A.N. yup here's another chapter and that makes me one closer to the end. I'm not sure how much longer this is going to be, so I'm going to try and make the chapters longer to fill up some void and maybe have the story be at least 25 chapters long. That should work right? I do know for a fact that there will be a sequel though, I just… haven't really worked out all the kinks yet. ENJOY!
-Last Time-
"SESSHOUMARU I KNOW YOUR IN THERE! COME OUT HERE!" InuYasha yelled through the door. Kagome took this as her chance to get away from the demon before her and ran to open the door. But as she did InuYasha was just about to beat on the door again, and instead succeeded in punching Kagome in the face.
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-Now
"What is the meaning of your being here?" Sesshoumaru asked InuYasha angrily as he toted Kagome into the kitchen to look at the already forming bruise on her jaw.
"Sesshoumaru I'm fine," Kagome said with a small smile, "just put some ice in a towel and go away. I need to talk to InuYasha. ALONE."
InuYasha smirked as a look passed Sesshoumaru's face. He wasn't sure what it was, neither was Kagome, although they were both pretty sure it was jealousy.
"I will not leave you alone," Sesshoumaru stated, getting what Kagome instructed of him, "InuYasha you're intentions of Kagome have been made clear, as have mine. The line is drawn and I will not leave my betrothed alone in the presence of my half brother and rival."
"What gibberish are you spoutin' now?" InuYasha asked his brother, "since when have you shown any interest in Kagome in any way or form. Other than having that toad follow her around to gather information."
Kagome clamped a hand over her mouth to suppress laughter that was about to spill, but it hurt, "OW GOD DAMN! InuYasha why'd you have to 'knock' on the door so hard? You could've broken my jaw you idiot!"
"There are other way's I could've broken your jaw in the past," he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows, "and you didn't complain then."
Kagome blushed, and Sesshoumaru's anger grew. In a instant he had InuYasha pinned to the wall, his hand tight around his neck, "you have no right to speak to Kagome in such a manner. I should break your neck for the perversity that sprouts from your tongue."
"Sesshoumaru put him down," Kagome warned, but he didn't listen. She could see his eyes flicker from blood red to their original color as InuYasha struggled to regain his breath, "if you don't let him go this instant than you can take your pretty ring back and be a bachelor for the rest of your life."
Her threat made Sesshoumaru come back to himself almost instantly, but he didn't let InuYasha go… just loosened up enough for his younger half brother to breathe properly again.
"You do not joke?" Sesshoumaru asked, looking down at Kagome, she nodded.
"I will do as I said," she replied, "let InuYasha go and leave. I will speak to you tomorrow. Meet me early in first and we can discuss this further."
Sesshoumaru glumly nodded, and went towards the living room to collect Rin, who was asleep oblivious to the excitement that had just happened.
After Sesshoumaru left, Kagome turned to InuYasha, to find him slumped in a chair over the kitchen table.
"Are you alright?" she asked, pinking his face up to check his neck, which had perfect claw marks in them from Sesshoumaru's hand.
"I'm fine," he said with a lazy smile, "I was just surprised that's all. Are you okay though? I mean I could've hurt you big time earlier."
Kagome laughed, it hurt. "I'm fine. Like you said earlier, as disgusting as it was to say in front of your brother and my fiancé, you could've broken it in the past as well."
InuYasha smirked, "Kagome… there's something I want to talk to you about…"
"Kagome I'm back," Sango called, walking into the kitchen, "and this is for you as well."
Kagome and InuYasha both looked up startled by Sango's rapid appearance, along with the fact that she was all dressed up in what looked like a costume holding some weapons and a bag of god knows what.
"What the hell?" InuYasha and Kagome said at the same times.
"It's this thing I was roped into today at the mall," she said with a grin, "it's a feudal play and I was picked to play the main demon slayer. They also wanted the priestess from the Sunset Shrine to play the priestess in the story, and when I told them you're my roommate they gave me this stuff for you and had me beg for you to agree. So are you?"
Kagome stared for a minute and then broke out in a huge grin, "hell yeah! Is that bow mine? Can I keep it when the play is done? What the hell kind of weapon is that Sango? Aren't boomerangs supposed to be small?"
Her friend laughed as Kagome sprouted all these questions at once, "calm down. I don't know if you can keep the bow, you might. As for my weapon, they call it a hiraikotsu, it's supposed to be made out of the bone of demons and be very sharp… but this is made out of Styrofoam and weighs like ten pounds."
InuYasha laughed, actually he cracked up, "you two are crazy. It's a play, nothing to get all excited about."
"Really?" Sango asked, draping another bag in his face, "I was also supposed to find a half dog demon for the main role… but I guess I'll just go find another one. Maybe Sesshoumaru will let me strap these fake ears to his head…" she dangles a pair of ears in front of InuYasha, they were identical to his, which were currently twitching from the thought of a play and Sesshoumaru playing a half demon.
"Okay now I'm hooked," he said sarcastically, "what is this play anyway?"
