AN: Thanks very much for the wonderful reviews everyone! It really made my week! Here is the second chapter and I really hope it's just as good as the first! I'm already getting into the plot and Kagome's "troubles" so watch out! Angst alert! : P Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing, I hope you all enjoy the story that I have so much fun writing! Me and my twisted mind… bua hahahahaha!
Disclaimer: Just imagine a world where every girl had an Inuyasha all to themselves in nothing but boxers with puppies on them. And imagine a world where you could say 'Inuyasha belongs to me!' *sigh* too bad this isn't that world and too bad he isn't mine. Gonna go cry now *sniff sniff*
Sex and Drugs
Chapter 2: Never Clean
Kagome stared at her reflection in the small bathroom mirror. Her entire upper body was decorated with yellow, black, and blue bruises especially across her chest. She wanted to jump out of her skin and become a different person; she wanted to remove the ugly imperfections in her skin; she wanted to be rid of the haunting memories.
She shivered and cringed at the thought then turned away from the mirror afraid it was going to crack under her scrutinizing gaze.
Steam filled the room as she turned the shower on at a dangerously hot temperature convinced that it would remove her bruises and cleanse her dirty body. She set her face in a frown and winced as the scalding water flowed down her body.
Kagome grabbed a washcloth and started to scrub her arms, then her chest, then legs. When she was done she lathered it up again and started cleaning all over.
"Filthy, filthy, filthy!" She winced as the suddenly harsh cloth went over her already pink and raw skin again. "I'll never be clean!" She cried out.
Her eyes became clouded and tears started to fall down her cheeks. Her knees grew weak then buckled under her weight and she fell to the bottom of the tub resting on her hands and knees.
Kagome let everything go then and sobbed over everything that had happened knowing no one would hear. No one ever did hear; that's why she could count on crying in the privacy of the shower. The pounding water on porcelain would drown out the sounds of her sobs.
On the couch in the living area Inuyasha's ears twitched towards his left. He turned his head and eyes narrowed to small slits wondering what that god-awful sound was and where it was coming from.
He rose and walked down the hallway, his ears straining to hear the sound more clearly. It was coming from the bathroom, he concluded, but what was it?
Inuyasha stood in front of the door then pressed one of his ears against the cool wood and listened.
Is she crying? He wondered alarmed. That was something he couldn't handle, women crying. It made him feel guilty all over. "Keh, stupid sentimental twits… all of them." He murmured so only he could hear. But why is she crying?
"Find something interesting, Inuyasha?" Inuyasha jumped up and spun around to face Miroku who had the iciest glare he had ever seen on anyone.
"No! I was just-" Inuyasha tried to redeem himself.
"You don't think a simple and fair warning applies to you, do you? Would a threat suffice then?" Miroku continued with cool words and an angered composure.
"How the hell have you gotten so sneaky? I didn't even hear you-"
"Don't try to change the subject. What were you doing?" Miroku snapped. His dark eyes glowed with rage.
Suddenly Inuyasha became serious, a rare occurrence. "She's crying, Miroku, why is she crying? You said she was in some kind of trouble. What trouble?"
"I never said she was in trouble." His words were calm and quiet but his cheeks suddenly turned pale and Inuyasha knew then that something was wrong and that he was lying. Miroku had always confided in him, so it didn't make sense that he wouldn't now.
"Don't lie to me, Miroku." Inuyasha said, his voice quivering in anger. He clenched his hands into fists and his lips became thin lines. "You said she was in trouble and you know it. What kind of trouble, Miroku? I don't want some heroin addict living here."
"I'm not addicted to heroin, Inuyasha, and I'd appreciate it if you keep out of my business. Didn't your mother teach you any manners?" Inuyasha turned around at the soft voice behind him. Miroku smacked his palm against his forehead and watched as Inuyasha's anger erupted.
"Don't you dare talk about my mother!" Inuyasha growled.
