Absconding Sorrow
Part Three – "The Change"
Author: profiler120
Pairing: Naraku/Kagome
Genre: Romance/General
He wasn't supposed to have a favorite. He was supposed to be objective and fair, but human nature was flawed. She in her perfect, beautiful, kindness had enthralled him. He looked up, almost as though he sensed her presence, a satisfied grin turning up on his lips. She had missed his class today, to his disappointment, and yet here she was. Her approach was slow, as though perhaps she was nervous about addressing him.
"Senaka-sensei?"
"Higurashi," he drawled, turning himself to face her.
"I came to tell you, I won't be finishing your class."
His vision seemed to darken, eyes narrowing slightly in severe displeasure. "Why is that?"
She sighed heavily. "Problems have arisen that will prevent me from attending for… at least a year, maybe more."
"Problems such as what?" he asked, pulling himself to his feet to tower over her. He shouldn't have asked, it wasn't polite. He didn't care.
She averted her gaze. "I'm sorry, I'd rather not say."
"Where is your drop slip?"
She handed him the paper she'd tensely folded. He took the offered sheet, scrawling his name across the instructor's signature line and left it at its place on his desk. He stared down at the paper.
"You're no longer my student, Higurashi."
"No Sir…" she sedately agreed.
He swung his gaze back up at her, stepping away from the desk and resolutely toward her, startling her when he reached for her. His hand looped around one slender wrist, tugging her forward against him. She gasped, eyes widening in pure shock, perhaps horror, but he could care less of that as well.
He pulled to her to him, crushing his lips against hers. He had to feel her. He had to touch her. He had to taste her.
She was his obsession.
She was his daily hypnotic fix.
What was he going to do without her? His favorite former pupil was soft and yielding to his touch. He drew back slightly, his breath mingling with hers. She even smelled good. Everything … everything about her was perfect. So perfectly formed to him.
For him.
Her eyes were wide, and surprised, but not disgusted. She didn't tear herself away from him, or bring a hand up to slap him. She remained in his arms just staring.
He drew away further, however, when her eyes filled with tears. Did she feel betrayed by his touching her? Why was she crying?
Without warning she threw herself into his arms, overflowing with sobs. He tightened the ring his arms made around her, sliding his hands in her silken locks unable to resist touching her.
"Higurashi…" he whispered.
"My life is over," she whimpered. "I'm an idiot and my life is over."
Well, that was promising, he thought.
She really felt quite heavenly. Her hair was soft and slipped through his fingers, tantalizing him with her pleasant scent. A light, airy perfume drifted up from the column of her neck. He pulled himself down from his personal high when her voice caught him again. He missed the first few words.
"… pregnant. I don't know what to do."
He couldn't have been more shocked had she thrown cold water in his pants, replete with ice cubes for effect. He repeated slowly.
"You're pregnant?"
She nodded against his clothing.
"And the father?"
"What about him?" She asked.
"Does he know?"
"Are you crazy? There's no way I'm telling that controlling jerk! Then my life really would be over!"
"Who is he?" Masaharu Sesshoumaru, he thought darkly. It had to be that pompous ass that touched her. He was showing an unusual amount of interest in her, plus he'd found her crying after she'd gone off with him. Naraku scowled.
His perfect little obsession now tainted by the news of her pregnancy and obvious lack of virtue. But, he could use this. Perhaps this was more of a godsend then even he realized at the moment.
Quickly discarding the malicious grin, he continued to console her, offering useless words of comfort trying to prolong her stay with him like this. All too soon, however, she gathered up her things and left him, but not before gracing him with a beautiful smile.
In the jumble of pointless conversation they'd carried on in those short few minutes she'd revealed something interesting. Something beyond promising. She expressed a desire to move to a new place.
He felt the grin slide back into place. Simple matter really, change his plans to suit her desires and his own, and then manipulate her into them.
He stood, proceeding back to his desk. The day was looking up already.
Sesshoumaru scowled. It had been almost four months now, and she didn't have the decency to inform him of her status? He wasn't about to let it slip, it was too important. He waited for her after her final class with Senaka, but she didn't appear. After all the students filtered out, he peered inside. She wasn't there. Senaka was working at his desk, apparently oblivious of his presence at the door.
He sighed inaudibly. She wasn't at school today then. He'd just go to her house. She wasn't getting away, plain as that. He would have his answer, and she was going to give it to him. He proceeded outside to the car dropping his books in the front seat. This car was his only treasure. He'd bought it himself. He'd had to after his family's wealth had been squandered away, he thought somewhat bitterly thinking back to his stepmother and then thinking even more critically of his own mother. The stuck up bitch that had abandoned him to the care of his father and his new flame, the woman he'd eventually marry. The woman that ultimately brought about his father's fall from wealth, whether she meant to or not.
