AN// Okay I know I've been forever with this chapter and I am deeply sorry for I have procrastinators disease...and its eating away at my brain! Urgh.
Anyhoo~ I do not own Inuyasha!
oOoOoOoOoOo
No POV:...
What a mess. What a horrible, horrible mess this was! She didn't even like the guy, but it would be rude to refuse. 'Ugh, why me?'
"Hey Kagome, you alright?"
Her eyes, which had been focusing on the filth littered pavement snapped up to Inuyasha, arms crossed and a slight frown creasing his brows, worry evident in his glossy amber eyes. She sighed deeply and looked away, what was she going to say? 'I'm dreading the party on Friday?' Pfft, he'd just say 'Then don't go!' Like hell that was going to fly, he may have no problem being rude and obnoxious but Kagome certainly did have a problem.
Yes she knew that she could be difficult and stubborn, but she definitely wasn't obnoxious. 'Maybe that's why Inuyasha and Kouga don't get along, because they're both obnoxious...highly likely'
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little nervous about the party on Friday, I don't even know why he invited me...heck, I don't even know why Sesshomaru was having dinner with him and Kagura of all people, they seemed to absolutely loath each other!"
Taking an odd interest in a bird perched on a street light Inuyasha snorted and turned his gaze back to Kagome.
"Both of our fathers have been discussing a merger between our two companies for a while now, so fluffy was put in charge of keeping the peace with Naraku...his father seems to listen to whatever he says so if things don't go well with him then things don't go well for us."
Well that made sense. It was true that Inu-Taisho Inc. was the largest multi-billion dollar company in Japan, but it was always good to make your company bigger. It would even out the competition. But then why not invite Sesshomaru directly instead of inviting Kagome? Was it possible that maybe Naraku had taken an...interest in her?
She shivered at the thought, the freezing chill that shot up her spine making goosebumps emerge on the surface of her skin.
"Hey are you cold or somethin'?" shaking her head Kagome's hand went up to a stray strand of her long ebony hair, twirling it between her fingers, her eyes staring up at the sky thoughtfully.
"Hey Inuyasha, when I went to dinner with them I was talking to Ayame about my birthday this Friday..." out of the corner of her eye Kagome saw that at the mention of her birthday his back had gone as rigid as a board. She sighed. Of course. "You forgot, didn't you?"
"N-No! I'm not stupid, of course I remembered your birthday! Humph." Ignoring his childish antics Kagome pressed on.
" Anyway, do you think that maybe this is sort of like...I don't know, some sort of birthday party?" The very thought seemed almost enough to snap Inuyasha's already flimsy self control as his eyebrow ticked and Kagome heard him grind his teeth.
"Then you're definitely not going!"
"I have too Inuyasha."
"No you don't!"
"Yes, I do."
"Why!?" Kagome sighed again. God she was doing that way too much nowadays.
"Because, Inuyasha...I don't have a valid reason for not going, and though I personally don't really like him, I would feel bad if I lied. Kagura said that I could bring anyone I want right? I'll just invite you, Kouga and Sesshomaru..."
"Wha...?! Why Kouga? Why Sesshomaru?! Why not just me!" Suddenly his head jerked forward as Kagome's hand made direct contact with the back of his skull, making him lose his footing before regaining balance, nursing his 'wound'.
"Stop being such a child! You are all my friends, and I want you all there...Miroku and Sango will be coming too so quit whining!"
The fact that Inuyasha sulked, moped and pouted and mumbled obscenities under his breath the entire way back to the mansion was not helping Kagome's mood. Why the hell did he have to be so difficult?! 'I mean, it's really sweet that he gets jealous but sometimes he takes it a little to far...scratch that, he takes it way to far.'
At least school was back in in two weeks time, Kagome would have he studies to worry about, and she would at last have some time to herself between everything and sleep.
Hopefully this party would go down without anyone getting hurt or horribly mangled, maybe then some peace and quiet could be established in this hell Kagome called her daily life.
OooOoOoOoOo
Miroku, being the great friend that he is, was usually happy to help out. He was always glad to listen to his friends problems and try and help them.
But this...this was just ridiculous.
"-My Best friend of all people! I just can't believe it! That son of a...he knew that I liked her! I bet he's stabbing me in the back at this very moment!"
Kouga had been ranting like this ever since Kagome had dragged Inuyasha out the door for whatever it was that she had had planned for them for the day. After a while, it got pretty annoying.
Sighing inaudibly, Miroku muffled a yawn with his hand before stretching and placing his hands behind himself and leaning back.
"Kouga, If I may interrupt for a moment...why get so angry about nothing? This is Kagome's decision to make, if you guys start a game of tug of war with her then she may very well get fed up and just forget you and Inuyasha all together and choose Sesshomaru."
