InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shades of Gray ❯ The calm before the storm ( Chapter 20 )

~<>~ Shades of Gray ~<>~

 

 

~<>~ Chapter 20 ~<>~ the calm before the storm

 

 

Kagome dabbed at her mouth with the paper napkin, her eyes downcast to stare at the Caesar salad before her. Mixing around the lettuce with her fork, her patience was very quickly becoming compromised. The dull clicking of fingers tapping against the table had been irksome enough, but now the pest had tossed in a gentle kicking of the main support to their tiny table. With a sigh worthy of an award, Kagome finally dropped her fork and lifted her eyes to meet her friend.

 

“All right already, what do you want to know?”

 

Rin piercing stare hardly shifted as she raised an eyebrow at Kagome and tilted her head towards her right shoulder. Her expression spoke for her; `as if you don't know.' skepticism poured from the girl like a waterfall as she slowly brought both hands to the table, her eyes trained on Kagome and the bruises that marred her face.

 

Kagome inhaled sharply, more of a tell tale sign of her wavering tolerance than of any exasperation. Bringing her hands to play with her hair, she shoved the long strands behind her ears and closed her eyes. “Rin,” she stared slowly before bringing two fingers to pinch the bridge of her nose. “You promised you wouldn't drill me on this, remember? It was one of the stipulations to us coming to lunch.”

 

Rin nodded very slowly. “So it was,” she spoke abruptly, “and that's only one of the numerous questions on my mind.” with a flashy smile, she reached across the table and captured Kagome's hand in hers. With a sudden profound sincerity in her eyes, she gave Kagome a reflection of her prior interactions with InuYasha in the classroom. “What the fuck,” she quipped, “happened between you two?” Letting go of Kagome's hand, she fell backwards into her chair and pinned Kagome with a glower, daring her to lie.

 

Kagome's mouth moved but nothing came out of it. She wasn't sure what to say to Rin; should she lie about it, should she confide in her friend? Rin would be the only person who she would be able to let in on her and InuYasha's secret. If she were to tell Sango, Sango would proclaim that InuYasha had taken advantage of Kagome, and lord knew that she couldn't tell Kikyo. Rin was her only confidant on this matter. But…despite the warm blush that overwhelmed her pale face, she wasn't sure she could actually repeat anything. It had been a…experience. Had it been wrong to mess around with him? `Absolutely.' Would she do it again? `In a heart beat.' With a grimace, Kagome shifted her weight in her chair and averted her eyes back to her salad. “I don't know…”

 

Rin scoffed. “Oh cut the shit, Kagome. You're as transparent as glass. Something happened between you two…” narrowing her eyes at the blossoming blush on her friend's face, Rin nearly groaned. “Tell me; please tell me, that you didn't sleep with him.”

 

Kagome cringed, hoping that she wouldn't be this translucent when Kikyo was added into the equation. “Not…exactly…”

 

Rin closed her eyes, and shook her head slowly, ignoring the swelling headache she knew she was about to receive. Over the past two months, Kagome and she had become much closer then she ever had with any other friend. She had been worried to pieces when InuYasha told her that Kagome was sick, and even more so when Kikyo had informed her that she had spoken with Kagome's mother and Kagome wasn't at home. She would wait to play that trump card however. “What do you mean,” she asked without truly wanting to know the truth, “not exactly?”

 

Kagome shifted her weight in her seat, taking a moment to glance around to see if anyone was near by that could pose as a potential threat. “We…that is…well…we literally slept together, how's that?”

 

Rin cocked her chin to her left shoulder, understand the game they were about to play. Oh how she loved running in circles. Lifting her eyes slightly, she elaborated, “Did he, or did he not, shove his cock into your…”

 

Kagome nearly leapt out of her chair. “Rin!” glaring around madly, she hissed, “No! We didn't have sex! I couldn't do that to Kikyo. She might be a bitch at points, but she's still my cousin and I love her.” Her conscience loved that one. `You love her boyfriend's cock too, don't you?' She pled the fifth on that one.

 

Rin eyed Kagome suspiciously before sitting back fully in her chair. “So then, what changed? A month ago you would have shot him sooner than to touch him and now you're all…intimate…with him. And before you feed me some bull about not being intimate, let me tell you sweetheart, I know intimate and that, honey, defined it. You don't grab some guys hand and change his entire temper without having some kind of connection.”

 

Kagome hated Rin's logic. Scratching at her forehead, she ignored the urge to run from the room. She had run from enough in her life. Maybe it was time to start fessing up to her less than stellar moments. “We…bonded, I guess you could say.”

 

Rin hefted her eyebrow yet again. “Boys bond, Kagome. They go fishing and shit and tell stories over a camp fire. Boys and girls fuck, and they get babies or the ability to shut up the other with a glare or a touch. You seem to be falling into the latter category.”

 

Kagome grunted and shook her head. “We didn't…” shutting her mouth, she licked her lips and thought hard about her following words. “He found out about…” she motioned to one of her bruises, “and flipped out. I was at Sango's and he came over and started a big scene. Long story shot, cut to me sleeping in his bed with him.”

 

Rin shook her head, an air of disbelief coloring her words. “Right and I'm the bloody queen of England. I want details, girly! Did he start it? Did you? You jump his ass in the middle of the night?” Waggling her eyebrows, Rin could guess that she hit a home run on that one.

 

Kagome blanched. “No! We…well…” Kagome hated the actuality that in truth, she had initiated everything. She had started it at Sango's and he finished it at his place. Kagome got the sudden urge to wipe her face from just the memory of that morning. “I…kissed him, at Sango's.” Seeing Rin open her mouth, Kagome spoke over her, “before you get your panties in a knot, you got to know that that's all that happened. It got a little hot and heavy for a moment before he stopped me. He felt like he would have taken advantage of me.” She paused, wondering if she had any right to go on. More than anything in life, she hated gossip. Sure, she was calling the kettle black with that one, but at the same time, she didn't want to start unnecessary rumors about her and InuYasha. Seeing Rin's hentai smile, she figured the girl would make up her own stories if she didn't get the truth. Which would be worse?

