Title: Work-A-Holic
Author: Tsubasa Kya
Disclaimer: Feathergriffin and I are writing a story together and will be posting the first chapter to it within the next week. Please view my profile for a link to our shared profile. I do not own the characters used herein, whether they are "Yu Yu Hakusho", or "Inuyasha" based.

Chapter twelve: Master

Souta stepped up to the man, bowed politely, and murmured, "May I take your coat, sir?"

The man shrugged out of his heavy brown rain-coat and allowed Souta to take it from him. Underneath the brown rain-coat, he wore a green checked sweater with a turtle collar and comfortable, broken in black slacks. His pale face was scruffy, as if he hadn't shaved in a few days, and his blue hair was a bit greasy probably from lack of showering, and there were four clumps of green that hung down over his left eye. His blue eyes looked tired, but determined.

From the way he looked alone, she assumed he was a demon. From the presence of his incredible aura and the way it chilled her to the bone, she assumed Ice Elemental demon.

Kagome remained silent and kept any semblance of a smile from her face. It wasn't hard; from the way he held himself, she guessed this man either loved the work he did and liked the people he worked for, or hated the work he did but had no other option to continue forward in his profession.

Souta was unnerved by the silence, and Kagome watched her brother make a hasty retreat.

Kagome wondered why the man was out of police uniform for the most part. He was dressed almost as if he were going to a family reunion of some sort. Perhaps he was, she mused, and just stopped for a moment to visit the shrine. Unlikely.

Kagome had dressed professionally, of course. A dark velvet suit-skirt, her hair pinned up in a tight bun, her glasses on her nose. Someone had come looking to speak with her, so she would not disappoint them by greeting them like a slob.

They were in the in Kagome's mother's study. The man scratched his scruffy chin, observing his surroundings with only the barest of glances, though he seemed to absorb everything at the same time. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Ms Soruisa." He said.

Kagome felt her lips turn down in a frown. "Short notice?" she couldn't help but scoff. She had been given no notice at all that he was coming; he basically just showed up. "Our notification standards seem to be at ends," she murmured. "Please, make this quick. I have pressing business to take care of today." She was going to fax her ex-boss yesterday, but it didn't happen, so she had to do it still.

"Oh, this won't take too long, I'm sure." He nodded. "I'm sure you know why I am here."

"In regards to an investigation into an incident that occurred in Saiza Park, I assume," Kagome nodded briefly. "The man whom I happened upon was injured grievously." 'Happened upon' was a good lie. "I do not know how he came to get that way," oh, she had a pretty good idea though, "though it looked like there was a fight."

"Good guess," the man said. "By the way, my name is Touya. I'm sure you're wondering about my odd looks," he added almost as an afterthought.

She felt a smile tickle at the corners of her lips, though it wasn't one of amusement. "Not particularly. I find myself abhorring the idea of caring a wit."

"Must be the years of slavery that did that to you," Touya's icy eyes were filled with a mixture of pity and amusement at her surprise. She managed to keep that surprise from her face, though one eyebrow did raise itself. "Curious yet?"

"Not particularly. State your business and then leave so I can get on with my day."

"I'm here because your fingerprints were found on a weapon—on a sword—found very nearby to the crime scene. I'm not here on the human police force's side, but rather, I'm here for your Master." Touya's fingers twitched and little icicle particles fell from the tips of his fingers like tears and came to rest on the carpeting.

She didn't like him in his current clothes, she thought. He'd look better in anything, anything, but a checked sweater and slacks. In fact, she didn't like this man at all, she decided. Anyone who worked for him couldn't be liked.

Men could not be trusted, she reminded herself firmly. They were to be hated, loathed, killed, cursed. Men wanted only to torture women, to have them cook and clean and ready for bed. Men wanted to enslave women.

Touya continued at her silence. "He wants to speak to you, in person, in private. By the end of the week," Touya said, "or he'll make sure it looks like you were closely involved in the incident in the park. If you comply, he'll make sure that all evidence is destroyed. He also said to tell you that it involves a certain person you both know."

Kagome felt angry to hear the threats. "Do not assume I fear his wrath, and do not assume I fear humans. I would not need his help to stamp these false accusations, nor would I desire his help. Let my ex-Master know that if he attempts to involve himself in my life and the workings of it, I will do more than curse him."

