uh, wel, hello! Its bin a while, ne? lol. U guys made me so happy doe cuz I didn't get 200 reviews (I knew dat was asking a bit much so I wusn't expecting it) but so many of dem were LOOOOOOOOOOOONG. U guys had so much 2 say and it was really fun reading dem. I mean most of dem were threats but dey were fun just da same rofl. I'm hoping dat my grammer and stuff is better now cuz I've got 2 beta-readers. THANK U JANELLE AND LARK!!! So yeah if u have a problem w/ stuff ike dat blame dem. Its not MY fault! #Janelle and Lark glare at her# ...ok so maybe it is but u guys should have fixed it!
Iceprincesse I noe, inu dus seem 2 get in2 a lot of fites but kag technically won against Hojo lol.
Kim ur reviews r always so long, I luv it! Lol, yeah I'm surprised dat da lemons come so naturally... just easy 4 m I guess. I just hope dis story dusn't get kiked off I hate it wend at happens. But yes, kag's plan wil b coming in2 pay soon. Not wut I originally had in mind but still gude lol.
Loki-TheGrimScreamer wel dis chap is just as bad lol. Just as long, I dunno y but my chaps seemed 2 b getting longer each time lol.
Destiny waves enthusiastically back lol yeah a lot of ppl were saying dat hey were gonna review more den once. I really don't care cuz at least I noe dat dey like da story lol.
Blue Vixen I noe! Getting caught in embarrassing situations r so funny. And yes, Sesshy will b changed by Kagura, how could he not? Lol
Stone Dragon, Ruby omg! Stupid ppl! Y da fuk did dey delete ur fic? Baka! Rated R stuff means rated R! wut did dey expect! Mou... wle I'm glad u like my fic lol. And I'm sry 4 doing da whole review or I wont update thingy! It'll only b dat 1 time lol.
Leomae hai hai, lemony stuff is always nice lol. And I noe ppl r reading my my fic and I 'preciate da ve feedback!
Katrina I think every1 reading dis fic is waiting 4 da inu/kag lemon but it's not gonna b 4 a while, gomen. Dey still hav da dance 2 go 2 remember? Mwahahahaha gonna b fun!
Drunken Little Monkey arigatou! I noe I'm luved its just nice 2 hear it 1ce in a while lol.
Sleep walking chicken and HAP if u like long chap u'll lie dis 1 lol. Its over 20 pages 2 lol. I dunno wuts happening! My chaps just seem 2 b getting longer. Better 4 u I guess.Ladykaa28 yeah, Kikyo's a bitch, ne? dats wut I wus going 4. I'll prolly make her out like dat in all of my fics cuz I generally don't like her. But if I get a really gude idea, den I'll make her on kag's side. But it would b a REALLY AU fic ne? rofl
keylimeanime if I do make it angsty den it won't b 4 a while. Da sequel will b a little darker if dat makes u feel better lol. I'm so weird, I havn't finished dis fic yet and I alredy noe wut I'm gonna do da sequel lol.
lazydoll06 lol, ur 1 of da only Kikyo fans I noe about. She is kinda kewl but I hate da fact dat she dusn't wanna let inu go. 2 bad 4 her in my story doe. She'll never have him (he's mine rofl)
littlevixen I can't say much on da ring rite now cuz well, yeah gonna b a surprise! U'll just hafta b patient!
Bijin-chan dats wut I thot but doing da bold/italic thing on my actual file don't work on I think u hafta do sum special tag or sumthing. Bleh, wish I knew wut it wus!
Ryguy5387 inu/kag fluff is da best, ne? deres lots more in dis chap so hope u wont b disappointed!
Dragon Tears Wing gomen, but I don't reply 2 EVERYONE who reviews my fic, dat would just take 2 long lol. Onegai! Don't send ur penguins after me!
Principessa Squish Avina lets hear it 4 long chapters! Dis 1 is even longer so I think u'll like it lol Turnings Ander lol I noe, da 200 review thing wus evil, ne? every1 hated me 4 it. But reviews r always nice and if ur lucky, Kikyo will get more den a slap in dis chap... Sam I can't make inu make Kikyo cry! It would ruin her makeup. I'll just hafta have kag beat da shit out of her instead. Is dat gude enuf?Green Bird 2071 I'm glad u liked all da Kikyo bashing lol. Deres more in dis chap so u'll like it even more. And I thot da 'kikyo's haters anonymous was HILARIOUS! So funy... deathsite-zero arigatou 4 da offer but I now have 2 beta-readers so I think I'll b ok.inu-sm-fan would u seriously give me a pair of inu's ears?! Dat would b SWEET! I luv his ears mwahahaha, dey're so kawaii!
Kaye u noe wut? Dat would prolly happen if u did dat rofl. It wont b quite so forceful in my story and don't worry! It'll happen...sooner or later lol.
Son Sunami I think ur review was da longest out of dem all rofl. I noe wut u mean, I HATE if wen I'm reading like 3 stories once (or I have dem lined up in my taskbar) and den da comp freezes! Bleh so frustrating lol, but I'm glad u found dis 1 again!
Leanne yeah, southpark has sum great insults lol. And I feel very special now dat u reviewed my fic. I was like u in da beginning (b4 I started writing my own), I didn't like actually reviewing, jut reading dem. But as soon I started 2 actually write I realised how much reviews r appreciated to ARIGATOU!!!
Bloody Paper Doll yeah, it seems 2 me dat wen ppl call u names it just means dat dey r wutever dey're calling u but don't wanna admit it. Which means Kikyo is a major slut!
Ish Chase girl lol. I've actually never heard of a guy being called Chase so we're at opposite ends of da bat lol.
code-wyze I don't mean 2 b critical cuz I luv getting reviews I dun want ppl 2 stop reading my fic but if u read carefully I distinctly mention dat its bin a time span of 3 weeks. I don't talk bout EVERYTHING dat happens in da 3 weeks, dat would b boring, but I do mention da passage of time. And I'm sry about da broken leg thing. Wen u write fics 1 chap at a time u sumtimes 4get about things dat happen in da beginning #looks embarrassed# but I am in da making of redoing my first chapters so dat will b changed. Thx 4 bringing dat up!
obssessed don't lose faith! Dat would b bad and I wou;d update whether or not I got 200 reviews. I just did dat bcuz I wanted lotsa feedback.
Inu Faceness isn't it annoying how da need 4 sleep gets in da way of reading fanfics? Lol and I will read ur fic, I like it wen reviews recommened dey're own fic (I do it myself) cuz yeah... more feedback dat better ne?
Lark: It's about time you finished this chapter! #eye twitching and holding a sledge hammer threateningly#
Sereia: #cowers in fear# GOMEN-NASAI!!!
Lark: #starts chasing her around the room#
Sereia: #throws pocky over her shoulder and Lark retreats to a corner#
Lark: Pocky...
Sereia: #rolls her eyes# ENJOY!!!
"---" talking
'---' thinking
-italics- song lyrics
/---/ inner voice
----- letter / note
Disclaimer: ... uhh... umm... I own... hmm... #joins Lark in corner as she tries to come up with something#
Chapter Thirteen
Caught
Kagome stood still as a statue as all of the colour drained from Kikyou's face. Sango and Miroku's mouths were hanging open in shock as they stared at Inuyasha. His fist was clamped closed, his other hand still on Kagome's waist. His hold had become a little tighter and Kagome figured he was using her for support. She wanted to smile but this was no laughing matter. How had he found out? She hadn't said anything to him...so who had? Kagome specifically had not told him because she knew it would end up like this. Inuyasha wasn't a very trusting person, which was why it was hard for him to open up to anyone.
"You were too busy fucking another guy, Kikyou," he said again, "I was in the hospital in a fucking coma and you were screwing around. How could you betray me like that? I trusted you..." His voice cracked and he didn't continue. Kagome knew what he was going to say next and she was glad he didn't.
