InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dancing with Scissors ❯ Brothers and Sisters ( Chapter 10 )

Rin crept into Kagome's room, sniffing and clutching a plush white tiger tightly to her chest. “Kagome?” she called, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. “Kagome?”

 

Her aunt lifted her head up, blinking to focus. “Rin?” she asked sleepily.

 

“Can I get in bed with you?”

 

“Of course, baby. Come on in.” She reached out, and Rin quickly crossed the room and climbed onto the big bed. “Oberon, shove over.” She drew her niece into her arms. “Did you get lonely?”

 

Rin hid her face in Kagome's chest as her hair was stroked. “I miss Mommy and Daddy,” she choked out.

 

“Me too, honey. Me too.” She sighed sadly. “Let it out. It's okay.” As sobs shook the little body, Kagome rubbed and petted, quietly encouraging. When Rin finally looked up and attempted a smile, Kagome asked, “Better?”

 

“A little. I just want them.”

 

“I know.” Kagome kissed the child's forehead. “It does get better, sweetie. It never goes away, but it gets better. I promise.” Feeling comforted, Rin snuggled deeper into her aunt's arms. “You've been through a lot this past month. Not just your Mom and Dad; you've met new family, we've moved, regular school's out. That's a lot of change. And you've been great. I'm very proud of you.”

 

They were both startled by the alarm clock loudly blaring. Kagome reached over and turned it off, then discretely slid the large box of sex toys on the floor under her bed.

 

“And so it begins. Our new normal.” They got up. “You alright, hon?” Kagome inquired gently, as she threw her robe around her nakedness, dodging the whip-like tail of the big black dog who was stretching his way to the door.

 

The girl nodded and asked, “Are you going to take me to school today?”

 

“Yep. And I think your uncle will be picking you up. I need to double check with him.”

 

Over the weekend, Kagome had finished unpacking and decorated the living room, dining area, kitchen, bathroom, and the bedrooms; the only thing left was the setting up of her studio and the making of curtains. Rin had spent some time at the main house, getting to know her grandparents, giving Kagome an opportunity to run and catch up on email. They had all taken lunch together on Sunday, and though the atmosphere was painfully tense at times, Rin's perkiness lightened the mood considerably, and Kagome knew with time relations with the Taishos would improve. The schedules had been coordinated, and she felt she finally had something resembling order imposed on the chaos.

 

“My Uncle?” Rin chirped, brightening.

 

Kagome tousled the girl's hair affectionately. “Go get dressed while I take care of the dog.”

 

Twenty minutes later, dog let out and fed and coffee made, Kagome was singing along to Neko Case as she took the eggs from the refrigerator.

 

Hey pretty baby get high with me,
We can go to my sisters if we say we'll watch the baby
The look on your face yanks my neck on the chain
And I would do anything
To see you again

 

A knock at the front door interrupted her. “Dolly, get the door would you, please?”

 

Rin, seated at the island counter of the eat-in kitchen, slid off the tall barstool and padded to the door as the dog trotted up to investigate. “Obi, mooove,” she said, pushing the canine obstruction out of the way, and opened the door. “Uncle Sesshoumaru!” she screamed with delight.

 

Sesshoumaru was welcomed by two black-haired heads competing for his attention and the intense aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

 

“Oberon!” Kagome commanded. “Off!” The dog obediently went back to his food bowl to finish eating.

 

As Rin pulled him through the small dining area and into the kitchen, Sesshoumaru was impressed at how quickly Kagome had unpacked, giving the cottage a comfortable, lived-in feel. He spotted her, cracking eggs and wearing a threadbare flannel robe printed with images of dogs playing poker and dogs playing pool. It was easily the tackiest, most hideously ugly article of clothing he'd ever seen.

 

“Good morning…for a Monday,” she greeted, stifling a yawn. “What?” she asked after noticing his expression of disapproval.

 

His face quickly became a blank mask again. “Your robe,” he replied.

 

She grinned enthusiastically. “Isn't it great! When I saw this at the fabric store five years ago, I bought every yard they had. I made bathrobes for a bunch of friends for Christmas that year. Unfortunately mine is on its last legs. Should have tossed it ages ago, but I just can't bear to part with it. Can I offer you a cup of coffee?”

