A/N: So, I got my first flame this yesterday. I hate when people leave anonymous, petty, useless comments on peoples stories. It's just rude. I think that if a person is to cowardly to take the rebuttal from the author, then they have no business being bitchy.
Ahem… anyway, thank you to all my other lovely reviewers, and to the wonderful people who have added me onto their author/story alerts and or their favs list. It warms my heart, and I hope I can keep you happy. Also, a big thank you to Diana January and Samantha who so hilariously defended my honor in regards to the flame. I absolutely love you guys! Xoxo.
Now, on with the show!
DISCLAIMER: I Do Not Own Inuyasha, The Ageha Dance Club, or The Fiesta International Karaoke Bar, or Any Of The Songs Used In This Chapter.
It Begins Again
Kagome stared at Sesshomaru trying to find a shred of coherent thought in her alcohol fogged brain. It wasn't working. She climbed ungraciously to her feet and gave him a lopsided smile.
"Hey you!" she garbled poking him playfully in the chest. "What are you doin here?"
Sesshomaru raised a brow at her. "Miko, you are intoxicated." he stated frankly.
"Wow, you're sooo smart, howdjya know?" Kagome replied sarcastically, as she started to sway.
"Miko, …" Sesshomaru started. He didn't get to finish his statement as Kagome fell forward and crashed into his chest again clutching his shirt to catch herself before her face hit the floor. His arms wrapped automatically around her lower back to steady her.
She looked up at him through long black lashes and snuggled her face on his torso. "Mmmmm, you're comfy." she said drowsily. "And warm."
Sesshomaru was about to push her away when her body went limp. He caught her swiftly and noted that she had passed out.
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. 'Now what?' he wondered irritably.
The next morning, Kagome woke up smothered in silk sheets and a heavy comforter. She tried to open her eyes, but the little bit of light inside the room caused a blinding, alcohol induced migraine. She pulled the blankets over her head and decided to go back to sleep. She didn't remember how she got home, but ascertained that Sango and Miroku found her at some point and drug her back to the apartment.
She heard the door open and pretended to be asleep so that the presence, who she assumed was one of her friends, would leave her alone.
Suddenly her covers were ripped away from her body, and she sat up with a startled squeal.
It was then she noticed she was in a strange room, and Sesshomaru was standing before her, blankets in hand.
"S-sesshomaru?" Kagome stuttered. "What are you doing here? And while we're on the subject, where exactly is here?"
"You are in my home." he replied tossing her a bottle of Excedrin. He gestured to the nightstand beside the bed, indicating a small glass of water.
"Thank you." she said gratefully swallowing a couple of the pills. She cleared her throat. "So, how did I get here again?"
He sat in a chair by the window and looked at her expressionlessly. "You assaulted my person for a second time in your inebriated stupor, and decided to fall asleep on my chest. I was honor bound to make sure you remained unharmed." he replied.
Kagome's face instantly went red. "Oh." she said quietly. "Ummm, thanks?"
"Hn. Prepare yourself miko. I will take you to your car." he instructed discourteously as he exited the room.
"Jerk." Kagome muttered under her breath.
"I heard that."
"Eep!"
Kagome scrambled into the bathroom, and washed the sleep from her face. She wondered briefly where Sango and Miroku had been during this ordeal, and decided to beat them for abandoning her the first chance she got. She made her way out the bedroom door and gazed admiringly at the extravagance that was Sesshomaru's home. The coloring on the walls and floor along with most of the décor was almost identical for his father's abode, but as she turned the corner, she came an abrupt halt.
Centuries old weapons lined a massive wall to her left. Crossbows, katanas, naginatas, spears and battle axes ranging from the Asuka Jidai to the end of the Sengoku Jidai. Two blades in particular caught her eye as she skimmed over the massive collection. The first looked to be a plain katana with a white hilt covered by blue-grey leather. As she edged closer to study it further, she noticed the sword's aura was infused with healing energy that seemed to be powered by a strong, ageless love.
'The Tenseiga.' Kagome identified the sword mentally. She remembered Toga mentioning it at some point in the past.
She turned to the other curious blade and had to take a step back. The traditional Japanese long sword's presence was violently malicious and it stung her spiritual senses like acid.
"Miko."
Kagome spun around to face the icy youkai lord. "Why do you keep such a terrible sword?" she asked him.
