Black Ice: (gasps) PEOPLE! What the hell?! Don't you have faith in us?!
Blood Rain: We would never set Inuyasha up with an OC...permanently. Gingitsune will be the Kikyou in this story.Trust us, Inuyasha will definitely be with Kagome in the end.
Black Ice: Anyway, sorry for not updating in so long, but we've been a bit busy...
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DarkDemonWithinMe13: Yeah, I totally heard that...I've been telling my friends, and they're all O.0. Super Milk Chan is mad stupid, but in a funny way. You should Google it!
toni mosley: Trust me, he won't be with Gingitsune in the long run.
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October 8
I haven't been to school in a week. For all I know, Gingitsune—who I have yet to see—could be dead, or worse, pregnant. I've gone by her house, but she's given her family strict orders not to let me in. I've had to resort to asking Shippou about how she's doing, and each time he reports back seems worse than the last. He had initially objected—something about morality or some bullshit—until I explained just how tarnished our friendship had grown.
His first debriefing was that Houjou had begun "casually swinging by" Gingitsune's house, but luckily, due to the many inhabitants of her home, his visits were always monitored to some degree. This meant that there was no way he could sneak in so much as a kiss. That was just the way I liked it—the way it was supposed to be.
To add to my incredulous luckiness, Gingitsune's family were wary of Houjou as well. I fully planned to use this to my advantage when the opportunity presented itself. I was absolutely giddy about this outlook—for all of his impeccable manners and all those other aspects of his character that apparently made him seem preferable to a man like me, he still exuded an air of conceit and ill will. That is, to those of us with an iota of common sense. I don't like to say that Gingitsune's not acting logically, but instead acting on account of her wounded emotions, but that's just what she's doing. Sigh. If only she had told me all of this in the first place...
Ah, well. It can't be helped now. Anyway, the second report, the more recent, was that Houjou and Gingitsune were an official couple now. Sad to say, but true. God, I'm burning an ulcer in my stomach just thinking about those two together. What if he were a devourer? He would rip Gingitsune to shreds! And since I can't even find a way to see her without pissing her off more, there's no way I can protect her...
Inuyasha sighed, not for the first time and certainly not the last, and there came a knock at his door. He was sorely tempted not to answer, but there was always the chance it could be Gingitsune. With yet another sigh, he got up from his bed and opened the door, surprised to see Kagome standing there with a container of something red—blood.
"Kagome?" He blinked, immediately remembering what had happened last week. "Listen, I...if this is about what I did, I'm sorry. I shouldn't've done that...I was way out of line."
"Hmm?" Kagome scratched her head, then waved him off with that ambiguous, affined smile he found so intriguing. "Oh, that. That's all in the past. Water under the bridge, you know. Even though you did bruise me a little, but hey, if I held grudges for things like that, I wouldn't have much, would I?" Inuyasha stared at her; if he didn't know any better, she was contrasting herself with Gingitsune, and at the moment, as a result, she was sounding much more appealing in comparison.
"Well, anyway." She interrupted his thoughts abruptly and he focused on her again. "I was getting kinda worried because you haven't been to school in a while and, well...I've heard the rumors about...Houjou and Gingitsune."
"Mm." Inuyasha grunted. "Yeah. They're dating now."
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"I know you liked her a lot."
"Yeah, well...apparently not enough to make her stay with me." With this conversation progressed, Inuyasha found himself unsure whether she was trying to muscle in on his (former) best friend's territory, or being genuinely friendly. Thus, he cleared his throat and said, "Well, I appreciate your consideration."
"Yeah...I wasn't sure if you were over here starving yourself, so I brought you a little something. Nothing huge, just something to tide you over until you're feeling well enough to feed for yourself."
"Thanks...that reminds me—what happened when I left Nanako's house?" Kagome pinked, obviously recalling that fateful day, and not unkindly. Inuyasha grinned in typical male pride. "What—get in trouble?"
"Um...no...not exactly...Ahem. She didn't bring it up. I mean, I knew she could tell, but she kept grinning like a replete cat..."
"Do you regret it?" Kagome's pink morphed into full-fledged red at the softly murmured question, burning even in Inuyasha's otherwise sad eyes.
