A/N: Thank you all again for reviewing! I'm loving the feedback and I'm glad that you guys enjoy my story. Hee hee, man I absolutely looooved writing this chapter...
The following Monday morning, school was buzzing with Demon Lord fever. Our team had been successful in its attempt to beat Hanyou Tech in the Demon Bowl in an outstanding 41-24 finish. Sesshoumaru had done his thing at the quarterback position and justly became the MVP of the game. Naraku, however, had a vey lack luster performance compared to all of his other games. He only made one touchdown and had only 58 recieveing yards compared to his usual 100+. I guess all of the stress from work, family, and school was really getting to him. I just sincerely hoped that he would be alright. I had lent him about three hundred and I tried my best to see if I could get him some help so he could pay his tuition for the rest of the semester, but like he had said, all of the deadlines had passed. And if he didn't pay the full seven thousand dollars by the end of the month, then he would get kicked out.
"So you're going to be my escort for the football banquet Saturday, right?" Sesshoumaru asked me when we were walking to Totosai-Sensei's Weaponology class, which was our final class of the day. I looked up at him and smiled.
"Of course I am. I have a nice royal blue dress I can wear to it too. You know, the halter one?"
"Oh yeah. I've seen it. It's nice."
"What are you going to wear?"
"A suit." I rolled my eyes at his vague answer.
"What kind of suit?"
"I don't know yet. I'm still weighing my options."
"Well, all I know is that next Saturday will be so awesome. Going up against Shikon U for the National Title. How freakin real is that? I bet your dad is pumped." Sesshoumaru smirked a little.
"Yes he is. 'I'm going to destroy Coach Ryukotsusei this year.' and 'Coach Ryukotsusei better fine tune those puny linemen of his.'. That's all I've been hearing ever since we beat Hanyou Tech Saturday night." I laughed a little bit. Sesshoumaru's father and Shikon University's head coach, Coach Ryukotsusei, went to Tama College together. Like Sesshoumaru, Taisho-Sensei was the top quarterback in the school. But one day he got hurt and was replaced by Coach Ryukotsusei. Coach Ryukotsusei was a phenomenal quarterback too. So both men would have to constantly battle out who would start the games for Tama College. To this day the two men are still rivals.
We were the last ones to eneter Weaponology class and just made it before Totosai-Sensei closed the door, locking all late students out. I went to take my usual seat beside Naraku, who had his head buried in his arms and was asleep on the table. I sat down beside him and patted his back. "Naraku. Wake up before you get into trouble," I whispered in his ear. He groaned a little as he sat up, his naturally red eyes even redder from lack of sleep.
"Man, I am so ready for this day to be over so I can go home," he yawned.
"What time did you get off work Naraku?"
"About two thirty in the morning."
"Are you going today?"
"No, but I've got a date with Tsubaki later on."
"God, Naraku you've got to stop working so much. Between homework, your job, and football you are really going to kill yourself." He smiled at me a little.
"Don't worry Naima. I'll be okay. As soon as I get the rest of the money I need, I'll go back to my regular work schedule. It's only temporary so don't worry."
"Alright class," Totosai-Sensei began, "last semester you all learned about the proper care and special secrets about your weapons. Now it's time to put them to the test. I want you all to grab some armor and pick someone to go up against today. I will go down in alphabetical order and I want you to pick your opponent. Okay let's see who's up first. Ah, Bankotsu. You're first." Bankotsu got up with Banryu and walked down to the extremely spacious front area of the classroom. "So who do you want to go up against, Bankotsu?" Bankotsu scanned the room, in search of an opponent. I cocked my head towards Naraku, hinting to Bankotsu to choose him. I knew that Bankotsu would probably go easy on him rather than the other students. Bankotsu nodded his head at me.
"I choose Naraku," he said, pointing the blade of Banryu at him." Naraku sighed as he got up with his sword and put on some armor that was on the racks on the wall. He then went over to Bankotsu and stood right infront of him.
"Ready?" Totosai-Sensei asked the two boys. They both nodded. "Alright. Five minutes you two. Annnnd go!" As soon as the stopwatch was pressed, Naraku and Bankotsu began to clash blades. Like I thought, Bankotsu did go easy on Naraku, but he still didn't let Naraku get the best of him. However, Naraku seemed to be doing okay with his sleeped deprived self. He was actually giving Bankotsu a bit of a challenge, but when it was all said and done, Bankotsu disarmed Naraku of his sword and was the victor in only four minutes flat. "Okay. Nicely done, Bankotsu and Naraku." Naraku immediately took off his armor and walked back over beside me, looking even tired than before. "Okay so who's next? Ah! Hiten. Hiten who do you choose?"