The Higurashi Shrine was relatively close, a couple miles outside the city. A short drive once you managed to get out of the city, traffic was a typical hindrance, especially at this time of day. Once arrived at his destination he scaled the stairs quickly. He allowed himself a quick once over of the shrine grounds and admitted to himself it was quite nice.
The house he sought was at the rear of the property, he realized, slipping past the old shrine keeper, probably some relative of hers. Reaching the house he knocked and waited impatiently for an answer. At last, the door slid open and a woman smiled warmly at him.
"Hmm? Can I help you?" Her head was tilted just so to the side in a curious gesture, hands folded down by her apron.
"I'm looking for Higurashi Kagome."
The woman smiled. "And you are?"
"Masaharu Sesshoumaru."
"Oh! So you're Masaharu-san, I'm quite surprised, please come in."
He followed her inside, peering around for Kagome, but there was no sign of her.
"She told you about me?" He heard himself inquire.
"She told me Inuyasha had a brother, that's about it."
"Is Kagome here?"
She nodded. "She's in her room, she hasn't been feeling well this week."
Did the woman know? Was Kagome pregnant and pretending to be ill? Was she lying to him? Or… maybe Kagome was just sick.
"May I see her?"
The look that came over her face made him falter. "If I tell her you're here, she will not want to see you, so just go ahead up. Her doorway has a little plaque with her name."
He did just that.
He followed the stairs up and sure enough her door was in plain view. He walked to it, raising a hand to knock and waiting for her response. After several terse moments she called out.
"Come in."
He pushed the door open, his appearance clearly startling her if the gasp was any indication coupled with her shocked expression. It quickly darkened, however.
"What are you doing at my house?" She all but demanded.
"Coming to get my answers," he snapped in reply, pushing the door closed roughly.
She sat up in her bed and took interesting note of her bunny printed pajamas. Not what he would have thought she slept in but after that night several months ago whenever he thought about her sleeping, he preferred to think of her wearing … well… nothing.
She groaned in apparent disappointment. "I don't feel well, can you come back next week?"
He frowned. "One question doesn't take that long to answer."
"I'm not accepting questions at this time," she chirped. "Thank you for coming."
She dove under her blankets, but he went after her. He found himself kneeling, knees on either side of her hips as he forcibly yanked the blanket away.
"I don't have time for games."
"You're the one jumping in bed with me."
He resisted frowning again. She was trying to avoid the subject. If the answer was 'no' she simply would have said so. Probably shouted it in his face before she ordered him to get away from her.
They hadn't really gotten along before, but things had never been this shaky between them. She didn't want to be anywhere near him, as though he disgusted her. Him, Masaharu Sesshoumaru, disgusting a female, the notion was ridiculous. Yet it seemed to be true.
He leaned forward, the tips of their noses touching.
"You're pregnant," he declared assuredly. If he were wrong, she wouldn't hesitate to correct him. Rather than shouts, however, he watched her eyes fill with tears and her struggles suddenly cease. His eyes dropped closed, forehead coming to rest against hers.
He pulled away from her, standing and turning his gaze to the windows. Well, that settled that. All he needed to do then was make the arrangements. He'd already started a thing or two, he suspected a bit because of her attitude. Wanting so desperately to stay away from him and all.
"Get up, we're having a talk with your mother."
"Like hell we are, get out of my house!"
He spared her a glance. Was this really the best idea? Was making a home with this woman who was so hostile toward him really a good idea? What if the child was damaged because of her – no… he was relatively certain he could tame her. Provided he could keep her mouth shut for a while, and he had a thing or two that could accomplish that as well.
"It was not a request," he snapped. "Five minutes, and I come after you."
He swept from the room and headed downstairs to wait.
. . .
More tears bubbled in her eyes. Today couldn't get any worse, could it? She pulled herself out of bed, not bothering to dress, just grabbing a robe, and pulling it on, leaving it untied. It wasn't as though she wasn't decent or anything, she was wearing her favorite bunny print pant set pajamas. She'd had them for forever it seemed. She really should get rid of them though. Especially with the look that had crossed Sesshoumaru's face when he'd seen them. Had she been less upset at seeing him she would probably have been embarrassed.
She pulled her door open heading toward the kitchen where she could already hear his voice. Rather than entering, she plopped softly back against the wall just outside the room and listened.