"It's about a priestess and half demon who fall in love during the feudal era," Sango said with a grin, "you know the story of the Shikon no Tama… well it's based on that and their search to find the missing pieces. The priestess shattered the jewel and the half demon had been trying to steal it from her, but because she was so pure of heart she could see the pieces when they were out of normal sight. Working together for many years, and many battles, big and small, the two fall in love. Along with that they make friends with a kitsune, they didn't say what kind though, a monk, and a demon slayer to help them find the jewel shards and hopefully put it back together. It's actually really awesome! SO ARE YOU GONNA DO IT!"
Sango seemed to have said all of that in one breath, and the astounding part was that InuYasha and Kagome were able to understand every word she spoke.
"I'm in," Kagome said with a grin before tweaking InuYasha's ear, "so is InuYasha. He's just trying to absorb everything so it'll make sense."
Sango laughed, "you know the best part? Because the stories never gave names of the people in these fables, we get to keep our names during the process."
Kagome giggled, InuYasha sighed and stood up, "Kagome I'll call you later or come by tomorrow. I really do need to speak with you."
Kagome nodded and followed him into the living room and he left without saying a proper goodbye.
"Wow," she said softly shutting the door, "that's the first time InuYasha's left me somewhere without hugging me. Even when we fight he does it. I have a lot to tell you Sango."
Her friend looked at her funny, "is it more on the Sesshoumaru/engagement/InuYasha confusion?"
Kagome nodded her head vigorously, "yeah. And it just keeps getting more confusing."
"How can it get more confusing?" Sango asked, putting a bag of popcorn in the microwave for Kagome to tell the story. It reminded Sango of one of those angst ridden teenage books, but it was part of her best friends life (a.n. coincidence? Totally).
"Remember when you and Miroku were 'studying' this morning?" Sango nodded, "well we had a visitor. Technically I did. And it was Sesshoumaru's crazy ex InuYasha had told me about. Well she wanted to warn me about Sesshoumaru because he's a mad, dominance craving lunatic who wouldn't waste a minute in harming me. Then Sesshoumaru showed up later after you went to work… well much later than that, and he had a child with him. You saw her actually, at the engagement, she was the one he was dancing with," Sango nodded again, a smirk on her face, "well I thought she was a cousin or something right?" Sango nods a third time, "but she's not. She's his DAUGHTER"
At this Sango spits out her popcorn she was munching on and starts coughing, "his -cough- what -cough-?"
"Yup," Kagome said, "he adopted her and she's totally in love with him. It's actually very cute, the only time I've seen him soften is with that girl."
Sango was laughing, "this is a joke right? Sesshoumaru a father? No. Especially not a father to someone who isn't biologically his."
"It's the truth," Kagome said, taking a sip of some tea, "and she's adorable. He's using her to get me to go along with this ridiculous marriage. She likes me and wants me to be her mother Sango. What the hell am I going to do, because I guess InuYasha admitted to Sesshoumaru that he intends on ruining this engagement to get me back."
Sango sighed, "I don't know Kagome. But you know what I do know?"
"What's that?"
"Go take a hot bath," Sango instructed, "and be a prissy girl for a change. Put bubbles and those smelly oil things I like and light candles and not use the normal lights. Just mellow out and then go to bed. You'll be able to think straight with a clear head tomorrow okay?"
Kagome nodded and did what Sango said. And she was right, she felt much better after spending over a hour in the bathtub and turning into a raisin. She slept well for the first time as well, normally she would toss and turn a bit before falling into a fitful sleep that only lasted about three hours.
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-Monday at Sesshoumaru's-
"Sesshoumaru is Kagome really going to be my mother?" Rin asked that morning as she launched herself at her moving father before breakfast.
"I do believe so," he replied, making sure she didn't strangle him or fall of his back.
"InuYasha said that Kagome was going to be my aunt," Rin said, he could hear the pout, "that she was going to be his mate. Not yours. What's a mate?"
"It's a wife," Sesshoumaru said, not wanting to get into that with such a small person.
"Okay," she said with a grin he knew she held on her face, "are you taking me to school today or is grandpa?"
"Do you wish for me to take you to school?" Sesshoumaru asked, detaching Rin from him and putting her in the booster chair she still needed.
"Yeah," she said with a smile, "we don't play anymore Sesshoumaru. When can we do that again?"
Sesshoumaru smirked a bit, a slight twitch that Rin knew was her own smile from him, "we can play this weekend. I'll take you to the park or the zoo. Which do you prefer?"
Rin thought about it for a minute, "THE ZOO!" she cheered.
Sesshoumaru smirked again, "the zoo it is. Would you like to bring a friend? Or do you wish for me to bring Jaken as usual?"
"Can we bring Kagome?" she asked, looking at him with so much adoration in his eyes, how could he say no to that?
"I'm not so certain Rin," he replied, taking his chopsticks and began eating, "she has two jobs and might not be able to come."
"Ask her today," Rin whined, "I want Kagome to come. She's more fun than Jaken, and Shippo's sick."
