Chapter 7 – Date
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Playing with children wasn't as hard as many make it seem. It was fun and relaxing at times especially if the kids had only one game in mind and not a million. Skipping rope, playing with a ball or just playing 'Hide and Seek' was OK with her, her light giggles rising and falling always accompanied by the laughs of the two half-breeds that entertained her. She was having fun, if she could say that without feeling guilty that she was avoiding a day of training dew to them. Using children wasn't nice!
Just when Mika was about to launce herself at her, a gust of fox power permitting her to lift off the ground, the happy voice of the main maid of the house drew Kagome's attention to the kitchen door, her eyes scanning to find the woman.
"Kagome-sama! Your phone is ringing! Should I answer?" Yoko asked, holding the small device with two of her fingers, her face scrunched up a bit, not telling the young girl that her ringtone was obnoxious.
"No, thank you! Throw it to me if you please!" Kagome yelled back, the distance between them widening once more as the children dragged her across the clearing singing what seem to be a French song.
Nodding, the blue haired demon called her powers to the surface and made a small cloud around the small phone, pushing it gently afterwards in the direction of the miko, watching as the two foxes stopped their endless chatter to leave Kagome alone. The girl was like by the two! Now that was something strange. The two kits weren't fond of any newcomers, they barely liked those that had been with them all their lives. So it was strange to see them get along so well with this small priestess as if they had known her all their lives.
'Maybe it's because she resembles their mother, or maybe my little protégé draws people in as fast as knew she does.' The thought about the small brunette made the older youkai female grin in response, shaking her head and motioning to the two kids to fallow her.
They had business in other places. The sudden change in Kagome's smell drew Yoko's attention once more to the small business woman, her kin sight observing immediately the change in her appearance. She was blushing and was fidgeting as if the one on the other line was bringing forth emotions that made her all giddy, as if the one that she was talking too, no doubt a male, was someone special to her.
'Oho! A new development! I wonder who this boy is! She seems quite shaken up by the look of it... Does his voice have such an impact on her?' Yoko mused, crossing her arms over her chest, a wicked glint in her eyes and smile.
She was going to make the little girl tell her everything about this boy so she could make use of the information to steer her pup into fallowing the miko. Sure she will change a part of the data but that had been planned too long ago. She was going to make those two stubborn idiots face each others feelings if it was the last thing she was going to do. Licking her lips, Yoko turned around and want straight to the living room, searching for something to allow her some time with the miko. This was going to be fun.
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When her hand closed itself on the phone, Kagome really thought that it was Sango or her mother that was bothering her at this time of day. Those two were such curious beings that Kagome often wondered how she managed to survive being near them with their endless questioning. She had already called them when she had first come here, so what more did those two want? Sango was probably wondering if Sesshomaru had done anything perverted or mean and her mother... well... she didn't know what her mother could ask. That human female had been a puzzle for her daughter all her life.
But it was none of the two. Her eyes widened in confusion as she watched the display lighten and fade a couple of times, the caller ID bringing her numerous questions of her of her own. How could he call her? Why? The last time she had talked to him was when she had went to New York to end a contract with a smaller group that were about to ceise their activity for good. She had went on a dinner date with him but as nothing more than friends. So why was he calling her now?
Pushing the small green button before he could decide that she was going to answer and thus hung up, Kagome coughed a little, clearing her voice as the man on the other line huffed.
"Glad to see that you are OK, Kags!" His deep voice send shivers running down her spine.
"Yeah... Sorry it took me so long to answer... You know how a girl showers.." she beamed, not feeling guilty for lying to him.
"Mhm... I bet I know how that feels!" His perverted mode now active and running brought a blush up on her face. He surely was a mystery sometimes but she had spend way too much time with Miroku to not know when he was really thinking about those things and when not.
"Now, now! Stop your perverted ways and tell me how you have been. Any new bird that hangs over your arm? Or they are too many to count!" The giggling miko asked, playing with a strand of hair as she watched, dreamily as a cloud flew by.
"Meh, none of importance. And no, there had been only one or two. You know me: I never bite more than I can chew." Her friend purred, as Kagome burst out laughing.
"So? Why have you called? Have you finally finished banging all the females there and now you want to return home?" Kagome enquired, a brow raising as her tone became ironic.
