Chapter 12.-Tainted offers

2005, forth deviation

Words washed over her as Kagome pretended to pay attention to class, azure eyes failing to focus on the formulas on the blackboard.

Vaguely, the girl remembered the teacher mentioning this topic would be in the next test, so she should probably be taking notes unless she wanted her grades to take a dip. Still, her mind refused to abandon Mikey or Toman. For the last couple of days, that was all she could think of. Honestly, the miko had been tempted to skip school today, but doing that twice in a row might cause problems she didn't want to deal with. Attendance records weren't something she needed to stress about anymore (and were she willing to throw away her pride, her grades wouldn't matter either), after all, Shippo and the others would handle her school affairs, even without her asking them to. Running interference with any official calls to the shrine wouldn't cost them much effort, and a few well placed bribes would ensure she could have her pick of high schools. There weren't many subtle ways to stop her classmates if any of them worried her sickly trend had returned and decided to visit the shrine to deliver her notes and check up on her, though, and that would alert her family.

Her mother was a pretty open-minded person. She'd accepted Inuyasha with his crude vocabulary and hadn't complained about the increased delinquent presence around the shrine with a smile and a nod. But there was a difference between random street fights that left the boys with a few cuts and bruises and a brawl that ended with the police arresting one of her friends for stabbing the boss of a rival gang. It was easy to obscure the real dangers of the Warring Estates period when the woman had no choice but to trust the sanitized stories Kagome told, however if the miko's lie was exposed, there wasn't any way to spin a police investigation in a whimsical manner. So the girl came up with a tale she could share with her family. The sudden change of clothes was blamed on an oil spill when Mikey got a little careless while fiddling with his bike, which also explained away why she lost track of time and got back home so much later than she was meant to. With a bit of luck, Shippo's insistence on gifting her entire wardrobes every few days would help obscure the little fact that she never got her clothes back; the last thing she wanted was for her family to start feeling anxious about letting her hang around Toman.

The only way to keep things as they were was for her to stay in her seat and let the time pass until Mikey picked her up.

Slender fingers played with her pencil, twirling it in one direction and the other; her knee bounced up and down without a rhythm. She'd been waiting for the bell to ring from the moment she entered the classroom, but as the day went on, the miko's impatience only grew worse. By now, minutes felt like hours. This was the place she was meant to be to follow the script, paying attention to her classes like the straight-A student her role demanded her to be…but Kagome should be with Mikey. The blond hadn't asked her to stay with him outright, but he didn't need to when she could see how much he was struggling. It was so painfully obvious to her. When they met with the others, he'd managed to hold everything back, but he knew fooling her wasn't going to happen, so he'd allowed long silences to stretch as he held her close when they were alone yesterday. There was no need for words when his touch lingered, a quiet vulnerability shown only to her. Were it not for her family, she would've simply stayed with him throughout the night or for however long he needed her to instead of parting ways. She should be at his side, not listening to lessons she'd likely never need.

Abandoning all pretense of note-taking, the miko crossed her arms on her desk and laid her head down. The reason she wanted to go to Mikey was to give him comfort, yes, but the truth was there was another motive behind her desperation.

She was frustrated.

Frustrated with Osanai for barging in when tensions were running high while they were discussing how to deal with Moebius, sure, but what irritated her more than anything when she thought back to what happened…was the police. Once the initial stress of keeping the mess under wraps faded, Kagome's thoughts started to spiral out of control. Because this whole thing just seemed unfair. Two years ago, the girl thought she understood why things worked the way they did. The law was there to keep everyone safe, and the rules were created by professionals who knew what they were doing…but she couldn't remember why she thought that made sense anymore.

Osanai was a sorry excuse for a human being.

Draken had tried to shield her from the more visceral details of what happened, but Mikey hid nothing when she asked for them. What the miko saw when she looked at the older gangster all but confirmed the image his actions painted. Osanai may not have killed anyone with his own hands yet, but he'd certainly destroyed other's lives with utter disregard. Even if that poor girl were to wake up, she wouldn't be able to return to her old life; the road to recovery would be a long one, if there was one at all. But Osanai didn't care. To him, that girl and Kagome herself weren't people. His actions might've already dug graves for all she knew. The boy was vile, a repugnant being that hurt others and felt proud about it. Five hundred years ago, seeking revenge on a guy like that would've been the most natural and expected outcome. Blood could only be repaid by blood. Sango and Miroku had had an odd obsession with wanting to spare as many human lives as they could, but even they wouldn't have been bothered too much with holding back against a villain like that. They'd certainly gone all out against youkais who committed those exact same crimes. Hell, anyone who killed someone like Osanai would've been praised as a hero back in the Sengoku era.