"It is mine, and has gone to war with me countless times. Why shouldn't I keep it?" he replied unconcerned.
"It's completely evil!"she cried.
He raised a brow. "I am not what one would call pure either, miko."
"Well, no but…" she trailed off and sighed. "I don't sense that kind of malevolence from you. I think you've changed since then. I mean it's been years, I don't think anyone would still be the same person after that much time has passed." she said quietly.
"Do not assume you know anything about me, woman. I am just as ruthless as I was 500 years ago, and twice as dangerous." he stated.
"You don't kill anymore, and you adopted a human child. From the stories I've heard, the old Sesshomaru would have never done something like that." she remarked.
Sesshomaru couldn't find a response to that. His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Your opinion is meaningless." he said coldly.
"Hey!" Kagome exclaimed indignantly. "You don't need to be rude!"
"I am not rude, I was merely pointing out your insignificance." he replied as if it were obvious.
"Ugh! You are such a JERK!" Kagome shouted as her anger surfaced. "You have no right to treat me like something you stepped in!"
Before she could even blink an eye, she was slammed against the wall, with Sesshomaru's hand gripping her throat.
"You forget your place, human!" he spat.
Kagome stared back at him defiantly, and he tightened his hold.
Oxygen was becoming an issue, but she would not give in to him so easily this time. She dug her nails into his arm in a feudal attempt to dislodge it from her throat.
Just as spots began to appear in front of her eyes, her spiritual powers burst forth and flowed through her fingers into Sesshomaru's arm.
He hissed, and dropped her unceremoniously to the floor.
Kagome gasped and sucked in the precious air greedily.
Sesshomaru was examining the burn marks that now decorated his right arm. 'That, was unexpected.' he thought absently.
The miko pulled herself up and walked toward him slowly. She reached for his arm, and he growled in warning.
"I just want to look at the burns." she said aiming for his arm again.
He relented as she grasped him tenderly, and she studied his injury closely.
She released him and dug in her purse for a moment before pulling out a small bottle. She squirted some of its contents into her hand and massaged it gently into the wound.
Sesshomaru regarded her curiously while she was distracted. He had been trying to squeeze the life out of her only moments before, and for some unfathomable reason she was more concerned about the minor damage she had inflicted on him while attempting to save herself.
He looked down at his arm, where her hands were caressing his skin delicately. Her touch was soft. Sesshomaru closed his eyes and shivered slightly at the electricity flowing downward, igniting a fire within him.
"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" Kagome asked withdrawing her hands carefully.
Sesshomaru opened his eyes, and stared at her.
She was startled to find an unfamiliar emotion plainly displayed in his amber orbs.
Kagome took a step back uncertainly. 'What the hell?' Kagome thought completely unsettled. 'I'm seeing things right? I mean Sesshomaru would never look at me that way, would he?'
She shook her head, trying to forcefully remove such ridiculous thoughts from her mind. But when she saw him lick his fingers and felt them graze the small claw marks on her neck, her eyes closed and her brain shut down completely.
Desire burned almost painfully between her legs as the moist pads swept over the sensitive skin lightly. She brought her hand up, placed it on his rock hard chest and looked up at him timidly.
He gazed back at her with hooded eyes, his hand settled on the back of her neck, and his face began a slow decent to hers, closing to distance between them.
Their lips were less than an inch apart, when Sesshomaru's phone rang loudly, effectively bringing them back to reality.
They both took a quick step back, and Sesshomaru answered the annoying contraption and walked into the adjoining room.
Kagome mentally slapped herself upside the head trying desperately to clear her foggy mind, and regain some form of coherent thought.
Sesshomaru returned a moment later, with his stoic mask firmly in place.
"It is time to leave, I am needed at work." he droned monotonously.
Kagome nodded wordlessly, and followed him out to the car.
Kagome sat to the right of a very cold shoulder. All traces of their previous heat had disintegrated and been replaced with a seemingly impenetrable wall of ice.
Her mind had been running around in circles trying to figure out exactly what had happened. 'Ok, we argued, he tried to strangle me, I fried his arm, applied aloe lotion to said arm, he shuddered, I got nervous thinking I hurt him again, hands moved of their own volition, and he almost kissed me!' she thought and found she was just as confused as before.
