Disclaimer: i own nothing.
Chapter twenty-three: Something
By the time five o'clock rolled around, the majority of the party guests were gone home. Inuyasha had been allowed five friends to sleep over, and of course the first two he chose were Miroku and Kouga; the three other boys invited were Christopher Shultz, Mark McIntyre, and Tevon Laurence. They all knew each other from school and got along well over video games and sports, to which Inuyasha supplied a good amount of. With Izayoi's permission to set up in the entertainment room, the six boys stockpiled all the best shooter and action video games they could find and hoarded the remains of the food from the party to survive off of. Izayoi was confident that so long as the video games and food held up, she wouldn't have to worry too much about them. She was sitting in the living room reading a book when Sesshoumaru walked past towards the front door. As he stopped to put on his long, black coat, Izayoi spoke out to him.
"When will you be home?" She asked loud enough for him to hear. The teenager didn't even look up as he buttoned the coat.
"Ten o'clock. Father knows where I'm going." And with that abrupt answer, Sesshoumaru left the manor. He did not want to be home while Inuyasha's rowdy friends were there and opted to spend time with some of his own, well mannered, friends. Kagome was sad to see him go, but she knew that Izayoi would have time for her now that the party was over. While she waited for Izayoi, Kagome practiced her dances for the upcoming recital. She was in the beginner group still, so her parts weren't all that demanding or difficult; but Kagome had become quite the perfectionist when it came to performing. As she concentrated on getting the footwork memorized perfectly, her back to the bedroom door, Kagome didn't hear it being pushed open slowly. As she hummed the simple tune of the music she'd be dancing to, Inuyasha and his five friends poked their heads in with mischievous grins curling on their faces.
As if in perfect synchronization, all six boys let out loud, shrill screams that quickly turned into bursts and guffaws of laughter at Kagome's reaction. Her own high-pitch shriek overpowered theirs as she nearly jumped out of her skin. Spinning around to see who'd done such a cruel thing, her face was red and chest heaving, desperate for air and to calm her racing heart. There was a look of confusion and shock on her face as Kagome remained frozen in place, watching the six boys falling over themselves, doubled over laughing. Finally her anger became more and more prominent and she made a frustrated, enraged growling noise before screaming the one word that could get Inuyasha to tuck-tail and run back to the entertainment room.
"MOMMY!" Her voice carried throughout the house and instantly Inuyasha and his friends scrambled to get away from the scene, dashing down the stairs just as Izayoi came rushing up it. She looked at them curiously and put a hand to Inuyasha's shoulder to stop them but he jerked away and fled down the stairs with his friends trailing behind.
"Whatever she says is a lie!" Her son's voice yelled out as he and his friends disappeared around a corner. Izayoi hesitated out of confusion, but then continued towards Kagome's room.
"Kagome? What's wrong?" She asked quickly, a little worried. The young girl was fuming with her arms crossed and a very upset pout on her face. Her blue eyes shifted to look up at her mother and Izayoi had to stop herself from squealing at the adorable girl.
"Inuyasha and his friends scared me on purpose." She mumbled angrily, her face still red from anger and embarrassment. She wanted Izayoi to get upset and defend her, to go down and punish Inuyasha in front of his friends. But all the woman did was let out a soft laugh and shake her head with a smile. Kagome's face fell slightly into a bewildered expression.
"It's his birthday, let's let him off the hook for tonight; 'kay?" She reached out and took Kagome's hand, pulling the girl closer into a loose hug. Kagome's eyes were wide in shock and she didn't know what to think. Izayoi was going to let Inuyasha get away with it?! Sesshoumaru's words of warning echoed in her mind and Kagome now understood that Izayoi would always favor Inuyasha over her. Sighing softly, the little girl didn't want to start a fight and just nodded.
"Okay," She said dejectedly and pulled away from Izayoi's hug. Having Sesshoumaru to go to at the time would have been nice, but she figured that spending one night alone would be okay. It was then Izayoi took Kagome's hand again and gave it a playful tug, getting the little girl's curious attention. There was an eager smile on Izayoi's face.
