Authors' Notes: Just to let you know, this chapter serves as an introduction to a lot of our cast members via a rather... unique manner. All these characters will be featured in roles, so no they aren't just cameos. There are several minor characters in this chapter who we'll clarify as to who they are:
Kuranosuke Takeda- From episode 78 "Aiming for Sango- Only You."- He was the wealthy young noble who had a crush on Sango since childhood. He's handsome and somewhat romantic, but he is also rather oblivious at times.
Haraiya (known as Haraiya-sama)- From episodes 85-85 and 136.She was the old exorcist woman who could never since the evil auras, yet was always right about her hunches. Due to InuYasha being a hanyou, she was often known for throwing exorcising salts on him.
Akitoki Houjo- From the second movie and episodes 137-140- An ancestor of Kagome's schoolmate, modern day Houjo-kun, the young noble has a lot in common with his present time counterpart. Clumsy but well meaning, he has a crush on Kagome and is a bit more openly amorous than his descendent.
Suzaku (known as "Suzaku of the Flower)- From episodes 137-140, Named after one of the four directional gods, Suzaku is the leader of the four ninjas that face off against the InuYasha-tachi and Akitoki Houjo (who our dear Suzaku has his eyes set on ) Like Jakotsu, he's openly gay- and twisted.
Also, TailFluffGirl drew this picture as sort of a title pic of sorts for this fanfiction:
www. deviantart. com/ view/ 6735957/ (just remove the spaces ^^)
Other notes: The poem noted in this chapter is "When I Heard at the Close of the Day" by Walt Whitman.
And as always- please read, review and enjoy ^^
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Chapter 2: The Ways to Be Gay
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The students in the lunchroom continued about their daily actives, almost all of them oblivious to the underhanded scheme that had just been put into play.
On the far edge of the room, a white-haired young man sat silently, his face devoid of any easily discernable emotion. His stoic expression barely even registered a flinch as the overly enthusiastic form of Jakotsu glomped him from behind.
"Jakotsu. Off," The calm voice stated.
"Awww, Sesshoumaru you're no fun!" The black-haired young man whined as he removed his arms from around the other's neck. Finally plopping himself down in the open chair, Jakotsu sighed.
"Today's been a good day."
"You won those passes, right?" The third occupant of the table asked as she reached over and ate a fry off Sesshoumaru's plate.
"Oh, that and Inuyasha's going to come with me," He squealed, his face lighting up. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow in interest, as he scooted the plate towards the young woman.
"Kagura. Here."
"What did you do to Sesshoumaru's bro this time?" Kagura questioned, popping another fry into her mouth. Jakotsu smirked.
"Just got ahold of a little note of his that will make him give into my wishes."
"I doubt even blackmail will work with him," Sesshoumaru noted, giving a sideways glance across the room at the person he spoke of.
"Oh, but you don't know what was in this note," He replied, gently slipping his hand into the pocket and rubbing his fingers over the paper.
"So what twisted thing are you going to make him do?" The black-haired young woman spoke up, "Because unless that note is something really bad, he wouldn't dare agree to anything."
Tapping a finger on his lips, Jakotsu finally decided he could confide his plan with these two.
"Well," He began leaning forward towards them and lowering his voice, "I just told him if he didn't want this note to get out in the open that he'd have to come with me to the theme park opening or get me another date. Hot gay men are so hard to find," He pouted, "So I figure I'll either get Inuyasha or some hottie."
"Jakotsu, you work at a gay bar. Can't you just pick up some gay guy that way?" Kagura stated bluntly.
"Aw, but…they are all at least twenty-one like me. There's no fun in that!" He flailed, flinging his arms up in the air dramatically. Then leaning forward with a darker expression, he provocatively remarked, "They're better when they're naïve." Reaching over to the plate he'd just forfeited, Sesshoumaru took one of the fries for himself. Then with another glance at his brother, he replied.
"What does that note contain that will make him give into such warped demands?"
"Hey! It's not warped! If I was going to be warped I would have said that he had to strip naked, tie him down to my bed and…"
"Jakotsu. I'm eating," Sesshoumaru cut him off.
"Anyways, as much as I hate to say it, the note happens to be something he was writing to some woman," Jakotsu said with a sigh, "Why must all the good guys be straight?" Kagura just shook her head, used to her friend's antics.
"So you're blackmailing him with a love letter?"
"Yup," He responded cheerfully.
"Sadly. A correspondence of that manner would prove useful against him," The white-haired young man remarked.
