A Bride's Request and a Bridesmaid's Promise
Chapter 2 -
Author's note: well here's my second chapter, 14 pages! Aren't you guys just ever so lucky. Quick thanks to all those lovely lovely people who reviewed. I love you ALL!!!
White Tiger Angel: thanks, I'm glad you liked my decision you'll understand why Miroku didn't grope her by the end
Neinna: lol! thanks for the review! It made me update as soon as possible, hope it was TOO long for you to wait!
Ladyhawk89: YAY!!! thank you for the kind words, they motivate me beyond belief
alejandra:thanks for reviewing hope you like the chapter
xXloveablekdXx: thanks for reviewing hope you enjoy the next instalment
KHStennis01:thanks I'm so glad you like my story!!
Ms Mug:Yay!! You love my story!! I'm so happy! Hope this chapter lives up to your expectations
inu-dog-dem: YAY!!! Thank you for being my first reviewer!! A million thanx for taking the time to read my story!
"Damn it Sango," Inuyasha said annoyed. "When's this friend of yours gonna show up? We've been waiting for fifteen minutes already!"
"Don't worry Inuyasha, I'm sure she's on her way," Sango said trying to calm the aggravated man who was pacing back and forth across in the entrance hall of the hotel Kagome was staying at. But inside, she was wondering just where exactly Kagome was and what she was doing.
"I say," Inuyasha grumbled, "that we leave her here and she can find her way to the Roosevelt on her own."
"Now, now, Inuyasha," Miroku chided with a chuckle, "haven't you heard that patience is a virtue?"
"Miroku," Inuyasha said in his most threatening voice.
Just then Sango exclaimed, "oh here she comes! Kagome over here!" Kagome started to jog a little, well as fast as she could in high heels.
"Hi Sango," Kagome said with a happy smile, embracing her friend. "Sorry that I'm late." Giving Miroku a quick hug as well she said, "I hope you weren't waiting long."
"No, only fifteen bloody minutes woman," Inuyasha said sarcastically. "Do you not own a clock?"
Sango saw Kagome stiffen at the sound of Inuyasha's voice but then her best friend shook her head slightly as if telling herself she was being silly and turned around. "Hi I'm Kagome and you are?" she said with a cheerful smile that looked somewhat forced, turning to look at the man she had completely overlooked in her hurry to apologize for being late.
Locking eyes with a pair of golden ones she new only too well, Kagome froze. Sango looked from one face to the other and saw mirrored expressions of shock.
"Umm Kagome," Sango said. "I'd like you to meet Inuyasha. Inuyasha this is Kagome my best friend."
"We already know each other," Inuyasha said angrily. "Introductions aren't necessary."
"Hi Inuyasha," Kagome said softly. "It's been a long time since we last saw each other. How are you?"
"What the hell are you doing here wench," Inuyasha demanded.
That snapped Kagome out of her shock and she snapped, "I could ask you the same thing. Could at least try to be polite and say hello before attacking me!"
"Um do you two know each other?" Miroku asked slightly confused. He knew Inuyasha sometimes was rude but he had actually never seen him this rude.
"I guess you could say that," Kagome said. "Inuyasha and I lived in the same small town before I moved to New York and met Sango. And it looks as if he's still the same arrogant jerk as ever. And to answer your question, I'm the bridesmaid of honour. What are you doing here?"
"I'm the best man wench," Inuyasha said. "And I could say the same about you! You're still the same ridiculously cheerful stupid girl I knew when I was eight!"
"Whatever, better than being arrogant" Kagome replied turning to Sango, "Sango is he really the best man!"
"Yeah, he and Miroku have known each other since university," Sango replied. This was highly unlike Kagome to be open about how much she hated someone; normally she just acted reserved towards them but still polite. Yet Kagome was being quite blatantly honest with this guy about how much she disliked him so Sango assumed that something must have happened between the two of them when they were little, and she wondered what is was. "Well I hate to interrupt this umm….reunion but if we don't hurry we're going to miss our meeting with the man who's planning our wedding. He's going to walk us through what we've got planned so far and all that sort of stuff."