It's not that she'd enjoyed playing judge jury and executioner….still that's exactly what she'd done. The only real difference between some of her allies and the enemies they killed was whether she and the others decided there was a point to working together with them. No one ever lamented the lives they took before they met with the group, yet they'd still worked together with people like Sesshoumaru and Kouga, calling them part of their pack.

Not all lives were worth the same.

Kagome had learned that during her travels. The life of a desperate mother trying to protect her child would always have more value than the bandit who'd burned countless villages to the ground. Things would've been better for everyone had Onigumo died in that ditch. And sure, Osanai wasn't quite at that level, but Pah's freedom was worth more than the survival of a rapist.

Guided by his own sense of responsibility, Pah-chin had been determined to stay behind though, so the miko had no choice but to run away with the others. Mikey would never leave both of them behind. All three of them getting picked by the police would've been a bad idea. Sesshoumaru would've gotten them all out, but while Kagome herself could handle having her connection to the pack be known, she didn't want a connection between Mikey and Toman to what was technically an organized criminal organization to be drawn. So the only thing left her to do was to stay with the delinquent leader's side.

Blunt nails dug into her skin; for how much was she supposed to…

It took all she had not to jump when the bell finally rang.

"Hope there's only one question on that in the test." Eri groaned from the seat beside her.

"Yeah." With an absentminded nod, the miko carelessly shoved everything back into her bag. "Sure."

"Say…are you sure you're feeling well?" Standing in front of her seat, Yuka was all but blocking her way. The miko couldn't say she cared too much for the concern in the other girl's voice.

"Perfectly healthy." The smile on her face felt even more forced than usual. "I was just feeling a little under the weather."

"If you want to, we could…"

"Higurashi-san," the teacher interrupted whatever Eri was going to propose, but the miko wasn't sure this was going to be any more helpful. "Can you stay behind for a minute?"

Of course….of course, this talk would happen now.

Refusing would be out of character for her; it would cause trouble later on. She couldn't ignore the script, not here, not with these people who still expected the old version of her to perform her old song and dance. So she willed herself to nod as she noticed the glances shared between the three girls lingering around her desk before hurrying away. Biting her tongue, she waved away their worried looks and did all she could not to start bouncing in place while the classroom emptied. Keeping a smile on her face, pretending not to know what this would be about she moved her arms behind her back. Her reputation was as notorious now as it had been when she all but disappeared weeks at a time last year.

"How are you feeling, Higurashi-san?" The teacher spoke up when they were alone. The typical dialogue of a homeroom teacher trying to be empathetic.

"All better now, sensei." She grinned as she parroted her own lines. "I was just feeling under the weather."

"I'm glad to hear that. Are you struggling with the material?" Another pointless question straight out of the script.

"Not at all." This response too, was just as fabricated. "I'm doing my best to take notes."

"I see…have you gotten tutoring sessions?" For how long was he planning to keep this up?

"Yes, I'm still in contact with my tutors." It wasn't really a lie; both Shippo and Sesshoumaru were surprisingly helpful when it came to her schoolwork…this waste of time was making it harder to keep smiling. "Is something the matter?"

Brown eyes glanced away from her, clearly not expecting her to deviate from the dialogue they were meant to perform. Perhaps she shouldn't have said anything and let the man do his best to put her at ease as demanded by their roles. The shrine-raised Higurashi should pretend to be touched by his concern and show gratitude for taking her sickly disposition into consideration. It wasn't going to be possible. She'd been desperate for school to be over before class even started, and she really wasn't in the mood for performative kindness. Besides, Mikey was already waiting for her.

"Well, I understand last year you had a difficult time with your health. Your grades have improved considerably, which is commendable. Now, I understand a stressful situation like that might make the idea of being reckless and living in the moment feel tempting, but I hope you know acting out without thinking is not the smart thing to do." A practiced sermon, one the teacher had probably told before.

"Last year…certainly put things into perspective." The girl wasn't sure if these words were ones she would've said or if she was just borrowing something Miroku might've spouted during his cons, but they felt appropriate enough. If this kept going, she wasn't sure she would be able to keep herself from rolling her eyes. Instead, she smiled. "Have I done something wrong?"