"Problem for Inuyasha is though," The black-haired woman pointed out, "Where's he going to get a gay guy around here?"
"He'll probably do something stupid," Sesshoumaru replied, noticing Inuyasha getting up from his table and walking across the room towards the lunch line.
"Whatever happens, I can't see where this will go wrong at all," Jakotsu said with a shrug, his eyes glancing between Inuyasha and the table he just left.
"Though, I do wonder why Bankotsu looks so upset..."
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Inuyasha grumbled as he reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet to pay for his lunch. His disposition, irritated by the situation Jakotsu had worked him into. I'm not going with Jakotsu, so I need to convince Bankotsu he's gay… how do I make a guy think he's gay? Keh, this is stupid. He glared at the elderly cafeteria cashier. "Here you go Granny," The white-haired boy handed a five dollar bill to the short woman.
"Inuyasha," She lightly rapped his hand with a stray fork and narrowed her eyes as she popped open the cash register, "How many times do I have to tell you my name is Haraiya not Granny."
"Keh," The young man put down his tray and crossed his arms. Haraiya frowned and reached over to a small plastic folder on the side of the register.
"Did you want a list of what everyone is serving next week?"
"Yah sure whatever," Inuyasha muttered and took the list, freezing when he laid his eyes upon it. A list… He pondered. Hmm, I could make a list of stuff that… gay guys like and go from there. If I can trick Bankotsu into thinking he likes that kind of stuff, then he'll think he's gay.
"Inuyasha!" The voice of the cashier snapped him out of his thoughts. "Pick up your tray and leave, there are others waiting." Haraiya motioned to the line of students waiting to pay behind him. Inuyasha "Keh-ed" as he picked up his tray and walked off, contemplating the 'list' he was planning on making.
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As many of the students began to note that the clocks were edging closer to the time for their next classes, some of the tables began to empty. Sighing Bankotsu watched as Jakotsu got up and left the room without a word.
"Did he say anything to you?" Inuyasha blinked at the abrupt question, their conversation dying off earlier after Bankotsu's brooding anger and Inuyasha's pending plot to rid himself of Jakotsu.
"What?"
"Jakotsu," He said, running a hand through his bangs, "When you were talking to him…did he say anything about…well, is he mad at me or something?"
"Uh…no," Inuyasha replied, nervous that Bankotsu might inquire more about what transpired between them. Standing dejectedly, the black-haired boy's face was clearly crestfallen.
"I wonder why…I…I thought he'd at least ask me to come..." He muttered, grabbing up his books and heading for the door.
Inuyasha watched him go; inwardly breathing a sigh of relief that he wasn't interrogated about the conversation with Jakotsu further. Then, looking to the clock himself, he grabbed up his books and made his way towards class.
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The dimly lit room was full of tired college students who once again found themselves in the dark as class began. Inuyasha yawned; his last course of the day, Composition, never failed to put him to sleep. His professor turned on the overhead projector with a click and he glanced up to the brown haired man, Professor Takeda. With an enthusiastic smile to the students, the young teacher began writing notes on the projector as the class copied them down. The white-haired boy pulled out his own piece of paper, and momentarily looked at the projector- the notes on it displaying the mechanics of lyrical poetry. "Keh-ing" to himself, he tapped his pen on his paper, telling himself he would copy the notes from his textbook later. Thinking back on his need to make a 'list' regarding Bankotsu, he bit his lip and took the pen to the paper.
Gay Stuff List
With a confident smile the boy took to writing down what came to his mind regarding what could be considered 'gay.' Which was presently… nothing. Inuyasha grumbled and looked back up to the Professor, who had flipped off the overhead and was reading from a collection of aforementioned lyrical poems.
"And his arm lay lightly around my breast—and that night I was happy," Takeda finished the piece, his eyes glazed over with the usual romantic zeal he always held. Inuyasha blinked in realization and immediately took his pen to the paper, writing down the first item that came to mind for his list.
Poetry
"Well, it's a start," He sighed to himself as the Professor began reading from another poem.
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Later that afternoon, not far from the campus, at a small complex, Inuyasha trudged through the front door of his apartment. Throwing his backpack down and grabbing a can of soda out of the fridge, he sat down at the kitchen table and sighed in exasperation- his day playing over in his mind.
Shaking his head at the tiny possibility that Kagome would find out about the note or that he'd have to go with Jakotsu, he pulled out the list he'd started earlier that day.
Looking at it, he sighed, realizing he was getting- nowhere with it. Tapping his pen on the paper in irritation and concentrating as hard as he could, he didn't notice the sound of the front door opening and Bankotsu coming into the kitchen.