 

Rin pursed her lips and nodded. “I'm liking this kid more and more.” Waving her hand, she beckoned, “continue, please.”

 

Kagome's blush turned rouge. “Sango and InuYasha got into a huge debate over where I was sleeping and with whom. I kind of asked Inu not to leave me and he agreed.”

 

Rin shook her head, as if to get the hypothetical water out of them. “Wait a minute. You asked InuYasha, the guy you've always hated, to sleep with you? And you don't find this odd?” Rin knew that she was, by a round about sort of way, getting to the bottom of the bruising. This would answer a few questions, at least. Thank God for her prior internship with a sneaky and overtly suspicious business man. She had learned how to slither around subjects like the best of them.

 

Kagome shrugged and proceeded to stab at her defenseless lettuce. “I didn't want to be by myself.”

 

Rin pressed on, “why?”

 

“Because.”

 

“That's not a reason, Kagome. Why were you afraid to be by yourself?”

 

“I just was. Can we leave it at that?”

 

Ignoring Kagome's request, Rin pushed a little further. “So you just happened to be afraid of the dark and asked your cousin's boyfriend, who you were making out with randomly, to sleep with you, regardless to the fact that you've hated him for over six years?”

 

Kagome hated Rin's summation. Squeezing her fork, she responded, “No, I was just afraid of the dreams and wanted someone there to wake me up.” That was the truth, wasn't it? Not sleeping for nearly five days straight had been the initial cause for her flocking to InuYasha. `Can't say that you didn't want him,' her mind argued.

 

“What dreams?”

 

Kagome snapped her plastic fork in half, the frustration of the unanswerable questions finally boiling over in her mind. Glaring at Rin, she hissed, “are we getting somewhere with this?”

 

Rin eyed the silverware and then the demonic glower on Kagome's face. With a heavy sigh, Rin nodded, “further than you think. Please, Kagome, just be honest. What can I do about the truth? I'm four foot nothing, honey, I'm not going to become some vigilante with a PMS problem.”

 

Kagome inhaled deeply, trying to calm down her nerves. She was shaking, not quite visibly, but she could feel her nerves twitching. She wanted to tell her; by God did she want to tell Rin everything. But she couldn't, it would be too much. And if Rin told InuYasha…life would be done. “I know you won't go after…” she paused and cursed herself. She nearly slipped up, she nearly admitted that anyone did this to her. As far as Rin was concerned, there was no definite subject in the matter. `What are you going to tell her? You fell down steps? You were kick boxing with a partner and they missed and then confused you for the bag? Get over it; you can't back out of this without telling her to shove off!'

 

Rin shoved the rest of her pizza into her mouth. Chewing fast, she finished off her Pepsi and then stood up. Grabbing Kagome's arm, she pulled the girl from their table, tossing out their trash on their way out the door. Neither spoke as they crossed the quad, each brooding in their own little world. Nearly dragging Kagome into their arboretum, she sat down on a tiny metal bench and pulled the girl to sit next to her under the large dogwood. This was the one place on campus that no one ever really went. Off the beaten path and rather pointless, Rin was now blessing its existence.

 

“I'll tell you one of my biggest secrets if you tell me the truth of what really happened.”

 

Kagome grunted and shook her head in the negative. “Rin, it's really complicated and it would take forever…”

 

“I'll give you forever and a day, Kagome.” Placing her hand over Kagome's, she stared at the girl. “It's killing you, and I can see that. Imagine how Kikyo and InuYasha must feel, Kaggie. They know you're hurt, and that someone's hurting you, and you're not saying anything. They want to help but they can't. I won't go running my mouth; it's none of my business. But Kagome, you need to get all of this off your chest. You need to get help. We're your friends for a reason; you need to be able to trust us.”

 

Tears had already formed in the girl's eyes, feeling that fimiliar emotion of being back against a wall. She wanted to spill her guts to Rin; she wanted to tell her everything. But if she did, what kind of position would that put Rin in? If Bankotsu found out she knew…she would be in as nearly as much trouble as Kagome was. `I can't do that to her.'

 

Rin eyed the conflicting emotions on Kagome's face and then sighed. “Stop trying to protect me and just let me help you!”

 

Tears slowly began dripping down Kagome's face. With a muffled sob, she planted her face into her hands. “I can't Rin! I can't let anyone help me!”

 

Rin put a hand on Kagome's back, rubbing comforting circles, while she spoke in a completely contradictory tone. “You can't let anyone help or you don't want anyone to help? Stop with the dramatics, Kagome. We have a penile system to protect you from these ass clowns. If you're so afraid they'll come after you, just get the police on your side.”

 

“And when they own the police, what then? Who can I go to when there is no one else?” Kagome didn't mean to lash out at Rin, but the words tore from her throat with a vengeance.

 

Rin swallowed down Kagome's question. “Then we play dirty.” Kagome lifted her head to look towards Rin, who was staring off into the memories of her own past. “If they are above the law, then we go there too. We find someone who can help us, someone who could be their equal.” Slowly turning to stare at Kagome, Rin asked, “are they mafia or just too powerful for their own good?”

 

Kagome knew that proceeding with the conversation could be nothing short of disastrous but she trudged on regardless. “He's uber powerful. Too powerful, even. The entire tri-state area has cops on his pay roll. He controls everything he wants to. When he decides he wants me gone, all he has to do is snap his fingers. I can't bring you guys into this, I can't.”

