Impair

8:88:888:88:8

Taji watched as Inuakamori and Inukuromori's practice battle in the backyard's point of difficulty excalated. Wincing as the clash of wood rang through her ears, she rolled her eyes and laid her arms on the railing. It was a saturday afternoon---which meant absolutely nothing to do for her whatsoever.

Her brother's lunged at each other once again, cracking a smile when they tried to break the other's defecne. Getting bored with them, Taji turned on her heel and walked into the kitchen. Smiling at her guest, she leaned down and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Hey baka."

"How ya doing brat?"

Taji wrinkled her nose at the playful insult. Noting the sadness and absolute boredom in his eyes and expression, she frowned and sat across the table from him. "What's the matter---"

"Nothing." He spat out, snorting and shooting air out of his nose.

"Well, chew my head off why don't you---" She stood up to leave but his hand shot out and grabbed her wrists. Cutting her eyes at him, the desperation for her to stay, the pleading look in his eyes for not to leave made her heart ache with guilt, and she sat back down with a sigh.

"She left."

Taji raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Before Kohaku answered, her head whipped around and she sniffed slightly. Something wasn't right. Of all places, why would his scent be in her father's forest? Why would he be there? Certainly his father wouldn't allow him to leave the house, right?

Kohaku cleared his throat as Taji apologized and turned back around. "Rin. She left with Sesshomaru."

Taji digested that in silence. Why does he care? "Why did she leave? Is she ever going to come back?"

Kohaku balled his fists on the table and stared at his feet. "That's the thing. I know why she left, but I don't understand how it made her leave."

"There's something your not telling me."

It was more of a statement than a question. Kohaku didn't deny it, nor did he accept the accusation. Instead, he fell silent as his face took on a red hue from pain and guilt. "She . . . We . .. Something happened," He said in place of what he really wanted to. He absolutely refused to keep eye contact with the hanyou. She didn't comment as she stared at his head. "And about three days later, I found out that she left. I didn't mean to upset her. I mean . . . it's been 12 years . . . I just want to know, had to know . . . I didn't mean to . . ."

Taji shushed him and reached out to cover his hands with her own. However, a deep, threatening growl stopped her in her tracks. "I think," The voice growled as it grew nearer to Kohaku, causing him to turn stiff and pale. "I think you made an ass of yourself."

Taji stifled a sigh as she gave her father a piercing stare. Purposely glaring at the young boy so that sweat dripped down his back and face like blood, InuYasha bared his fangs as his irritation grew. Knowing Kohaku ever since a young age, where the attempt for the relationship had started, this was completely unexpected from the boy, and that, had angered the hanyou to no end. "Daddy, leave him alone."

"It's not my fault the kid doesn't know a damn thing about women."

"I knew enough to help you out." Kohaku bit back.

InuYasha scowled. "What was that you little punk?" He growled as he glowered down at him.

Taji began to growl as her anger soared and her cheeks burned red. Biting the inside of her cheek to bite her father's head off, she watched as InuYasha solely threatened Kohaku but just narrowing his eyes; and she watched Kohaku's pitiful attempt to prove that he wasn't scared of her father. Taking Kohaku's hand and shooting her father a pointed glare, Taji tugged on Kohaku until he stood up and led him out of the room. "And I'm telling Momma." She threw over her shoulder.

"Oi!"

8:88:888:88:8

Sora wiped his forehead as he looked at the kitchen floor. Picking up the mop, he walked into the bathroom and placed it in the tub just as the phone began ringing. "Kitohoshi residence. Sora speaking, how can I help you?"

"What are you doing?" His father growled.

Sora grimaced. "The dishes, and then I've completed all of my chores."

"That's my boy." Sora didn't wait for anymore as he hung up and hurried into the kitchen. Scowling at the dishes that had managed to pile up from his frequent appointments with Taji, he reached over and turned the water on.

