I'm playing Kingdom Hearts, FF7, FFX, FFT (again in hopes of finding Cloud!), have just purchased FF8 and my buddy Yami Kula is letting me borrow her FF X-2! When the hell am I gonna play all these games? That's it, I'm boycotting school. It rots the mind. Video games are far more healthy. — Sh34k4

A Sweettooth's Ache –8

Kagome (Kag)Sango (San)

InuYasha (Inu)Miroku (Mir)

Sesshōmaru (Sesshy)Shippō (Shp)

"I'm Kagome's brother," Sesshōmaru had told InuYasha.

Wee. For a good long minute there were no words, only lackjawed silence. Kag had a brother! Since when? Had he been that morning or something? Inu attempted to think.

Lord Sesshy kindly filled in the silence as Inu tried to pull his brain back together. "I gather she never spoke of me. That's all right though, I'll explain." He walked over to a nearby chair and motioned for Inu to seat himself — as though he was host!

Grudgingly, Inu sat but not in any of the chairs he had motioned to, but in a comfy armchair that looked more authoritative than the others. Sesshy shrugged his elegant shoulders, the paragon of nonchalance. Inu secretly wondered, What kind of pansy wears silk

"My father died when I was around ten years old and a few years later, Mother married Kag's father. A few weeks ago, I left Kag to take care of some business in a few companies I'm watching." He sat forward. "And now I'm back, only to find my little sister is having a Gang War and dating some dog-demon, half-breed. So," he gave Inu a very direct look, "what's going on?"

Inu looked taken aback and was about to ask him how the hell he should know when he realized Sesshy was referring to his relationship with Kag. Tilting his chin in an arrogant manner, Inu asked, "What do you want to know?"

Sesshy gave him a thin smile as though he were grudgingly granting him a point in a game. "I want to know what your intentions towards my baby sister are."

Inu's ears pricked. 'Intentions?' Did he have any of those? Intentions . . . towards Kag? "What kind of intentions are you talking about?"

Now Sesshy looked a bit ticked. "Of the respectable kind of course!"

Why had he gotten the feeling that he'd say that? Why was it always the 'respectable' kind? And why did Kag have to have a brother who would come and ask those type of questions?

Inu cleared his throat. "Well, I suppose I have some of those," he began awkwardly. Sesshy shifted in his chair as though to hear him better and Inu gulped as he racked his mind for one honest thought dealing with Kag — long silence. His brain is blank . . . "Um, well, I . . . uh . . . I wanna protect her," he rushed out. It was the first thing that came to mind.

"Well, I'm sure that's nice. Have you any more?" the bastard challenged.

"I . . . uh . . . I'm gonna help her with this rebellion thing. And I'm . . . I can . . . AHH! Stop questioning me! I know your game ya' bastard! I'm gonna date Kag whether you like it or not so go fsck yourself!" Inu jumped up and stomped from the room, but not before he heard Sesshy begin to laugh.

He was laughing!

Forget leaving the room, he was gonna beat the livin' daylights out of him! He twirled around to find Sesshy right behind him. When had he done that? How had he moved without him hearing it? This guy was no ordinary man.

Sesshy looked him in the eye and told him quite honestly, "I was wondering when you would snap. You see, I've heard that you have a very short temper when it comes to my sister and frankly, I'm pleased." He stepped back and offered Inu his hand. "No hard feelings."

Inu gave Sesshy's hand a tight squeeze and was surprised to feel one — possibly an even stronger one in return. Before he could act on it, Sesshy had dropped his hand and was making him way to the door but paused in the doorway.

"That reminds me. An AR told me to tell you Kag said, 'It's your turn.'" He shrugged at the cripticness of women before making his way from the room.

Inu waited until he was sure Sesshy was out of hearing range before digging out his cell phone and giving Kag a call. She picked up on the third ring.

"It's about time you called! You were supposed to call at least half hour ago!" Kag shrieked.

"I was going to but got sidetracked by someone important to you at least. A Lord Sesshōmaru." He mentally growled at the man's name.

"SESSHY'S BACK!" The way she said his name kind of tweeked a nerve but it was alright since he was her brother and all. It didn't matter because she was still talking. "— wait until he gets here! I'll beat the shit out of him for going away for so long! WAIT! You said you met him? How'd he know about you? What did you guys talk about? Was I mentioned? Do you like him?"

"Hold on! How am I to answer when you just keep talking? Now repeat the first one again," Inu demanded.

But it wasn't meant to be. Kag shrieked again before saying hurriedly, "He just pulled up! I'll call you back, later Inu!" :click: For a long moment, the only thing Inu could do was stare at the 'Call Ended' message until it turned into a picture of Kag and himself as they hugged for his picture phone. They had been happy then and somehow, Inu knew this 'brother' thing was only going to cause problems.

'Do you like him?' she had asked. The truth was he wasn't quite sure. That was beside the point anyhow. What he should be worrying about was his gang and not his girl's older brother. Besides, what did he have to worry about anyway?

The Spot

Sesshy was twirling Kag around in her office before sliding her over his shoulder in a june-bug move. Kag followed right along and soon they were laughing at their own sillyness. There may have been an eleven year difference between the two but Sesshy didn't look it and Kag didn't feel it.

She slipped into a mocking curtsy and respectfully said, "My lord."

Sesshy brushed her foolishness aside. "Now none of that stupidity, Kag. I'm too tired for your games."

"'Too tired for my games' but not too tired to go visit my boyfriend?" She quirked an eyebrow at him and waited for him to abandon his innocent look.

Sesshy merely shrugged. "Well, I wanted to see what he was like, sue me," — "I'll reserve that right!" — he waved her comment away. "You wouldn't believe who I found!"

That comment quirked Kag's interest. She never could stop challenging her brain, Sesshy though pleased. "Come on, your surprise is waiting for you downstairs."

Kag wondered what it could be as she walked down the stairs in front of Sesshy. As soon as she hit the landing though, she knew, for there he was standing right in front of her.

"KOGA!" She jumped the last steps into his waiting arms and that was what Inu saw as he walked into the room.

END

Excuse my lack of pointing this out, but: I LOVE CLIFFHANGERS! Isn't it wonderful? Ph34R my wicked 3VIL! Muwahaha! This is fun. Surprise! Koga! I've decided to speed up appearances for my lack of a good pen — they're all dying and it's only second Quarter! What the hell have I been writing? Review! — Sh34k4