 

Rin licked her lips and sat back against the bench. “He sounds like a jackass.”

 

Kagome nodded slowly, “he is. I was told by his…a friend…that he killed the last girl who crossed him.”

 

Rin's mouth fell open. “And no one reported him?”

 

“That's the bitch of it all. They completely covered it up. No one would ever suspect him of having a dark side.”

 

“And this dark side…how'd you find it?”

 

Kagome cringed. How did she find it? `It found you,' her conscience reminded her. “I knew him before he turned into the man he is today. He brought out the darkness in both of us.”

 

Rin turned to stare at Kagome's profile for a moment before pushing on, “So what, is he like a lawyer or something?”

 

Kagome snorted once and shook her head. “No, though I don't doubt that he probably has studied some law. I just…I can't bring you any further, Rin. I'm sorry. If I let you in on this, then you'll be just as much of a target as I am.”

 

Rin took her turn to scoff outlandishly. “Stop promoting yourself so much. You think you're a target, but the truth is, if he wanted you dead then you'd be dead. Men with power don't play with their toys. They either use them or they break them, it normally works that they use them until they break them.” Looking at Kagome, she felt her lips twinge into a frown, “you might be bent Kagome, but you're far from broken, and if I know this, than so does our mystery man. He'll come after you again, and again, until he does kill you. Are you really willing to sit by and wait for that?”

 

“I can't do this anymore, Rin. I almost wish that he would kill me.”

 

Rin reached over and shoved Kagome's shoulder. “Don't say that! You have so much left to live for, Kagome! I don't want to sound like some snobbish after school special, but girl, you're young! You can't throw your life away waiting for this guy to break you. He's already done that,” she said slowly, nodding towards the frown on Kagome's face. “And you're just sitting here letting him continue.”

 

Kagome snapped her head to the right to stare at her friend. “You don't know what I've been through Rin! You hardly know anything about me!”

 

“And whose fault is that? I'm here, Kagome, and I am willing to listen. I swear I'm not going to tell a soul, but you can't get off the drama couch. You want people to pay attention, well damn, here I am. Now spill it or shut up!”

 

Kagome sealed her mouth with a gasp. Looking rather stricken, she moved to stand up. “I think we're done here.”

 

Rin blinked, watching Kagome stand to take her leave. “Sometimes things aren't as bad as they seem, Kagome. Sometimes all it takes is asking for a little help from people with connections.”

 

Kagome picked up her book bag and cast Rin an apologetic glimpse. “I'm sorry that I can't indulge your curiosity, Rin. But there are things I just can't say.”

 

Rin shrugged and watched as Kagome began to walk away. Calling out, while looking down at her nails, she asked, “Oh, Kagome. Silly me forgot one question. Just how did you get mixed up with Bankotsu Koizumi?”

 

Kagome stopped dead in her tracks. Turning her head slowly to glower at the girl behind her, her mouth moved but not a single utterance slipped out. After a moment of stammering, all that managed to vocalize itself as a single word; “how?”

 

Rin slowly stood up, her hands in her pockets, and walked over to Kagome. “It's a simple deduction to anyone who knows the business world. If your powerful bastard isn't a lawyer, then he has to be a business man or a government official. Since most black suit govvie's with enough power to sway three states worth of cops are only those at the top of the chain…and old…I'm ruling them out. That leaves business men, and probably younger ones at that. Being that they are abusing the tri state police, they have to be locals. Only three men have risen to the top of the chain who are from around here, and only one is ruthless enough to attack a woman. I'm well versed in the Koizumi family history, and I wouldn't put it past that fucker to lay a hand on a girl.” Seeing Kagome's completely flabbergasted look, Rin digressed, “I told you I worked as an intern for one of the most powerful business companies, didn't I?”

 

Kagome nodded stupidly. “That's when you got pregnant, right?”

 

Rin shrugged haphazardly. “Yeah, but within that time, I got to know a little bit about all of our major competitors. Bankotsu had made the black list, so I just put two and two together.”

 

Kagome nearly fell over from where she stood. “Rin…I…you can't…”

 

“I won't tell anyone, don't worry.”

 

Kagome seemed dissuaded but began to mull over something completely different. “If you were able to piece it together that easily…” she blanched at the prospect, “what if Kikyo or InuYasha were to? If they went after him…”

 

Rin shook her head. “You don't need to worry about Kikyo. I like your cousin, but…how can I put this nicely; it's like the wheel's spinning but the hamster's dead, ya know? And even if by some random chance she did guess it, she's to chicken shit to go after him.” Knowing the other subject was much more volatile, she grit her teeth, “even though InuYasha is very hot headed, I don't think even he'd barge in on Bankotsu without proof.”

 

Kagome put one hand to the oak that rested in the garden, her head coming to rest against her bicep. “Rin, I don't know what to do anymore. Bankotsu has…leverage…on me. I don't know why I care anymore, but I can't put my family through more shit. I can't get more specific, I wish I could but I just can't.” The logical part of her brain wanted to argue that statement a little bit more clearly, but now wasn't the time. What more was there to this picture besides for the truth on her parents' divorce? “I can't let what he knows seep out and therefore, I just try to keep him happy.” Lifting her head to glance around, she was pleased that no one ever visited the tiny arboretum. Knowing she was dooming herself regardless, she cast a weary glance to her friend. “He's a little darker then most would ever want to imagine. He has his neat and clean persona during the day, but when that sun goes down, he turns into this completely different man. He runs a club, a Goth club, which is completely off his books and away from his name. No one could ever link it to him if they tried! He introduced me to it two years ago, and I fell for it. He got me to agree to become…” blushing a shade of near fire-truck red, she admitted one of her darkest secrets to a girl she barely knew. “I became his sub.”

 

“Sub…you mean like…a sandwich?”

