Summary: Kagome, younger twin to Shoto, was regarded as a failure by their father. With her Quirk never showing during her youth, her father regarded her as a blight on his legacy. He gave her away. After sealing the well up, she's accepted into U.A. Her very presence serves to shake things up in the best ways!

Pairing: Kagome/Hawks

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

Chapter Twenty-Seven

There was something very clearly lingering on her mind. Her silence was easily noted by the silver-haired demon. She'd taken her lunch to hide his office, but she hadn't said anything. It wasn't like her. She got like this only for certain reasons. He hadn't wanted to pressure her into speaking, but after a good fifteen minutes of silence on her part, he found himself coaxing some sort of auditory reaction out of her.

"If you stare at that paper any harder, it'll combust," Sesshoumaru remarked, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. Kagome was seated across from him, the list of agencies that'd offered her an internship holding her focal point. Kagome blinked, seeming to emerge from her thoughts at the comment. She glanced at him for a brief second before she looked back down at the paper.

She didn't respond at first, merely gazing down at the page. A few seconds passed and she set it down on the desk beside her. "Sorry," she said, "I guess I'm just thinking."

"Share what's on your mind," he stated. It wasn't a request, but more of a demand. "What are you considering?"

She'd known ahead of time that she'd have to choose someone other than Sesshoumaru to intern under due to the facets of their relationship, but that didn't make for an easy choice.

Once again, she found her gaze straying to that familiar name. An odd feeling settled deep within her chest when she felt herself considering it again.

Why was she even considering it in the first place?

Sesshoumaru moved the slightest bit closer, golden eyes sweeping down to glance at the page she was so focused on. He'd helped compile the lists, and he'd been the one to do hers. It took only a second or two to spot what held her attention. He shuffled his weight back, once more leaning against the wall as he closed his eyes. He gave her a few more seconds to say something, but when nothing but silence greeted him, he took the initiative. It was a bizarre swap between what was the norm between them.

"You're considering it," he remarked. It came off as a casual observation. There was no weight to it, leaving her free from pressure. He glanced at her face, noting the shift in her eyes, as well as the slight change that impacted her scent. Wordlessly, she nodded.

"... I don't understand why," she finally managed something. There was a tremble to her voice, a crack in her usually strong facade. "I shouldn't want to, so why…-?"

"Compared to others on the list, it's a strong fit for you," he remarked. He didn't miss the way she flinched at his comment. "You are more adept at your flames than your ice due to the way they've formed," he continued. "Focusing on your strength…- there is no shame in that."

"I don't want his help," she stated, her tone frigid. "His smug face…- ugh."

"Is your disdain worth hindering your progress within this society?" Sesshoumaru questioned. Kagome looked up at him at that. "He's appalling, horribly arrogant…-" he caught himself before he could say much more, an annoyed grimace on his face reflecting his grated tone. She was honestly surprised to see just how much he managed to step on Sesshoumaru's nerves, but then she recalled the way he'd acted at the Sports Festival.

Sesshoumaru didn't take disrespect- especially from a human- too well. He might've grown more tolerant of them over the years, but that meant nothing in this situation, it would seem. Still, she couldn't help the small smile that stained her face as she listened to him.

"Bad tidings aside," Sesshoumaru continued once he'd composed his aggravation that came with the mention of Endeavor. "You should look at what you stand to gain from enduring this."

Kagome met his gaze, an air of uncertainty remaining around her. "I…-" she trailed off, her grip straying to her skirt. Her fingers burrowed in the dark material of her skirt as she thought her words over carefully. A part of her was so reluctant to admit what she felt still so deep in her heart. "I know you're right," she managed to say in a hushed voice. "I just…- There's so many horrible memories because of him."

Sesshoumaru looked at her as she spoke. He didn't doubt her words. He'd heard plenty already.

"It just makes me so… angry when he tries to act like nothing is wrong," she continued. "Like I'm supposed to just forgive and forget when he…-" She sighed and let her grip in her skirt loosen. "He's always been so selfishly driven."

"You could stand to learn how to be a bit more selfish," Sesshoumaru remarked. Kagome lifted her gaze to glare at him, but he wasn't fazed by it. It was the one she'd learned from him, after all. "It's clear what he's after reaching out to you, given the circumstances," he continued in a neutral voice. "I see nothing wrong with you using that to further your career. The one who's holding you back at this point is you."

"I understand that, but…-" Kagome trailed off with a sigh.

"I don't think you do, Kagome," Sesshoumaru stated. "Swallow all the petty feelings you hold onto," he advised. "Use this opportunity to learn how to better yourself, to be better than he ever will be, then continue on your path forward with no regard for him." Sesshoumaru looked at her. "He wants to have some semblance of control over you now that you have potential to him. Take the knowledge he will impart and use it for your own gain. You owe nothing to him, even now."

Kagome remained silent for several minutes as she considered his advice. It wasn't something she'd normally do- it was definitely advice befitting demons, that much she knew.