Sesshoumaru. The guy she'd had a crush on from the moment she'd met. Yet the thought of him now made her stomach turn sour and uneasy. She didn't want to do this. She could barely meet his eyes. How could she do this? How could she marry him? Someone she had a crush on sure, but she didn't love him. She was certain she didn't want to marry him.
She hung her head despairingly. What could she do?
Pulling herself away from the wall she rounded the corner and stepped into the kitchen. Her mother was seated across from Sesshoumaru sipping tea as though it were the most natural thing in the world, smiling at him as though he were already her son-in-law.
"Ah, Kagome. We've been waiting for you. Come, sit down, and rest."
"I'm not going to break," she grumbled quietly.
Her mother merely smiled. "I remember when I was pregnant for the first time," she said, her eyes taking on a reflective glaze.
Kagome grumbled again, but her mother hushed her with a sharp look.
Sesshoumaru barely spared her a glance as he launched into a short, but confident speech on how things would proceed. First and foremost of which, he said, would be the wedding. Afterwards, living arrangements and all the little details would be worked out later.
Kagome shot him a nasty glare as though to say 'I'm not going to make it that easy'. He returned the cold stare as though to reply 'give it your best shot, you don't stand a chance against me'.
Her mother offered him to stay for dinner, which he declined to Kagome's relief. He rose and left quietly. Kagome snubbed him, refusing to see him to the door, refusing even to bid him a polite 'goodbye', which earned her another sharp glance from her mother.
Several minutes later the woman returned to the kitchen, surprisingly enough with a smile.
"He's charming."
"Sesshoumaru is not charming." She was tempted to tell her mother just how 'charming' Sesshoumaru could be. All but telling her to 'get out' of his room after the morning they'd ended up sleeping together. Sure, charming, she thought bitterly.
She would throw herself into a pit of snakes before she married that block of ice. Maybe it was her damaged pride from the Kikyo comment. Maybe it was how much his cold treatment of her after their night together had hurt her. Maybe it was just because he seemed to show no regard for her at all after sleeping with her. Whatever it was, she didn't care. Let Sesshoumaru sleep alone, she thought bitterly, he damn well wasn't sleeping with her.
She grinned maliciously at the thought.
"I can't believe you think he's 'charming'," Kagome muttered standing up.
"How many young men would be so straight forward and responsible about this? Think now Kagome, he's doing what's best for both of you."
"We aren't living a hundred years ago! 'Charming' little Sesshoumaru can force his attentions on someone else, but I'm not making the same mistake twice. Screw him!"
"Kagome!"
"I refuse to marry him. I don't care what he says or thinks about it."
Her mother sighed as though the situation was useless to pursue further and Kagome knew the conversation was over. She stood and hauled herself back up to her room. She'd been wrong. The day could get worse.
His grin couldn't get any wider. The man in front of him seemed to shrink away from the sight of him.
"Are you absolutely certain of this?"
"Yes, sir I'm positive. The property goes up for sale next month if the back property taxes are not paid."
"Next month? What if you had a buyer right now? Willing to pay the complete amount?"
The man shifted, but looked contemplative. "I'd have to check with my superiors, but it may be possible. We're fairly certain the Higurashi's will be unable to pay the balance since they are currently seeking an extension. I will find out if you like. May I have your name and number?"
"Senaka Naraku," the dark haired man replied, a set of numbers following his name. "Please get back to me as soon as possible. I have business in other parts of the country and I want to leave as quickly as possible."
He stood towering over the diminutive government representative. Naraku pulled the door of the office open stepping out into the bustling city building lobby. Nothing could wipe the grin off his face. In a few days his plan would be set into motion, Kagome would be his, and they would be skipping town together.
He could hardly wait to spend endless hours with her spread over a bed of sand, the ocean breeze rustling through their hair. Oceanfront indeed. They were heading for the coast. He smiled as he made his way to his car. She, Higurashi Kagome, was the only woman for him. The playboy Sesshoumaru didn't have a chance.
[End Chapter Three.]
Author's Notes: This story really needs revised. Come chapter 6 it's really lacking a lot of details and skips too many scenes.
Ah, hello people. I've been away a while. But I'm going to buy myself some new IY episodes, and (hopefully) finish all these things off.
"In Terms of a Shadow" and "Prisoner, My Prisoner", both final chapters, are currently dead. It'll be a little while longer wait on those. I'm in a very Naraku mood lately.
"The Incomplete" now has 3 chapters. And I will be continuing "The Day the Flowers Bloomed Black" soon, hopefully, also.
Anyway, I noticed for 3 chapters this story had 95 reviews, and the thought rather made me smile. So, thank you to everyone who bothered with leaving your opinion. It means a lot to me.