Daughters
Chapter Seven: Friend or Foe

"Oh, shoot," Kagome lamented as another crayon snapped in her hand. She frowned and studied the blue wax with a critical eye. "How do you hold these things without breaking them?"

Rin looked up from her own drawing. "You press too hard."

"Ah, sorry," Kagome said with another frown. "I'll buy you new crayons soon, Rin-Chan. I hate to think about all these crayons I've broken."

Sure enough, Kagome was accumulating a large pile of broken crayons. The small graveyard of destroyed coloring tools served as a bitter reminder of Kagome's inability to draw or do anything creatively.

Rin shrugged her shoulders. "I don't mind. Since you're here to keep me company! I needed new crayons anyway." Rin looked sadly at her broken drawing utensils. She lifted her head and looked at Kagome. "You're a good drawer."

"Oh," Kagome said, flushing at the unexpected compliment, even if it was from a little girl. "Thank you. You too."

"I'm drawing a picture for Inu-oniichan," Rin announced as she continued coloring in the said picture. Kagome paused in her drawing and watched the little girl color along the page, creating something she thought that her cousin would like.

"Why?" Kagome asked.

Rin paused and looked at Kagome, not fully understanding the one-word question. Kagome frowned thoughtfully, watching the girl's reaction.

"I mean, why are you drawing a picture for him?" Kagome clarified.

Rin still didn't understand. "I want to."

Kagome pressed harder. Why did Rin want to draw a picture for someone who hadn't shown one moment of kindness? Inuyasha wasn't a completely heartless person, she knew. She'd seen him do stuff for Rin, but he'd never been nice about it. He'd never been sweet about it. He'd just been, well, him.

"But, Rin," Kagome continued, wishing for some definite answer, even if it was from a little girl. "He's mean."

Kagome didn't necessarily think Inuyasha was always mean; he was decent enough to Rin. Kagome just wondered what the little girl thought of the boy. Kagome was very curious by nature, despite the fact that she didn't particularly like giving things away about her own life. She liked to help others.

Rin blinked and stared down at her drawing then back up at her babysitter. She stared earnestly at the older girl, as if trying to collect an answer deep within her. Her brown eyes glowed in the darkening room.

"Inu-oniichan takes care of me," Rin finally said and shrugged her shoulders. "I know that Inu-oniichan would prefer not to have me around, but he watches over me anyway."

Kagome nodded her head but Rin wasn't done.

Rin licked her lips and tilted her head upwards, staring at the ceiling fan that slowly circulated above them, barely pushing the warm air in the apartment. Summer was approaching. Even as the sun set outside Kagome could feel the sticky air saturating the streets.

"Inu-oniichan is nice," Rin said with a nod. "But he doesn't like people to know."

Kagome stared numbly down at the paper she'd been drawing on. The simple, five pointed flower looked back up at her, as if it were silently mocking her. Kagome's hand floated out and grasped another crayon, adding in a splash of pink to the flower's petals.

"Maybe," she finally agreed, scrunching up her face.

How can Rin find it in herself to care about someone who isn't nurturing or nice to her? How can Rin continue to smile and laugh? She thought bitterly of her own family and ducked her head, fighting back the wave of emotions that accompanied the images of her father, her almost step-mother, and…

She swallowed. "Rin-Chan," she said, interrupting her thoughts. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes!" Rin chirped and Kagome was thankful for the distraction.

She lifted herself up and padded to the kitchen, her socks slipping over the tiles of the kitchen. She worked diligently and made a small bowl of popcorn for Rin to tide her over while she made dinner.

As she worked on chopping vegetables she heard the front door open and shot and the shuffling of who she assumed could only be her employer.

"I'm home," his tired voice drifted down the hallway. Rin perked up instantly and quickly shuffled towards the door to greet her cousin. Rin squealed her welcome and waved at her cousin. From the kitchen, Kagome could hear Inuyasha's small grunt and his shuffling as he tried to move down the hallway. Evidently, Rin was in the way, because she soon heard Inuyasha grouch, "Oy, move."

Kagome rolled her eyes as a short moment later Rin came darting back with Inuyasha in tow. He looked tired and disheveled. His already messy hair appeared even messier, sticking up in odd places. His face was dirty. His clothes were dirty. He was hunched over and rubbing a spot behind his neck with his hand.