Sesshoumaru nodded, "fine I will ask. Eat your breakfast so we can go now."
The small girl nodded her head vigorously and scarfed down her meal. It took them a whole 15 minutes for Sesshoumaru to take Rin to school and get to his, just in time to find Kagome waiting for him in their first class. She looked thoughtful, and wasn't really paying attention to her surroundings.
"Hello Kagome," Sesshoumaru said smoothly, sitting himself in the desk in front of her, scaring her back to reality.
"Sesshoumaru," she breathed, not ready to see him just yet.
"You seem surprised to meet me here," he responded, absently toying with the ring she still wore on her finger, "and are you not the one who arranged this meeting?"
Kagome blushed, pulling her hand away from her fiancé and scooting as far back as the chair would allow, "I did. And I want you to know that this thing… what you did with Rin yesterday, was playing low."
Sesshoumaru looked at her with confusion clear on his face, "I do not understand. I thought I should allow you to meet Rin so you both would become acquainted, and not be taken by surprise after the wedding to find I already have a child."
"That's the other thing," Kagome interrupted, "I'm not sure if I will marry you. I can always drag this out until I'm 18 and then refuse. Minus a beautiful gift and the profession of love, which was totally sporadic and crazy, you have given me no reason's to marry you."
"And the half breed has?" Sesshoumaru growled, not liking how this conversation was going.
Kagome shook her head, and leaned forward, "no he hasn't. InuYasha tried to talk to me, and Sango came home and he wouldn't say it with her there. I know he makes you mad, being family and then there's the thing with me in the middle. I just don't know what's going on anymore."
"Come with me and Rin this Saturday then," Sesshoumaru said, "it is not a request. It is a demand. -Kagome snorts- I will pick you up at your apartment at 10:00 am, we are going to the zoo. I will make you realize that I am the one you should marry, and Rin would really like for you to accompany us."
Kagome nodded with a smile, "I see. I guess since I have no choice I would love to go with you and Rin. But I work Saturday mornings, can it be later?"
Sesshoumaru shook his head, "no it can't. It has to be at a certain time because mother also wants to take you and Rin dress shopping. We will pick you up at 10:00 am sharp Saturday, if you are not up and ready when we knock on the door then I will get you ready myself."
Kagome blushed, not liking the thought of Sesshoumaru changing her clothes because she slept in late.
As class went on, Kagome absently played with the ring on her finger, not realizing how much attention she was receiving by the small act. Finally she looked around, and saw all the females in the classroom were staring at her. Then she realized it wasn't her they were watching, but her hand.
"What?" she asked, looking around confused.
"Where did you get that ring?" one girl asked, 'inconspicuously' looking from Kagome to Sesshoumaru.
"It was a gift," she replied calmly. Until she heard some of the guys talking to Sesshoumaru.
"So Takahashi you finally gave Kagome a ring?" one boy asked, a perverted grin on his face as he checked Kagome out.
"I did," Sesshoumaru replied, before grabbing the boy by the back of the head, "and if you look at my betrothed in that manner again I will not hesitate to rip your eyes from your head."
Kagome was almost used to Sesshoumaru's threat to rip something from someone, and almost laughed when he said that.
"Sesshoumaru leave him alone," Kagome warned, not looking up from the book she was currently buried in.
"And if I don't," he asked slyly, inching towards her, boy still in tow.
"I will do as I did the other night," she said, playing with the ring again, but this time motioning that she'd give it back.
"I see," he said, "you are free to go human."
The boy nodded, moving to the far side of the room and not exiting it until Sesshoumaru was out of sight.
"Sesshoumaru why'd you do that?" Kagome asked him at the end of the day.
"Do what?" he asked, looking to the side as Kagome followed him to his car.
"Threaten that boy," she replied coldly, "he wasn't doing anything."
"I will not allow another man to leer at my fiancé in that manner," he said angrily, gently pinning Kagome to his car with a look.
"Why do you all of a sudden care?" she ground out, "InuYasha was right. You've never shown a interest in me, ever. Then all of a sudden you declare some kind of love for me after seeing me with your brother at that party."
Sesshoumaru moved closer, "I don't know what my feelings are. I know that I've fallen in love with you. I have no clue why, nor do I care, and I will not stop until you have admitted you care for me as well."
Kagome smiled, the bruise hurting a bit as she did so, "I do care for you. I hate to admit it, but I have to. But I do not feel the same. You've given me no reason to love you, and don't say this ring and that dress are reasons. Those are you're trying to make me love you, I want something different."
Sesshoumaru grinned, actually grinned, "I believe I can do that."
Kagome was stunned, he'd never smiled like that before, she liked it. He was still grinning when he leaned down and captured her in the most passionate and delicious kiss she'd ever received.
A.N. this chapter has taken so long for me to write, and now I'm done. I think I started it like last Monday… maybe last Sunday. I can normally right a chapter this long in one day, maybe even in a hour. But hey! I like it. It's cute! Review! I have to know what you think!