"Hmm... Maybe... Though I want to see you more than I want to sleep around with others. I feel a bit faint so I need you to replenish my batteries..." he finished, the rough tone making Kagome swallow hard.
"Well, come and get me tiger!" She purred, liking the way his laugh echoed through the line.
They talked some more about the last time they had seen each other, about the past and about Kagome's condition. He was one of the few and I mean very few, that knew of her rapidly raising reiki. They had been together since high school, always wanting more for one another but never getting any. But it had been fun non the less. For an outside watcher they were more than friends all touchy feely but, to those that knew the truth, they were the best of friends, always counting on one another for support.
'And to think that people say that a boy and a girl can never be true friends. Sure, I know that I am sometimes attracted to him , hell, who isn't but, I never one more than what we have and he knows it.' Kagome concluded in her mind as she listened to him ramble on about his last business contract that ended as good as he had predicted.
"Now, were should we meet? I haven't seen you in ages!" Kagome sighted, a small smile tugging at her lips as her voice softened.
"Maybe we could meet at 'Moon Watch' tonight at eight? Or do you want me to come and pick you up..." he trailed off.
In that moment the brunette's back became rigid at the thought of the two youkai males, both tai's in their own respective natures, glaring at one another. No, that couldn't happen. She didn't want for him to find out this way that she lived now with Sesshomaru Tashio, a man that he despised. They weren't rivals but her long time friend just didn't like the Dog demon at all. Males, what can you do!
"I'll come there, so you have to keep an eye out for me. You know how I get lost in that restaurant!" Kagome swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice normal.
"I will keep both of them on you. Then it's a date! See you at eight, my dear priestess!" He chuckled, ending their conversation with a smooch over the line that made Kagome laugh some more.
He was so crazy sometimes that you just didn't know what to expect from him. He could be high and might, arrogant to the point were she could smack him; and then he was the sweetest, most romantic guy she had ever seen. He was a sadist and he enjoyed to toy with female hearts but he had never done so with hers and for that she loved him dearly.
'Too bad you only see a friend in him... You know he could always be more...' her inner voice chirped in, shaking it's head.
'Yeah, he would gladly accept to be both my lover and my teacher... But I don't want to burden him like that. He is a player and I don't want to ruin his gigs!' She silenced the annoying voice, turning her attention to the house.
Now all she had to do was to find a proper evening gown and a good excuse to get away from the house for a couple of hours. For some strange reason she felt like she was back in high school when she had to ask her mother for permission to go outside. Now, the only difference was that she had two males to ask and she was sure that one of them would look with such disgust at her that she would be inclined to start a war against him than to get his approval.
Rushing through the kitchen, her smell giving away her happiness, the young miko sorted through her head all the clothes that were in her closet. What could she wear? She had no one to ask.
"Yoko!" she huffed, her eyes widening at the sudden revelation. She could always ask her new friend for help and maybe Rin could say what she liked and what not.
With that in mind, Kagome all but ran up the stairs and, because of her rush, nearly collided with someone in the hallway. Yelping as she fell to the floor, her eyes closed shut, Kagome thought that this was going to hurt and a bruise will be added at her growing collection. But then everything stopped descending, as a pair of arms encircled her waist, stopping her in mid air and then bringing her back to her feet. Opening her eyes when she felt the solid mass of someone's chest pressed flush against her own, the heat of his body washing over hers in soothing weaves, Kagome looked up only to stare straight into two pools of melted gold and be lost in them. She opened her mouth to say something, her hands pushing gently at the body that kept her from falling once more to the ground because of weak knees but she never managed to make the words come out of her mouth. Unknown to her, Sesshomaru was lost in her deep azure eyes, his mind black of any thought. They had a connection, like something was drawing them near but pushing them apart as well.
Her eyes widened minutely as the room started spinning, the decor they were in changing, a deep wail filling their ears and making them cringe in pain. The ground under their feet started to morph into something hideous like something was trying to open it's mouth.
""I will never let you have piece, Children of Heaven! You will never live in this world forever! You will die by my hands and mine alone!""