"I choose Koga," Hiten replied. After their tied fight, it was now Inuyasha's time to choose.
"I choose Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha declared, waving the sword that Sesshoumaru wanted in his face.
"Big mistake baby brother," Sesshoumaru smugly said as he walked to the front of the class with both Tenseiga and Tokijin.
"Alright boys, I want a clean fight or else I'll report you to daddy," Totosai-Sensei teased the boys. "Ready? Go!"
"Wind Sc..."
"Hold on! Hold on! Time out!" Totosai-Sensei cut off Inuyasha before he could pull off his attack. "Inuyasha, you cannot use your Wind Scar inside of the building. We'll save that for when we start training outside."
"Feh! Fine," Inuyasha growled.
"Too bad half breed. You really needed it," Sesshoumaru said as he came at Inuyasha, who blocked his Tokijin strike with Tessaiga.
"Dammit Sesshoumaru, you cocky bastard. You can't defeat me and Tessaiga. It's the sword you wanted. Remember?"
"Yes, but unlike you, I know how to wield it properly."
"You idiot, you can't even touch it!" The quarreling and fighting went on for about two more mintues until Sesshoumaru disarmed Inuyasha of Tessaiga and won in three minutes and fourty five seconds. After their fight, Jaken went up against Kagome, Jakotsu against Miroku, Kagura, who now took morning classes instead of evening ones, went up against Renkotsu, and Kikyo fought Yura. Finally it was my turn and I chose to fight Sango.
"You ready girl?" I asked my good friend as I positioned my two Kodachi swords.
"Of course I am," she replied with a smile. I looked out the corner of my eye to see that both Sesshoumaru and Naraku were watching me intensely. I smiled to myself a little, enjoying the attention.
"Ready girls? And go!"
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango yelled as she threw her boomerang across the spacious front of the room. Because I was a panther demon, I was able to jump both over the weapon and Sango until I stood right behind her. I almost instantly began to attack her armor with the twin Kodachi blades. When her Hiraikotsu came back, she used it to block my strikes. I then dropped to my knees and did a sweeping kick, knocking her from her feet, but Sango bounced back quickly and sprung back to her feet and avoided my next strike. "Hiraikotsu!" She sent the boned weapon flying at me again, successfully knocking a Kodachi from my hand. After being disarmed, I could't pick it back up for it was againt Totosai-Sensei's rules. So I had to fight with a single Kodachi. I charged at Sango again, jumped off of her Hiraikotsu and did a back flip. The force of my attack, knocking her backwards into the wall.
"Ahhhh!" I cried as I charged at her again with my Kodachi. She hopped off the wall and sent the Hiraikostu flying at me. I quickly hopped out of the way, but swung my blade in a way that it would stop the big, fast weapon. Sure enough, I was able to stop the Hiraikotsu from coming back to Sango, thus disarming her of her weapon, which meant that I was the winner.
"Three minutes and fifty seconds. Not bad Naima. You either Sango," Totosai-Sensei declared.
"Thank you Sensei, " we both said as we bowed. I glaced over at Naraku and Sesshoumaru again, who both looked impressed. I smiled again as I walked back to my seat, trying not to make direct eye contact with either or them. Still, I had to admit. It made a girl feel good .
After class was over. It was time for another football practice. I already knew that practice would be more intense and hardcore, considering that the championship game was next Saturday. When I got down to the field, after lollygagging with Kagome and Sango, I saw that all the boys were already dressed in their uniforms and on the field, already praticing. I also saw that Naraku's girlfriend, Tsubaki, and her friends were there as well. Kagome, Sango, and I sat on the bottom bleachers closest to the field so we could see the action really well.
"Alright boys," Taisho-Sensei yelled to the players, "I want an even better performace than you did against Hanyou Tech. We are going to show those Shikon U Shikigami what the Demon Lords are made of. Sesshoumaru. Try rushing plays first." Sesshoumaru nodded his head.
"Blue 8! Blue 8! Hut, hut!" Sesshoumaru called before handing the ball off to his baby brother. Inuyasha broke through the line and gained the first down with ease.
"Alright go Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. Sango and I both shook our heads at our friend.
"Tighten up that line boys," Taisho-Sensei called to the defense.
"Orange 14! Orange 14! Over! Over! Orange 14! Hut!" Koga was the main running back this time as he got to about the 50 yard line before being stopped.
"Okay, linebackers you really need to tighten up that defensive overload. Try blitzing this time." Taisho-Sensei instructed.
"Black 3! Black 3, Blitz! Over Over! Black 3! Hut, hut, hut!" Sesshoumaru dropped back attempting to pass to Hiten, but Suikotsu sacked him before he could get the ball back.
