InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Heart's Landfill ❯ Glass Surfaces ( Chapter 25 )

A/N: As usual all characters will be walking that fine line called OOCness. I have some good news for you guys!! I should have a brand new laptop by the end of this month, thanks to Uncle Sam!! I guess he's good for something, eh? I made this chapter longer because I wanted to make up for the last seriously short chapter and I wanted to set the stage for the next chapter, `A Cynic's Truth'. I haven't finished writing it yet, but I do have 5 pages completed. Since I already know where I want to go with it, it should be pretty easy to finish up. Anyway that's enough of my rambling. To my wonderful betas, Neko and the Kitchen Elf, thanks for putting up with my nonsense and stay blessed. To my readers, thanks for your continued support and enjoy!!

 

Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership to anyone with the exception of Nya, Dr. Aikio, and Malcolm.

 

Chapter 25:

 

Glass Surfaces

 

 

“Have you found anything?” Hakkaku inquired, stepping into the dimly lit room that his twin brother, Ginta, used as an office.

 

Without looking back, Ginta huffed agitatedly, “Why am I doing this again?” as he punched a few buttons on one of the three computer keyboards that were sprawled before him.

 

Shuffling towards his brother, his beige colored trench coat flaring out behind him, one hand shoved deep within his pocket, the other holding a half glass filled with a brown substance, Hakkaku grunted slightly but did not respond. He figured his brother's statement was rhetorical at best.

 

Taking a quick sip, he settled himself on the edge of the worn desk and asked, “So what's the word? Kouga has been getting a little antsy lately.”

 

Ginta glanced at his brother, but remained silent as he sat back and stared slowly from one screen to the other as if he was unsure about what he was looking at.

 

The ice in Hakkaku's glass clanked lightly as he took another sip of his drink, and then set it down next to him. “Oi, I know you don't like doing this anymore than I liked asking you to do it, but it is what it is.”

 

“What the fuck is he thinking? Why won't he just leave Kagome the fuck alone?” Ginta bit out petulantly.

 

Inhaling deeply, Hakkaku thought his brother's questions over before answering.

 

He knew Ginta didn't believe in what Kouga was doing or the manner in which he was doing it, but who were they to stop him?

 

Sure, they had basically played in dirt together. Sure, they could remember every one of each other's birthdays. Sure, they could count on one hand how many holidays had passed when one of the three of them were not around, but…but who were they to tell their `boss'…their best friend, that he couldn't have what his loins…his heart supposedly desired?

 

“I know you don't like this, Ginta, but it's not up to you. When we decided to join the Syndicate with Kouga, we chose to be loyal to him no matter what.”

 

Pushing away from his desk in a huff, Ginta stood to his feet, his hands balled into tight fists. “Kagome and I were friends damn it! I…I still consider her a friend and I thought you did to!”

 

Glancing up at his brother, Hakkaku replied, “She was…is my friend, but the Syndicate comes first. Kouga comes first, you know that.”

 

Turning, Ginta paced the small room swiftly as he ground out, “I should have told her what was going on, but, because of you…because of you and Kouga, I lied to her! I acted like I didn't know a fucking thing!” Reaching into his pocket, his hand trembling slightly, he pulled out a bent cigarette as he dug into the pockets of his wrinkled tan slacks for something to light it with. “I should've told her then! I should've told her what was going on, but I acted like…I acted like-”

 

“You acted like a friend to Kouga, a brother to me, and a member of the Syndicate,” Hakkaku finished for him. “Don't second guess where your loyalties lay, brother. It won't bode well for you or I.”

 

“And look where that has gotten me!” he spat heatedly while holding his hands out to his side as he spun in a slow circle.

 

Stepping toward his brother, Hakkaku stated, “You know no one could handle Intel better than you. And, for the record, you chose this tiny ass room,” as he placed his hand on Ginta's shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.

 

Brushing his brother's hand off of him, the wolf demon snapped, “That's not what I'm talking about and you know it!”