"What's that? Another attempt at writing out your thoughts to Kagome?" He asked innocently.
Processing the voice, Inuyasha's wide-eyed gaze shot from Bankotsu, to the list and then back again as he quickly stuffed the paper up under his shirt.
Keh! Leave me alone!" He shot back with a blush.
Bankotsu shrugged, not really in the mood to tease him further at the moment.
"Well I hope things work out for you," The black-haired boy muttered as he got out a can of Pepsi, "I'll just…hang out with Jakotsu and do friend stuff if he's even my friend anymore." Standing hastily, he held the paper under his shirt still.
"Of course he's your friend," Thinking over his plan, he amended that, "I'm sure…that uh…things will work out for you two as well." Smiling half-heartedly Bankotsu looked up at the ceiling.
"I hope so…"
Figuring it was now or never, Inuyasha quickly made his way to the bathroom and locked himself inside. Sighing in irritation, he pulled the list back out, and began wracking his brain for what it would it take to get this plan to work.
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Nearby at the other campus apartment complex, Kagura seethed as she ransacked her apartment's bathroom.
"Where the hell is it?!" She fumed, tossing another bottle out of the cabinet.
After successfully creating a pile of medicine bottles, bandages, toothpaste, and various other toiletries on the floor, Kagura paused to run a hand through her bangs.
"Shit, I have to meet up with Sesshoumaru in what…" She glanced to her watch, "About an hour and I cannot find my goddamn lipstick."
Looking between the mess she'd created and the main room the black-haired young woman shrugged, "I'm glad Kikyou isn't home right now. She'd throw a fit because of my cussing again."
Trudging out of the bathroom and casually throwing a towel over the pile of amenities, Kagura went to begin her search in her bedroom.
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Tapping the pen on the paper as if it would magically think up answers for him, Inuyasha's eyes scanned over the bathroom.
Keh. I can't think of anything that's…gay. Hmm…wait, doesn't Jakotsu sometimes wear stuff on his lips?
Grinning triumphantly, he added that to the list.
Lipstick.
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Luckily, at the other end of the apartment complex, Sesshoumaru couldn't hear Kagura cussing about her dilemma. Unfortunately, though he was having his own issue regarding missing items in the bathroom. With the slightest of frowns, he turned off the shower water, wrapped a towel around his center, and walked out of the bathroom to face his roommate.
"Jakotsu. You used my shampoo." Jakotsu looked slightly confused, before a smile of realization crossed his face.
"You mean that flowery herbal essences stuff you use?"
"Yes." Sesshoumaru confirmed. The dark-haired man shrugged.
"Well of course I used it," Jakotsu smirked, playfully running his fingers through his hair. "It's like the commercial says, right? It's an orgasmic experience!" The white-haired man raised an eyebrow.
"I believe the commercial refers to it as organic."
"Mm, well I don't know." He leaned back in his chair. "The commercials always have those people moaning and…"
"Jakotsu." Sesshoumaru leveled him a look. "Don't use my shampoo." And with that, he walked back into the bathroom.
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Inuyasha's eyes drifted about the small confines of the bathroom he'd locked himself in, his gaze falling on the generic shampoo bottle sitting inside the shower.
Hmm didn't Sesshoumaru say once that Jakotsu always steals his flowery shampoo stuff?
Frowning as he tried to decide if that was gay or not, he shrugged and added it anyways.
Flowery shit
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The sandy haired boy looked about the classroom his tutoring was held in and smiled brightly when his student tutor entered the room. "Miss Kagome!" He said enthusiastically as she sat down across from him. Kagome blinked, as she placed her notes down on the desk.
"Akitoki, you don't need to call me that."
"Well, I know we're in the same year and all," He began, obviously a bit flustered. "But you are my tutor so…" The young woman sighed. "Ah Miss Kagome, do you think you could help me with this algebra assignment I have?" She bit her lip.
"Well Akitoki, I'm not that good at math… really I don't tutor for math." Kagome explained. The young man looked slightly crestfallen.
"Well you're good at tutoring me in all my other subjects," He reasoned.
"But I hate math," She retorted, and then rubbed her forehead when she saw his apparent disappointment. Knowing of the boy's obvious crush on her, Kagome didn't have the heart to let him down. "Okay let's see it." Akitoki opened his algebra textbook and pointed it out.
The Sham Shirt company sold forty t-shirts. The pink ones sold for 9.90 each, and the purple ones sold for 12.75 each. In all 421.65 was taken in for the shirts. How many of each type was sold?