 

The fact that she had actually sewn the offensive item and was wearing it, not only by choice, but in spite of the obviously tattered condition made it even more distasteful. “I'm on my way to work. I just stopped in to drop this off.” He pulled a folded piece of paper from an interior pocket of his dark, tailored suit.

 

“Ohcomeon. It's not even seven-thirty; you can spare fifteen minutes.” She poured him a cup of steaming coffee. “It's from Ruby's,” she tempted. Ruby's was a local micro roastery, famed for its high-quality, shade-grown beans and worshipped by area coffee lovers.

 

“Please,” Rin entreated, climbing back onto her perch. She looked at him with puppy dog eyes and a pretty, pouting mouth.

 

“Ooo she's pulling out The Look. Almost no one can resist The Look,” Kagome commented.

 

Rin didn't waver, silently praying her uncle wouldn't join her mother on the very short list of people invulnerable to her pitiable expression. He acquiesced, taking the cup and feeling slightly railroaded, but Rin, with her hopeful, sad eyes, was impossible to tell No.

 

“Milk or sugar?”

 

“Black,” he answered flatly, though he had to admit, after sipping the rich, satiny brew, Kagome made excellent coffee.

 

She resumed breakfast preparation, whisking eggs and dropping butter into a skillet on the stove. “Thanks for bringing the finished schedule over; I assume that's it.” Sesshoumaru said nothing to contradict her so she continued. “Can you still pick up Rin from school today?”

 

“I can.”

 

“Did you get a booster seat for your car?”

 

“I did.”

 

“I recommend putting a folded up towel underneath it to protect the leather. But really…just kiss the present state of your car interior goodbye. Sticky fingers, dirty little shoes, melted crayons. Kids can spontaneously generate mess from absolutely no raw materials.”

 

“Hey!” protested Rin. “Don't believe her Uncle Sesshoumaru. My Daddy said I'm clean compared to Shippou.”

 

Sesshoumaru made a mental note to have Rin wash her hands and remove her shoes before entering his car and to never allow the red-headed boy anywhere near it.

 

“Well, I really appreciate it,” Kagome said gratefully. “I've got an appointment downtown this afternoon, and I don't know if it will be finished in time to get to Haven by four-fifteen. I hope it doesn't inconvenience you too much.”

 

“I've shuffled my schedule around so I can finish this afternoon's work here.”

 

She smiled softly. “Thank you.”

 

“Kagome,” Rin said, “I still like Kagome Eggs, but can you make me Daddy Eggs sometime?”

 

“Sure honey. Next time I go to the grocery, I'll get what we need.”

 

“Kagome Eggs? Daddy Eggs?” Sesshoumaru asked in spite of himself.

 

Kagome tipped the contents of the bowl into the frying pan and got a wooden spoon. “Kagome Eggs are scrambled eggs, fried in butter. Inuyasha Eggs, or Daddy Eggs, he made with a side of bacon or sausage or ham…or some combination of the three…and are fried in the fat from the bacon or sausage.”

 

“Inuyasha cooked?” Sesshoumaru was dubious.

 

“Yeah, the three of us rotated cooking and cleaning duties. When it was Inuyasha's turn he almost always grilled. Don't know what it is about men and open flame and meat. Thousands of years of evolution haven't removed that basic caveman instinct. I can't tell you how many memories I have of him standing over the grill with an umbrella in the rain.” She tilted the pan, scraping and turning with the spoon.

 

“Kagome, do you think Mommy will be sad if I don't want to have Mommy Eggs again?” Rin was suddenly worried.

 

“No honey. I don't think Mommy even liked eating Mommy Eggs that much.” She put the food on a plate and served it to RIn. “When Kikyou made eggs,” Kagome explained to Sesshoumaru, “it was with a rather vile egg substitute. She didn't eat meat.”

 

“My brother married a vegetarian?” he asked, even more doubtfully.

 

Kagome snickered at his incredulity. “A vegetarian with strong vegan tendencies. Really, Kikyou was an excellent cook. She could work miracles with tofu.”

 

“Inyasha ate tofu?” He was uncertain if he could believe her; Inuyasha had been a zealous carnivore as long as he could remember.

