InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shades of Gray ❯ dropping the house ( Chapter 3 )

~<>~ Shades of Gray ~<>~

 

 

~<>~ Chapter 3 ~<>~ Dropping the house…

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Upon entering the white brick classroom, chocolate eyes scanned the crowd praying to find a familiar face. Pink lips curled into a disgusted sneer as Kagome realized she didn't know a single person inside of her Discovery of Natural Science class. Dragging her feet, she pushed through the rows of freshmen to drop into a chair nearest to the windows, hoping to simply melt into the wall. It wasn't that she was anti-social…she just hated meeting new people. She felt a few sets of eyes on her, no doubt belonging to those said freshman boys. Her skirt just reached the top of her boots, and the sweater she donned left much to be desired; `they act like they've never seen someone dress conservatively.' Holding back her smirk, she placed her chin in her hands. `They should see my other outfits.'

Kagome took a sidelong glance from the corner of her eyes to once more scan the room as students continued to pour into the general education class. Still not a single familiar face; the thought made her want to cry. `This is what I get for taking a freshman class,' she thought drearily as she turned her eyes to the window. `I knew I should have taken this class with Kikyo last semester!' With a disjointed awareness, Kagome waited for the teacher, one Dr. Szwajkajzer to join the class. `Well…at least it's a fluff class,' she thought as she opened her notebook to look over her schedule. In comparison to the amount of English classes she was taking, science would be a welcomed break. She had finally declared her major the previous semester; she was going to get a major in English with a minor in psychology. Unfortunately, to obtain that illusive diploma, she had to suffer through nearly twenty-five different English courses.

 

“I can't help but state that you really don't seem like those ranting idiots who are piling into this room, thinking they are the Gods gifts to this campus. Are you sure you're in the right room?”

 

Kagome balked for a moment before turning to her left to stare at the man next to her. Her voice caught in her throat as her eyes crashed upon his; never had she seen such a magnificent color. In the more sadistic part of her brain, she registered that the sparkling crimson, which stared so intently at her, matched the contrast of a blood stain on fresh snow. His eyes were hypnotic, and the underlying swirls of emotions she didn't dare to fathom only made them more dangerous.

 

Snapping back to consciousness, and to the fact that the man next to her was smirking as if able to read her mind, she quickly retorted, “I'm not an idiot, thanks. I know how to get to a classroom.” Taking a moment to look the black haired man over, she added, “you don't seem to be much of a freshman yourself; maybe you're the one who's mixed up.”

 

The man laughed quietly, a sound that sent chills down Kagome's back. “I am more then assured that I am in the right class room. But your observation is correct; I am older then the freshman in this class. I just waited until the last possible semester to take this forsaken class.”

 

Kagome's smile widened. `So…he isn't fresh meat. That makes him fair game.' Sparing a moment to glance over his outfit, she leaned closer to him. “So you're…older…then, I take it? You know…the legal age to really party in this state?”

 

With a casual shrug, the man sat back and placed both hands behind his head. The smile that twisted those blood red lips towards the ceiling left Kagome slightly disturbed…and rather light headed. “I guess you could say that. I have been on campus for going on five years. I would say that I am decently older.” His eyes shifted to dance across her face, taking in all of her exquisite features before drawling, “But not to old…mind you.”

 

Kagome blinked at his obvious assessment, wondering for a moment if he was coming onto her. Judging by the hesitation he chose to include, she was going to take a gander that he was. `And he is yummy…' she thought as her eyes drifted over his black button down silk shirt.

 

Once again finding herself staring, she quickly added, “I'm going to be a junior next semester.” Biting back the urge to cringe, she realized that the comment had sounded better in her brain. `I sound like a child trying to show off! I'm not eight…I'm eight and a half,' she thought sardonically. `What is wrong with me?'

 

A deep chuckle was her response. “I see.”