"There we go!" Taisho-Sensei cried with a big smile. "Blitzing the quarterback never fails! Suikotsu, the QB killer! The Shikon U offensive line is going down! Oh...are you okay Sessho?" Sesshoumaru gave his father an annoyed look and nodded as he put his helmet back on.
"Black 81! Blitz on 12! Black 81! Hike!" Sesshoumaru dropped back, ready to pass to Naraku, but Suikotsu blitzed him again. So Sesshoumaru had to leave the pocket and run up the field himself. He got about eight yards before Bankotsu tackled him.
"Offensive line, protect Sesshoumaru better. Stop the Blitz." I could tell that Sesshoumaru was beginning to get annoyed with the non stop Blitzing, but he maintained his composure.
"Red 6! Over Over! Red 6! Hike!" Sesshoumaru's pass to Naraku was successful this time, but unfortunately, he overthrew the ball.
"Sesshoumaru you're overthrowing your route passes again!" Naraku yelled down the field to Sesshoumaru.
"Then run faster!" Sesshoumaru yelled back, his statement more harsh than Naraku's. I could see Naraku sneer through his helmet.
"Green 2! Green 2! Hut!" Sesshoumaru passed to Naraku again. The ball was still overthrown, but Naraku was able to catch up to it and caught it in the end zone.
"Alright 'Black Widower'!" I heard Tsubaki yell at her boyfriend with a huge smile on her face. Naraku just waved at her as he ran back to his position.
"Good job Naraku. Sesshoumaru, you need to work on your route passes. Try not to overthrow them so much." I could hear Sesshoumaru snarl through his mouth guard. He was really getting frustrated.
"Blue 42! Blue 42! Over Over!" he barked out the play as he moved his hands, telling the offensive line to shift in order to block the overload better. "Blue 42! Hut, hut!" He chunked that football so hard and so fast to Naraku, that one could have sworn that they saw flames. Naraku was able to catch it, but landed hard on the turf. Naraku jumped back up and spiked the ball into the ground. He jerked his helmet off, revealing red eyes, full of anger.
"Sesshoumaru you threw that ball that forceful because you wanted me to fumble, didn't you?" he snapped at my boyfriend. Sesshoumaru then took of his helmet. His golden eyes held annoyance.
"Well if you are as good of a reciever as you claim to be, then you would have no problem catching the forceful passes."
"I wouldn't have a problem with it, if you'd stop overthrowing your routes."
"Okay! Okay!" Taisho-Sensei called out to the boys, "I think that's all we need for today! Practice is dismissed." All of the boys obeyed and began to walk to the lockeroom to change.
Sesshoumaru's POV
I usually don't lose my temper, but my father's obsessive need to beat his old rival at the Jewel Bowl next Saturday and all of the sacks I recieved because of the numerous Blitzes really took it's toll on me. "Hey man are you okay?" Koga asked me as he sat down beside me on a lockeroom bench.
"Sort of," I said, removing my jersey.
"You took a lot of hits out there. You sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." Koga and I began to talk about the final upcoming game, when my ears caught something.
"Naraku you are really going to be in rare form come next weekend," I heard Naraku's good friend Bankotsu say. "I would say that you'd be MVP, but we all know that I'll get that. But you'll definitely get the Offensive MVP trophy."
"So how many touchdowns do you think you'll get?" Suikotsu asked the half demon, "two? Three?" I heard Naraku chuckle slightly.
"I'm anticipating on three. I just hope that I'll be better focused by then. Then I know I'll be able to catch those passes for sure," Naraku told his friends. I narrowed my eyes slightly at the spider demon's smug arrogance. It really annoyed me. Just last week he was only able to make 58 yards and now he claims he can triple them? He just wants to show off for the cameras and maybe even Naima. This half breed really annoyed me to no end.
"You know Naraku," I began as I took off my pads, "you won't be able to make those touchdowns if I don't pass to you. Don't forget that I'm really the one who controls your yardage." Naraku turned around and narrowed his red eyes at me.
"Is that so Sesshoumaru?" he smirked, "well, if it wasn't for my speed and ability to catch your frequently overthrown passes, you would be a bench warmer this season." I could hear all of the boys in the lockeroom quiet down. I smirked back at Naraku as I took a step closer.
"You're not as fast as you think you are Naraku," I said, still smirking, "Hiten never has a problem with my passes. Maybe, it's you who is to blame."