"Ah, no, not at all…however, it's been brought to my attention that you've expanded your circle of friends." Even with her disruption, he was quick to return to their lines.

There it was, the judgmental accusations she'd been expecting from the moment Mikey showed up at her school gate. It was disguised as a well-meaning intervention; the man was simply worried that the sickly girl who'd been hospitalized for over a month last year may be having some type of identity crisis after a near-death experience, so being a good teacher, the man was attempting to steer her in the right direction. Bullshit. All of it was just an excuse. They were just scared that Toman's presence would cause enough of a fuss that parents would begin to notice, and it'd damage the school's reputation. Had the teacher truly cared, he would've approached her earlier and asked for her reasoning instead of launching off in a tired sermon. Complaints must've begun to increase…the girls were likely involved too, judging by the suspicious glances between each other.

Just because Kagome had dared to go off script and befriend people who didn't fit this scenario, everyone felt comfortable pointing fingers and hurl insults. Never mind that every one of the boys was considerate of her in their own ways and had never once made her feel any discomfort. Even without Mikey and Draken's orders, every captain and vice-captain would've made sure to keep her safe during their brawls, and while her boyfriend's motivation was different, the reason the boys played along with acting as her personal bodyguards whenever the blond couldn't make it was because they were genuinely worried she could be attacked by rival gangs. None of that mattered. Mikey and the others were delinquents, and their lack of manners was more than enough to justify their derision.

"I understand wanting to try new experiences, but…"

"Sensei." Polite, she had to be polite even as she interrupted the teacher. "Is this about my friends coming to pick me up?"

"Being open-minded is a good quality to have; however, some people can be dangerous…"

"Have they gotten into any trouble?" A smile was probably the wrong expression for her to have. Was she supposed to frown? Was glaring too much? Smiling was probably the better pick if she was going to mess up other expressions anyway. "I don't think they've even stepped into school grounds."

Mikey had, once, but he'd found her without anyone confronting him, and he got her out from there before he could get into a fight, so she wasn't going to count it.

Fingers clenched into a fist behind her back, the smile on her face never faltering. She didn't know what lines she was supposed to say in this situation. Had she followed the script and kept to her role, she likely wouldn't be stuck here to begin with. The Kagome from a year and a half ago may not have immediately accused them of being the worst of society, but she wouldn't have gotten half as involved with Toman as she did now. So now, the miko was struggling to find any cue she could follow. Perhaps if she acted regretful and promised to keep her distance, it'd be enough to get the school off her back. If she asked the boys to wait for her and drop her off around the corner, they should be able to avoid future problems. Mikey might not be too happy about it, but he'd agree anyway…and there was no way in hell she'd do that.

Kagome was not ashamed of them or how close she was to them.

Besides, unlike every member within Toman, the only one who'd ever taken a life was the miko herself.

Later tonight, she'd give Sesshoumaru a call.

"Delinquents like that are…"

"If they haven't broken any rules, it should be fine, right?" Her delivery was too wooden, and she shouldn't have interrupted again, but she couldn't bring herself to care. "In that case, I'll take my leave."

"Higurashi." This time, there was a warning in the teacher's voice.

"Have a nice evening." Her grin was firm in place. "My friends are waiting for me."

Offering the man a low bow, the miko turned on her heel. The man called her name again as she snatched her bag from her seat and rushed out of the room. Her motions were too sharp, too hurried, betraying the anger that had been steadily building up with every single word her homeroom teacher spoke. She was missing her cues, forgetting her lines; right now she was straight out going against the script, but Kagome couldn't care less. She had to get to Mikey before he grew impatient enough to barge in…or she finally snapped.

As for the potential repercussions of her actions, this was nothing Sesshoumaru couldn't handle.

Closing her fist around her bag strap, the girl almost stumbled when her gaze found the three girls huddled together with Hojo-kun. They'd clearly been waiting for her, but going by the way they jumped, they didn't think she'd get out of that little intervention this soon. They were some of the concerned parties behind that farce of a sermon. A series of choice words rose up her throat, but she swallowed them down. They waved at her, calling her name again with a mix of eagerness and anxiousness. She wasn't sure what type of expression was on her face, but the girl refused to call back or even slow down at all. Talking to them right now would've been a guaranteed disaster she may not be able to salvage. More importantly, Kagome wasn't about to waste her time with another pointless conversation.