"Why not?" Her voice was calm and even, and that made Inuyasha even angrier. She didn't cower like most girls when they saw Inuyasha angry. Hell, most men cowered in fear.
"Because she's DEAD!" He replied with emphasis on the last word.
"My mother died too, Inuyasha, so don't expect any pity party or sympathy from me." With that said she turned on her heel and headed for Miroku's bedroom leaving both guys staring after her in stunned silence.
Inuyasha's mouth (which was hanging open catching flies for a while) closed and his lips curled upwards in a grin. "Well that was interesting. I didn't see that one coming."
Miroku rolled his eyes and left the hanyou to his thoughts. Inuyasha soon followed him into the kitchen and searched for some food in the fridge while waiting for the angel to emerge again.
After a few minutes she did emerge from the bedroom and sat down next to Miroku who gave her a warm and comforting smile. This made Inuyasha wonder about Miroku's true intentions. Was he really playing Angel's savior and comforting friend? or was he really interested in this girl?
"SO - sleeping arrangements. What should we do?" Miroku suddenly said. Inuyasha choked on his orange juice and looked at Kagome with twinkling eyes.
"Angel can sleep with me." Inuyasha shook his head and corrected himself "She can sleep in my room." He cleared his throat and almost laughed at the disbelieving stares he received.
"Pervert." Kagome replied with an air of disbelief, then she continued. "I was thinking, Miroku… your couch is pretty old and falling apart. We could get a futon to replace it. That way neither of you will have the inconvenience of sharing your rooms with me or with each other." Miroku and Inuyasha shivered at the bad mental images her statement had created.
"Good idea, but there's a problem." Miroku said. Kagome looked at him curious as to what this problem could be. Surely she can't be THAT stupid… Inuyasha thought. "Where are we going to get the money?"
"From my father of course! When my mom died he was given her inheritance. He only spends the money on booze, porn, and prostitutes so I've been taking it for years. He's never noticed." She saw Miroku let out a sigh of relief.
"Okay, we'll go today then. And we'll get you some clothes too." Miroku said eyeing his large baggy clothing on Kagome's small frame. "Let's go now to avoid traffic, okay?"
Kagome nodded her agreement and they rose from their chairs. Inuyasha, who was thinking about that wonderful dream he had last night, suddenly noticed they were walking towards the door and putting their shoes on (Kagome was putting on Miroku's sandals).
"Oy! Where ya going?" He said rushing to the door.
Without thinking Miroku looked up at Inuyasha and grinned. "I'm going to help Kagome pick out some lingerie." Kagome looked at Miroku in horror as he realized his mistake and started banging his head against the doorframe.
Inuyasha's face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning and he ran to the bedroom to get his clothes on. "WAIT FOR ME! I'M COMING!"
"Run, Kagome! RUN! RUN! RUN!" Miroku shoved Kagome out the door, grabbed his keys and held her wrist as she nearly dragged her to the staircase. He never noticed her flinch when he grabbed her.
"Why aren't we taking the elevator?" She said between gasps as they descended two flights of stairs.
"Takes too long! We gotta go now! You don't want Inuyasha to be with us! Trust me!"
They ran out the front door of the apartment building and into the parking garage across the street only to find Inuyasha sitting on the trunk of Miroku's car waiting for them. He looked at his watch as the two of them approached.
"Jeez! What took you so long? I would have taken a shower if I had known you two would take forever." He grinned at Miroku and Kagome as they gasped for air.
"Damn." Miroku muttered.
"I'M DRIVING!" Inuyasha yelled out and made a reach for Miroku's keys.
"THERE'S NO WAY AM I LETTING YOU DRIVE!" Miroku roared.
"Why not?" Inuyasha's innocent answer made Kagome smirk inwardly knowing he was anything but innocent.
"Because I value my life!" Miroku answered.
"I'm not drunk or anything, moron!"
"You don't have to be drunk to drive badly. I honestly think you're a better driver when you are drunk!" Miroku's answer made Inuyasha pout. Then he grinned.
