"Inutashio have you seen my sister at all today?" Izayoi asked putting her arms into the sleeves of her black corduroy jacket. It was the end of the day and she was very eager to get home.

"No, why?"

"I just didn't see her at all today like I usually do and I was a little worried." She replied closing her locker door.

"I'm sure she was just preoccupied with something." Inutashio said reassuringly.

"Mom, are you home?" Azumi called steeping inside the front door to her house.

"Azumi? You're certainly home early. Didn't you walk home with Izayoi?" Her mother inquired from the upstairs hallway.

"Um no not today. Is it alright if I have someone over for a few…hours?" Azumi asked slipping off her shoes.

"Sure, I guess that's okay… When are they coming over?"

"Well…they're already here."

"Where's Azumi?" Setsuki demanded the second Izayoi and Inutashio arrived to pick him up after school.

"I'm not sure. Did she mention anything to you about leaving school early?" Izayoi asked ruffling the twelve-year-olds incredibly soft hair.

"How should I know? Half the time she talks its about 'boys or makeup." Setsuki replied dramatically.

"Whose red mustang is that in your driveway?" Inutashio asked disrupting Izayoi's interrogation.

"What do you mean? There shouldn't be any kind of car in the driveway, mom put her car in the garage this morning." Izayoi informed looking up the street to her house.

'I've got a bad feeling about this.' Inutashio thought as they walked inside the house.

"…What in the hell!" Izayoi yelled at the display that was going on in front of her. The second she opened the door she was shocked to see Azumi pressed up against Rikyu, stretched up on the tips of her toes, her face was millimeters from capturing his lips.

"I-Izayoi." Azumi stuttered her face turning crimson. "W-what are you doing here?" Azumi asked wiping away a bead of sweat from the side of her face.

"I live here, unlike some people." She replied her eyes ablaze with anger. She grabbed her sister's arm and pulled her up the stairs into her bedroom. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Izayoi demanded.

"Well I was about to share my first kiss with Rikyu when--."

"Rikyu's a snake!" Izayoi spat. "You want to get poisoned?"

"He's a good person!"

"No, no he's not."

"Where do you think you're going?" Inutashio demanded.

"Upstairs to comfort Azumi. Isn't it obvious?" Rikyu asked slyly.

"No, you're not going anywhere alone with Izayoi's little sister." Inutashio growled pulling Rikyu back by his shoulder and pushing him against the wall.

"She's not that little. Well, what about with Izayoi?" Rikyu asked raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Inutashio tightened his grip on Rikyu's shoulder. It took every bit of control in Inutashio's body not to beat that smug little grin off Rikyu's face.

"What's the matter puppy? Did I hit a nerve?" Rikyu sneered.

"Boys! Break it up! No fighting!" Mrs. Takouyoi called while walking down the stairs. Inutashio removed his grip and took a step back. "Let's have some tea, shall we?" She suggested happily.

"Azumi, you're my only little sister. It's my right to try and protect you from people like Rikyu." Izayoi said calmly.

"I don't need protection from him! You just don't know him. He's a different person when you're not around."

Izayoi raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Azumi has he…no never mind. Azumi I can't say that I understand your decision to be with him, but I won't stand in your way, alright?" She said pulling her sister into a hug.

Azumi nodded and Izayoi continued. "I want you to promise me something okay? If he ever hurts you, in anyway. I want you to tell me right away, understand?"

"Yeah." Azumi replied. 'She's just jealous because now I have a boyfriend who really loves me.' Azumi thought before storming out of her sister's room and down the stairs to the living room where her mother was serving tea to Rikyu and Inutashio

Izayoi walked down moments later. "Sis…Sis!" A voice whispered from behind the laundry room door.

"Setsuki?"

"Yeah." Setsuki said stepping out of the laundry room.

"What is it?"

"…What's going on? Why is everyone fighting?" Setsuki asked.

Izayoi smiled softly, "I'll tell you when you're older, okay?" She said turning to walk in the living room.

"Promise!" Setsuki called.

"I promise."

"So, you all go to the same school?" Mrs. Takouyoi asked trying to start a conversation that wouldn't cause bickering.

"Yes, unfortunately." Izayoi replied entering the room and talking a seat beside Inutashio who was sitting across the room from Azumi and Rikyu.

"Is there some place we can…be alone?" Rikyu whispered in Azumi's ear.

Azumi shook her head and whispered back, "Not right now."

"So Azumi is your 'friend' staying for dinner?" Mrs. Takouyoi asked.