Touya smirked. "Tell him yourself. He resides in the Spirit World, if you dare."

'The Spirit World,' Kagome thought. What was that?

Touya continued once more, "I am not your lap dog. I simply cut a deal with him. Now my job is over, and I can get back to my life." He stepped around her, walking out of her study to leave her very unnerved. So, what is the Spirit World? Was it an actual 'world' as the name implied, or was it just some sort of business or maybe an apartment complex title?

Souta came into the study moments later to find Kagome had collapsed into her mother's desk chair and placed her face in her hands. "Aiko, what did he want?" Souta asked with worry apparent in his face and voice as he closed the gap between them and put his arms around her.

Like a lover, she thought. He was her brother, not her lover though. It wasn't right. Then again, him being gay didn't seem right either, but he was.

Maybe everything in the past few days was a bad dream? Maybe she'd wake up and find herself back in Saiza, once more with the option to wander from her path or continue on forward. That—that paralyzed demon had started everything…

No, that wasn't right either. It started when her mother and grandfather died in a car accident.

And even that wasn't right. It started right here on the property. It started with Bouyou in the old, forgotten, dried up well-house. It started with a young, carefree boy who was searching for that self-same cat. It started with her concern that if she didn't help Souta find Bouyou, he would be late to school. It started… with Mistress Centipede, and a burst of light called power.

So blaming the demon would be an inaccuracy.
"Aiko…" Souta murmured softly in her ear, his hands massaging her shoulders, his lips brushing the flesh on her neck. "Please, don't be upset… I'll see if Shuichi can help with the bills…"

Her skin felt like it was on fire. It was hard to remember that Souta wasn't the same as other males; he wasn't trying to dominate her for the power she could bring, he was just trying to bring her comfort in the only way he knew how. He'd forgotten they were related, because he grew up without her for so long.

Usually she had no problem with Souta's touches, with his hands on her upper arms, trying to rub warmth into her flesh, but lately there was just too much memory, too many old wounds opened, and too many people rubbing salt in those wounds to further amplify the damage.

She turned hard in her seat, her hand shoving him away from her. It only benefited her that she couldn't unconsciously use her power as she should be able to, because he would be dead if she did. As it was, he clacked his head on the filing cabinet behind him and moaned in pain.

She wasn't thinking right; her mind screamed at her to leave this place, to move where no one would ever find her. She could become a hermit in some unknown mountain someplace. She could find an island and sink her ship. She could hide deep in some uncharted forest.

Anywhere, anywhere, but here. Her mind begged her to leave, but her heart couldn't leave Souta. Not now. Not with the extreme debt their mother left them. Not ever.

She was in too deep.

"Souta," she fell from the chair and crawled to him, reaching to examine the bump. "I'm sorry… you know I didn't mean it…"

"You've got a lot on your mind," Souta said, a watery smile coming to his face as he winced. Her fingers pulled away a dab of blood, but it wasn't anything serious. Just a little broken skin, and it would heal in a day or two. "Aiko, you don't have to stay… Shuichi and I can take care of things here."

She shook her head. "I've made up my mind," such lies she spoke must surely be treason, "and it is to stay. Where is Shuichi now?"

"Work," Souta said. "They called him in just before you came back from your jog last night."

Kagome nodded her acceptance to this answer. "I have to run a few errands today yet. Will you need me for anything, Souta?" He shook his head. "I shall probably be late arriving back this evening. Don't wait up for me." He nodded this time. She stood and smoothed herself free of wrinkles. A pat to make sure her hair was intact still in its perfect bun and she was heading for the door. At the front door she pulled on her black high heels.

She needed to figure out where she would put the paralyzed demon in the house. She could probably clean up Grandpa's old library. The books, scrolls, and tomes would probably fetch a pretty penny toward clearing up the debt. All those ancient artifacts too could be sold to museums. And it would be easily accessed, since it was on the first floor.

She needed a drink. Maybe alcohol would help her forget her past? Maybe alcohol would keep her past from continuing to rise up.

Next chapter: Trying to hide from her past, she drinks a glass of alcohol. "I hate alcohol," she says as she downs a second glass. "I never drink," she says as she drinks the third. The fourth drink is taken right out of the bottle, as the glass was thrown into a wall out of anger, and shattered into thousands of pieces like her shattered soul.