A/N: Here we are everyone, my promised update. Because I am only home a few more weeks, I am going to be the Vin Diesel of updates. Fast and Furious, though they will all be strong, and suave, and unreasonably attractive...Anyway, enjoy this chapter everyone. And a very Happy New Year. I hope to entertain you with my quirky humor and writing for another year.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, honestly...except my Christmas gifts, and my love of Heston movies.
Unknown
Chapter 2
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away,
There was a lovely and kind maiden named Kagome,
Who was the victim of a terrible spell,
And wished only for a happy ending to her story...
"Is it really that bad?" Sango asked, toying with the end of her long braid.
"It's worse than bad," Kagome responded, running a hand through her loose raven hair in a distracted manner. "He is positively wretched." Turning her blue gaze to her best friend, Kagome smiled a little tiredly. "Why are you friends with him?"
Sango shrugged and blew a bubble with her chewing gum. "He's a sweetie once you get past the attitude and bravado."
"Somehow, I just don't see it," the other shrugged.
The two teenagers were wandering around the local mall, window shopping and complaining to one another. Sango was going to be performing at her eighth violin recital later that month, and her mother had given her two hundred dollars to pick out an outfit that didn't scream "hoodlum". After the initial indignity wore off, Sango had grabbed up Kagome for a girl's afternoon out.
"It's only been a week, I'm sure that if you just give him some more time, he'll come around."
"I hope so, or else this job is going to kill me."
Sango slung an arm around her friend's shoulders, hugging her loosely. "At least the money's good. Grimm's mom cares a lot about his education."
Kagome rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't encourage him by using that name."
"If it'll boost his ego a bit," the taller teen grinned. "I'll call him whatever he wants."
"He doesn't need a boost in ego. His head is so big I'm surprised he fits so easily through doors," Kagome grumbled.
At that, Sango only giggled. "I thought you were here to help me pick out some proper clothes, not whine about boys."
Kagome relented with a pained sigh. "Why do I have so much trouble with men?" she lamented.
"It's the Y chromosome, sweetness," Sango sighed with a nod. "You and it just don't mix."
"Tell me about it." Kagome tried to shake off her bad mood by looking at the window mannequins. "Sango?"
"Hm?" Sango was busy staring at the new shirts that arrived at the Hot Topic across the aisle.
"Do you think my designs will ever end up in a store window?" Kagome traced a frosted glass design absently with her finger.
"One day," Sango replied with confidence, coming to join her at the window. "Once your brilliance as been recognized. I mean, you know how picky I am with clothes, and I honestly adore your work. Even Kagura does, and that's saying something."
Kagome smiled a little, but it didn't meet her eyes. "Clothes are my art."
"Then, by all means, advise me what to wear, oh Lady of the Cloth," her friend said, nudging her in the back. "I've got my mother's money to burn."
With a chuckle, Kagome led Sango into a nearby store and they began browsing the racks. "Because it's the violin, you could wear a skirt."
"In the middle of winter?"
"I thought you liked to show off your legs."
"Not when there isn't anyone to show them off to," Sango retorted. "Just a bunch of rich kids and prodigies."
"You could always invite Miroku to come along," Kagome said in a sing-song voice. "I'm sure he'd love to stare at your legs."
"Like I'd invite that raging pervert to my violin recital!" Heat began on the bridge of her nose and spread out across her cheeks, making Kagome giggle a little more. "Not that he would actually go. I doubt a night of classical music would really be his scene."
"It couldn't hurt to ask him. He could always sit in the back and heckle, like I do."
"Liar," Sango laughed. It was an interesting picture to conjure up. Kagome was her back row cheering section, and it would be nice to have another person back there. "Let's just concentrate on getting me something."
"Pink brings out your eyes," Kagome commented, "though green and black accent your figure." She was going into her clothing trance, her brow furrowed in thought and her eyes scanning over the racks of useless, worthless clothing.
Sango, arms clasped behind her, happily followed her friend. She was used to this, knowing better than to interrupt. It was kind of refreshing to see Kagome become whole-heartedly involved in something. It was becoming more and more rare to see her let loose of her dark thoughts and break free for a little while. Over the past few years, Sango had watched Kagome steadily collapse under the weight of pressure left on her after her father walked out on their family.
"You know," Kagome said, invading the quiet moment with some profound thought, "I could always whip something up for you, and you could pocket the money."