"Welcome home," Kagome greeted and quickly ducked her head, continuing to chop vegetables. Things were still a little awkward between them. Inuyasha grunted in reply and shuffled to the couch, flopping down and staying there for a long moment. He groaned as he stretched out across the couch, his feet draping over the side.

"Inu-oniichan is tired!" Rin said cheerfully, successfully pointing out the obvious.

"You're kidding," Inuyasha replied, sarcastically.

Kagome paused in her chopping and preparation and glanced at the tired form of Inuyasha, who didn't stir even after Rin tugged on his shirt for his attention. She moved away from the sink and to the refrigerator. She grabbed a soda.

Kagome left the sanctity of the kitchen and stood near Inuyasha as he lounged on the couch.

"Shinkanshi-Kun," Kagome said uneasily, fidgeting with her hands. Her cheek throbbed—it still hurt from the man's punch. Kagome quickly pushed such thoughts away. "I've started dinner… Rin's hungry, so…" she hated to tell him what to do. "But you'll have to start it soon."

He glanced at her and tipped his head back, hiding his lavender eyes under heavy lids. "God…" he moaned, sounding tired. "Don't leave."

Kagome felt her face turn hot. She knew he didn't mean it like that, as if he wanted her just for her company, but it still sent a weird feeling shooting down to her gut. She turned her face away.

"I can cook for you," she whispered. "You look tired."

Her only response was a grunt.

She leaned over and bumped the can of soda against his arm. "You want this?" she questioned. A moment later his hand flashed out and took the can away from her hand. She rolled her eyes when he didn't say anything. "You're welcome."

Silence fell over the apartment—Inuyasha lounged on the couch, Kagome cooked, and Rin colored. After what seemed like an eternity of uncomfortable silences, dinner was ready and Kagome spooned a large amount of rice and vegetables—sans the peppers—into a bowl for Rin and deposited it before Rin. The said girl cheered and quickly pushed her crayons away, happy for the food.

She made another bowl and headed towards the solitary figure of Inuyasha, still lying on the couch. He cracked his eyes open as he felt her approach and Kagome ducked her head, not wanting to make eye contact.

"Here," she said, thrusting the bowl towards him. He sat up and took it. She turned away from him.

"Oy," he said to Kagome's back. The girl paused in her retreat away from him. She swallowed and turned her head. "Does it still hurt?"

She realized vaguely that he meant her cheek—which had colored to a disgusting purple and yellow combination. She felt her cheeks turn red with her shame and she quickly shook her head.

"Liar," he muttered and took a bite of his food. He looked away.

Kagome bit her tongue. Her cheek did still hurt, but she wished he would drop it.

"I should go," she said after another uncomfortable silence between the two teenagers.

"Ah," Rin whined, looking crestfallen. "Can't you stay for dinner? Pleeeeeeeeeease?"

Rin swiveled her head around, looking at Inuyasha. She knew that he held the control of whether Kagome could stay or not. Kagome moved away, returning to the kitchen. Any way to get away from Inuyasha's line of vision was fine by her.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I don't care. So long as I don't need to clean up the kitchen."

"In other words," Kagome called, happy for the distraction to say something other than her cheek didn't hurt. "Yes, I can stay because then I can do your dishes."

"You're the one that cooked," Inuyasha countered. "You make the mess; you clean it up."

Kagome sighed but a small smile breezed over her lips. She made herself a bowl and sat down next to Rin. It was better than going home to Abi's cooking, which wasn't nearly as good as her mother's…

Kagome's chopsticks shook in her hand at the thought of her mother. She shook her head quickly and ate, refusing to let herself dwell on thoughts of her mother.

For one brief moment Kagome could pretend that she was okay. Sitting at the table, helping Rin when she wanted refills and scolding Inuyasha for eating sloppily and getting rice all over the table, Kagome almost felt like she was at home. She pursed her lips at the thought and quickly shook her head.

"Peppers," Rin said stubbornly and held her bowl out. Kagome obediently picked the said vegetables out and placed them in her own bowl. "Thank you, Kagome-Chan!"