So wicked the laugh and so strong the feelings that it brought tears to Kagome's eyes. There was something in them, the both of them that wanted to not only hurt them but to rob them of any feeling. She felt as if something cold and slimy was entering her soul, eating away at any happy emotion that could cross her heart, feeding itself on the remorse and hurt she had felt over the years, on the deception and lies she had endured, on all the unhappy memories she had. Trembling, still held by the tall youkai, Kagome felt as if she was going to slip from his arms, as if the hate she felt radiating from the creature had somehow changed it's direction and now was washing over her in the form of his youki. She watched his eyes bleed her in her direction, disgust and hatred, putrid feelings, all that could be bad seeping through that reddish color of his eyes. What was he so angry about? What had she ever done to him? She wanted to make amends, to make him forgive her for everything. She hated the idea of loosing anyone that she came in contact with but, he never aloud her to come close, keeping her at a safe distance as if her presence was some kind of poison for him.
Her soul began to shatter, tears, black as night and heavy as lead went down her cheeks, leaving behind the feeling that something had scraped her skin to draw blood.
"As if.." the tai growled, catching her falling form and pressing her so close to his chest that she could barely breath.
"I will choose my own destiny, my own ways and nothing can make me do otherwise. I answer to no one!" he added, his flames licking at their surrounding, as the wail, filled with only pain now, grew louder.
Kagome could only clutch her small hands in his shirt, hiding her face as everything started to spin again, fighting against the feeling of his demonic flames washing over her skin. She trusted him, so she didn't want to hurt her protector by letting her reiki loose. Breathing hard when the hallway returned to normal, Kagome pushed her body away from his, stumbling down a few step till her hand found the support of the wall. Opening and closing his hands as if he was missing an essential weight, Sesshomaru glared at the floor not understanding what happened.
Who was that creature with no face and no name that wanted to destroy them? Or was it them that it wanted to destroy? Shaking his head, Sesshomaru raised his gaze to look at the still panting girl. She was shaking with her restrain to hold in her tears, but what made his eyes widen, though not visible to someone that didn't knew him, was the fact that two black stripes now crossed her face, blood sipping down her cheeks from those marks.
"Kag...Kagome-sama! What happened?" Yoko's sudden cry stopped the stoic inu from approaching the trembling girl, his stretched hand lowering till it went into his pocket.
"Nothing... I feel fine!" the whisper that went past her pale lips made Sesshomaru snarl, walking away from the pair of females.
"You don't look... My Lord! Come and help me!" the blue haired youkai cried for help as a thud made it's way to his sensitive ears.
Turning around abruptly, just in time to see the falling form of the pale miko, the silver head Dog rushed to catch her, though Yoko was already there, cradling the girl into her arms, protectively.
"Don't touch her!" the sudden hiss from the maid made the tai stop dead in his tracks. "Don't touch her right now! Leave everything to me and don't come near her unless I tell you too!" she continued.
"You impudent..." his growled response made the older woman look so fearsome in his direction that his words died down.
It wasn't the fact that he was afraid of her. He was a great ruler feared by all but look in his caretakers eyes made him think again. The old bitch knew something about this. He was curious but it wasn't the time to ask questions. Turning around, Sesshomaru walked away, unperturbed, his signature 'hn' resonating through the hall.
"Stupid pup... Almost cost you her life." Yoko growled, picking up the small miko and headed with her to the bathroom.
She spend two hours trying to make the girl turn back and when she did, Kagome had already forgotten about the incident the only thing on her mind being the date with this friend of hers that she had to attend. Yoko was way too relieved to care about the date till her plan came rushing back into action. Maybe that creature was loose but she had to make those two see each other as they were not as some strange spirits that had taken home into their souls. Children of Heaven they may be but she wasn't about to leave them alone in this battle to loose their personalities.
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"How do I look?" Kagome asked, spinning around a few times, admiring her slim figure in the mirror.
"Like you always do, beautiful!" Yoko gently smiled back, watching as the black dress shone blue in the still present light of the day. "So? Who are you meeting with, Kagome-sama?" she inquired, adjusting the huge ribbon on the back of the dress that made Kagome's waist look even slimmer.
"An' old friend. He's in town and I want to see him. It's been always one year since I last sow him and I miss him.." the girl trailed off, smoothing the front of her knee high dress.
