InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bad Influences ❯ Bad Influence #Seven: Facing the Heat ( Chapter 7 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

By: ji-an

I'm not a thief, so I don't own Inuyasha and acnoladge that it belongs only to Romiko Takahashi. YUP yup.

What do boys do on thier weekends?

Someone says that this chap won't come up on the website. It works fine for me, but anyway, hope i fixed it.

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Comedy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.28.2007 | Updated On: 06.03.2007 | Pages: 8 | Words: 7.9K | Visits: 3.2K | Status: Work In Progress

First off, I'm now going to school full time, so yeah, midterms and all. Secondly, I felt that Inuyasha hadn't been given enough time in the story thus far and I wanted to introduce his relationship with Satoshi and Miroku; as the three of them are best friends. So you see, this chapter is mostly about Inuyasha.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, it belongs to Romiko Takahashi and I won't take credit for her genius.

Bad Influence # Seven: Facing the Heat

“This is just not like you, Kagome.” Sango said to the girl walking at her side, while she watched the sun set behind the buildings. “When you called and asked me to tell your mom you were with me, I thought you ran away to your father's grave again.”

“I've wanted to go visit dad. It's not the same without him. If Inuyasha hadn't been so sick, I was sure I would've gone to his grave.”

“I was so worried! You could've told me the truth.”

“I know, I'm sorry, but I just felt so guilty. Inuyasha was really sick and he begged me not to call a doctor or a hospital. I didn't even know he was sick and I had gone to yell at him for breaking our deal. You should have seen the look on his face, Sango. I've never seen him look so weak. Of course, after I helped him get better, he turned back into that jerk he is.”

The taller girl stopped in mid-step, turning to look at Kagome with an inquisitive look. “Why didn't he want you to call a hospital?” She asked, watching as Kagome relaxed her shoulders after a shrug.

“I don't know.” She answered.

“Is he afraid of doctors? I can just imagine him in a room with a doctor holding a needle and him standing on the exam bed yelling `Get that damned thing away from me!'” She giggled at the mental image invading her mind, listening when Kagome's amused laughter came to her ears.

“Still,” Kagome began again, soft laughs hidden underneath her voice, “I don't think that's it, but why should I care, it's none of my business.” Kagome's face, twisted in annoyance, then her features dropped when she remembered the circular scar on Inuyasha's shoulder. He had said he was shot. Was that why he asked her not to call a hospital?

“I can't believe he convinced you of all people to play hooky! What's gotten into you Kagome? Is this because you're still mourning over your father's death?”

“NO! Well, maybe a little. It's that jerk's fault! He convinced me to go out and skip my responsibilities to have fun! I can't believe him! And on top of that, he didn't even let me pay for lunch!”

“Uh, Kagome-chan?”

“I hate you Taisho!” She yelled into the sky.

The moments following her sudden outburst were laced with heavy pants and soothing sighs. When she was calm, Sango decided it was all right for her to speak. “It feels good to vent your frustrations on someone else, doesn't it?” She asked teasingly.

“Yes, it really does.” Kagome giggled. “Especially since, I'm halfway to my house, where there is a pair of adults waiting to ground and or scold me.” She added sarcastically. “Thanks again for coming with me, Sango.”

“Hey, what are best friends for?”

“Did anything happen in school today?”

“Well…”

“Well, what? Bad news?” Kagome concluded sounding nervous.

“Student Council was not exactly happy about your sudden disappearance.” Sango reported rather nervously.

“That, Tatsuya.” Kagome growled shaking fisted hands in front of her.

“I hate to break it to you, but it wasn't Tatsuya who started it this time. Actually, he was defending you.”

“What? You're kidding. I thought he would be the first to blame me.” Kagome placed her fingers on her lower lip astonishingly. This was a new development; it was quite unusual that punctual, rule-abiding Tatsuya would stand in her favor. Was this an act of trickery or was he actually beginning to act…nice?

“What did he say?” She asked after her brief moment of pondering.

“ He said, `We all don't attend school sometime.' You know, student council does depend on your input, a lot. And since we have two fund-raisers to organize, the members of our little team were a bit disappointed that you didn't come to school. Some of the teachers were also shocked that you broke your perfect attendance record. The good news is, I've got your assignments for you.”