 

“Yeah, kicking and screaming at first, but Kikyou gave bean curd its due respect as a unique ingredient; she never tried to pass it off as fake meat. I don't think Inuyasha ever liked it. He gleefully slapped a steak on the grill next to Kikyou's tempeh kebabs, but he forced it down without too much complaint when it was her turn to cook. There were notable exceptions, of course.” Kagome recalled with a shudder some nearly inedible recipes.

 

Sesshoumaru wondered how he could possibly reconcile his previous image of his brother, a lazy, irresponsible fast food addict, with the cleaning, cooking, tofu-eating one Kagome described.

 

Kagome sensed some skepticism. “Inuyasha as an adult was a different person than the one you probably have embedded in your mind. He was still Inuyasha at his core, pretty much a wild kid in a man's body, but he grew up a lot, especially when Rin came along. And he was an incredibly loyal, protective friend.”

 

Rin listened to the brief conversation about her parents with interest. She heard stories of her mother and Kagome's girlhoods often, but still had problems imagining her father, whom she had never thought of as anything other than perfect in every way, as a child and was eager to hear more about this unknown part of his life from these new family members.

 

“Uncle Sesshoumaru, can you tell me a story about my Daddy when he was little?”

 

He considered this for a moment; as boys, he and Inuyasha fought constantly. “Rin, your grandmother would be a much better source for that information.”

 

“She said we are gonna decorate my new bedroom today after school. I'll have two new bedrooms,” she said proudly. “Will I help her paint?”

 

He almost laughed at the thought of his mother painting. “Actually Rin, your grandmother has invited her decorator to consult this afternoon. You'll be looking at pictures and sample books.”

 

This was a bit disappointing and reinforced in Rin's mind her conclusion that life next door was very different from all her prior experience.

 

“And now I must be going,” he announced, rising. “Rin, I'll see you at your school. Kagome, thank you for the coffee.”

 

Kagome looked on with amusement as Rin squirmed in excitement at the prospect of being picked up by her new-found object of adoration.

 

XxXxX

 

Sango tidied her desk, rearranging stacks of paper and photos of her cats, while she waited for her husband to pick her up for an early lunch. Beginning when they started dating seriously, Sango and Miroku always made a point of keeping an hour free one day a week so they could have lunch together. The first week of the month they went to a new or long-neglected place; the last week was spent eating carry-out naked in Sango's office, upon a thick quilt spread on the floor, blinds drawn and door locked. Their preferred day was Wednesday, but Miroku's court schedule necessitated a Monday luncheon on this particular week.

 

There was a short knock, and Kagome's face appeared in the open door.

 

“Hey! I was in the neighborhood with a few minutes to spare,” Kagome greeted her friend. “The receptionist said you didn't have any clients right now.”

 

“Nope! Miroku should be here soon, but in the meantime I want to hear all about your new place.”

 

“It rules,” Kagome squealed as she reclined on Sango's couch. “Our old place was pretty big; this one is at least that big, with an insane bathroom and the world's best kitchen. It almost makes me want to briefly break my vow of celibacy so I can have some hot guy fuck me raw on the kitchen counter.”

 

“Kagome, you're such a romantic,” she said dreamily, batting her eyelashes. “But seriously, what's stopping you?” Sango asked, point blank. “This no dating policy has gone on a long time. Long enough. I respect your reasons,” she continued, lifting her hand to stop an interruption. “I understand that Doctor Tit Fuck sent your self-confidence into hiding, but that was over a year and a half ago. I think you are using feminism and the I Don't Need A Man To Be Happy line as an excuse to avoid your fears of rejection. I think you're afraid to take chances, and the sooner you admit it, the sooner you can get over it and date again. Kagome,” she said more gently, “you like men. You like sex with men. Don't let life and a possible great relationship pass you by. Come out from your safety net.”

 

A rather livid-looking Kagome stood quickly, crossing her arms over her B-Cup On A Good Day chest. “Are you quite finished?” she demanded, shooting daggers with her eyes.

 

Sango bit back a smile. “The floor is all yours.”

