A/N: Thank you again to all who have reviewed my story so far, but I'd like to send out a special shout out to kittyb78 and Red-Smartiez who given me constant feedback. You guys rock! I'd also like to thank you all for taking time out to read my insanity, lol. I really appreciate it.

So now that Naima has decided that she and Naraku should end their friendship, what will they do now?...


Bankotsu's POV

"Naraku? Dude wake up. Come on Naraku it's time to go to school," I called out to my friend early Friday morning as I knocked on his bedroom door. When he didn't answer me, I helped myself in and saw him still lying in bed with all of the covers pulled over his head. I sighed as I walked over to him and began to shake him. "Dude come on. Get up. It's not Saturday yet man."

"Leave me alone," he groaned as he rolled over to his other side.

"Sorry, but I can't do that. I've given you too much money for you to flunk out of college so you better get your ass up now." He sighed as he rolled on his back. He pulled the covers down from his head and sat up in bed with groggy red eyes.

"I don't want to go to school," he calmly said.

"Naraku you are not a kid anymore. You're a grown man and you need to face your problems head on like adults do. You're not going to be able to run from Naima forever."

"I can't do it Bankotsu. I barely got through Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I can't face her anymore this week. It's just not the same. I mean, how could she just walk away like that? How could she end our friendship over him?"

"Hmmm, just like you when you left her all alone in Brooklyn five years ago." He became really quiet. I sighed deeply as I sat on the bed with my mopey friend. "Look Naraku. It's not going to be easy, I know, but you're just going to have to deal with it for right now. Naima will come around. I know it. She's just trying to do what she thinks is right and that's keeping you at bay for the time being."

"Do you realize how hard it is to just be acquaintances with her? Just to casually say hey and just shake hands as a means of contact? I don't want to shake hands with her. I want to lay hands on her. I want to hug her and kiss her and be her Superman." I gave him a creeped-out look.

"There you go again with that feminine stuff. You are starting to scare me," He laughed a little.

"Well, you become more sensitive when your best friend is a female. But like I was saying, I want her to come back to me. I just want us to be happy together. Just her and I." I felt bad for my friend. He was going through such a hard time. He's struggling to pay for college, his family ditched him, he got suspended from football, his best friend walked away from him, and he has a psycho girlfriend (although he doesn't realize that Tsubaki is crazy). The poor guy can't seem to catch a break. This kind of makes me see why I'm single. All of this drama can even make the strongest man weak. Maybe I could help take some of the pressure off of him. I couldn't help him anymore with his tuition for I had to pay for my own as well. I was pretty sure that I couldn't talk Naima out of her insanity and I definitely knew that I couldn't get Tsubaki off of his back. Maybe I could help him get back out on the football field. It wouldn't help the rest of the stuff, but at least Naraku is happy when he plays football.

"Naraku. Come on. We need to go to school today. We must go today," I told him firmly.

"Why?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Don't question me dude. Just go get dressed." He sighed deeply again.

"Alright," he said as he flung his covers back and climbed out of bed. He went to the bathroom and decided to take a shower.


Naraku's POV

After classes were over, Bankotsu told me to stay after school with him so we could go talk to someone. Who it was and what is was for I didn't know, but I agreed and stayed after with him.

"So who are we going to go see?" I asked Bankotsu as we made our way down the various halls of the university.

"Coach Taisho," he cooly answered. I widened my eyes a bit.

"What for?"

"To get your spot back for next week of course." I chuckled a bit.

"Coach Taisho isn't going to let me back on the field. You know how he is about unnecessary fighting."

"Well, we will just have to see." By that time, we had reached Coach Taisho's office. Bankotsu knocked on the door loudly.

"Come in," Coach Taisho's voice boomed from the other side. Bankotsu slowly opened the door and I followed him inside. My eyebrows immediately furrowed when I saw that we weren't the only ones in there. Koga and Sesshoumaru were sitting in two chairs across from Coach Taisho's desk. All of the other coaches where in his office as well. I gave Bankotsu a cold look as I sat down in the seat furthest from Sesshoumaru. Bankotsu just shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'Oh well.'. Coach Taisho looked at us all quietly before speaking.

"Sesshoumaru. Naraku. You two really let this team down with your childish antics on Monday. I don't know what's going on with both of you, but you shouldn't bring it into my lockeroom. Now Koga and Bankotsu have pleaded with me to let you play on next Saturday, but I'm not sure if I want to do that. So I want to hear from you two as to why I should let you back on my field." Neither Sesshoumaru or I spoke. I already knew why I wanted to be back on the field. I loved football like it was my own child and it upseted me that I wouldn't even get the chance to earn a championship ring. After a few more minutes of silence, I could tell that Coach Taisho was beginning to become impatient. "Well boys? Give me a reason," he said very sternly.

"Uhhh...Coach," Koga began to speak up, "as we all know, Sesshoumaru and Naraku are both prideful and stubborn men, so I don't think that either of them want to admit their fallacy. Coach Taisho, please let them play. We've all worked so hard for this opportunity and if Sesshoumaru isn't quarterback and Naraku isn't the main receiver, then we will definitely lose to Shikon University." Coach Taisho smirked at the wolf demon a little.

"Koga, do you not have faith in your own squad?"