Kagome's heart was beating against her ribs and she was afraid that it was going to pop out of her chest. Her eyes drifted to Kikyou. She was looking at Inuyasha with fake surprise and the colour had returned to her cheeks. Then she turned to Kagome and glared.
"Inuyasha, I don't know what you're talking about," the sweetness dripping off her lips. "I don't know what my cousin has been telling you, but I have been nothing but loyal to you and I always will." Kagome's breath caught in her throat. Inuyasha stepped back and his eyes widened.
"N-nani?" Kikyou smirked, thinking she had fooled him again.
"Hai, Kagome is extremely jealous of our relationship," Kagome's head bent down, her bangs covering her eyes. "I think she may do anything to break us apart, even spinning lies to make you think I had cheated on you."
"Kikyou, what are you talking about—"
"Inuyasha, let me go." Kagome's gaze had not left the floor but her voice was filled with anger. Inuyasha looked over at her, very confused.
"Kagome, daijobou—"
"Let...me...go..." she cut him off again.
"Doushite?" Inuyasha asked reluctantly.
"Because I'm going to beat the shit out of my cousin." Inuyasha was so surprised at her words that he released her from his grip. As soon as he had let go, Kagome took a swing at Kikyou, sending her into the wall with a crash. Sango and Miroku still had their mouths open but snapped them shut as soon as she hit the wall. Then they stepped back to give Kagome more room. A few other people had gathered round to witness what was going on and some had come to the doorway of their classroom. Kagome stood over Kikyou as she struggled to her feet.
"Bitch." She said before taking another swing at her. This one caught her in the stomach and Kikyou bent over wheezing. Then she glared up at Kagome. Slinking away from the wall, Kikyou whirled around and hit Kagome in the back with her foot. Kagome slammed into the wall but ducked her next attack. She jumped away from Kikyou and got into a fighting stance. Kikyou rubbed her shoulder and then frowned at her.
"This is all your fault!" she yelled.
"My fault?! How the hell is this my fault? You're the one acting like a slut!" Kagome yelled. She was sick and tired of Kikyou and all her bullshit.
"What the fuck did you say to him?!" Kikyou demanded.
"I didn't tell him shit! I don't know who did and I don't fucking care. All I know is I've waited years to take you down and this is the perfect opportunity." Kagome threw a punch at Kikyou, going for her head. Kikyou ducked and caught the other woman in stomach. Kagome flinched but stood her ground. She yanked on Kikyou's arm, causing her to go headfirst into the floor. Then Kagome spun and kicked her in the side. Kikyou rolled over and threw her leg up in the air, grazing Kagome chin. Kagome grabbed her leg and picked her up. Then she swung her around and into the wall once again. The small crowd cheered from behind.
"You fucking whore!" Kagome spat, "Did it ever occur to you what you were doing? Maybe you should get your puny brain examined." Kikyou smirked and pulled on Kagome's hair. It caught her off balance and suddenly her face was right in front of Kikyo's.
"At least I'm not in love with my best friend," she whispered. Kagome's eyes flashed red and she pushed Kikyou away.
"Shut the fuck up." Kikyou smirked again and jumped to her feet. Kagome did the same and they started to encircle each other like hungry sharks. She caught Inuyasha's gaze out of the corner of her eye but could not read his expression. His face seemed to have iced over and Kagome turned her focus back to Kikyou. The woman was looking at her with such fury that she almost laughed. Kikyou really needed to tone down her emotions. However, Kagome hoped that Kikyou kept that little piece of information to herself because she didn't think she would be able to bare it if it came out in front of all these people.
The students had made a ring around them and Kagome was surprised that they hadn't started chanting "Fight, fight". All of their eyes were focused on the two cousins. Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha stood on the inner most part of the circle, staring, watching, waiting. By the look on Sango's face, Kagome was wondering if she was planning on joining her in a game of 'Kick Kikyou's Ass'.
'Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest.' Kagome thought, her fists up by her face. Kikyou's hands were raised as well but they were open, showing off her perfectly manicured nails. Kagome looked at her and laughed.
"Are you sure you're up to this Kikyou?" she mocked, "You may break a nail."
"Or your neck."
"Not likely."
"We'll see."
"Bring it on."
"Chickens first."
"Then move." Her face was twisted with rage and Kagome bent her knees a little more. Then Kikyou struck. She came at Kagome with such a burst of unreadable speed that Kagome was not able to move in time. She tried to duck but Kikyou caught her in the chin with an uppercut, sending her flying. Unfazed, Kagome jumped to her feet and got back into her stance. Kikyou came at her again but this time Kagome was ready. She bent down low and used Kikyou's speed against her, shoving her shoulder into Kikyou's ribs and flipping her onto the floor.
She hit the floor with a thump and blinked because the air had been knocked out of her. She coughed a few times, trying to catch her breath but Kagome was already on top of her. She pulled at Kikyou's hair and slammed her head into the floor. Then she punched her in the face and slammed her into the floor again. Then Kikyou's leg flew up and hit Kagome in the back of the head. She slumped over and Kikyou rolled away. Kagome watched her lick the blood from her lips and started to stand. She got into a kneeling position but Kikyou reached her before she could get the other foot on the ground.
Kagome's head spun to the right as Kikyou hit her in the jaw. Crying out in pain, Kagome rolled away. She spat the blood from her mouth on the ground and got to her feet. Glaring at Kikyou, Kagome hunched over and ran at her cousin, tackling her to the floor. She caught her in the stomach and Kagome heard Kikyou groan as she hit the floor. Then with lightning speed, Kagome was on top of Kikyou, punching her in the face. Kagome was becoming more and more satisfied every time her fist made contact with her cousin's skin.
She saw blood running down Kikyou's mouth and was about to hit her again when Kikyou tugged on her hair. Kagome cringed as Kikyou yanked her off. Kagome rolled on to her side and stared at her cousin as she got to her feet. Kikyou loomed over her but Kagome did not move. She just waited.
"You fucking whore!" Kikyou spat, "Don't you get it? I will always be your superior; always. No matter what you do, or how hard you try, I will always be better than you." Her eyes flicked towards Inuyasha who was still staring at the couple with shocked eyes. Anger burned through Kagome's body but it did not show on her face. She smirked up at her cousin and sighed.
"I think you're the one who doesn't get it, Kikyou." Kikyou's eyes narrowed and she went in for the attack. She lifted her leg up and brought it down towards Kagome's head. Kagome stayed still and then everything happened in slow motion. Kikyou's foot was mere inches from her face when Kagome's hand shot up. It grabbed the foot and held it right above her face. Then Kagome smirked again before twisting the foot hard. Kikyou's spun around in mid-air and Kagome jumped to her feet. She let go of Kikyou's foot and grabbed her neck instead. Kikyou's eyes bulged at Kagome squeezed. Her knee was under Kikyou's back; her only support other than the hand around her neck.
The entire hallway was blanketed in silence. No one around the couple made a sound and Kagome glared at her cousin. Kikyou's hands went up to free her of Kagome's death grip but most of her energy had already been spent. She struggled to release herself from the hand that was wrapped around her throat but Kagome was not about to let go. Then the younger woman smirked.
"You're the one who doesn't get it," Kagome repeated, "I surpassed you long ago." Kagome squeezed even harder and then threw her cousin to the floor. Kikyou coughed, trying to take in as much air as she could. She clutched her throat, massaging it. Kagome stared at her cousin with all the hatred she could muster. This was the final time Kikyou was going to intimidate her. She had put up with it through the years but her patience had run out. Kikyou got to her feet and spat some blood on the floor. She looked at her cousin and tossed her hair back.
"Surpassed me? I don't think so my dear cousin. Try as you might, there are some things that will never be yours." Her eyes went to Inuyasha for a moment and Kagome could not help but laugh. Kikyou's gaze wavered and she shot a look at the sapphire-eyed woman. Inuyasha was also staring at Kagome, who was still laughing. Her laughter bounced off the walls as Kikyou glared at her cousin. As soon as it died down she looked at Inuyasha and gave him a warming smile.