 

Kagome snorted, regardless of her melancholy disposition. “No, like a subordinate. I'm basically his slave.”

 

Rin's mouth formed a perfect little O shape, but she didn't say a word.

 

“It was fun and games at first, just something to take the edge off of everything I was going through. But…as time shifted, so did the relationship.”

 

“This was when you dated him?”

 

Kagome nodded then paused. “How did you know I dated him?”

 

Rin shrugged, “I told you, I got to know a lot about Bankotsu.”

 

“So then why didn't you just assume…”

 

“I had my assumptions, but I wasn't going to make a bland accusation.”

 

Kagome shook her head slowly, “We broke up but we kept in touch through the club. We never stopped sleeping together, even though he started dating his new chick. If anything, he became more dominant and more demanding.” Shaking her head, she muttered, “I'll spare you the graphic details, but it got messy between us. He became more of a sadist and I turned masochist to oblige his whims. But he started getting to serious. This,” she pointed to her bruises, “was because I met someone else at the club who he wasn't overly keen on. We messed around a little and Bankotsu flew off the handle.” With a dry snort, Kagome closed her eyes. “What I did with the other guy can hardly surpass with I did with InuYasha. I don't even want to know what Bankotsu would do if he knew…”

 

Rin put her arm around Kagome and her head to the girl's shoulder. “I still want those details,” she muttered with a smirk. At least that made both of them laugh. Breaking the stifling silence had been the key objective of the little interjection, and Rin was pleased that she was able to pull it off.

 

“He flipped out on me,” Kagome whispered after a moment. “He threw me onto a table and…” closing her eyes, she counted backwards from five. This was so much harder than just letting them assume the worst. “I thought he was going to kill me. He kept saying he was going to, but afterwards, there was too much blood. He said he'd be arrested in a day if anyone linked me back to him. I blacked out and the next thing I knew, I was going home with Jakotsu. He said that I text messaged him to come get me. I've avoided anything to do with Bankotsu since then.”

 

Rin placed her head on Kagome's shoulder and wrapped her arm around the girl's waist. “We'll figure this out, Kaggie. I promise.”

 

With a wry laugh, Kagome rested her cheek on Rin's head. “Somehow, I doubt that. I thought I'd feel better finally telling someone the truth but…” swallowing thickly, she shook her head. “I don't, I just feel…empty.” Closing her eyes, more crystalline tears slipped out. “I don't want to feel this way anymore. It hurts so much, Rin. I thought I was happy, I thought I was okay with Bankotsu and that life. I'm looking back at everything I've been through, to all the guys I've been with and all the relationships I've had and…” tears flooded her eyes, dying her pupils a dull shade of pink. “I don't think I've ever known happiness.”

 

Rin closed her eyes, lamenting for her friend. “Kagome, happiness is what we make of it. It will never come find you. If you want it, you have to make it. I wanted to be happy with Kenren's dad but…” shutting her mouth, she understood that this wasn't about her. Whatever dreams she let go, or refused to take part in were her mistakes. Right now, this was about helping Kagome overcome something much more severe. Currently, Rin was acting as Kagome's rock amidst the raging river of life. Even if this meant giving her only one moment of serenity, it was better than simply drifting aimlessly in that stream.

 

Kagome's shoulders began to shake as her body was wracked with sobs. “I don't know how, Rin. I don't know how to make myself happy!”

 

Rin opened her eyes and slowly lifted up her head, forcing Kagome to stand on her own. Putting her hands on Kagome's shoulders, she greeted the girl with a smile despite the tears. “Then we'll figure it out together. Cause honestly, I'm not overly happy myself, to be honest. We can change this together. We'll find us some hot yummy men…” she paused and stole a glance at Kagome, “well…I'll find myself one; you can just capture the one you have drooling after you.”

 

Kagome sniffled once, knowing that this conversation had reached its redundancy. Maybe if she were in a better mood, she would have swatted Rin for the insinuation of perusing a relationship with InuYasha. She mulled, however, over Rin's prior statement. If she continued feeling sorry for herself, than Rin was right, she'd get no where in life. It was time to stop letting everything control her. Maybe she could break away from it all before it killed her. Maybe this wasn't entirely pointless. Taking a resolve for the first time in six years, Kagome put her foot down. “You're right. I'm going to talk to Bankotsu; I'm going to get this straightened out.”

 

Rin nodded along with her, slightly weary of Kagome's sudden resolve but rather all together pleased with it. “You're not doing it on your own. You're ready to do this, Kagome, but I don't want to see this ass hat break you. When you're ready to face him, I'll go with you, or we'll find someone who can support you. If I have to, I'll call in some favors.”

 

Kagome picked up her book bag, enjoying the moment in which a foreboding feeling wasn't drowning her. With a meek laugh, she began to walk along side of Rin towards the exit. “I don't think you know anyone who can stand up to Bankotsu's reign of terror. He could intimidate a wall if he wanted to.” Silently, she strengthened his disposition. `But not me, not anymore. Let him come at me with what he has. I've stood this long against it all, I can weather a little more abuse. He'll see reason, he has to.'

 

Rin's smile grew dim, but her eyes shined with something akin to pride. “I know someone he wouldn't be able to lay a hand on.” Exchanging a glance with Kagome, she pursed her lips. “I'll get you support if you need it, Kagome. Just tell me when.”

 

Kagome raised an eyebrow. “And who prey-tell do you know that could take on the Koizumi's and come out unscathed?”

 

Rin seemed to struggle for a moment, as if waging her own internal war, before very quietly stating, “Kenren's father.”

 

Kagome snapped her head to the right, her eyes widening. “But, you said you haven't spoken to him since he got back with his wife.”

 

Rin shrugged. “I haven't, but I don't doubt that if I needed him, he'd be here.”