 

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, knowing just how condescending his last comment had been. `This is not going well at all,' she thought as she popped open one eye to steal a glimpse at the man next to her. He was smirking, and it was very unnerving. Kagome realized in that instant she didn't like not having control of this conversation. Taking a moment to gather her wits and courage, she stuck out her hand with a rather fake and giddy introduction. “I'm Kagome.”

 

The man from across the isle sat up and captured her hand in his. Brushing his lips over the soft skin of the back of her hand, his eyes never left hers. “A beautiful name for a beautiful woman; I am charmed to be your acquaintance, Kagome.”

 

It was an odd feeling, the one that suddenly spawned in Kagome's gut. It was like drowning in a red sea, she realized, as his eyes dug deeper into her soul. She hated how suddenly bare she felt in front of his feasting eyes. She wavered slightly in her chair, then shook her head sternly. `This man is completely kryptonite.' It was only within a moment that she realized he had never stated his name. “And you are?”

The man laughed then slowly released her hand…one that she had been oblivious to him still holding. “Naraku…Naraku Itogowa.”

 

Kagome smiled wanly at the man then crossed her hands on her desk, studying her polished nails for a moment. She knew that name…she wasn't sure how she knew it, but she was sure she had heard it before. And it wasn't because of him being hanyou or because he was a good piece of eye candy…there was something more…personal…attached to it. Shaking her head, she buried her thoughts to discuss with Kikyo later on. “So…you're a senior?” She bit back her grimace, `I swear I hate myself.'

 

Naraku grinned lightly, before turning his attention to the professor who had just entered the room. “I think we already talked about this.” Leaning a little into the isle without moving his head, he muttered, “Since the doctor is about to start, why don't we get to know each other better; say…over lunch after this class?”

 

Kagome's smile brightened as she nodded quickly. “That would be good. I don't have another class until later.” Though the man didn't say another word, she could see the smirk on his face. Not sure if he thought she was going to be an easy lay or if he was genuinely pleased with her acceptance of his idea, she melted into the lesson, her eyes never truly wavering from the man next to her. She hated not being able to read into him; she prided herself in being able to tell exactly what a guy thought her of from the moment she meet him. This man though…he was overly guarded, he was blocking her…he was…quicker then her. And if there was one thing that she loathed, it was not being able to keep herself ahead of the males. She had been outwitted before in her life, but only by two people, and those were two people she cared not to think about.

 

Turning her attention back to the professor, she listened to the monotone lecture, thought her attention was miles away.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~~**~*~*~*~*~*~

 

 

Pulling out a chair in the cafeteria, Kagome dropped her book bag next to her then plopped into the cold plastic seat. She pulled out a small container of carrot sticks from the front of her bag and sat then down in front her of. Ignoring the slight hike of the man's eyebrow, she popped one into her mouth.

 

Crimson eyes traveled from his hamburger to the container of orange…vegetables. “You must be joking, right? Is that all you're seriously going to eat?”

 

Kagome shrugged, sitting back against the backrest of her seat. “For now…I'm really not that hungry.”

 

Naraku placed his burger onto the plate in front of him and leaned forward. “tell me, Kagome…is there a reason you're starving yourself?”

 

Kagome laughed lightly, then waved her hand at him. “I'm not starving myself…just working off my freshman fifteen. Besides, I don't really eat lunch.”

 

Naraku sat back in his chair and stroked his chin in thought. “Carrying around that container in your backpack contradicts that thought, you know.”

 

Kagome wrinkled her nose and shrugged. “I guess…maybe. I normally just eat a good dinner. I hate eating big at lunch…it spoils my appetite. And we all know how great the food here is.” Giving him a sarcastic goofy smile and a thumb up, she dove back into her carrot sticks.

 

Naraku chuckled despite the girl's obvious eating disorder and picked back up his burger. “you're fine the way you are, I hope you know that. You don't need to lose weight.”

 

Kagome blushed lightly and smiled. “You know…you aren't like any of the other seniors I know. They're all…well…keggish.”

 

“Keggish? You do know that is not a real word, correct?”

