InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Gambling Your Way to Freedom ❯ An Offer Refused ( Chapter 3 )

Gambling Your Way to Freedom

Chapter 3: An Offer Refused

Sango sighed as she walked into the bedroom, leaning against the doorframe to watch her only friend pack. “Kagome, are you alright?”

“Hmm?” Kagome said, looking up from the box she was stacking clothes into. “Yeah, I'm ok. Just shocked about the whole Hojo thing is all. You sure you won't go to the hospital?”

“I'm fine,” Sango replied, waving her off. “And don't change the subject. Now, I know something is up, so what is it?”

She shrugged. “I'm just…I dunno…”

“Scared?” Sango supplied, smiling and quirking her eyebrow at Kagome's shocked expression.

“How could you tell?”

Sango sighed. “Kagome, I've known you long enough to read your emotions. Now what are you so afraid of? Hojo?”

“Sango, what if…” The young miko sighed, the shirt she was folding falling forgotten by her side. “What if…”

“What if he had taken Hojo up on his offer?” She finished for her friend. Kagome nodded and Sango walked over to wrap her arms around the now shaking woman. “Kagome, you know as well as I do that youkai do not mate people all willy nilly. It's not something they enter into lightly.”

“But, what if you're right and he's just using me and when he tires of me, I'll wake up one day to realize he's sold me to someone else?”

“I was angry,” Sango sighed. “I didn't really mean it. I only said those things because I was hurt. I didn't want to be left alone in this hellhole.” They sat down on the bed and Kagome's forehead collapsed onto her friend's shoulder. She could feel the young girl's tears slowly soaking her shirt and she wracked her brain trying to figure out how to comfort her distraught friend. Brushing the young girl's hair from her shoulder, Sango gently touched Sesshoumaru's mark on Kagome's neck. “This mark isn't temporary. It brands your soul to his. For all eternity. You could never rid yourself of him, even if you really wanted to.”

“I just don't understand what he sees in me,” she mumbled.

“Well,” Sango said, lifting Kagome's chin and brushing the tears from her eyes. “You have an endless lifetime to figure it out.” Kagome smiled weakly and Sango suddenly grinned. “At least you'll always have something nice to look at.”

“Sango!”

“What? It's true!”

Sesshoumaru stopped in the hallway, listening to the amazingly lilting sound of Kagome's laughter. Deciding to give them a moment before he interrupted them, he held back in the hallway to listen.

“Now, what about you?” Kagome said and Sesshoumaru frowned at the tension slowly creeping into the air.

“What do you mean?”

“Come on Sango, I'm out. The next logical step is to get you out.” Sango laughed, but it was mirthless and Sesshoumaru frowned. These women were too young to be this cynical.

“This is my fight Kagome.”

“Yes and you're losing! And that's not even mentioning the money! Sango, your face looks like he used you as a punching bag! Why won't you go to the hospital?!”

“I'll be fine, really. I don't want to make a fuss.”

“But Sango, I can't just leave you here. He'll kill you!”

“No he won't. He won't get his money back that way. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Besides, if I'm not here, who's going to watch out for the rest of the girls?”

Feeling he was eavesdropping on something they would probably rather him not hear, Sesshoumaru cleared his throat and entered the room. The two girls sprang apart, Kagome still sniffling slightly.

After a moment though, Sango bowed before him, and said softly. “I'm sorry for the way I acted. I didn't mean to dishonor you Lord Sesshoumaru.”

“There is nothing to apologize for,” he said in return, reaching into his pocket to retrieve a scrap of paper. “You sure you'll be alright? You are more than welcome to come with us.” She shook her head and he sighed, holding out the card. “We must go, but if you need anything, please don't hesitate to call. My door is always open to you.”

“Thank you.” Sango said softly, and Sesshoumaru saw her blink back tears.

He nodded and motioned to Kagome, who turned to face her friend and he could tell she too was fighting tears.

“I can't believe I'm not going to see you every day from now on. What am I going to do without you?”

“You're going to live happily ever after and relish your freedom from that sleazebag Hojo.”