Slinging an arm over the shoulders of the smaller girl, Sango grinned and flipped her heavy braid over her shoulder. "I knew there was a reason I loved you so much."
"I know, I'm great."
"You are," Sango assured her, hugging her tighter. "Hey, how about I buy us dinner tonight and we can have a jam session? I'll play while you brainstorm up my ensemble."
"I wish I could," Kagome said with an apologetic smile, "but I'm having dinner at the Montgomery's tonight."
"Oh," was all the other said.
"Friday? You can pick the movie. Promise."
"Sure, sure." Sango drew back from Kagome, stretching her spine and whistling a bit to hide her disappointment. "What time do you have to head out?"
Kagome pulled up her sleeve slightly and checked the second-hand watch she got for Christmas. "'Bout an hour. Want to spend your mom's hard-earned money on trash?"
Sango smiled. "You read my mind."
"That's what a best friend does."
"She's a nightmare."
"With that angel face?"
"It's all an act! She's evil, I swear it!"
"Because she forced you to read?"
"Dude, my pride has been thoroughly tarnished. As my partner in crime, it is your duty and obligation to be on my side and call her a she-devil to make me feel better."
Miroku laughed, getting to his feet from where he had been crouched beside his pieced together motorcycle. Streaked with grease, hair plastered across his face and neck from sweating, he was the picture of contentment. A God of the garage. "I happen to like that she-devil. And you'd better not bitch about her around Sango either."
"I don't get how someone like Sango can be friends with a girl like that," Inuyasha grumbled for the millionth time brushing the hair back from his eyes with the back of his hand, leaving a dirty streak in his wake.
"You just got off on Kagome's bad side, which is not a place you want to be. Honestly though, once you get to know her, I know you'll like her. She's sweet and quirky. Maybe she's a little more refined than Sango, but they're cut from the same cloth."
"I don't see how," the other rallied. "She's a nag, and a know-it-all. And she calls me an idiot every five seconds."
"Grimm, man...I call you an idiot every five seconds, and we're bosom buddies."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and straddled the seat of his motorcycle. "We're gonna have these babies on the road in no time."
"Even Sango agreed, so I know it's true," Miroku nodded. He ran his hand over the body of his bike in reverence. "I need a wicked paint job on mine though. Something hot. Maybe a throw-back to skateboard art. I'll just have to get someone to draw up a design for me."
"I was just going to go for the pirate look," Inuyasha explained, admiring the rusty frame. "Skull and crossbones. A bike worthy of being ridden by the Grimm Reaper."
"Oh, no, Grimm. You're not full of yourself at all," Miroku said sweetly. Inuyasha threw a dirty rag at his face and they both laughed.
"I still don't know how you can be friends with that girl."
Miroku groaned. "You know, for all the belly-aching you've been doing, I'd say you liked "the girl"."
"What!" This was met with a complete look of betrayal and outrage.
"Since your session has been over and you came here, you've done nothing but talk about her." He smiled his most wicked, angelic smile. "But what's not to like, really? She's beautiful, brilliant, and damn fiery. And you can't tell me you don't love a girl with spirit."
"Yeah, she's also got a serious attitude, a bad personality--"
"If you would not call her "wench" or "video bitch", she wouldn't have such a bad personality."
"She's also got a boyfriend, who would have no problem whatsoever beating my beautiful face into hamburger."
Miroku snorted. "Like you'd ever lose a fight to Hojo Montgomery. You beat him at just about everything."
"Just about...?"
His friend shrugged. "If you studied a bit more..." Inuyasha growled. "Dude, you're hella smart, but you never put energy into anything. One of these days, you're gonna find something you love and you're going to give 100 for it, but until then...it doesn't hurt to work a little more than 25 ."
"Who says I'm not giving it all now?"
"I know you," Miroku grinned. "You're a lazy fuck."
"Damn, you're cold."
"Just calling it like I see it, pal."
Inuyasha got serious for a minute, his eyes falling to the ground. Miroku knew that expression and smiled a little. Not many would take Inuyasha to be a great thinker because most people wrote him off as a delinquent ten seconds after meeting him. No one expected anything but failure out of him, and Inuyasha was never one to disappoint on that score. But there were times when he could surprise you.
"It's not that I want to do bad, to have people think I'm stupid..."
"I know," Miroku told him.
"It pisses me off that my mom worries so much about it."
"She wants good things for you, dude. So do I."