"Oh yeah," Miroku said. "We should get going you're right Sango we've got tons to do."
Inuyasha flashed Kagome one fiery glare before following Miroku out to the car.
Sango saw Kagome's shoulders stoop slightly as he left, and said, "Kagome are you alright?"
"Yeah Sango," Kagome said with a sigh. "Inuyasha and I never really got along well as kids; that's all. It's weird seeing him after all these years."
"Well he's sometimes rude, but he's actually quite nice sometimes. But I know he can be hard to handle when he's in a bad mood and well the two of you were quite open about your dislike for one another, but if he gives you any trouble just tell me and I'll put things straight," Sango said putting a comforting hand on Kagome shoulders as they walked towards the car.
"Thanks Sango," Kagome said with a small smile. "I'll be fine. Don't worry I won't let him get to me."
&&&&&&&&&&
Unfortunately though, Kagome's resolution till the next day at lunch time as she Sango, Inuyasha and Miroku sat at a quaint restraint eating lunch. She was exactly half way through her pomegranate and feta cheese spinach salad she had ordered. Up until that point she had forced herself to ignore every stinging little insult Inuyasha had thrown at her, only occasionally making a witty remark back, but it had been getting harder and harder to not snap at him when he was so obviously baiting her. "So Inuyasha," Kagome said in a polite attempt to make small talk. "What are you doing now?"
"I own Tesuiga Inc." Inuyasha said simply.
"Wow," Kagome said impressed. Tesuiga Inc. was one of the most powerful companies in North America. "And how about your brother Sesshomaru, how's he?"
"He's doing fine," Inuyasha said and saw the look Miroku gave him and went on. "Ummmm he decided he'd rather be lawyer, then run the company so that's what he's doing now."
"Oh," Kagome said. "He married Rin Uchigasaki right?"
"Yeah," Inuyasha said one eyebrow raising. "How'd you hear about that?"
"Oh one of my friends in LA knew Rin and she flew down last year for the wedding. I saw the pictures afterwards and recognized Sesshomaru. He still looks the same as he did when we were kids."
"Oh," Inuyasha said. "Well at least you're more observant than you were as a kid."
Kagome's last nerve snapped. They had actually been having what might be deemed as a pleasant conversation and then he had to go and spoil it. "Well of course I am!" she snapped at him. "Do you expect a twenty-five year old woman to be the same as she was eight!!!"
"No," Inuyasha snapped back, "I was just commenting that's all!"
"Yeah right," Kagome said rolling her eyes. "You're trying to annoy me! Just like you did when we were kids! I'll have you know I've changed a lot since I was eight! For the better I'd like to believe, I'm not longer that naïve little girl who fell hopelessly in love with you only to be devastated when I found out you hated me!"
"Hey don't blame me for your mistakes," Inuyasha retorted slightly happy that she was finally fighting back like she used to rather than just ignoring him. She was finally paying attention to him!
Kagome opened her mouth to say something but it seemed that it wasn't only Kagome's last nerve that had broken. "STOP IT!!!!" Sango cried. "For Christ's sake will you please stop arguing! I'm sick of it! You've done nothing but bicker all day long; can you two be in each other's presence for five minutes without fighting?"
Both Kagome and Inuyasha froze mid-argument and each turned to look at their friend who was crying. Kagome instantly felt bad, she hadn't thought about how hard it would be on Sango having two of her closest friends arguing.
"Can you not just put the past behind you for 2 weeks!! Please that's all I'm asking of you! Just be nice to each other until the wedding is over! I can't deal with this on top of everything else!" Sango said and dashed off to the bathroom. Kagome sat shocked for a second before hurriedly grabbing her purse and rising to her feet, "I'll be right back I'll just go talk to her."