 

“You,” she growled through clenched teeth, “are dead wrong. I'm afraid of jack shit. Certainly not…pfft…men. I could give rat's ass that Hojo The Hooter Lover rejected me. I choose to stay single because…men are needy and time consuming, and I've got enough going on in my life right now. And I do NOT have body image issues, so don't even go there.”

 

“Okayokay, down girl,” Sango laughed. “You're awful cute when you're willfully in denial.”

 

“Whatever! Now stop trying to pimp me, Slick Sango Slayer-Mama,” she snorted, unable to assign Sango a pimp name with a straight face.

 

“I'll stop!” Sango giggled. “Just never call me that in my husband's presence.” Mentally however, Sango was plotting, promising herself that she would force Kagome to go on at least one date before the year was over. “So…how's Sesshoumaru?”

 

“Gawd! You don't stop, do you?” Kagome said, sitting and sinking back down. “I haven't seen that much of Sesshoumaru…more his parents, though we all spent some time together yesterday. Damn but that family took all the fun out of dysfunctional. I can tell there is caring, but I've never seen as much passive-aggressive cold-shouldering. They just tiptoe around each other, not communicating. Rose seems to be putting forth an effort, but Old Man Taisho…he's so curmudgeonly, he's practically a caricature. He'll be my special project. You see, I've decided I'm the Self-Appointed Taisho Family Repair Kit.”

 

“Oh?” Sango's curiosity was piqued.

 

“Well, we are neighbors, and I can't stand to live next to such bullshit, but it's more for Rin's sake. They are her family. I could tell, after coming from our open, no secrets, no holds barred household, the level of bitter silence confused the shit out of her. Poor thing. She's just not used to adults acting like that. They really need a huge lesson on how to relax. The tension in that house is thick and suffocating. And I am their savior,” Kagome concluded with satisfaction.

 

“Such the mother hen, you are,” Sango mocked. “If it were anyone but you, I'd say stay out of it, but I learned long ago of your stubbornness…and your ability to fix things.”

 

Kagome was quiet a moment. “Seriously though, I do find myself liking them. I wish Inuyasha was still alive to see his daughter staring at his brother with near rapture on her face. It'd fucking kill him.” She sat up. “But their house is amazing. And the guest house is perfect for us. Hey,” she said, sitting up, “can you and Miroku come over for dinner this weekend? You can see the place. Rin would love to show off her new bedroom.”

 

“We'd love to. I've got Ultimate practice on Saturday, but it's early. When are you going to come and see a game? The team is really good this year; we should make regionals again.” Sango was the captain of a local co-ed Ultimate Frisbee team.

 

Kagome sighed. “I know. Maybe in a couple weeks we can get a big group together for a picnic and watch you. Bank and Jak have so many wedding receptions in the summer; I'll check and see if they have any free time coming up. I've just been so busy lately. It should calm down soon though. I'm behind on a couple projects, but not that bad. Fuck…I've got a deadline for the column pinching my ass, and I haven't even started it yet. Looks like another late night. I actually got seven hours of sleep in last night.”

 

“Say, that reminds me…what the hell is seventh posture?”

 

“Kikyou introduced me to it. It was one of the few sex positions she could tolerate in the last months of pregnancy. She said Inuyasha could hit her sweet spot and not put pressure on her bladder. I have to say it's pretty intense. The receiver has to be kind of flexible, but you're in good shape. Come here,” she said, sliding down and lying on her side. “It's easier to show than tell.” Sango climbed on the sofa with her. “Okay you're the guy…or the girl sporting a strap-on. Straddle my bottom leg…now pick my top leg up and put it on your opposite shoulder.” They giggled together, limbs twisting. “God, I'm glad I wore capris instead of a skirt today. So now you,” she continued, grasping Sango's hips and bringing her close, “as the penetrator would thrust away.”

 

“My god. What good thing did I do to deserve this?” a voice from the doorway moaned. “Where's a camera when you need one.”

 

Sango, blushing hotly, jumped off Kagome, who in turn got up and straightened her shirt, trying not to laugh.

 

“You don't need to stop!” Miroku objected frantically.

 

“I've gotta bail—band practice. I'll leave you two love birds be,” Kagome said, pinching his cheeks and smooching him loudly on the mouth. “I hope you were taking notes,” she winked, then left them alone.