 

“Thank you, Captain Grammar, I did not know that.” Regressing to a less cynical tone, she explained, “You know…boys who are into drinking as much as they can until they pass out. They're about frat parties and screwing as many chicks as their dicks will stay hard for.” She blushed immediately, cursing her tongue all the way. Not meeting the hanyou's amused grin, she added, “Frat boys, if you would.”

 

Naraku took a bite out of his burger and swallowed thickly. “I don't like to associate myself with that crowd. I have friends who do the parties…and I will, on occasion, attend those. But next to that…no, I have no want to live that kind of life.”

 

Kagome smiled and nodded. “That's good. I know to many boys who are wanna-be players that go to this school”

 

“And I know too many girl's who act the same.”

 

Kagome's smile widened. “So…what frat do you party with?”

 

Naraku sighed and ran a hand though his black hair. “Tau Kappa Epsilon, if you must know.”

 

A gag reflex couldn't be helped. Choking on her carrot stick, Kagome pounded her fist twice into her chest.

 

Naraku handed her his bottle of water which she gratefully took a sip from. “Is it that bad?”

 

“Reputation or general knowledge? Because both answers are yes.” Kagome slowly handed him back his water before leaning closer to him. “TKE is really…really…not a good Fraternity.”

 

Shrugging, the man simply ate his burger. “Maybe…maybe not. We're not all the monsters you make us out to be.”

 

Kagome's eyebrows disappeared under her bangs. “Are you serious? I know three girls who lived on my floor who remember waking up from the last party last semester at TKE's without any memory of the previous night. I know a number of girls who have been drugged at those parties…and even more who claim that they woke up in bed with someone they know they didn't go to bed with.” Holding up a carrot stick, she swung it with at the punctuation of her sentences, “besides, Monmouth isn't the only university with such an issue. William Patterson's TKE was so bad, they were kicked off campus. Out in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, their TKE branch admits they have two separate kegs, one for boys and one for girls. The girls are always filled with drugs.”

 

Pausing the girl mid rant, the red eyed man added, “And yet like you said, its common knowledge. These girls come regardless.”

 

Kagome hardly contained her growl. “It shouldn't be done! TKE, no matter what campus you go to, is bad news!”

 

Naraku shrugged and finished his burger. “Maybe…maybe not…it depends on the individual. I have no qualms with the men in the frat. My cousin is a senior in TKE, and we get along fine. I've never seen them do anything to…extravagant.”

 

Kagome's eyes narrowed. “Then you should open your eyes more often.”

 

Naraku offered her a brash smile. “Tell me, Kagome…you seem to have some sort of vendetta against TKE. Do you have some type of vendetta against them?”

 

Kagome shook her head in the negative. “No…but my cousin does. Thank god her boyfriend was there with her…not that he's much of a help.” She hadn't attended the party with Kikyo, but Kikyo and InuYasha had both gone to a party down at the TKE house and everything had gone awry. Apparently, the story she got, was that both parties were drunk, Kikyo had ended up with some guy who was caught, by InuYasha, having a field day with his hands on parts of Kikyo's body. InuYasha had gently pulled Kikyo out of his arms then beat the living hell out of the boy. He had gone as far as to break the kid's arm. InuYasha had escaped before police showed up, and no one pressed charged because they had all been minors and it would have been a messy situation to get involved with. Kagome was sure, however, that InuYasha's father had paid off the police to forget about it.

 

Naraku tilted his head and stroked his chin again, his eyebrows furrowing. “Tell me…who is your cousin?”

 

Kagome opened her mouth when another rather boisterous voice interrupted the conversation. A tray dropped inches from Kagome's head and landed on the table filled with food. A casual arm was slung over her shoulder as a firm body slid into the chair next to her.

 

“So…what are we having today?”

 

Kagome sighed deeply, her eyes never catching the look of utter disgust that filtered though Naraku's. Snapping her head to the side, chocolate eyes burned into violet. “What the hell do you want?”

