Disclaimer: I don't own it, so don't sue.
So yeah, this chapter is so incredibly pointless. When I was writing it, I realized – I'm coming relatively close to the end of this fic. I had no idea it was coming so soon. But don't worry, they'll be a few more good chapters in here before it's over. We'll get at least to 16 chapters, if not 17. Hopefully.
Thanks so much for the reviews, and I must say, some of you are reading my mind. I know Inuyasha has been a little out of character lately (being nice to Kagome) but don't worry, he goes back to being a jerk in this chapter. (haha)
As for Sango and Miroku, they'll be getting a little attention the next for chapters, so look for it.
Sesshoumaru has also been a little OOC lately, and you'll find out why.
Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 13 – Defenses
January seemed to flash by as a blur for Kagome and soon whispers of Valentine's day made their way into the high school's halls.
"I hate valentine's day," she grumbled, seeing signs of pink and red hearts all around the cafeteria.
"Tell me about it," Sango said, rubbing her eyes, "it seems to be all anyone talks about – which girl is giving chocolate to which guy and if she has even the slightest chance."
"Let me tell you, I'm giving absolutely no chocolate," Kagome said flatly, "hell, I'll buy a bunch and eat it myself."
"Sounds like a good time," Sango joked, "want to have a party?"
"Oh have a little faith," Rin said cheerfully, "I'm bringing chocolate for everyone."
"Everyone?"
"Not everyone everyone," she said, "just the people I know well."
"Figures," both Kagome and Sango said simultaneously.
"Although," Rin said thoughtfully, "I feel like I should do something special for Sesshoumaru-sama…he's done so much for me and I've yet to repay him in anyway." She sighed and frowned. "He deserves much more than I can offer."
Sango looked at Rin and then to Kagome. She grinned and said, "Kagome…I think Rin is hiding some feelings for a certain Junior, don't you?"
"I am not!" Rin squeaked suddenly, her face instantly turning red.
"You know, I think you're right," Kagome said, smiling as she watched her friend's cheeks turn the color of brick.
"No really," Rin insisted earnestly, trying to hide her fluster, "he's just really done a lot for me and I could never think of him more than-"
"Rin, I don't think it's us you're trying to convince," Sango said softly, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "It's ok Rin, you can't control that stuff."
Rin moaned and put her head down on the lunch table. "Agh, you're right! This isn't fair- I don't want to like him!"
"Why not? He seems like a nice guy," Kagome asked.
"He is," Rin agreed, "but-"
"But what?"
"He's the most detached person I've ever met in my entire life. He doesn't spend any time with anyone…he's in his room all the time. And he's so cold and the more I see him that way the more I want to help him! And then I'm thinking about him all the time, making up little scenarios in my head where I can actually have the courage to tell him and," she sighed, "It's not any use. Nothing between Sesshoumaru-sama and I could ever work out."
"Why's that?" Sango asked.
"Because he sees me as a child," Rin said, playing with her chopsticks.
"Well then don't let him," Kagome said suddenly.
"What do you mean by that?" Rin asked cautiously. Sango too looked confused.
You're not a little girl. Rin- you're 16 and a woman. He may be a year older-"
"And several inches taller," Sango added.
"Yeah, that too. But that doesn't matter- if you really like him, go for it. Don't stop thinking it's a possibility because of something like that. That's all in your head, trust me."
"Kag's right," Sango said with a nod, "where's you're characteristic optimism?"
"It disappeared," Rin said with a sigh, "along with my appetite."
"How many times must I say this?" Sango asked, slightly irritated, "it doesn't need to rhyme. We just need to write a few poems about the same thing." She was beginning to get a headache.
Miroku blinked, "But Sango, I don't know how to write poetry without rhyme. I don't have a muse for inspiration." He lifted his hand from his desk and began to play with her dark hair.
"Stop it," she hissed, pushing his hand away. "Don't you dare touch me, Miroku."
Miroku looked saddened for a moment, "You're still mad, aren't you?"
Her eyes narrowed, "what makes you think I would ever forgive you?"
These words stung at his heart like pricks of needles to the skin. He lowered his head and spoke softly, so none but Sango could hear, "I don't regret what I did that night…but I regret hurting you with all my heart."
"Well then maybe you should have thought about it before doing it," she whispered harshly, looking suddenly close to tears.
"Sango, I-"
"Forget it," she said tersely, "let's just get to work. What are we writing about?"
Miroku said nothing. He stared at his hands, which sat quietly on the desk. Oh the trouble they caused.