It was too much. Tears streaming down her face, Kagome ran to Sango and hugged her close. “Please be safe,” he heard her mumble, her face buried in her friend's hair. “I love you sister.”

“Why wouldn't she accept my help?” Sesshoumaru said ten minutes later as he pulled onto the expressway. “Surely she does not wish to remain there.”

“Sango is a mother hen. She looks out for all the girls. And I think she's afraid of what will happen to them if she's gone.” She sniffled, still trying to control her tears. “Thank you, by the way.”

“For what?”

“For offering to help and for giving her your card. You didn't have to do that.”

“She's your friend. And she obviously played a pivotal role in your survival. I do not wish to reward her loyalty by letting her remain there.”

“She won't accept help.”

“I like a challenge.”

Kagome huffed in disbelief and turned to look out the window, frowning when she noticed they were getting off on a different exit. “Where are we going?”

“You'll see.”

~~~

Sango sighed as she watched Kagome disappear into the fancy white car. She couldn't believe her friend was really gone. The apartment felt so empty without her infectious laughter. She wondered how she ever lived here alone. Turning away from the window, her eyes glazed over as she thought about the coming night. Hojo would have no doubt returned to consciousness by now and he was going to be furious.

A small part of her wished she had gone with Kagome and Sesshoumaru, if only to escape Hojo's wrath. But she also knew that if she left, Hojo would take his anger out on one of the other girls, and she couldn't live with that. As terrified as she was, she would still rather Hojo beat her to a pulp than risk him hurting any of the other girls.

Once again cursing the day she'd ever met Cameron, she walked back into the kitchen to where her half prepared soup sat on the counter. She really should finish it, but for once she just couldn't bring herself to care. Shoving all the prepped veggies into a Tupperware container, she replaced everything in the fridge and then reached into the cabinet for her guilty pleasure—ramen.

~~~

“What are we doing here?”

Sesshoumaru paused and turned, surprised to find Kagome still standing by the car. She hadn't moved. Standing with her arms lying slack against the car, her eyes wide, she was the epitome of confusion. Smiling gently, he extended his hand to her. “You need clothes, remember.”

It was the wrong thing to say he suddenly realized. Her eyes hardened and she crossed her arms over her chest. She was retreating and he couldn't figure out why. He thought they were at least starting to get comfortable with each other, even if she didn't trust him. But while her lack of trust was something he could understand, he did not understand her absolutely refusal to open up to him.

“Why are you doing this?”

Her eyes were completely void of emotion now and he knew her defenses were rising. Walking back to her, he decided to try one final tactic. Grasping her chin gently, he tried to make his words as soft as he was able. “Because you deserve to be shown kindness and because I want you to be happy.”

“So you pity me? Is that it?” She tried to pull away, but he trapped her between himself and the car.

“Never,” he said softly, threading his fingers into her hair. He wanted to kiss her, but knew it would only push her further away.

“Then why?”

“I told you, I want you to be happy.”

If he thought this would convince her, he was sorely mistaken. He saw the fire flash deep in her eyes and when she spoke, he was taken aback by the ice in her tone.

“Then let me go.”

He shook his head. “I cannot do that. You need protecting.”

“Yeah? Maybe so, but that doesn't mean you get to be my knight in shining armor! I want to be free! How dare you think I could ever be happy as your slave!” Her last word came out as a snarl and she shoved him away, her reiki searing his flesh. She was across the parking lot before he could recover. He heard a horn blare in the distance and turned to see her dart around a car and straight into the road. He was before her in an instant, gathering her into his arms and rushing them to safety.

“Let go of me you bastard!” she shrieked, her fists pounding into his chest.

“Do not confuse me with my brother.”

He said it in hopes of confusing her into calming down, but he was still relatively surprised when she frowned up at him. But it didn't last long.

“RRRRRRG! I hate you!” She screamed, continuing to pound against his chest. She screamed and screamed. He could feel all her rage pouring out and when it had gone, she collapsed against him.

“Shhhh,” he soothed, glaring at the people who had gathered around them to watch. “It will be alright.” She buried her face in his shoulder as sobs once again overwhelmed her and he stroked her hair gently, wondering how in the world he was supposed to help someone who was so thoroughly broken.