"By the look on your face, this person is more to my Lady than a simple friend..." Yoko pushed on, not showing any kind of emotion.
A pretty blush appeared on the miko's face as she turned around to face the older woman.
"But he is... I have no desire to make him more than that. There are none who would want to be by my side..." the last part, filled with sorrow, made the female youkai snap her head up to look at the girl.
But her questioning gaze was only met with a smile.
"Now I have to run! He doesn't take likely with women that are late..." the priestess giggled, grabbing her purse and rushed out of the house.
'You are wrong, my little girl!' Huffed Yoko as she watched her retreating back.
Getting up from her spot on the bed, the fiery woman walked slowly to the closed door of her young master's study room to put her plan into motion. She had this wicked idea of making him go after her and possibly start a fight with this friend of Kagome's that she so secretly kept. Knocking softly at the door, she entered without waiting to get an acceptance from him.
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Getting out of her car, Kagome looked one more time at her reflection in the dark window of the car and closed it securely, walking away in a hurry. It was almost eight and he for surely was at their table, waiting for her to arrive. She passed the highly illuminated entrance and scurried to the sea of tables in search of a blue head.
But right when she was about to get on her tip toes to look around, searching for her phone blindly, a pair of arms encircled her waist, a nose burring itself in her hair, sniffing. Gulping down, knowing the pleased rumbled that shook her back and the way the hot puffs made her skin tingle, Kagome turned around in those arms, throwing her hands around his neck and hugging him to her chest as hard as her mortal body could.
"Missed you, you perverted dragon!" She giggled in his ear as his mouth planted open mouth kissed on her exposed shoulder.
"As have I!" his smile brighter than the hall itself.
Taking her hand, the blue haired dragon walked her to their table, the menu opened right at the foods Kagome liked the most.
"How long have you been waiting here?" she asked, sitting down, receiving a kiss on her neck from the always boisterous dragon.
"Not for long. I merely walked to those lovely ladies over there to asked them out after I take you home!" He smiled again, winking at her as he rested his head on the palm of his left hand, his eyes fixed on a table full of young, gorgeous ladies.
Shaking her head at her friends antiques, Kagome scanned the menu while humming the slow song the band was playing for the loud room. It was all so expensive that Kagome gulped. Why on earth did her friend want to eat at such a high class restaurant.
"Don't be shy. It's on me!" He purred, looking at her through half closed eyes, a feral grin splitting his face the moment she blushed.
"You haven't changed at all..." whispered the giddy miko, looking away from the handsome dragon.
Shifting in his chair, the blue haired male stretched a hand to cup his lovely friend's chin to make her look at him, while leaning closer to her face.
"But you have!' His breath ghosting over her lips as her blush deepened. "You're more beautiful now..." and with that he let her go.
He sure enjoyed to see her blush and then glare at him. She was the only one that never gave in to his routine, so he, inevitable fell in love with her. But he wasn't about to tell her that, not after so many years spend as friends. Sure, she was kind and gentle, the best girl he had ever met but there was something in her that made him keep his desires at bay. There was this air of sadness around her, of abandon, that made his heart sink. He couldn't help her fill the gap she once told him about but he could try to be there for her whenever she needed.
When she first told him about the stupid inu hanyo and what he had done to her, he almost rushed back to Japan, abandoning his work, only for the evil pleasure of ripping that guy's heart out and offering it to that stupid cousin's of hers. Cousin that, as a matter of fact, had tried to steal him away from her using her body. She had been through a hell of a surprise when he left her in the hands of his friends to cater to their needs while he went to hug Kagome to stop her from crying over some stupid boy that suddenly left her.
"Hey... Do you hear me?" Her voice broke through his fogged mind as her hands cradled his face, her body leaning over his.
"Yes, Kagome, what did you say?" He asked, as she went to her place again, looking funny at him.
"I said that I found a... what should I call him... a coach, to train my powers with. He's a taiyoukai, so you don't have to worry... and..." his friend trailed off, looking away once more as his brows furrowed.
"And what, Kagome?" He insisted.
"And now I live with him... I have to or else he won't coach me." She said in one breath, closing her eyes.
So this was the big secret her sent was telling him about. Well, no biggy.
