Chapter 6: Aftermath
The next morning found Kagome eager to get to school.
Well actually she was eager to get it over with, for she wanted to see if she was going to see Sesshomaru once again.
'I can't believe I'm excited to see Sesshomaru…a year or two ago I would have been nervous about the possibility of seeing him anywhere…and now…'
Kagome shook her head as she entered her new school.
Reaching her class, she smiled as she saw Kei already there.
"Hey Kei."
"Ohayo Kagome."
They both smiled at each other.
"How
was the rest of your night?"
"Oh great. Homework to do, mother
to grill me over my new school and classes, a grandfather to bug me
about which charms I should take that will help me be more successful
in my classes and to urge me to bring all the new high school aged
students to our shrine to buy charms, etc. I think the only one who
didn't really say anything much more than normal to me was my
brother Sota."
Kei laughed.
"How
about yours? What did you do with the rest of your afternoon?"
"Well
we waited with Masu for Kachuu-sama to return…and when he did,
after some time," she said with a sly glance Kagome's way.
Kagome had to fight herself from blushing, and didn't quiet manage to get away with it, but she did avoid glancing in Kei's direction until after Kei continued.
Kei smiled to herself, but then continued without embarrassing Kagome even further.
"When he did return, we said goodbye to him and Karen. And then we laughed as Masu dawdled behind, threatening Kisho with bodily harm for some side comment Kisho said to him that we didn't hear. Anyway, Masu stepped toward the car, but was left in the dust as Kachuu had determined that he had waited long enough for Masu to join him and took off."
Kagome laughed.
"Poor Masu…was he mad?"
"Mad does not cover it…"
Masurao came into the classroom just then, looking as evil as possible in his human guise.
"I'd say he still a bit sore about it," Kei whispered to her.
Taking a look at him, Kagome nodded.
Masurao looked their way, and both wished they could slip through the floorboards…apparently he was madder than Kagome had ever seen him.
Unconsciously, she pulled her gift out from under her top and slowly rubbed it between her fingers.
Masu/Inuyasha saw what she had, and saw what she was doing, and had an idea that she wasn't doing it on purpose, but just seeing her lovingly hold something his arrogant, selfish, driving him up the wall brother had given her, almost pushed him over the edge.
He turned quickly and stormed out of the room.
Kagome was sure that right before he turned, his eyes were starting to bleed crimson.
Debating if she should go after him or not, she was stopped by Kei who asked,
"What's that?"
"Huh?"
"Your
necklace…"
"Oh…this…S…Kachuu-sama gave it to me. He said it was my prize."
"It's very pretty."
"It is, isn't it? I don't know why I pulled it out though…I've been doing it since he gave it to me."
"Are you going to spill or am I going to have to beat you with Shukke's bone heirloom?"
Kagome laughed.
"What do you want to know?"
"You like Kachuu, don't you?"
"I don't…not…like him."
"That's not an answer."
"I really don't know how to answer that. I have been in love with one of my best friends for so long…and then I finally got over the fact that we weren't ever going to be together, so we would just be the best friends ever, and now it seems like Kachuu-sama…I just don't know."
"Would you like Kachuu-sama to like you?"
Kagome gave her a look.
"Alright, alright…but did he at least kiss you?"
Kagome turned red.
Kei laughed out loud.
"He did, huh?"
Kagome said nothing, but her blush intensified.
"Was it good?"
"I am so not answering that…"
"Aww come on…I bet he was…those lips just look like they would be good to press your own up against."
Kagome shook her head at both what Kei was saying and what she was thinking…which was at least ten times more perverted than what Kei had just mentioned.
"I think you need to spend some time away from your boyfriend Kei."
"Why?"
"Cause
your starting to act perverted just like him."
"Hey I didn't tell you to go grope his butt or anything…although…"
"KEI?"
Kei laughed and then continued,
"Well he does have a nice one. Just cause I'm taken doesn't mean I'm blind. He's a hottie."