 

Sango stood behind and wrapped her arms around her husband's chest, planting a trail of wet kisses up his neck. “Do you want to skip lunch?” she purred.

 

He turned and ground the hard, prominent bulge in his pants against her. “Sango, dear, I'm not currently fit to be seen in public,” he whispered in her ear.

 

“Mmm…let's do something about that.”

 

XxXxX

 

Sesshoumaru finished his phone calls and packed up his laptop in preparation for leaving work early. It was a quarter before four, and he hadn't left the office before six for as long as he could remember. Since taking control of day to day operations of Taisho, Inc. he ran the company like a well-oiled machine, completely involved in every aspect of real property, both commercial and industrial, investment, and contracts. He was often accused of micro-managing, and he admitted he should cut back on the eighty-hour work week he currently maintained, but his routine of work and meetings, gym and dojo was deeply ingrained. Perhaps however, he thought, leaving early was not such a bad thing; his secretary, managers, and supervisors were all entirely competent, and he knew the company would survive more frequent absences. And though he was changing his schedule in order to play babysitter, the idea did not bother him as much as he imagined it would.

 

His cell rang as he handed a stack of papers to his secretary on his way out. It was Kagome. “Yes,” he answered.

 

“Sesshoumaru? It's Kagome. Have you left your office yet?”

 

“I was just on my way out.”

 

“Ohthankgod, I didn't miss you. I'll meet you in the lobby.” She hung up.

 

“What an irritating woman,” he said to no one, pocketing his phone.

 

He saw her as soon as he stepped off the elevator. She was waiting nearby, carrying a small artist's portfolio and wearing a clingy, sleeveless ivory dress which showed off her subtle, slender curves and incredibly long legs. Quite an improvement over her appearance that morning, he reflected rakishly.

 

“I'm so glad I caught you!” she pounced. “Can I hitch a ride back to Arborview with you and Rin? My appointment didn't take as long as I thought it would, but I just missed a bus and thought I could ride with you.”

 

An arched brow rose imperiously. “Bus?”

 

She rolled her eyes. “Public transportation? It's kinda like a car…but bigger…rectangular. It's usually filled with people who all look like they wish they were somewhere else. Ring any bells?”

 

“I know what a bus is, Kagome,” he scowled, hating her derisive tone. “Why don't you have your car?”

 

“Because driving and parking downtown make me want to do terrible things to people. I don't know what it is about this town…the per capita of lousy drivers is uncommonly high. Sometimes driving down here is unavoidable, but I take the bus whenever possible.” She slung her portfolio over a shoulder and looped her free arm through his. “Which way?” she smiled up at him as they exited the building.

 

He looked down into her big, brown, teasing eyes. “Left. And don't start to think of me as your taxi.”

 

“Of course not, silly!” she exclaimed. “You have to pay a cabbie.”

 

Deep brown eyes and soft body pressing against his be damned, he thought. She was as big a nuisance as his brother.

 

As they walked toward the parking garage, Kagome chatted amiably about Rin's excitement for him picking her up and how she wished Inuyasha could see them together. He used the keyless entry to unlock the doors, flashing the brake lights on a dark silver car.

 

“I hope she's not disappointed to see me with—ohmygod,” she gasped. “OH MY GOD! Is that your CAR?” she screamed. “Oh my god! A BMW M6! I love this car! Is it a 2006 or 2007?”

 

“'07. You know cars?” he asked with surprise.

 

“I'm not an expert or anything. But I've been drooling over this car since BMW unveiled it a few years ago. Zero to sixty in four seconds! Ten cylinder engine! One hundred fifty five miles per hour! What's not to love? Other than fuel economy of course, but you can't be green all the time!” She slowly walked around the automobile with nothing short of ecstasy on her face. “Eee! I've never been this close to one before. It's the most beautiful car I've ever seen,” she said, finally calming. She looked at him closely. “Funny…I always assumed you drove a Hummer.” She couldn't help but laugh at his murderous expression. “Kidding! Kidding…don't hurt me!”

 

“I've changed my mind,” he said dryly. “Find your own ride home.”

 

“No! No. I'm sorry. I'll be good.” Kagome had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. “It really is a gorgeous car. OH! Can I drive? PLEASE! Pleaseletmedrive!”