"You're welcome," Kagome said, distracted as she stared down at her bowl of vegetables and rice. The peppers she'd just added almost seemed out of place. She didn't know why.

"I still say you should learn to live with the damned peppers," Inuyasha muttered to himself, staring at his own bowl.

"Don't swear in front of Rin," Kagome said automatically. She'd said it so many times she doubted that he even noticed she said it anymore. True enough, Inuyasha didn't reply but continued to stare stubbornly at his bowl.

Rin looked between her two companions and titled her head upwards.

"I drew a picture for you, Inu-oniichan," she told the ceiling.

"Did you?" he asked and Kagome could hear the surprise in his own voice.

"Yep," Rin chirped and smiled brightly at Inuyasha.

Kagome watched the interaction: Rin beaming brightly at her cousin and the said boy looking at her utterly confused. Kagome stifled a giggle and felt a familiar warmth within her.

Was this what it was like?

Was this what it was like to be in a home?

To be needed? Loved, even?

"Uh," Inuyasha said, blinking as he turned his attention away from Rin. "Good. I guess."

Kagome smiled at her bowl of food.

Rin sighed as she sat on the steps of her school, her head cushioned by her hands. She was waiting for Inuyasha, as usual. Inuyasha was still serving his detentions for his disruption during PE class and Rin had grown used to waiting for her cousin to come and pick her up.

She watched the birds in the tree near the corner of her schoolyard idly, her lips quirked downwards in a thoughtful frown as she regarded the fluttering fluffs of feathers.

The girl shifted around on the seat, growing restless. The sun was beating down and she felt a little warm in her jacket. But she didn't move to take it off. She was in a lazy mood; the kind of mood associated with a hot summer day when the soft buzz of a fly can loll someone to sleep.

She watched the clouds in the sky, searching, in vain, for something that she could do. She lowered her eyes only to look back at the clouds a second time. She couldn't sit still. She didn't want to sit still.

Listening to her inner urgings, Rin stood up and trotted around the schoolyard, chasing after a butterfly when it fluttered past her. Life was so carefree for her, and she couldn't wait for her cousin to come and pick her up so that she could go home and see Kagome. Inuyasha had to work tonight and she was looking forward for her surrogate big sister to come so that she could show her the drawings she'd made. She'd taken to hanging them up on the refrigerator so every time Kagome went to get her a drink, she could see the large pictures she'd drawn of them together.

She hummed to herself as she leaned over and plucked a stray daisy from the grass.

"Oy," a voice said behind her.

Rin had taken to associating such a word with Inuyasha and she quickly turned around, grinning widely. She was surprised, however, not to see the uniform her cousin wore or her cousin himself. Instead, she was rewarded with a shorter boy with a middle school uniform on.

"You're not Inu-oniichan," Rin said firmly, her brow puncturing in confusion.

"Nah," the boy said sloppily. "I'm not."

Rin frowned. "Go away."

The boy's eyebrows arched. He chuckled. "I will if you give me some money. For the bus."

Rin's frown deepened. "I don't have money. I walk home."

"Then what are you doing here all by yourself?" the boy continued, laughing to himself.

Rin didn't like him. She decided silently that she didn't like the way he looked. He was a Yankee, she could tell. She crossed her arms and gave him a look that rivaled Inuyasha's deep glares.

"I don't like you. Go away," she said firmly, trying her hardest to be like her cousin. He always scared people away. Why not her, too?

The boy's chuckling ceased and he frowned, his dark eyes flashing. His hand whipped out and shoved her. Rin released a tiny squeak of surprise and fell to the ground. Pain shot through her backside but she refused to cry out.

"Little baby can't go home by herself because she's got to wait for her mommy and daddy, huh?" the boy mocked. Laughter sounded behind him. For the first time Rin realized that there was more than one. They all stood scowling down at her and Rin felt tears pushing against the back of her eyes. But she would not cry. She would not.

"Leave me alone," Rin said, though with less conviction as before.

She struggled to her feet. She dusted herself off. She was knocked to the ground again by the boy.

This time she did cry out and she could have kicked herself for betraying her determination. She cried out as she landed and another jolt of pain shot through her. Her backside was getting dirty from falling multiple times to the ground. The flower she'd picked was crushed beneath her clenched hands.