"Can we please talk about something else now, " Kagome asked banging her head on her desk, if she hadn't already had perverted thoughts before, she was definitely having them now.
Kei laughed and then quieted down as Shukke entered and Masu reentered the classroom.
"Kagome san, hello dear," Shukke said with a smile.
"Hey Shukke-kun."
"So Kagome, what about a hug?"
"After yesterday, I don't think so."
"Aww come on…"
"Back down you lecherous monk," Masu said with almost a growl in his voice.
Kagome, Shukke, & Kei turned to look his way.
"Jeez Masu, what's your problem. You can't still be sore about yesterday, can you?"
"Leave me alone."
Turning toward Kagome, Shukke told her, "Just in case you didn't hear…Kachuu-sama left Masu-kun here in the dust because he took to long to get in the car. Honestly, you would have thought he'd remember that it was strange of Kachuu-sama to be willing to give Masu here a ride in the first place, but because he was, hmm…shall we say in a good mood," Shukke glanced at Kagome slyly and Kagome suddenly found the floor very interesting to look at.
Shukke laughed and continued on,
"Anyway, since Kachuu-sama was for once in a very good mood, he offered Masu a ride. Masu should have hopped right in, but he chose instead to fight with Kisho…not that I wasn't happy to watch them verbally spar…but for him to get a ride with Kachuu-sama and not hop on the opportunity…"
Shukke sighed deeply.
Kagome and Kei laughed at him and then looked over at Masu who tossed his head up and muttered,
"Keh."
Kagome giggled even more and then they had to settle down as their first teacher came into the room.
Lunchtime finally came and Kagome and Kei went upstairs to visit Raidon in his room.
Walking into his classroom, they waved at him and were about to enter when they were stopped by a tall, black-eyed girl, with long black hair similar in a ponytail similar to Kei's, who glared at them.
"What are you doing here Kei? Youngsters belong downstairs."
"Haya…what a …."
"Pleasure to see me, yes I know."
Looking at the onna standing beside Kei, she looked Kagome over as if she wasn't very interested and turned back to look at Kei saying,
"Who's
this?"
"Haya…Kagome. Kagome, Haya."
Haya gave Kagome a further look of disdain.
"Oh…so you're Kagome. Humph."
"Hello Haya…I didn't know you were in Rai-kun's class."
"Well now you know," Haya said loosing interest in them and walking back over to her group of friends.
'Just like Kagura,' Kagome thought.
Raidon came over to them, saying," Never mind her…she has issues. Kagome, Kei, and Shukke, welcome to my classroom. Hey, where's Masu?"
"He's still having issues from yesterday," Shukke told him.
"Aww…pity," Raidon said with a giant smile on his face.
"You guys are terrible," Kagome said.
"You only say that cause you missed it," Raidon said with a smile.
"True." Kagome said laughing.
"See…come on…let's eat."
They all sat down and ate and some time later left after promising to meet up with him after school.
Reentering their classroom, they found Masu sitting and staring into nothing.
"Masu," Kagome said leaning down and touching his shoulder.
He looked up suddenly and gave her his ' sorry- I've- been- such- a- grouch' smile.
To which Kagome returned with a 'don't-worry-about-it' smile of her own.
He nodded and she said,
"We ate with Raidon…you could have come up."
"I had to think."
"Heaven preserve us…he's thinking again. This can't be good."
"Hush it monk."
Shukke grinned at him and then sat down in a nearby seat.
"You know you missed me Masu-kun. Why else would you be staring off into space…unless you were thinking about our darling Akarui's nice curves and lips…or…"
Kei & Kagome walked off shaking their heads; Shukke-kun would not be getting their help if Masu decided to lob off his head today.
Masu gave Shukke a viscous look.
Shukke smiled at him in response.
"Not another word about my koishii monk."
"Did I say anything bad?"