 

Stepping back, his face set in a deep scowl, Hakkaku growled low, “Ginta, don't be-”

 

“Don't Ginta me, damn it! I've been stuck at this damn computer for 3 weeks looking for signs of Kagome and praying with every fucking stroke of my keyboard that I don't find her! She deserves better than this! She deserves better than Kouga! To be hunted down like this…like she's done something wrong! Fuck, Hakkaku, you know this is wrong,” he finished softly, his eyes pleading with his brother's to understand him. “This… What he has me doing goes against youkai law. It goes against the laws of the fucking Syndicate for Gods sake!”

 

Reaching forward, Hakkaku took the lit cigarette from his brother's trembling fingers and took a puff. Exhaling, he offered quietly, “Regardless of what kind of relationship you and I had with Kagome, we've pledged our loyalties to Kouga and the Syndicate. There is not much that we can do.” Taking another puff of the nicotine stick, he exhaled slowly as he finished, “As for the laws he's breaking, I prefer to believe that our hands our clean.”

 

Hakkaku knew that Ginta's need to protect Kagome went deeper than he would ever openly admit. After all, the night they all initially met her, Ginta had seen her first. He was going to approach her, but Kouga sidestepped him, and in the end took up residence in her life, and in her heart. Leaving him…Ginta, in the position of Kagome's friend and Kouga's confidant.

 

“You sound like a whipped puppy,” Ginta spat, snatching his cigarette back from his brother. “How the fuck can you say our hands are clean?” he blustered feverishly. Holding up his hands as if they were sullied with blood or dirt, he continued, “My hands, Hakkaku, are fucking dirty! I'm the one sitting here hunting her down like she's wronged us in some fucking way! I'm the one hunting down a fucking human because a youkai that's mated to the head of Syndicate wants to bust…a…fucking…nut!” Daring his brother to say anything to challenge him, he finished, “You… You're nothing but Kouga's fucking chauffeur.”

 

Rolling his eyes at his brother, the older of the two-by two minutes-closed his eyes for a moment in an attempt to calm himself. “No, I sound like a man that isn't confused about where his loyalties lie.” Running his hand down his face in an exasperated manner, he finished, “Regardless of whether you believe me or not, my hands are, in a way, just as dirty as yours. I just refuse to think of it that way.”

 

“He's mated, Hakkaku! How can you be okay with this? What about Ayame? What the fuck is he going to do when he finds Kagome? Is he fucking nuts?” After taking a strong pull off his cigarette, he finished, “What the hell is he thinking? This will never work!”

 

Feeling his ire rise at his brother's insistence, Hakkaku hissed, “I'm not okay with this, understand? I know and I get what you're saying! Don't you think I've been trying to fucking tell him how stupid this is? Gods, Ginta, just fucking do it! It's your fucking job!”

 

Shaking his head despairingly, Ginta stepped back away from his brother. “You know what? I hope I don't find anything on her. I hope she's dropped off the face of the fucking planet because he never deserved her and he still doesn't!”

 

One of the computers dinged lightly drawing both brothers attention, but only holding one.

 

“Finally, something we agree on,” Hakkaku replied, hinting at his twin brother's last statement as he stepped around him and towards the door. He knew that with the mood Ginta was in, even if he had information for him, the chances of him actually letting him know about it were somewhere between slim and none.

 

“If you find something, Ginta, you will call me, won't you?” Hakkaku asked doubtfully as he came to a stop, his hand poised on the knob of the door.

 

Sitting back down in his chair, Ginta mumbled derisively, “Of course. I wouldn't want to disappoint the almighty Lord Kouga now would I?” Ginta waited for a reply from his brother, but one never came. The only sound he heard was the soft click of the door closing.

 

`I'm not his fucking do-boy anymore. I have to draw the line somewhere,' he thought as he clicked on the window highlighted at the bottom of the third computer screen.

 

Reading over the heading that said something about locating missing people, he whispered softly as his eyes traveled down the screen, “Higurashi Kagome, please keep hiding, for I know not what I will do if I find you.”

 

Simonkal of Inuy

 

Cresting the steps of his brother's home, Inuyasha groaned lightly.

 

It wasn't that he didn't want to be here; he always enjoyed Rin's company and he enjoyed sparring with his brother, but today…today he just wanted to remain lost in his own thoughts. He wanted a personal day, per se. One that would allow him to figure out where his life was going and what he truly wanted from it.