Eyes were following her as she all but ran down the stairs. There were always eyes finding her lately. Whispers began floating around some time ago, and the names people called behind her back were no longer linked to the odd illnesses her grandfather chose for her.

This stage wasn't worth panicking over anymore.

Azure eyes fell on the unmistakable form of the blond delinquent leader; her steps sped up, not quite sprinting. Around her, the whispers grew louder. No Toman member had done anything other than wait outside the gates for her. They never made a fuss or picked fights regardless of how rude the others were because they didn't want her to get in trouble. Once she was out, they never lingered either. Even if they were in no hurry to get her home, they still left the area quickly. Staying in a place where they'd be glared and pointed at wasn't anyone's idea of fun.

Yet everyone here looked at them as if waiting for an explosion.

…fine.

When it came to her relationship with the delinquent leader, no one in Toman batted an eye. Whether they were just holding hands, Mikey put an arm around her waist, or she let him drag her onto his lap, no one cared how they expressed their affection as long as both of them were comfortable. Since Mikey wasn't the type to be self-conscious, the girl had mostly disregarded any restraint about PDA. She'd always been one for physical affection, and she craved it even more after her journey was over. At this point, Kagome didn't know which of the two started contact more often. Still, the blond had never forced her hand. He'd never complained about having to be more subtle around her family or having to wait until they were out of sight from her school since she'd been trying to spare the shrine's reputation…but these people would never stop staring at them. The disruption to the script on this stage was impossible to contain anymore.

If they wanted a show to gawk at, she might as well give them one.

Black eyes widened slightly as she threw her arms around his neck, but the boy didn't miss a beat, putting his hands on her waist and pulling her closer. She could see realization dawn on him as his gaze flickered to the side. Bitterness lingered in his grin as he looked back at her. There was something lurking under the pleasant surprise of this loud announcement. She'd seen it shine through once or twice, but she couldn't bring herself to care about the possessiveness underlying his actions as he brought one hand to her cheek, leaning down, his lips finding hers in a kiss that lasted longer and was deeper than what was acceptable in a place like this, in everyone's view.

"Me-chan…" It wasn't quite a question.

"Let's go." Even as she spoke, she didn't pull away. The expression on her face was softer now, her lips barely turned upwards. "I'm sick of this place."

"Where to?" Despite how tired he clearly was, he was still willing to humor her.

"Anywhere." She pulled him down this time, the second kiss shorter but not less intimate. "I'm yours for the day."

"Hop on then." There was a hollowness in his laughter, but she liked the sound all the same.

Steady and rhythmic, the sound of his heartbeat was as soothing as any sound could be.

Drowsiness threatened to set in; the idea of closing her eyes and just letting herself fall asleep within the blond's hold grew more tempting with every breath she took. On any other day, Mikey would already be snoring softly beside her, but the tension in his frame made it evident that despite his silence, the boy was still awake. He'd regained some of his usual cheer after meeting up, but while it lasted long enough for them to finish eating lunch, his mood had gone back to what it had been yesterday as he drove them around aimlessly before finally stopping at one of his favored spots, not far from his school. Their destination hadn't really been that important; Kagome hadn't lied when she told him anywhere was fine, after all, the places he was the most fond of tended to be oddly serene, though some of them might be a bit harder to get to…or stay at. Considering how unwilling he'd been to stop touching her yesterday, she wasn't surprised he chose to park at the river bank and tugged her hand for her to lie down with him. They might move to a different spot in a while, but they'd doubtlessly end up in the same position because this was the only way the blond knew how to ask for comfort. So she would stay awake even if no other word was spoken until they had to leave.

Dark blue fabric wrinkled under her fingers as she drew invisible figures on his chest. He wasn't wearing either uniform today, clearly unable to bring himself to pretend things were normal. While Mikey didn't give a damn about his grades, the boy wanted to spare his grandfather the apathetic phone calls his school would make were he to skip often, thus he rarely outright ditched for the whole day. This was more than just him being upset about what happened with Pah-chin. Frustrating as it was, the only thing Kagome could do right now was move closer to him when his hold on her tightened. At this point, the girl doubted there was much of anything that could help his mood. Even crushing Moebius wouldn't do the trick.