"No…but I'm warning you anyway."
"Warning gotten and received."
"Make sure it is," Masu growled at him before heading back up to the front desk where they were supposed to be seated.
Shukke followed him, after a quick hug to Kei, and sat down next to him.
Class resumed once again as Sensei entered.
Once class was done for the day, they all met outside once again…although this time, both Mai & Hiroshi/Shippo were waiting for them.
"Kagome-okachan," Hiroshi said with a grin before jumping over to hug her tight.
"Hey Hiroshi," Kagome said with a smile and a squeeze.
"Hi all," a tiny voice said and they turned to see Mai smiling at them.
"Aww…look at my cute little fire neko…come give Shukke a hug," Shukke said with a lecherous smile.
Mai giggled and then sidestepped him before he caught her.
Hiroshi stepped forward and frowned at Shukke,
"Don't be grabbing Mai hentai."
"I didn't grab her."
"Only cause she
moved."
"Well…"
They all laughed and then Hiroshi said,
"So what are we waiting for? Let's go to WacDonald's."
The group then headed that way.
Once arriving at WacDonald's and finishing their homework and ordering their meals, the group began talking & laughing together about everything.
A young homely looking man walked up to their table, stopping beside Raidon.
Looking up, Raidon smiled.
"Hey shetai."
"Hi aniki."
"Hello everyone."
Everyone smiled and greeted him, knowing that the younger of the Thunder Brothers was the shyer of the two.
"Kagome-san, this is my younger brother, Zinan. Shetai, this is Kagome from the chat room."
"Nice to meet you in person."
"Likewise."
They grinned at each other, liking each other on sight.
'Oh he's much better than before… definitely a lot more gentler now too. And even though he's still a Thunder Brother, at least I don't have to worry about being eaten or made into a hair potion solution. He has a full head of dark brown locks this time. I know deep down, some part of him is happier for it too.'
An older individual came over to their table a few minutes after Zinan, sitting down across from Masu.
'There is something very familiar about this one,' Kagome thought, gazing at what she had at first thought was a young onna, but was actually an otoko.
The makeup she was sure he was wearing & his flashy & glittery looking purple & green shirt had confused her, but she saw he was wearing standard & loose fitting gray slacks to go along with it.
"Darlings…how lovely to see you. I haven't seen you lovely young things in person for some time."
Even the voice was familiar, but Kagome could not quiet place him. Then…
"Masu-kun…I see that you're looking as gorgeous as ever. Are you still with that Akarui girl? Or have you finally come to your senses and are ready to move on to bigger and better things?"
"Oh I know what & who you want me to move on to Hoshi & I've told you many times and I'm going to have to keep telling you, I don't swing that way."
"Don't know it until you've tried it baby…you never know just who might rock your world."
"I'm keeping my Akarui-koi…thank you."
"Your loss precious, but you know where I am when you're ready," he said getting up & waving at all of them as he got in line to get something to eat.
His words & stance in line made Kagome remember just who he reminded her of – Jakotsu.
'Oh my…they ARE all coming around…funny though…he still has a mighty big crush on Inuyasha.'
When Kagome glanced up again, a second later, after turning to grin at Mai, who had said something funny, it was to find Sesshomaru standing beside her, looking down at her.
She eeped loudly.
Hand to her exploding chest, trying to keep it from spilling out, she glared up at the Taiyoukai in disguise.
"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"No…that was not my intention."
"I would hope not…jeez. I'm getting you a collar with a little bell on it."
The group laughed at the image of Kachuu wearing a collar with a bell on it to announce his coming and goings, Masu laughed the hardest until Kagome smacked him upside the head.
"Oi wench, what was that for?"
"There's one thing to laugh cause something's funny…it's another to keep laughing and taking extreme personal enjoyment out of it."
"Feh."
"I'm adding that to the dictionary…you say it for practically everything."
Masu rolled his eyes at her and the rest of them smiled.