"Hey, I bought some stuff that I want to share with you. Want to have a girl's night?" She asked with an excited voice, and instantly Kagome forgot her sadness and perked up.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Girl's night!" Kagome's shrill, excited laughter echoed down the hallway and she jumped around eagerly. Izayoi grinned and took Kagome to the master bedroom down the hall and into her grand bathroom. Now very familiar with the room, Kagome no longer felt awkward and hopped up onto the sink while Izayoi rummaged through her drawers looking for the specific things needed.
"Okay, for girl's night, three things are absolutely vital; nails, face, and hair. I have some clay sea-salt masks we can use and we'll paint our nails! Sound like fun, Kagome?" Izayoi asked as she pulled out the plastic packages of clay facial masks. Kagome nodded again with a big smile on her face.
"I wanna paint my nails blue!" She said in a fast rush. Izayoi grinned and picked up her small zipper-bag filled with all colors of nail polishes.
"Okay! I'll paint mine pink. But first, let's put on the facials. Here, use these pins to hold back your hair." After both girls managed to pull back their hair, Izayoi taking more time than the other since her hair was so abundant and thick; she tore open the packs of clay facials and squirted the contents of one onto her fingertips. "Lean in close, please," Kagome did as told and shut her eyes as Izayoi spread the cold, bright blue contents over her pale face. It didn't take long for it to cover it entirely, and when Kagome opened her eyes to look in the mirror she couldn't help but start to laugh.
"It's so blue!" She said laughingly. Izayoi smiled for a moment as she applied her own mask.
"Make sure you don't move your face too much. It's gotta set up and dry." She said calmly, trying to keep her happiness from making her smile. Kagome calmed her face and nodded, not wanting to ruin any part of this night with Izayoi. With both of their faces covered in blue goop, Kagome and Izayoi went back into the bedroom and climbed onto the bed. "Okay Kagome, let's do your nails first." Izayoi rummaged through her bag of nail polish and pulled out her bottle of blue sparkle paint. Kagome sat cross-legged in front of her mother and held out her right hand, fingers flexed and spread wide apart to help the woman. Hiding a secret smile, Izayoi went about painting Kagome's small, short nails with practiced skill. A few minutes passed before she spoke up again.
"Did you have fun at the party today?" She questioned innocently. Kagome blinked and looked away for a moment.
"I liked it when Sesshoumaru took me for a ride on the go-karts and let me sit with him." It was an honest answer. Izayoi pressed on as she finished the last finger on Kagome's right hand.
"You like Sesshoumaru a lot, huh?" To which Kagome smiled and nodded. Izayoi began to paint the nails on Kagome's other hand.
"What about Inuyasha? You two seem to be getting along better now." She asked curiously, hope laced in her voice. Kagome would have frowned if she weren't trying to keep her face still.
"I kinda thought I could be friends with him…but I don't want to anymore. All of his friends are mean to me." Izayoi let out a soft laugh through her nostrils and glanced up from Kagome's half-finished hand.
"They're just boys having fun. If they do it again though, I'll make them stop." Izayoi looked up again when she saw Kagome's head moving from side to side. "What is it?" She asked softly, her brow furrowing slightly under the dried mask at Kagome's hesitation.
"I'm not talking about his friends right now…but from before; Miroku, Sango, and Kikyou. They used to pick on me a lot before...stole my money and hit me." If the masks hadn't been applied, Izayoi would have seen the obvious hurt and sadness on the little girl's face, as would Kagome see the shock on the Izayoi's face as well. Izayoi ceased painting and absorbed what Kagome had just confessed. It was difficult for the woman to believe that her son's friends were capable of those things…but then it had been even more unbelievable when it was revealed that he was just as guilty. Capping the nail polish slowly, Izayoi set it down on the nightstand and turned back to Kagome.
"Do you want them to apologize to you?" She asked simply, earning a surprised look from the little girl sitting across from her. Kagome didn't take long to say yes and watched quietly as Izayoi slipped off the bed. Without a word, Kagome was taken back into the bathroom and they washed their faces clean of the blue mineral masks. As Kagome watched Izayoi pat the excess water from her face, she fiddled with the end of her night shirt nervously.
"Um…what are you doing?" She asked meekly. Izayoi just gave Kagome a reassuring smile as she took down the clips holding back her bountiful hair.