 

The plastic chair next to her tilted back onto its back legs as InuYasha kicked his feet up onto the table's side. “Well…I saw you sitting over here all alone…”

 

Kagome resisted the urge to slap the man across his head for his blind ignorance. Why he was being so terribly rude was beyond her…but then again, it was InuYasha; she never understood him. Jabbing him with a finger, she shouted, “InuYasha…what the hell are you talking about? I'm having lunch with Naraku…not that it is any of your business!” Narrowing her eyes, she growled venomously, “Are you completely stupid? I mean, honest…is it a genetic default?”

 

InuYasha reached over and grabbed one of her carrot sticks and hung it out of the corner of his mouth. Chewing on the end of it for a moment, his eyes laughing at the shades of red that stained the girls face, he gibed, “no, but you must be for having lunch with this slime ball.” Turning his attention across the table, InuYasha scoffed, “how's it hanging, asshole? Still can't graduate, I see.”

 

Narkau's eyes narrowed as he spat back angrily, “what the fuck do you want, Taisho?”

 

InuYasha's grin widened as he shrugged casually; there was nothing like getting under the skin of two people he simply couldn't stand. “I just wanted to come over to see my best friend in the whole world: Kagome.” Slipping his arm around Kagome's shoulders, he smiled wickedly at the opposing hanyou. Naraku was the only demon on campus that didn't fear retribution; and in a sense, InuYasha envied the bastard. Naraku had come to the campus as a demon, he had made friends as a demon and he lived his life…free…as a demon. And InuYasha would have had respect for the dirt ball if he hadn't been just that.

 

InuYasha felt the girl tense beneath his muscles and he just couldn't contain the grin anymore. He ignored the small part of his brain that was screaming to pull away from the Higurashi-clone…that it was as if touching her was some sort of sin. Normally he would have brooded over this emotion, pondering just why he felt like this but presently, the look on Narkau's face was simply to priceless to take his focus off of.

 

Naraku studied InuYasha's serious violet orbs for a moment before glancing at Kagome. To say she seemed uncomfortable was a massive understatement. Offering the girl a slightly apologetic smile, he asked, “Do you want to take a walk, Kagome? The air in here grew mighty stifling suddenly.” Inwardly, he was fuming. `if this girl is friends with Taisho, then I might as well walk away now.' Looking over the girl's agonizingly morbid disposition, his eyes widened. `Higurashi…she's related to Kikyo!' It was only after that rationalization that the family resemblance became striking. Granted, Kagome seemed to have more life in her then Kikyo…and was a bit more open then the other fridged bitch…but if she was a Higurashi… `This could be a perfect way to get back at Kikyo for the shit she pulled two years ago…'

 

Kagome opened her mouth to respond, yet InuYasha beat her to the punch.

 

“No, you go ahead Itogowa…I have a few things to talk to my dear Kagome about.” The joking manner was wiped from his face and replaced by one of possessiveness…one of due rage. Narrowing his eyes, he leaned across the table closer to Naraku. “Oh, and keep the fuck away from my girlfriend, asshole…before I have to break your arm again.”

 

Kagome gasped and rounded back towards InuYasha. Jabbing him harder in the chest with a tipped nail, she shouted, “Look…I really don't know where you get off…”

InuYasha pushed one finger against her lips, taking his eyes off of Naraku for only a moment to glance at Kagome. “in your room mostly…normally with your cousin under me.” He refocused his attention without looking away from Kagome. “Now…as I was saying…or should I say...” turning back to Naraku, he growled, “as you said you were leaving…don't let a car hit you on your way out. It would take away from the rest of this year I have to make your life hell.”

 

Naraku stood up, planting both hands on the table. It seemed as if he wished to jump clear across the table and throttle the hanyou; yet with a deep breath and a resigned sigh, he turned his sights back to Kagome. “Are you coming Kagome?”

 

InuYasha answered for her, “Never for you, asshole. Now get the fuck out of

Dodge. I hear your pathetic lackeys calling.”

 

Naraku sneered at the hanyou, offered Kagome one more apologetic smile then shook his head wistfully. “I am truly sorry Kagome…but I can't sit here with that mongrel at the same table.”