"It's only a week," Sesshoumaru continued. "A small price of your time for the impact it'll bring." He glanced at her with a tilted nod. "Your brother, is he not also planning on doing so?" he questioned. Kagome nodded, the gesture faint. "Could that also be what's guiding your choice?"

Kagome shrugged, avoiding meeting his gaze. "I… Maybe a little bit."

"You worry for him, far more than you worry for yourself," Sesshoumaru noted. There was something to his tone that Kagome could pick up on, but she couldn't quite explain it. "You worry far too much for the sake of others," he remarked with a faint scoff. He sounded agitated, but, just as much, there was resignation. He'd long since grown to accept the type of person she was, and he had accepted that he'd have no impact on that.

He spoke as if she'd already made her mind up, and, she kinda had. She just hadn't said it outloud yet.

"Either way," Sesshoumaru remarked in a casual tone. "As the one training you, it's been decided that my presence will be expected wherever you choose to go," he informed. "Should you choose your father's agency, I'm sure any conflict will be entertaining."

Kagome felt a smile rise on her face at his comment. "It's a dangerous mix." Her words came out like a warning, one that didn't faze the stoic demon in the slightest.

She could only hope that this didn't come back to bite her down the road, but she knew things would never be so simple. It was something she'd begrudgingly accepted a long time ago.

000

At the end of the day, she was slowly packing her things. Her earlier decision was still fresh on her mind, and she was still in the process of gauging whether or not it would only be one huge mistake. Kagome could feel the weight of a stare fixed on her, and she found herself waiting for the question she could sense about to be asked. Before long majority of the room had exited, and a faint set of footsteps made their way to her.

"You've decided, haven't you?" Shoto asked once he'd closed the distance between them. She had her back turned to him, and her shoulders shifted as she breathed a soft sigh. It was a sound of resignation.

"Yeah, I guess I have," she responded. She turned to face him, shuffling on her feet some as she shifted her weight. "I talked to Sesshoumaru about it. Well…-" she trailed off with a faint laugh. It was half-hearted at best. "He talked and I mostly listened. It was different than how it usually goes."

He nodded, listening as she said those words. "What did you decide on?"

There was a shift in her expression, the gleam darkening in her eyes in faint distaste. "This might be me making a big mistake, but I decided on Endeavor's," she responded, her voice quiet yet with a defined edge. "Sesshoumaru's right, which isn't so odd. He usually is," she admitted with a sigh. "Out of all of them, I stand to benefit the most from him."

Shoto was quiet as he took in the expression on her face, the one that accompanied her words. He tried to gauge her in the same way she did to others but found himself struggling.

"As aggravating as he is, that's the way it is," she continued with a sigh. "Sesshoumaru can only teach me to a certain point, after all. There will come a point when there's no more I can learn from him. I have to be willing to expand my sources, even if it's from someone who only sees merit in me now that I have some significant worth in his eyes." She glanced up, icy blue that seemed darker in the lighting of the classroom settling on his face. "It's painful to admit, but as different as I am from him, I suppose I do also share some similarities with him."

She didn't like admitting to it, but she also knew that she'd be the one to suffer if she continued to deny it.

Oh, who was she kidding? There was another underlying reason for her choosing to do this. One that Sesshoumaru was probably just as aware of, but he'd neglected to speak of it.

"Also, I just have this gut feeling," Kagome continued, folding her arms over her chest. "If I don't give in a little bit, then he's only gonna bother Kun-Loon, and I don't want her to have to put up with his belligerent attitude," she stated. "If putting up with him for a week at least holds something like that back, then it wasn't for nothing, at least."

"Oh, right," Shoto responded. The mention of that woman caused him to nod. "She's his sister, isn't she?" he asked, and Kagome nodded.

"You never met her, have you?" she asked. When he shook his head, she felt ridiculous for asking. "Of course you never did, he wanted to keep me as far away from everyone else as he could. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess…-" she murmured softly. A second later she shook her head, forcing those thoughts to the back of her mind. "Why don't you come home with me today?" she suggested. A look of brief surprise befell his face in response. "I've been wanting to ask, but there's never really been any time."

"Would she mind?" Shoto asked, and Kagome shook her head.

"Of course not," she responded, her smile bright and gleaming. "She's nothing like him, believe it or not," she stated, her smile softening some. "She's kind."

He trusted her word on the matter. After all, she knew her best.

"Then sure."

Kagome was overjoyed when he agreed, and she wasted no time in grabbing his hand as she took to leading the way.

The stairs leading up to the shrine were seriously no joke. Upon making it to the top, he realized it was no wonder how she had such impressive stamina. She wasn't the slightest bit fazed once they'd it to the top, not even taking a second to pause.

The twin-tailed cats that'd been absent that day were visible underneath a large tree, curled up with a third, ordinary calico cat. The three perked up once she'd gotten close enough, the two twin-tailed cats soon bounding towards her while the fatter one stretched out contentedly with a lazy flick of his tail.

She walked a bit further ahead to meet the two cats that'd sprinted toward her, crouching just enough to pick them up. Once she had, she turned back to face him.