"Dude, she doesn't have any money," a boy said behind her attacker and Rin clenched her fists.

"You're right," he sighed and backed away from the girl, looking very disappointed that he'd been interrupted and his efforts had been fruitless. "Let's get out of here."

Rin watched as the boys left as quickly as they'd come. She shivered and scrunched up into a little ball, feeling weak for not being able to protect herself. She wanted to make Inuyasha proud. She wanted to make her mom proud. How could she if she couldn't stand up against some boy?

"Oy," a voice said again and Rin stiffened, hoping that it wasn't the boy. "What the hell are you doing in the dirt?"

Rin turned her head and stared up at her cousin, who looked back down at her with his permanent look of frustration. Rin couldn't understand how he could always keep his brow furrowed. Wouldn't it hurt after a while?

"Com here," he ordered and grasped her hand, hauling her to her feet. "Let's get going."

He walked down the street, dragging her behind him. Rin clenched his hand and refused to let go, afraid that if she did, she'd be all alone again.

"Okay, class," Mr. Kimoto said a moment after the bell rang for the day. Inuyasha sighed and ruffled his bangs. He'd finally come to class on time.

Rin had been acting weird lately. She'd been hesitant to leave his side. Well, that wasn't abnormal, per se, but she was more clingy than usual. Inuyasha was frustrated by the girl's refusal to release his leg earlier that morning. But he'd taken to leaving the apartment early so that he could make it to school on time.

"Shinkanshi, are you even listening?"

"Huh?" Inuyasha blinked his eyes and glanced at his teacher. The man was sitting behind the desk and the class president and vice president were standing in front, holding a bag. "Uh, what?"

"That means no," the Japanese literature teacher said with a sigh. He rubbed his forehead. "Your seat changed."

"Uh, right." Inuyasha stood and moved to where he was directed.

The president nodded his head and drew another card from the bag. "Endo Miroku."

Inuyasha frowned again as he heard Miroku shuffle from his old seat once stationed behind Inuyasha only to move to the seat behind Inuyasha now. He sighed again. Wasn't the point of moving seats supposed to be for the purpose of changing who you sat with?

Miroku poked his back and Inuyasha could have hit him. "What?"

He turned around and gave Miroku a withered stare. Miroku continued to grin at him.

"So, Inuyasha," Miroku said, taking no mind of Inuyasha's sour expression. When had this stupid guy become familiar with him? Inuyasha was too lazy to correct him. Besides, being called 'Shinkanshi' by this loser was almost as bad as being called Inuyasha. "You busy this weekend? I thought we could hang out."

"I'm busy," Inuyasha said without a thought. Miroku frowned. "I have work."

"Oh right, you have a job," Miroku said with a snap of his fingers. "I forgot. Students don't usually have jobs over the school year."

"Yeah, well, I'm different, now aren't I?" Inuyasha said angrily, his eyebrows furrowing.

Why was Miroku always so eager to talk and sit with him? Inuyasha hadn't done anything to make Miroku feel welcome, but the boy persisted. Inuyasha didn't trust the boy's advances. He rarely trusted anyone. They were all out to get him, in the end.

"I wasn't saying it was a bad thing," Miroku explained with a wave of his hand. "I was just saying…"

Miroku trailed off and shrugged, laughing softly.

The conversation came to a bitter halt when Inuyasha saw Kagome sit down in the chair across from his. He swiveled his head to stare at her and gave her an excellent impression of a fish. Kagome situated herself then turned her head to look at him, looking rather bemused by his jaw-drop expression.

"Hey," Miroku whispered, noticing his new friend's expression. "What the heck are you doing?"

Inuyasha snapped his attention forward. "Nothing."

"Hey, I'm going to get some bread from the cafeteria," Miroku said after poking Inuyasha's back to get his attention. Inuyasha scowled at the means of alerting him of Miroku's presence. "Want me to get you one?"

"Sure," Inuyasha muttered.

"What kind?"

"I don't care," Inuyasha said with a shrug. When he noticed that Miroku wasn't taking that as a suitable answer, Inuyasha relinquished. "Fine, uh… Get me a yakisoba bread, I guess."