 

“But then you'd have to tell him about the baby.”

 

The nod that followed was rather lethargic in nature. “I would afterwards, but I'm not afraid of that right now, Kagome. I'm more afraid of what could happen to you if I don't call him.”

 

“Rin…” what more could Kagome say? The girl was willing to compromise everything she had struggled so hard to make work without the father. This could cause a serious upset to the girl's life, and all because of her fuck ups. “I couldn't ask you to do that.” How was this girl so fiercely loyal to someone she hardly knew? Not for the first time, a bitter taste of self loathing foamed in Kagome's mouth. `I've never been straight forward or honest with her.'

 

Rin shrugged, “I know you're not asking. But I'm offering.”

 

The intensity of the argument caused Kagome to spurt out; “Rin, who is Kenren's father?” Slapping a hand over her mouth, she didn't recant her question. She had to know who Rin had gotten herself mixed up with. If she was telling the truth, and if this man could stand up to Bankotsu without fear, then it was someone who could be nearly as dangerous. Kagome was sure she didn't like the sound of that.

 

Rin paused; taking a long sideward's glance around them to see just who was in their vicinity. Licking her lips, she forced the truth from her lips. She had promised Kagome a secret for a secret. She just prayed that it wasn't too much information. “You can't say a word; I just need to reiterate this. If I'm going to call him, then I want him to hear it from me. If you tell InuYasha…”

 

Kagome's eyebrows crinkled. “Why would I tell InuYasha? And if it slipped out to him, what would it matter?” Seeing the hesitation on Rin's face, she elaborated; “Rin, I've thrown all of my problems onto you. The least you can do is to trust me with this. I promise I won't tell Yasha, I swear it to you.”

 

Biting her lip, Rin nodded slowly. “It would matter for InuYasha because Kenren's his nephew.”

 

Kagome nearly choked on her saliva. Of all the things in the world she had been expecting, that was hovering somewhere in the vicinity of ninety-eight million miles south of her expectations. “What?”

 

Rin made a face, one that wasn't overly pleased with Kagome's initial reaction. But than again, she should get used to this. “I wasn't positive about them being brothers until a few days ago.”

 

Kagome swallowed down that news like a mouth full of nails. “I can't believe…” turning slowly to gawk at the girl, she did a wonderful impersonation of a fish. “Sesshoumaru Taisho is Kenren's father?”

 

Rin's smile waned slightly. “Who else could take on Bankotsu besides for the next coldest man in business?”

 

Kagome stopped dead and held up her hands. “I can't believe…” With a gasp, she shook her head again. “I want to hear you say it.”

 

Rin rolled her eyes and then glanced around. This was oddly liberating. Had she a drop less of common sense, she would have yelled it from the rooftops. “Yeah, Sessh is Kenren's dad.”

 

 

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

 

 

Miroku stood leaning against the window sill, eyes as blue as the deepest ocean staring out intently on the setting skyline. His arms were crossed against his chest, his lips twisted into a bitter frown, the capstone to his frustration. He didn't like what he was hearing from his roommate, and his entire body language screamed in defense. But there was little he could do to dissuade his friend from his decision. In a tainted retrospect, this was his fault. If he had simply kept his nose out of other people's business, InuYasha would have let Sesshoumaru simply walk away.

 

“It will only be for a few days…maybe a week at the most.” With a scowl, InuYasha leaned against the door frame. “Come on, Miro, he's my brother. I can't be that much of an ass.”

 

Miroku glanced out of the corner of his eye, all the recognition he would give to his friend. “No, Yash. I'm your brother; he's just a blood relative that happens to share a father with you.”

 

InuYasha forced himself to reframe from rolling his eyes. “Miro, you're acting like a fuckin' jealous bitch. He's my fuckin' kin, I can't toss him out on his ass.”

 

Miroku scoffed loudly and swung around from the window, his hands waving about madly exonerating his points. “He would never land on his ass, InuYasha. Sesshoumaru has enough fuckin' money to buy himself a hotel, let alone a room at a shabby motel. He could get a bed that way, and I'd be less inclined to sleep with my eyes open.”

 

InuYasha grunted in response. “I know it seems that way, Miro, but if the situation was reversed…”

 

“—he'd throw you out on your broke ass! You know that, Yash. Sesshoumaru has never given a shit about you, he will never give a shit about you and oh yeah, he's a douche!”

 

With a grimace, InuYasha stepped into his friend's room and shut the door. “And he can hear you.” Leaning against the wooden door, he crossed his arms. “Come on, Miroku. I know you don't like him…”

 

“It's not that I don't like him, InuYasha. Well…it is….but it's the fact that I enjoy not having my spleen pulled out through my throat!” With a glare in the direction of the living room, Miroku took a step closer to InuYasha. Lowering his voice to a harsh whisper, Miroku ranted; “he hates me, Yash, and one of these days, he's going to have me killed! I don't doubt it for a second. I'll think everything's fine and shit and then all I'll see is a flash of white light and that crazy psycho will be standing in front of me with something in his hand and I'll be all, `hey Sesshiles, whatcha got there?' and he'll all be like, `nothing except your heart…' and he'll have ripped it out of my chest.” Sealing his lips with the utmost look of sincerity tinged with fear in his eyes, he nodded his head gravely. Leaning closer, he dramatically added, “and then I'll die.”

 

InuYasha did his best to keep from laughing at his friend's plight yet failed miserably. Breaking into hysterics, he shook his head and put his hands on his knees, attempting not piss himself. “Miroku, he's not going to rip your heart out of your body. He ain't Mola Ram*.” Tears threatened to spill out of his eyes at the thought of Miroku's scene.