"Why did you rub your spit into my neck?" Kagome asked breaking the unbearable silence.
His shrug was almost imperceptive. "Inuyoukai saliva has healing properties. Your treatment sped up my natural healing abilities, and I simply returned the favor."
"Oh."
It had been more than that, he knew, but Sesshomaru barely acknowledged it himself. There was no way he was going to discuss it with the source of his dilemma.
Sesshomaru had thought he'd put a stop to the mutinous conduct his body seemed prone to around the miko, but this last incident had ensnared his mind as well. It had been instinct that led him to care for her wounds in such a way. He had barely been able to suppress the urge to use his tongue, as opposed to his fingers, to mend the tiny tears in her pale flesh.
It was unacceptable, Sesshomaru told himself firmly. He was above the guiles of a human female, as tempting as she may be, and he would reacquire control of the situation immediately.
He pulled into the abandoned parking lot at the Ageha, and stopped beside her car.
"Um, thanks for, you know, everything." Kagome drawled refusing to meet his eyes.
"Hn."
"Well, I guess I'll see you around." she said as she got out of his car, waiting a moment in the door way before deciding she wasn't going to get a reaction.
She watched him drive off somewhat sullenly, hopped in her car and headed to the mall to get a new phone.
Kagome called Sango as soon as she got back to her car.
"Kagome?" Sango answered.
"Hey Sa.."
"What the hell happened to you?! We've been worried sick!" Sango cut her off.
"I know, I'm sorry."
"You're sorry, well that makes everything better. I've been going out of my mind! Where have you been?"
"With Sesshomaru." Kagome replied as nonchalantly as possible.
"…"
"…"
"Ooook. Would you care to explain?"
"There's not really a whole lot to tell."
"Humor me."
"Ummm, well, I dropped my phone in the toilet when I was talking to you, then I left the bathroom, and ran into him again. Literally." Kagome said.
"Wait, what do you mean again?" Sango asked.
Kagome sighed and recapped the events of the last couple days.
"So we had another little spat this morning, he cut me, I burned him, there was some healing, and then he almost kissed me." Kagome finished casually.
"He almost WHAT?"
"It's not a big deal, I'm sure it was an accident."
"How do you accidently almost kiss somebody?" Sango replied dubiously.
"…"
"That's what I thought."
"Well, what else could it be? Sesshomaru hates humans." Kagome said.
"He adopted a human child, so he can't hate all humans." Sango pointed out.
Kagome stopped at a red light, and was about to reply when she looked across the intersection spotting an all too familiar red Camaro. She stared incredulously at Inuyasha's car.
The woman from the pictures Sango had taken was kissing his neck running her hand over his chest, before her head disappeared in route to his lap.
Kagome's jaw dropped as the light changed and they unknowingly passed her stationary vehicle.
"That mother fucker!" Kagome screeched disbelievingly.
"Huh?"
"Inuyasha! He's still here!" Kagome cried furiously.
"What? How do you know?"
"He just drove by me with his new bitch! And I'm 99% sure there was some road head going on!" she fumed.
"Whoa. Kagome I'm so sorry." Sango replied sympathetically.
"I'm gonna tear his freaking face off!" Kagome raged as she tore through the intersection.
"Well, you knew he was cheating Kagome."
"I know but he's here, not wherever the hell he was supposed to be, and I wasn't prepared to actually see it yet. You know he didn't even bother to call me and pretend he made it there safely."
"You had to confront it eventually, sweety."
"I know that. But it's different actually witnessing it. That makes things more real." she said quietly trying to fight back the tears of anger and hurt that were stinging her eyes.
"What are you gonna do?" Sango asked.
"What can I do? I can't just wait for him to come home to night and call him on it. He's still on a 'business trip' remember? Lying prick." she spat sarcastically.
"I have to agree with you there, but you know you're kinda following in his adulterous footsteps right?" Sango said.
"What? How? I haven't done anything."
"You almost kissed his brother Kagome. Inuyasha may be a slime, but you would still be cheating if the act had been completed." Sango replied matter of factly.
"I hadn't even thought about that." she admitted.
"I figured that much."
"Well, it doesn't matter anyway, because there's nothing going on between Sesshomaru and I. I'm sure what happened earlier was just some Kami's idea of a joke."
"If you say so."