"You know, I can't do this without your help," she said rubbing her eyes.
"Seems like you can't do it with my help either," he said quite hopelessly and walked away.
Sango groaned as she watched Miroku stalk out of the classroom. She put her head in her hands and wondered exactly what she had gotten herself into. Her head was pounding. With a sigh she picked up her pencil and began to write.
"Miss Kagome, that looks like an awfully large load you're caring," a voice called as Kagome made her way out the door of her last class. "Would you like help carrying those books?"
"I'm fine Kouga, but thank you for the offer," Kagome said listlessly. It had been a good two weeks that the boy had been offering to carry her books for her.
"But since you're my woman, I figured I should do my part and help you out," he said, reaching for the books in her hand.
She whirled around to look him in the eye. "Kouga, I am not, nor will I be, your 'woman'. I am an independent 16-year-old sophomore who can handle herself. Now, I would appreciate it if you would please just…I don't know, offer to someone else?"
"Ah but Kagome," he said, with a small grin, "I cannot, for you are my master- you have enslaved my heart."
She groaned inwardly – what was the matter with this guy? Couldn't he take a hint.
"Look Kouga," She said with a sigh, "this isn't going to work out. I really need to concentrate on things and I hate to say this, but I need my space. This has caused a lot of problems."
Flashback
"So what do you think the poem is about?" Kagome asked, looking at it.
"Sex, obviously," Inuyasha said, "can't you see that."
"It is not! It's about depression and sadness! What in the world would make you think it's about sex?" Kagome asked irritably. Analyzing poems with Inuyasha Taisho was not on the top of her "Fun Things to Do" list.
"Oh come on. 'Night brings it's wetness to beaches in your soul'? How is that not about sex?" He asked her.
"Night is darkness, representing the depression in one's life. 'It's Wetness' would be the despair, and the 'beaches' is the emotion and mood a person is in," Kagome said, rolling her eyes, "are all boys this dirty minded?"
"I don't know, are all girls as ugly as you?" He shot back.
"God, what is your problem?" She snapped. "Do you have to argue with everything I say?"
"Do you have to be such an idiot?"
"Oh look who's talking! You thought Octavio Paz was writing about sex!"
"Actually, he did write about sex," Miroku said thoughtfully, stopping at their desks, "have you ever read 'Touch'?"
"Not now Miroku!" Both Kagome and Inuyasha yelled in unison.
"Seriously, why are you being such an ass today?" Kagome asked irritably.
"I don't know, why do you associate yourselves with people like Kouga? That kid is an idiot."
Kagome rolled her eyes, "I don't 'associate' myself with him- I'm sorry if he asked if he could carry my books! There really isn't much I can do about it, other than tell him to piss off, which you managed to the first day he tried."
"Maybe you should try it then," he said, "unless you're that desperate for attention."
"I am not desperate for attention! You just have some sort of ego problem!" She was nearly yelling now. It had been enough to attract nearly half the class' attention. "Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to go throw up in the bathroom. Talking to you makes me sick."
"Good," Inuyasha called back as she walked away, "maybe I can stop feeling nauseous now- looking at your face makes me sick."
End Flashback
Kagome sighed to herself. Her grade would be as good as dead in that class unless she and Inuyasha shaped up. Lately, he had been skipping class, or not doing any of the work during the hour. 'Why does he have to be so stubborn?' she thought to herself irritably, 'it's not like any of this affects him at all! Kouga is my problem, unfortunately. Why was he so defensive over a guy like Kouga? I would never date a guy like that…and why would Inuyasha care?'
Kagome looked over her shoulder, hoping that Kouga was gone. Thankfully he was. How in the world was she going to get rid of him?
When at last the 14th rolled around, Kagome awoke knowing the day would be bad. She grumbled as she got out of bed.
Souta burst through her door and yelled, "Sis, come downstairs! Mom made a special valentines day breakfast!" She said nothing, but rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned. Souta looked to a pile of newly purchased bag of chocolates next to his sister's bed.
"Who are you giving your chocolate to?"
She glared at him in a way that said I'm-not-in-the-mood. He squeaked and ran out of the room. She made her way downstairs to find her mother humming lightly as she made breakfast.
"Are those pancakes?" Kagome asked, surprised.
"Oh, good morning dear," she kissed her daughter's forehead, "and yes they are pancakes. Some are plain and there's also a stack of chocolate chip."
"Wow, Souta wasn't kidding," Kagome said, cheering slightly, "you did go overboard."