"You'll see; now come with me." Kagome's small hand was once again in Izayoi's and the little girl was taken from the master bedroom all the way to the entertainment room where the sounds of shooter video games could be heard through the wall. With the utmost grace and composure, Izayoi knocked three times before opening the door, allowing the loud sounds of gun fire to flood out into the hallway. She called for someone to step out and to Kagome's surprise it was Miroku who appeared.
The two young children stared at each other with wide, surprised eyes before he looked away shamefully. "Miroku, Kagome told me everything and I say that you and your two other friends owe her an apology. But since they aren't here, you're first." Izayoi said with firmness in her voice that wasn't usually there. The young boy clicked his tongue in annoyance and glanced at Kagome with an expression that conveyed his mild frustration. Kagome chewed on her bottom lip nervously as the silence between them got more and more awkward. It wasn't until Izayoi nudged him on the back that Miroku finally gave in.
"I'm sorry, Kagome." He forced out. Izayoi sighed, wishing she could have gotten more out of him than that. She looked to Kagome.
"Do you accept his apology?" She asked, earning a soft nod from the little girl. "Okay, you can go back up to my room and wait. I'll be right there," She and Miroku both waited until Kagome was out of sight to look at each other. Her disappointed gaze made the young boy flinch. "Since I'm not your mother, I can't punish you. I will be telling her tomorrow about what you did; as well as Sango and Kikyou's parents. From now on, if you want to spend any time with Inuyasha in this house, you need to be kinder to Kagome and treat her nicely. She's part of this family now and I won't accept anyone mistreating her. Okay?" Miroku could only bring himself to nod his head furiously. He had never been the focus of her disappointment and anger before, and the small boy never wanted to be again.
"Yes ma'am!" He said quickly, backing towards the door he'd just come through. Izayoi nodded and dismissed him. Miroku rushed to get back to the safety of his friends and shut the door behind him quickly. Sighing softly, Izayoi returned upstairs to her bedroom where Kagome waited to continue their 'girl's night' without any more hitches.
It was nearing ten o'clock and Inu-Taisho had just finished reviewing a proposal from one of his employees, though that really wasn't what he was focused on. In his impressive office, furnished with all sorts of traditional Japanese fixtures, Inu-Taisho examined the things which he surrounded himself with. His desk was large and intimidating (much like he was), hand-carved and ornate with traditional Japanese attributes and imagery. There were family tapestries hanging on the walls, accompanied with tall bookshelves stocked with scrolls and thick books chronicling all sorts of subjects. There was a large, intricately woven Persian rug on the floor in front of his desk which lay underneath two leather chairs facing inwards towards his desk. It was a serious room for serious things, but as the businessman sat back in his plush, leather seat, he couldn't help but think about things other than money or quarterly statements.
With his cheek propped up against his fist, Inu-Taisho stared absentmindedly at the family portrait on his desk. In it were himself, Sesshoumaru, Izayoi, and a newborn Inuyasha. The thirty-something year old hadn't noticed it before, but the portrait seemed outdated. His youngest son was now nine, an official pre-teenager, and there was an addition to the family that now had him calling her daughter. Izayoi would have thought of this eventually, but there needed to be a new family picture taken with Kagome in it. She was in the will and on the insurance plan, why not a picture as well? Sighing softly, Inu-Taisho looked away from the framed picture on his desk and down to the top drawer to his right. Opening it slowly, he reached in and pulled out a worn image from his past.
A beautiful woman smiled up at him, her pale, silver hair pulled back in a tight bun as it always had been. Her bright eyes were sharp and confident, mimicking the characteristic smirk curling on her red lips. But she wasn't alone in this old photo; a small child also joined his mother's beautiful face. He couldn't have been older than six months, but it was obvious who it was. Sesshoumaru's white, silken hair was still kept short then and his face still had a round, baby-fat aspect to it that was no longer there. His gummy brought a crooked grin to Inu-Taisho's face and the man was taken back to a time when he was with his first wife and their toddler son. Though she had become an unbearable person near the end of their marriage, the tragic state she found herself in now because of his cheating did cause Inu-Taisho great sadness and guilt. He knew that as long as his first wife remained in such a condition, Sesshoumaru would never find happiness.