"Um...h-here you go." She thrust the container into his hands and dashed back through her own apartment door. Inuyasha chuckled with a shake of his head and retreated into his apartment. He decided that the half-breed was pretty cute when she was embarrassed, especially considering the fact that she was normally always so self-confident.
Yes...Embarrassed was definitely a good look for her.
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He didn't know just why, but Kagome's visit had enthused Inuyasha, or at least enough to return to school Monday. When he went into the gymnasium for first block, he rediscovered something else that had previously escaped him: the fact that not only did Kagome have this class with him, but Gingitsune and Houjou as well. He sat on the top bleachers where he and Gingitsune had first met, enviously watching the girl giggling with Houjou on the very bottom bleacher.
"Wow, pissed much?" The female voice beside him startled him, and Inuyasha blinked at Kagome, who sat by him with a slightly worried frown.
"Huh?"
"Look, I know it makes you angry about those two, and it might even seem like they're doing it deliberately just to fuck with your head." Inuyasha stared at her. He hadn't even considered that—not of Gingitsune, at least! Houjou, sure, but Gingitsune was incapable of such spiteful malice...wasn't she?
He shook his head of these thoughts and listened to Kagome continue. "And none of this is even my business, probably, but if I may interject anyway, you shouldn't let them get to you like this."
"..."
"I mean, maybe it's just me, because I don't claim to be some relationship guru or something, but doesn't it look to you like Gingitsune's just a little misguided in this?"
"...I don't know." Inuyasha mumbled slowly. "But I do know this—I don't trust that Houjou worth a goddamn." Inuyasha clenched his fists, glaring at aforementioned male. Kagome lowered her voice as she murmured, "I agree, actually. He seems evil to me sometimes. Gives me the creeps."
"Finally, someone has the sense to listen to me on this!" Inuyasha groaned quietly. "You ever heard of a devourer?"
"Yup. I have a feeling that that's just what he is. Just a lot more refined than your run-of-the-mill glutton."
"Yeah. He's obviously adjusted himself to human life, just as I have...he know he can't just go around feeding whenever it strikes him." Kagome looked at him.
"Yeah, but impossible to learn on your own. I mean...it was easier for me when I was born because, well..." Inuyasha nodded in understanding.
If I were a halfling, I wouldn't want to admit it too loudly either...
"He must be—" Inuyasha absently put a finger to her lips to silence her, because he noticed the slight twitch of Houjou's ears. Kagome's cheeks dusted light pink and when he let go, he explained silently, "He's listening." Kagome made an O with her mouth and nodded, just as Aikawa-san blew her whistled.
"Okay, everyone! Today, we'll be getting into a healthy game of dodgeball!" The class groaned, but Inuyasha was intrigued. "For those of you who don't know, dodgeball is a game in which players line up on opposite sides of the court and rush to grab the six dodgeballs set in the middle of the floor. Players hit their opponents with the balls and get a point for every person they hit. If the person you aim for catches the ball in their hands, or if the dodgeball bounces on the floor before it hits the target, it's a point for that team. Once you get hit, you're out. Twelve to a team—Inuyasha and Houjou, you're team captains. Let's go!" Inuyasha didn't even look at Houjou as he leapt down the bleachers and took position on the floor. He gazed at Gingitsune, who looked back at him threateningly, and firmly called, "Kagome." The class was stunned. Since school had begun, Inuyasha had always chosen Gingitsune as his co-captain.
"An interesting development." Aikawa-san smirked to herself. "This should go over well." Kagome walked down the bleachers, avoiding Gingitsune's critical stare, and went to stand beside Inuyasha, staring down at the floors. It seemed shinier than she remembered.
"This feels weird." She mumbled, and Inuyasha snickered.
"Bankoutsu." Houjou said, and Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other.
"Even weirder." Inuyasha commented in an undertone, then called aloud, "Kouga."
"Dude," the wolf frowned behind Inuyasha, "what's up with you and Tsune-chan?" Inuyasha shrugged breezily, while Houjou called for another male.
"Ask her."
"Hell, somebody should." Kagome whispered, as Inuyasha called the long-haired girl, Yura, onto his team. "It doesn't look like Houjou's gonna call her, or any girl for that matter." It was true; soon enough, the class was narrowed down to two people: Gingitsune and a flamboyant boy named Jakoutsu, who was doing his nails idly. Most of the boys were on Houjou's team, and it was his turn to pick. He looked uncomfortable about it, but he reluctantly chose Jakoutsu, who sucked his teeth and sauntered onto the floor effeminately. Gingitsune looked disgusted that she had to be on Inuyasha's team at all, even by default, but went to join her teammates anyway.