#-#-#
Inuyasha stared back at Kagome in shock. What had caused her to hit Kikyou? And why was he silently praying that she would do it again? Inuyasha knew he was angry at Kikyou. He could not suppress the hatred he felt towards her now. She had betrayed his trust and his... well, he had to wonder whether or not he had actually loved her in the first place. As soon as he had realised what was happening on the other end of the phone, every single good feeling he had had towards her vanished. And then she had the nerve to lie about it. It was confusing, he once thought he had loved her but as soon as he had hung up the phone he wasn't so sure.
Inuyasha clenched his fists in anger but his eyes still bore into Kagome's. She was looking at him with such compassion that his entire body felt warm. Laughter still shone from her eyes and Inuyasha wanted to reach out and touch her but his feet were rooted to the floor. He still did not understand why she had been laughing but he did not really care. Her laughter was light and bubbly, and yet it also had a twinge of mockery to it. It had flown around him and everyone else in the hallway, swirling like the wind until it had disappeared around the corner.
But one question still plagued Inuyasha's mind.
'Why is Kagome so mad?' He thought to himself, 'What did Kikyou say that pissed her off so much?' Inuyasha wracked his brain, searching for the phase that had set Kagome off. He knew that Kikyou had lied but Kagome must have been used to that. Kagome finally turned back to her cousin and smirked at her.
"Baka," she said, "It was never yours in the first place." Inuyasha's eyes face turned into a look of confusion as Kagome got into another fighting stance.
'What the hell did she mean by that?' Suddenly something registered in his mind. Something that Kikyou had said right before Kagome had struck her.
Kagome is extremely jealous of our relationship.
Kagome was jealous? Why the hell would she be jealous? Maybe he had been spending more time with Kikyou, than he had with Kagome.
'That has to be the reason.' Inuyasha thought, shaking his head. But as he looked at Kagome take a swing at Kikyou, he realised it must have been something more. Kagome was not a person to let her anger get a hold of her. She was usually calm and collected. Well, except when she got into an argument with him; but even then it was still fun. Kagome loved to argue, especially with him because he was one of he few people who would put up a fight. Inuyasha smiled at the thought of how Kagome looked when in the midst of a heated debate. In school she was very professional about it but when it was with him, it was much more passionate. It didn't matter how trivial the subject was, Kagome refused to lose and Inuyasha could see the same look in her eyes now: she was not going to give in to her cousin.
Kagome ducked under Kikyou's fist and swung her leg around on the ground. She took Kikyou's feet out from under her and Kikyou fell on her ass. Then Kagome kicked her into the wall with both feet and Kikyou lay there, clutching her stomach.
"You need to learn your place, Kikyou," she said, rising to her feet. Kikyou just glared at her but did not get up. Kagome bent down and grabbed a chunk of Kikyou's dark hair in her hand. She brought her face to meet her own and Inuyasha could see the electricity burning between them. One had to wonder if they had ever acted like family.
"Your place is on the street, Kikyou." Kagome hissed, "With all of the other trash. You deserve nothing more than to be thrown in the gutter, because you'll never be worth anything." She let go of Kikyou's hair and stood up. The woman on the floor just stared up in shock, hatred pouring out through her dark eyes. Kagome turned around and walked to Inuyasha, his mind still on why she begun the attack in the first place.
Inuyasha had ignored his thoughts in the beginning, mainly because everything else Kikyou had said was a lie. But then again, he had never seen Kagome so mad. Her blue eyes had turned stormy and been focused intently on causing her cousin pain. But Inuyasha wanted to know why. Inuyasha wanted to ask Kagome so many questions but the words would just not form in his mouth. He swallowed and was finally able to moisten his dry throat. Kagome was still walking towards him when he caught a flash of movement behind her. His eyes widened as Kikyou slunk towards Kagome, something silver flashing in her hands. Kagome must have seen Inuyasha's expression because she slowly turned her head around but it was too late.
"Never turn your back on your enemy." Kikyou said, raising the dagger up into the air. The crowd uttered a gasp as Kikyou brought it down towards Kagome's heart. Kagome's mouth opened into a small 'O' but she didn't have time to move. Time seemed to slow down as Inuyasha reached out for Kagome and pushed her out of the way with all of his strength. Kagome fell back in surprise, Kikyou's knife only catching the upper part of her arm. Kagome cried out in pain as she fell to the floor, clutching her arm. Then Inuyasha grabbed Kikyou's wrist and pushed his thumb into one of her pressure points. The dagger fell to the ground with a clatter and he shoved Kikyou back into the centre of the circle.
"Don't you know when to quit?!" Inuyasha roared, "You've been beaten! Does causing her harm mean so much to you? I can't believe that you'd actually try...to... You make me sick!" He felt everybody's eyes on him but he was only focus on the filth in front of him. Kikyou scowled and held her wrist, discomfort written all over her face. Then her eyes filled with pain.
"Does she really mean that much to you Inuyasha?" Her voice wavered slightly.
"What does it matter to you? You never really cared about me anyway." Inuyasha spat. Kikyou continued to stare at him, her eyes trying to see into his soul. Then her gaze hardened and she stood up tall.
"You didn't answer my question, Inuyasha," she said, "Do you put your best friend before me?"
"Hai," he said without any hesitation. "She will always come before you, Kikyou. Always." With that, Inuyasha turned towards Kagome who was still lying on the floor. Her eyes were brimmed with tears and Inuyasha instantly knew how much she had been holding in. He reached down and helped her to her feet, sliding an arm around her waist like he had done before.
"Come on Kagome," he said gently, "I'll take you to the nurse." Kagome nodded and leant on his shoulder, allowing him to support her as the walked down the hall.
"This isn't over, Kagome." Kikyou yelled from behind them. Kagome sighed but didn't make any comment. She just shook her head.
"Baka," she said, under her breath. Inuyasha looked over at her and smiled.
"Maybe that's what I should be calling you," he said with a smirk.
"Nani? What the hell did I do?"
"Well, I don't think fighting is one of the school rules."
"That bitch had it coming."
"Have you always felt this way? About Kikyou, I mean?" Kagome looked down at the floor and didn't say anything. Inuyasha was about to ask her again when he realised they were already at the nurse's office. He pushed open the door with a sigh and decided to question his best friend about her strange behaviour later.
#-#-#
"Wow, she really gave you a beating, huh?" Yura looked at Kikyou as she tried to cover some of the bruises on her face. Her skin was free of all the blood that had been spilt and Kikyou was desperately trying to cover up the colourful splotches on her face,
"That bitch," Kikyou muttered. "I swear if it's the last thing I do, I'm gonna kill her." She continued to apply makeup to the blue spots on her jaw.
"Jeez Kikyou. Just because she beat you in a fight, doesn't mean you have to go all mental." Kikyou whirled around and stared at her friend.
"This is not just about that stupid fight, Yura. She ruined my fucking reputation and she's gonna pay."
"Nice choice of words there, Kikyou." Kikyou rolled her eyes and went back to looking in the mirror. As soon as Inuyasha had pulled Kagome away, the crowd had started to whisper amongst themselves, spreading the news about the fight like wildfire. Kikyou had grabbed her switchblade and stormed off to the woman's bathroom, only to be joined by Yura moments later. Kikyou had just ignored Yura's comments about what had happened and carried on with applying concealer to her discoloured skin.
"So how do you plan on ruining her life this time?" Yura asked, looking at her nails. They were a deep, seductive red that matched her hair band. Kikyou shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't know. But I'm sure I'll think of something that will bring her self-confidence down a notch." Kikyou smirked and looked at her reflection. The bruises were gone, hidden beneath her makeup. Her face was once again flawless. Now all she had to do was bring her reputation back to the same level. It was not going to be easy, but she always got her way.
Even if it meant crushing everybody in her path.