This comment seemed to stop the frivolous ranting as an expression of thought and confusion dawned the brunettes features. Miroku smiled to himself and watched in relieved silence as Kouga thought his words over carefully.
And of course he was glad that he had shut up. He didn't know how much more of that dribble he could possibly take.
And finally Kouga sighed and bowed his head in defeat. Obviously unable to find any flaw in Miroku's statement.
"Guess you're right...doesn't mean I have to like it."
"Of course it doesn't, you just have to acknowledge it." Miroku blinked and smiled warmly at his friend upon spotting the grin that he now sported.
"So no more fighting with Inuyasha while you're here?" Kouga snorted.
"I ain't makin' any promises...but I'll try if only for Kagome."
"That's good...she'd be glad to hear that. I think that may show her how much more mature you've become." Chuckling light heartedly at the hope now shining determinedly in Kouga's cobalt eyes Miroku stood from his spot on the living room floor and headed for the door.
"Hey where you goin'?" glancing over his shoulder Miroku smiled.
"Just going to get something to eat!" And with that he left.
Kouga rolled his eyes and switched on the television. He was going to use the phone, to call Sango.
'This...' he thought, 'may take a while.'
oOoOoOoOoOo
Annoying...why in the one thousand levels of bloody hell did everything have to be so god damned annoying?!
Resisting the urge to snarl into the receiver and tell the person on the other end to piss off, Sesshomaru opted for trying to crush it in his grip as he glared daggers at the wall across from where he was seated.
"But her birthday is this Friday..." he kept his tone cool and aloof. As if he were just stating a simple fact, though it wouldn't seem very relevant if he didn't care. But at the moment he was just too angry to care.
The voice on the other end chuckled, a rather sinister sound that somehow managed to make Sesshomaru's senses prickle with unease and disgust.
"But of course, I thought that perhaps she would appreciate a party in honor of her birth as a...gift, of sorts. She is quite the amazing young lady, top grades, liked by virtually every person that she comes in contact with...not to mention her rather obvious natural beauty. I was rather surprised to find that she has never been in a relationship before."
"How did you know all of this?" Anger was surging through him at a rate that nearly caused his blood to boil over with the strain of suppressing his fury.
"Have you already forgotten? Kagura is the biggest gossip in our entire school, and having a few connections higher up never hurt..."
'Fuck you.' were the words he so desperately wanted to say, but he bit them back, and closed his eyes. Taking two deep calming breaths, Sesshomaru spoke calmly.
"We will both see you there, Naraku." He spat his name out as if it were pure poison, venom laced into his tone. Naraku chuckled again making the short hairs on the back of Sesshomaru's neck bristle.
"Of course... good afternoon, Mr. Taisho."
There was an audible 'click!' as the connection was broken and he had hung up. Keeping the receiver held up a moment longer Sesshomaru finally placed it back on its base.
"...Fuck..." he sighed as the very first curse word he had used since...god he couldn't even remember, rolled off his tongue. It was amazing how good it felt, it was as if it released some of the pressure. But unfortunately not very much of it.
Naraku, that rat bastard! What the hell was he up too? Sesshomaru raised his head as he fell into his desk chair and rested his arm on the cool table top. He allowed his eyes to travel over to his window taking in the sunny weather as he attempted to keep calm.
He concluded after a while as he watched a tiny bird flutter from branch to branch on the tree just outside of his window that Naraku must be after Kagome as well.
That was absolutely unacceptable.
There was no way in heaven or hell that Sesshomaru would ever allow that disgusting excuse of a man anywhere remotely close to her...she deserved better.
And Naraku definitely didn't deserve her, that was for sure.
Blinking once in surprise Sesshomaru stood up and leaned over his desk and peered out the window down onto the walkway leading up to the front doors. Kagome and Inuyasha had obviously just returned from wherever it was that they had gone...but neither seemed all that happy.
Sesshomaru couldn't help but smirk in triumph. It seemed that whatever fresh attempt at winning Kagome over hadn't gone over so well...the thick headed dolt probably shot off that big fat mouth of his again. Tch. Figures.
Suddenly dark amber met electric blue and everything stopped for the briefest of moments. They both stared in surprise at one another as the girl came to an abrupt halt.
Amber eyes grew soft upon spotting the warm smile curling at her lips and the happy glow in those wonderful eyes. So he smiled back.
The spell was broken-rather rudely mind you-by Inuyasha, who had only just noticed that she had stopped walking.
And so she smacked him.
And Sesshomaru chuckled. Forgetting even if for a moment why he had even been angry in the first place.
OooOoOoOoOo
AN// Yay! Chapter seventeen is finally up! Again sorry for the very VERY late update. But I have been procrastinating and I have also been obsessed with Tsubasa...again, my deepest of apologies!
Please, READ AND REVIEW!