 

Kagome frown apologetically at Naraku then shot a glower in InuYasha's direction. “Are you leaving anytime soon?”

 

InuYasha shoved a French fry into his mouth from his tray and shook his head in the negative.

 

Kagome reached for her book bag and hissed, “Then I'm leaving with Naraku.”

 

With movement that shocked even Kagome, InuYasha's hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her hand away from her book bag. Yanking her nearly into his chair, Kagome fell out of her own to stare up into the livid eyes that were peering into hers. “The hell you will.” Looking up at Naraku, InuYasha shouted, “Just get the fuck out of here, Itogowa.”

 

Naraku shook his head, grabbed his books and cast a look at Kagome. “I'll catch you in class on Wednesday. Ja.” Turning, Naraku stormed out of the cafeteria.

 

Kagome yanked her arm away from InuYasha the moment Naraku disappeared. “I don't even know where to begin…”

 

InuYasha shrugged and shoved his burger into his mouth. “You can start,” he commented while chewing his food with as much grace as a cow, “by thanking me. I just saved your ass from being another notch on some ass' bedpost.”

 

Kagome scoffed indignantly, a wry laugh bellowing from her throat. “Like you should talk about bedposts, you perv!” swiping up her book bag, she added shortly; “Besides, he isn't that kind of man!”

 

InuYasha just about leapt out of his chair, his burger falling to his paper plate with a dull thud. “Not that kind of man? First off, that dick ain't no man…he's an asshole! Second, you don't know shit to shanghai about this guy!” taking a moment to reconstruct his attitude, he picked up a French fry and pointed it at Kagome before shoving it into his mouth. “You're far to innocent for someone like him, Kaggers…sorry.”

 

With a feral growl, Kagome lunged forward and pressed her palms to InuYasha's shoulders and shoved him, forcing him to tumble backwards out of his chair. “How dare you assume you know anything about me! God, InuYasha, does your egotism ever end?”

 

InuYasha smirked, “only in the bed.” He wrinkled his nose and winked once at Kagome. Standing up, he brushed off his pants and reclaimed his seat. As if nothing had occurred, InuYasha began shoveling food into his mouth again. “Honey, you need to get laid, I'm serious.” His eyes lightened as he caught sight of someone across the cafeteria. “Oh and speaking of such matters…” He waved his hand in the air and smirked. “Here comes the walking sex-aholic…”

 

Kagome groaned, placing her hand to her forehead. Wiping away imaginary perspiration, she shot to her feet. “And on that note…”

 

InuYasha reached out and wrapped his hand around Kagome's wrist. Tugging her gently, he brought her back into her seat once more. “Sit down wench! You should meet this guy.”

 

Miroku pushed past InuYasha, ruffling his hair as he did so, and sat down in the seat across from the two. Miroku stared back and forth between the two, his eyes slightly narrowed in thought. After a moment, he shook his head and picked up his pizza. “Kikyo…you've changed.”

 

Kagome stared deadpanned at Miroku then slowly arched one eyebrow. “I…am not my cousin.”

 

InuYasha smirked but kept his mouth closed for once.

 

Miroku pursed his lips; his eyes widened, and then tilted his head to his right shoulder. Staring for a bit longer, he suddenly smiled and nodded. “You're right…you're not Kikyo. So…who you are?”

 

Kagome rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh. “I'm Kagome.”

 

Miroku's expression of surprise fell away quickly to a soft smile and a twinkle in his eye. Reaching across the table, he grabbed Kagome's right hand and leaned across the marble top to bring his lips to the back of her hand. “My lady…it is a pleasure to meet you.”

 

Kagome watched Miroku lower his lips to her hand with a rather disgusted look on her face. Yanking her hand back, she shook her head. “We've met before…last year, actually. At the luau for phi delta kappa, to be exact.” She rolled her eyes once more and slowly got to her feet.

 

Miroku swiftly retracted his hand, alarm covering his features. He glanced to the right, slowly beginning to filter through the women he met…and got to know…at that party.

