TITLE: Cursed Twins

AUTHOR: InuYoukaiAki

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and Co.

Author's Note: Hello! I've re-uploaded chapters 9-15. Those are the edited chapters. I hope you like this one too. It's a bit longer than the others. I've included Kagome's activities with Kenji and Yoji. I hope you don't get too disappointed since it's nothing really. Just too appease your curiosity. Enjoy guys!

Chapter 16: Yami No Megumi

Kagome ran inside, her cheeks aflame with embarrassment but she could not remove the goofy grin on her face. She went in her chambers and collapsed on the futon. Kagome stared at the ceiling and sighed deeply. His eyes were just so intense. And he looked so perfect as he stood under the moonlight. He was elegance, grace and perfection personified. She wanted him but she would not choose him unless she was sure she was not unwanted.

Inspiration struck her as she imagined how Sesshoumaru looked under the moonlight. She crawled to her bag and got out her sketchpad. She began sketching his face and surroundings. Kagome hummed as she did this, her strokes sure and confident across the paper.

She was so wrapped up in applying color on her most recent Sesshoumaru masterpiece that she did not notice someone enter her room until she heard somebody clear their throat.

"Whoa!" Kagome yelped, startled and doing her best to cover the drawing. But she knew it was too late as soon as she saw where Kikyou and Sango were looking. She blushed deeply at their round-eyed stares and sighed. It was no use denying it anymore. She shyly removed her arms that were covering the drawing she made and waited with baited breath for their reaction.

The two women sat gracefully across from her. Sango took the drawing, surveying it critically. She began to flip the pages. She returned it to the one she was currently making before giggling.

"Are you still going to deny that you like him?" she asked teasingly. "Because these sure are very incriminating evidences."

"Fine," Kagome said grudgingly. "So, I like him. A lot."

Sango smiled triumphantly. "I knew it!" she cried happily. "So, are you going to choose him?"

"I'm not sure," Kagome said tentatively. She had not really been sure if she was going to choose him. He was the ruler of the Western lands and he did not need a human to be a burden to him.

"What do you mean you're not sure," Sango argued, her eyebrows furrowed. "You like him. If you have to mate one of them, you could at least choose the one you like."

Kagome sighed. "It's not that simple," she said wearily, her happiness dimming. "He's a ruling taiyoukai. I'm a human. I would just be a liability to him. I would ruin everything for him."

"That's the most stupid thing I heard!" Sango said, glaring. "He wouldn't have included himself in the choices if he really did not want you to choose him."

Kikyou who had remained silent the whole time finally sighed. "It would be much safer to choose Inuyasha," she said levelly but Kagome saw the brief flash of hurt in her eyes.

"No," Kagome whispered. "I would definitely not choose Inuyasha."

"But it would be easier to build something more from your friendship," Kikyou said matter-of-factly.

Kagome shook her head wearily. "No matter how long or how much we force ourselves to love each other, you will always come between the two of us," she said gently with a soft smile. "He loves you too much. And we would only end up hurting each other."

"She's right, Kikyou," Sango said gently. "I've seen it happen. And I'm glad Kagome had gotten over her feelings for him."

"Then I think Sango is right," Kikyou said with a smile. "You should choose Sesshoumaru."

"Not you, too," Kagome groaned.

- - -

"Do you like her?" Inuyasha demanded as soon as he saw Sesshoumaru in the gardens alone. But the demon lord knew that Kagome's unique smell lingered in the gardens, blending with the scent of the blooming flowers.

Sesshoumaru turned to his brother, his stoic mask firmly in place. He did not answer his query which appeared to have irritated the hanyou.

"Answer me, damn it!" Inuyasha said angrily.

"You forget your place," he said coldly.

Inuyasha's blazing eyes looked at his brother. "You're the one forgetting your place," he started quietly. "Kagome and I had always been a team. But then you came along. You took her away from me! So don't tell me that I'm forgetting my place! You're supposed to hate humans, remember?"

"I did not take her away from you," Sesshoumaru said coldly. "You pushed her away." He saw the stricken look in his brother's eyes before he turned around to go back inside his castle.