 

“The fuck he isn't! His diction is nearly as partial as that tattooed freak's was!” Miroku gave InuYasha an evil eye and began pacing around the room. “You know that guy hates me!”

 

InuYasha couldn't argue that fact. “I'm sure it has something to do with you cutting off his pony tail when we were ten.”

 

Miroku's face dropped as he swung around to glare at InuYasha. “You think he remembers that?”

 

InuYasha shrugged with a smirk the size of Texas on his face. At least he could revel in the memory. It had been the second sleep over that he and Miroku had as kids, and it was a dare on InuYasha's behalf to have Miroku cut off Sesshoumaru's hair while he was sleeping. InuYasha hadn't expected his friend to pick up scissors and actually do it. Needless to say, it was a miracle that those scissors weren't implanted in Miroku's skull the following morning. Regardless of the severe grounding he got, it was worth it to hear his brother scream like a girl. “Yeah,” he added after a moment, “I'm quite sure he's not really over that.”

 

Miroku unconsciously brought a hand to the back of his head, fingering the thin pony tail that had taken him forever to grow. “Dude, this is why your brother isn't sleeping here!”

 

InuYasha rolled his eyes and took a step towards Miroku. Patting him on the back for comfort, he added; “I'm sure that he's above cutting off your hair, Miroku. Now I'm not overly positive about your break line, though.”

 

If it was at all possible, the boy blanched further. “I'm going to die,” he muttered while falling down to sit on his bed.

 

InuYasha chuckled darkly and shook his head. “I'll tell him to leave you alone. If he really wants a place to stay that badly, then he'll listen. He ain't that stupid and he knows I'm good on my word. He fucks with you and I'll fuckin' call my dad for him.”

 

“Something tells me that your dad won't ground him,” Miroku snapped back with a shift of his eyes. “I think we're all a little old to be tattling to our parents.”

 

InuYasha winced and shook his head. “You don't get it. There's shit goin' down that he doesn't want the old man to know about. It's my leverage on this situation.” Seeing the gleam in Miroku's eyes, he shook his head swiftly. “I can't tell you. Sorry guy, but it ain't my story to sell. Once shit settles down, I'll tell you. Until then, just stay out of his way and I'm sure you'll be fine.”

 

Miroku snorted and shook his head. “Fuck that shit. I ain't waking up dead, I told you! I'll go sleep on Sango's couch while he's here. Just keep him the fuck out of my room.”

 

InuYasha rolled his eyes. “Sango's couch? You mean her crotch? Dude, you really think she'll let you sleep there?”

 

Miroku waggled his eyebrows once and then shrugged. “Who knows, but its well worth a try? She's the hot, Inu, and when I say hot, I mean hot damn.”

 

InuYasha lowered his brows over his eyes and crinkled up his nose. “Not my type at all. She's to…butch…for me. But I wouldn't mind seeing her and Kagome getting a little lezz action going on under the hood.”

 

Miroku's mouth nearly watered. “Don't put those images in my head, InuYasha. I don't need another distraction while talking to that girl.” Standing up, he cracked his knuckles then nodded towards the door. “Now, if you'd be so kind…I'm not walking around this guy by myself.”

 

“You seriously want an escort?”

 

Miroku shot him a no-nonsense glower and shook his shoulders, attempting to ward off the shudder. He feared walking around Sesshoumaru by himself, as if the business man would reach out and slit his throat with a letter opener by way of chance. He knew that was some serious delusions on his behalf, but he couldn't help it. There was always something about Sesshoumaru that set off warning bells in his head, and maybe his recent discovery on the Taisho secret could explain more than he first thought. He knew that somewhere centuries back, his ancestors had been Buddhist monks that fought against youkai. Maybe he still had some of that spiritual voodoo in his blood. `Won't help me with the girls,' he thought sullenly, `but I can tease InuYasha with it.' Wrinkling his nose as they walked from his room, Miroku jibbed, “I don't know InuYasha. My Spidey senses are tingling. I think something evil might be approaching!”

 

InuYasha grunted in reflection, his patience for life itself was running thin. Today had been a day from hell, in all retrospect; first the thing with Kagome and the utter awkwardness of the morning, that insipid confusion that was gnawing away at him, Rin's random confession, Sesshoumaru's arrival and now Miroku's bull shit. The only thing that would cap off this wonderful day would be a visit from…

 

Walking around the corner of the hallway, Miroku came to a dead stop and InuYasha plowed into the back of him. “What the fuck,” the shocked hanyou roared.

 

Miroku stood staring in a mix of fear and disgust, rolled together in a combination platter of hate. Pointing a finger at the doorway, he hissed, “I knew I sensed evil. I just didn't expect it to come in the form of Beelzebub herself.”

 

InuYasha cursed God for all he was worth. Walking around Miroku, he peered into their foyer. Kikyo stood leaning against the closed door, her eyes now trained on Miroku. Sesshoumaru was standing in the kitchen doorway, a few feet from her, a look of irritation swirling amidst the light brown.

 

Sesshoumaru took a step towards the human and instantly, Miroku shrank away. “You need to learn some common manners. You're worse than my brother.”

 

Kikyo flipped her hair over her shoulder and sat back on her heels, her nose wrinkling as she returned Miroku's glower. “Ignore him, Sesshoumaru-sama. That's how I got by these last few years. If you pretend like he's nothing beyond gutter trash…oh wait, that's all he is.”

 

Miroku's eyes narrowed as he held up his fingers in the form of a cross. “Get thee behind me, Satan!”

 

InuYasha grunted and shoved Miroku, grabbing his hands at the same time and pushed them down to his side. “Can you stop it with the melodramatics?”

 

Miroku whined under his breath and turned to InuYasha. “Sure, as soon as you stop infesting your body with junk. You can purge yourself by ditching your girlfriend.”