Kikyou straightened and put her makeup back in her bag. She turned around and leaned against the counter. She stared at the floor, trying to think of the worst possible thing she could do to Kagome. It would be impossible to spread lies about her because no would believe them now. It had to be something that involved visual proof. Kikyou cursed out loud and banged her fist on the countertop.
"Kuso...what am I going to do?" She seriously had no idea what she could do to ruin her cousin. She heard Yura sigh but didn't look up at her. "I'm sorry, do I bore you?"
"Oh come on Kikyou. Just because you're mad at Kagome doesn't mean you have to bitch at me."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That you should get a grip! You're not going to be able to do anything today, so why don't you just forget about it for now?" Rage seethed in Kikyou's body and her arm shot out, grabbing Yura's neck. The brunette squeaked in surprise and tried to step back but Kikyou had a firm grip on her throat.
"Don't...tell me...what...to do..." she ground out, narrowing her eyes, "You can't begin to understand what I'm going through." She glared at the woman one last time before shoving her aside. Then she stormed out of the public washroom, leaving a stunned Yura gasping for breath.
#-#-#
Kagome sat patiently on the nurse's bench while the nurse tended her arm. She had washed it to make sure it didn't get infected and then put a piece of gauze on it to stop the bleeding. The nurse slowly wrapped the tape around the cut and picked up a pair of scissors to cut off the extra bit.
"You have a very caring boyfriend," she stated, cutting through the tape.
"N-nani?" The nurse motioned to Inuyasha, who was sitting in the waiting area. Kagome blushed and shook her head.
"He's not my boyfriend."
"Could have fooled me."
"Why do you say that?" Kagome asked, panic coursing through her body. Had she let her guard down and done something to reveal what she really felt for Inuyasha? She tried to remember if she had done anything out of the ordinary.
'Maybe it was because I was leaning on him when we came in.' Kagome thought to herself, 'But I was injured! It would have been the same with anybody else.' It wasn't like he had carried her or anything; Inuyasha had just been holding her around her waist and helping her stand. What was wrong with that? She as about to question the nurse again but she was cut off.
"You could tell be the way he was looking at you when he brought you in here." The nursed turned and busied herself with putting her supplies away. Kagome stared at her back with wide eyes.
'The way he had been looking at me? How had he been looking at me?' She glanced back at the silver haired boy. He was sitting on one of the stools with his hands in his lap. His bangs were draped over his eyes so Kagome could not see his expression. She sighed and her heart went out to him.
'That's not the way I wanted you to find out,' she thought to herself, 'Poor Inuyasha, you can't help who you fall in love with.'
/Looks who's talkin'./
'Did I ask for you opinion?'
/Yes you did, as soon as you started talkin' to yourself./
'Why are you always so sarcastic?'
/Why do you always keep your feelings to yourself?/
'Because.'
/Baka, that's not an answer./
'Because I...I didn't want to ruin what we have.'
/Even if telling him could make it more...?/
'He just broke up with Kikyou! I don't want to make it worse. Besides, he doesn't feel the same way...' Kagome trailed off. As much as she did not want to believe it, Inuyasha would never see her as anything more then a friend.
/Funny how you seem to be the only one who thinks that./
'Would you leave me alone?!'
/Some people are so touchy./ Kagome sighed again. She wanted nothing more than to run into his arms and never let go. To feel his lips against hers and know that it was her he saw and no one else. Kagome yearned for his tough and the soothing sound of his voice as she fell asleep in his embrace. She shivered at the thought of sharing the same bed.
'Nothing more then a fantasy.' She looked back at Inuyasha to find his stool empty. Her eyes watered a little but she was not surprised. He had probably gone to see if Kikyou was alright. No matter how much he said he hated her, Kagome knew deep down he still cared for her. She got off the bench just as the nurse came around the corner.
"You should try not to use that arm, Higurashi-san," she said, "It may not be very big, but whatever cut you went in pretty deep and I don't want it opening up again." Kagome nodded. Then she asked the nurse for a medical slip explaining why she had missed her first class. The nurse wrote both of their names on the paper before ripping it off her pad.
"Try to stay out of trouble," she said, handing Kagome the piece of paper. "Oh, and tell your escort to help you with anything you need. I don't want you using that arm unless it's absolutely necessary." The nurse winked and Kagome have her a confused look.
"Escort...?" She turned around and froze. Inuyasha was leaning against the doorframe. His arms were across his chest and there was a Snickers bar in his hand.
"Ready to go?" he asked looking up at her. Kagome could only nod. The nurse nudged her from behind and she stumbled forward. Inuyasha's free hand shot out and steadied her. Then he nodded to the nurse and hustled Kagome out the door.
#-#-#
"You need a keeper." Inuyasha said as soon as they were out of the nurse's office. His arm was around her waist again, keeping her firmly against him.
"She was the one who pushed me." Kagome retorted.
"Well if you hadn't looked like you had seen a ghost, she wouldn't have needed too," he said, "Why were you so surprised to see me anyway?" Kagome gaze flittered to the floor and she nervously twirled a lock of hair around her fingers.
"I thought you had left," she whispered, "I didn't see you in the waiting area so I didn't expect you to be waiting for me." Inuyasha stopped, almost causing Kagome to trip over her own feet.
"You thought that I had left you there all by yourself? Why the hell would you think that?"
"I figured you had gone to see...Kikyou." She said. Kagome did not have to look at his face to know that he was stunned at her words. She had guessed right, he had gone to see her. No matter how many times she kept telling herself that he didn't care about her more than a friend there had been a spark of hope that his relationship with her cousin was over. She had hated herself every time she wished her cousin dead because it did not matter what she did, Kikyou was still family. But earlier in the hallway she had lost it and proceeded in kicking Kikyou's ass. And she did not regret it.
For the first time in her entire life, Kikyou had not been family. She had just been a cheating bitch and any feelings Kagome still had for her cousin vanished. Kikyou would not be able to redeem herself this time and Kagome was glad. Kikyou had taken both her and Inuyasha for granted and she was glad that she would not have to put up with her conniving ways any more. However, Inuyasha would not be able to forget Kikyou and she knew it. Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes and she stepped away from him.
Or at least tried too.
Before Kagome could move out of his reach, Inuyasha turned her around and encased her in his arms. Kagome's heart sped up as they stood together in the middle of the empty hallway. She breathed in his musky scent and allowed it to engulf her senses.
"Baka," he said, squeezing her tighter, "Do you really think that I'm that shallow?"
"I—" Kagome got cut off as Inuyasha continued.
"I didn't go see her, Kagome. She betrayed me and I want nothing to do with her now." Inuyasha breathed into her ear, causing shivers to up and down her spine. "And even if she hadn't, I was too worried about you to do anything else. You've been through a lot."
"But I was fine." She protested, thinking he was babying her, "It was only a scratch and—"
"I'm not talking about that Kagome." Inuyasha pulled away so that they were face to face. Kagome's gentle features were filled with confusion as she stared into his golden orbs.
"Then what...?"
"You attacked Kikyou for a reason, Kagome. It wasn't just a family feud, I could tell by the way you were looking at her." Kagome could not have moved if her life depended on it. Inuyasha's caring but knowing eyes seemed to be looking into her soul and as much as she wanted to, Kagome did not have the will power to tear her gaze away. She wanted to tell him everything. Why Kikyou had asked him out, why she hadn't told him about what Kikyou was doing behind his back, why she stayed awake at night wishing she was in his arms. But she couldn't. Inuyasha was the person that she trusted most in the world and yet she couldn't tell him her biggest secret.
"You eyes were full of pain Kagome," he said, bringing her out of her thoughts, "I had never seen you so angry and I couldn't understand what had made you so mad." Words would not form in her mouth. Kagome felt his breath on her lips and had to push down the urge to close the distance between them.
'Baka! He's trying to talk to you and all you're thinking about is kissing him.' She turned her head away, breaking their eye contact.
"I-I...I just couldn't let her get away with what she had done, Inuyasha. She hurt you and betrayed your trust." Inuyasha put his finger underneath her chin and brought her face up to meet his.