"I'm just not good at anything. It pisses me off."
"Don't sweat it, Grimm," Miroku encouraged. "You'll find your great love soon."
Inuyasha smiled a little. "No matter how bad I treat you, you still support me."
"Is this the part where you thank me for my great loyalty and unwavering devotion for you that I've soldiered along all these long years?"
"No, this is where I call you a fucking dumass."
Miroku laughed hard at that. "Love you too, pal."
"Thanks, Demon."
"Thank you very much for dinner, Mrs. Montgomery," Kagome intoned, smiling politely as she helped clear the dishes from the table.
"Oh, no trouble at all, Kagome, dear," the older woman laughed.
In all actuality, it had been the housekeeper, Consuella, who had made dinner. Kagome always made it a point to thank the friendly Spanish cook before she left the house whenever she ate over.
The stately Mrs. Montgomery would never lower herself to the point of cooking since it carried the risk of dirtying her expensive clothes or chipping one of her manicured nails. Although she didn't have a job, Mrs. Montgomery's job was to be a social trophy wife, the kind that everyone wanted at their parties but didn't like much. She was the stereotypical rich woman with the permed hair, plastic surgery enhanced body, and exquisitely made up face.
Mr. Montgomery was no better. A hopeful politician and current business owner, his time was spent in the office nearly all day, every day. And when he wasn't, he was grooming his heir. Kagome was something he considered to be part of the future he was making for his son. A tall, balding man in his late forties, Mr. Montgomery had been a handsome man in his youth, but years of hard work and stress had cost him some in his middle age, especially to his waist.
"So, kids," he said, getting up from the table with a contented pat of his gut. "What are your plans for the night?"
"We're going to go up to my room, watch a movie or something, Pop," Hojo replied.
"Ok," his father laughed. "Just make sure to use protection."
"Oh, don't say that," Mrs. Montgomery laughed. "You'll embarrass them."
Kagome blushed a dull red and hoped her bangs covered it. Never would she be one talk back to an authority figure, but she truly wished they wouldn't talk about things like that as if she wasn't in the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hojo laugh a little, but noticed he was uncomfortable too. Somehow she doubted it was for the same reason she was.
"Come on, Kagome," he said, pushing back in his chair to get to his feet.
She nodded, saying her goodnights to his parents before placing her hand in his and letting him lead her out of the dinning room and up the stairs to his room. In the back of her mind, Kagome knew what was going to happen, but she didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to think about anything right now.
"I'm glad you came over tonight," Hojo commented to her as they walked up the stairs together.
"Me too," Kagome agreed. "I'm sorry we haven't spent a lot of time together recently."
He sighed and didn't look at her as he opened the door to his room and flicked the light switch on. "I know you've got to work and all, babe," he said at last. "I'm sorry I get needy and all."
Kagome wrapped her arms around him from behind. "It's not your fault, Hojo. It's mine. I've just got so much going on..."
"I know, I know." Hojo turned in her arms and held her tightly. "I just wish I could be your number one priority sometimes."
"I'm sorry," Kagome said, gripping the back of his shirt in her fists. For some reason, something she didn't even want to admit to herself, she began to cry. Hat, angry tears forced themselves from the corners of her eyes and on to her boyfriend's shirt. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"Hey, what are you crying for, honey?"
"I don't know." Kagome pulled back from him then to wipe her face with the back of her hand. "I don't know what's wrong with me half the time."
"There's nothing wrong with you, baby." Hojo helped her sit down on his bed and sat beside her, an arm around the small of her back. "You're perfect." Softly, Hojo brushed the tears from her cheeks with his fingers.
Even though he meant the words to be reassuring, they only made Kagome want to cry more. Was that something a normal person would do when told they were perfect? Did everyone feel as overwhelmed and scared as she did?
"Just kiss me," she whispered.
Hojo smiled and sighed in relief before leaning forward to meet her lips with his own. This was what he wanted so she wouldn't begrudge it of him. In all truth, she wanted it as well. Some human contact from someone who loved her.
As if reading her mind, he pulled back to kiss a trial along her jaw, to her ear. There he whispered the three words she needed. "I love you." A breath and a promise.
Turning her head, she kissed him again, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting him lower her down on to the bed. She'd stop him eventually, but for right now, she would just enjoy the attention and affection. She would let her boyfriend kiss her and she would kiss him back and let the worries fall away.
"I love you, Kagome," he whispered again, kissing her neck.
