I know I haven't updated in YEARS! I suck and I'm sorry. I haven't been able to open any of my old files due to an incompatibility issues, but miraculously I was able to retrieve then from my old laptop and find a program to convert them! Sorry again! I was surprised that this story became so popular considering the pairing, but I'm glad some of you enjoyed it. Here's chapter 15!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or its characters, they are all property of Rumiko Takahashi!
Later in the evening the group remained in the village for another night courtesy of the village chief. It turned out that the villagers rather enjoyed their antics earlier. The village chief said that it had been awhile since they've seen such vivacity around their parts and it wouldn't hurt having them around for another night. Secretly, they figured the villagers felt safer with them around and would hinder another demon attack if necessary.
Bankotsu laid out on the porch comfortably, full from the three bowls of rice he scarfed down and surprisingly his single bowl of sake. It had been awhile since Kagome had left to spend the day with her friends, but they probably had a lot to catch up on.
The door slid open behind him and Jakotsu stepped out holding a bowl of steamed rice, eating it slowly. "You're still up, big brother? Kagome hasn't come back yet?"
Bankotsu shook his head. "She's probably talking their ears off in there, you know how she can get when she's excited." he said with a small laugh. "Besides, after the mutt ran off on his friends they're probably as confused as headless chickens over there, Kagome's probably trying to help them out." he said calmly.
Jakotsu took a seat next to him on the porch and remained silent. 'Big brother…I've never seen him like this before. It's kinda strange…but then again cute.' he thought. Bankotsu nudged him in the side with his elbow. "Huh?"
I wonder how long she'll stay once we get her home, and what will we do when she's gone?" Bankotsu pondered.
A small smile graced Jakotsu's features. "You know big brother, I always wanted to ask you this…" he paused for a moment.
Bankotsu looked over to him. "Ask me what?"
"Well you know, you've had women in the past, but you never seemed to care that much about them, so what's so special about Kagome? I mean most of your flings never lasted for more than a week." he pointed out.
Bankotsu scratched his head with a sheepish smile. "Heh, you're right! I mean back then we were always on the move. There was that one geisha girl I met during one of our village raids. When we parted she said she'd write to me, but she never did. Hm, I wonder why…" he pondered.
Jakostu stroked his chin as he thought. "Geisha girl…oh you mean that little slut that kept confusing me for a woman? Heh…I killed her." he admitted without shame.
"You did?! Seriously?!" Jakostu nodded. "Well, no wonder she never responded to my letters…geez."
"Sorry about that, but then again it's not like you cared enough to investigate it back then."
"You're right. I can honestly say that Kagome is the first girl I've ever loved. I never thought that our fling would carry us this far, but I'm glad it did." he confessed.
Jakotsu listened to his superior confide his deepest feelings to him. "At first I thought you were using her for jewel shards, then I thought you wanted her because you knew it would piss Inuyasha off, but then I never thought you'd get so serious about a woman, especially a little brat like Kagome." he said.
"Admit it Jakotsu, you know you like her! You two are like two peas in a pod!" he teased him while laughing.
Jakotsu jumped up from the porch and faced the jeering mercenary. "I do not like that stupid, useless, annoying brat! And you know what…green makes her look fat!" he insulted.
"Green makes who look fat, Jakotsu?!" a familiar voice said.
Bankotsu stopped laughing and Jakotsu whipped around to the beholder of the voice. He was mildly surprised. "Oh, Kagome! We missed you so much! How did it go with your friends?" He feigned as he put an arm around the young priestess and brought her over to Bankotsu. Kagome glared daggers at him. The effeminate mercenary yawned all of the sudden and said, "I'm so tired! Well, I'll see you two in the morning!" He went back inside and closed the door behind him.
Kagome put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "One of these days I'm going to get him!" she declared. She squeaked when Bankotsu abruptly snake his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap. She blushed.
"I was beginning to think you were going to spend the night in the stables with them instead of with me. That only took forever." he whined a bit.
Kagome smiled. "I'm sorry, but I was really worried about them." she said.
"How are they anyway?" he asked, not that he really cared. He had seen the monk and the demon slayer handle themselves in battle, they would manage fine alone without the mutt leading them blindly.
"They really don't know how they're going to go about killing Naraku without him…and they're worried that Inuyasha will do something reckless and stupid without them. Knowing him he'll get himself killed trying to fight Naraku alone." she said sadly. She paused for a bit and there was silence between them. She decided to stop the depressing talk for now. She rested her head against his shoulder and he pulled her closer to him.
"Tomorrow, we'll take you back home, Kagome." Bankotsu said.
"Sango and Miroku said that they want to accompany us. They want to see Kaede for a little guidance. I believe that she is the only one who can smooth things over between them and Inuyasha." she said.
Bankotsu smiled slightly at her words. She cared for them deeply…and even though he hated to admit it, he was a bit jealous. "I think it's amusing that you worry about them so much.
Kagome looked up at him in surprise. She detected a pinch of bitterness in his voice. She stood up from his lap and gazed into his eyes. "What? You don't think that I care about you guys just as much?" she asked.
Bankotsu was baffled. "Well…" he started before he was interrupted.
"Of course I care about you guys! If I didn't I wouldn't have risked so much by joining you. I've faced a lot of challenges for making such a drastic decision and I wouldn't change it for the world." she stated firmly.
He wanted to hear nothing more than for her to say those words. "I'm happy you feel that way about us, Kagome. I guess I'm sorry for having any doubts." he apologized as he stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders.
Kagome gazed into his eyes. "You'd better be…now kiss me." she demanded lightly.
