"Wake up Sesshoumaru." The teenager groaned, opened his eyes and blinked, trying to make the fuzzy image before him form an understandable picture. He succeeded after a moment, and concluded that someone was holding a slightly distorted mirror in front of him. This conclusion was shattered when the face grinned and spoke. "I was wondering when you'd wake up. You've been asleep since 4th." With a start, Sesshoumaru realized that it was none other than InuYasha sitting on a chair beside him.

"What are you doing here!" he yelped, trying to get away, and not succeeding.

"I'm taking you home with me."

"M-m-m-m-me? When did that happen?" Sesshoumaru was confused, and when he was confused or startled, he stuttered.

"Are you not the guy I found puking his guts out during fourth hour? The same 6 foot plus guy I hauled down here?"

"That was you?"

"Yup. You ran into me on your way down the hall. You looked pretty bad, and I though I should follow you."

"Thanks. Am I really staying with you?" InuYasha nodded.

"Yes, unless you made other plans in your sleep."

"I didn't. And being at home alone isn't a pleasant prospect at the moment."

"Alrighty then. Let me get your stuff, and we can go. I arranged a ride, so you don't have to walk too far."

"Thanks. I don't think I could walk in a straight line if my life depended on it."

"Then it's a good thing I can support a big guy like you. We'd be in trouble otherwise." InuYasha got up, collected his backpack and Sesshoumaru's messenger bag, and then held out a hand to help him up. When the tall teen was standing (it took several tries. Sesshoumaru discovered just how dizzy he could get, not to mention that the room kept spinning odd directions. InuYasha made an offhand comment about hearing a drunk say something along the same lines, and Sesshoumaru responded with something unprintable.) they proceeded to the front doors. A forest-green four-door pickup was idling outside.

"Come on!" InuYasha said excitedly. Clearly, the occupant/s of the truck were friends of his. He tossed both his and Sesshoumaru's bag into the truck bed, then pulled both passenger side doors open. "Front or back?" he asked.

"Um…back." Sesshoumaru climbed in, closing the door behind him, and InuYasha did the same. Sesshoumaru took note of the other occupants of the vehicle. There were four others, not counting InuYasha, and counting the girl who showed up right after he did and who hopped into InuYasha's lap.

"Sesshoumaru, these are my friends. This is Kagome-" the girl in his lap waved, then kissed InuYasha's cheek. "-Miroku-" the brunette sitting by the other back door grinned. "-Sango, his girlfriend-" Miroku pointed at the girl asleep on his shoulder.

"And I'm Naraku. Nice 'ta meetcha Sesshy." The driver twisted around and shook Sesshoumaru's hand. He was the only person present that Sesshoumaru couldn't place. He had very long black hair, pale skin, and piercing blue eyes. He noticed Sesshoumaru's confusion. "I graduated two years ago."

"I was wondering." Sesshoumaru admitted.

"No problem. What brings you into our little group?" Sesshoumaru winced, trying not to think about it.

"I found him throwing up during fourth hour. His landlady is out of town, and I told the nurse I'd keep an eye on him."

"You must've caught that stomach bug that's been going around. Everyone's been getting it." Kagome shot a glare over at Naraku. The male in question grinned sheepishly.

"Hey, just because Kouga caught it from me and everyone else –except InuYasha- got it from him doesn't make his being sick my fault. If I remember correctly, all of you got sick when you weren't at school."

"Who's Kouga?" Sesshoumaru wanted to know. Naraku blushed and turned his attention back on the road.

"Kouga is Naraku's boyfriend." Miroku explained. The rest of the trip was spent in companionable quiet. Naraku dropped Sesshoumaru and InuYasha off at InuYasha's house.

"Hope you feel better Sesshy!" Naraku called as he pulled away. Both boys headed for the front door, a line of comfortable two-story homes; small, but the right size for a lone teenager, a newly wed couple, or a bachelor. In addition, they all had sizeable backyards, an essential feature, as far as Sesshoumaru was concerned.

"It's not much, but it's home." InuYasha said, unlocking the door and switching the light on. Sesshoumaru had just enough time to register a potted ivy plant and a couple of coat hooks before his vision blurred and a loud roar filled his ears. He quickly became aware of a sickening whirling sensation. Just as quickly, everything but the whirling stopped. "Sesshoumaru? Is something wrong?"

"I don' feel well." He whispered

"Are you goin' to puke?" Afraid to open his mouth, Sesshoumaru nodded miserably. Quickly, InuYasha planted his hands in the small of Sesshoumaru's back and steered him into the bathroom. Not a moment to soon. Poor Sesshoumaru found himself emptying the non-existent contents of his stomach for the third time that day. InuYasha stayed with him, holding his hair and rubbing his back reassuringly. Only when he was certain that Sesshoumaru was finished did he allow the youth to get up and rinse his mouth.

"I'm sorry to be so much trouble." Sesshoumaru murmured, unhappily fixing his gaze on his feet.

"It' okay. You can return the favor later." InuYasha said kindly. "Come on, and I'll show you were you're staying."