Moebius…they were the ones who started this whole mess. Not hitting back had never been an option, and yet…

Toman's gonna get screwed if they fought Moebius…

Takemichi-kun had repeated those words over and over that day. His desperation was genuine, and he'd been willing to suffer to stop the conflict from happening. At the time, Kagome had brushed off his insistence as a reasonable worry anyone who hadn't seen Mikey fight could have. Moebius was made up of older teens who'd shown their willingness to act like monsters. In an all-out clash, Toman wouldn't have an easy win. It made sense for an outsider to think they'd lose. With how fast everything went to hell, the miko hadn't really had the time to think about the younger boy's panicked warning. Mikey was her priority, always, followed by her family's peace of mind. Once she helped send Takemichi-kun to the hospital, the boy hadn't really crossed her mind at all, but now that she'd calmed down a little, his words seemed to stand out. Because the shorter blond wasn't just afraid of the gangs fighting. He'd said there was someone pulling the strings behind all this. Even though he hadn't been able to give her a motive, he'd been certain there was something more going on…

Something more might be happening. The timing of well, everything was a little too convenient. From Takemichi's urging to Osanai bringing his people to the exact place they'd been using at the same time, all of it had fallen together to cause the perfect storm.

From what the girl had been able to get out of the information Sesshoumaru sent her, there was nothing remarkable about Hanagaki Takemichi; at least, there hadn't been anything special about him until he caught Mikey's eye. After this, Kagome was certain the oddity she felt coming from him wasn't some sort of paranoid delusion. Why a person who'd lived his entire life as a normal human suddenly gave off such a unique feeling, Kagome had no clue, but so far all of his actions seemed to help Toman so being on the offensive might be an overreaction. She'd still keep an eye out, of course; it's just that the odd boy wasn't the more pressing issue.

Orchestrating the conflict between Moebius and Toman would've taken an incredible amount of effort. It wasn't impossible to believe someone would harm so many people in order to accomplish their goals, Kagome had fought people who thought nothing of massacring entire villages to get their hands in what they wanted before. Just because she hadn't encountered them in this era yet didn't mean they didn't exist. What worried her, though, was that she was as clueless about the possible motives of this mystery person as she was of Takemichi's.

So far, the miko had been walking a thin line between the normal and abnormal sides of her life, doing everything in her power to maintain that balance. The nature of those two worlds wasn't exactly compatible. It had less to do with what species each side belonged to and more with how sharp their edges were. Her pack lived in the shadows, not only because they needed to hide their longevity, but because of their bloodlust. A part of her knew that getting too close to them might make it impossible to play her old character again…not just that, getting too involved with the Mikazuki clan's affair could drag Toman into trouble they hadn't signed themselves for. As long as the gang remained on the right side of the law, Kagome had decided not to intervene too much with the clan's actions. She's show up to fight if Sesshoumaru thought the situation called for it, remaining on this tightrope was not as important as having her pack's back was, but unless that happened, the miko's time with any clan member was spent catching up and just enjoying the fact that they'd reunited. Someone with the patience and talent to set up this mess might be dangerous enough for her to toe the line and take advantage of her connections. Small favors shouldn't be enough to tip the balance, besides, she'd already…

Long fingers closed around a bundle of midnight hair, pulling her even closer to the blond. A sigh escaped her as she snuggled against him; she could hear someone walking towards them.

"You're Toman's Mikey, aren't you?" The voice caused both of them to tense up slightly, and the girl didn't bother to hide her frown.

"I am." Short answer, cold tone. "I don't know you."

"My name's Kisaki Tetta, I'm one of the leaders of Moebius right now, and I believe I have an offer that might interest you." Despite Mikey's indifferent response, the other boy's confidence didn't falter.

Azure eyes glanced to the side, getting a better view of the newcomer without moving from her spot.

Tan skin, slim build, dyed hair, and eyes that didn't seem to even see her.

Unremarkable and vile, those were the words that came to mind when she looked at the boy standing a few meters away from them. His aura wasn't anywhere near the worst she'd seen, but it was still worse than Osanai's in its own way. Surprising for someone who looked their age and lived in the modern era, but the obvious way his gaze was fixated on Mikey bothered her. She could speak up and force him to acknowledge her. The blond had never asked her to stay quiet, and she'd certainly made her presence known within Toman, but it was easier to deal with poisonous snakes when they thought of her as prey. And that's precisely what the information they'd gotten on Moebius painted him as, someone who'd climbed up the ranks through wit rather than strength. A sly opponent required a sly approach; that's one of the things Miroku-sama taught her. So she buried her face in her boyfriend's chest, giving her back to the newcomer.

"One of Moebius…" Mikey trailed off. "What could you offer me?"

