AN: Kind of a filler but it needs to be done, Kagome can't disappear off the face of the earth. R/R! It lets me know that you want to see more! ) and I completely didn't think about it…here's some translations for those who don't know…
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Kaa – mother
Ano – Umm, ah, well, etc (you'll understand the context when you see it)
(O)Nee – usually used for a younger sibling, and younger children usually use it for older figures whom they look up to. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH 'ONI' WHICH IS OGRE. I saw a fanart of Sasuke holding Itachi's lips open in a smile saying "smile Oni-chan!" and I wanted to say something but I didn't…
-san – a general ending of a name for when you first meet someone, usually used with the last name (can be used with the first)
-chan – an ending used for BOTH boys and girls when they have affection for each other (can be any kind of affection, not just romantic)
-kun – the masculine form of –chan and usually only used between boys (Ryouga's been known to call Akane 'Akane-kun' which means he thinks of her as a close friend)
-donno – master. The tanuki usually uses it with Miroku (can't remember his name right now)
Anniki – this is usually confused in the wrong manner. IT DOES NOT MEAN BIG BROTHER. It can be used with older siblings but is usually used informally for a leader (like Bankotsu with Jakotsu)
Koishi – Used between lovers…means…lover.
Hanyou – Half demon
Youkai – the form of 'demon' used in Inu-Yasha.
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Kagome remained curled into the bed of hay strewn about the disaster of a tack room, her cheeks stinging from the tears that had long since run dry. She sniffled, her eyes half-mast as they stared blankly into the calm morning. Her attire was completely disheveled, muddy and damp with her hair scattered with bits and pieces of straw. She could hear footsteps hurrying in her direction, sighing with closed eyes. Hojo-san…not right now… "Kagome-san…?" Kagome's eyes somewhat opened, not recognizing the voice as Hojo's. She could merely see a silhouette with the sun's vivid rays outlining his figure. He gave a small gasp, rushing to her side, "Kagome-san! Kagome-san…! Where's Yuki!" He breathed desperately. Now being only inches from Kagome, his bright, ocean blue eyes shown with worry. Kagome noted his short, black hair spiked in all directions with a pair of sunglasses perched upon his head. He was clad in a stoic business suit, tie tucked into his blazer. He waited for Kagome's response, his wide eyes attempting to come into contact with hers. Her head lolled away, tears reappearing in the corner of her eyes, shaking her head.
"She's gone…" she whimpered, bringing her hand up to wipe her eyes. The man forced her to stare at him, firmly, yet carefully, placing his hands on her cheeks to direct her gaze to his. She gasped at the suddenness, eyes wide with streaming tears before her lips parted in surprise, leaning forward to get a closer look at the man. "Kouga-kun…?" she whispered breathlessly before leaping onto him in a tight embrace. She could see he had definitely aged within the past 500 years, his skin showing wear, looking as if he had just entered his 40's. Kouga sighed, lightly patting her back, his free hand catching himself on the floor behind him.
"Where's Yuki?" he repeated firmly. Kagome pulled back quickly, hands clasped tightly onto his shoulders.
"How do you know—"
"Kagome! Where's Yuki!" Kouga said a bit more forcefully than he meant to. Kagome stared at the ground with remorse, her lips remaining sealed. Kouga glanced passed her, seeing the hole in the ground just above the well. He sighed, falling back onto his rump as he sat, rubbing his temples.
"How do you know Yuki?" Kagome asked just above a whisper, holding her knees to her chest, wiping her eyes once again. Kouga paused, rubbing his face before carefully setting down his sunglasses next to him.
"After you left…I returned to Ayame-chan in the North. You remember Ayame, right?" he asked, looking up to Kagome who gave a curt nod. "I talked to the Elder, Ayame's grandfather, and made a truce. I apologized to Ayame for all the shit I'd put her through when we were younger and I kept my promise. But it wasn't that I did it just to keep my promise, I loved her. I loved Ayame," he started with a smile, eyes shut as he reminisced. "With our packs combined we had to find a bigger den to keep our pack so we moved the pack to what's now Tokyo.
Ayame-chan went out for food for a litter of pups that had been born that morning and she never came back." He paused, running his thin fingers through his hair. "I was out scouting the premises, as I did everyday—it was my job as the alpha—and when I came back no one had seen her. I did what any mate would've done I went out for her. I still don't know why I couldn't hear her, there had to have been some way I could've saved her," he shrugged before forcing a grin. "Should've, could've, would've," he sighed. "I found her, and when I did she was already dead. I can only guess she'd found a kill and another pack of youkai fought her for it," he said before shifting positions. "I left after that. I was young and rambunctious, I only thought about myself and how upset I was, I abandoned the pack. I beat the shit out of anything I crossed and of course I came across Inu-Yasha," Kagome stared at him, heart dropping when she heard the name, hands clenching the materials of her skirt.
"What happened?" She uttered.