 

Kikyo flipped off InuYasha before slowly kicking off her shoes. “I haven't heard from you all day, Yashie, or for that matter, for most of yesterday. It's not like you; is everything okay?”

 

Miroku slowly turned his head to give InuYasha a rather malicious version of the Cheshire cat's smile. “Why, Yashie, I thought you lived and breathed just to talk to your girlfriend! How dare you go through a day without calling her? You should be drawn and quartered. Someone alert the villagers, we're in for a show tonight!”

 

Kikyo rolled her eyes and stole a glance at Sesshoumaru, who seemed all together shocked with the typical verbal banter. “This is why I hardly come over here. He's an asshole.”

 

Sesshoumaru nodded but remained silent, his eyes wide with an interest that could only be described as morbid.

 

Miroku glanced over at Sesshoumaru and shook his head. “And you're a blood sucking parasite,” he turner to glower at Kikyo, “and don't get me even started about you.”

 

Kikyo sucked her teeth and walked past Sesshoumaru and Miroku to place a chaste kiss on InuYasha's cheek. “Why don't you go back into to whatever hole you crawled out of, Miroku.”

 

Miroku actually bared his teeth on that one, hissing; “I would but your mother's cunt won't stretch that far anymore!”

 

InuYasha and Sesshoumaru managed to shout over the two at the same time. “Hey!”

 

Sesshoumaru strode from the kitchen to place himself between the feuding pair. He took on Miroku. “Apparently your charm is about as sophisticated as your manners. You need to learn your place, Miroku, before someone beats it into you!”

 

InuYasha was now slipping very quickly into crisis mode. Grabbing Kikyo's arm, he pulled her away from the other two, knowing a brawl was about to break out in three seconds flat. Pushing her towards his room, he pecked her cheek and shouted, “Stay in there until its safe. World war three is about to erupt!”

 

Turning, he didn't need to see the two to know that Sesshoumaru had managed to back Miroku into a corner with his superb skills of intimidation. Rushing forward, he barely had time to throw himself between the two. “Break it up!” Staring up at Sesshoumaru, he bellowed, “You said you'd be cool with this. If you can't get along with Miroku then you're out!” Seeing the indignant rage fuming in Sesshoumaru's eyes, InuYasha got even louder. “Calm the fuck down and sit your ass on the couch before I put you there!”

 

Sesshoumaru bit back something just as terse, but InuYasha's attention had been pulled elsewhere.

 

Rounding on Miroku, he wasn't shocked to find the corner of the living room empty and Miroku already by the door shrugging on his coat. Glaring at InuYasha and then down the hall to where Kikyo stood, he hissed, “There's too many cocks in here right now. I ain't about the sausage fest. I'm going next door. Come get me when your entourage decides that the world be a better place one they kill themselves and just get on with it.”

 

Kikyo took a few steps down the hallway, her eyes trained on Miroku. “Why can't you ever just shut up?”

 

“Because then you'd be getting what you want. And unlike these two mother fuckers over here, I ain't afraid to say no to you. You're a stuck up bitch who doesn't know the real world from the one that daddy's padded softly for you. You think you can do what you want, and say what you want, and all of us common folk got to bow to you because we don't have half the money you do. Fuck that shit!” Miroku could feel his face turning bright red as he verbally ripped the girl a new asshole. “And fuck you. You're a god damned leech and you've just about killed the guy who I've known all my life. Just let this travesty of a relationship go, because all of us know it ain't meant to be. I fuckin' hope you take some God damned notes from your cousin. She's twice the person you'll ever be!” Turning, Miroku slammed his way out of the apartment, not caring as the screen door smashed against the siding.

 

InuYasha winced as the door snapped shut with a sharp clang of metal. He knew he should run after Miroku and apologize on behalf of those who never would. He also knew, however, that it would do no good. Miroku was not coming back tonight, even if he had to sleep in the back of his car. InuYasha made a mental note to keep his eyes out the window incase Miroku had to do just that. At least he could let his flustered friend sleep in the Hummer; there was enough room for a pony in that SUV. A larger part of him was overly concerned with Miroku's reference to Kagome. Being that the two hadn't spent much time outside of the apartment together; InuYasha was beginning to sweat under the collar. `So what if she figures it out, then you can call her on cheating on you and ditch this all together!' A louder voice screamed over that ration; `If you piss off Kikyo and her father pulls his support from Taisho Corps, you're father will fry your ass on a public grill.'

 

Two slender arms wound around his waist and lips pressed against the nape of his neck. “Don't worry about him,” Kikyo breathed, “he's being a douche. He'll get over it eventually, he has to.”

 

InuYasha cringed, wanting to do nothing more then pull away from her embrace. Somehow it just felt so wrong. Closing his eyes, he wished on everything he was and would ever be that when he turned around, it would be Kagome behind him, not Kikyo. But alas, that was merely a fantasy. Kagome was home, at their dorm, alone. That wasn't helping his nerves, he noted wryly. God did he just want to storm out of there and go to the dorms. Having Kagome in his arms had felt so right, and now…well…he was mentally fucked, he knew that before she even touched him. Looking down at the brown eyed girl, he frowned and kissed her forehead lightly. “You keep saying that, Kik, but…” Pulling away from her, he moved to the living room bay window to stare across the street. He watched Sango's front door open and after what seemed like a debate, Miroku vanished inside of her condo. His mouth turned down into a sharp frown as the darkness of night over swept the street once more. Muttering with a sigh, he whispered, “Somehow I doubt it.”

 

Sesshoumaru had settled down on the couch, looking rather perturbed. “He's just as arrogant as I remember him to be.”

 

InuYasha snapped his head around to glare at his brother. “You don't know shit about that guy, so shut up.”

 

Sesshoumaru snorted some resentful reply before burying himself behind his laptop and immersing himself back into to the business world.