"Yes Sir, but I umm...uhh..." Coach Taisho let out a hearty laugh.

"I'm just joking with you son. I know that we will have some trouble if these two aren't playing. But I'm not so sure if they can even coexist on the field. I mean look at how smug they are acting toward each other now."

"I am able to do my job and pass to the half breed," Sesshoumaru suddenly spoke up. Oh there he goes again, running that damn mouth. I scooted to the front of my chair and looked past Bankotsu and Koga at him.

"If you can throw properly, like an arrogant demon like you should be able too, then I can do my job as well," I said, glaring at him. He glared back as a snarl left his lips.

"You see, now that's exactly what I'm talking about!" Coach Taisho snapped at us, "y'all can't even get along now. I'm not going to let you back on the field because you'll only end up fighting again. I'm not going to have you two embarass me in front of a nationalized audience."

"Please Coach," Bankotsu begged the daiyokai with pleading eyes. He then turned to me and mouthed, 'Shut up!' and I just rolled my eyes. "Coach," he began again as he turned back to face Coach Taisho, "don't let the seniors graduate without having the chance to taste victory over our most hated rivals. I mean, don't you want to beat Coach Ryukotsusei and prove to him that you are indeed the greatest?"

"This school's reputation is more important," Coach Taisho firmly said, "if I let Sesshoumaru and Naraku back out on the field, what does that say about Yokai University? It says you can do whatever the hell you want and still get to play. These two haven't even apologized yet and you expect me to let them back on the gridiron? Ha! I don't think so." Bankotsu sank back down into his chair defeated. As I looked at my disappointed friend, I began to feel a little guilty. Bankotsu really wanted to help me get back out onto the field and he also wanted a championship ring too. Probably even worse than I did. He had done so much for me. He had even lent me about one thousand dollars just to make sure that I wouldn't have to drop out of school and I repay him by being stubborn? I guess I'd just have to swallow my pride on this one. I sighed deeply as I sat up and looked down to Sesshoumaru again.

"Se...Sesshoumaru," I began, having to force the words out because I surely wasn't sorry for slapping the taste out of his mouth, "I...I...apologize for my behavior on Monday." I then turned back to Coach Taisho. "I apologize to you too, Sir," I said, this time more sincere.


Sesshoumaru's POV

I had to hold back the urge to laugh as the spider demon apologized to me. It was so phony. I could tell that he wasn't the least bit sorry and to be honest, neither was I. In fact, I quite enjoyed whooping his ass on Monday. I turned to look at Koga, only to see my friend giving me a look that said, 'You too.' I sighed deeply as I stared at my close friend. It made me want to gag that I had to apologize to this worthless half demon, but I wanted to make father proud and win that MVP trophy. Plus, I'd never hear the end of it if Ryukotsusei beats him and wins the championship. I guess that I'd just have to suck it up and give in. I looked down at Naraku and forced the apology out.

"Naraku, I'm sorry. I apologize to you too, father." After spitting out that blatant lie, I sat back in my chair while Koga gave me an approving look. My father, however, seemed unphazed by our apologies.

"You two are so damn fake," he said with an amused look, "you didn't mean that at all. I'm still having doubts about letting you two play." Just then, the phone on his desk began to ring. He sighed as he put it on speaker. "Yokai University Athletics Department. This is Coach Taisho."

"Inu no Taisho! My old buddy!" a deep, arrogant voice on the other end boomed. I sighed for I already knew who it was. My father stared at the black phone with a very annoyed look.

"Ryukotsusei. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I just called to make sure that you're still coming down here next week for the championship game."

"Of course I'm still coming. Why wouldn't I?"

"Oh that's good to hear, because word on the street is that you had to sit down two of your best players. Your son and that Naraku boy." He turned to look at both of us breifly before turning back to the phone.

"Yeah. What about it?"

"Come on now Inu. You know that your Demon Lords can't beat my Shikigami with or without those two boys. I was just calling to see if the rumors were true, so I can plan out how much Gatorade my players are going to have to buy when we mop the floor with you in Texas Stadium."

"Ryukotsusei don't get cocky now. You aren't going to get that title this year. That title is mine!" Ryukotsusei laughed defiantly.

"Ohhhh is that right now? Isn't that what you said when we were competing for the Heisman Trophy and I won that too." My father snarled over the phone, which caused the dragon demon to laugh even more. "Calm down Inu. Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'll see you next week in Texas. Goodbye...Second Best, hahahaha!" My father snarled very angry as he smashed the off button on the phone. He turned back to us with a very upset look.

"I'm probably going to kick myself for this, but I'll cut you two a deal," he began, "you are still banned from the banquet, but I'll let you play Saturday if you clean up the lockeroom and the football stadium by Sunday night. Do I make myself clear?" Both Naraku and I nodded our heads.

"Annnd," Coach Nagata, the defensive coordinator added, "Coach Takanawa and myself with be there with you to make sure that you two don't get into another skirmish. If you lay one finger on each other, then your college football careers will be done. Completely. Do you boys feel me?" We nodded again.

"Alright then, now both of you get out and get to work," father demanded with a wave of his hand. All four of us nodded our thanks and obeyed the great dog demon.


A/N: Boys are so stubborn, lol