Inu-Taisho quickly put the image back into its place and shut the drawer when he heard the front door opening. Sesshoumaru was home from his night out and that meant it was time for everyone to retire to their bedroom, which was all Inu-Taisho wanted to do. But as he stood by the bed, it became obvious that plan couldn't go through as expected. Izayoi and Kagome lay asleep in each other's arms; their hair braided oddly and freshly painted fingers curled around the sheets cutely. Not having the heart to disrupt such an endearing moment, Inu-Taisho opted to capture it with his wife's camera before he slid into the bed beside Kagome, falling asleep with a smile on his face. There were so many things looming on the over-worked and stressed man, but for now he could sleep well until the morning brought more responsibilities.
"Places everyone! Please get into place; the curtains will be rising soon," The dance instructor clapped her hands primly, signaling to all her students to pay attention and get into their right positions for the dance recital. This evening was the night of Kagome's first dance recital and she was to be featured in two of the six dances; the beginner's class and the specially chosen group. The beginner's routine was by far the most demanding since it was the dance she was given a solo for, and it was the opening act. Standing off stage on the right, dressed in her very own tutu made of white silk and tulle, Kagome wrung her hands nervously as she went over the routine in her mind, absentmindedly going through the motions of each step. The pressure was on since everyone was expecting perfection from her, and Sesshoumaru would be watching as well. Her heart raced and butterflies in her stomach made the six-year-old second-guess herself, but as the classical music began and the curtain lifted, she had no time for such nonsense.
On her cue, Kagome came from offstage with the rest of her fellow dancers, their footsteps light and seemingly effortless. Her face was calm, decorated with a hint of glitter and clear of any tendrils of black hair, which were pulled back into a small bun at the top of her head. Though it was a beginner class and the dance wasn't all that complex, Kagome did her best to look proud and masterful of her chosen art. Her arms arched beautifully and body flowed with the music, and as it came closer and closer to her solo, Kagome built momentum and jetéd gracefully, landing on center stage. Holding position until the music cued her to move, Kagome looked out at the audience for sight of her family, but the lights were so bright that it shadowed the entire audience in black. The moment came and Kagome lifted herself to the balls of her feet before turning her body into the first spin, then the second and third, to finally come to a grand moment of jumping with one leg pulled high into the air and her head arching back, showing the graceful curve of her neck. It was the move she had been having the most trouble with and all her hard work paid off when Kagome landed without even a hint of stress or weakness. Her feet found position as she went through the movement with her arms before her feet daintily carried her around the stage. As she passed by the other dancers, who had remained frozen during her solo, one by one they followed suit and once again it became a group performance.
The song ended and each girl had come to find their final positions and an eruption of applause filled the theatre. Kagome looked up with a big smile on her face and then glanced around at the other dancers with a shared moment of exhilaration and relief. They all took a bow and ran offstage into the darkness of the backstage where older girls and boys practiced their routines, adjusted costumes, and applied makeup to one another. The group of small girls stayed huddled together to rejoice in their success while the next class brushed past them to get on stage for the upcoming dance. Kagome had just caught her breath when there was a soft tap to her shoulder. Looking back, it was her dance teacher.
"Go change costume Kagome, you need to go through the routine with the others," She said strictly and walked away to continue seeing over the other dancers. Running over to the dressing area, she hid behind one of the framed partitions as she slipped out of her white tutu and bodice into a blue set. It had white and blue rhinestone jewels in an intricate design and the small girl was dazzled by it. As she smoothed out the tulle fabric of her tutu, which flared out at her hip, Kagome couldn't help but wonder what her family thought. Smiling to herself, Kagome prayed that Sesshoumaru was impressed and went over to the side of the stage where she could look out at the audience while also being hidden by the curtains. Peeking out with just one eye, she searched for the familiar faces she knew; but her time was cut short by one of the older boys grabbing her arm gently.
"Come on, we're going over the dance." He whispered softly and Kagome followed him to where the final cast of dancers stood in a group. There was only one boy in the lot and he played the most important role. Kagome and six other girls stood together, dressed in the same costume and looking very much like the sisters they were meant to be portraying. The 'prince' would dance with each girl until he found the one to fall in love with. Kagome thought it was a silly idea, but she would not pass up a chance to be part of a group dance with older students. Her part was small, though very exciting; she would be the only girl the prince would life into the air. This was mainly because the boy was only fifteen and didn't yet have the upper body strength to lift girls his own size. Kagome had been shy the first few times they went through the routine, but now she felt right at home being lifted high over his head.