"I do." Kagome said firmly.
"So, you're still coming to Fiesta tonight right?"
"Yep."
"Normal time?"
"Yep."
"Ok, see you tonight then."
"Bye." Kagome said hanging up.
Kagome sighed. It had never occurred to her that her almost kiss with Sesshomaru would have been cheating. She supposed that in her mind's eye, she and Inuyasha had already broken up due to his infidelity, even though in reality they were still technically together. 'Must be my emotional defense system kicking in.' she thought wryly. Though a whisper in the back of her mind told her she had forgotten Inuyasha completely during those few seconds she had been so close to Sesshomaru.
WHOOP WHOOP! She glanced at the flashing lights in her rearview mirror.
"Ah crap." she grumbled irritably pulling into a parking area.
"Do you know why I pulled you over ma'am?" the officer asked as she rolled her window down.
"I… Kouga?" Kagome said as she recognized the officer's face.
"Oh hey Kagome! How's it going?" Kouga asked cheerfully.
"Eh, it's going. How are you?"
"Much better now." he replied resting his elbows on her car door. "So, I heard about you and mutt face."
"Who told you about that?"
"Sango's mentioned it a time or two."
"I see." she muttered making a mental note to kick Sango in the shin later tonight.
"I can't help but be happy he messed up so bad though, gives me a chance to move in on his territory." he added winking at her.
"Hehe…" Kagome laughed uncomfortably. "So are you going to give me a ticket for …um… what was I doing again?"
Kouga chuckled lightly. "You were speeding. As far as the ticket, I'm sure there's somethin you could do to make me forget about it." he said wiggling his eye brows at her suggestively.
Kagome wrinkled her nose disgustedly.
"Haha, I'm just kidding Kagome. I'd never give my woman a ticket."
Kagome resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and gave him a forced smile. She'd let the annoying comment go this time. She really didn't want a ticket going on her immaculate driving record.
"Well, I guess I'll see ya, gotta finish my rounds." Kouga said importantly.
"Yeah, bye Kouga. Thanks for not giving me a ticket."
"Think nothing of it, milady." he replied kissing her hand and leaving. "Later Kagome!" he called as he got back into his squad car.
She waved at him and pulled back onto the road.
Kagome looked at the clock on the radio. She had seven hours before she was to meet Sango at Fiesta, so she decided that, instead of doing something productive, she was going to take a nap.
Kagome awoke to the sound of her alarm screaming in the quiet of her room. She sat up quickly and turned it off. She showered dressed in blue jeans and a tight t-shirt, caught a cab and headed downtown to the karaoke bar.
Sango, Miroku and Ayame were already sitting at their normal table when Kagome arrived.
"Hey guys." she said flopping down onto the chair next to Sango.
"Hi." they responded.
"We took the liberty of ordering you a drink." Miroku said sliding a glass over to her.
"Thanks. So who's up first?" Kagome asked taking a sip of the Fallen Angel they provided her with.
"There are 6 people first, then I go up." Ayame replied.
"After that, it's me, Miroku, then you." Sango supplied.
"Sounds, good. I think we're gonna need another round of drinks soon though." Kagome suggested eyeing the almost empty cups in front of her friends.
"We thought we'd wait for you to catch up." Sango stated.
"How many have you had?"
"These are the first for Ayame and I. Miroku's on his third."
Kagome swallowed the remainder of her drink in one gulp. "Ok, ready." she said laughing at the shocked faces of her friends. "What? Don't give me that look, it's been a weird day."
Ayame chuckled. "So we've heard."
Kagome turned to glare at Sango who was finishing her own cocktail.
"Speaking of, why in Kami's name did you tell Kouga, of all people, about the Inuyasha situation?" Kagome asked darkly.
Sango raised an eyebrow. "I told you I would have to to get him to take my shift so I could spy on Inuyasha."
"Oh yeah. I forgot about that." Kagome said sheepishly. "Sorry."
"Eh, nothing another drink won't fix." Sango replied waving her empty glass in front of Kagome's face.
Kagome laughed, flagged down a server and ordered four Adonis' for the group.
Twenty minutes later, Kagome was currently working on her fifth drink, a Barracuda, and the D.J. called Ayame's name for her turn. For her song, she chose Evanescence's Away From Me. They cheered for their friend and swayed with the beat as Ayame sang.
