
"I know!" Miroku protested. "But you have more enemies than friends in this town. Especially when I leave."
Inuyasha shrugged, the irritation apparent on his face. "Those idiots can't hurt me."
Miroku shook his head. "Don't underestimate Naruku, Inuyasha. That guys messing with some pretty serious stuff."
Inuyasha dug in his pocket for the key to his apartment. "I know them. If they were planning something against me, I'd know it before the whole group did."
Miroku groaned in exasperation. "And just _how_ would you find out, Mr. Bigshot?"
"Easy." Inuyasha smirked. "Kikyou would tell me."
Miroku followed him into the apartment. "Thought you didn't like her."
"I don't." Inuyasha swung open the refrigerator door and peered inside. "Hella annoying bitch. But she does have useful information, from time to time."
"Did she have useful information the time I came in the morning and found her here?" Miroku asked rather sarcastically. Inuyasha frowned as he tossed a him a bottle of soda. "I told you. She passed out the night before."
"Please." Miroku ranted as he led the way into the living room. "If she had only passed out, you would have thrown her into the hallway."
Before Inuyasha could reply, Miroku's cell phone rang. Glaring so that it was apparent to all that the conversation was far from over, Miroku flipped open the phone. "Hello?"
A second later the expression on his face warmed. "Oh, hey."
"Mm hm. Okay. Of course. No, he wouldn't mind. Why would he? Okay. See you later, babe."
Inuyasha stretched out on the couch. "Who was that?"
Miroku grinned. "Sango. She and Kagome are coming over." Inuyasha sat up abruptly. "When did this happen?"
"Just now." Miroku shrugged and looked around the messy apartment in distaste. "We have to clean this up."
"We?" Inuyasha shook his head. "I didn't agree to let them into here!"
"That's because you never agree to anything." Miroku explained patiently. "So I just went ahead and told them to come."
Inuyasha sneered. "Acting like this is your place."
"It's half mine." Miroku said mildly. "Remember? I paid half."
Inuyasha sulked. "You won't let me buy it back!"
"Well, I need a place to stay sometimes."
"Like that ugly mansion isn't enough for you." Inuyasha glared. "You have to take half of my place."
"It was ours." Miroku pointed out. "Until you got the police on your tail and had to stay here."
"That was Sesshoumaru's fault!" Inuyasha protested. "Those drugs weren't even mine."
Miroku shook his head. "I know. I believe you. But the police don't." Inuyasha growled. "That's their problem."
"On the contrary. It's yours."
"One good thing came out of it." Inuyasha grinned. "I don't have to live with Sesshoumaru anymore." Miroku groaned. "That's only because the government thinks you're under the custody of your uncle. Where is he, by the way? Haven't seen him in a while."
Inuyasha shrugged. "A resort, I think. The last amount of money I gave him was enough to keep him away for a couple more months."
Miroku rolled his eyes. "You're lucky your uncle is greedy _and_ stupid. If he was any smarter, he'd start blackmailing you."
"He doesn't want to live with me anymore than I want to live with him." Inuyasha scoffed. "Besides, he has nothing to blackmail me with. He thinks that money comes from my after-school job." Inuyasha snickered. Miroku sighed. "You have such a screwed up life."
"Exactly." Inuyasha said. "And I don't need to screw it up more by going a fucking road trip."
"Oh yeah." Miroku said, tossing a couch pillow back on the couch. "Don't cuss around the girls."
Inuyasha groaned just as the doorbell rang. Miroku bit his lip. "Clean up." he commanded, hurrying toward the front hall. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.
"But I was going to take a nap at home." Kagome mourned. Sango pressed the doorbell again. "I hoped I remember right."
Kagome sighed. "Why are we here again?"
"Because you're worried about the whole gang thing." Sango replied.
Before Kagome could protest further, Miroku opened the door. "Hey there, ladies."
"Hi." Kagome replied. "Are you going to let us in?"
"Yeah." Miroku opened the door a little more, smiling nervously. "Excuse the mess."
Kagome bounced past Miroku, looking around with interest.
"This way." Miroku guided them past three closed doors and the kitchen. "Inuyasha's in the living room."
"Inuyasha's here too?" Kagome asked, wrinkling her nose a little. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about seeing him again. 'Well, get sure.' she scolded herself. 'If we're all going on a road trip, you'd have to spend a whole lot more time with him. And, I mean, what if he has a girlfriend? Though what kind of guy would leave his girlfriend alone for a whole summer I don't know..'
They entered the living room, where Inuyasha hadn't moved from his spot on the couch. "Hi Inuyasha!" Kagome said cheerfully. Inuyasha raised his soda can in reply. Miroku frowned at him, then moved over to pull back the curtains in front of the balcony door. "Didn't I tell you to clean up this mess?" Miroku hissed as Kagome and Sango studied a grotesque little wooden skull. Inuyasha shrugged. "Everything's where it's supposed to be."
"You keep your laptop on the floor?!"
"Yeah. By the way, Kagome's about to step on it. Oh, I did tell you that you were going to pay for all damages they cause?"
Miroku had already rescued the computer from the floor and dumped it onto Inuyasha when he finished the sentence. "You live like a pig."
"On the contrary." Inuyasha drawled. "I live like a normal person does when no one like you is around to bug them."
Sango came over to Miroku. "I'm impressed." she said, slipping her hand into his. "This was cleaner than the last time I came."
Inuyasha frowned. "When did you ever come?"
Miroku smiled sheepishly. "It was when we were still just using this as a storing place."
"And a make out apartment." Inuyasha added. Sango raised an eyebrow. "Anyway," Miroku said quickly. "we only came to do homework."
Inuyasha snorted. "And you call me messy."
"You used this as a storage room?" Sango looked around their spacious surroundings. "Isn't it too luxurious for that? This is the most expensive apartment complex in town!"
Miroku shrugged. "It fits us. They have a good security system."
"Good?" Inuyasha said in disgust. "The doorman won't let me in half the time."
Sango hid a smile. "I guess you don't look like the type who lives here."
"You live here, Inuyasha?" Kagome came up, holding something in her hand.
Inuyasha put the empty soda can on the coffee table. "So?"
"Do you have a room mate?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"What?! I just-"
Miroku interrupted the beginning of what was no doubt going to evolve into a long and complicated argument. "I stay here sometimes, but otherwise he's the only one here."
"Oh." Kagome seemed to be thinking something over. Inuyasha glared at her suspiciously. "What?"
"Well, then does this belong to one of you?" Kagome held up what she'd been holding-a brand new Barbie doll, still in its packaging. Sango raised an eyebrow, Miroku burst out laughing, and Inuyasha fell off of the couch. "Where the hell did that come from?!"
Ending Notes: If anyone thinks this is very very delayed, you can blame the bane of my life, ..... LITTLE SISTERS. Actually, in this case, there's only one.
So.. next chapter: Where _did_ that doll come from? Is there something Inuyasha's not telling us? Next time, on Road Trip!
P.S. Aii..I didn't do the reviewer reply thing this time, because this chapter took so long and I wanted to get it out as soon as possible. Could you guys give me your opinion on this? Like, should I reply? It would take longer, but I could do it..
So, review!