Kagome blanched. "Ah Akitoki, give me a moment, the only thing I'm worse at than algebra is geometry so… eheheh." The sandy haired boy beamed.
"Miss Kagome, I know you can figure it out. I have confidence in you!" He said inspired. Kagome twitched.
"Eheh, right… so…" She tapped her chin. "Pink and Purple shirts…."
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With a grumble, Inuyasha scooted back on the closed toilet seat. His mind wandered again on the one gay person he knew well.
Okay think Jakotsu… well what does Jakotsu wear?
His mind conjured up a memory of the pink shirt the dark haired man been wearing when he'd been blackmailed earlier in the day.
Recalling all the other times he'd seen him in similar colored apparel and accessories, he took the pen to the paper.
Pink and Purple things
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Parking in the back of the small establishment, Jakotsu sighed and adjusted his mesh shirt to where the sleeve was slightly off his shoulder.
After looking in the small rear-view mirror to see if it was to his liking, he grabbed up his bag and headed inside.
"My, we're a bit early today aren't we? The rush doesn't start here 'til about six." The red-haired man stated from behind the bar.
"Ah, Suzaku what time is it anyways? I kinda rushed out of my apartment." Looking over at the clock, the manager shrugged.
"Just about five. What's going on? You get in a spat with your lover?"
"I wish," Jakotsu said sitting down on one of the bar stools, "No, my roommate wasn't too happy about me borrowing his shampoo."
"Well, what were you borrowing it for?" He asked suggestively. Jakotsu laughed.
"Just my hair."
"Hmm, shouldn't be a problem then unless you were using it for something kinky."
"If only I had someone to be kinky with…" Jakotsu sighed, "You know any available cuties that are under twenty-one, Suzaku?" The red-haired man laughed warmly.
"If I did, I'd be dating him. There's not enough lively young ones anymore are there?"
"The pitfalls of liking them innocent."
"Ah yes, it's hard to find them naïve anymore," Suzaku muttered sitting down on the barstool next to him.
The door swung open as a customer entered, the two men quickly standing.
"My, we look tired today. Jakotsu, why don't you mix him up something to drink?"
Nodding, the black-haired man stepped behind the bar to begin his evening shift.
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Pondering over his minor knowledge of Jakotsu's life outside of torturing him, Inuyasha vaguely remembered the job Jakotsu had.
Hmm, I think he works at one of those…bars for…guys like him. I guess that might make someone think they're gay if they go there…
Not sure how he'd get Bankotsu in one, but needing to try nonetheless, he wrote it down.
Gay bars
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The dorm's laundry room door swung open as the trio made their way into it, one of them very glad that no one else was currently using it. With the items in his laundry basket, it could cause a bit of an embarrassment.
"Hey Kouga," Ginta called from his position standing beside Hakkaku. The pony-tailed man looked back at his two friends and dorm-mates.
"Yah?" Kouga leveled the laundry basket.
"Uhh, you dropped this," Hakkaku picked up a small piece of cloth and paused before handing it to Kouga. "Isn't this Ayame's bra?" The black-haired boy dropped the offending clothing into the basket like he'd touched a hot stove.
"I can't believe Ayame is making me do all her laundry," He mumbled, a blush crossing his cheeks as he looked down to the bra in the basket. Ginta walked forward and stood next to the washing machine.
"What did you do to make Ayame mad at you this time Kouga?" He inquired. Kouga glared at him.
"I think Ayame is upset because she got on Inuyasha's case when Kagome likes him." Hakkaku reasoned. Ginta nodded in understanding.
"Hmph, I was only pointing out what I saw," Kouga retorted as he threw a pair of panty hose and a mini skirt into the washer, hoping he didn't mess up on how much detergent he put in this time.
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Inuyasha glared at the wall, his mind skimming over what little he knew about gay bars and the people that went to them.
Well isn't there like…those…ones that wear dresses and stuff?
Not wanting to think on drag queens further, he quickly added it down.
Girly clothes
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Back at the apartment building, things had quieted down now that Kagura had left for her date with Sesshoumaru, and Kikyou was glad of it. After a long day of studies, she needed the peace and quiet to be able to attend to their homework.
"Suikotsu, if anything is astray in my apartment, I apologize on my roommate's behalf," The black-haired woman said unlocking the door.
"Oh, that's quite all right, Kikyou. I understand that some people aren't always as neat as others. It's all part of their specific personality traits, whether it's a conditioned lifestyle or a habitual one."