"Don't think we're friends again just because of this." She hissed as she passed him. Inuyasha decided against retorting, and Aikawa-san blew her whistle again.
"Now, then...if you'll notice, the floors are a bit slippery. This is because it was just waxed about an hour ago, and this game was planned beforehand. So instead of one point, the game will be measured by five points, due to the increased difficulty." Inuyasha snorted; "increased difficulty". As if. "I'll give you a minute to strategize." She walked away, and Inuyasha turned to Gingitsune with a smirk.
"Now, don't get confused and "accidentally" hit me, Gingitsune!" He taunted, and his teammates laughed, but the neko huffed and scowled. He and Kagome distinctly heard her mumble, "No promises."
"You might wanna watch your ass, man." Kouga shook his head, roughly clapping Inuyasha on the back. "I don't know what's up between you guys, but she looks pissed."
"Right." Inuyasha said, before yelling to the rest of his team, "Spread out, people! From what I understand of this game, it shouldn't be too difficult. Just...try not to slip and fall."
"What about you, Mr. Perfect?" Kagome rolled her eyes. "It's not like you might not fall."
"I never fall." Inuyasha drawled.
"Then this should be amusing."
"Yeah, seriously." Kouga grinned. Aikawa-san blew her whistle again.
"Okay, on your mark...get set...go!" And just like that, about twenty teenagers were trying to slide their way across the slippery floor, Inuyasha laughing so hysterically at the humans who fell that he couldn't concentrate on getting the dodgeballs.
"Inuyasha, you dunce!" Kagome screamed, shoving him out of her way as she hurried to gather dodgeballs. She looked at Houjou, who looked pissed and disgruntled as he himself tried to keep balance, and grabbed about three dodgeballs, tossing them to Kouga and Inuyasha. "Kouga, make that idiot do something!"
"Right!" Kouga laughed, and elbowed Inuyasha. "Dude, throw the ball!" He caught sight of Houjou and smirked.
"I see my first target." He took advantage of Houjou so desperately trying to keep from wobbling too hard and chucked the ball straight for his face. Houjou wouldn't be such an easy target, however, for he leapt out of the way, only to fall right back on the floor, swearing violently. A demon on the other team caught the ball and threw it at one of Inuyasha's teammates: Gingitsune. Without a second thought, he skated over and caught the ball before it hit her face. She scowled shakily at him; cats hated slippery surfaces.
"Just trying to help." He shrugged.
"I don't need your help!" She spat, and gasped as she nearly fell face first onto the floor, had it not been for Inuyasha catching her.
"Looks like it to me." He grinned boyishly.
"Hey, lovebirds!" Bankoutsu, one of the humans on Houjou's team, cackled, throwing a ball at them. Out of nowhere came Kouga, who jumped into the air and deflected it with his forehead.
"Damn, man, are you alright?" Inuyasha blinked at the woozy looking wolf-demon, who merely shook his head.
"I'm...apple." He giggled, before falling to the floor. Inuyasha's team groaned as the whistle was blown.
"Out!" Aikawa-san called, and Inuyasha said, "Help me carry him?" In spite of herself, Gingitsune grabbed Kouga's left arm, Inuyasha grabbed his right, and they carted the heavy demon over to the bleachers.
"Gingitsune, why must we play this game of love and hate?" Inuyasha sighed, staring sorrowfully into her striking eyes.
"What love?" She drawled coldly, and it stung Inuyasha's very soul.
"Don't you realize Houjou's no good for you?"
"Oh, and you are?! A horny leech who doesn't know just when to quit?!" Gingitsune growled.
"Is that what you really think of me?" Before Gingitsune could bitterly reply, Kagome ran interference by grabbing Inuyasha's wrist and yanking him back onto the court.
"Hey! What the--"
"In case you haven't noticed, Romeo, there is a game going on here—one that we're losing, pitifully!" Kagome reminded him sarcastically, and Inuyasha sighed again. Kagome softened her tone and murmured, "Look, I know you're torn up about this and everything, but you have to just accept this, Inuyasha. It's not good for your health to pine."