Bankotsu smirked at her assertivness and he leaned down to capture her soft lips in a firm, passionate kiss. She embraced him tightly as their kiss prolonged. When their kiss ended they still held each other. After a few minutes the silence was broken when Bankotsu finally spoke. "We better get some rest, we have a long journey ahead of us in the morning."
Kagome pulled away from his embrace and nodded her head. "Yeah, that's right."
Bankotsu draped his arm around her as they headed in. "And don't worry, you can sleep next to me tonight." he laughed.
Kagome laughed as well. "Thanks."
As planned , the very next morning the group was ready to embark on their journey. They received many blessings from the villagers as they bid them adieu, but not empty handed of course. They were given much of everything from food to medicine if they ever needed it. Kagome stashed the goods in a brown sack and slung it over her shoulder. She was certain that it was the first time the band of seven had ever left a village without burning it to the ground and leaving it completely devoid of life. She smiled to herself. 'I know they have good in their hearts…well now they do.,
She ran over to Bankotsu, Jakotsu, and Suikotsu. "Are you guys ready?" she asked.
Bankotsu nodded. "We're ready, but what of your friends? They're not coming with us are they?" he questioned. He wouldn't mind it, but he was sure that the extra company wouldn't sit well with Jakotsu or Suikotsu for that matter. Jakotsu would probably have a fit at the thought of another woman traveling with the extra bickering that was sure to ensue would definitely irritate Suikotsu.
Kagome looked over to Miroku and the others. She had asked them if they wanted to travel to the village with them, but they kindly refused her offer. She was surprised that even Shippo wouldn't travel with her at least. No matter how much she had tried to convince them that the band of seven had changed their ways they still refused to affiliate themselves with them.
Kagome strode over to her old comrades and figured it wouldn't hurt to try coaxing them into coming with them. She wanted to prove to them that it was safe. She approached Sango with worry in her eyes. "Hey are you guys positive you don't want to come along with us? We're all going in the same direction, besides Bankotsu wouldn't mind." she reassured.
Sango shook her head. "It's okay Kagome. We'll ride Kirara back to the village. It's far, but it should take no more than three days to arrive there." she explained.
Miroku stepped forward and placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder. "It warms my heart to see you so worried about us, but we'll be fine. We are also going to see if we can track Inuyasha down before he gets too reckless, right Sango?" he asked, looking over to the demon slayer. Sango just crossed her arms and turned away from him. Miroku sighed. "We have a lot of issues of our own to cope with. Just promise you'll be safe as well, Kagome."
Kagome's eyes flickered sadness for a brief moment before she gave him and small smile. "I will." Her eyes flew open when Miroku pulled her into a quick embrace. He pat her back as hugged her. 'Miroku, I hope you can convince Sango to get along with Inuyasha. He's a selfish jerk at times, but he needs you guys just like you need him…I can't be there for him anymore.' she thought. She was snapped from her thoughts when the monk's ever mischievous hand began to roam lower and lower until….
"Oi, monk! If you want to keep that hand I'd suggest you get it off of her…now!" Bankotsu warned sternly from afar.
Miroku moved away from Kagome and cleared his throat. "Well then, we should be on our way." He felt someone boaring holes into the side of his head and he slowly snuck a glance over to Sango, who was glaring him down so hard that he felt he would turn to stone if he looked her in the eyes. He quickly averted his attention elsewhere until he found a good diversion. "Oh, Shippo! Don't you want to say goodbye to Kagome?" He grabbed him up from the ground and presented him before the young priestess.
Kagome smiled as she pat the small kitsune on his head. "Long time no see huh?"
Shippo's eyes watered up as he stared at her. She was like a mother to him…before she left. "K-Kagome…aren't you going to come back with us?" he whined.
"Shippo!" Sango interjected. The fox demon was still young so there was no way he could understand the situation between Inuyasha and Kagome.
Seeing him staring at her with such sad eyes tugged at her heartstrings. If only it were that simple, but it wasn't. She had made her decision and that was to remain by Bankotsu's side. Of course she couldn't say that to him. Deep down she always had the feeling that even though her friends supported her, they still probably saw her as a traitor. Even if they did she couldn't do a thing about it, there was no use in dwelling on such things anyway. She cupped the kitsune's face in her hands as she slowly shook her head. "I can't, I have a promise that I have to keep, but I will always love you all like family." she told him. She placed a loving kiss on his small forehead and released his face.
Sango sighed. "You better get going Kagome. We still have some preparations to make before we leave. Be safe, Kagome." the demon slayer wished her.
Kagome stepped forward and embraced her friend who she considered to be a sister to her before she departed with the others. She had a feeling that they didn't have any more preparations to make, but they were staying behind to distance themselves between Bankotsu and the others. There was nothing she could do to fill the rift between the two groups at the moment and she didn't have the energy to even make an attempt.
"Have a safe journey too, hopefully we'll see each other at the village before I leave." Kagome said optimistically before giving them one last wave before running back to the others.
Bankotsu was relieved that they wouldn't be traveling with Inuyasha's former posse, it would only complicate things as he predicted. Once Kagome arrived at his side he said, "Alright then, let's be on our way."
Kagome smiled at him. "Thank you."
Bankotsu blinked in surprise at her words. There was no need for her to thank him, he wanted to make her happy. 'I know that she really wants to see her family, but I'm going to miss her when she's gone…' he pondered. He smiled as he reached over and grasped her hand in his own.
I'm working on other projects now, but I'll still try to work on this as well! I'm just glad that I hadn't lost my old files! :) Happy new year all! Please R&R!