- - -

I did not take her away from you… You pushed her away… Sesshoumaru's words echoed in Inuyasha's mind. And he knew that he was right.

Lately, Kagome had been avoiding him. He knew it was his own fault. And he admitted grudgingly that she had good reason to avoid him. She spent more time with Sesshoumaru and his cousins. Well, why wouldn't she? They seem to appreciate her more while he always made her feel inadequate. His heart clenched at the thought of losing his best friend. Because that's what she was, his best friend.

Kagome was the only person who had accepted him as a whole. She never wanted him to be anyone or anything else. And all she ever wanted was for him to appreciate her. And he could not even do that.

What a fine friend he was. Maybe she would really be better off with one of them. He had failed her. He had vowed to protect her. But he had been the one to hurt her. He was losing Kagome and it was his fault.

- - -

"Wow!" Kagome breathed. "Is this really for me?" she asked breathlessly as her wide eyes took in the sword that InuTaisho was presenting to her.

She had met with him as he requested at the dojo. He had immediately erected a barrier around it when she entered. As she entered, the old demon looked in her direction with the sword. "It will be my honor if you wield this sword," he said solemnly as he presented it with his two hands. "This sword was made from my fang. I call it, Yami No Megumi."

Kagome touched the sword reverently. "My own sword," she said.

"Go ahead," InuTaisho said. "Take it."

Tentatively, Kagome grasped the sword's handle. As soon as she touched the sword, she felt tiny vibrations tickle her palm as if the sword was greeting her. It glowed a light pink and disappeared. Kagome looked around in panic and did not see the sword anywhere. "Where did it go?" she asked with wide eyes.

InuTaisho gave a bark of laughter. "Do not worry, little one," he said patiently. "The sword merely went back to its scabbard."

"Where is it?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Inside your body," InuTaisho said, as if what he said was an everyday normal occurrence.

Kagome moved her body. There was nothing different as she moved. She looked at herself critically. There was no protruding sword anywhere. "I don't get it," she said with a very confused expression.

"The sword was designed to feed off from the aura of the owner," InuTaisho explained. "Because it had not been in the possession of the owner, it took on the form of a normal tangible sword. Now that it had met its owner, it transformed to the state it was designed to be. Unless you call to it, it will remain hidden in your body. Try calling it and see what happens."

"Yami No Megumi," she whispered. The sword instantly appeared in her hand. It was glowing a faint pink. It weighed next to nothing and Kagome took a swing. It vibrated and sang.

"Excellent," InuTaisho beamed.

"It's singing," Kagome said in awe.

InuTaisho nodded. "It does," he said, pleased that Kagome liked the sword. "But it does more than that. It channels you're miko energy and allows it to flow more freely yet more controlled."

"Oh, wow! Thank you, InuTaisho," Kagome gushed. "How do I get it back inside my body?"

"Simply thrust it to your free palm," he replied.

Kagome was quite doubtful but did as he asked. Her eyes rounded as the sword disappeared inch by inch through her palm. She inspected her hand and didn't see anything different. "This is way cool," Kagome whispered.

"I'm glad you liked it," InuTaisho said.

"Are you kidding me?" Kagome asked incredulously. "My own magical sword! I love it!" she laughed and hugged InuTaisho.

- - -

"You seem happy," Yoji greeted Kagome when she went out to the gardens.

They were all there. Kenji was playing with Shippou and Rin while Inuyasha skulked on the highest tree. Sango and Miroku appeared to be chatting amiably under the tree with a small distance between them; no doubt due to the houshi's wandering hands. She smiled as the two kids ran to her and tackled her.

"Kagome-neechan!" Rin said exuberantly as she latched on her neck.

"I missed you, Kagome-chan!" Shippou said, doing the same.

"I'm sorry," Kagome wheezed, trying to catch her breath. "I'll spend more time with you, now. How about you two sleep with me tonight?"

The two kids jumped up with an excited squeal and ran around the garden.

"So, what are you so happy about?" Yoji asked again.

Kagome beamed. "InuTaisho gave me a gift," she replied.