"Perhaps it'd be best to discuss this in private." There was barely disguised disdain in his voice now that Kisaki finally admitted there was someone else in this place.

"Scram then." The blond didn't hesitate even for a second. "Not interested."

"What…this is…"

"Get out of my sight right now." Kagome had to bite her tongue not to laugh at the dry tone in Mikey's voice. "We're not moving."

"I can get Pah-chin out of juvie, so if we could just..." Kisaki blurted out, clearly desperate to avoid being forced to leave.

Talk." Black eyes narrowed, daring the other boy to try to get rid of her. "Now."

"Since the conflict only started because of us, it's only fair to take responsibility. I've got a guy who'll take Pah-chin's place, and Osanai promised to lie in exchange for some money. I just need you to allow it." And just like that, the bravado was back.

"Responsibility isn't the only reason." Mikey scoffed. "What do you want?"

"Let me and my guys join you. Your numbers will increase, and Toman will become stronger, there's no downside."

"…I'll think about it," the blond said after a moment of silence. "Now leave, you're interrupting our afternoon."

She was definitely being glared at; she could feel Kisaki's anger at her very presence without having to look back, even as the gangster bowed and offered a fairly polite farewell, promising to wait for Mikey's decision. Judging by how Mikey's hand never left the back of her head, he'd noticed it too. Whatever expression that guy had when he'd had no choice but to recognize her existence had been enough to put Mikey on edge…and yet…his words spared him from the delinquent leader's bad mood.

Pushing lightly against his hold, the miko sat up, azure eyes looking in the direction the guy left in.

An aura like that…it would fit someone capable of pulling a complicated stunt like the conflict with Moebius, and a top member like him would be in the right position to pull the necessary strings. She couldn't exactly tell what his motivation could be, but now she knew for sure that Kisaki's Tetta had an interest in both Toman and Mikey.

"Me-chan, what do you think?" His voice wasn't quite as light as usual, but she could hear his interest.

"Had I drowned in the river, he would've danced from joy." The girl huffed. "Without you here, he might've pushed me himself."

"No one will touch you." A promise and a threat.

"I know." Kagome let out a small chuckle, but her smile faded as her gaze found his. "I don't trust him. If this is about Pah-chin, then I…"

"You haven't decided yet, have you, Me-chan?" Mikey's words were gentle as he stopped her from finishing her offer.

"That's…"

Kagome couldn't do a thing to help fix this mess; that much was true, but the Mikazuki clan could have the whole incident buried and forgotten before the week was over. They both knew it, and yet, Mikey hadn't asked her to make the call. He knew what would happen if he did. The moment he said the words, Kagome would reach out to her pack without hesitation and cross a line she couldn't come back from.

Background checks and remote surveillance were small favors that could be hidden away with relative ease, but getting Pah out of trouble without anyone noticing was impossible. One of Japan's biggest yakuza clans deciding to get a member of a relatively new biker gang would earn unwanted attention from the most dangerous groups. Keeping the police away from Toman might be doable, but rival clans wouldn't be so kind as to turn a blind eye to a potential weakness. Just because the Mikazuki were the strongest didn't mean they were the only youkai clan left. The only way for the boys not to get dragged into otherworldly dangers was for something more noteworthy to happen…like the reappearance of the Shikon Miko.

Sesshoumaru had already made the offer. The creation of the Mikazuki clan was only possible because of her; there would always be a place for her within the group if she wanted it. It was something Shippo didn't get tired of reminding her. While her companions had made it their job to keep her story from spreading through human settlements, they'd kept her legend alive throughout the centuries among the other youkais. There'd be little opposition, if any, to her taking an official position, and despite how different their world was to that of regular human society, Kagome knew how to survive…how to live with the others. Of course, doing that would be crossing a line she'd never be able to come back from. Back when the offer was first made, the decision had been impossible to make, so she'd followed the daiyoukai's advice and focused on letting a few years pass by first, there was no rush since they could still meet each to her often. But for Mikey's sake, the girl would jump right in, and he knew it too.

"I only want you to do what you want to do because you want to do it, Me-chan." There was a rueful smile on his face as he shook his head, not a sliver of resentment in his words. "Besides, I haven't decided yet, either."

"But you want to take the offer." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah," Mikey nodded, not even trying to pretend he was hesitating. "I think I want to test things out."

"Can't say I'd trust him," she said.