 

He'd tried calling to cancel, but Rin wouldn't hear of it, so in the end he told her that he'd come over for dinner but wouldn't be able to stay long.

 

Reaching for the doorknob, he turned it slowly and stepped into the house.

 

“Oi? Where the hell is everybody?” he shouted, staring quizzically around the foyer and then into the sitting room to his left.

 

“Inuyasha, you're here,” Rin chirped happily, stepping out from one of the rooms that they only used to entertain guests.

 

Smiling at her, the hanyou replied jokingly, “What the hell? You forgot how to greet your lover?”

 

Giggling, Rin waddled up to him as fast as she could, her belly protruding out grotesquely in front of her. Encircling his waist, she tipped up on her toes and planted a chaste kiss to his cheek. “I'm sorry about that. I was in the back.”

 

Steadying her so that she didn't trip, Inuyasha queried, “What were you doing back there?”

 

“Well…” she started, her cheeks pinking slightly.

 

Staring at her quizzically something told him not to ask her to elaborate, but he ignored it. “Well, what?”

 

Twisting her hands in front of her in a rather childish manner, Rin's blush deepened as she replied, “Well, I have someone that I want you to meet.”

 

The hanyou made an indecipherable sound that was somewhere between a grunt, a groan, a moan, and a bark, but the expression on his face told her to clarify and do it fast.

 

“Don't be mad. I just…”

 

Releasing her gently, Inuyasha stepped back and stared down at her as if he hadn't a clue as to who he was looking at.

 

`Someone for me to…to meet?'

 

“Don't look at me like that. I'm not trying to interfere with your private life, I just thought that you and her should meet,” Rin whispered quickly, hoping to stave off the barrage of loutish language she was sure was on the way.

 

`You're not trying to interfere?' the hanyou thought, his face set in a deep scowl.

 

“If you don't like her, that's fine. Just be cordial, okay?” she finished with a soft, pleading smile.

 

“Well, I don't like her,” Inuyasha huffed with disdain, totally ignoring her last request.

 

“You haven't even met her!”

 

“I don't need to!”

 

“I told her this was a bad idea,” Sesshomaru interjected, stepping into the room via the sitting room by way of the lanai.

 

Turning on him, Inuyasha hissed, “Well, if you knew this was such a bad fucking idea, why the hell would you let her go through with it?”

 

“When you find a woman that can stomach you for longer than a few weeks, you'll understand,” Sesshomaru responded nonchalantly as he walked up to the two of them. “Besides, for some reason, my mate seems to think that you need saving.”

 

Glaring from Rin to Sesshomaru, Inuyasha took another step back as if he was going to take off at any moment. “How the hell could you do this Rin? You of all fucking people… How could you?”

 

As crazy as it sounded, he felt like she had betrayed him in some way. This… Coming here on Sunday afternoons for dinner was personal. It was his time to be with his family! It was not a place where he wanted to hook up with some piss poor, no named, trifling, cum bucket!

 

“Inuyasha, watch your mouth,” the older demon warned, wrapping his arm around his mate's shoulder in an attempt to soothe her slowly rising ire.

 

“Feh, what-fucking-ever. I'm out of here,” he snapped, turning quickly on his heels and heading towards the door he'd just entered.

 

“Inuyasha, I didn't have this planned! She's just an old friend from law school who happened to be in town,” Rin tried to explain quickly. “Since she was only in town for one day, I told her to come by.”

 

“Rin, why are you explaining this to him?” Sesshomaru queried tetchily. “If he's going to leave, let him leave.”

 

“Rin, you know I'm not ready for this! Of all the fucking people, you should know better,” he snapped in a clipped tone as he turned back to face them.

 

“I'm not asking you to marry her, just meet-“ Rin tried to say.

 

“Is…is everything okay,” a soft, heavily accented English voice queried from the room that the pregnant woman had vacated earlier, cutting Rin off.

 

Taking a moment to stare at the notably pissed off hanyou, Rin quickly turned her attention to her company.

“Shaarione, I'm sorry.” Holding out her hand for her to come closer, she continued, “I was just greeting my brother-in-law, Inuyasha.”