Naraku's POV
The arrogance of the dog demon was really beginning to piss me off. Was he intentionally trying to start a fight with me? All I had done was state the facts. He did overthrow his route passes a lot and I'm sure that he knew it too. So was he mad at me because of that or...or was Naima the real issue that he had with me? I replayed in my mind when he called me on Christmas night, warning me not to ever touch Naima again. Hmmm...I guess he still hadn't gotten over the kiss she and I shared. I smirked wider as I thought of this.
"Sesshoumaru. You cannot get angry for me merely stating the truth. You and I both know you overthrow your routes." I took a step closer.
"Naraku." I heard Bankotsu say as he grabbed the back of my shirt. I ignored my friend and wriggled free of his grip. I took another step closer.
"So what's the real reason why you're mad at me...Sesshoumaru?"
"You need to ask dumb ass?" I heard my older brother, Muso, jump in, "I'm pretty sure he's pissed that you're trying to run up in his woman. Sesshoumaru, you better watch him. He'll make Naima purr like he did last time. Meeeeoooowwww." Both Sesshoumaru and I turned to glare at my meddling brother.
"Muso, stay out of this," Bankotsu sternly warned. Muso just laughed as he took another sip of Gatorade.
"Or what?" he interrupted again, "since we're all so honest today, I just thought that I'd be too. Even though he's a mistake, Naraku is still a spider demon and a Scorpio just like me. We're notorious for being able to satisfy a woman. Ask Naima, Sesshoumaru. I'm sure she'll tell you."
"Muso shut the hell up!" Koga said as he jumped off of the bench and stood behind Sesshoumaru, who was becoming angrier with each word out of Muso's mouth. "Call down Sessho. It's not worth it."
"Aww let them fight you meddling wolf," Inuyasha jumped in, "we've all noticed the tension around them. It's only a matter of time anyways."
"Sesshoumaru. Calm down," Koga said, ignoring Inuyasha's request. I smirked wider at the boiling hot dog demon.
"Is that what this is all about, Sesshoumaru?" I teasingly asked, "me and Naima?"
"Narakuuuu," Sesshoumaru growled really low, "you are an arrogant, cocky, worthless half breed. Just because you and Naima used to be together, don't get it into your head that you can be together now. She doesn't want to be with a lowly, half human scoundrel like you." I narrowed my eyes at him, his words pissing me of even more.
"Oh, so I suppose that she wants to be with a pompous, self centered, dog demon like you with a stick so far up his ass he can't even reach it!" I took another step closer.
"Naraku, calm down dude," Bankotsu said grabbling my arm, but I jerked away from him.
"You know what your problem is Naraku?" Sesshoumaru said, walking closer to me. "You just don't know when to quit. Naima doesn't love you. She loves me. I'm the man who loves her and makes her scream at night. Me and only me. So you better back off before you really get your feelings hurt." I laughed defiantly at the dog demon.
"You may think she loves you, but she's in love with me," I said, "when you're kissing her, I'm on her mind. When you're hugging her, she wants to be in my embrace. When she's calling out to you and scaring your back at night, she wishes it was me that was giving her that loving. I was Naima's first kiss, first love, and first lover. Nothing you can do will erase that, so you better get used to having me around. She might be laying with you, but she takes me to bed in her mind. Every. Single. Night. So you might be able to make her scream now, but Sesshoumaru...I made her break the sound barrier."
Oooooo diss, lol
Bankotsu's POV
Before I knew it, Sesshoumaru had decked Naraku in the face. "Ohhh can't run now baby brother," Muso laughed as he watch Naraku stumble and fall over a bench.
"Oh shit, calm down Sesshoumaru!" Koga said trying to restrain the furious dog demon, but he wasn't strong enough. Sesshoumaru tipped over the bench that Naraku had fallen over and jerked my friend up by his shirt collar. Sesshoumaru slammed Naraku into a locker and started to whail on his face. Naraku was able to get free and pushed Sesshoumaru all the way into another locker on the parrallel wall. He punched Sesshoumaru in the face and Sesshoumaru swung back.
"Naraku! Calm down! Stop!" I yelled trying to pull my raged friend off of the dog demon.
"Fuck, Bankotsu! Let me go!" he yelled, trying to break free of the grip that I had around his waist. While he was struggling against my hold, Sesshoumaru broke lose of Koga's hold and launched at Naraku again, knocking him, me, Suikotsu, and Hiten down in one sweep. Sesshoumaru sat ontop of Naraku, grabbed a wad of his hair, lifted his head off of the ground, and began to punch him repeatedly in the face, busting his nose. Naraku was able to push Sesshoumaru off of him and Sesshoumaru's back hit the overturned bench. Naraku hit Sesshoumaru one good time in the mouth and busted his lip. Sesshoumaru staggered to his feet and gored Naraku into another locker. Naraku didn't stop fighting as he beat Sesshoumaru repetitively on his back and got Sesshoumaru on the ground again, punching him repeatedly in the face. Sesshoumaru swung back and was able to get my furious friend off of him. Sesshoumaru pushed Naraku over another lockeroom bench and popped him in the mouth too. Naraku wiped the blood away from his lips as he grabbed Sesshoumaru by the neck and slammed him against another locker, knocking over Hiten and Koga in the process. Naraku bruised Sesshoumaru's cheeks, but Sesshoumaru didn't stop swinging.