"So Kagome," Miroku slurred, "Let's revisit you and Sheslomadu thing."
Kagome almost choked. "There's nothing to say. It was nothing."
Miroku smirked perversely. "You, like him." he said looking at her unfocusedly.
"I do not!" Kagome denied.
"Do too, I can tell." he slurred.
"No, you're just drunk." she stated.
"That, is very true, but you 'hip' still like him."
"Hehe, I think I need another drink." she said chugging the rest of the fruity mix in front of her. She stood up and walked quickly to the bar, and ordered a Black orchid. As she waited for her drink, Kagome pondered what Miroku had said.
'I so do not like Sesshomaru. Do I?' she shook her head, making herself dizzy. 'Of course I don't, it's completely ridiculous.'
Kagome walked back to the table as Sango got up to sing Allanah Myles' Black Velvet.
Ayame glanced at her from across the table. "I think you like him, too." she stated.
"Why on earth would you think that?" Kagome asked testily.
"I could smell it on you when you guys came out of the exam room when he came in with Rin."
Kagome covered her face with her hands to hide her blush. 'Stupid youkai senses!' she thought crisply.
"I told you." Miroku said, his face smug.
"It's not what you think!" Kagome cried.
"Then what is it?" Ayame asked.
"Well, I haven't figured that out yet, but it's definitely not what you think." she said crossing her arms over her chest with finality.
"Do let us know when you discover the answer." Ayame replied with a knowing look.
"Yes, I'm very interested to hear the details of your.."
"Miroku, if you finish that statement, I'll see to it you don't have any 'details' for a month." Sango threatened him taking her seat.
"I was just …" he started innocently.
"I know exactly what you were going to say Miroku. Shut it." she told him.
Miroku huffed, but closed his mouth and went to sing his song.
Before he got a chance to start, Sango jumped up and whispered something in his ear, then walked over to the D.J. and spoke to him.
She was smirking evilly when she sat back down at the table.
"What's so funny?" Kagome asked curiously.
Sango chuckled lowly. "I told him if he let me chose his song, I'd let him get away unpunished for grabbing my butt in public the next time he does it."
The music started and all three girls, and most of the rest of the audience, almost fell out of their chairs laughing.
A drunken Miroku was dancing and singly wildly to Aqua's Barbie girl. Several cell phones were aimed at the stage within seconds.
"This will be on YouTube before we even leave tonight." Ayame said trying to catch her breath.
They laughed harder as Miroku bent in the Pop, Lock and Drop it move.
The song concluded and Miroku bowed so low he almost fell over. He came running to their table with a grin.
"Now for my payment." he said stepping in between Kagome and Sango, bending slightly to pinch both of their butts.
"I said my butt, not mine and Kagome's!" Sango screamed standing up. She socked Miroku in the face so hard, he spun around to the table behind him.
" 'scuse me miss, how do you set a laser printer to stun?" he said before falling to the floor in a unconscious heap.
Kagome and Ayame burst out laughing as Sango sat back down.
"Kagome you're up." Sango stated bitterly taking a sip from her drink.
Kagome walked up on stage and grabbed the mic. The song she had chosen belonged to a male vocalist, but after her experience involving Inuyasha earlier that day, she felt it was appropriate.
My shattered dreams and broken heart
Are mending on the shelf
I saw you holding hands, standing close to someone else
Now I sit all alone, wishing all my feeling was gone
I gave my best to you, nothing for me to do
But have one last cry
One last cry, before I leave it all behind
I've gotta put you outta my mind this time
Stop living a lie
I guess I'm down to my last cry
Cry...
I was here, you were there
Guess we never could agree
While the sun shines on you
I need some love to rain on me
Still I sit all alone, wishing all my feeling was gone
Gotta get over you, nothing for me to do
But have one last cry
One last cry, before I leave it all behind
I've gotta put you outta my mind this time
Stop living a lie
I know I gotta be strong
Cause round me life goes on and on and on
And on...
I'm gonna dry my eyes
Right after I had my
One last cry
One last cry, before I leave it all behind
I've gotta put you outta my mind for the very last time
Been living a lie
I guess I'm down
I guess I'm down
I guess I'm down...
To my last cry...
As she finished, and put the mic away, she closed her heart to the pain that Inuyasha had brought on, and went back to the table quietly.