"I know it's more then that, Kagome. I had to use you for support when I was confronting her and yet I was not where near as angry as you were." Kagome's eyebrows rose and she laughed.
"Oh, is that what you were doing when you wouldn't let go of me?" she teased. Inuyasha blushed and his hands dropped to his side. "The almighty Inuyasha needed help from a woman? I think the world's coming to an end." He scowled at her but his eyes were full of amusement.
"Wench," he said. He leaned against the wall and Kagome smiled at him. "Don't push your luck." She giggled and took a step back innocently.
"Demo Inuyasha, don't you think Miroku and Sango would find it funny to know that you needed the help of a woman? I think they would find it most interesting." Inuyasha glared at her and Kagome knew she was in trouble. She turned around and ran down the hall, laughing. She heard Inuyasha growl and run after her. Kagome turned the corner and almost fell. She skidded to a stop right before the wall and pushed off with all of her strength, knowing that she would not be able to out run Inuyasha for long.
"You are so gonna get it when I catch you, Kagome." Inuyasha said from behind her. She giggled again but didn't look back at him.
"But you see, that's going to be problem, Inuyasha," she called back to him, speeding up, "You have to actually catch me first!" Kagome focused on avoiding any obstacles that would slow her down. She didn't want to suddenly trip over something because at the rate she was going, she would end up flying down the hall.
'I'm lucky everyone is still in class,' she thought to herself. 'Otherwise Inuyasha would have had no trouble catching up to me.' Kagome looked ahead and realised that she was coming to the end of the hallway. She turned to her left and slid across the floor but didn't stop. Kagome heard Inuyasha curse behind her and laughed again.
"What's the matter Inuyasha?" she called, "Can't even beat a girl?"
"Bitch, you are in so much trouble!"
"Not if you can't catch me!" Kagome said in a singsong voice. She was having so much fun! This was how she remembered it: just her and Inuyasha, fooling around and having the time of their lives. It was like they were little kids again, playing tag in the backyard. Inuyasha always won of course but she never cared. Kagome always gave him a run for his money and in the end they would collapse on the ground, gasping for breath.
'Not this time.' Kagome thought determinedly. She planned on running all the way back to their dorms. She wanted to beat him once, just once and even though she had already worn herself down a little from the fight, Kagome swore that she wasn't going to lose. She heard Inuyasha's footsteps get closer and willed herself to go faster.
'Only one more corner and then it's straight to the dorms,' she thought with glee. She dug her feet into her shoes and pushed harder on the floor. Kagome's stamina was running down but she refused to slow down. She spotted the end of the hallway and prepared to turn. She didn't want to slide as much this time because it would give Inuyasha an advantage.
"Do you plan on giving up anytime soon?" Inuyasha called. Kagome took a deep breath and rounded the corner.
"Iie!" she said, "Doushite? You getting tired Inu—" Kagome smacked into something hard and went flying backwards. Her arms shot out as she tried to grab something so she wouldn't end up falling on her ass. Then someone grabbed her wrist and steadied her. Kagome's eyes took a moment to adjust. They settled on a tall figure with brown hair and Kagome pulled her hand away in disgust.
"Well, well, well. Look what we have here," the figure sneered, "Aren't you a little old for running in the hall Kagome?"
"Aren't you a little dumb to be forming full sentences Kouga?" Kagome mocked. His lightning blue eyes went up and down her body and Kagome felt violated. She took a step back in repulsion and he took a step forward.
"Did you cut class to come and see me Kagome? I never knew you felt that way." Kouga reached out and hooked his arm around her waist.
"Bastard," Kagome spat, "Why would I cut class to come on see you? You're nothing more than a worthless toad. No let me go."
"So feisty." Kouga whispered. He started to nuzzle her neck and Kagome pushed against him.
"You fucking hentai!" she said, "Let me go!" Kouga looked into her eyes and brought her face up to his. Their noses were less than an inch part and Kagome could feel something growing in his jeans. She pushed against him again but his arm was firmly locked around her waist.
"Why should I?"
"Because you probably want to see the next full moon." Kagome watched as Kouga's eyes widened. His gaze floated upwards and he stared behind her. His grip around her loosened and he stumbled backward. Kagome stared at him; he looked like he had seen a ghost.
"Y-You! How did you...? You're supposed to be..."
"In a coma? Yeah. But the thought of never getting to pound you again woke me up." Inuyasha growled. "So Kouga, did you miss me?" He walked up to Kagome and stood beside her. She breathed a sigh of relief as his arm wrapped around her waist. She felt so...safe in his arms. Kagome did not know why, but Inuyasha always gave her a sense of security whenever they were together. Kouga would not have been hard to deal with but she was still out of breath from running through the school. She stole a glance at the silver-haired male and then glared at the man in front of her.
"Bastard, how did you survive?"
"Just lucky, I guess." Kagome looked at them both in confusion.
'He knows something,' she thought, gazing back at Kouga, 'He knows something about what happened that day.' Kouga's hands clenched and unclenched as he stared at the couple. She could feel the electricity flow between them and shivered. Then Kouga looked at her and his face became twisted with anger and longing.
"Kagome, why do you still hang out with this guy?" he asked, walking up to them. "You're my woman, remember?" Kagome took one look at him and burst out laughing. She clutched her stomach as she tried to control her laughter. Inuyasha, who had been glaring at Kouga, looked at her in surprise. When her giggles had finally subsided, Kagome straightened up and looked straight into Kouga's eyes.
"Newsflash, Kouga," she said, amusement still dancing across her features, "I don't date guys that I can beat in a fight." Kouga's face darkened and a deep blush spilled onto his cheeks. He scowled at her but didn't say anything. Then he shoved his hands into his pockets and stormed passed the couple and around the corner. As soon as he was out of sight, Kagome erupted into giggles again.
"Did you actually...?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome nodded her head.
"Beat him up? Hell yeah! You should have been there Inuyasha. It was so pathetic. I don't think it took more than five minutes." Inuyasha smirked and patted her on the back.
"I bet. Did he limp away in defeat?" Kagome shrugged her shoulder and laughed again.
"I don't know," she said truthfully. "When I left the classroom he was unconscious." Inuyasha took one look at her and started to laugh. He clutched his stomach the same way Kagome had done earlier and tears formed in his eyes.
"Seriously? Kami-sama, I wish I had been there." He said, wiping his eyes with is red sleeve, "I am not gonna let him live this one down."
"Oh yeah, I totally kicked his ass." He laughed again and shook his head.
"Beaten by a woman." Kagome's eyebrow rose and she put her hands in her hips. She turned to Inuyasha and gave him a sceptical look.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, "Why does being female make a difference?"
"Oh come on Kagome! Even you know that being beaten by a woman in a fight will take a huge chunk out of any man's ego."
"I'm a good fighter, period, Inuyasha. My gender shouldn't matter." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and his arms crossed over his chest.
"This isn't going to turn into one of those 'battle of the sexes' is it?" se asked, "Because you know who's going to win."
"You're so full of shit." Kagome's voice rose but her eyes were still full of laughter. She loved having these pointless arguments with him because neither of them was ever serious. It didn't matter who 'won', they always ended up laughing until their sides hurt. However, Kagome knew she was losing at the moment. She needed to do something to get the upper hand.
#-#-#
Inuyasha smiled as he looked at his best friend. Her hands were on her hips and a pout on her face. She looked so adorable; she reminded Inuyasha of a five-year-old who wasn't getting her way. Her weight was shifted to one side and her left foot was tapping lightly on the ground. He could tell that she was annoyed with him but he didn't really care. It was all fun and games, and she knew it. Sunlight was drifting in through the window she was standing next to and outlined her head like a halo. She looked like a cute, sulky angel. He felt his staff stir and heat ran up into his face.