Pressing the door to the bathroom open slowly Kagome paused a moment when she heard Sango sniffling trying desperately not to start bawling. "Sango?" she said quietly walking in and then ducking into a stall grabbed some toilet paper to substitute for Kleenex and crossing to her best friend who was sitting on the sink counter and jumped up next to her offering her the tissue. "Are you okay?"
"Oh Kagome," Sango said starting to cry. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak out like that, I'm- I'm just under so much stress right now with the wedding and all I guess my hormones are all out of whack. I mean I have so much to do in two weeks, and I forced myself to leave all the important stuff like the dress and stuff till the end so you could be here."
"Oh Sango," Kagome said wrapping her arms around her friend. "Don't be sorry, it's all my fault. I promise I'll put the past behind me till after the wedding and I'll make him agree to too, even if I have to break his head to get the message through to him. I promise I won't fight with him anymore, I won't let anything spoil your wedding."
"Thank you Kagome, it means a lot to me," Sango said sniffling now that her tears were dried out.
"Sango are you sure everything is okay?" Kagome said. "Nothing else bothering you? I noticed you've been a little preoccupied with something."
"Well," Sango said and then paused. "I hadn't wanted to tell you like this, in some bathroom. I wanted to wait a little longer before I was sure, but……..well…….Kagome I think I'm pregnant."
Kagome gasped and cried out joyously, "Oh Sango really? Congratulations, that's so wonderful. When did you find out?"
"Well I don't know for sure yet," Sango said. "But I'm next to positive; I'm five days late so far." She paused letting Kagome absorb what she had just said before going on. "And I don't know if this counts but I've developed a constant craving for pineapple, which I used to hate and well I read a long time ago that unusual craving sometimes occur."
"Oh Sango!" Kagome cried joyously hugging her friend tighter now they were both crying again. "I'm so happy for you!! I can't believe it getting married and pregnant! Have you told Miroku yet?"
"No," Sango said. "Not yet, I want to be one hundred percent sure before I tell him, you know how badly he wants a kid. I'd hate to tell and then find out that it was a false alarm. My appointment with the doctor is next week on Wednesday. Then if the doctor says yes, I'll tell him."
"Oh Sango," Kagome said slowly slightly unsure of how to phrase what she was about to say next. "I know you're only thinking of Miroku's feelings but I think you should tell him. If having a kid is so important to him, I think the whole process would be important to him as well and he'd want to be there with you every step of the way."
Sango was quiet for a moment and the said, "but what if I'm wrong?"
"Well it's not as if Miroku won't forgive you Sango," Kagome chided gently. "He loves you, and something like you mistaking the fact that your pregnant won't change how he feels towards you."
Sango took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling, "you're right," she said after another deep breath. "I don't know what I was thinking not tell Miroku. " Looking at Kagome she smiled and said, "what would I do without you?"
"I don't know," Kagome joked. "Well I'm going to head back out; do you realize that we just left Miroku and Inuyasha sitting completely confused at the table."
"Oh no!" Sango said. "The poor guys they're probably wondering just what's going on in here."
"Oh yes," Kagome said wickedly. "Their probably dying of curiosity."
"Well," Sango said sliding gently off the counter, "you go on out and put them out of their misery. Tell Miroku I'm fine, he'll probably be freaking out right about now and that I'll be out shortly. I'm just going to freshen up after that little bout of crying."
"You sure?" Kagome asked and when he friend nodded she said. "Okay, but don't be too long okay." And with that Kagome walked briskly back out of the washroom and over to the table where Miroku and Inuyasha were sitting, Miroku with a look of a man close to panic and Inuyasha with a look that to anyone other than Kagome would have been passed off as indifference. But Kagome had grown up with him and knew that he was actually dying of curiosity and just didn't want to beg her for the information.