Kagome signed, not finding any cheer from what Sango had to offer her. She never liked disappointing anyone, and it was only one day that she missed. One day, a million problems. And the worst part was that she only had herself to blame. It's not like Inuyasha had planned to be sick, which has caused her to stay up half the night looking after him and sleep in an extra four hours. Maybe if she had gone home and explained what happened, she could've called the school and apologized. No, they would ask why she hadn't called a hospital for help, or why she had stayed in a stranger's house all night.

“I'm in big trouble.” Kagome sighed. “We'd better get home before it's dark, I don't want my parents getting mad at me for staying out after sundown too.” She began a slow pace down the street, running just enough so that Sango could follow. They began rushing against the sunlight, watching every now and then to see if the sun had sunk lower than the buildings. Kagome came to quick halt as she came closer to her neighborhood. She looked down the street that led to her home, lightly panting and waiting for Sango to catch her breath as well.

“It's now or never.” She said to herself, thinking that the sooner she got this dilemma over with, the better. Dreading the steps that led to her home in the shrine, Kagome's breathing became more and more frantic, until Sango placed her hand on her shoulder for some reassurance.

“Thanks again for coming with me Sango.” Kagome panted, trying to get a hold on her gasps.

“You're welcome. I'm always here for you Kagome, you know that.”

“I know.” She said as she climbed the last step that led to the shrine. Watching her house had never been such a daunting experience and Kagome found that the hand squeezing her shoulder was all that was keeping her from running back down those stairs.

()()()()()()()

“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN KAGOME HIGURASHI!?”

Kagome instinctively covered her ears in alarm as her grandfather's voice attacked her ears. Slowly, she took her hands away to see her grandfather calm down and try speaking with a steady voice, though the angry gasps hidden in his speech spoke much of his rage.

“I…I was…” Kagome stuttered.

“I am going to give you one chance to come with a good excuse.” Grandpa growled.

“Uh…” Kagome looked down at her hands. Only five minutes ago she and Sango had entered the house and Ms. Higurashi and Grandpa had rushed up to her asking questions. Ms. Higurashi had given her a disappointed and upset looks, while her grandfather had erupted like a volcano. If it hadn't been for Sango trying to calm her parents down, Kagome was sure that her Grandfather would wake up the whole neighborhood.

“Uh…I was…”

“You don't have much of an excuse do you dear?” Ms. Higurashi kindly stated, though her sternness and discontent was evident.

“No, I don't.” She said.

“I just don't understand. What could possibly make you skip school!” Grandpa screamed and Inuyasha's face appeared in Kagome's mind, she wrinkled her nose. “Seventeen years and now this! Pretty soon you'll be thrown in jail!” Grandpa wailed.

“Calm down, Father.” Ms. Higurashi scolded calmly, placing her hand on his shoulder. “She's not going to turn into a delinquent just by missing one day.”

“Oh, but the humiliation! I had to tell the school that she had chronic back-pain to keep them out of suspicion.” Tears came down in Grandpa's old face as he reached his drama limit.

“Father, why don't you go rest, all this frustration isn't good with your blood pressure. I'll deal with Kagome.” Ms. Higurashi stated calmly, watching her as father nodded and, sobbing, went into the kitchen for some headache medicine. As soon as Grandpa left the room, Ms. Higurashi turned her stern, yet calm eyes in Kagome's direction, making both her and Sango flinch.

“I'm not blaming you Sango, dear, but I would like to know why you told me that Kagome was staying over? Is that the truth?”

“Yes.”

“Then why were you at school and she wasn't?”

“Well, Ms. Higurashi, you see, Kagome had a little accident that morning. She seemed to have stomach problems. I knew something was wrong when she ran to the bathroom in the morning.”

“She seems perfectly fine now.” Ms. Higurashi turned her head to her daughter and Kagome though her head would flip upside-down.

“Well, she began to feel better after a little while, but by then it was already four hours into the school day…”

Kagome felt the blood rush to her head. She knew that Sango was trying to protect her, but she couldn't let her take the blame. She had never lied in her life, and making Sango lie for her was really indecent, something she didn't want, even if Sango had good intentions. When Ms. Higurashi turned her head to Kagome for her alibi, Kagome felt her courage crumble.