"Who is this taiyoukai you are talking about, anyway? I bet he's some old fart or something, because I know only a few of this kind and I am one of them..." he boasted about, leaning on his chair and rubbing his chin, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Well..." her voice was but a whisper.
"I am her coach, as the miko referred to me as, you lowly dragon. Be very careful with your word else you will never see the light of tomorrow. " a deep, thundering voice, heavy and with such power and anger, made the dragon snap out of his trance to jump up at the threat.
But when his eyes fixed themselves on his opponent, his words died on his tongue.
"Sesshomaru Tashio is your sensei?" he asked, not backing away but flaring his powers in response to the inu's challenge.
"Wait, please don't fight!" But she was cut once more, the voice of the stoic, icy inu more powerful than hers.
"Nice to finally see you again, Ryura. Have you finally licked your wounds clean that you want to fight? Have you not learn anything?" the mock in the silver head's voice made the blood of the dragon boil.
Growling deep in his throat, taking a stance, his eyes never leaving the golden pools of Sesshomaru's, Ryura thought about his chances of success. There were some but they were slim. They were years apart and Sesshomaru knew a whole lot more about battle than he did but that never meant he will stand down from a challenge issued because of his friend. He loved Kagome and he be damned if he will let her stay with this jerk.
But before they could say more a blue barrier, much more strong than her pink one, was erected over each male, shielding them from one another. Trembling across from them, Kagome looked from one to the other, from gold to red, tears spilling from her eyes.
"Idiots..." was her only response.
The last time those two had fought she had been there, yelling at them to stop, feeling her heart shred into pieced whenever blood gushed out from a new wound in Ryura's body. She had cried for him, numerous times, for his stupidity and his arrogance, she had cried. But if he wanted to fight right now, knowing that he stood no chance, then so be it. She wasn't going to take part in this. Friendship be damned, soul and heart be damned but she won't stay and watch as they fight as both of them hurt each other. Now she had two to care for and they both had an ego problem, not to mention their over inflated pride.
Marching out of the restaurant, not feeling the eyes of every single individual on her skin, Kagome walked to her car. She was going to go home, cry till she found no more tears and sleep. But before she got a chance to do just that, she felt two arms encircling her waist and hoisting her up on a broad shoulder and off the ground. Trashing wildly, knowing who the jerk was, Kagome soon found herself pressed tightly to his chest as they flew to God knows were.
"Idiot dog... Why do I always have to endure such things from dogs? Aren't dogs supposed to be man's best friend?" she asked drily, not looking at his face.
"Think what you want but I you ditched our practice today, so now I will have to punish you..." his chest rumbled, his eyes only fixed on the sky.
But that was a lie, well, half of it anyway. He hadn't come to her because he was mad at her for some stupid class but, because he was worried. That dragon didn't smell right to him, as if he had some dark secrets to hide, some that included the little miko but she had such blind faith in him that this was the only way he knew how to take her away from him. He had to make her see.
'Yoko... You and your little games... Be prepared onna, I will make you eat every single line your mouth has formed!' Grumbled Sesshomaru in his head, the reminiscence of the her monologue still playing in his head.
How could he have dashed so promptly after hearing that the miko might be in danger, that the restaurant that the dragon had taken her to belonged to Naraku, a man that wanted her power for himself? How could he have reacted so violently when the stupid face of the boy she loved so appeared in front of his eyes?
'But how could you not? She is special and you know it...' the heavy, complicated demon tongue of his beast rumbled to him in snarls and growls.
Shaking his head, Sesshomaru continued his journey, not bothering to look at the girl that gripped his shirt so tightly into her small fists that he could hear the strings of his buttons snap. She had fallen asleep listening to his heart beat. Now that was strange, though not unwelcome. Her weight in his arms felt like it belonged there, so he slowed down unconsciously to prolong their flight.
'Yoko... be damned...' he roared but only half heartedly.
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A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It surely came as a surprise to me. I don't really know how to write angst but if this chapter had it, then yay me!
Please tell me what you think of it so far :D
Lot's of love, Star!
Oh, and SugarOo? Thank youuuuu! I don't know how you found this story or what you really think about it, with all it's mistakes and all, but thank your for all your support :D It really means a lot!