InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fenced ❯ This Is How It Goes ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter nine: This is how it goes.

“I'm not wearing anything that is that expensive.” Kagome protested. “If it's worth that amount of money I expect to be able to drive it”

Sesshoumaru snorted in a most undignified manner “The money is pittance, it will not buy you a car”

She turned on him “Maybe not your type of super-car but a nice enough car!”

They were arguing about the dress Izayoi had purchased for Inuyasha's ball. It was beautiful and elegant and spectacular, but it was also too much.

Izayoi, unfortunately, was adamant that this was the dress for Kagome.

“But I had it made just for you!” she pouted.

Kagome groaned “Don't you see? That makes it worse!”

“Please Kagome-chan?” Izayoi pleaded “you'd look so good in it!”

“And I'm not denying that” Kagome folded her arms “but it's too extravagant, I'll spill something on it and I'm only going to wear it once!”

Izayoi waved the protests away in the same manner anyone with far too much money and time would. “It's perfect and you're wearing it”

And that was final. All protests fell on deaf ears; Izayoi had made up her mind.

***

Kagome's mother watched curiously as her daughter, cursing and growling the entire way, hauled something that looked suspiciously like a dress bag into the flat.

“Kagome dear?” she queried.

“Yeah?” Kagome panted out.

“What is that you have?” she sipped her coffee as she waited for a reply

“Dress for Inuyasha's ball. Izayoi bought it and is making me wear it” Kagome said and then began grumbling something inaudible about `rich people'.

“You're going to a ball?” her mother fretted.

“It'll be fine Okasan, Sesshoumaru, lord asshole extraordinaire, taught me to waltz”

“If you say so” her mother mumbled back worriedly. She didn't like this at all.

***

Sesshoumaru was momentarily stunned into silence. Only momentarily of course. Kagome looked every inch the perfect cultured lady in the light blue, empire waist, gown Izayoi had picked out. Her hair was curled into a smooth coil on the back of her head and held in place with a silver comb of his mother's.

And then she opened her mouth, effectively ruining the image of perfection.

“What are you staring at?” she snapped, nervously readjusting the shawl draped across her delicate shoulders.

“I was merely pondering how much nicer it would be if you were mute” he replied

She punched his arm and winced.

“What are you? Made of steel?”

“Do not expect to punch a demon and come off unscathed” he replied tersely

“Don't expect to insult me and get away with it” she rebuked

“Just take my arm” he said in a tired tone of voice. Crooking her arm for her he was relieved when she acquiesced without argument.

They entered the ball room to discover people milling about everywhere. The all looked extremely arrogant and the women all had a certain vulture like appearance.

“I feel like I've just entered the vulture exhibit in the zoo” Kagome murmured and winced as Sesshoumaru pinched her waist in reprimand.

“Keep such opinions to yourself, most of these people are demons and may hear you” he nodded to a man in an ill fitting tuxedo who smiled.

“I don't see many people our age” she said curiously

“That is because they are over there with Inuyasha” he pointed at a group of guys and girls crowding the Hanyou in question. Kagome didn't recognise any of them.

“Who are they?” she inquired

“They are from my school, they used to be in Inuyasha's class, before he got kicked out” he said

“And the girls?”

“I have no idea, Izayoi dredged them up from somewhere” he shrugged

“Shouldn't Miroku be here?” she asked in confusion

“The people here are influential, either moneyed through business or through their family, it would not go down well if the lecher put in an appearance” he said

“But isn't it Inuyasha's birthday?”

“It matters not”

“Why am I here then?” she asked in confusion “I'm most certainly not moneyed”

“Izayoi wanted you here” he shrugged “not only are you a soothing influence on Inuyasha, but you will not grope all females in attendance”

“Ah” she nodded “I get it, sort of, but I don't like it”

“You do not have to” he sighed.

“Are we going to go and see Inuyasha?” she asked

Sesshoumaru tensed noticeably and Kagome glanced up at him in surprise.

“What's wrong?”

“Sara, she's making a beeline in our direction”

Kagome followed the path of Sesshoumaru's eyes and smirked at the sight of the determined woman making her way over to them.

“Are you going to hide behind a pillar?” she asked, amused at his predicament.

“No” he replied shortly “we are going to dance”

That said he dragged the stunned Miko into the dance floor and quickly led her into the throngs of dancers. Smirking in satisfaction at losing Sara he glanced down at the Miko. She was, it seemed, trying with immense concentration to not step on his toes. If he had been a lesser being he might have described her as cute.

Eventually she began to relax and her posture became more fluid and calm. She looked like she had been waltzing her entire life; Sesshoumaru believed it was due to his excellence at leading. Kagome was merely stunned she hadn't stepped on him yet.

“Can I cut in?” a male voice enquired and Kagome looked up at a male around Sesshoumaru's age with dark hair pulled into a long braid with a purple star on his forehead.

“Bankotsu” Sesshoumaru glared at the male for a moment before releasing Kagome to him, somewhat reluctantly.

Smirking as he pulled the Miko into his arms, Bankotsu watched Sesshoumaru go gleefully. His sister, Sara, had ordered him to get the girl to leave and who would he be to deny her?

“Um... hi?” she said as he deftly manoeuvred them across the floor.

“Hello” he smirked “I'm Bankotsu, may I enquire as to your name?”

“I'm Kagome”

“If you don't mind me saying Kagome, you don't look very comfortable here”

“It's not really my thing” she shrugged as best as she was able whilst in hold.

“Truly?” he asked in mild surprise “I thought all moneyed ladies were taught to dance and attend balls as a way of life”

“I'm not a moneyed lady” Kagome countered

“Of course” he frowned “then what are you doing here?”

She was shocked by the abrupt iciness he injected into his tone “I was invited by Izayoi”

“That would be Izayoi-sama, have you no manners?”

“She never objected” Kagome tried to pull away from him futilely.

“So that is why you are here” he sneered “you wish to marry into money?2

“No!” she protested “I would never”

“Even if that is the truth do you really think that anyone in this room believes it? Do you think that Sesshoumaru trusts you? I for one do not”

She glared at him and carelessly stomped on his foot. “Let me go” she snarled whipping away from him and walking over to where she had seen Sesshoumaru disappear to.

She rounded a corner into the hallway in time to hear Sara asked Sesshoumaru: “Who is that girl?”

“She is Kagome” he answered bluntly

“Why is she here?”

“She works for my step-mother this is mere charity work on Izayoi's part. She does enjoy helping poor impoverished ningen”

“So she doesn't mean anything to you?” Sara clarified shooting a satisfied glance over his shoulder at a stunned Kagome.

“She is amusing to taunt” he commented offhandedly “even if she is loud, unruly, clumsy and ridiculously violent”

Kagome growled incoherently, pulled off the ridiculous stilettos she had been wearing, and pelted the shoes at the back of his shiny silver head, revelling in the dull crack.

“Asshole!” she yelled “keep the shoes!”

A/N: I don't own Inuyasha. Thank you for all the reviews! Please review again?