Summary: When stuck with the burden of the Shikon Jewel, Kagome thought it'd be best to distance herself from her family. Though, she hadn't anticipated her brother, Yuji, to take on a curse of his own 8 years later. There's no denying they have their fair share of similarities. Well, they do say birds of a feather…

Pairing: Undecided

Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.

Chapter One

The news had caused the blue-eyed girl to fall silent. Even though her expression was unreadable, he felt as if he could tell exactly what was coursing through her mind. Gojo kept quiet, knowing that it was better off if he did. He was more than familiar with her temper. No matter how much he liked to tease her, he knew this wasn't the time to push her buttons.

"Y-You said Yuji, right?" Kagome finally broke the silence, turning to look at him. Her voice wavered. He could see the faint tremble of her hands. "Itadori Yuji." He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the wall. He knew she didn't need the clarification, but he gave it to her anyway.

"Yeah," he responded. "Don't get me wrong, I wish I had better news for you," he said. He didn't miss the glistening sheen of tears forming in her eyes. "You know I do." It left a weight in his chest to see her like that. It wasn't a common sight for her. She was usually composed, her expression rarely betraying what she felt or thought. She'd developed a stoic facade for her own benefit. This version of her, however, was like an open book. It was… different just how vulnerable she looked. "I did what I could, but that was just getting his execution postponed."

She felt silent, but he could tell what she was thinking. He frowned, his attention fixated on her.

"You can't blame yourself, Kagome," Gojo stated. "This isn't on you. You know that, right?"

She didn't exactly seem receptive to that thought, but she bit her tongue. Frankly, he'd almost rather welcome her temper if it changed her from being this way. There was no response from her as she stood there, her stare pointed at the ground between them. Her hands fisted into the hem of her skirt, but it did nothing to cease their trembling. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she picked her head up. At the same time, one of her hands came up and dug harshly into the front of her shirt.

"The only reason I left in the first place was to try and prevent him from getting wrapped up in this sort of stuff," she said. Her voice was heavy. The burden of the tears she held at bay weighed down her words as if they were lead. "I distanced myself because I thought it would be for the best…- That I could protect him if…-" She returned her gaze to the floor, falling silent as her voice cracked. The dam shattered, and the tears began to flow. They cascaded down her cheeks in messy trails.

"Hey now," Gojo took a step towards her. He reached to wipe her tears away, a frown on his face. "You know no one likes seeing you cry." She reached a hand up to swat his away, turning away from him. He sighed, getting the hint and leaving it be.

"There was never any point to any of it," she stated, a defeated tone sinking into her words. "If I'd been present, then none of this would even be happening."

"I already said there's no sense in blaming yourself," Gojo reminded. "You couldn't have predicted this would happen, even though he's your brother."

She was silent in response, and he sighed.

"Do you even realize how much that kid mirrors you?" he asked. "I could pick up on it before I even learned his name." A wry smile appeared on her face. It wasn't much, but it was enough, he decided.

"Of course he does," she remarked dryly. She lifted a hand to pinch at the bridge of her nose. "I know I should be surprised, but I'm not."

"It'd be best if you go with me tomorrow," he said. She was quiet for several seconds before she breathed a soft sigh.

"I know…" she whispered. There was a trace of doubt lurking within her voice. She didn't call attention to it, so he chose to ignore it, as well.

A long-overdue conversation awaited her.

"Anyway," Gojo continued, placing a hand on her shoulder in a gentle touch. "It was only eight years ago that you were in a situation a lot like his." Her expression softened as she nodded.

"Don't worry," she responded softly. "I remember very well." How could she ever forget, after all?

"If anyone can help him, it'll be you."

Despite the somber feeling in her chest, the weather was nice. She followed a few paces behind Gojo, allowing him to lead the way.

"Hey, Kid!"

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Yuji picked his head up. When he turned to face the direction it'd come from, he froze when he noticed the familiar girl walking behind Gojo. For a moment, he thought he was imagining things, but he soon found that wasn't the case. Despite the confusion he felt, he couldn't ignore the relief he felt at her presence.

"Nee-chan!" Yuji called to her, closing the distance. "Long time, no see, huh?"

Kagome looked up, blue eyes settling on his face as she nodded. "Yeah, I suppose it's been a while, hasn't it?" she responded. A small smile appeared on Yuji's face when he heard that familiar, gentle tone. He noticed the somber light in her eyes, and he didn't hesitate to reach out to rest a supportive hand on her shoulder. "I just wish…-"

"Don't feel bad," he responded, shaking his head. "Do you really think Gramps would be happy if you're so mopey?"

She shook her head, sighing softly.

"But…-" Yuji trailed off, looking between Gojo and his sister, a small frown pulling at his expression. "Do you two know each other?"

"That's…-" Kagome paused, her voice wavering some. "I actually need to discuss several things with you," she said. "But, to answer your question…- Yes, we do."

"I believe that's my cue to give some space," Gojo stated, motioning to the pair. "Don't worry, I'll be around if you find yourself missing me, or if you need any help, Kagome."