He looked out the window as he began washing the dishes, humming softly to himself as the little children began to play outside. The sun was setting, causing the rays of light to lean down and sweetly, mother nature itself kissed the city of Tokyo. Sighing as his eyes fell on a young boy he sat nearby and watched the other children play, for a moment, their eyes connected. Giving the young boy a warm smile, Sora broke the eye contact and focused on his chores.

He looked up and glanced at the clock. Dad's gonna be home soon. He began to feel sick in his stomach. Maybe, he'll let me go out today. Sora grinned to himself, placing a clean plate in the dish rack and reaching to wash another. Watching as the suds from the soap ran off of the dishes, he turned his head as the phone began ringing again. Walking over to it, he reached over and picked it up, walking back into the kitchen to wash dishes as he talked on the phone. "Hello? Kitohoshi . . . "

"Sora Kitohoshi? I've found you."

Sora's eyes grew wide as he dropped the phone in the water. Watching as the light blinked a couple of times before it finally shut off, he dropped the glass into the water and grabbed his chest. His heart was hammering wildly. Eyes darting to the side, he began to feel as if the walls were closing in around him, and he watched as everything grew hazy before he stumbled to the side.

Was this fear that caused him to leave the house? Or was it just stupidity that he left the security of his house and flew threw the streets of Tokyo. Not looking back as he knocked people over and they cursed his fathers, and fathers of those fathers, he ran until he found himself in the security of a forest that seemed so familiar to him. Walking threw the bushes and trees, he cringed as the cool air nipped at his skin, and it began to get relatively dark to the point where he nearly didn't see things.

Finding it better to feel his way around, he began walking, swinging his arms out in front of him feverishly as he began to panic. He didn't know where he was, how he got here, or why he was even here, but he knew that he didn't like being here one bit.

After stumbling past a large boulder that was just stuck out of the ground, he screamed as he began rolling down a hill. Closing his eyes, he was nearly knocked unconscious as he rolled into a tree, back first. Blinking his eyes as his vision blurred and everything was hazy, he sat down a couple of moments until his heart rate died down, and he was able to see again.

Staggering, he stood up and began walking slowly down the hill. Something about this place . . . it set his soul at ease, and he began feeling like he did when his mother was still alive. He felt complete, and loved, and he stopped aghast when he found himself at a pond. Looking around nervously, a grin broke over his features as he quickly peeled off his clothes and hopped into the frigid water.

Withholding a scream as his body registered the shock, he dived under water and watched as the fish swam around and away from him, except for one. A little blue fish, he looked very young, and obviously very curious. He had never seen this kind before, and he nearly smiled when he swam away like the others when Sora merely blinked twice.

Returning to the surface, he swam to the edge and sat on the edge of it. If he went back home . . .

There would be hell to pay.

If he stayed here . . .

Someone would find me, call the police, get locked up, dad'll come and pick me up, and there will be all hell to pay.

Which one was worst? He had already encountered both of them, each worst than the last time he recieved the punishment for absolutely no reason. Wincing as the look on his father's face and eyes as he scowled down on the figure curled into a ball at his feet, his face twisted into that of a hateful, disgusted sneer.

I won't go back . . . ever.

8:88:888:88:8

Taji waved as Kohaku pulled out of the driveway. She shifted her head slightly as the wind blew, and then frowned. Sora? Closing the door, she went into the kitchen and peered out the back window. She certainly didn't see him, and when she was talking to Kohaku, she thought she smelled him, but now, it was faint, as if he was in a substance that was holding his scent. The pond . . . my pond!

Looking around, she opened the backdoor and carefully snuck outside. Checking around again, she broke into a sprint as she sniffed the air and allowed her senses to guide her as she followed his scent. Daddy's gonna kill him if i don't tell him to leave! She thought in a panic as she hopped into a tree and looked around. Damn! How deep did he go?

She thought with a scowl as she jumped off the tree and began running again. His scent suddenly became stronger, and a wash of relief flooded over her. She must have been getting closer than she anticipated, because once she stopped in the middle of the clearing, not three yards away from her was his clothes.