Kenji went to their side. "Well, what is it?" he asked impatiently.

"It's a secret," she said and skipped off to play with the two kids.

- - -

Sesshoumaru was thinking where his father and Kagome had gone and what could they be possibly doing. He was trying hard to concentrate on the report he was reading for hours, to no avail. He had finally given up and stood to go to the gardens when his father's scent drifted to him. It irked him that it was tainted with the miko's scent. It only meant that they had been in close contact with each other.

He sat back and awaited his father's arrival. It was not long before the shoji screen slid open and his father entered. He was wearing a pleased expression that irked him more, though he was not sure why it did. He wondered what happened. Barely half a day had passed since the two had gone and they were already back. Where had they gone and what had they been doing?

"I just took Kagome to the dojo," his father said as he sat down, as if reading his thoughts. He did not reply lest he would think that he cared. "She's probably at the gardens now with the others."

"Hn," he said as he placed down the scroll.

His father took one scroll and perused it. "She told me to tell you that she will give us her decision by the end of the week," he said casually.

Sesshoumaru stiffened almost imperceptibly but did not look towards his father. His eyes remained glued to the scroll that he was trying very hard to concentrate on. He did not notice his father's brief grin at the tell-tale reaction from him.

"Do you have any idea whom she would choose?" InuTaisho continued to press for more reaction from his stoic eldest son.

Finally, Sesshoumaru placed the offending scroll back to the neat pile of unread reports. This did not escape the older demon's eyes who nearly smirked at his son's predicament. It must be really hard to suppress ones reactions.

"I have not deliberated on the matter," Sesshoumaru lied smoothly.

InuTaisho placed the scroll back to the sorted pile and looked directly at his son's eyes which remained unfathomable. This in itself was a dead give-away. It was an indication that he was actually trying to hide something. "Well, good for you," the older demon said nonchalantly. "At least you won't be as anxious as the others."

"And are you not anxious?" he could not help but ask.

"Oh, I already have a pretty good idea," InuTaisho said and went out, leaving Sesshoumaru more irritated than before.

- - -

"She left, just like that!" Inuyasha said angrily as he prowled the dining room.

Sesshoumaru remained seated even after Kagome had left with the taijiya and the undead miko. She had declared that she needed time to think about her decision which she will give by the end of the week. Inuyasha had argued that she might be in danger. She had promised not to stray away from the Western Lands and that she was taking Sango and Kikyou, both women were very much capable of defending her.

InuTaisho was a little skeptical but had relented. Sesshoumaru knew that the pendant that his father had given Kagome would instantly alert InuTaisho if Kagome were in danger.

"How could you just let her leave?" Inuyasha rounded on Sesshoumaru. "Naraku could find her and do something to them!"

Sesshoumaru did not answer his brother and watched as Inuyasha confronted his father who was calmly sipping his tea. "You need not worry yourself too much, Inuyasha," he said. "I will know if she is in danger."

Inuyasha looked annoyed but did not argue further. He huffed and sat down. "What does she need to go away for?" he grumbled. "She could have just locked herself in her room."

"Lady Kagome needed time to think," Miroku said wisely. "If she stayed within the area, your different auras will distract her. She would not like this to affect her decision."

"And you know this because?" Kenji asked.

Miroku smiled. "Sango told me, of course," he said and sipped his tea.

"And what else did she tell you?" Yoji asked subtly.

"Not much, really," Miroku said peacefully. "Only that Kagome seemed to have a tentative decision. That is why she needed to think about it away from you."

Everybody except InuTaisho seemed to have tensed at this declaration. Of course, Sesshoumaru had suppressed his reaction and pretended to sip disinterestedly.

"Of course," Miroku continued, relishing the reaction he had invoked. "She had not revealed her decision. Lady Kagome had said that she wanted to be sure before revealing it."

Kenji, Yoji and Inuyasha slumped at this. Sesshoumaru had remained as he usually was, expressionless and disinterested.

- - -

"Alone at last," Kagome breathed as soon as she, Sango and Kikyou started to set up camp. "I'm sorry if I dragged you two out here. But I knew they wouldn't let me go alone."