She sighed and shook her head. "No, I got it," she stated flatly. "For now, at least," she amended then. He nodded, relenting at her insistence.

000

The silence between them was heavy. While Kagome attempted to find a good way to start to explain everything, Yuji took it as a chance to strike up a conversation.

"So, if you know that guy, then you probably know about curses and all that stuff, right?" Yuji asked. His voice was quiet. He felt like he was asking a question with an obvious answer.

Kagome sighed, reaching a hand up to tuck a lock of raven hair back behind her ear. "Yeah, I do," she said. "I've been dealing with this stuff for the past eight years."

"Eight years, huh…?" Yuji muttered. "That's when…-" He trailed off, and she nodded. She could feel the shift in his aura, the confusion and realization sinking in as he processed her words.

"That's around the time I left home." Kagome was quiet for several seconds, keeping her gaze level with the grass underfoot. "I know you're wondering," she stated. "Yes, the two coincide."

It was his turn to be silenced as he processed her response. She didn't say anything for several, long minutes. She allowed him to absorb the information she'd offered before trying to fill him with more.

"Curses and cursed objects…- they can be tricky and very dangerous things," Kagome stated, a soft sigh falling from her lips. He nodded, grasping what she meant. "Sometimes, people will find themselves bound to one. Most of the time, the cursed object will lead to the death of them." She reached beneath the collar of her shirt to remove a bright pink jewel. "This is the Shikon Jewel," she said. "It's renowned as one of the most catastrophic cursed objects."

"Why do you have it then?" Yuji asked. "That can't be safe…-!"

Kagome couldn't help the soft laugh that spilled from her. She gave him a calm smile, shaking her head. "It's not," she stated. "But there's not a lot I can do. There's not a lot anyone can do, really," she whispered. "I am bound to this jewel. Trust me…- I've tried to get rid of it, but…-" She trailed off, deciding those words were better off left unsaid. She could feel the confusion in his aura, but she didn't want to burden him with even more worries. "I can handle it just fine," she said after a minute. "Since I'm someone capable of withstanding it, then I'd rather shoulder the burden to save some other soul the grief and suffering."

Yuji was silent as he let her words sink in.

"It's not what I'd call ideal," Kagome remarked. "But at least this way it's taken care of."

"That's why you left, isn't it?" he asked. Kagome reluctantly nodded, seeing no point in pushing it off.

"Even if it's under my control, the jewel is still a cursed object," Kagome stated. "It will bring all sorts of things to it." She picked her head up to meet his stare. "I did whatever I needed to make sure you could live an unburdened life."

"How's that fair for you, though?" he shot back. Kagome sighed.

"I never worried about that," she confessed. "I made the decision I felt was best at the time. In doing so I was able to learn ways to better protect myself against the jewel's influence, as well as the influence of other curses. At the same time, I was able to earn more than enough money to send to you and our grandfather," she stated. "I was too hesitant to come back, because I didn't want to bring the jewel's energy around, but I could be there in other ways like this."

When she explained it like she did, he found it making sense. Though she hadn't come around, phone calls were always often. Any planned visits were always postponed and then canceled entirely, but…-

"I get it," Yuji stated. "It sucks that was the reality you faced, but I can understand why you went about it that way."

Kagome fell silent, her attention straying back to the ground.

"I guess you're already aware of the predicament I'm in, huh?" he asked. He'd wanted to tell her, but he got the feeling she already knew. His assumption proved to be right when she nodded. "Sorry, I just…-"

"I'm not surprised," she admitted. "We've both always acted without thinking everything through," she remarked. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Her question made a small smile appear on his face. He nodded, reaching to rub the back of his head. "Yeah, but I don't want to make you worry, you know?"

Kagome shook her head. "I'm always going to worry," she responded. "It's my place to worry about you, after all." She stood up, reaching a hand out to gently pat his head. "No matter what you decide, I'm going to be right there by your side no matter what."

Yuji nodded, finding comfort in her words. There was still plenty he wanted to ask, but he wasn't certain that she'd give him the answers to a lot of his questions. He'd have to wait it out, if he knew his sister as much as he thought he did.

They didn't have forever, he knew that much, but he tried to keep that thought far out of mind.

"You ready to go?" he asked, noting the smoke billowing up from the busking had finally stopped. He didn't have to specify what he meant by those words. He could tell she knew already.

"I guess it's time, then," she responded. She rose onto her feet, smoothing her long skirt back down.

Together the pair headed off into the building, where the remains of their grandfather and his ashes resided to be collected.

Auroua-chan: A little bit of a heart-to-heart between Kagome and Yuji. It's been quite some time since they last spoke in person. It's a shame it wasn't brought on by better reasons.

The pairing is currently undecided. I'm mostly torn between Gojo and Nanami for now. (Though, more so Nanami personally)

Feedback on the pairing is more than welcome though.

Anyway that's it for now! Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoyed! Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting but if not sorry.

Please remember to Review&Favorite&Follow, thank you!

Bye for now~