 

“No. And for pity's sake, stop screaming.”

 

“Please! Pleasepleaseplease. I drive a fucking mini-van for godsake. Please,” she begged.

 

“No.”

 

“Please…I'm a good driver, I swear.”

 

“No,” he said sharply. “Don't ask me again.”

 

“Okay, fine,” she grumbled, accepting defeat. “I'll be content just to ride in one.” They got in, tossing laptop and portfolio in the back. “That car seat looks utterly incongruous back there. I can't believe you're going to let a four-year old in here.”

 

“I didn't realize I had any options,” he muttered.

 

“I guess not. I'll give Rin the spiel about how she can't treat this car like she does mine.”

 

As they pulled out of the garage, Kagome pulled down her visor and peered in the mirror. “Damn I look good in here. The black leather is heavenly.”

 

He glanced at her, lightly tanned skin luminous against the dark interior and silently agreed. Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade floated from the sound system, violin sweetly enchanting, and she relaxed against the supple Merino leather with a soft moan.

 

“Ah…Rimsky-Korsakov. Of the Russian Five, I think he's my favorite.” She sighed with bliss, fully enjoying the posh seats and state-of-the-art sound system.

 

A smile threatened his impassive expression. “Fast cars and classical music. You are full of surprises.”

 

“Mmm, my father was a high school music teacher, so my sister and I grew up with it. My dad insisted on piano lessons starting at age five, and he wouldn't let us quit unless we found another instrument as a replacement.”

 

“And did you?” Sesshoumaru asked. He would have preferred to quietly listen to music, but she apparently was persisting in conversation.

 

“Yeah, but much to his disappointment it wasn't a brass or a woodwind. He was the director of the marching band and wanted us to participate. Of course, we didn't cooperate. Your mom told me she was a concert pianist. You must have had a lot of music around too. Did she ever give you lessons?”

 

Sesshoumaru thought about his mother's gifted playing. When her depression waned and she got out of bed, she would sit and play for hours, he and Inuyasha on the floor by her feet, watching as she worked the pedals, enjoying her presence back in their lives. But the flashes of her vibrancy were few and far between; usually the house was filled by empty silence, interrupted by angry shouts. “She was my first teacher. I continued with lessons in boarding and preparatory school.”

 

Kagome peeked discretely at his hand resting on the gear shifter of the manual transmission. The elegant shape and strong-looking, long fingers proved too great a temptation. She reached over and laid her own hand over his, trying not to stroke the smooth skin. He glared at her, startled. “Sorry,” she spit out, quickly pulling back. “You have beautiful hands.”

 

The intimacy of the touch and comment mildly shocked him. No previous girlfriend or lover had ever said such a thing to him before, and he felt like he'd been missing out on something.

 

She watched the confusion playing on his face and inwardly kicked herself for her impulsiveness. “And such looong fingers. I bet you can play a mean Liszt or Rachmaninov,” she said to diffuse the tension.

 

“Hn. I don't play much anymore.”

 

“Me neither. I haven't had access to a piano in years. My sister still played; one of her band mates had one. Oh, I've been meaning to mention this…next month there will be a show at the Offramp. A bunch of local bands are going to play…sort of a tribute to Inuyasha and Kikyou. It'll be Arrow's swan song, with me taking Kikyou's place. You should try to come.”

 

“I didn't realize you played guitar.”

 

“Yeah, guitar was the piano replacer. Actually Drew Nash, Dave Baker, and I were the founding members of the band. I used to work at the Radical Rye, that sandwich shop on Summitt,” she explained. “I always would sing during my shift, and Drew was one of the regulars. One day he said he was forming a band with his friend and asked if I wanted to sing. I think he really just wanted to get in my pants, but I recognized that he and Dave had talent, so I kinda took over. I quickly changed what was originally conceived of as a heavy metal cover band with a miserable name, into alt-rock, all original songs. Kikyou took my place right after we recorded the first demo.”

 

He couldn't help but be curious. “Why did you quit?”

 

“Oh…personal reasons. I'll tell you about it someday.”

 

“And what was the first name?”