 

“I didn't sleep with you, if that's what you're trying to remember.”

 

Miroku whipped his head up to stare at Kagome, relief washing quickly across his face. “Oh…well….that is….”

 

Kagome shook her head and scoffed. “Unbelievable.” Giving him a rather exasperated frown, she quickly added, “you tried…and I shot you down. But you did end up with my friend Ayumi.”

 

Miroku opened his mouth to form an enlighten `oh' then smirked, “You know, Kagome, you are quite beautiful…”

 

InuYasha chuckled, the smile on his face threatening to split his head in half. “Oi, Miro, she is single…”

 

Kagome whirled to her right to stare aghast at InuYasha. “I am not some common whore you can pawn off to your boyfriend here!”

 

InuYasha's smile flattered as he quickly recanted, “he is not my boyfriend…I am not gay!”

 

Miroku seemed much more distraught at the insinuation. “My dearest Kagome…I hold very close to the belief that dicks are for chicks.”

 

InuYasha leaned towards Kagome, his smirk growing with bravado. “I think you know just how much I love…”

 

Kagome held up her hand, placing it within reach of InuYasha's mouth. “Can we not talk about sex, please?”

 

InuYasha pulled back, a small victorious gleam dancing through his eyes. “Oh, that's right,” he turned his attention to his roommate. “Kagome's a virgin.”

 

Miroku seemed to nearly jump out of his seat as he turned to stare at Kagome. “Is that so…have I ever mentioned how beautiful…”

 

Kagome stood, fury burning in her eyes and igniting her rage. She slammed both hands palms down onto the table. If looks could kill she would have had the short satisfaction of watching InuYasha Taisho internally combust…and his little dog too. “I am not going to sit here and talk about my sex life with either of you two assholes!”

 

InuYasha once again reached out and stopped her from storming off with a hand to her hip. “Wait a minute, princess; I'm just fuckin' with you. We're having so much fun…don't go.”

 

Kagome stared at the egotistical black haired man, her mouth hanging open. Pulling herself away from his paws, as if he had burnt her, she turned and stormed off in the direction Naraku had used on his prior escape.

 

Miroku watched Kagome vacate the premises before turning his attention to InuYasha. With a French fry in his mouth, he commented, “Dude…what crawled up her box?”

 

InuYasha shrugged. “I can tell you what didn't; Naraku Itogowa.”

 

Miroku's eyebrows vanished under his bangs as he shoveled more college food into his system. “The same bastard whose arm you broke two years ago cause of him pawing Kikyo?”

 

“The bastard who tried to get in her pants with me right next to her? Yeah, him.”

 

Miroku made a face, “some idiots never learn. I was going to ask who the black haired man was who you were sitting with when I first came in.” Raising his can of coke to his lips, he shot InuYasha a rather lewd smile. “You ain't cheatin' on me, now are you are Yasha-kun?” his due sarcasm bore off his tongue as he used Kikyo's pet name for his best friend.

 

InuYasha smirked sarcastically. “Only on Tuesdays…and every other Saturday `Roku.”

 

Miroku chuckled and chugged down his soda. “So…I'm thinking we need a house warming party to welcome in the New Year. You know…embrace life, embrace our friends…”

 

“Embrace the fresh meat?”

 

Miroku shrugged and set down his soda. “Yeah, that too,” he stated in a rather matter of fact tone. “But I'm thinking…togas.”

 

InuYasha jerked his head to up stare at the boy, shock gave way to the sudden mix up. It was an inane reaction, he had come to find. Whenever someone uttered the name…or in this case, word…Toga, InuYasha's heart skipped a beat. Maybe it was because his father was so overbearing that hearing the eldest Taisho name struck some type of fear in him…or because his hair stood on end praying that his father wasn't there. He was quite positive he could never handle his father showing up on campus for anything. “Oh…well…that's all you, Miro. I ain't getting in the way of that. But I ain't gonna wear a sheet, I'll warn you now.”