"Well I figured it's Valentine's Day," she said, "and with al the chocolate you bought, you'll have boys calling at all hours."
"Oh, I'm not giving them to anyone," she interrupted proudly, "Sango and I are going to eat them. Rather than hoping for a guy to notice us, then wallow in self pity for a month, we decided to celebrate our independence day."
"Your what?" Her mother asked impassively.
"Our independence day- we're celebrating being single."
"I don't know Kagome," her mother said thoughtfully, "it wouldn't' hurt to give a little bit away. That's how I met your father, you know."
'Oh god, not this again,' Kagome thought with a roll of her eyes. "I know…"
"There must be some boy at school you take a fancy to," her mother said.
A picture of Inuyasha sped through Kagome's mind. She frowned. "No, I can't think of a one."
"Oh pish-posh," her grandfather said as he walked in the room, "if I know my Kagome, they're all crazy for you." He winked. "That's how your mother was."
Kagome's mother laughed and said, "oh dad, you know that's not true."
"Yes it was! There were boys all about the house!"
"No there weren't-"
The two began to argue their cases, and they hardly noticed Kagome slip out of the room, shaking her head.
An alarm clock gave it's defiant ring. Inuyasha's hand reached out from under the covers, grabbed it, and threw it against the wall. It gave a few sparks before the sound died down completely. He let out a few curse words and sat up in bed.
That was the third alarm clock he had broken that week. And it was only Wednesday.
He got out of bed and headed for the shower. Halfway through his 2nd repeat of conditioner, he remembered what day it was. Valentine's day. He smirked at the thought – how much chocolate was he going to get this year?
He and Miroku had a bet going this year, to see who would get the most chocolate. Usually, they were close every year. Most often, it was the same girls year after year, all the way from middle school. But now that the high school was integrated from the two districts there would be more girls and more chocolate. After school, he and Miroku would count all their chocolate, declare a winner, and eat it.
A tradition since childhood.
His smirk continued as he made his way downstairs to breakfast. He went into the kitchen, still smiling. Today would be a great day.
"Good morning Master Inuyasha," one of the maids, Tadako said, handing him a plate of food, "you're looking unusually chipper this morning."
"Today is Valentine's day," he reported. "I love valentine's day. It's an excuse to eat as much chocolate as I want, while still celebrating the fact that I'm single."
Rin, who sat quietly on the far end of the kitchen suddenly choked on her orange juice.
Inuyasha turned to look at her, it was the first time he had actually noticed her there.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said, "I've just been hearing that all week." She handed him a small bag of chocolate.
He raised an eyebrow. "What's this for?" She shrugged.
"I dunno. I'm giving everyone chocolate," she said with a laugh, "you're being unusually nice to Kagome lately…so I figured I'd give you a bag."
Inuyasha shrugged off the comment with one of his own, "thanks…now I see why Sesshoumaru keeps you around." She turned a slight shade of pink and walked away.
"Must you always share your rude tendencies with everyone?" Sesshoumaru drawled as he made his way into the kitchen.
"Must you always be such a jackass?" Inuyasha shot back.
"You idiot," Sesshoumaru said, shaking his head.
Inuyasha stood from his chair, "What was that?"
"Boys!" Tadako barked suddenly, "can we get through a single morning without this? You're father won't be happy to hear it when he returns."
"Where'd he go now?" Inuyasha asked her.
"Belize."
"Oh fuck this," Inuyasha said, shaking his head, "I'm going to school." They could hear the door slam all the way from the kitchen.
He drove unusually fast to school that day. The sooner he got there, the sooner he could get his mind off of stupid Sesshoumaru and his stupid father and concentrate on more important things – like being worshipped by a bunch of girls.
Miroku met him at the doors. "Good morning," he said cheerfully. Inuyasha growled slightly. Miroku frowned, "What's that for?"
A girl walked by, placing a small bag of chocolate in both there hands, then quickly running away. The boys looked at each other, and Inuyasha's frown quickly changed to a grin. "Let the game's begin."
In case you were wondering, the poem Inuyasha and Kagome are arguing about is Octavio Paz's "Water Night" (good text- and no, it's not about sex. Eric Whitacre made a choral arrangement of the song, and half the class thought it was about sex. Look up the text sometime and decide for yourself)
The next chapter should be interesting. I'll give you a hint
A little action from Kikyo (it's been awhile since she's stuck her head in)
And a little Valentine's day fun in English class
A sight into the chaos of the Taisho Family
Thanks so much for reading! (Don't forget to review!)