"Me too," she sighed.
"Kagura," Sango called in a sing-song voice. She flopped herself down on to her stepsister's bed. "Whatcha doin'?"
Kagura, fresh out of a shower and still in her fluffy pink bathrobe, was drying her hair in front of the vanity mirror. Her clothes were laid out on the bed, where Sango lay on them. "Don't you ever knock?"
"Nope," the other replied. Absently, Sango began unbraiding her long hair from its plait. "What are you doing tonight?"
"I'm going over to Sesshomaru's," Kagura commented, pulling her hair back into it's common tail.
"Going to watch old political footage and debate on the economic stability of the country?" Sango asked, toying with the ends of her hair. It was about time to dye it a new color. Maybe red this time...
"Actually, we're probably going to spend about ten minutes talking about newspaper stuff, and then I'm going to jump him."
Because she said it in such a serious, monotone voice, it took Sango a few seconds to burst into pearls of laughter. "God, you two are such a couple its annoying."
Kagura chuckled. "I know. Sometimes it's too weird even for me." Turning, she tossed a glance to her lounging sibling. "But it's good. I haven't felt happier in a long time."
Sango grinned, leaning up on her elbow. "That's wonderful. It's all me and Kagome wanted for you, you know."
"And I owe you nothing," the other grinned. Sango laughed again. "But you know, sister dear, you should think about finding yourself a guy. You can't hang on Kagome's and my coattails forever. And it's not as though you want for male admirers. You're pretty and clever--"
"No way!" Sango quickly dismissed the idea. "No setting me up or anything."
"You like guys, don't you?" Kagura teased.
Sango rolled her eyes. "I've got a hopeful, thank you very much."
"Hopeful?" Kagura got up and walked to the bed, pushing Sango aside as she tugged her clothes out from beneath the prostrate form of her stepsister. She dressed quickly in a pair of faded black jeans and an old flannel shirt. "Is that some new kind of lingo you kids are speaking?"
"You know what hopeful means. It's a guy I'm hopeful to receive a dinner invitation from."
"You mean a crush."
Sango shrugged. "You've got your word, I've got mine."
"Who's the lucky guy?" Even as she said it, Kagura grinned wickedly. "As if I didn't know."
"No jokes," Sango warned with a threatening finger.
Kagura held up her hands in submission. "Look who I ended up with."
Sango smiled. "Can I come with you over to the Reaper place?"
Kagura arched a brow. "You want to come watch me make out with my boyfriend?"
"I want to bother Grimm," she responded, rolling her eyes. "And I'm sure Demon is there too."
"Ah, because Kagome is out with her boyfriend, you have to settle for the delinquent twins?"
"Kagome can go out with her boyfriend as much as she wants, I'd still want to hang out with the boys."
Kagura shrugged. "You just hate Hojo, so you're going over there to complain to them, because they hate him too. Am I right?"
Sango huffed. "Marginally."
Kagura laughed and sighed. "Sure, you can come with me."
Sango cheered, jumping off the bed and hugging her stepsister. "You have saved me from a night of bad television. Oh, thank you!"
"Don't thank me, just go wait in the car."
"You're the best," Sango praised.
"Yeah, yeah," Kagura nodded, grabbing her coat as they left.
"He's a snobby, controlling, pompous asshole," Sango ranted, seated on the island in the center of the Reaper kitchen. Inuyasha and Miroku were seated on either side of her. All three of them held a can of soda, and all drank together at the same instant. "With that nice boy hair and his fake smiles. God, he's such a douche bag."
"A total prick," Miroku agreed.
"Fucking bastard," Inuyasha finished off. "Shit heads like him need to be castrated on the street and left for dead."
"I wish," Sango swore, gripped her can so hard it left a hand indentation. "I don't know how she can stand to have his slimy hands on her."
"She's stupid," Inuyasha commented. "No sane, intelligent being would want to be with a dick like Hojo Montgomery." The way he said the name was like a curse, like something less than a word or a name.
"Kagome is far from stupid," Miroku observed, taking a drink of his soda. "She and her friends managed to get me to rent that movie after all." Both boys shivered at the memory.
"Then she's stupid when it comes to guys," Inuyasha relented.