"Well," Miroku asked frantically. "Is she okay? What did she say? Is she still crying? She's not going to call off the wedding is she? Does she still-"
"Miroku!" Kagome interjected taking both of his hands in her own to try and calm the frantic man down. "It's okay. Sango's just fine, she's just a little emotional from all the stress." Kagome saw him about to ask his questions once more so she said, "shh. Calm down. She's still going to go through with the wedding and she still loves you. She's just in the bathroom freshening up, and she'll be out shortly. Okay? Are you calm now?" Miroku sighed heavily, and nodded his head. "Good. Now about what she said earlier I think we should solve this and not get Sango involved. She's stressed out enough as it is." Sighing a sigh almost rivalling Miroku's, Kagome turned to Inuyasha. "What Sango really want is for the two of us to stop fighting. So what I propose is a truce."
"Hell no," Inuyasha said simply.
"I beg your pardon?" Kagome said menacingly.
"I said," Inuyasha replied repeating himself very slowly as if he was speaking to a two year old. "Hell.....no."
Kagome's anger rose up once more and she grabbed one long strand of Inuyasha's hair and dragged his head forward until he was looking her straight in the eye a mere inch away from her nose. "Listen buster," Kagome said in a tone that would have frozen hell over. "My best friend is getting married and I will let nothing, I repeat nothing, ruin this for her. Got that? Now what I'm saying is that we can still hate each other all we like but we are going to keep it to ourselves. That means no snide comments, no trying to bait the other one to loose their temper; to everyone else it will appear as if we are the best of friends. And that will last until Sango and Miroku leave for their honeymoon to Hawaii, and then we can both go our separate ways and never see each other again. Comprendé?"
Both Miroku and Inuyasha wore twin expressions of fear, both of them thinking the exact same thing: 'I've never seen Kagome this mad in my life!'
Inuyasha recovered quickly and hid his momentary fear of the girl who was holding his hair in a way that implied she wished it was his head. Shaking himself mentally Inuyasha replied, "I still say no."
"Now Inuyasha," Miroku said chiding him. "Why ever not, you don't have to sacrifice anything, you just have to act like you and Kagome are friends for 2 short weeks! Is that too much to ask?"
"If you knew her, yes!" Inuyasha retorted.
"You're impossible! I think if I can overcome my pride and put up with you," Kagome said. "You should be able to too! It's your best friend's wedding too, or are you to selfish to think about what Miroku wants!"
"I'm not being selfish, I'm being honest. Why would I want to speak the next week forcing myself to be nice to some one as ugly as you!" Inuyasha retorted turning his nose up to stare at the ceiling stung by her comment. But when Kagome didn't snap back at him, he looked back at her and instantly knew that he had gone too far. She just sat there staring at her lap, her eyes filled with pain and tears shimmering at the corner's threatening to fall. Seeing her bottom lip begin to tremble Inuyasha she was going to start crying and reached his hand out about to tell her not to cry but before he could Kagome reached down she hastily grabbed her purse, and whispered, "I'm sorry Miroku but I have to go now, I- I- I forgot I had something really important to do" and then hurried out of the restaurant knowing inwardly that neither of them would believe her pathetic excuse and could easily see the tears that were beginning to stream down her face.
"Inuyasha," Miroku said trying to keep his voice light, "may I speak with you outside for a moment?"
"Uh sure," Inuyasha said slightly confused. Why couldn't Miroku just say what he wanted here no one else was there. Walking out side Inuyasha turned to face Miroku. "So what do you need to talk about? It's not my fault that wench's so sensitive."
Miroku just blinked once and then before Inuyasha could react punched him square in the face. "You bastard," he said. "how could you say that to Kagome. What the hell kind of person are you?"
Inuyasha looked up shocked holding his nose, which was bleeding quite steadily.
"Miroku!!!" Sango exclaimed bursting out of the restraunt. "What in heaven's name are you doing! I just came out of the bathroom and I saw you punch Inuyasha! What's going on!?"
"Inuyasha called Kagome ugly," Miroku replied looking Sango square in the eye, "and she ran off crying."