"I'm on it!" Miroku declared, walked two feet, and then stopped in his tracks. "Sango, my darling."

Inuyasha turned his head to see Kagome, Sango, and Kagome's other close friend, Ayame. Sango, the tall girl sitting beside Kagome, glanced up at Inuyasha's annoyer and gave him a rather blank look.

"Yeah?" Sango asked, giving Miroku a look that could have rivaled Inuyasha's looks. "What do you want?"

"I am on a mission to the cafeteria and wanted to know if my darling little flower would like some bread?" Miroku said dramatically, wrapping his arm around Sango's shoulder only to see Sango shove him away.

"Firstly, I'm not your little flower," Sango said with an angered sigh. "And secondly, if you keep standing there, all the bread will be gone and you won't have anything for your lunch."

"I'd like one, Miroku," Kagome said after Sango's little speech and Miroku's stricken expression. Inuyasha wondered vaguely why it was that Kagome and Miroku were so informal with one another. No 'Endo-Kun' this or 'Endo-Kun' that. Inuyasha personally hated being called 'Shinkanshi-Kun'. It made him sound old, or something. He didn't like formalities.

"Of course, my sweet cousin, I'd do anything for you!" Miroku gushed, undaunted by Sango's letdown. Well, that explained the informality. They were related. He could see the resemblance now that it was pointed out. They both had blue eyes, something rather unique. "What kind?"

Kagome smiled sweetly at her cousin. "Curry bread, if it's around."

"Right-o!" Miroku said with a mock salute and scurried out of the room.

He returned a short while later, holding three breads—one for him, one for Kagome, and one for Inuyasha. Inuyasha stared out the window, watching the birds flutter through the ever-approaching summer air. He wished he could fly away.

"Here you are, Kagome," Miroku said and handed his cousin curry bread. "And for my darling Sango—"

"I am not your 'darling' anything, Endo," Sango said stubbornly and watched as Miroku waved a bread in her face.

"I got you yakisoba bread," Miroku half-sang half-told Sango. Inuyasha snapped his head around and glared angrily at Miroku's back. That was his bread.

Inuyasha stood up and stalked over to the three girls and the suspected moron among them. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and slouched as he moved over, faking nonchalance. He moved over to the girls and Miroku.

"Isn't that my bread?" Inuyasha asked and Miroku snapped his head around, surprised to see Inuyasha actually standing there behind him. He held out his hand and Miroku hesitantly placed it in his. He didn't want to face the rumored wrath of Inuyasha. No one at school had actually seen him, full out, lose his temper but there were astounding rumors about him. No one came out and said it, but if someone asked, it would be surprising the amount of tall tales there were about Inuyasha Shinkanshi.

Sango rolled her eyes. "I said I didn't want any, anyway, Endo."

"Thanks, Miroku," Kagome said, smiling, before biting into her curry bread. Inuyasha stalked away back to his desk and silently watched them. "Oh, I've got to go."

Inuyasha watched as Kagome packed up her things and nodded to the teacher. She left the room, shutting the door behind her. Inuyasha watched her back and wondered where it was she disappeared to.

Miroku sat down in his chair with a sigh. Inuyasha turned around to face him—partially because he didn't want to be poked in the back and partially because he wanted to ask about Kagome. Miroku was his cousin, surely he'd know, right?

"Oy," Inuyasha said with a frown. "Where does Kagome go?"

"Hm?" Miroku glanced up. "Oh, she left already? Didn't even see her."

That didn't really answer his question. He bit into his yakisoba bread bitterly, feeling his brows furrow more than usual. He wasn't sure why it was he cared so much where Kagome went anyways. He'd seen her leave class several times lately, but obviously they never talked about it. They were hardly on speaking terms. And she still called him damned 'Shinkanshi-Kun'.

"Kagome's mighty pretty, isn't she?" Miroku said with a laugh and elbowed Inuyasha suggestively. Inuyasha shoved the boy's elbow away, feeling his cheeks beginning to burn. "You can admit it to me, we're among friends here."

"Keh," Inuyasha snorted softly. He had no friends. He had no use for friends. "She's not pretty."