'She's doing it again,' he thought irritably, 'All she's doing is standing there and yet I'm hard as a rock. Why am I feeling this way?' No matter how many times he had thought about it, Inuyasha still could not explain the new emotions Kagome was causing inside him. He had never felt so...pulled towards a woman in his life, not even Kikyou. It surprised him that all the feelings he had felt for his now ex-girlfriend were being replaced so quickly. They were also being intensified tenfold every time Kagome came within twenty feet of him. Things like want, need, lust, longing; all the emotions he had been careful of were now consuming his entire body and making him go out of his mind.
'Why am I feeling like this now?'
/Because you're finally seeing her as a woman.
'No one asked you.'
/Who else is going to answer when you talk to yourself?/
'Feh.'
/Baka! You're still hung up on Kikyou./
'I am not! She can rot in hell for all I fucking care.'
/Then why are you so afraid of falling for your best friend?/
'I'm not falling for her.'
/Explain the tent in your pants then./
'Hormones.'
/Bullshit. You like her more than a friend, why don't you just admit it?
'Why don't you just fuck off?'
/Baka./ Inuyasha ran his hand over his face and sighed. His inner voice had been expressing its opinion more often than usual and it was getting annoying. It was annoying how it popped up out of no where; it was annoying how it was as stubborn as him; it was annoying how he wasn't against everything it said.
'Am I really falling for her?' Inuyasha looked over at his best friend. She was obviously deep in thought because her eyes were unfocused and her hands hadn't moved from her hips. Inuyasha felt himself staring at her, his eyes travelling over her body. He had told her she should have gone into modelling and he still thought so.
Kagome had always been fairly modest. She didn't like to show off her body like Kikyou but she didn't need too. Her clothes seemed to hug her curves no matter what and it made her stand out. Plus, her natural born innocence drew people to her. Inuyasha smirked. He was one of the few people who knew Kagome for what she really was. She was innocent all right, until someone pissed her off. Then she was a raging ball of fire, bent on revenge.
Her cheeks would become flushed and her azure eyes would light up, burning with passion. Not the kind of fiery passion that a couple shared, the kind that made most people cower in fear. It amazed him how her emotions would run so high. Her adrenaline allowed her to do amazing things when she was angry and it helped when she was in a fight. In all honesty, Inuyasha loved it when Kagome got angry.
'Of course, then her mouth opens and blows your head off.' Inuyasha chuckled. It caught Kagome's attention and she glared at him.
"What's so funny?"
"Bettsuni." Her eyebrows rose and she took a step towards him.
"You aren't laughing at me, are you?" Her voice became deep and Inuyasha shivered. She stood right in front of him and put her hand on his chest. She was looking straight into his eyes with an unreadable expression. Her deep blue orbs had become smoky and she pursed her lips. Inuyasha gulped.
"'Cause if you are, I may have to do something about it." His eyes widened as Kagome leaned into him. She brought her face in so close that they were now less than an inch apart Inuyasha felt her breasts flatten against his chest; her breath warmed his face and he licked his lips.
He wanted her. More than he had wanted anything in his entire existence. He prayed that she wasn't going to leave him hanging much longer; he didn't know how long he'd be able to keep his instincts in control. Inuyasha wanted to take her in his arms and never let her go, to satisfy a need that burned inside of him. His eyes widened at his sudden realisation.
'What's going on?' he thought, 'She's my best friend but... I want her more. Much more.' Inuyasha tried to shake the unfamiliar thoughts from his mind but they would not take heed to his commands. He was scared shitless. Scared that he was falling so hard and so fast. Didn't he break up with Kikyou, who had been his girlfriend for the last few years, just this morning? How could his emotions be changing so fast? As soon as he had found out Kikyou had cheated on him, Inuyasha had promised himself that he would not let another woman get under his skin. But Kagome had gone beyond his skin; she had invaded his very soul.
Kagome's lips were so close to his that Inuyasha had to resist the urge to close the gap between them. She had to make the first move. He suddenly become conscious of how much more afraid he was of rejection then actually falling. Inuyasha cringed at the thought of Kagome pulling back in repulsion after he kissed her. He didn't know how she would react but from the way she was acting now, he wasn't so sure she would protest.
"I may have to punish you, Inuyasha." Kagome whispered. She put her mouth up to his ear and blew into it. Shivers ran up and down his spine as Inuyasha tried to stay on his feet. Then she muttered three simple words.
"You...are...it."
It took Inuyasha a moment to comprehend what she meant. But in those few seconds, Kagome had managed to put a good twenty feet in between them. He slumped against the wall in frustration. His unsatisfied member pushed against his pants and he tried to relax. Kagome's bubbly laughter floated down the hall and Inuyasha let out a growl before running after her.
"Bitch, you are dead when I get my hands on you."
#-#-#
A piece of paper was placed on Sango's desk. She looked to the front of the room to make sure the professor hadn't seen anything. Kaede-sensei was pacing back and forth in front of the students, talking about some youkai legend. Youkai, hanyou, miko; they were all the same to Sango. She had been interested in the beginning because anything that had to do with ancient Japanese myths had fascinated her since she was a child. But lately she had been too worried about her friends to really listen to what Kaede-sensei was saying. Sango quietly picked up the note and opened it.
-Where are Inuyasha and Kagome?-
She looked over at Miroku and he raised his eyebrows in question. Sango took her pencil and wrote a message underneath his neat writing.
-I don't know. Didn't he take her to see the nurse?-
She passed the piece of paper back to him without the professor noticing. He read the note, scribbled down a response and returned it.
-Hai, demo it shouldn't take this long. Class is almost over... Maybe they want to be alone-
Sango read his message and had to stifle her laughter.
-Hentai! Is that all you think about?-
-Iie. I think about you.-
Sango stared at him in surprise. His cheeks were slightly pink but he still had a slight grin on his face. She raised an eyebrow at him and he looked down at his notebook, writing down some notes on what the professor had just said. The brunette blushed and her gaze went back to the piece of paper in front of her. Did he really mean that? He was always feeling her ass but then again, he did that to a lot of women. She decided to let it go for now and go back to Inuyasha and Kagome.
-Did you see the way he was holding her today?-
-Hai! Do you think he's finally figured out that she loves him?-
Sango shook her head in response.
-I doubt it. He's so thick headed. Demo...they looked like a real couple.-
-Hai, although I don't know if he's going to do anything soon. He was pretty upset about Kikyou cheating on him.-
-Bitch. I'm glad Kagome finally got her wish.-
-Wish?-
-Baka. Kicking her ass. And if Inuyasha gets all sulky, Kagome should comfort him.-
Miroku took one look at the note and his eyes lit up. He quickly scribbled something down and was about to pass it back to her when Kaede-sensei's voice floated up through the classroom.
"Houshi-san, aren't you a little old for passing notes?" He looked up to find the entire class looking at him. Many were giggling, while others held amusement in their eyes. Sango internally groaned. This was just what they needed; she just hoped that the elderly professor was not going to make them read the note. For Kagome's sake anyway.
"If that information is so important, Houshi-san, then you may share it with the class."
Shit.
Sango looked at Miroku, trying to make him understand her. She hoped that he had enough intelligence to make something up. She did not want the entire class to know what they had been talking about. Firstly, there was the part about calling Kikyou a bitch. People may start to think that Kagome had framed her and that was last the last thing Sango wanted. Kikyou had finally got what she deserved: a reality check. Secondly, there was that little comment Miroku had made... Sango still didn't know what to think of it, but if she did know that everybody in the room was going to start jumping to conclusions. Her eyes finally locked with his and he winked.
'Thank kami-sama,' she thought to herself, 'He figured it out.'
"It's nothing special, Kaede-sensei," Miroku drawled, "Just a love letter from Sango." Sango froze.
'Did he just say... love letter?!' He turned to look at her and grinned. 'That sneaky little bastard. I'm going to murder him!' Her train of thought was interrupted by whistles and laughter. She looked around and suddenly had the urge to dig a hole, because then she could bury herself in it and never come out. A few of the females were looking at her with envy, and Sango couldn't help but glare back.