"What!" Sango exclaimed. Rounding on Inuyasha she yelled, "You bastard how could you say that to Kagome!! What kind of man are you!! I've never met someone Kagome doesn't like and now I can see why….she….doesn't…like….you...." Sango said her voice trailing off as some unknown piece of the puzzle clicked within her brain. "You're the one," she said softly more to herself than to Inuyasha. "You're the one, no wonder she doesn't like you!"
"What the fuck!" Inuyasha yelled trying to strem the torrent of blood pouring out of his nose. "What the hell is that supposed to mean! Would one of you kindly let me in on why my best friend punched me and why you all seem to think I'm a bastard!"
"I've got to go!" Sango exclaimed placing her hands to her mouth in horror. "Oh god i can't believe I was so blind. I have to find her!"
"But Sango wait!" Miroku called. "Where are you going! What about our meeting with the wedding planner?"
"There is no meeting," Sango said running over to the curb and signalling a cab which immediately screeched to a hault beside her to which Sango immediately crawled into closing the door behind her. "The wedding's off."
"What!" Miroku said running over to the cab and immediately pounded on the window motioning for her to roll it down. "Why?"
"How could I live with myself knowing I had married the man whose best friend is the vilest and selfish creature on this planet, Kagome means more to me than any other person in the world," Sango said briefly before she rolled the window up and turned her head to the cab driver and directed him to the hotel where Kagome was staying. "After all we've been through together I couldn't do that, what kind of friend would I be?"
As the cab drove off Miroku stared after it watching hopelessly as it carried his one true love further and further away from him with every second. "Sango," he whispered desolately.
Inuyasha walked over and demanded, "what the hell was that about Miroku?"
"I'm not saying anything till I get a few drinks in me," Miroku said. "Take me to the nearest bar and I'll tell you anything you want."
Inuyasha groaned and half an hour later he found himself sitting in a dimly lit bar drinking a beer. "Tequila, please" Miroku said to the bar tender.
"Just a glass of tequila?" the bar tender asked somewhat apprehensive.
"No the whole bottle," Miroku said slumping onto his arms.
"What happened to him?" the bar tender asked Inuyasha.
"Just give the guy whatever he wants," Inuyasha said. "His fiancé just dumped him."
The bar tender winced sympathetically and plopped a half full bottle of tequila in font of Miroku with a shot glass. "Good point, the poor guy probably wants to get rid of the memory as soon as possible."
Miroku looked up at the bottle resting in front of his nose and pushed his head back up and poured himself a glass of the tequila and downed it in one gulp. Which he did three times in rapid succession before Inuyasha exclaimed, "Good god Miroku! Are you trying to kill yourself!"
"I've lost her," Miroku said forlornly. "She's gone forever."
"Cheer up man," Inuyasha said clapping Miroku on the shoulder. "Where's the Miroku I used to know!? The one who get turned down one hundred times in a single night and still be able to say to me, 'oh well plenty of more beautiful fish in the sea'. So what are you mopping about, I was surprised you were so loyal to her for so long! You're should look at it that way; she's been your longest relationship to date, nearly two years! You can't stay with a woman much longer than before they start nagging you and wanting children. I was surprised she managed to get you to even propose. I remember my heart nearly stopping when you told me you had proposed; I had never thought that you would ever want to settle down and give up your games. I know you may not see it this way right now, but you're better off no man wants to stay with one woman for the rest of his life."
"I did," Miroku said softly to his shot glass. "I was the one who wanted the children and who wanted to settle down and raise a family, not Sango. The thought never even crossed her mind before I proposed. Once I met Sango I didn't want to be a player anymore. I didn't just see her as some woman I wanted to bed, I saw her as an equal someone I could love. I respected her and I even changed my ways to make her love me. I stopped groping her and other women, I stopped asking any women I met to sleep with me."
"Exactly," Inuyasha said triumphantly. "Don't you see, now that Sango's gone you can go back to your old perverted ways you can have as many girls as you can catch in a single night!"