"I'd love to stay for dinner!" Rikyu exclaimed happily.

"I didn't hear her actually inviting you." Inutashio muttered to himself.

"You know, ever since the fire I've had to live in my car and eat either cafeteria or fast food. It'll be nice to finally eat a good meal." Rikyu sighed.

"Fire? What fire?" Mrs. Takouyoi inquired unknowingly falling right into Rikyu's trap.

"The fire that engulfed my house…and family." Rikyu replied softly.

"Oh that's awful! So you're living in your car? How terrible…How long has it been since the fire?"

"Uh…it happened…last night…"

"Oh…well, why don't you stay here for a night or two until you get things sorted."

"Mom! Are you forgetting that Inutashio's already staying here." Izayoi cut in before any final plans could be arranged.

"I haven't forgotten, don't worry Izayoi we'll get things sorted." Mrs. Takouyoi replied reassuringly.

"I could always sleep in Azumi's…or Izayoi's room." Rikyu suggested.

Everyone, especially Azumi gave Rikyu a look of disgust.

"Just kidding." He said sheepishly, then coughed nervously. "Hee, hee, he was just joking mom." Azumi said trying to clear the look of terror off her mother's face.

"So…all joking aside, where should I sleep?" Rikyu asked giving Mrs. Takouyoi an angelic smile.

"Hmm…You may sleep…where Inutashio was sleeping." Mrs. Takouyoi replied after giving it some thought.

"Mom!" Izayoi cut in abruptly.

"And Inutashio can sleep in Izayoi's room." Her mother finished.

"What?" Azumi yelled. "In the same bed! Mom you're encouraging them to--."

"Azumi, get your mind out of the gutter. Are you forgetting that Izayoi has a pullout bed underneath her mattress? Inutashio may sleep there. Either that, Azumi or he sleeps in your bed while you sleep in Izayoi's room."

Azumi grumbled and stormed off upstairs to her room. Rikyu got up to follow but Inutashio jumped up and pushed him back down.

Izayoi's mother began clearing the dishes off, "Inutashio could you help me in the kitchen?" She asked.

"Sure." He replied following her into the kitchen.

Rikyu saw this as an opportunity so he slid over to Izayoi's couch. "Heyyy baby." He purred his fingers getting ready to slid over her shoulders.

"Rikyu, touch me with those paws and I'll make sure Inutashio breaks them off." She warned.

"Oh, feisty as always." Rikyu taunted putting a hand on her thigh.

"Don't. Touch. Me." Izayoi growled.

"But I want to."

"I have no problem calling Inutashio in here." Izayoi said calmly.

"Whatever." Rikyu grumbled walking back to the couch opposite hers.

"Inutashio I trust you and I need your help." Mrs. Takouyoi started.

"What do you mean." Inutashio asked leaning against the kitchen countertops.

"By allowing you to sleep in my daughters room I am putting a great deal of trust in you. I know…things teenagers do…I just ask you that for right now, you control yourself by making sure that nothing like that happens. I need you to stay close to my girls because honestly…I don't trust that boy, Rikyu, but I won't make decisions for any of my daughters by telling them who they can and cannot see. I hope that if it's ever necessary that you protect them when I can't." Mrs. Takouyoi finished.

"I understand, I'll do whatever I can…and I have to ask you something very important and something that I have been considering lately."

"Alright, go ahead." She urged.

"When the time is right…may I have your permission to…"

"Will you stop staring at me?" Izayoi demanded.

"Why Izayoi? Does it make you feel dirrrrty?" Rikyu purred.

Izayoi scoffed and stared at her hands. "No, I just find it annoying. Why did you lie to my mom?"

"Me? Lie? No, never, you must be mistaken. I never lie." He replied trying to look as innocent as possible.

"Sure." Izayoi replied sarcastically. "So what are you doing here? Is this some sick type of revenge just because I rejected you?"

"What make you think that I care which Takouyoi I screw, as long as I get one of you."

"You bastard!" Izayoi spat. "How dare you say something like that!"

"Why? What can you do to stop what's already started?"

"Do you even know how old she is?" Izayoi demanded harshly.

"She's legal, that's all that matters." Rikyu replied coyly.

"No, no she's not, and if you lay one finger on her I'll--."

"What if she lays some on me baby? I've already got her wrapped around my little finger."

Izayoi's blood boiled at a dangerously high level as she sat there and watched Rikyu examine his fingernails. Every little move he made was meant to aggravate her, and it was working. It took every ounce of control in her body not to jump on him and beat him down to a bloody pulp.