"Fine. Angel can sit in the back with me then." He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at Kagome who looked back at him in terror.
"SHOTGUN!" Kagome screeched. Inuyasha's grin immediately faded and was replaced by another pout. Damn, she's good. He thought.
Kagome went to the passenger side and got into the car and soon they drove off to the bank.
It didn't take long for them to get there, but the conversation in the car sure made it seem like an eternity.
"1…2…3…4…" Miroku's fingers gripped the steering wheel hard, his knuckles turning white. His eyebrow twitched in annoyance at Inuyasha's and Kagome's…er…argument.
"NUH UH!"
"YUH HUH!"
"NUH UH!"
"YUH HUH!"
"NUH UH!"
"YUH HUH!"
"NUH UH!"
"YUH HUH!"
Inuyasha smiled sweetly at Kagome who was shaking in rage. I have to admit… pissing her off is fun, heh, almost as fun as wanting her body under mine in my bed… moaning my name.
"THAT'S IT!" Miroku pulled the car to the side of the road and pulled on the parking brake. All three of them lurched forward. "I HAVE HAD IT! YOU TWO ACT LIKE CHILDREN!"
Both of them remained silent and Miroku looked at the sky muttering something like 'Praise the Lord'.
Inuyasha leaned back and pouted again before meeting Kagome's eyes. They held mischief. He took the bait willingly.
"Nuh uh." He said quietly.
"Yuh huh." She said a little more forcefully.
"Nuh uh!"
"Yuh huh!"
"NUH UH!"
"YUH HUH!"
"NUH UH!"
"YUH HUH!"
"OH FOR THE LOVE OF PETE! SHUT UP!" Miroku yelled as he parked the car in front of the bank. They silenced immediately neither of them daring to continue their argument.
Kagome looked at Miroku with a curious expression on her face. Miroku stared back, his eyebrow raising in suspicion.
"So - uh - Who's Pete, Miroku? Is he a… friend?" Kagome asked curiously. Inuyasha erupted in laughter. Miroku banged his head on the steering wheel.
"Give me the pin number, Kagome. I'll get you the money." Miroku said weakly.
"I'll come with!" She undid her seat buckle.
"NO!" He said. "No… I need some… quiet… don't trouble yourself, okay?" Kagome gave him the account number and pin number and waited in the car with Inuyasha who was grinning from ear to ear.
He looked at her unabashed, first at her face, then lower to her neck, then lower still. Kagome flushed deeply and wondered why she didn't feel so scared. Normally when a guy looked at her that way she would wince, slap him, and practically run away in fear.
Of course it wasn't always that way… only ever since her father began to 'appreciate' Kagome for her looks. The thought saddened her and she knew it would never be the same again. She'd probably never allow herself to date again.
Inuyasha cleared his throat. Kagome woke from her disturbing thoughts and turned towards him waiting for him to speak.
"So, Angel, when are you going to give in to my charms and let me bed you?" He grinned that annoying half grin of his and waited for her move.
Kagome's fingers dug into the car seat and her eyes clenched shut. She attempted to count backwards, from ten, in three different languages. She might have succeeded if it weren't for his next 'witty' comment.
"Of course if you're too embarrassed to be with someone as experienced as myself then I could always give you a few pointers."
"YOU ARE SO UNBELIEVABLY ARROGANT AND SELF-ABSORBED!" Kagome leaped from the front seat to the back seat startling Inuyasha by wrapping her fingers around his neck.
He laughed at her futile attempts, which in turn only made her strangle harder.
Miroku left the building and noticed his car shaking… or rather… rocking back and forth. "I feel sick to my stomach." He said out loud.
Just then a mother and her child walked by and as they saw the car the mother squealed and covered her child's eyes.
Miroku sighed then walked over to the car. He looked in the window and saw Kagome straddling Inuyasha while trying to strangle him. Of course Inuyasha looked like he was having the time of his life.