"Who says I'm pining?" Inuyasha mumbled sullenly.
"Looks like it to me. Gingitsune, why must we play this game of love and hate?" Kagome played out theatrically, and Inuyasha couldn't help a small laugh, though he craved anger at her mockery. "Sounds like something out of drama class."
"Hey, don't mock my heart, alright?" He rolled his eyes, and Kagome smirked.
"Tell your heart not to be so damn corny all the time and I wouldn't have to." Inuyasha looked at her with a small smile.
"I'll keep that in mind."
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I'm not yet certain, but I might be insane. While it doesn't outweigh my attraction to Gingitsune, there seems to be one developing for Kagome. It may be because she made herself a more significant part of my life just as Gingitsune walked out of it. It may be because I feel somewhat of a kinship with Kagome because she is of my blood—and Houjou does not count because he is a kentanka and is therefore just a dirty beast.
Whatever the reason, it's certainly a welcome distraction from my pain over Gingitsune's betrayal.
He winced as he wrote this, actually feeling a physical pain from this knowledge. He had finally acknowledged it: Gingitsune was a traitor. Inuyasha sighed. She was just lucky he was untraditional; where he came from, traitors got murdered.
I--
His pencil paused above the paper as he searched for more words, or even thoughts, but the ravenous rumbling of his stomach was interrupting his train of thought. In his slump over Gingitsune, he had consumed his entire supply as if he were a despicable devourer, and he'd lost the will to hunt, so basically, he'd been starving himself for a few days. The training Sesshoumaru had given him had begun to fade, due to his more comfortable lifestyle at present, and the fact that feeding in such a populated area would get him in trouble. He wasn't exactly fond of trouble.
"Damn." He mumbled. "Where the hell am I gonna get some food?" Vaguely, he wondered if Kagome would go with him, then stopped that train of thought immediately, horrified at himself.
What the hell is wrong with me?! He thought frantically. Sure, the girl was cute and all, but that...that was just a few steps too far. Only a nyoubou accompanied her teishu on a food run. Otherwise, his kind either went in packs or alone. He must have been delirious from the hunger or something.
Inuyasha knocked on his skull, as if to rattle his "dislodged" brain back into place, and left the apartment, startled to see Kagome sitting outside her own door, looking pissed at something.
"What's wrong with you?" He quirked an eyebrow.
"I'm locked out." She grumbled. "Forgot my key this morning 'cause I was about to be late, and Daddy doesn't get home until, like, midnight." Inuyasha looked at her for a long time, then burst out into hysterical laughter. Kagome scowled even deeper. "Shut up! It's not funny, damn it!"
"Yeah...you're right." He grinned. "It's fucking hysterical."
"Hardy har har. How about putting those brains to some good use and helping me out here, fool?"
"Well..." He caught his breath, his laughter subsiding. "Haven't you tried your claws? I'm sure you have to have some." Still scowling, Kagome held up ten fingers, each of which mangled nails sat in crumpled heaps. Inuyasha grimaced. "Ew. Think you were trying a bit hard?"
"Shut up."
"Tried going through a window?"
"Aren't we on the third floor?"
"Uh, aren't you a kyuuketsuki?" Inuyasha drawled.
"Not at current, unfortunately. It's a bit difficult for ningen to leap up three floors."
"Scale the wall." Inuyasha shrugged, and his growling stomach interrupted the conversation. He groaned, scratching at it. "Fuck. I forgot why I came out here."
"Hungry, are we?" Kagome mumbled, her chin resting on her knees.
"Maybe. It's not like you can go."
"It's not like I'd want to. Sorry, bloodsucker guy, but I'm not the kind of chick who goes coasting for gore whenever the tummy gets to shaking." Inuyasha snorted, then realized what she'd said.
"Wait, hold on. Are you saying you get hungry, too?"
"Of course I do! Eating once a month isn't exactly great for your health, you know!" She snapped peevishly. "You can eat anytime you want, but me? I do have to keep up some kind of appearance."
"Any—who the hell told you that? I wish I could eat anytime I wanted! Hell, even before I came here, I couldn't eat anytime I wanted. It's not like a freaking devourer or something." Inuyasha mumbled, offended.