"Really?" Mrs. Takouyoi asked staring at Inutashio in disbelief. Inutashio nodded. "…Do you promise you won't take the one thing that's irreplaceable to her, not until you're both ready?"

"Yes." Inutashio replied honestly.

"Do you promise that no matter what happens between you two, that you will never break her heart?"

"Yes of course I promise."

"Well then, by all means, you have my blessing." Mrs. Takouyoi replied feeling tears of joy beginning to form in the back of her eyes.

"Thank you so much!" Inutashio exclaimed throwing his arms around the older woman. Izayoi's mother smiled and hugged him back.

Mrs. Takouyoi and Inutashio walked back into the tension filled living room. "Well, I'll think I'll go out for a bit." Rikyu announced getting up from the couch and stretching dramatically.

"Where are you going?" Mrs. Takouyoi asked.

"Just out for a bit. I'll be back before midnight."

"Midnight…" Mrs. Takouyoi gulped. "What you possibly be doing until midnight?" She muttered to herself. They watched as Rikyu walked towards the front door, slipped on his shoes and walked out. The second Rikyu was out of earshot, Izayoi bombarded her mother with questions.

"Why are you letting him stay here?

Why don't you tell Azumi to open her eyes and realize what a jerk he is?

Can't you tell that he's way too old for her?

What did you have to talk about with Inutashio?"

"Hmm? Dear could you repeat that? Someone was trying to interrogate me." Mrs. Takouyoi replied calmly.

"Mom!"

"That would be my name…. Okay all joking aside, I try and give my girls the freedom to do whatever they choose. Be what they want to be. Do what they feel is right, and be with whomever they choose. If Azumi is going to make a bad decision, I can't force her to change her actions. I can advice her but I am not going to tell her that she cannot be with Rikyu, and even if I did. What would that solve? Nothing. Azumi has to learn that bad there are bad outcomes to bad decisions, and that's all I have to say in the matter."

Mrs. Takouyoi left her bewildered daughter and her boyfriend alone in the living room and went upstairs to see Azumi.

Izayoi grumbled something to herself and Inutashio walked towards the leather couch and sat down beside her. "Don't worry, everything will be okay." He whispered soothingly in her ear. He wrapped his arms lightly around her shoulder, his kanojo sighed and leaned her head back onto his chest.

"Azumi? Azumi its mom, can I come in?" Mrs. Takouyoi asked standing outside her daughter's bedroom.

"No." Azumi yelled through the door. Mrs. Takouyoi cautiously opened the door. Azumi was sitting on the edge of her pink bed spread with tears brimming her hazel orbs. "Mom…He said he liked me so why does he keep flirting with 'her.'" She cried throwing herself into her mother's open arms.

"Oh Azu-chan, shush don't worry. Everything will work out." Her mother soothed stroking her hair softly.

"Mom he's the only one I've ever felt this deeply for if he doesn't like me then…then I'll--."

"What makes you think that he wouldn't like you? Besides you have the choice of any guy you want. You're a beautiful girl. Don't be weighted down with the pressure of an older guy okay?"

"…Mom you know he's older than I am?…That doesn't…bother you?" Azumi asked tentatively.

"No, it doesn't necessarily bother me. I just don't want him to take advantage of you because you're young."

"Oh he won't." Azumi cut in. Her mother nodded unsure of what to say next.

"…Well if he's going to make you happy…"

"Mom you're so understanding! Why can't Izayoi think the same way as you?" Azumi exasperated.

"Izayoi cares for you, and is very protective of you. Although her techniques of protection shouldn't necessarily be so verbal."
'I wish Izayoi would just leave me alone.' Azumi thought.

A/N: forgive me! Forgive me! I haven't updated in SO long! tear tear I was trying to build up a big cliffhanger which I didn't really accomplish in my opinion. Hee hee. Thank You all SO MUCH for your reviews! - ja!

sesslover101- thank you so much for all your reviews! I'm glad you like it. I hope you like this chapter 2

Astragunner2002- Kay! Thanks for the review!

laku-Yeah they're so kawaii together! huggles plushie thanks for the review

Alexandra- yes, bad Azumi, SIT! Thanks for the review

Zoderella Thank you! I hope I'm the only one writing about his parents, I wanted the story to be original

PriestessTaisho- You were my very first reviewer so I like you lots and lots. Lol. Thanks so much for all your reviews!

Yami-Yugi-Girl- Thank you!

Lita-chan aka Balita- aww thank you lita! It's so nice of you to offer to get me a slave boy! XD