"She's not stupid," Sango defended. "She just has a warped view of loyalty because her father was a bastard." Frustrated, Sango jumped off the counter and started pacing. "Everything in her life comes back to him, it's insane! Because he was a douche bag she gets saddled with this jackass who keeps her up all night and bitches because she has to work and demands her time all to himself!" Neither boy was surprised when she roared and collapsed to the floor with a huff. She'd done this before, once or twice, when she got too frustrated over a broken piece of machinery.
"So her dad was a bad guy?" Miroku asked, looking down.
"He was a demon, Demon."
"No excuse," Inuyasha commented, taking a gulp of his drink and finishing the can. "If everyone copped out just because they had a shitty parent, nothing would ever get done."
"Dammit Grimm," Sango cried, sitting up. "You know, you can be an insensitive dick when you try."
He bared his teeth and shrugged. "It's part of my charm, sweetheart." Then he hopped off the counter and grabbed the empty cans from the counter. "I'm taking these out back, don't do anything interesting while I'm gone or I'll get stuck cleaning the floor."
Sango wanted to hurl her can at his head as he left, but Miroku restrained her. "I honestly don't know why I ever thought he was a nice guy," she huffed.
"It's because he doesn't know how to handle delicate matters," Miroku told her, helping Sango to her feet with a gentle tug. "He's not so bad at other things, though."
"You know, I used to want to set him up with Kagome," she confided, seating herself on the counter top again. "I thought he would be so perfect for her."
"What made you think that?" Miroku scoffed. "Grimm can't handle a girl with class."
"She'd change that," the girl nodded. "Kagome has this talent for bringing out the best in people. That's why I think it'll be a good thing that she's tutoring Grimm. I really think she could help him, if he'd curb his pride a bit and just let her."
"You know," Miroku commented, rubbing his chin in thought. "That's not a bad idea."
"What is?"
"We could help...finesse their situation. Help the pair of them get along better. If nothing else, it would make their working together a bit more bearable for the both of them. And for the two of us as well."
"Demon," Sango announced, ruffling his hair with her hands, "you're brilliant."
"I know," he grinned. "I know."
"So you and me are playing cupid this time?" She was still toying with his red streak of hair.
"What do you mean this time?"
"Well, there was my Homecoming fiasco," Sango shrugged. "I've got a long resume."
Miroku tugged on a long piece of Sango's loose hair in retaliation. "That just means next time someone's going to be cupid-ing for you."
"Maybe," she said with a sassy grin.
"Ew, God, stop flirting!" Inuyasha announced as he walked back in, successfully ruining the mood. Miroku released Sango's hair and stepped back from her.
"Welcome back pal."
"You really need to work on your timing," Sango chuckled, leaning back on her hands. "But I am glad you're here."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Any plans for how your tutoring is going to go this coming week?"
"What do you mean?" The gold eyes narrowed at her in suspicion. It would be hard working over this Reaper brother; he was much more paranoid and used to her tricks.
"You guys get nothing done bickering like you do," she explained. "And mid-terms are next week. Are you really going to bomb them and have your mom on your case again?"
Inuyasha looked down, warring with himself. His one weakness was the pride his mother had in him. She was one of the only people who held faith in him, no matter how much trouble he got himself into. He never wanted to disappoint her. "Not if I can help it."
"Then stop being a baby and let Kagome help you," Sango lectured with an accusing finger.
"Well she's not all sunshine and daisies to me, either!" he defended.
"Break the ice," Miroku suggested. "Play twenty questions or something. Kagome's fair. If you agree to shut up long enough for her to tutor you, I'm sure she'd let you bother her."
"You'd think that will work?"
"It can't hurt to try," Sango offered.
Inuyasha let out a hardy sigh. "I guess so."
Kagome was surprised that Inuyasha was in the room before she got there. The computer was off and he lounged back in the chair, his boots propped up on the table with his arms folded behind his head.
She sighed heavily, shifted the study books in her arms, and opened the door to the room.
"Hello, Inuyasha," she greeted, placing her books down on the table and batting his feet off in the same motion. She also subtly tugged up the collar of her shirt to hide the hickey hidden beneath, hoping he wouldn't notice.
He winced slightly at her greeting and sat up, but surprised her with no scathing reply. Only a relatively quiet, "Hello."
"You said that your first mid-terms next week are math and science, so I thought we might focus on those first today. I'll admit that math isn't my best subject, but it's as good a place as any to begin."
"I'll make you a deal."
Kagome looked up from her notes to meet his gaze, startled. "Pardon?"