At the same time, Kachuu barely paid any attention to his younger half brother; Kagome's words had made all sorts of things run through his mind.
'Great,' Sesshomaru thought to himself, as he took in Kagome's appearance, essence, scent, etc, 'being this close to her is going to do me in…however I can't stay away for too long…I've had to wait too long as it is. Who would have thought I could give the monks – both present and past – a run for their lecherousness. My one happiness is that I learned long ago to control my emotions.'
Aloud he simply replied with his usual, "Hnn."
Kagome rolled her eyes at him, but scooted over so that he could sit down next to her.
Kagome avoided Kei's knowing look, concentrating on finishing her meal and listening to the rest of the table's conversation.
Once the table had resumed talking and he could get away with it unobserved, Kachuu leaned down and whispered in her ear,
"As for the collar you spoke of…maybe I'll wear it for you in private."
His seductive sounding voice & tone were almost too much for Kagome.
She gave him a combination shocked and awed look.
He gave her a small, but very real smile before rearranging his face to his normal bored mask.
Deciding to ignore his teasing for the time being, Kagome asked him without thinking,
"Where's Rin today?"
"Whose Rin?" Raidon asked.
"Kachuu-sama & Masu-kun's younger sister…Rin, as in Karen."
"Nicknaming folks huh?"
Kagome nodded before smiling and saying,
"Yes Rai."
He laughed.
To herself, Kagome thought, 'I can't believe I called Karen Rin. I have to be more careful before I blurt out something I shouldn't.'
"It's a normal nickname for her. I call her Rin most times, " Kachuu said simply, attempting to ease her ruffled feelings that he could smell coming off her in waves.
"Arigato Kachuu-sama."
"It is nothing."
Kagome grinned at him anyway, ignoring his coldish tone.
Kachuu just looked away.
"You didn't answer my question though," she reminded him.
"She's with her friends at Kisho-kun's house until I pick her up in," he looked at his watch before continuing, "a little over an hour."
Kagome nodded.
Hoshi returned to the table then, sitting across from them with his food.
"Kachuu-kun! It's been too long! It's lovely to see your gorgeous self again."
Sesshomaru gave the former bandit a quick look, mostly for the –kun part than for the rest of his over boisterous statements, before replying,
"Good afternoon Hoshi-san."
"Still so proper…I can help you unbend if you like?" he said with more than an ounce of hope and excitement shining in his eyes.
"I do not require your assistance…thank you, " Kachuu replied simply, while Masu said,
"Oh I'm sure bending is exactly what you'd like – him bent right over the table just for you."
Most of their friends choked on their food and fought loosing battles to control their laughing fits that Masu's words had created.
Hoshi just smiled at the image Masu had presented him with before replying to him,
"Now, now my adorable Masu-kun. I offered the position to you, but you turned me down, remember? And you know that your aniki is a very fine specimen of a man, even if he is rather colder and a little too proper sometimes, for my tastes. I'm definitely willing to make an exception in his case. How could I help but want a taste of that…besides…are you jealous? Because for you, the offer still stands."
Standing up to glare down the mischievously grinning Hoshi who loved more than anything to watch Masu become animated at his antics.
"Look here Hoshi…I've said that I'm not interested. I've told you time and time again for years and years that I'm straight. I have absolutely no interest in males."
"Yes, yes I know…. pity that too…but really…a guy can dream."
Masu fell back down in his seat, leaning his head backward & looking towards the heavens, or at least the ceiling of WacDonalds, begging for any Kami that would listen, causing the gang to laugh even more.
Kachuu pinned Hoshi with a withering look, which Hoshi ignored saying,
"You're awfully quieter than usual my dear Kachuu-kun. Does this mean that you're actually considering taking me up on my offer to show you a mind blowing experience with yours truly?"
"As usual, you're never quiet long enough for anyone other than my loud mouth shetai to answer your outrageous questions. No…I'm not interested in you and I grow tired of your continuous attempts to change my orientation. Be well advised that my patience for you is growing thin."