Sango had started making fire. "It's really good to finally have alone time with girls," she said with a smile. "I can finally ask you anything without worrying that one of them would hear."

"Yes," Kikyou said. Over the past few days, Kikyou had changed. She had smiled more often and had participated in conversations more frequently. Kagome was happy with this development. She really wished her sister could also have a chance at happiness.

"I really would like to bond with you two without any of the males interrupting," Kagome said happily as she continued to put up the tent she had brought with her from the future.

"So, what have you been doing with Kenji and Yoji those few days?" Sango asked. "You were laughing so much when you arrived with Kenji. So let's start off with him."

Kagome giggled. "It started normally enough," she began as she recalled that day.

Kenji had taken her to a hidden glen where flowers of different variety bloomed. She had sketched and painted all day. She had teased him a lot and they talked just about anything. She had seen beautiful white flowers and imagined how it would contrast beautifully with Kenji's raven black hair. So she had pleaded him to let her braid it into his hair and put a crown of it on top. It had taken long before he relented and she had enjoyed every minute of it. Then she put on a little make-up on him that she had left when she last went to the future. Kenji had looked like a geisha and she had painted him.

"He was absolutely adorable! You should have seen him."

Sango giggled and imagined the hot-headed demon looking like a geisha. Soon, she had begun to out-right laugh and Kikyou giggled. Once they had finally calmed down, Kikyou asked Kagome how her day with Yoji had gone.

"Not much," she said shrugging.

They had gone to a river at the border between the Western and Eastern lands. They had spent some time swimming and eating when Yoji showed her a neat trick. He had controlled the water. She was so amazed and was honored that he trusted her with his secret. It appeared that the twins' mother was part elemental and only Yoji had inherited the skill.

"So there, not much to tell. But I really had fun."

Neither of the two asked about InuTaisho since she had told them immediately. And Sango had already pestered Kagome with the day out with Sesshoumaru.

"So," Sango said casually as they sat around the fire, eating the fish Sango caught. "Have you decided?"

Kagome's smile faltered. "I'm really confused right now," she began with a drawn-out sigh.

"What are you confused about?" Kikyou asked gently. "The attraction between you and Sesshoumaru is quite obvious."

"But—" Kagome began but was cut-off by Sango.

"No more buts," she said. "Don't keep convincing yourself not to choose him when he is obviously the one you had already chosen. Don't be stubborn, Kagome."

Kikyou laid a hand on Kagome's shoulder. "I can see it in his eyes that he cares for you," she said.

"You think I should?" Kagome asked, doubt still evident. "What if I ruin everything for him?"

"You won't," Sango said firmly. "You have to believe that. And I'm sure Sesshoumaru also thinks you're worth something. Otherwise, he would not include himself in the choices."

Kagome sighed. "You guys make it sound so easy," she said wearily. "I am honestly considering him or Yoji. Yoji is not such a bad choice. He's strong, dependable and calm. And I think he also likes me."

"Like you?" Sango snorted. "The twins are practically head over heels in love with you. Yoji is just more composed and cool."

Kagome blushed prettily. "You think?" she asked tentatively. "Then all the more reason to choose one of them."

Kikyou shook her head. "But would you be happy with your choice?" she asked wisely. "You obviously like Sesshoumaru. And I think you're more than a little in love with him. I've seen how he looked at you whenever he thought no one was looking. His eyes softened. I've never seen him look at anybody else that way except for Rin."

"So? He's fond of me," Kagome argued but she could not suppress the tiny glimmer of hope that made its way to her heart. "He thinks he's responsible for me."

"Is that why he was about to kiss you in the gardens the other night?" Sango teased. "Is that because of fondness and responsibility?"

Her cheeks turned a shade darker. "You saw that?" Kagome groaned. "But you didn't tell me about it."

"I wouldn't have mentioned it if you weren't so stubborn," Sango said, giggling. "But you forced me to."

"Man, you guys sure know how to turn an argument," Kagome grumbled. "Anyway, I'll think about it. I still have two days to think."

And with that, the three girls turned in for the night.

End chapter.