As the group went over the basic parts of their routine, it seemed as if time sped up because Kagome was caught off guard when their teacher announced it was time for the final dance. Swallowing her fear, Kagome went with the other girl dancers to the other side of the stage while their 'prince' remained on stage-left. Getting into a single file line, Kagome being the last, they pranced out onto the stage and into the spot lights on light and delicate feet. This dance was much more fast and complex, and as Kagome interacted with her fellow dancers, she couldn't stop the smile on her face at the rush of excitement. She may not be at the same level as the other girls, what with their ability to dance en pointe and execute multiple turns and grand leaps, but that didn't stop the girl from performing her small part with all her might. When it came time for her to run towards the prince, Kagome pulled her arms and shoulders back gracefully as she approached him, jumping at the perfect time for him to catch her waist in his hands and lift her high into the air. Arching her body, Kagome kept one leg pointing straight down with the other extended out behind her, her arms gracefully held out above her head in an oval shape.
They held that pose until the prince slowly lowered Kagome back down onto the stage and then turned away to dance with another girl. Acting heartbroken over his rejection of her, Kagome mournfully stepped away with her head down, walking offstage until the end of the dance. All the other girls who'd been 'rejected' joined her on the sidelines as the prince danced with his chosen princess. With a small hand to her chest, Kagome tried to calm the frantic pace of her heart. She was so happy that the boy hadn't dropped her or that she hadn't caused any accidents herself. Smiling big when it was time for all the dancers to come out on stage, she walked out without caring about precision or grace and took a deep bow with the others as they enjoyed the applause from the audience. A proud smile stretched across her face, the dimples in her cheeks very prominent in the spotlight, as were her two missing front teeth. Kagome had never been so proud in her entire life and she never wanted this feeling to go away.
As the stage lights dimmed and the theatre lights came on, illuminating the audience and signaling that it was time to exit, Kagome finally caught sight of her family. They were all standing up, along with the rest of the audience, and there was a beautiful smile curling on Izayoi's proud face. She was clapping excitedly and waving at Kagome. Waving back cutely, Kagome waited until their teacher dismissed them to go back to the changing area to get out of her dance apparel and back into her jeans and white t-shirt. Her hair was still pulled back into a small, tight bun and glitter still adorned her cheeks and forehead, but for the most part Kagome was back to her usual self.
Running towards the lobby of the theatre, where all the parents stood waiting for their children, Kagome wove in and out of the crowd to seek out her family. They stood together near the entrance, all nicely dressed and waiting for her. Kagome grinned as she came bounding up to the group.
"Did you like my dances?" she asked eagerly, barely able to contain her exuberance. Izayoi smiled and pulled Kagome into a tight hug, lifting the small girl off the ground.
"You were so beautiful up there, I almost didn't recognize you! And you dance so well!" Izayoi gushed excitedly, laughing and planting sweet kisses all over the girl's face. Behind her, Inuyasha rolled his eyes and kept his arms crossed as he pouted silently. He watched as Kagome turned to Inu-Taisho, who then pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind his back to give to her. Kagome gasped and took the bouquet graciously, holding it gently in the cradle of her arms as she smelled it delicately. Off to the side, a scowling Inuyasha stood with his arms folded as he watched his family gush over Kagome. Since when did she deserve all these compliments and praise?
Every day she made mistakes and talked too much and got him in trouble, but now that she was all dolled up, they forgot what she was really like? The frustrated nine-year-old watched quietly, his scowl slowly becoming an expression of strange confusion. With her messy hair pulled away and that glitter on, she almost looked pretty. The way she held herself on the stage, so delicate and graceful, it was a complete opposite of the girl who fell and tripped all the time in their house. There was a strange feeling starting to form deep inside his chest that brought a blush to his face when Kagome came towards him.
"What did you think?" She asked curiously, looking at him with calm, unassuming eyes that seemed to strike him more than they usually did. Izayoi and Inu-Taisho were busy discussing something with the dance instructor and, as always, Sesshoumaru was busy with his phone. It was only the two of them who seemed to exist for a moment, and as she took a step closer to get out of a passerby's way, Inuyasha couldn't stop himself as he leaned in and planted a kiss on her soft, pink lips.