Miroku tapped on the glass making his presence known. Kagome and Inuyasha looked up at Miroku then at each other. Kagome, just realizing where she was seated, blushed furiously, pointed at Inuyasha accusingly and made her way back to the passenger seat.
Inuyasha grinned smugly and blew a kiss in Kagome's direction. She flipped him off.
They drove to the futon and mattress place first and found a particularly nice futon on sale. Kagome laid down on it and felt all her back and emotional pains slip away into oblivion.
Of course they all returned the moment Inuyasha laid down with her, grabbed her waist and pulled her against his hard, nicely toned body.
Kagome paid for the futon in cash and paid extra for next day delivery then hurried out of the store in a foul disposition ahead of the two boys. Miroku followed shaking his head. Inuyasha followed suit while tending to the nice fist imprint on his face. Damn that girl has a nice right hook.
The three of them walked down the block to the department store to buy Kagome's clothing and 'necessities'. For the most part they walked in silence except for the occasional curse from Kagome, a sigh from Miroku, and the giggles from random girls as they saw Inuyasha wink at them.
The moment they walked into the store Kagome's bad mood did a 180 and turned into delight. She was everywhere at once and had Miroku holding piles of clothes for her; all of which she had to try on to make sure they fit properly. If they didn't then she'd go search for more clothing.
But somehow Inuyasha managed to 'disappear' during all of this leaving Miroku to fend for himself.
When Kagome was in the checkout line Inuyasha managed to 'reappear' out of thin air with the largest grin on his face imaginable. He stood twenty feet away from Kagome and Miroku (who was unrecognizable because of the piles of clothes he was holding) and stopped then shouted.
"Oy! Angel!" Once he had the attention of almost everyone in the department he pulled something out from behind his back and held it in the air. "I'll buy this as a present for ya! Can't wait to see it on you tonight!" Kagome's eyes bugged out of her head. He held up the skimpiest negligée she had ever seen.
But to his surprise, however, she then smiled. "Awe, sweetie, how kind of you! But I thought we agreed to stop 'having fun' at night until you fix your impotence problem!" She yelled back. Miroku fell to the floor laughing and the ladies behind Kagome began to whisper.
Inuyasha's face had turned as pale as a ghost's and the negligée was dropped carelessly to the floor. He made a hasty exit to say the least.
Inuyasha was grumpy all the way home. He couldn't help but feel outsmarted and utterly embarrassed. Damn… she's good. He had to admit though; the fact that she was as witty, stubborn, and smart (probably even more so, he reasoned) as he was fascinated him.
The moment that they entered the apartment (with a TON of bags of course) Kagome made for the bathroom and changed into her own clothes. Inuyasha had plopped on the couch with a newly opened bottle of beer and Miroku stared intently at the 1-999-hot-chic phone number wondering if Kagome would murder him if he called.
Kagome came out of the bathroom and proceeded to fold all of her clothes and put them in the small dresser with the TV on top of it.
I can't help but feel more at home here than I ever did back at the shrine. True my father was utterly revolting and sick in the head, but that's where all my memories of my mother are. That's where all of my belongings are.
Kagome's face fell into a frown and she continued to stuff her new wardrobe into the already stuffed dresser.
Granted the company isn't the best, she glanced at Inuyasha, who looked back with mischievous eyes, and I might not have a real bedroom or much 'female privacy', but I'd rather spend the rest of my life here than a day back in my old hellhole called 'home'. Kagome stopped folding and took a look out the window.
I wonder if he has any idea how much he had hurt me. I wonder if he even thought about what he was doing was wrong. I wonder if he's even noticed I've left. To be completely honest with myself… I wonder these things but I find myself not really caring. All I care about is the here and now and how wonderful it is to be finally free of the physical torment if not the emotional scarring.
Miroku put his hand on Kagome's shoulder and quickly withdrew it seeing how she jumped and flinched.
"Can I talk to you for a moment, Kagome?" He nodded towards his room. Kagome stood up and followed him then closed the door behind them. They talked in hushed voices, trying not to be overheard by the super hearing hanyou sitting thirty feet away from them.