"Are you blind?" Miroku looked stunned. "I think she's beautiful."

"She's your cousin," Inuyasha said, disgusted.

"Yeah, but if I wasn't. Damn," Miroku whistled low and shook his head in disbelief. "I would be one happy camper."

Inuyasha gave him a rather sickened look.

"Obviously I wouldn't do anything," Miroku defended, noticing Inuyasha's look. "She is my cousin, after all. Besides, my heart belongs to my darling Sango. Right Sango?"

"Shut up, Endo," Sango returned. Miroku had raised his voice only for the last sentence and Sango had only heard the last part. She was reluctant to agree to something she didn't even know about—especially coming from Miroku.

Miroku sighed and turned his attention back towards Inuyasha. He jabbed a thumb behind him. "One day, I'll get her. You just got to be persistent, right?"

"Whatever you say," Inuyasha said uneasily.

"Anyways," Miroku leaned in closer, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "You can tell me, Inuyasha. Do you have a crush on my cousin?"

"What?" Inuyasha's face turned pink. "No."

Miroku shrugged his shoulders. "Because I wouldn't blame you if you did. She's got a killer body. And have you seen her boobs?"

Inuyasha was thoroughly disgusted now. He did not want to talk about Kagome like this, and certainly not with her cousin initiating the discussion in the first place. This was wrong on so many levels.

"No," Inuyasha said firmly.

"What are you, gay? How can you not look at those things? They're gigantic," Miroku supplied, his eyes glowing. "But not as great as my darling Sango's." He raised his voice, "Right Sango?"

"Shut up, Endo," Sango repeated.

Miroku seemed undaunted by Sango's multiple shot downs. He'd done it many times before and it had simply become routine for him.

"Kagome's a bitch," Inuyasha said firmly to Miroku. He crossed his arms.

Miroku frowned. "I'll admit that she has a bit of a bite to her… but it's not really her fault. She's actually a very sweet girl, ya know? She's caring and understanding. You just have to get under her hard shell…"

Inuyasha snorted.

"Besides, this is coming from you," Miroku pressed and his eyes twinkled mischievously. "And you're an ass, to be quite frank."

"Keh, I know that," Inuyasha snapped, eating the last of his yakisoba bread and wishing he had more to eat.

"I'm surprised that Kagome can still be cheerful after what she's been through," Miroku said with a shrug.

Inuyasha was curious now. "What?"

"Kagome goes home because she needs to watch Abi-San," Miroku said shortly, his lips pursing and his eyes glowing with distaste—the first time Inuyasha had ever seen something so intense in the boy's eyes. The first time Inuyasha had ever seen Miroku look serious.

"Abi…? Who is she, the dog?"

"No," Miroku laughed, the dangerous look in his eyes disappearing. "Well… not technically. Kagome would much prefer a dog, I'm sure. Abi-San is Kagome's father's fiancée. They're getting married soon, after years of being together. They're expecting their first child, too."

"So?"

"It's just that… the way they met and ended up together. Kagome doesn't like it. She has to go home and watch Abi because her swollen ankles won't let her move around a lot. And with Kagome's father working late hours, it's up to Kagome. Usually the father will work from home and can take care of his future wife himself, but sometimes Kagome has to leave and take care of her. And she hates it."

"Oh," Inuyasha said, stupidly. He wasn't sure what to say.

"Yeah, Kagome used to have a job at the grocery store down near her home, and she really enjoyed it, too. But her father made her quit that job because it interfered with her taking care of her future step-mother." Miroku frowned. "And Abi is not the nicest lady around, let me tell you. I don't really interact with her a lot… since my mom was Kagome's mom's sister. We aren't really involved with the family, sans Kagome."

"Why not?" Inuyasha asked, blinking.

Miroku sighed and rubbed his temples. "Kagome's father cut off all relations to our side of the family."

"How come?" Inuyasha wondered why it was he was so damned curious.

Miroku bit into his bread before continuing. "Because Kagome's mother's dead."

Inuyasha hadn't expected that. He blinked slowly and stared at Miroku's desk dumbly as the boy silently ate, allowing the information to sink in. He pursed his lips. Kagome's mother died?