"But I don't want any of those other girls now, I only want Sango," Miroku said miserably. "I don't love them the way I love her, hell I never loved any of them at all! Why would I want them when I know I've found the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with? Why would I look at some one else when I've found the woman I want to raise a family and grow old with? How could I ever love anyone, more than I love Sango?"
That shut Inuyasha up, he had no clue what to say to that. So he decided to change the subject, "quick question before we go further down this path of misery. Mind explaining to me why you punched me."
"'Cuz you called Kagome ugly," Miroku said pouring himself another glass of tequila wishing the potent alcohol would take effect already and put him out of this misery that was his life.
"Why's that such a big deal?" Inuyasha asked confused. "I always used to call her ugly when we were kids. I didn't mean anything by it."
"Kagome's got issues about her weight," Miroku said expanding. "According to Sango, Kagome's always thought she was overweight and was constantly obsessing about her weight and such stuff. She'd refer to herself as fat and ugly and was constantly trying to lose weight."
Inuyasha felt a tiny flicker of guilt in the pit of his stomach that he forced himself to ignore at the familiarity of those words. Not really wanting to know what had happened to the girl he had known as a child but at the same time knowing it was something he had to hear Inuyasha said ,"go on."
"Things weren't too bad," Miroku went on, "Until about 3 years ago when all of Kagome's family was killed in a terrible fire while she was attending a late night seminar at the university. After their funerals she entered a really bad depression, and lost what little appetite she had. Basically Sango said that Kagome lost the will to live, she didn't want to go on without her family. Sango and I didn't realise the severity of her eating disorder of her depression until Sango went over one day to visit and found Kagome passed out of the floor from lack of food. We rushed her to the hospital, praying it wasn't too late, where the doctor's much to our relief told us she would live, and that she had been anorexic and that was what had caused her to faint."
"Good god," Inuyasha breathed. Never in his wildest ideas had it ever occurred to him what Kagome had gone through. "Poor Higurashi, I had no idea. So her brother, Souta, or what ever he was called died too?"
"Yeah," Miroku said. "He was a cute kid, his death is probably caused Kagome the most grief. She and her brother had always been close."
"You're telling me," Inuyasha said. "The kid used to trail around after me, hero-worshipping the ground I walk on....... It makes me wish I had been nicer to him rather than just rolling my eyes and telling him to go bother someone else."
"That's the curse of hindsight alright I think we all go through it," Miroku sighed. "After that Sango forced Kagome to live with us until she recovered from her anorexia so that we could both keep our eyes on her, well as recovered as she'll ever be. Kagome still has issues about her weight but now she knows the dangers and eats properly balanced and proportioned meals. I'll never forget it, both Kagome and Sango were dragged through hell and back. They'd always been close, but that brought them even closer. Then upon uttering his love's name," Miroku's shoulder stooped lower and he sighed saying Sango's name softly to himself. "I don't know what I'm going to do without her Inuyasha."
Inuyasha looked guiltily at his best friend, this, all of this was his fault. Kagome's anorexia, thw wedding being called off, damn it why did these things always happen to him!Closing his eyes Inuyasha tried to think, it was obvious that Miroku's feelings ran deeper than he had originally thought. Miroku was his best friend, and it hurt Inuyasha to see him in so much emotional pain. And the more Inuyasha thought about it the more he realised that there was only one option left open to him for redemption in his friends eyes: he had to make this right. Opening his eyes, Inuyasha went to ask Miroku what the name of Kagome's hotel was and almost fell over when he saw his best friend boozed out on the table his head in his arms.
"Well," Inuyasha thought to himself, "better get Miroku home and then over to Higurashi's to apologize and beg her to convince Sango to want to marry Miroku again."
&&&&&&&&&&
A few hours later Kagome still lay sobbing in Sango's arms, while her best friend stroked her hair as a sign of empathy. "Shhhh," she said soothingly. "He's just a jerk Kagome, you said it yourself a self-centered, arrogant egotistical jerk. You just have to ignore him; he's worth less than the dust on your shoes."