"Sorry." The hall was silent for a moment, then Inuyasha said, "What about Miroku?"
"What about him? That boy's never home." Kagome scoffed, and looked up at him, curious. "How come you're here entertaining me when you could be eating?"
"After that glutton comment, I'm not exactly hungry anymore." Kagome stared at him for a moment, before laughing loudly, just like he had a while back. "What's so damn funny?!"
"God, you're such a hypocrite! You say you can't stand humans, yet you act just like them! I mean, if somebody told me anything remotely close to what you assume I told you, I wouldn't eat for a while, either, just 'cause I felt gluttonous. Then again, that's to be expected of a human girl."
"Are—are you calling me feminine?!" Inuyasha spluttered, outraged beyond belief. What the hell was with these people? First Miroku, now his cousin?! "I am not fucking feminine, goddamn it!"
"Well, you are kinda...you know. Girlishly fastidious."
"In other words, feminine!"
"If you want to get technical, you could say that..." Kagome giggled, but Inuyasha was unamused. Shooting her a dirty look, he mumbled, "I hope you enjoy your time with the hallway, bitch." He stalked off, heading for the elevator, and Kagome, rolling her eyes, got up and followed.
"Jeez, can't you take a joke? I was just kidding. I mean, I gotta find some ventilation for this stupid crap, and you were the nearest thing." Kagome explained, trying to keep her laughter at bay, but Inuyasha refused to talk to her, mashing the lobby button. "Aw, don't be like that, Inuyasha! I thought we were cool!" His sharp glare told her otherwise. "Okay, hold on a minute." She held up a finger, putting her hand on her hip. "There must be something to this that I'm not getting. How come you're so sensitive to being called feminine?"
"I'm not sensitive, goddamn it."
"Okay, let me rephrase that." Kagome chuckled, relieved, for some reason, that he was talking to her again. "Why don't you like being called feminine?"
"It's none of your business." He said distantly, as the elevator stopped and its doors rattled open.
"Damn, I wish Wataru would get those doors fixed." Kagome said as they got out, following Inuyasha out of the building. "That rattling creeps me out. But anyway, back to you, playboy."
"I said it's no concern of yours, okay?"
"Is it a childhood thing?" Now Kagome was in psychologist mode, expression completely solemn. One wouldn't have guessed she had just be laughing a minute ago, or even at all.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I'd like to know this." Inuyasha thought for a minute.
"Okay." He decided, startling Kagome.
"Wh-what? You're really gonna tell me?!"
"Sure, why not?" He whistled smoothly, and instantly, Kagome knew better.
"Wait, hold on." She pursed her lips, suspicion creeping into her tone. "You want something in return."
"As per usual."
"What is it?" Suddenly he stopped, whirling around to face her with a lazy expression on his face. Kagome blinked, confused, then her face flared red when he leaned in close to her ear to murmur, "I think you know."
"In a public place?!" She stammered under her breath. Inuyasha blinked, feigning innocence as he said, "Is your father's occupation so bad that you can't tell me publicly?" Kagome stared at him for quite some time, and just as he started laughing like a hyena, she punched him in the arm.
"You sick bastard!" She huffed, embarrassed to the highest extent. "God! I thought you meant..."
"Now that can be arranged." Inuyasha smirked. "It's called revenge, girlie. Get used to it."
"Oh, shut up!" Kagome narrowed her eyes, and took a few moments to overcome her embarrassment before taking a deep breath. "Well..." She looked around nervously. "This is the thing. My father is..."
"Yeah?" Inuyasha coaxed, eager to hear this.
"Yakuza." Kagome mumbled. "Mob boss. He knew my mother because he was supposed to kill her, but ended up doing something entirely different."
"Apparently." Inuyasha grinned, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Ignoring him, Kagome went on, "Well, he found out she was pregnant with me, so he gave her a bunch of money and put her up in Sapporo where she couldn't be discovered by the rest of them."
"Okay. So why was she supposed to be killed?"
"Higher orders."
"Huh?" Inuyasha scratched his head in confusion. "But I thought your father—"
"Just for appearances." Kagome waved him off vaguely. "Some woman named Kanna is the highest-up." Inuyasha asked no more after hearing this, his hunger long forgotten. Who was Kanna?
And why did her name sound so familiar?