 

Inuyasha scowled down his nose at the woman as he swiftly took her in. She had long, reddish blonde, wavy hair, eyes the color of rich summer grass and freckles that ran up and down her high cheekbones. She was slightly taller than Rin, but not by much, and she was thick-not fat, but thick-especially around the hips.

 

“Inuyasha? I've heard so much about you,” Shaarione stated politely, stepping towards him, her hand outstretched for him to shake.

 

Growling, the hanyou crossed his arms over his chest and huffed, “Really? Well, why don't you enlighten me?”

 

“Inuyasha!” the heavily pregnant young woman reprimanded.

 

“Feh, whatever,” the hanyou mumbled, turning on his heels and heading back towards the door.

 

“Inuyasha,” Rin whispered, while reaching out to try to grab at his sleeve.

 

“Keh, it's been real,” he quipped uncaringly, throwing up the peace sign over his shoulder as he reached for the door with his other hand.

 

`I can't believe Rin did that shit,' he thought agitatedly as he stepped quickly through the doorway and onto the steps, slamming the door behind him.

 

He couldn't remember ever being this angry with Rin before! Maybe…just maybe his anger wasn't truly justified, but oh did it feel good! Maybe he had overreacted… Maybe the woman was a nice lady… Maybe…

 

`Bullshit! Rin should've known better than to try to fucking set me up like that!'

 

Digging in his pocket for his keys, he stopped as his cell came to life in his back pocket. Without looking at the caller id, he flipped it open and snapped, “I don't have anything to say to you!”

 

“Why? Did I piss in your coffee this morning?” a sweet, hypnotizing voice inquired.

 

Pulling the phone away from his ear as he climbed into his car, he groaned lightly as he glanced down at the caller id.

 

“Kagome?”

 

“Yes. Are you alright?” she queried softly, her voice laced with concern.

 

“Yeah, I'm fine,” he lied, trying not to let her hear just how upset he was.

 

“Who did you think I was?”

 

Sticking the key in the ignition, the hanyou balanced the phone between his shoulder and ear as he shifted the car into gear with one hand and cranked it with the other.

 

“Rin”

 

“What did she do that would have you not wanting to talk to her? Do you want to talk about it?”

 

“No”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because…”

 

“Because what?”

 

“Fuck! Is this fuck with Inuyasha day?” he asked irately, knowing his anger was definitely not directed at the right person. “Just fucking leave it alone! What's up? You need something?”

 

The phone was silent…dead silent.

 

Pulling the device from his ear, Inuyasha stared at the screen to make sure that the call was still connected. He knew he'd just fucked up. The one woman he actually didn't mind being around was the one woman that he'd unjustifiably snapped on. He also knew there was no way in hell that she was about to let this one slide.

 

Clearing his throat, he stated hesitantly as he sat back in his seat and allowed his head to fall back against the headrest, “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm just…I'm just not having a good day.”

 

He heard her clear her throat before she responded, “I think I should go. I'll…I'll talk to you some other time perhaps.”

 

“No…no,” he declared quickly, feeling like he'd just been given a precious jewel only to loose it immediately afterwards. “I actually…I actually would like to…uhm…talk.”

 

She was quiet, really quiet, nervously so.

 

“Are you still there?” he asked hopefully.

 

“Yeah”

 

Glancing at Sesshomaru and Rin's house and then away, he asked as his stomach growled, “Can I…can I come and get you? Maybe we can go grab a bite to eat.”

 

“No”

 

`Fuck,' he thought dejectedly.

 

“But…but if you really need to talk, you're more than welcome to come over.”

 

Inuyasha stared at the phone in disbelief. Was she really inviting him over after he'd snapped on her in such a rude and ill-tempered manner? Was she actually inviting him into her home?

 

“Uhm…uhm…” he stuttered as he slowly began driving down the driveway. “I'll be there in a few minutes?”

 

“Okay,” she responded quickly, and just as quickly the phone went dead in his ear.

 

Simonkal of Inuy

 

Setting her cell phone down on her glass top coffee table, Kagome stared at it in disbelief; her mind muddled with the all too brief, yet engrossingly insightful conversation she'd just had with Inuyasha.