"I don't know if I ever called him egotistical," Kagome said chokingly trying to joke but her voice and she sobbed, "but it sure fits." And burst into a new wave of tears.
"Don't believe a word he says," Sango said, "he's obviously got his head screwed on wrong because you're beautiful Kagome. You're beautiful and if he's to blind to see that than he's even more ignorant than I thought."
"I- I- I-" Kagome sobbed incoherently trying to talk, until she was interrupted by the ringing of the bedside phone.
Sango looked down at Kagome and then at the phone. Kagome nodded her head saying, "you- you go a-ahead and answer."
Sango nodded and gently let go of a still shaking Kagome and rose to her feet and gently lifted the phone off the receiver and drew it to her ear. "Hello?"
"Hello," a lady said. "this is the front desk am I speaking with Kagome Higurashi?"
"No," Sango replied, "I'm her friend, Sango. Would you like to speak with her?"
"Yes please," the lady replied.
Covering the receiver with her hand Sango said, "Kagome it's the front office, they want to speak with you."
Clearing her voice Kagome sniffed once and took the phone from Sango and answered, "hello this is Kagome."
"Hello Ms. Higurashi," the lady said, "we have a young man down here wishing to speak with you. He says that," the lady paused and Kagome heard Inuyasha's voice in the background obviously yelling at the lady. "That he needs to speak with you, and that he knows you probably hate him right now but that it's really important."
"Umm okay," Kagome said.
"This man is wanting to come up to your room, but we generally do not allow people to go barging around in the hostel without first phoning the room holder to double check that it is okay. Would you like us to send mister Inuyasha up or would you like us to have him return at a later date?"
Kagome's breath caught in her throat, he wanted to come up and see her. What was she supposed to say! "Tell him," she began but realised that her voice was far to quite so she repeated herself slightly louder, "tell him he can come up."
"Alright," the lady said, "for a second there I was afraid you would say you didn't want to and I would have to send him packing and well he was pretty determined to see you."
"I can imagine," Kagome said weakly.
"Okay we're sending him up now, have a lovely evening Ms. Higurashi."
"Thank you, you too," Kagome said and turning to Sango she said, "Inuyasha's coming up right now, He says he wants to talk to me."
"What!" Sango exclaimed. "You're letting that bastard up here after everything he's done to you! Kagome are you out of your mind!"
"No," Kagome replied.
Sighing Sango said, "well where do you want me to wait? I'm spending the night here with you, ah! No arguments, I'm not leaving you along in this state."
"I uh guess you can just wait downstairs in the lobby until you see him leave," Kagome said weakly.
Sango's eyes narrowed slightly but she nodded, "alright," and got to her feet and with brisk steps that told Kagome she was annoyed at her decision to let Inuyasha come up left the room.
Sighing Kagome walked to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face. Drying it she evaluated her face. Her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying and her cheeks were tinged red as well, her hair was a disaster too so she quickly took a brush to it and tied it into a braid. Noticing that she was wearing her pyjama's Kagome slipped her dressing robe over top just as a light knock sounded on her door. Walking slowly to the door Kagome hesitantly opened the door and found Inuyasha standing there. "Come on in," she said softly.
&&&&&&&&&&&
Inuyasha looked at Kagome and another wave of guilt flooded him, there she was standing in her fluffy blue night robe, her eyes all red and puffy from crying and her hair in a simple braid down her back with tiny wisps floating gently around her face here and there. And then just the way her voice softly said, "come on in." Inuyasha stepped through the doorway into the single bed hotel room. Walking over to messy bed she sat down and motioned for him to join her.
"Miroku told you didn't he," she said staring at the painting on the nearby wall unable to meet his eyes.
"Why do you say that?" he asked looking at her.
"The Inuyasha I know wouldn't have come, unless Miroku had," Kagome said simply.
Inuyasha sighed did she really think so little of him? "Look Higurashi," Inuyasha began but Kagome cut him off.
"I don't want your pity," Kagome said. "And don't you dare say you understand because you don't."