'Okay so that was probably the most embarrassing thing he could have said but it's not like I'm the first one to do it.' Sango knew for a fact that Miroku's locker had at least five love letters put in it per day. And although she didn't show it, she was extremely jealous.
"You go girl!" someone called from across the room. Sango flushed a deep red and slunk into her seat.
'Yes, there's definitely going to be a dead body in the morning.' Her dark eyes were cast down. She could feel everyone looking at her and she couldn't understand why she wasn't pounding Miroku in at this very moment. And why wasn't she denying it either? She had just found her voice when Kaede-sensei spoke.
"Houshi-san, Taijya-san, please leave your romance at the door. It is much easier to teach when people are not gushing over each other."
"Demo—" Sango tried to explain but the professor just cut her off.
"I don't want to hear it Taijya-san. Would you care to be quiet and let me finish my lesson? And try to actually listen this time and not go off into daydreams about your boyfriend."
"Hai." The grey-haired women turned her focus back to her students and began talking again. Sango looked over at Miroku and glared. Rage and embarrassment coursed through her body and she could barely sit still. It took all of her will power to not stand up at that very moment, walk over to Miroku and beating the living shit out of him.
'Where the hell did he get the nerve to come up with that stupid idea?!' she thought, gripping her pencil. 'He couldn't have said 'to Sango'? That would have been more believable. Everyone knows what a huge player he is.' She stared over at the violet-eyed boy and felt something tug at her heart. The truth be told, Sango wished it really had been a love letter to her. Her feelings for this stupid playboy lay deep within her, hidden from the world. Kagome was the only one who had figured out why she beat him up all the time. That, and he was also the biggest pervert in the world. She wanted to let him know how she felt but it wasn't exactly easy for her.
Sango had never been able to build up the nerve to tell him. She had been through too much trouble as a child to ever really open up again. Sango's childhood had been cut short and was filled with nightmares that only Kagome knew of. She had never shared her painful memories with anyone else because she didn't want anyone's sympathy. She hadn't been as strong a person as most people had thought, crying herself to sleep each night. But the whole experience had taught her to never give up or lose hope. Now she was able to face whatever came her way.
FLASHBACK
"You slut! Can't you get anything right?!" Sango cringed as she listened to her father scream at her mother. Even with her door closed and her stereo on she could still hear them. It wasn't an unusual thing; her father was always coming home drunk and angry. Then, when her mother tried to make him a decent meal or talk to him, he would blow up in her face.
"I work hard all fucking day to provide for you and your dumbass kids and then you expect me to eat this shit you call food?" Sango heard her mother mutter an apology, her voice low and scared.
"Sorry isn't fucking good enough, bitch! You need to learn some fucking respect." Tears formed in Sango's eyes as she heard her mother cry out in pain and something crashed to the floor. She beat her fists on her desk and tried to control her emotions. A seventeen-year-old should not have to go through this. But Sango did, every damn day. She looked down at her homework and cursed. She had been sitting at her desk for over an hour and done nothing.
"What's the point?" she sighed aloud and pushed out her chair. Sango stood up, stretched and closed her textbook. She looked over at her bed and her heart clenched. Her younger brother, Kohaku, was fast asleep. His dark hair had come out of its tiny ponytail and a few tendrils lay across his face. More tears formed in her magenta eyes as she thought about the pain he was going through as well.
Kohaku always slept in her room whenever he heard their parents fighting. Most times he was already asleep when their father got home, so he didn't have to listen the insults he threw at their mother. However, he had been up late working on a school project when their father had come barging into the house, banging into the wall and yelling curses at the top of his lungs. Sango was surprised he hadn't woken up the neighbours. Kohaku was only twelve but he had always been more sensitive than other boys his age. So when Sango heard the timid knock at her door, she had not been surprised to find him in tears, clutching Kirara in his arms.
Kohaku had rescued the small cat from a dumpster almost a year ago. She had been on the verge of death when he found her shivering in the cold, but he had somehow been able to nurse her back to health. Kohaku had been especially taken with her right from the beginning. Firstly, she had the most unusual combination of markings Sango had ever seen. She was pale beige all over except for her ears and her paws, which were pure black. She also had a black spot in the middle of her forehead in the shape of a diamond. However, the thing that had caught Kohaku's eye was the fact she had two tails.
After taking her to the vet, the two siblings had found out she had been experimented on. The doctor had discovered traces of radioactive material in her blood and believed it to be the reason she had grown extra tail. Her tails each had two black stripes on them that match the rest of her markings. Kohaku had saved her and now she was returning the favour. Kirara was like a lifeline for the small boy and Sango was glad he had found something to occupy him when their parents fought.
The kitten was curled up against Kohaku's sleeping form but she was wide-awake. Her big, orange eyes were staring back at Sango, as if to question her mood. Sango sighed again and walked over to her. She sat down on the bed and the movement caused Kohaku to open his eyes slightly. The he yawned and rolled over to face the wall. Kirara got up and stretched herself before walking into Sango's lap. The brunette stroked her fur and the cat purred in content.
"You're lucky, Kirara." Sango said, "You don't have to worry about your parents arguing."
"Mew." Sango laughed.
"I know, I know, you have problems of your own. Although, I wished we could trade." She continued to run her fingers through Kirara's soft fur, listening to the sounds outside of her room. The shouting had stopped and now the only noise she could hear was her mother's sobs. Sango wanted to run to her mother and tell her everything would be alright, but she just didn't have the heart to. First of all, it would be a down right lie and secondly, well... Sango did not feel like getting beat up by her father...again.
Finally, after about fifteen minutes the sobs quieted and her mother went to bed. Sango yawned and figured she should do the same. She slowly stood up, earning a complaint from Kirara, and walked into her bathroom. She took her long coffee-coloured hair out of its high ponytail and brushed out the tangles. Then she brushed her teeth and slipped into her pyjamas. Taking one last look in the mirror, Sango turned out the light and went back into her room. Kohaku was curled into a ball on one side of her bed and so she was able to slide in beside him. She switched off the reading light on her bedside table and whispered a small goodnight to her brother before giving into the darkness.
#-#-#
The next day Sango got home later than usual. She had been given an extra shift at the restaurant that she worked at and any extra cash was helpful. Her father may claim to provide his family with everything they wanted but Sango was always paying for her own things. She didn't care though; it made her feel better to know that she had actually earned what she was buying. Plus, she wasn't about to ask her father for any money. She wasn't scared, she just didn't want him to take his anger out on her mother like he usually did.
Sango walked up towards the house and the first thing she noticed was that her father's car was in the driveway. She may have been a little late, but her father was never home this early. He usually got home in the middle of the night and on the weekend he sometimes didn't even bother to come home at all. He'd end up at one of his friend's house piss drunk and passed out on the couch. So when she saw his car it struck a nerve.
"That's odd." Sango murmured. She continued to stare at the car while pulling out her keys. She fumbled with the lock and opened the door. She stepped into the house and shut the door behind her. Then she took off her shoes and hung up her jacket. Sango walked into the kitchen, calling out to her family.
"Okaa-san? Kohaku? Anybody home?" She didn't see anyone so she continued into the living room and froze. Her heart skipped a beat and her breath became short and rapid. Red. There was red everywhere. It was on the walls and all over the floor. Sango's knees went out from under her and she leaned against the wall for support. Her hand flew to her mouth as a wave of nausea rippled through her body.
"Kami-sama, what happened?" She looked around and noticed a trail leading towards her parents' bedroom. She dropped her bag on the floor and took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She pushed against the wall and steadily found her balance. Then she slowly followed the trail and stopped in front of the door. Sango couldn't hear anything from inside and she started to shake. She turned the knob and the door opened with a creek. Light flooded into the room and it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dimness of the room. Sango's magenta eyes scanned the area and they locked onto a small figure in the middle of the floor.