"Kagome, I know this isn't easy for you and it hasn't been easy for you." Miroku started off. "But I just want you to know that I care about you. So when you're ready to talk I'm here, no matter when or where I may be feel free to start talking."
"Thank you, Miroku. But seriously, I'm fine. Or at least I will be in time." Miroku seemed to study her hard. She was never a good liar and it was impossible for her to believe her own words.
"Don't lock it away and let it fester inside of you, Kag. It'll only get worse, you know that. But you're right; you will be better in time because you're strong like that. And stubborn." Miroku saw a small smile on Kagome's face and his spirits immediately lifted.
"Thank you, Miroku, for being here for me, and for being a good friend. I couldn't turn to anyone else so it means a lot to me." Kagome frowned again and Miroku enveloped her in a reassuring hug.
"It'll be okay, Kag, trust me, all right?" Miroku said only half believing what he said was true.
They exited the bedroom and sat down in the kitchen for something to drink, they didn't see the look of confusion on Inuyasha's face as they passed.
The night was mostly uneventful. They had ordered a pizza for dinner then sat around the TV watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding, another little token from their day of shopping. After the movie Inuyasha insisted on watching another one, Scary Movie 3, but because Kagome was curled up in the arm chair to his left he decided against it.
Miroku gently woke Kagome and directed her towards the couch. She fell asleep again the moment her head had touched the pillow Inuyasha had left there from that morning. Miroku smiled and wrapped a blanket around her, turned off the lights, then went to his own bedroom for a night of well-deserved sleep.
He passed Inuyasha on the way to his room when he heard him mutter "Me? Have a problem with impotence? Ha!" Miroku knew then that everything would be all right.
Sure he was still worried about Inuyasha's *ahem* interest in sweet, innocent Kagome, but he also knew Kagome was stubborn. When she made up her mind it would take a miracle to change it. And apparently she had made up her mind about Inuyasha.
Miroku fell asleep easily that night and didn't wake up until morning.
Inuyasha, on the other hand, found it rather difficult to fall asleep and tossed and turned and grumbled the whole time. He punched his pillow, growled every time a car passed by, and nearly hissed at the light coming in his room from the street lamps.
It was around two or so in the morning that it happened. He was nearly asleep when he heard her quiet scream. His eyes shot open immediately and he sat upright and stared at the door. Did I imagine it?
He concentrated harder and heard her heavy uneven breathing and he could almost taste her sweat on his tongue. His dirty little mind thought one way… but his senses told him that wasn't it. A person just wasn't scared shitless when they were aroused.
Inuyasha rose from his bed and quietly made his way to the living room where he saw Kagome gripping the blanket tightly. She was sweating profusely and her hair was plastered to her face.
Her legs jutted out randomly, almost spasmodically, which gave her the appearance that she was running. He leaned forward and touched her face as if trying to comfort her but she let out a startled, strangled cry and he withdrew quickly. What the fuck is wrong with this chick?!
Inuyasha kneeled on the floor and covered her mouth with his hand. The action scared her shitless and she awoke violently flailing her arms around trying to hit anyone and everyone in reach.
Her wide eyes looked at Inuyasha and she didn't fully understand where she was at first. Then it all came back to her and a rush of relief washed over her.
"Just a dream… just a dream." She repeated while breathing heavily.
She said nothing to Inuyasha and didn't even look at him before lying back down, curling under the covers, and falling back asleep. This puzzled him to no end. Did she even realize I was here?
PHEW! Man that was long. Hope you guys are happy! You've all kept me up until 1 in the morning writing this chapter when I should have been studying for a huge butt test in my AP class tomorrow. *sigh* That's alright, I enjoyed every minute of it! But now *yawn* I'm going to bed and catch some zzzzs. But now that I've written that whole 'dream scene' I'll be tossing and turning all night. Well, all four hours until I must wake up anyway. Ja!