“Is this true, Kagome?”

“…No. I know I did a terrible thing, skipping school. Yesterday, when I went to give my classmate his homework, I found that he was really sick, his parents weren't home, so I stayed to help him. I couldn't just leave him there…then-”

“Then she called my house to stay over, but it was really late and she ended up over sleeping. She was afraid to come home so she stayed a while. I'm sorry, Ms. Higurashi. It was my fault, I forgot to wake her and she missed school.”

“Sango…” Kagome sighed, she couldn't keep Sango from protecting her after all. Most her confession was true, she had stayed at Inuyasha's house to help him, but Sango's half of the story was an out right lie. Kagome turned her eyes to her to say that she could handle this, but Sango sent back silent words with her eyes, saying that to let her take the blame.

“Why didn't you tell me the truth sooner?” Ms. Higurashi inquired, still suspicious.

“I was afraid you'd be angry with me.” Kagome explained. She had also been hesitant, and before she could say anything, Sango had stood in her defense.

“While I'm proud of you for helping your friend, Kagome, I am disappointed that you missed school and that you didn't call. I was really worried.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Since this is the first time that you have skipped school, I won't ground you, but you will spent the rest of the weekend taking care of the household chores and finishing the schoolwork you've missed. I'm sorry Sango, but I can't allow you to visit the remainder of the weekend as part of Kagome's punishment. I know you meant well, but I can't just excuse this.”

“I understand.” Sango sighed. “See you in school.” She said her final goodbye to Kagome, watching as Kagome silently said “thank you” before she left the house.

()()()()()()()

“Why do you only have beer and soda in your frig?”

“Are you here to help me with this or are you here to raid my frig of all it's contents?”

“You know, I understand the beer, but shouldn't you have at least some kind of instant meal or something, or do you live off takeout?”

“Are you even paying attention to what the hell I'm saying, Inuyasha!” The aggravated voice resonated from across the kitchen. Satoshi turned to the guy who seemed to be fixated on the insides of his refrigerator. He noticed Inuyasha's dazed expression as he looked into the frigid cabinet, and, losing his patience, rose from his seat to slam the door of the refrigerator closed.

“Hey!” Inuyasha immediately whined.

“Is there ever a time when you don't think about food?” Satoshi asked with his brows raised.

“Is that a trick-question?” Inuyasha answered back, receiving a horrendous glare from his friend. “I was kidding. Man, you can't take a joke.” Opening the refrigerator door again and pulling out a soda, Inuyasha walked across the kitchen, sitting himself down next to the table and looking over Satoshi's apartment.

“Can't wait till I graduate. College life seems so much more enjoyable. You and Miroku are lucky to have gotten out early.” He said, cracking the can of soda open. He listened as Satoshi reached into the refrigerator to get his own drink before coming to sit himself in a seat across Inuyasha. Reaching for the papers on the table, Inuyasha pulled them to himself, looking over the equations and calculations. Within fifteen minutes, he had placed the papers down and reached for a pen.

“Man, you suck at math.” He remarked.

“Not everyone has your photographic memory, Jackass.” Satoshi remarked just as sarcastically.

“Damn, what up with you people and not noticing such simple mistakes. Don't you know that a negative and a negative is a positive. This is so goddamn simple.” He said taking a sip from his soda.

“Did you just hear a word I said?” Satoshi inquired.

“Don't you know that there is no limit if it doesn't approach anything?” Inuyasha growled, scribbling more corrections on the pages.

“Apparently not.” Satoshi grumbled.

“Here,” Inuyasha finished, handing the papers to Satoshi, “it's corrected.”

“You know,” Satoshi began, taking the papers form Inuyasha, “sometimes, I wonder if your head is a calculator.”

“Well, math is one of the seven things I'm good at?”

“Yeah, well what are the other six?”

“Fighting, fucking and eating, to name a few.” Inuyasha answered wit ha grin, taking another gulp of his drink.

Satoshi raised his brows before laughing, “You never change. By, the way, this came for you. I think your friends in America still thing you live here.” Satoshi answered, handing Inuyasha a letter.