"Kohaku?" she said, stepping across the doorway. She ran her hand along the wall and found the light switch. Light flooded the room and Sango gasped. Her mother was lying on her bed with a blank look on her face. Blood had soaked her pale blue nightgown. Her eyes were open but held no life and Sango let out a strangled cry before collapsing against the wall once again. There were slashes all over her mother's body. The largest one was across her chest; the fatal wound. But there were also small cuts along her arms showing signs of a struggle.
'She looks like a doll...' she thought numbly. Then her eyes moved to the bathroom and another wave of nausea flew over her. Blood was plastered along the wall in a fan shape, the colour seeping into the walls. Sango spotted a small hole in the middle of the fan and realisation swam through her.
'He's been shot... And she's been stabbed... Demo... Who would...' Her gaze flitted to the floor and her eyes widened. "Kohaku?" The small ball turned his head towards her. Tears were streaming down his face, his hands in his lap. But that's not what caught Sango's eye. He was holding a gun. The light reflected off of its metallic surface and Sango crumpled to the ground.
"I-I..."
"Kohaku... Doushite?"
"I didn't mean to." He stuttered, tearing pouring down his face. His hands started to shake and the gun fell to the floor with a clatter. "He-he... killed Okaa-san!" Sango felt void of any emotion as she stared at her brother.
"N-n-nani?"
"They got into another f-fight a-and...and...he-he..." Kohaku's eyes squeezed together tightly and Sango felt the anguish in his voice. "He stabbed her with the kitchen knife. She tried to stop him but he was too strong." He began to shake violently and Sango made her way over to him. She put her arms around him and he completely broke down. His sobs wracked his entire body and Sango cried along with him. No matter how abusive her father was, she never meant for him to die. But it had just been too much for Kohaku.
Sango recognised the gun from her father's drawer and mentally cursed. She had told her father that he shouldn't leave it lying around but it had just ended with her getting hit across the face.
"I didn't mean too, I swear. But he hurt Okaa-san and he was going to hurt me because I saw him do it and...and..." Kohaku collapsed into sobs again and Sango held him tighter.
"It's alright, Kohaku," she said in a soothing voice. "It was an accident."
"Demo what's going to happen to us?"
"I don't know."
"Gomen." He cried into her now wet shirt, "Gomen, I didn't mean too. I swear..."
"Shhh..." Sango rocked her brother back and forth and eventually his breathing evened out. The stress and pain had tired him out and he finally fell asleep in her arms. Then, pushing all of the hurtful images out of her head, Sango lifted him up and put him in his room. Then she ran back to her parents' room and without looking at the bodies, picked up the gun. She went into a different bathroom and washed the shiny surface. The last thing she wanted was Kohaku going to jail. He may have killed someone but Sango wouldn't allow him to be taken away. She was careful not to touch the gun herself as she carried to back to the room. She had it wrapped in a towel so it wouldn't come in contact with her skin.
Sango tried not to vomit as she stepped back into the back room. The stench of blood and death consumed the entire room and she found it hard to breathe. She walked over to her father and placed the gun in his hand. Now it just looked like homicide and suicide, no more, no less. Sango put the towel over her mouth and ran from the room, tears running down her face.
'This can't be happening. This is just a bad dream and I'm going to wake up to Otou-san's yells any minute...' she wandered through the house in a daze until she got to her room. Then her eyes widened as the reality of the situation hit her hard and she ran into the bathroom. She collapsed near the toilet of her stomach heaved and her insides were emptied. She continued to convulse even after there was nothing left. It was just too much. She crawled into a ball and wrapped her arms around her trembling body. When she was finally able to get a hold of herself, Sango crawled to her phone and called the police.
END OF FLASHBACK
Sango cringed as the memories came flooding back. She thought that calling the police was the best thing to do but now she wished she hadn't. Because she hadn't technically been an adult, she wasn't able to be Kohaku's legal guardian. He had been taken away and put in the care of foster parents. She had begged and pleaded with the social worker to let Kohaku come and live with her and the woman assured her that if she turned nineteen and still had a job, Kohaku would be returned to her care.
So Sango had worked every extra shift she could get her hands on. She even applied for jobs at different places just to make sure she had at least one when she turned nineteen. She was lucky that her parents had paid off the mortgage on the house because she didn't think she could have been able to do it herself. The electrical and water bills were expensive by themselves. As soon as she had turned nineteen, Sango had quit her extra jobs, happy to rid of all the extra work. She had raced over to the social worker's office and demanded that her brother be returned to her. But the woman had just shaken her head.
"I'm very sorry Taijya-san, but we haven't been able to contact your brother for sometime. I think his new family moved out of the country." Sango had only stared at the woman in disbelief before screaming at her.
"Nani?! You promised that if I turned nineteen and had a steady job that I would become his legal guardian! You get your fucking ass in gear and find my brother. I have gone through too much to be stopped now!"
"I'm sorry Taijya-san but there's nothing I can do." Sango had pleaded with her, telling her that she would do anything to get Kohaku back but the social worker still refused to help her. The brunette had then run from the building in tears. The pain had been too much and she needed help. So she called up Kagome and asked if she could come over for a while. Kagome had been worried about Sango ever since her parents had died and so when Sango had shown up on her doorstep in tears, Kagome had hustled her into the house and allowed her to cry as much as she wanted. Sango then told her what had really happened and how she was going to do everything in her power to get Kohaku back.
Sango had not seen her brother since.
Sango felt a tear form in her eye as she tried to concentrate on what Kaede-sensei was saying. It had been over three years since she had stormed out of the social worker's office but the pain was still fresh. She missed him so much and had never given up trying to find him but it was almost as if he didn't want to be found. She sighed and put her head on her elbows. She wouldn't give up though; Sango knew that no matter what happened, she was not going to give up.
She stole a glance over at Miroku and found him looking at her. She raised an eyebrow in question and he put his finger to his mouth. Then he quickly looked at the professor to make sure she didn't see him and passed the note back to her.
-We should get them together. Their ignorance is starting to piss me off.
You aren't mad at me about the whole love letter thing are you?-
Sango decided not to answer for two reasons. One, she didn't want to get caught by Kaede-sensei and cause another scene and two, she figured Miroku would go insane if she didn't answer him right away.
'Let him wait,' she thought to herself. 'He's the one who started this whole mess, but I'm gong to be the one to finish it.' She deliberately folded the piece of paper in plain view and put it in her notebook. She wanted to keep it so she could blackmail him later. She felt his eyes on her but didn't look at him. She had to try not to laugh as she stared at the front of the room. There was still twenty minutes left in class and she doubted he was going to last for long.
'Let him suffer.' She pretended to take notes and heard Miroku shuffle in his seat. Sango bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. She looked up at the clock and smiled. The next twenty minutes were not going to go fast enough for the violet-eyed male and she was going to love every minute of it.
#-#-#
Otou-san - father
A/N wel, how wus dat? Very long is wut comes 2 mind lol. Wow dis chap is longer den da last 1! Hope u uys r grateful lol. Wel I didn't get da 200 reviews but I knew I wouldn't neways. ARIGATOU 2 all of u who reviewed, means a lot and I promise I won't blackmail u ne more lol. I still got over 130 so dats kewl. Now I'm sry 2 say dat I wont b updating 4 a while #ducks bombardment of shape objects being thrown at her# GOMEN-NASAI!!! Its just dat I wann redo my earlier chapters. I've grown a lot during da writing of dis fic and I feel my writing has gotten better so I wanna go back and add to the 1s at da beginning. Dey're gonna b a WHOLE lot better so check dem out! I'm not sure if u get author alert thingies if chaps r replaced but I'll put up a quick authors note after I finish dem k? shouldn't take dat long. I mainly wanna put dem in2 3rd person instead of 1st cuz I think dat is more 'book like' and I want 2 turn dis in2 a book eventually. Da characters wil change of course but da story line will stil b da same. So yeah, u won't b getting a new chap 4 a whie but I've planned out da next 3 chaps so as soon as I'm dun with da old 1s, u'll get a new 1 k? hope u like dis chap! Ja ne. (wow really long author's note lol)
--Sereia