"Kagome's father… hated our family," Miroku said sadly. "He cut off all times when his wife died."

"How did she…?"

"It's not really my place to say," Miroku interrupted. "I've already told you a lot. You should bring it up with Kagome. After all, she works for you, doesn't she?"

"She's my babysitter.?"

"Oh, you need a babysitter, huh?" Miroku joked.

"Shut up," Inuyasha snapped, frowning as Miroku started laughing. "She watches my little cousin while I work."

"Yeah. I'm surprised that her father let her keep that job. Probably because you pay so well," Miroku said with a shrug. Inuyasha eyed him. "Yeah, I know how much you pay her. I spotted a check to her from you the other day. You're totally loaded, aren't you? In any case, I suspect that Abi and her dad have her give them some of the money. They're not… very good parents."

"What do you mean?"

"Her father means well, I'm sure. But he's just got… skewed priorities. I feel sorry for Kagome sometimes. She doesn't deserve what she gets," Miroku said with a tired sigh.

The bell rang signaling the end of the lunch period.

"We better get going. We've got PE next," Miroku supplied, glancing down at his schedule. The schedule changed every day and it could get rather confusing. The only plus side was that the weekly schedule stayed the same, even if the days didn't. Same with their homeroom. "Come on, I'll be your partner."

Inuyasha sighed. It looked like he was stuck with Miroku whether he liked it or not. "Sure, come on."

Sometimes he wondered why it was that Miroku actually wanted to be his friend in the first place. They were both odd birds, he supposed. Or maybe Miroku just liked abuse—if Sango was any indication.

"I'm back," Inuyasha said later that Thursday night. He opened the door and removed his shoes.

"Welcome back," Kagome told him once he got close enough for her soft voice to reach him. She held Rin, the said girl sleeping soundly in her arms. She stood up with some hesitation and her knees nearly buckled under the weight of Rin. "How was work?"

"Alright," Inuyasha grumbled and dropped his keys and wallet on the table with a small thump. "It could have been worse."

He moved towards Kagome and the said girl raised her eyes to meet him. She shifted Rin in her arms and watched as Inuyasha held his arms out. She stared at him and felt her eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"Shinkanshi-Kun?"

"Let me take her," Inuyasha clarified and Kagome gratefully passed Rin onto Inuyasha. Inuyasha held Rin easily in his strong arms and shifted her so her head lolled against his shoulder. Rin murmured in her sleep.

"She wanted to stay up to meet you," Kagome explained. "She fell asleep a little over a half hour ago. I didn't have the heart to move her. She seemed comfortable."

"Hm," Inuyasha said with a thoughtful frown and jerked his head towards the door. "Come on, I'll walk you home."

"You don't need to do that, Shinkanshi-Kun."

"Like hell I do," Inuyasha said with a snort. "I'm not letting you walk home in the dark again. Get your shoes on, come on."

They walked in silence. The trip down the street towards Kagome's house seemed long and tense. Kagome clutched her jacket to her as the wind blew soundly and she shivered. Inuyasha wrapped a coat around Rin's quivering, sleeping body (he hadn't wanted to leave her alone in the house, just in case she woke up) and continued moving.

"Shinkanshi-Kun," Kagome began.

"You don't have to call me that, you know," Inuyasha said stubbornly, refusing to meet her gaze. He stared out towards the horizon like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. No stars dotted the sky—drowned out by the innumerous lights of the city. But in the distance the moon glowed brightly over the mountains.

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked, confused. Her brows furrowed.

"Shinkanshi-Kun makes me sound old… or something… I don't know," Inuyasha pursed his lips as he spoke. "You don't need to call me that. Inuyasha's just fine. Like I give a damn about formalities."

"I guess that's true," Kagome said uneasily, feeling raw form the conversation. "I just thought that…"

"I don't care either way," Inuyasha said defensively. "I'm just saying that you don't have to feel obligated to be all formal around me, after all."

"I see," Kagome said, unease still in her voice. She lifted her head and smiled at him. "Okay, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha decided then and there that he liked her calling him Inuyasha better than Shinkanshi-Kun.

Author's notes: A Yankee is what a punk or a troublemaker is called in Japan; someone in a gang, usually.