"I wanted with all my being to kill him. I wanted to honestly kill him. He hadn't done anything to me. But with this anger I attacked him and lost. He could've killed me, he had every opportunity to kill me…" he smiled, glancing up at Kagome warmly as he remembered. "He didn't. He didn't even have the will or the anger to kill me. He leaned over, helped me up and walked away. You changed him Kagome. You really have," the tears were welling in Kagome's closed eyes, looking up angrily.
"Where does Yuki have to come into this?" she snapped. She didn't mean to be cold, thinking about the hanyou brought up memories, anger and regrets she had bottled up within herself. Kouga stared firmly at the woman, swallowing a lump that began to rise moments before.
"Yuki-chan showed up about…17 years after you left," he started, Kagome giving a nod.
"She's 17,"
"I figured. I was still traveling, wallowing in my own self-pity. I had…gotten as much over Ayame as I was going to get. I went through the stages of healing, but I was still angry with myself. Ginta and Hakkaku found Yuki, attracted to the smell of you. Well…you know their intelligence. They brought her back to the den thinking it'd bring me back—"
"Kagome!" Kouga and Kagome looked up when an apprehensive Hojo stood in the doorframe, staring down at the two adults in their little powwow. Kagome hurried to her feet, her hands quickly clasping to Hojo's and leading him outside. Kouga stood, brushing himself off with red, embarrassed cheeks. He fixed his tie, standing straight before strolling in soon after them.
-
It was an awkward situation for Kagome to explain Kouga to Hojo. He knew briefly of Inu-Yasha but hadn't pressed Kagome about it. Kouga sat in the living room, his keen ears easily tuning into the angry hisses that Hojo emitted as Kagome attempted to calm him. Everyone's head lifted when there was a desperate knock on the door. Kagome and Hojo briefly locked eyes before she stormed passed him, throwing the door open. Kouga stood to get a better look at the gangly teen in the doorway. "Where's Yuki?" Yuichiro demanded to Kagome, looking as if he was on the verge of tears. He gulped, stepping further into the house as Kagome calmly shut the door behind him. She stepped up to him, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Tsunekawa-san…" She started with a solemn stare, sighing. "Yuki-chan went missing last night during the storm…as of the moment no one knows what happened," she explained. Kouga walked into the kitchen where the conversation was taking place, hands slung into his pockets as he leaned against the wall with arms crossed.
"All I know is that my girlfriend was supposed to be with me last night and she wasn't," he snapped, anger now apparent in Yuichiro's voice. Kouga's lip twitched, looking toward the boy who called himself Yuki's mate. He remembered him, but before he could get too into thought Kagome was chivvying Kouga towards the front door.
"I'm sorry Kira-san, we're going to have to continue our conversation later." She said shortly, avoiding his gaze. Kouga paused, staring down at the small woman, the usual fire that danced within her chocolate stare seemed to have hindered and burned. He gave a light nod before pushing his sunglasses back down onto his nose, stepping out as Kagome shut the door behind him. Glancing in Yuichiro's direction she could see he had made his way onto the couch, collapsing onto it with an audible sigh before turning to face her husband.
"Hojo-san…I don't know what happened. We were in the tack room and Storm came in. He was panicked, and Yuki was standing over where we built over the well. Storm reared up and came down onto her and it broke the floor and she just…disappeared,"
"Kagome-chan…" Hojo started with a pained smile, pulling her into a tight hug. "I went into this marriage knowing you weren't in love with me," Kagome's eyes widened before looking away with guilt, biting her lower lip before glancing up once again.
"I do love you Hojo….I do," she whispered, her chin drooping to her chest Just not IN love with you... Hojo put a finger to her lips, kissing her cheek.
"And I love you, and Yuki-chan, regardless of whose daughter she is. I'll take care of the two as long as the two of you need it. But if you can remember Kagome-chan…when you came back to school pregnant with Yuki, you can imagine the reputation your family must've gotten. You were barely 16," Hojo said before an ear-to-ear smile crossed his face. Kagome smiled as well with a sniffle and a vague chuckle of irony.
"But they loved me anyway,"
"And they still left the shrine to you—"
"Oh! Kaa-san called, her and jii-chan will be back in two days," she said cheerfully. The color drained from her face, pupils shrinking as a hand went over her mouth. How was she going to explain Yuki's disappearance…?
"The truth," Hojo stated optimistically, tapping the end of Kagome's nose, kissing her cheek before heading back to their bedroom. Kagome turned on her heel to face Yuichiro, giving a longing sigh as she gently placed her hand upon his head. Yuichiro looked up spitefully, not directed towards Kagome, quickly standing.
"Where is she?" he attempted to say calmly through grit teeth. Kagome opened her mouth to speak when the boy angrily turned toward the door. "I'm not gonna sit around and wait for this shit, when Yuki comes back, just tell her to come see me," he grumbled before swiftly walking outside, slamming the door shut behind him. Kagome slightly jumped sighing as she pulled the rubber band from her hair, allowing it to cascade over her shoulders.
"Yuki-chan…I hope you're okay…" she murmured to herself before picking up a business card from the table, staring at it closely. "Kira Reiko…" her lips pulled into a lopsided smile of irony, carefully dropping the card into her apron pocket. I haven't seen the last of you Kouga-kun…