"This is it- home," Kagome said, a gentle smile highlighting her features. Her smile faltered just a bit as she glanced over her shoulder, a thoughtful hum coming from her. "Huh… Guess he left already…-"

The comment made his curiosity spike, or maybe it was the faint shift in her tone. "Who?" Shoto asked as he closed the distance between them. Kagome glanced at him and shook her head, her smile returning as she brushed his question off initially.

"A friend," she responded. "I knew he'd be leaving sometime soon, but he's also known to do what he wants," she stated. "Sesshoumaru's brother- I'm just a little surprised that he relented without it ending with them bickering like usual." She paused and giggled. "Well, that's not the right word exactly, but I suppose it's accurate enough." After a few seconds, she shook her head and turned on her heel, nodding for him to follow. "Don't give it too much thought," she remarked. "Come on, let's go inside."

At her encouragement, Shoto ended up falling into step with her as she led the way. Stepping inside, he was swift to note how different the atmosphere felt. It lacked any tension or hostility. It felt different but in a nice way.

"I'm home!" Kagome called out, and the sound of footsteps from the next room caused him to glance away from her. It took only a few seconds before another figure became visible.

A woman with dark brown hair- a faint tint of red hidden among the dark curls- stepped into the room. Her eyes were a deep brown and harbored an apparent warmth. Looking at her, it was hard to believe that she was even related to their father. She just looked so… different. She looked at him, a flash of surprise spreading across her face. At the same time, that fond warmth remained.

"Oh… hello," she said, her voice as gentle as the expression on her face. "I was wondering when I'd meet you."

000

Kagome had gone to make tea not long after they all got settled in, leaving Shoto alone with the brunette woman. The conversation had been simple and light-hearted at first before it ended up swapping to the topic of their father. The way her expression contorted wasn't missed.

Kun-Loon shook her head with a faint sigh, resting her hands on the surface of the table. "My brother's…-" She stopped herself before she ended up saying what she wanted, figuring it'd be better off left unsaid. "We've always seen things differently," she finally relented to saying. "He's obstinate and hard to be around," she remarked. Shoto nodded, finding himself in agreement with her claim.

"As much as I wish I could be, I'm far from surprised to hear he's always been like this," he stated in a flat tone. Kun-Loon regarded him with a sympathetic look. "I'd be more surprised to hear otherwise."

"It's unfortunate, the way things have gone and everyone's situations," she remarked softly. A second later she sighed, shaking her head as if trying to clear her mind of those thoughts. Her frown was soon replaced with a kind smile as she looked at him. "If you ever find yourself wanting to visit, you're more than welcome," she stated. "Not just you, but your siblings as well," she stated before she paused and rested a palm on her cheek, breathing a faint sigh as she seemed to think about something. "A long time back, Toya used to visit Kagome often, but not anymore…-" she remarked. "So I know she'd be so happy to see more of the others, too." The invitation harbored the same warmth that filled her eyes. As if right on cue, Kagome walked back into the room, sleeves rolled up as she set the tea down. She sat down to join them as Kun-Loon looked at her. "Isn't that right?" she mused softly. Kagome glanced at her, a curious light in her eyes.

"Isn't what right?" she asked.

"Your siblings should come by more often," she stated. As she processed those words, Kagome nodded faintly.

"Well, yeah, if they want to," Kagome responded. "But if not, then-"

"They do," Shoto interrupted before she could finish her sentence.

A flash of surprise lingered on her face, almost as if his claim was entirely unexpected. A few seconds later, a faint smile settled on her face, her eyes shining a bit brighter with the presence of unshed tears.

"Oh…" she murmured. "I'm glad that's the case," she responded. She lifted her gaze to catch his own.

"Then it's settled," Kun-Loon stated, clasping her hands together with a warm smile. "We'll do dinner someday soon. Sound like a plan?"

Auroua-chan: Gonna end this one here!

Kagome has (reluctantly) chosen to intern under Endeavor. Sesshoumaru's right in the fact that it will help her in the long run, but that doesn't mean she's pleased with it. She also did it in order to keep Endeavor off Kun-Loon's case, because we all know he'd keep it up if Kagome kept responding with rejection each time. Best to just swallow the bitter pill and endure it. It doesn't matter anyway, Endeavor will have to deal with Sesshoumaru throughout it. It'll be entertaining, to say the least.

So, Shoto and Kun-Loon had their first interaction. Frankly, he's having trouble accepting that she's related to his father. She's just so… different (in a good way, definitly.) She's also all for having the other's over, too. She mentioned Toya, and it should be said that she doesn't know what happened to him, much like Kagome. After all, why would she? Enji wouldn't pass that information on, especially if he felt like it wouldn't matter either way.

There's some angst to be anticipated when Kagome eventually finds out because she will. It'd be… unfortunate if she found out once she's started trying to work on her relationship with her father, only to find out something like that was hidden from her for most of her life.

It's been asked, but yes- Stain will most definitly remember Kagome. She will also remember him, too. It just so happens that she's just the type of person he'd consider a true hero.

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.

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