 

Silence ensued comfortably while both boys ate their lunches.

 

“So…that's Kagome, ey?”

 

InuYasha nodded. “She's….just like Kikyo.”

 

Miroku wrinkled his nose. “We don't need more then one Kikyo, thanks.”

 

InuYasha nodded, “that's what I've been saying.” Glancing in the direction the wench chose to walk off in, InuYasha scowled. “She's really a bitch. I don't think I've ever had so much friction with one person before in my life.”

 

Miroku studied his friends face before leaning back on his chair, his letterman's jacket hanging off his shoulders. “Friction, huh?” the way the word rolled off his tongue carried the lewd insinuation.

 

InuYasha met his friend's blue eyes and shot him a sneer. “No, before you ask, I have not ever slept with her, fooled around with her, or anything else that could be construed as fuckin' with her besides for verbally, so don't ask.”

 

Miroku pursed his lips and slowly shook his head. “I never insinuated…”

 

“You didn't have to, you pervert. I know how you think.”

 

“Or,” Miroku stated, a smile working its way to his lips, “you're thinking about sleeping with her but want to convince yourself it's not worth it, or even better, want me to think that you don't want her when in truth you…”

 

InuYasha chucked a french fry at the man before he could progress. “Shut up, Miroku…honestly, don't pull psychobabble with me. I ain't one of your patients or one of those lab rats that you do your voodoo on.” With a sigh, he digressed, “I'm already stuck on one Higurashi…kinda chained to the name right now, the last thing I want to do is get stuck with another. Besides…she's a dike whore.”

 

Miroku shut his mouth and stared at InuYasha for a minute. “You like her.”

 

“I do not!”

 

Miroku pointed a finger at InuYasha, “you like your girlfriend's cousin! You want to…”

 

InuYasha nearly pounced across the table, hell brewing in his eyes and a near panicked frenzy in his voice. “Fermez l'enfer, Miroku ! je vous tuerai si vous le gardez vers le haut!*”

 

 

“You sound like such a pansy speaking that language, just so you know.”

 

InuYasha raised a threatening eyebrow, “keep it up, Houshi…” Glancing up, InuYasha caught the end of a rather crestfallen glower that danced across his best friend's face before it was replaced by a serious melancholy. InuYasha rolled his eyes and prepared for what was coming.

 

 

A delicate hand wound its way around InuYasha's shoulders and over the front of the blue tee shirt he was wearing. Nails gently scraped across his chest as a warm but very brief kiss was placed on the side of his cheek. Miroku looked horrified.

 

“Oh, Yasha-kun…how are your classes this semester?”

 

InuYasha instinctively draped his left arm over Kikyo's shoulders and dragged her closer to him. “They're going babe…they're going.”

 

Kikyo turned cold eyes towards the man across the table, the falsetto of her voice disappearing and replaced by a pitch of annoyance. She didn't have the decency to toss a genuine greeting towards her lover's roommate, but instead settled on a cold repetition of the man's name. “Miroku.”

 

Miroku grinned cynically. “Kikyo…don't you have a house that should be dropping on you shortly?”

 

Kikyo sneered and turned her full attention back to InuYasha, obviously trying to block the roommate from her view. “I honestly don't know why you can't simply get your own apartment, Yasha-kun, instead of rooming with filth.”

 

Miroku replied for InuYasha while finish his pizza, “well…I think that has to do with the fact that he's also dating trash.”

 

InuYasha held out a hand towards Miroku pausing him from their normal rants. Miroku and Kikyo clashed nearly as bad as he and Kagome did…except Miroku really had it out for Kikyo. Since before college, Miroku had been adamant about InuYasha dumping Kikyo…but he didn't understand; Miroku wouldn't understand the deal on their parent's ends for their arranged…whatever it was that they had. Relationship? `Hell,' InuYasha thought gloomily, `he doesn't even know I have demon blood in me. It sucks that I can't even tell my fuckin' best friend who I really am.'