"I wasn't going to say that," Inuyasha said slightly annoyed but understanding where she was coming from. If he had been in her spot he probably would have said the exact same thing. Hell, had he been in her place he never would have let him up! "I came here to apologize."
Kagome's head spun around until her eyes locked with his and he could see shock in them. "I'm sorry what did you say?"
"I came here to say that I'm sorry," Inuyasha said looking away. "I never realized how much…hurt I caused you when I called you fat and ugly."
"Go on," Kagome said her face impassive.
"And that I just feel really bad about what you had to go through and I just need to ask you something," Inuyasha said meeting her eyes. "Was it what said that made you feel bad about yourself?"
Kagome dropped her gaze, "no it wasn't you," she replied but Inuyasha knew she was lying.
"Tell me the truth Higurashi," Inuyasha asked once more his voice firm and taking his hand turned her chin so that she would look him in they eye.
"I- I-," she stuttered unsure of how to react to the intensity in his golden eyes. Finally managing to look away she said softly, "yes."
Inuyasha sighed heavily and rose to his feet, walking over to the window that looked over the city he had lived in for the past 10 years. "Damn it," he swore suddenly causing Kagome to jump. "Damn it Higurashi," Inuyasha said repeating himself, "I never meant for you to become anorexic. I only ever said those things because it was the only way to knew how to get to you. Everything else never seemed to work, you always just ignored everything else." Pausing he said, "I know it probably doesn't make much of a difference after all of insecurities I caused you for all these years and I don't like you because of it so don't get any ideas but…." He trailed off trying to work up the nerve to tell her what he wanted to say. Finally he spit it out really fast, "thatyou'reactuallyreallyprettynowand you're notfatatall."
"I'm sorry," Kagome said blinking at how fast he could actually talk. "Could you repeat that, you spoke too fast for me to understand."
"I said," Inuyasha said keeping his gaze focussed on his office building that he could see just a few blocks down, "that you're actually really pretty now, well prettier than you were 18 years ago and that you're not fat at all."
Kagome's eyes softened and she said, "thank you."She pursed her lips togetherto make sure that she didn't start to cry. "Thank you Inuyasha, that means a lot coming from you."
"I'm glad," Inuyasha said. "I know I can never make up for all those years of pain I caused you but I'm willing to try and be friendly until this wedding's over if that's what you still want."
"You really mean that?" Kagome asked shocked.
"Would I say it if I didn't," Inuyasha snapped. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap."
"It's okay, I understand some habits are harder to break than others," Kagome said when she sensed the sincerity of his apology. "I'm glad you decided to give it a shot, I wasn't sure what I would have done if you didn't agree. And don't worry after the wedding you can go back to hating me in peace, you don't have to worry about me I will too. Deal?" Kagome asked walking over to him and holding out her hand with a smile.
"Deal," Inuyasha agreed shaking her hand. "Only one slight problem," he said wincing waiting for her reaction, "Sango called off the wedding when she heard what I had done."
"WHAT!!" Kagome exclaimed. "She did WHAT!!!!"
Inuyasha ears rang, "yeah I know. She called off the wedding. I just came back from the bar Miroku drank himself unconscious with I think 4 or 5 glasses of tequila all the same time. He's absolutely miserable, and I can't let him go on like that. Claiming how he doesn't want to live unless it's with Sango by his side. So can you talk to Sango try and convince her to marry Miroku again?"
"Convince her," Kagome said eyes glinting a small smile forming on her pursed lips. "I'll drag her down the isle, if I need to."
To be continued soon…
Well what did you think? I hope you liked the second chapter, I know Miroku was a little OC at the beginning but well I hope he was more like himself by the end. I hope you'll all take the time to review because this is my longest chapter EVER 14 pages !baby! and I'm very proud and if you appreciate what you've just read you will review! Also just wanted to clarify, all the feelings Sango and Kagome feel towards each other are those of sisters/really close friends. Well until next chapter toodles. PS the more review I receive the faster I will update!