 

Kikyo's smile flattered as she stared at InuYasha's back. She could sense that there was something else, something he wasn't telling her or even alluding to. He was keeping secrets from her. Normally she didn't care, they both had their share of secrets, but this time, something told her it was big. Like a crouching beast in the jungle, this secret was threatening to consume everything they had worked six years for and suddenly, she was not okay with that. For the first time in a long time, a chill rushed over her bones at the thought of losing the gorgeous guy she had once loved. The distance only seemed colder as they said goodnight and ventured off to his room for what would equate to a long night for both parties.

 

 

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

 

 

*Mola Ram- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom reference. He was the guy who ripped out people's beating hearts.

 

 

-This chapter is in the middle of being edited by my wonderful beta, Ninja teacher Jen. So I'll be reposting this shortly. Until then, enjoy! ^__^

 

So I managed to post this, upload the wrong file, save over the other one and lost all my review answers. That makes me sad. So, it's REALLY late and I'm bushed so I'm not meaning to cut anything out, but I'm only answer a few questions in this one. Sorry guys, I'll be more of a sport next time.

 

Shout outs:

Drake: hehe, you're always first to review. That makes me happy. I couldn't have Inu milk this just because of the situation, ya know? I can't see anyone mocking a sibling going through hell. But then again…

 

Lonely girl: I love hitchhikers. It's amazing. LOL. thanks for the review!

 

Seiteki_tenshin: is Kenren who you thought he was? Hehe. Sorry, I like my plot twists. Hehe. Yeah, it was sesshiles, but he's a scary mofo on his own. LOL

 

Silveraloria: nah, you got it. sorry, I was just messin' with you. but…you know…I love my plot twists and I got to get ya'll ready to have heads spun by the end. ^__^; don't kill me. >.<

 

Caitronia: yeah, I have a habit of forgetting what I write and then I'm all messed up. I got to much going on my head at times. LOL. no, `jiro's new to the scene. don't worry, when I'm done. You'll come to love him. promise. ^__^ I wuff my OC's. that's awesome bout knowing someone, it always comes in handy for reference. ^__^

 

Oyuki: hehe…speak the devil's name. … as for sessh, that will come with time. ^__^

 

Maloy: thanks. I agree. I can't take a wimpy Miroku. He's never seemed like a spineless coward to me and I can only write him as the witty one of the group. He's my scapegoat, what can I say? Lol. I love that you can visualize it! that's definitely what I'm going for!

 

Autumn: don't' worry about the email. My condolences on the funeral. The sibling is going to be fun. I love my OC's. he already as a complete back story that could be it's own story. LOL. he'll come in at the most opportune time. Promise. You'll learn more about him as time marches on. as for the scare, yeah, I love my plot twists. Just…be warned. That was a warm up. LOL. As for Inu switching girls, remember, Kagome's mother and vicariously, she, have been cast out of the Higurashi name sake. It's Kikyo's parents, and Kagome's father, that do business with inupapa, though.

 

MistressKagome4U- hehehe. ^__^ glad you liked it. more to come, I promise. ^__^;

 

Cjflutterbye: glad you enjoyed! Yeah, I love my fluffles.

 

Inukag_obsession: really? You weren't expecting it? that makes me smile. I like being untraceable. LOL. as for the sesshiles under my bed, that's between me and him and his lawyers. LOL.

 

Girl_x_16: hehe, I'm sure you liked the insults here then. I was snickering when writing. No real world drama, don't worry. They're not after each other's girl. It would be more like a prison drama, like having your throat slit with a letter opener. LOL. ^__^

 

Toya's gurl: oh the living arrangement is so not going to work. LMAO.

 

Inu_inu_luvluv: ^__^ glad you enjoyed it! oh don't worry, I'm going to be notorious one day for being able to do that (or so I hope). It's like mentioning something than 20 chapters later having it come back with a gun. O_~ now what was that about cookies? >.<

 

Elly86: That's awesome, thank you so much! I know enough French to answer questions and to read it fluently. I can't write it for crap though. Thank you so much!!!

 

Radhika: promise it will come with time. ^__^

 

TrinityK: oh yesh, more groundwork to come. ^__^ if inu was human, then yes, bank would be able to take him. now if he dropped the limiter…well…nothing could stop a pissed off hanyou in my mind. Bank is a lot more cunning though. He'd be the type to cut inu's break lines and then know exactly where'd he crash and be waiting with a semi-automatic. ….>.>….<.<….>.< trust me, these children have stolen the story from my hands. I've just given up and let the characters drive at this point. Bank is more creepy than I wanted, Inu's more collected, Miro's more witty and Kagome's much more of a Sybil. LOL.

 

Precious: I'm so annoyed that I lost all of my reviews answers cause I had SO much written back to you. grrr. Thank you so much for the review! I mean it. I love getting feedback about how the story is perceived and you did just that. It really helps with cultivation, ya know? Yeah, I know COTD was a hot mess. LOL. I'm going back slowly and rewriting every chapter. I felt this chapter actually was dragging because of having to retell the story but it had to happen, ya know? no, I will never take the easy way out. That's why COTD was 86 chapters long and this one is going to be around 50. I thought I could do it in 20. haha. I was so wrong. You nailed it with the living arrangements. Good call. LOL. thanks on the congrats. It really means a lot to me. ^__^

 

Maryaxe: finally, someone knows my locations!!!

 

Blaccwolf123: oh dion. ::huggles for calling Sesshoumaru Sesshiles:: Let me put it this way, `Jiro has enough of a past and a presence to make Ryen look like a tot. when I'm done with him, I pray that he'll be amazing. LOL. also, you nailed it on the limiter theory. And she had no clue he was related to Sessh before hand. LOL. imagine that one.