Her face exploded in flames as a mental image popped into her head. She flattened her ears and whined as she rubbed her eyes. Ewww! Ewww! Ewww! Ewww!

Walking slowly, she heard him sigh and peeked her head into another clearing, where he sat at the edge of the pond, kicking his feet and staring sadly into the water. What was he thinking about that caused him not to hear her when she purposely made enough rucus to tell Tokyo she was on her way? She watched as his blue eyes darkened until they were practically navy, and his face twisted before he hid his face with his bangs.

Her facial expression softened as she looked at the lone figure. How could he stand living through so much, without saying as much as a word to anybody, or anybody trying to help him? She couldn't stand it. It was impossible to ignore the stench his father had allowed him to walk into human society with, so disturbing it was strong enough for humans to smell it a mile away, and yet, he had a smile everyday when he came to school and laid eyes on her --- his only friend.

But now, his scent wasn't disturbing, not at all. It was more of a masculine scent, with a little bit of spearmint, and a little bit of fresh rainwater. It made her head feel dizzy, made her stomach do flips and all at the same time, made her close her eyes and dream whenever he was around her. This wasn't the only time that her senses went haywire as his natural 'male' scent floated to her. Usually, she was just uncomfortable, but this time, her stomach was fighting back, and her groin was knotting up, making her to whine and for him to turn around.

Cheeks enflamed as he opened his mouth to yell, she covered it with her hand before he could blink, hearing his heartbeat hammering against his chest dangerously, she whispered soothing words until he calmed down. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? I live here!"

"You live here!"

"Yes, I do with a father who kills you have to go home!"

Sora dropped his gaze from her as he stared in the distance. "I can't go home."

"Why?"

"You know why. You was there. I had enough." Taji rolled up the legs of her pants, and sat down next to him, slipping her feet in the water.

"I. . . I don't think you should stay here."

Sora looked offended. "Why not? You'll be the only person who knows, and I don't have to go to school."

Now Taji looked offended. "No, you at least deserve to have an education, show him your worth something. I don't know . . . I have a bad feeling about his."

"C'mon Taji," Sora pleaded. "Please? You have to help me."

Taji looked at him in his eyes. A pleading emotion, as well as fear and hope shone like the morning sun, and after seeing him give an uneasy smile, she knew she was won over, and sighed. "Alright. I'll bring you food and soap, but you can't go to school, they can just pick you up. Instead, I'll bring back the work for you to do. How does that sound?"

Sora smiled as he hugged Taji, not realizing that he gave her a better view of his treasures than he meant to. "Thanks Taisho. Your the best."

Taji swallowed hards as her mind began to sway and her eyes, fighting against her conscious, focused on the 'up and ready' part of his body. She whimpered as her cheeks flooded with embarrassed color. "Sora . . . you . . . your . . . can you . . . " She nodded towards his nudity.

With a muttered curse, he dived under the water, doing little to hide himself as he pointed to his clothes. Face darkening as images of it moving everywhere with the slightest movement ran into her mind, she flinched as heat flowed to her groin and she pressed her legs together. She turned and stalked into the trees as he got dressed. Walking back, she could see he was embarrassed too, and that made her feel a little better. "Sorry." He mumbled.

She shook her head. "It's . . . it's ok. I shouldn've snuck up on you."

He turned and looked at her with a soft, gentle, yet firm expression. "How do you always know?"

"Always know what?"

"Where I am, or where I'm hurt . . . it's like your a search dog or something."

Taji flinched at the unrealized insult. "I . . .Best friends can sense when something's wrong with each other, right buddy?"

His eyes glowed. "Right."

8:88:888:88:8

The next day, Taji whistled to herself as she cleaned up the teacher's lounge. Having to bribe the teachers into not practically calling the state on her brother's, she'd offered to clean up the teachers lounged twice a week for the rest of the year, something that she was learning to dread. She rolled her eyes as she reached over and began sweeping the floor, before the door flew open and she held the broom in a fashion ready to strike, even though it wasn't her preferred weapon that she trained with . . .