"I see we've been paying attention in our studies," She remarked in regards to his analysis. He nodded as he followed her in and sat beside her on the couch.
"Majoring in Psychology isn't easy, but I hope that it will better my understanding of some of my own issues."
"Of course, Suikotsu," Kikyou replied pulling out her books, "I've chosen the major as well, but I feel it will help me help others- whether it's someone like you that has a dissociative identity disorder or whether it's someone else."
The two smiled warmly at each other for a moment before they began to pull out their notes.
"So, we were studying the Kinsey Scale, correct?" Suikotsu asked, observing the diagram displayed on the page of the textbook before them.
"Yes, the Professor said we were to study it and even referenced a few books in citation that use it," Kikyou stated, pulling out the paperwork. Looking over the book once more, Suikotsu began reading it aloud.
"The Kinsey scale, developed by Alfred Kinsey in his book, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, is a scale of seven points ranging from strictly heterosexual to strictly homosexual." Pausing in the reading, the brown-haired man looked up, "For example, Jakotsu would probably test a full six- strict homosexual with no heterosexual incidents."
Kikyou nodded, quickly scribbling down something in her notes.
"Here, let me pull up those other books that the Professor referenced for this study."
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Moving to sit against the door, Inuyasha tapped his foot as he continued to search the crevices of his mind for anything he could add.
Well, wasn't there something back during Health class in that book about gay stuff?
Figuring there was probably other books out there that might have to do with the subject matter; he added it to the list as well.
Gay books
He sighed as he glanced at the list, eight items already- but he was sure there was more he could add. Closing his eyes, he continued pondering, thoughts interrupted when his ears perked up at the sound of the telephone ringing. "Keh, Bankotsu will get it."
"Inuyasha!" His roommate's voice called from the other room. "It's your Mom!" The white-haired boy's eyes widened and he scrambled up to his feet, stuffing the note in his pants unthinkingly.
"Coming!" Inuyasha replied and opened the bathroom door, walking out to take the telephone from Bankotsu's hand. The receiver was a bit different than most, a longer old fashioned one that worked well to accommodate Inuyasha's strange ears. "Hi Mom." The boy shot a glare at Bankotsu and gestured him to leave the room. He smirked.
"Okay Mama's boy," The braided-boy replied.
"Shut up, no I'm not!" Inuyasha pulled away from the phone and tossed a pillow at him as he left the room. Grumbling, he went back to the phone. "Sorry Mom, my roommate was being stupid." A light feminine laugh was heard on the other end of the line.
"It's okay Inuyasha. I was just calling up to see how you've been." She answered kindly.
"Uhh, I'm fine."
"Have you been keeping up with your studies?"
"Yah."
"Have you been keeping your apartment clean?" His Mother continued her inquiry.
"Keh, if there are any messes its Bankotsu's fault." Inuyasha grumbled.
"Well as long as you're doing your share to keep everything clean."
"Yah I am, so uhh," Inuyasha began. "How have you been?"
"Well ah," She paused in thought. "Today your father took me out to a movie."
"Oh what movie?" The white-haired boy asked. There was silence on the line for a moment, as his mother recalled the title.
"It was that "A Love for All Time" movie," She answered.
"Keh, isn't that the stupid sappy girly chick flick?" Inuyasha asked. The woman laughed.
"Well yes it is." She sighed. "I suppose it was kind of corny, but it was nice to go out with your father since he's so often busy with work."
"Izayoi!" A voice called on her end of the line. Pulling the phone away for a moment, she replied.
"Yes dear?" She asked. "Just a moment Inuyasha, your father is calling for me."
"Hmph, fine," Inuyasha muttered. There was a few moments of quiet before his mother clicked back on the telephone.
"Inuyasha, I'm really sorry but I've got to go. Rin's friend Kohaku is here and I need to talk to his parents before they leave."
"Okay Mom," The young man shrugged and said his goodbyes, clicking off the phone and placing it on the receiver when she'd hung up. Making sure Bankotsu hadn't reentered the room; he pulled the list out of his pants and hesitated before adding one more thing to the paper.
Girly Movies
With a sigh, he placed the list in his pocket. I'll stop for a little bit, maybe after I do some homework and eat dinner I can think of more stuff to add to it.
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Preview for Chapter 3:
InuYasha continues mulling over his "Gay Stuff List" to help with his desperate plan. But when you're a straight guy whose only knowledge of gay guys is the one that conned you into this, figuring out how to make someone gay isn't easy.