“Once I graduate I will live here again.”

“Good, because we could use another roommate to pay the rent and-”

Inuyasha suddenly spit out the liquid he had been drinking, his eyes skimming over the letter. “No way.” He mumbled, looking over the letter one more time as if the writing was playing tricks on him. Pulling what looked like a card out of the envelope, he handed the papers to Satoshi.

“A wedding invitation?” Satoshi asked.

“Yeah, Siranosh is getting married.”

“Are you going to go?”

“If I can sneak by my old man, I'd no sooner fly to the Himalayas.”

Satoshi watched Inuyasha for a moment, as he solemnly took sips of his drink without thinking about his recent remark. Knowing someone as stubborn as Inuyasha, there was no way he would admit he was wrong, or see in favor of someone else. Looking down at the table, Satoshi cleared his throat. “You know, you shouldn't keep doing this. I get why you don't care for you old man as much-”

Inuyasha rose from his seat, slamming his hands on the table and glaring daggers in Satoshi's direction. Satoshi, used to his friend's sudden tantrums, remained unfazed. “Hey, whatever I think of my old man is non of your goddamned business!” Inuyasha growled.

“Fine, whatever.” Satoshi let the subject drop, knowing that it wouldn't make much difference whether or not Inuyasha spoke of the father he hated so much. He listened as Inuyasha sat down again.

“Where's Mirorku?” Inuyasha asked, unable to stand the brief yet lingering silence between them.

“Said he's going out with his imaginary girl-friend today.”

“Keh.” A deep rumble came into the room, making Inuyasha sigh and sit back into his chair from the leaning position he had been in earlier. “It sucks to be broke. I gave my winnings to Kagome yesterday, because I felt like an ass for making her buy me lunch, and you had rent to pay…” He whined, placing his arm over his eyes.

“I wouldn't be so hard if my roommate had a mind not to use half of his paycheck on his `girl-friend.'” Satoshi said, crushing his now empty beer can.

“Let's face it, our lives suck.” Inuyasha huffed.

“I wouldn't say that Inuyasha.”

Inuyasha suddenly sat upright, curiosity and loss clearly written on his face, as he looked at Satoshi's smirk for an answer. “The hell do you mean?” He questioned with an eyebrow raised.

“There is something in your life making it easier for you.” Satoshi said with a grin, as he leaned his cheek in his palm, watching Inuyasha's confused face across the table.

“What are you talking about?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Listen here, you retard, stop speaking in riddles and tell me already!”

“Doesn't you not understanding my riddles make you a retard instead of me?”

Losing his patience, Inuyasha banged his fist against the table saying, “Don't change the subject!”

“What's the reason you go to that `hell hole' you call school every day?” Satoshi asked with a bored expression.

“Why else? Because my old man wouldn't let me move out of the house if I didn't.”

“Wrong.”

“What?” Inuyasha made a face. “Are you saying that there's another reason I go there?” He said, taking another sip of his drink.

“Actually I am, you know, `caged bird.'”

Inuyasha's eyes widened and he chocked on the liquid in his throat before throwing the half-empty can at Satoshi's crown.

“What the hell!” He growled as the can flung agaisnt Satoshi's hand and spilled on the table.

“Wow, I've never gotten that kind of reaction from you before.”

“SATOSHI!” Inuyasha began, ready to pounce on the man who was teasing him.

“My my, I've seen you've gotten even more violent then ever Inuyasha.” A new voice entered the room, making Inuyasha halt his soon to be attack on Satoshi and both pairs of eyes turning to the doorway. The young man standing at the entrance looked upon his two best friends, chastising their childish behavior.

“Ah there you are.” Satoshi began, unfazed by the fact that if his roommate hadn't come in at that moment, he would've been attacked by his best friend from across the table. “So, Miroku, how did your date with the `imaginary girlfriend' go?” Satoshi asked, leaning back into his chair, while Inuyasha snickered.

“Stop calling her that! She's real damn it!” Miroku began in his defense, irritation rising in his face.

“Really, then why haven't we met her yet?” Inuyasha snickered.