"I said, I'll make you a deal." He leaned back again in his chair, gold eyes never leaving her face.
"Deal?" her steely blue eyes betrayed nothing. "What kind of deal?"
"Look, you don't like me," he said flatly. "I'm not too crazy about you, either."
"Well I hardly see how that's relevant--"
"But if you just answer a few questions for me," he said, raising his voice over hers, "I promise not to make any trouble for you for the duration of our time together."
Kagome looked tempted, but she also had a strong moral character. "I don't know about this..."
"Come on," he pestered. "A few painless questions and I'll be quiet. What do you have to lose?" She still looked unconvinced, so he pounced. "Are you scared?"
Kagome narrowed her eyes then, and straightened her spine. "Who would be afraid of you?"
He grinned. "Have a seat, sweetheart. This will only take a second."
She sat across from him, hands crossed over the top of the table, blue eyes fixed on him. As cold as ice. "Go ahead and ask your questions."
Inuyasha settled into his chair as well, smiling inside and out. "Why won't you call me Grimm?" The first question in his arsenal.
"Because your name is Inuyasha. Your nickname is tacky and meant to be intimidating. I am not intimidated by you." She lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug. "And I like your real name."
He smirked a bit. "Why did you agree to this whole tutoring thing?"
"It pays better than my job at the video store," Kagome explained. "And I like the hours better. It frees up my nights during the week so I can get more done."
"What's more?" He leaned forward on to his elbow, trying to pull off interest, and disinterest at the same time.
She sighed. "Homework, housework...I don't have to bother Sango to baby-sit for me. And I can spend more time with my friends and boyfriend."
"You've got siblings?"
She snorted at that. "Duh, I carpool them with Rin for karate every week."
"Fuck, that's right." He looked a little embarrassed for a second, scratching the back of his head. In truth, he wasn't much up on his little sister's social life, something that he wasn't exactly proud of. "Three boys, right?"
"Kohaku, Souta, and Shippou," she replied.
"And it's just your mom, right?"
He saw it, just for a second. She tensed before she answered, and it made him curious. "Yeah, just us and my mom."
"Where's your father?"
Kagome swallowed thickly. "New York."
"You ever see him?" These were rapid-fire.
Why did he care?
What did he hope to gain from this?
What did her father matter?
"Not since I was thirteen," was all she said. "How is this making for a better learning environment?"
"Sorry, sorry," he said. He held up his hands in submission, then changed his tactics. "You used to be a cheerleader, right?"
"I had to quit, but I was one freshmen year."
"Why'd you quit?"
Kagome sighed again, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger out of annoyance. "It took up too much time. I had a job and my brothers were still really young."
"You sacrifice a lot, huh?"
"I'm the oldest," she said with a shrug. "I do what I have to for my family."
"Only a few more questions, promise."
"Ask," she said with a wave of her hand. Her boundless patience was, as it always seemed to be when she was around Inuyasha, running dry.
"You go out with Hojo Montgomery," Inuyasha commented, leaning forward on his hands once more. This was something he eagerly wanted an answer to. "Why?"
Kagome smiled a little, looking at her hands. "When he asked me out, he was the sweetest guy I'd ever met. He cares a lot about me, and takes care of me. I'll never break up with someone who loves me."
"Do you love him?"
Kagome's patience snapped. "This has nothing to do with studying, which is why I'm here. Can we get down to business yet?"
"Do you love him?"
"I've answered all your questions, let's just get this over with!"
"It's a simple question," Inuyasha pressed. "Do you?" Kagome froze in place, staring at the boy across from her. He watched her with a neutral expression. His good looks were like a mask to hide the heartless creature he was underneath, filleting her with his accusations and taunting questions. "I won't ask you anything else, I promise."
She swallowed once, her hands shaking a bit. These familiar words, words she had given to Kagura in the past, words that led to a much different answer than they had for her friend, were something she dreaded. Kagome had asked this before, but now she was being asked. Did she love him? Did she love Hojo?
"No," was all she could muster.
Inuyasha nodded. "Ok, let's start with the math, then." He grabbed the book out from under her arms as she pulled herself back together. He could give her that much at least.
A/N: Okay! Thanks for being so forgiving, darling readers. A hefty "Hi" goes out to my beta -- sorry for the rush. You will be mauled with the next chapters. I just had to get this out before New Year's! Anyway, Happy New Year, darling readers. I hope 2006 turns out to be better for everyone that this year was!