"A guy like that…he's definitely not like any of the others. I can see that just from how he spoke." The blond nodded, an easy agreement with her assessment but not a change of mind. "Should I refuse?"

The question was legitimate.

Mikey moved at his own pace, not letting anything get in the way of what he wanted to do. He lived in absolute freedom. Honestly, Kagome didn't think anyone (not even Emma), could convince him not to go through a decision he'd already made. Right now, if she told him to drop the issue, he would, she was certain.

Violence could be used in many ways for many reasons. Every single member of her pack was quite adept at it, some of them reveled in it whenever they got the chance, some others preferred to use it sparingly, finding no particular joy or hatred for it. Kagome didn't really have any problem with either approach; the miko herself had learned not to falter whenever she had to fire her arrows. By itself, violence didn't bother her. It didn't matter if a confrontation ended with bruises or corpses left behind. But there was one thing all of the people sho were a part. Of her pack had that she hadn't seen in Kisaki: honor. To varying degrees, the youkai who found the Mikazuki clan held to their own sense of honor; there were lines they wouldn't cross because their pride would always stop them. That's the reason she'd trusted them with her life back then and would do so again in a heartbeat. Allowing someone like Kisaki to stand behind them would only mean there'd be someone else they'd have to look out for. It would be smarter to keep away from him and Moebius as a whole.

She couldn't say those words out loud.

Up until she fell through the well, Kagome had been living according to a script without noticing what was going on around her. She'd been just kind enough to be a good friend, open-minded in the right way for a shrine kid, active in the proper circles for a straight-A student. Unaware of the rigidness of the world around her, she'd mindlessly played the character prepared for her, happy with the roles she was assigned to. It was only after finding herself on a surreal stage, with no cues or dialogues to guide her, that the miko who had been free for the first time. Within the world of the Sengoku era, she'd realized how superficial so much of her life had been, how many rules she'd followed without comprehending. The blood spilled by Inuyasha's claws, the riches stolen by Miroku's cons, or the countless bodies left behind by Sesshoumaru or Kouga, none of that mattered when they'd fought by her side and had placed their lives in her hands. When she found herself struck in this side of the well, the directions she'd never noticed before had turned stifling. She didn't suit that character anymore; the roles she was supposed to play slipped through her fingers as she missed one cue after another. Without Toman, the girl wasn't sure she would've managed to hold on for the year Sesshoumaru had intended to wait. Mikey was the one who gave her a place where she didn't need to worry about the spotlight.

She loved him as he was, she loved what he'd created.

Telling him not to get involved with Kisaki would be the same as restricting him...

There was a world where they could maintain this balance. One where she'd take over the shrine, and Mikey would either work with Draken or follow one of his passions; they'd meet with Emma often, and while Toman would scatter, they'd still keep in contact. In that world, she'd still be able to visit her pack semi-regularly and help when needed. It might require them to be more careful; to find roles that suited them a little better, but they could attain a simple type of happiness. Keeping Kisaki away would better the odds of them reaching that future, and yet…

Darkness swirled under the blond's right aura so clear to her eyes.

Blood can only be repaid with blood; that was a sentiment most of the humans she loved would never agree with. Mikey would without thinking twice. His edges were sharper than hers, and a part of him enjoyed the times he lost control. Kagome had witnessed it firsthand. It hadn't scared her then any more than the memory of it did now. The darkness he usually pushed back may not be supernatural in nature, but it wasn't any worse than watching Inuyasha's demonic blood take over. Hell, since he didn't truly regret what he did during those lapses, Kagome didn't even need to worry too much about the toll those moments had. If he wanted to cross the line, she'd be right beside him, it wasn't a question. He didn't want to lose what they had right now either, though, so he too, tried to keep his balance. At the same time…he wanted to test things out. He wasn't just talking about illegal means to get Pah out of juvie. There was a world where they could get a nice, simple, happy ending…she just wasn't sure it would be worth it to start restricting their freedom this soon.

"You should do what you want to do because you want to do them," the girl said, echoing his words. "No matter how things turn out, we'll be together anyway."

"I'll give you the final say." This was as much a concession as it was an apology.

"Only if I also get to decide how to eat with him." With a sigh, the girl shook her head. "The sort of trouble this kind of people create is never easy to fix."

"Sure, I don't really mind….hey Me-chan, if Osanai had died…would you still agree with me" There was more than just curiosity in his voice.

"Why wouldn't I" It didn't even take a second for her to answer. "I'm pretty sure I've killed guys like that myself."