“Is it because we know things about you that she doesn't, Miroku?” Satoshi said, cupping his chin. “Like how your last three girlfriends-”

“You two had better drop the subject or I'm not giving you this!” Miroku stated, lifting up a bindle of what appeared to be take out.

Satoshi, who wasn't too proud, immediately apologized while Inuyasha threatened to flatten Miroku's head if he didn't give him the meal. Miroku raised his brows at his two friends, before placing the food on the table, watching as Inuyasha and Satoshi took they're half of the sushi. As predicted by Miroku, Inuyasha had devoured his meal in record time, while Satoshi finished shortly after he did.

“Do you ever chew your food?” Miroku said.

“Shut it, Miroku.” Inuyasha answered back as he rose from his seat to pick up a sponge from the sink to clean the mess he had caused when he flung his soda at Satoshi. While he whipped his mess from the surface of the table, Miroku took a seat next to Satoshi.

“But, seriously Miroku, why haven't we met your girlfriend yet?” Satoshi questioned, this time in all seriousness.

“Yeah, we don't bite.” Inuyasha said as he threw the soda-soaked sponge into the sink and came to sit across the table from Satoshi and Miroku.

“I'd no sooner push her off a cliff then invite her to meet you two. Knowing you both, you'd team up and tell her all kinds of stories. It makes me quite embarrassed to know you two.”

“You don't need the two of us to be embarrassed.” Satoshi teased.

“Yeah, I think all those times you get beatings for touching some random woman's ass qualifies as embarrassment.” Inuyasha added with a mocking grin.

“Are you two done?” Miroku, though appearing calm, was begging to get increasingly annoyed. His answer came in the form of two masculine laughs, which didn't serve to decrease his frustration against his two friends. He watched with narrowed eyes, as both males couldn't contain their laughter.

“You're one to talk about embarrassment, Mr. Bottomless Stomach.” Miroku stated calmly, pointing at Inuyasha.

“HEY!” Inuyasha growled!

“Bottomless gut!” Satoshi chuckled, whipping his eyes. “I like that!”

Inuyasha who already had a volcano eruption with his temper, shouted back at Miroku, “Who are you to talk, Mr. Thinks with the wrong head!”

Satoshi began gripping his stomach from laughing so hard. “Stop, you guys, I can't take much more!” He said between gasps.

“Who are you laughing at?” Inuyasha accused.

“Weren't you the one that woke up in the back seat on someone else's car once?” Miroku said, and this time he and Inuyasha took the chance to laugh.

“I was drunk!” Satoshi defended, thought still laughing a little. Inuyasha and Miroku joined him as they ignored their recent name calling fight to join in harmless merrymaking laughter.

“I'd better go before my I get an ulcer from all this laughing.” Inuyasha said after he finally calmed down. He turned to leave the room, when Satoshi's voice reached his ears. “Inuyasha, the fifteenth is coming around.” He said austerely.

Suddenly Inuyasha halted his steps and all recent uplifting joy in the room ceased, being replaced by a grim and somber mood. Miroku looked over to Satoshi, whose eyes seemed unfocused, but waiting for Inuyasha's answer. He himself didn't say anything, knowing what great subject Satoshi was alluding too and what it meant for the three of them. He looked at Inuyasha whom had his back turned toward them, his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slumped forward.

“This year makes it five years…” Miroku stated, watching as Satoshi nodded and Inuyasha replied with a “Keh!”

Satoshi turned his head and asked, “You will be there right?”

There was a long pause before Inuyasha replied “Yeah, see you later.” He walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

()()()()()()()

Kagome looked at he large building of her school. After missing just one day, this place that had become part of the daily routine seemed so foreign too her. She looked around and had yet to see a couple of students, being the fact that it was early and she came to meet with student council. Sighing, she entered the building, heading on her way to the student council lounge.

She'd pass by some early birds now and then in the halls, and hear them whispering to themselves. As she neared the student council room, Kagome passed by a couple of girls on their way out from the bathroom, and a few words reached her ears.

“Did you hear? I heard the Student Council vice president from senior class B had ditched class with the school baddie.”

“I heard they were both having a secret affair.”

“I can't believe that a member of student council would do such a thing!”

“WHAT!” Kagome felt like a rock had dropped into her stomach and her heart felt like doing a summersault.