 

She snorted. “Nocturnal Emission. Guys can be so fucking single-minded. The whole band thing now though is a bit depressing. Arrow should be just getting back from playing Bonnaroo this past weekend. Instead they're in mourning. Fortunately they all have side projects they've been involved with for the past few years, so they have other things. Kikyou felt like she was missing Rin's childhood and slowed things down a lot. This latest album was supposed to mark their reentry into the scene.” She smiled sadly. “Sorry, am I boring you?”

 

Sesshoumaru realized he was in fact somewhat interested and hoped she'd continue. It wasn't often he conversed with anyone on matters not involving the business and financial world. “Not at all. I'm simply impressed you were able to speak for so long and only use one obscenity.”

 

She laughed loudly. “Damn! And Inuyasha said you had no sense of humor.”

 

“And now you're taking your sister's place?” he prompted.

 

“Yeah. I'm totally shitting bricks over it. Even when I played regularly I was never as good at guitar as she was. Her real strength though was in song writing. Drew and Kikyou shared song writing and lead guitar duties and were an amazing team. She was a brilliant lyricist and could kick out guitar riffs with the best of them. She pretty much excelled at everything she did.”

 

“That's what Inuyasha said about her. That she was perfect.”

 

“Yeah…actually more of a perfectionist. She could be quite a control freak. Let me put that another way—freak is such a pejorative. My sister was very…careful,” Kagome said thoughtfully. “She was smart and talented and did everything extremely well, which is a good thing, because she was petrified of failure. A lot of people thought she was stand-offish. She wasn't, just very guarded, didn't let herself open up too easily. She really was warm and funny and giving, but only her closest friends knew the real Kikyou. Honestly, as perfect as she was, I kind of felt sorry for her sometimes.”

 

“Really? Wasn't she happy?”

 

“Happy? I think she was very happy. But she also had impossibly high standards and was incredibly hard on herself. I gave myself permission to fuck up a long time ago, and with it came self-forgiveness. Kikyou was still struggling with that. I think it would be miserable to be perfect all the time.”

 

Sesshoumaru pondered what she said. “Kagome, may I ask you something?”

 

“Fire away.”

 

“What in the world did your sister see in my brother? Was it a case of opposites attracting?”

 

Kagome smiled softly. “No, it wasn't like that. I think their bond was acceptance. They never tried to change each other. After growing up with your parents asking him constantly `why can't you be more like your brother?' Inuyasha really appreciated someone who liked him for who he was, just as he was. And the fact that the person who was so accepting was also perfect, just made it…I don't know…magical for him. I think every day he was amazed that she wanted him.

 

“Inuyasha had some serious confidence issues, all buried under mountains brashness and bravado. He told me once that after he was diagnosed with dyslexia and sent to that high school that specialized in learning disabilities, he finally felt that he wasn't alone in the world. All the times that he was told he was smart but lazy and worthless ended up a self-fulfilling prophecy. He quit trying, got in trouble. When he went to that school, suddenly he was with kids with attention problems and hyperactivity, and he felt for the first time he wasn't the world's biggest fuck-up. That there were other kids like him, who were getting along in life okay. Too bad he wasn't diagnosed earlier. It would have prevented a lot of heartache.”

 

Sesshoumaru digested all this. He was already in college when he learned of his brother's learning disability, but had never thought about how it had affected him. “You still haven't answered my question, Kagome. Why did your sister like him?”

 

“For the same reason. He never asked anything from her; loved her as she was…all her perfections and imperfections together. She placed serious burdens on herself, and a lot of people expected the sun and the moon from her. And I can't tell you how many guys in high school tried to get Ice Princess Kikyou drunk and take advantage of her. Even some of our friends were constantly after her to let her hair down. And she did sometimes, but it had to be on her own terms and under specific circumstances. So when she met Inuyasha who just let her be, she knew he was special. That's not to say they didn't tell each other to lighten up or grow up, sometimes several times a day, but they were both strong in the knowledge that if the lightening and the growing didn't happen, the love wouldn't change.”

 

He pulled into the drive of Rin's school and parked. Rin was standing by the door, bubbly and waving. They walked up to the building together, Sesshoumaru with the flickers of seeing his brother in a new light.

 

&&&

 

I do not own Inuyasha. Or anything else.