Sango and Ayame were looking at her peculiarly as she sat down and grabbed her drink.
"What?" she asked indignantly.
They shook their heads and turned back to the next performer.
They stayed until close, and walked outside to wait for a cab.
"I think I'm gonna walk for a while. You guys go ahead." Kagome said as their ride pulled up.
"Ok, but be careful Kagome." Sango replied as she shoved Miroku's drunken form into the cab.
"See ya later Kagome." Ayame said climbing in after them.
Kagome waved and walked down the street.
She decided pie sounded to good to not get some, so she headed to a 24 hour diner a few blocks down. She stopped at an intersection waiting for the light to change so she could cross, when a streak of silver flashed to her right.
Sesshomaru's sleek S7 stopped at the light next to her.
Kagome waved imperceptibly at him as she crossed the street.
She was almost at the diner when a rumble came from behind her. She turned and saw Sesshomaru pull up to the curb, and roll his window.
"Do you require assistance again miko?" he questioned facetiously as she leaned her head in the window.
"No, I… wait, are you making fun of me?" she asked incredulously.
He smirked at her. "I did nothing of the sort."
"Uhhuh, whatever." she said playfully sticking her tongue out at him.
"You still have not answered my question, miko."
Kagome giggled. "No, I do not need help. I'm on my way to that diner over there." She said gesturing to the small building a few yards away. "Would you like to join me?"
Sesshomaru knew he shouldn't, but his body had other plans and he turned off his car and got out.
"So, what are you doing out so late?" she asked him as they walked toward the diner.
"I was working late." he replied.
Kagome wrinkled her nose at those particular words momentarily.
"Ah." she said lamely.
Sesshomaru noticed, but said nothing as he opened the door for her.
Kagome blushed. "Thank you." she said shyly as she walked into the café.
He followed her to a small booth, and sat across from her.
The waitress handed them menus, but Kagome shook her head.
"I just want a slice of the chocolate mousse pie and a coffee please." she said returning the carte to the petite serving lady.
"I will have a coffee." Sesshomaru told her curtly.
The woman nodded and disappeared behind the counter to fill their order.
He turned back to Kagome. "You are out late as well miko."
"Yeah, I go to a karaoke bar with some friends of mine every Saturday night." she replied.
"Hn."
They sipped on coffee for a half an hour, chatting idly when Kagome's shoulder's began to slump drowsily.
"Come." Sesshomaru said standing. "I will take you home."
Kagome followed him out the door to his car and blushed again when he opened the door for her. As they headed towards her apartment, she found was a little disappointed the time had gone by so fast. She had been enjoying his company thoroughly. Sure, she had done most of the talking, but he had been… friendly and she discovered he was actually very likeable the more she got to know him.
Sesshomaru glanced at the woman sitting next to him as they made their way down the soundless streets. She was staring out the window blankly. The small amount of time he had spent with her tonight had been surprisingly pleasant, and he found himself craving more of her time.
"There is a party I must attend tomorrow night for work. It's a gathering of all my associates and I would like for you to accompany me." he said breaking the silence.
She looked at him with wide eyes. "You… you mean like a date?" she stammered.
"I suppose you could call it that, yes."
Her stomach fluttered nervously as she smiled at him. "I would love to."
"I will pick you up at seven."
"Alright." she replied dreamily, looking out the window again.
They pulled into her parking lot, Sesshomaru turned off the car, and followed her up to her door.
She fumbled around for her keys, unlocked and opened the door.
Sesshomaru sniffed the air inside of the large apartment and noted that the hanyou's scent was almost completely faded. He looked down at the miko fidgeting in front of him. The moonlight bathing her features made her look like a celestial maiden and before he knew it, he was reaching for her.
Kagome played with her keys unsure what to say or do next. She felt a warm hand cup her cheek and she looked up at the youkai standing before her in surprise. His face was so close she could feel his breath on her own.
"Kagome" he whispered.
A/N: Sorry this took so long, I was feeling kinda out of it, but it's finally done. I've had a couple people ask me for a lemon, so I set up a poll. Please vote, and let me know if I should write one or not. I am going to wait for two or three days to update leaving a small amount of time for votes to come in. So yeah. Vote and review please. ;D Hugs!
Creature of Shadow