 

Kikyo stared at Miroku a minute longer then turned her face back to InuYasha. “Anyway…baby, daddy wanted to take us out on the yacht this weekend. Does that sound okay?”

 

InuYasha sighed, his plans of sitting around the house in his boxers for an X-box marathon slowly fading into oblivion. Nodding lethargically, he tried to seem enthused. He hated her family and to be trapped on a fuckin' boat with them… `Grand,' he mused. “Sure babe sounds super.”

 

Kikyo giggled, leaned in and kissed InuYasha's cheek then stood up. “Great…I'll let daddy know.”

 

Miroku sat back and clucked his tongue. “Kikyo, don't you know it's rude to invite someone to do something in front of others without extending an invitation to the opposing party?”

 

Kikyo turned, her aura snapping like a whip, towards Miroku. “Oh, I'm sorry Miroku,” she said with a sticky sweetness to her voice, “but rats don't do so well on the water. They tend to drown.”

 

Miroku feigned hurt, placing his hand over his heart. “Oh Kikyo, then why does your family risk it?”

 

Flipping the man off, she turned to InuYasha. “Call me later, I want to…” she brought her hand to his face and traced his jawbone, “see you later.”

 

InuYasha caught her hand, kissed her knuckles, then let go of her. “Sure, babe.”

 

Waving at InuYasha, she turned on her heels and walked from the room.

 

“Dude…honestly, dump the bitch! If you can…push her off that fuckin' boat! Do something…anything…she's killing me!”

 

InuYasha sighed and downed his Iced-tea. “Miro…just…get used to her.”

 

If there had been food left on his plate, Miroku would have chucked it at his friend. “No! I refuse to listen to that snobbish cunt! I don't know why you stay with her, but she's no good. I mean, hell…at least her cousin seemed nice.”

 

“It's the family, Miro…they're all fucking bitches. Don't let Kagome fool you…she wears the best façade of them all.”

 

Miroku furrowed his brows and shoved his tray to the side. “I don't know about that, Yash.” Miroku leaned over the table. “I can tell a bitch from a mile away…and I can distinguish bitchiness from annoyance. Kikyo is the queen bitch of all the bitches who ever existed. Kagome, on the other hand…I think she just doesn't like you. She doesn't seem to be of ill will…just….animosity.” stroking his chin, Miroku ventured, “What have you done to royally piss her off?”

 

“Today?”

 

Miroku grimaced. “That often, ey?”

 

InuYasha shrugged. “That's our relationship, its how we've been since the girls came to college; just strict banter and insults.”

 

Miroku shook his head. “Enough about Higurashi's…I'm going to get a nose bleed if we keep going. So, how many more classes do you have today?”

 

InuYasha made a face. “Two; I have my Perspectives class with Scherwin at 2:30 and then French at 4:30.”

 

“Isn't this like…your fifth year…in French?”

 

InuYasha nodded, “I love it. The language is…so…” he made a guttural noise and sat back, “I can't explain it.”

 

Miroku stared at his friend. “If you say it's so romantic, I'm getting up from this table.”

 

“No! It's just…gothic! The roots of the culture are amazing! I would have loved to live back during the renaissance just to see how true some of the stories I've heard were.”

 

Miroku shrugged. “Gothic ain't my scene…besides, you'd be shot for your man-whore ways back then.”

 

InuYasha rolled his eyes. “You're the man-whore, `Roku, not me.”

 

Miroku blinked then laughed while rubbing his neck sheepishly. “Oh yeah.”

 

InuYasha sighed deeply then got to his feet. “Well…I'm off for class. Ciao, Miroku.”

 

Miroku waved dismissively as he gathered his tray back together. Standing up to watch InuYasha stroll from the cafeteria, he shouted, “Hey! Ciao is Italian, not French, you idiot!”

 

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X**X*X*X*X*XX*

 

 

*-qouted French, InuYasha said to Miroku, “shut the hell up, Miroku. I'll kill you if you keep it up!”

 

 

-sorry it took so long to get this out. Hopefully the next will be easier.