"Calm down pup . . . can't a guy like me get something to drink without getting getting clobbered Taisho?"

Taji eyed the intruder carefully. Silver hair, honey golden eyes . . . she stared at them a moment longer before she bared her fangs and growled. "You! Your the jerk that . . . "

"Yurp, that was me. Nice rack by the way."

Taji's cheek's exploded in indignant color as her famous temper began to rise. The only reason he's even looking at me right now . . . she fumed. Is because he ran and daddy, Aka and Kuro didn't get to clobber him like they should have.

"Whoa . . . who set off the fireworks in your head? I give a chack a compliment and her youki goes all haywire." She said as he stuck his fang into the money slot, and pressed a button. Taji watched as he kicked the machine, pushed a button, and a soda flew out. She even watched in rage as he sat on the table she just polished too.

"What are you doing here?"

The boy waved off her question. "Whew! With a temper like that, who couldn't tell you were InuYasha's daughter? It's been a long time, hasn't it Taji?"

"Who are you?"

"Hmph! You don't remember? Maybe it's for the best."

"Who are you?" She repeated. He snorted but this time spared her a glance.

"Kazuki, Kazuki Nishimura. Well, it's been about 7 years, haven't it? Akemi never forgotten about Aka, did you know? The old man was pretty upset when Aka broke up with him. Wanted to kill him in fact." Kazuki said, casually---too casually. Idly twisting the bottle in his hand, he spared Taji and glance and grinned.

Her face red with anger, and her lips in a half snarl, she was utterly adorable, and completely the reason he wanted her so much as he did now. "And to make your day even better, I've been transferred into this school, as well as Akemi. It seems that Mother has fallen ill, and she has to take refuge in a home. The doctor says that to take her back home, to the place where she was born is the best place for her. I have a proposal to make."

Taji straightened her shoulders and turned her head, snorted. She really didn't care, but daring a peek at him, she could tell that he was serious. "What?"

"With the added bonus of being my girlfriend, and possible mate, your mother has to nurse my mother back to health. Deal?"

"So, both of them benefits you. What about me? I'm all for helping your mother." She wrinkled her nose. "Going out with you is another story."

Faster than the blink of an eye, he was behind her, wrapping his arms around her, catching her in an embrace that she had no choice but to submit to. Grinding her teeth together as he growled in her ear seductively, he chuckled slightly, causing his breath to fan against her ear and make her shudder. "Why not? You promised to before."

"I . . . I was just a pup then." She argued.

He shook his head and squeezed her slightly. "And your a pup still. Only . . . a more mature pup that meets my standards." He said slowly.

She rolled her eyes and tried to get him to release his grip. It didn't work. "I'll see what my mom says. In the meantime, you ever come onto my property, and you'll have something shoved in a place you don't want it got that?"

"Oh such threats . . . " He growled as he released her, taking time to give a quick lick on her cheeks before zipping to the door. "That's why I love you my dear."

Taji watched as he disappeared from view and with the back of her hand whiped her face like his tongue was acid. Picking back up the broom, she couldn't stop shaking. Something about him . . . almost frightened her. And she was afraid that if she didn't get over it, and soon, she might submit to anything that he asked.

His aura was full of pride, and demanding respect. It battled hers, and telling by the condition she was in now, she lost pitifully. She closed her eyes and gripped the broom so tight that it splintered and with a yelp she threw it down on the ground. Gripping her hand, she looked at the injuries, and with a snort, stomped out of the room.

8:88:888:88:8

A/N

I would like to announce that most likely I will be going away to my grandmother's house every weekend. So don't expect updates then, or on certain holidays because sometimes my family might visit. I would also like to congradulate my sister in law, (I'm not sure if she reads this like I ask her to) on her newly discovered pregnancy with a much prayed for little girl! My prayers are with you. Enjoy!