 

She had spent the better part of the morning cleaning and brooding over the fact that he hadn't called her, and the fact that probably because of the depressing manner in which she ended their not a date, date, he wouldn't.

 

It wasn't until she spoke with Sango that she was able to gather the courage to make that call.

 

Flashback

 

“Oi, are you busy?”

 

“Not anymore, why?” Sango responded, her voice heavy with something that might have been sleep.

 

“No reason,” Kagome responded, not sure if she really wanted to talk to Sango about this, since she'd probably just blame her for ruining another date.

 

“What's on your mind, Boss Lady? I know you didn't just call me to listen to me breath.”

 

Kagome groaned softly and kicked the covers that were partially laying over her half naked body off the bed. “Well…” she started, but stopped.

 

“Well, what? Did something happen?”

 

Regretting almost immediately having called Sango, Kagome avowed quickly, “It's nothing. I…I shouldn't have called you. Sorry.”

 

She heard Sango shift and possibly sit up before she interjected, “Okay, now I know something is going on. It's 8:30 on a Sunday morning and your calling me playing coy? What happened? Did something happen between you and Adonis that you regret?”

 

Giggling nervously, Kagome replied, knowing that Sango's reference to `Adonis' meant Inuyasha, “No, nothing happened. Actually I haven't spoken to him since Friday night when he dropped me off.”

 

Sango was quiet for a minute before she replied seriously, “Stop being such a girl, Boss Lady.”

 

“Wh…what are you-“

 

Cutting her off, Sango added, ”You know damn well what I'm talking about. You're wondering why he hasn't called you yet, right?”

 

“No… No, I'm-“ Kagome tried to argue before she was cut off again.

 

“Yes the hell you are! That's why you sound all depressed and shit!” Laughing, she finished, “You almost sound like you lost your dog or something-no pun intended.”

 

Throwing her hand over her eyes, Kagome tried to save what little face she could by responding, “It's not like that, idiot!”

 

“Move, Miroku! Can't you see I'm having a serious conversation here?” Kagome heard Sango demand. She then heard Miroku reply, “Just tell her to call him and get off the phone! I'm ready to go again!”

 

Not wanting or needing to hear anymore she asked quickly, “Do you want me to call you back?”

 

“Get off of me,” Sango exclaimed, talking to Miroku. Turning her attention back to Kagome, she said, “No, just give me a sec to get him off me.”

 

Tuning out the two lovebirds that never could seem to get enough of one another, Kagome thought, `Am I acting like a teenager? Is it really that big of a deal that he hasn't called me? Then again, why should I expect him to call me; my fingers work just as well as his do, don't they?'

 

Although she realized she really didn't have any answers for her questions, she knew by just hearing them in her head that none of them were of much importance to anything.

 

There were probably a million and two reasons why he didn't call. The most important reason probably being that he didn't owe her a damned thing. So, who was she to sit here and fret over things that were out of her control?

 

“Okay, I'm back,” Sango avowed, unknowingly interrupting her friend's thoughts.

 

“It's okay,” she replied, listening to what she figured were Sango's feet padding quickly against the floor.

 

“We didn't talk about the date. How'd it go?”

 

“It was fine for the most part.”

 

“Did something happen? What did you do?”

 

“I didn't do anything,” Kagome snapped defensively, and then added, “We had fun.”

 

“Where did you guys go?”

 

“He took me to a park and fed me hotdogs,” Kagome's replied, her tone even.

 

“Big spender,” Sango joked lightly. When Kagome didn't respond, she added softly, “You really like him, don't you?”

 

Still Kagome didn't reply, which seemed to speak volumes to Sango.

 

“Listen, this happens to the best of us, okay? Now that you've found someone that you're actually interested in, you have to make sure you don't run him off by being too old fashioned, too cynical, too needy, and too available.”

 

“Who said I liked him like that?” Kagome tried to defend.

 

“Will you please quit lying to me and especially to yourself? I saw the look on your face Friday when you saw him and I didn't miss the way he looked at you either!”

 

A faint, “Whatever,” was all the flustered young woman could muster before her new confidant started enlightening her.