"Right, you truly are the demon, Me-chan," Mikey laughed, the hollowness she'd heard before still present, but the sound was still welcome.

Moving a little too fast for her to dodge, the girl found herself back within his hold; strong arms were wrapped around her, squeezing almost to the point of it being painful, but Kagome couldn't help but laugh with him. The tension that had filled her for the last couple of days left her as the boy's mood finally brightened a little. It took a bit of work to snake her arms around the boy, but before she could manage to fully get a hold of him, the blond had pushed her back down, hovering above her. It was easy to get lost in the abyss of his eyes. The intensity of his gaze only seemed to grow stronger the more time they spent together. From when his mind was still concerned with the current situation his urge to monopolize her was still as strong as ever. And just as always, he accepted all of her.

Not the caged bird, but the demon waiting in the center.

"So," Mikey trailed off for a second. "What was that about?"

"What was what?"

"This." He leaned down, claiming her lips, the contact harsher than usual, demanding more of her. "What was it about?"

"Oh, that…I guess I made a choice there." Squirming a little, the girl managed to move her arms to rest on his shoulders.

"You sure about that?" His expression was neutral as he gave her the chance to change her mind. This was probably her one and only chance. "Why?"

"My teacher was concerned about how open-minded I'm being with my circle of friends." Rolling her eyes, she huffed.

He kissed her again, rough fingers tangling in her hair. Pulling on blond strands, the girl responded in kind; anything he wanted to take, she would give him, there wasn't really a need for him to ask. Abandoning a role that'd get in the way of their relationship wasn't anywhere close to what she'd call a sacrifice. After all, while her decision had been in a moment of recklessness, it's not like she regretted it. After all, what he gave her was so much more valuable, and she'd take from him as much as she wanted as well.

Urging filled his motions, though his grip on her softened, letting his hand wander down, trailing down her neck, ghosting over her shirt and setting on her tight, slightly pushing her skirt up while inviting her to get even closer. Usually deserted as this place was, they were not out of view. She'd spent enough time around this area that it wasn't impossible for someone to recognize her. The damage her little show had done to her reputation earlier was nothing compared to what would happen if anyone were to recognize her right now and this was added to the rumors tied around her name. Mikey knew it too, and if a part of him wished for exactly that, the miko wouldn't be too surprised. She bent her leg, letting her skirt slide further up, his hand followed the movement. Parting for breath only gave the blond the chance to focus on her neck. Slender fingers guided him a little lower, she didn't bother to even try to stifle the noises she was making.

This was what she wanted.

"Even if you change your mind, I won't let you go," he said as if that wasn't his plan from the very beginning.

"I know," Kagome smiled. "I won't ever forgive you if you try to leave me behind."

"Wouldn't want you to."

A heartbeat of a pause where his eyes found her was followed by a gentle caress on her cheek. It was almost instinctual to lean into his touch. There was something in him that drew her in, but it was painfully obvious she wasn't the only one who could feel the need for this connection between them. The love he had for her was the same as hers. Unconditional, unrestricted, free from the frailty that came with selflessness. This type of love wouldn't disappoint her or abandon her. He would destroy himself together with her rather than just letting her go her separate way.

"Me-chan, I'm bored of this place." He sat up, a hand extended at her. "Let's go somewhere else."

"Where to?" Her grip was firm as she let him pull her up.

"Does it matter?" This time, it was Mikey echoing her words. "You're mine for the day."

"True, whatever you want is yours, no matter the place.

A/N: And we're back to this story at last, I know, it took forever. I'm so sorry for the delays but hopefully it won't happen again any time soon (cross my fingers, knock on wood and any other superstitions you can think of). At least this is a decently long chapter this time.

When I took a moment to think about how the whole moral issue of Pah stabbing Osanai would pan out this really was the only answer I could come up with considering the angle this story has. After all, while the characters from the feudal era clearly draw a line between how they treat humans and demons, Kagome doesn't seem to really keep to it, so it'd make sense if killing the demons (especially the ones that look like humans) they fought felt the same as killing a human would. Even the one time Inuyasha kills the human bandits when he lost control the focus of her worry seemed to be more focused on the fact that it was dangerous to loose control to his demonic blood because he just keeps going than the fact that he massacred them. That was probably done just to keep the tone of the story on the lighter side, but it gives me space to play around.

As always guys thanks for reading, and any and all reviews/comments/criticism is greatly greatly appreciated.