'I think that's the most I've ever heard Sesshomaru say,' Kagome thought.
'But hey…he didn't threaten to separate Hoshi's head from his body or threaten to kill him some other way, so I guess that means he's mellowing out somewhat.'
"I think that's the most I've ever heard you say Kachuu-kun."
"Desist on bothering me for your sport or I will be forced to make sure that you never bother me or anyone else again," Kachuu said, a serious threat to Hoshi's person clear from Kachuu's tone.
'Or maybe not,' Kagome thought.
Hoshi gulped & nodded, deciding that he had messed with Kachuu enough today and had overstepped his bounds far enough to last a week or two."
Finishing his meal he rose & waved to all before saying,
"Well I have to bounce. Peace to all of you lovely young things. My love to you all. Bye."
He took off & was gone before most of them could blink or respond.
Kagome looked at Sesshomaru.
"Did you have to threaten him?" she asked softly.
"Yes."
"You could have let it slide."
"I could have disemboweled him as well…"
"Eww."
Kachuu/Sesshomaru gave a light chuckle at her response.
"As it was, he got off lightly."
Kagome rolled her eyes, but didn't comment. She was well aware that Sesshomaru had & would kill for less than what he had endured today.
"Thank you for my prize," she told him instead.
He glanced down at her neck as she pulled her pendant out from under her uniform to show that she was wearing it.
"I'm glad you like it."
She smiled.
"It's beautiful."
"Then it matches its owner."
Kagome blushed.
'There will be more my little Miko…all in good time.'
"Was your night pleasant?"
"Yes…yours?"
"Yes."
On a thought, Kagome glared at him.
"You change emotions quickly ningen, what's the reason for your glares towards me?"
"I heard what you did to poor In…Masu-kun."
A real, but small, smile lit up Sesshomaru's face, and his eyes were all but dancing with laughter.
"He was slow to get in the car…he was lucky I offered him a ride in the first place."
"But still…to tear off and leave him as he was getting into the car?"
Once again, the small smile lit up his face.
"Oh you are incorrigible."
A small chuckle escaped his lips.
Kagome gave him a grin then,
"I don't know why I can't stay mad at you for it."
"Probably because you're only mad because you missed seeing it yourself."
Kagome thought on that for a moment before replying,
'True."
Kachuu surprised her and everyone else by laughing out loud at that one.
Once he calmed down he ignored the stares everyone was giving him.
Looking down in front of him, Kagome asked, "Aren't you going to eat something?" Kagome.
He gave her a look before saying,
"No…I'm fine."
"Kachuu-sama here never eats this food…he told us that only p…"
"Monk."
"Yes Kachuu-sama?"
"Quiet."
Shukke sighed, but figured it wasn't worth it to get on Kachuu's bad side, so he just kept quiet.
Unfortunately for Shukke, when Shukke is not getting into trouble, he's thinking of things that would get him into trouble, and his hand crept closer to his unsuspecting girlfriend.
Predictably, a short while later, Shukke was spotting a huge red handprint across his face, while most of the table, minus a pissed of Kei & a stoic Kachuu-sama, were laughing at the result of his antics.
As the group were deciding what they would do with the rest of their afternoon, if they were going to break off and go home or go somewhere together and hang out, Kagome noticed both Sesshomaru & Inuyasha stiffening and Inuyasha growling to low for anyone else but her, who was right next to him, to hear.
"What is it?" she whispered towards him, but it was Sesshomaru who answered in a low voice,
"Wolf pack."
Before she could think on what that meant, the main doors were opened forcefully and there stood Koga, Ayame, Ginka, & Hakkaku.
-End of chapter 6 -
A/N: Thanks to all who have reviewed. Sorry for the delay, things got hectic for a bit. I love you all. Hope you enjoy
Spunkles