 

“Just because he hasn't called you doesn't mean a goddamn thing. If you want to talk to him bad enough, you'll pick up the phone and call him. Once more this is 2008; there is no reason why a woman can't call a man that she's interested in, even if it's just to tell him how `not' interested she is in him,” Sango finished sarcastically.

 

“You're an ass! You know that, don't you?” Kagome queried seriously. “As a matter of fact, you and Inuyasha seem to be cut from the same piece of cloth.”

 

“Yeah, yeah and guess what? I'm damn near your only friend and he's the only guy in Tokyo that you don't practically bark at, so what does that say about you?”

 

“It says that I really need to seek some professional help,” Kagome quipped lightly, though her mind was still as befuddled as it was when she went to bed the night before.

 

“I wouldn't dispute that fact in the least,” Sango replied. “Look, it's only a matter of time before Miroku comes and hunts me down, so I'm going to leave you on this note: call him. You have nothing to lose if you don't, but you possibly have everything to gain if you do.”

 

Taking in what Sango had said, Kagome asked, changing the subject, “Hunt you down? Why would he do that?”

 

Groaning slightly as if she was uncomfortable, Sango replied, “Because I'm hiding in the closet downstairs and he thinks I'm in the bathroom upstairs.”

 

“Oh my god, what the hell, Sango?”

 

“Don't you dare judge me! Beside, he loves hide and seek,” Sango quipped seductively. “When he finds me, he always gets and a really nice reward.”

 

Shaking her head in an exasperated manner, Kagome whispered to herself, “Why did I ask?”

 

“Because you're a nosey bitch, that's why,” Sango quipped playfully. “Anyway, go call your man. I think I hear Miroku coming.”

 

End Flashback

 

That was seven hours ago and still Kagome couldn't help but shake her head in disbelief as she thought back to that conversation. Standing to her feet, she made her way quickly to her room to change into something more appropriate.

 

`I can't believe I invited him over and after he snapped at me like that,' she thought, swinging the doors to her walk-in closet open.

 

Perhaps it was because she could sense the aggravation in his voice when he answered the phone that caused her to let it slide so easily. Or maybe it was because she knew how it felt to have a day so bad that all you wanted to do was disappear.

 

Granted, she didn't have a clue as to why he was having such a bad day and it by no means justified the way he spoke to her, but at least he apologized. And that counted for something, didn't it?

 

Pulling out a pair of black cotton gauchos that tied in the front and stopped mid calf, she quickly made her way over to her dresser and pulled out a black tank top that matched perfectly. Tossing her attire for the evening on the bed, she turned to the full body mirror and quickly twisted her long black hair into a loose bun so that when she took a shower it wouldn't get wet.

 

Stepping back away from her mirror, she began to slowly strip off her robe as she stared at her reflection.

 

Running her hands down her flat stomach to the thin straps of her nude colored thong panties, Kagome slowly slipped them down her thighs to her knees and stepped out of them. Standing up straight again, she scowled at her reflection.

 

`When was the last time that I've been touched by a man? How long has it been?'

 

Running her fingers tenderly up her sides to her full perky breasts, she squeezed them simultaneously.

 

`Kouga,' she thought. Shaking her head, she swiftly diverted her thoughts, `No more… I won't let him keep me from being happy any longer.' Staring hard at her reflection, her thoughts continued, `I'm beautiful. I'm sexy. I'm successful. I'm…I'm worthy of everything that he…Kouga couldn't…wouldn't give me. I'm worthy.'

 

Turning away from her image with a sad smile, she made her way towards her bathroom. Kagome hadn't a clue as to what the evening held in store for her and Inuyasha, but she secretly hoped that somehow it would bring the two of them a little closer together.

 

Until Next Time…(Your .02 cents are greatly appreciated.)

 

Next Chapter: A Cynic's Truth

 

Acknowledgments

 

Inuyashalover913 ~ Tueske ~ Hot for Abercrombie ~ Cwillia ~ Ro0tin4Kagome ~ Niiicko ~ Silverwolfhalfbeast ~ Fudge ~ ScifiAmy ~ Olddog333 ~ Loulou4729 ~ Xyanblue ~ Mynera ~ 1love1 ~ Megedelbene ~ SummerNightsxxx ~ InuGoddess715