"Y'all stop it! Damn! Somebody help us break these dudes up!" Koga yelled as he once again tried to stop Sesshoumaru and I tried to stop Naraku. Suikotsu and a couple more linemen tried to help me restrain Naraku, while Koga, Hiten, and the other two recievers tried to control Sesshoumaru. When both of them got loose again, fighting off about five men each, something told me that this wasn't going to work.
Naima's POV
I was now sitting on the players bench with Kagome and Sango, waiting paitently for the boys to get finished changing back into their regular clothes. Tsubaki and her friends were still around too. They were hanging a little further from us on the fence. I looked at the time on my cell and noticed that the guys were taking longer than usual. "I wonder what they could be doing?" I asked, to no one in particular.
"Maybe they're towel fighting or guy gossiping," Kagome suggested as she hugged her coat tighter to her, trying to shield the blistering January chill.
"God will they hurry up!" I heard Tsubaki yell in frustration, looking at the watch on her wrist.
"What's wrong Tsubaki?" I heard Yura ask.
"Nothing, it's just that Naraku and I have a date later on and he's taking me home today." I smirked at my bestfriend's girlfriend. So she was just as impatient as she was obsessive .
After a few more minutes of waiting, I still didn't see a single boy come out of the locker room. All of a sudden, I saw Taisho-Sensei jerk his head around and eye the door to the lockeroom with great intensity. He then began to growl as he narrowed his eyes. I was confused about his actions, but then my demon ears began to pick up the sounds that he heard.
"Naraku! Get off of him!" I heard someone that sounded a lot like Bankotsu say.
"Sesshoumaru stop!" Koga's voice was what I then heard. I dropped my jaw as I jumped off of the bench.
"Oh no..." I gasped as I eyed the door to the lockeroom, "...please...don't...don't tell me...no."
"Naima? What's wrong?" Sango asked me confused. As soon as she asked her question, the lockeroom door busted open and a scene which I hoped I'd never see came into full view. Sesshoumaru and Naraku, both bleeding and dirty, fighting with about twenty guys on them trying to break them apart. Ten guys each! Sesshoumaru swung his light whip at Naraku who in turn sent tentacles flying at him. After using demonic powers for a while, they went back to hands and feet. Sesshoumaru tackled Naraku to the ground and Naraku hit upward while Sesshoumaru hit downward. Naraku then flipped them over so that he was on top and the fists never stopped flying.
"Alright break it up!" Taisho-Sensei yelled as he and the rest of the coaches ran over to the crowd of boys. The boys stood back as the coaches tried to pull Naraku and Sesshoumaru apart. "STOP IT BOTH OF YOU!!" Taisho-Sensei hollered as he yanked Sesshoumaru up by his neck, his strength far surpassing the strength of his son. The defensive coordinator, Coach Nagata a snake demon, wrapped his arms around Naraku's chest, while Naraku wriggled around in Coach Nagata's bone crushing grip. "What the hell just happened in my locker room?!!!" Taisho-Sensei snapped at the two football stars.
"Him and his damn mouth!" Sesshoumaru hissed out, words colder than ice.
"Fuck you, you arrogant bastard," Naraku spat back, still writing with anger.
"I'll show you arrogant, you damn half breed!"
"Jump bitch!"
"STOP IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! NARAKU! SESSHOUMARU! YOU TWO ARE SUSPENDED FROM THE FIELD!" Both Naraku and Sesshoumaru stopped struggling against the two fully grown demons. "That's right," Coach Nagata agreed, "we can't have fighting in our lockeroom. You two are out. You're done for the season. No banquet. No Jewel Bowl. Those are the rules."
"AND GOD HELP YOU IF RYUKOTSUSEI TAKES MY GOT DAMN TITLE THIS YEAR! NOW GET THE HELL OFF MY FIELD!! BOTH OF YOU!"
I stood completely frozen as I watched what had just unfurled in front of my very eyes. My bestfriend and boyfriend had came to physical blows. I knew right then and there that my relationship with both of them, would never be the same.
A/N: Ohhhhh maaaaan!
