InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Laying Down the Law ❯ The Date ( Chapter 7 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Okay, I'm really sorry it took me so long to do this chapter, but I had to carefully plan things out in line with my ideas...that sounds stupid when you sat it out loud/write it, but I can't really explain my problem. It's like...I had good ideas and was afraid I wouldn't do them justice. I kind of castrated some of my ideas in this, cutting them down to the bare essentials and all that, but I like this chapter anyway. Mostly because it involved a lot of KOUGAXAYAME, but that's just my preference. They were easy to set up and now just three couples to go. InuxKag, SanxMir and ?x?...hehe...

My reviewers have increased so that I don't feel comfortable naming them all, lest I forget them. So suffice it to say, I LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH! THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! YAY!


"Inuyasha, get yeself out of bed."

Inuyasha rolled away from the streaming morning light, cursing with what little energy he had left. Tugging a pillow over his head, he muttered, "Go 'way."

A short woman with a kind face and commanding air crossed her arms, causing wrinkles in her red house dress. "Inuyasha, I'm quite serious; get up."

As Inuyasha thought back to his previous night's letter writing, he suddenly had the urge to go right back to sleep. He'd gone to bed around three in the morning after getting home from headquarters and writing Shitora a note. With another groan, Inuyasha recalled the date; his father was home today. Inutaisho, normally adressed with the simple one word name, was a worker at the local Exon Mobil factory, a sales representative who traveled around the globe promoting the company. The Taishos weren't unusually wealthy, nor were they poor, and they lived a rather comfortable existence in a normal sized house. The only downside was the amount of time Inutaisho was forced to spend away. Because of his job, he rarely saw his sons.

"Inuyasha," the voice reminded once more, catching one dog ear between old, calloused fingers.

When the boy gave a growl and rolled out of the way, he consequently landed on the floor at his antagonizer's feet. Kaede Mitsuhori glanced down at the hanyou, sighing and rolling her old eyes. "Ye'll be the death of me, Inuyasha," she said simply, giving him a nudge with her sandal clad foot before walking purposefully out the door.

Inuyasha struggled to his feet, smirking a little at his life long maid and babysitter. With Inutaisho gone so often, he'd hired a live in housekeeper and nanny for his three children. After Shitora left, Sesshomaru was only 15 and Kaede stayed on to watch the children. When Sesshomaru turned 17, Inutaisho told the woman she was dismissed if she liked; she'd politely refused, saying the Taisho home was now her home as well. In truth, Inuyasha couldn't remember life without her.

Kaede bustled into Sesshomaru's room, which was a good deal cleaner than Inuyasha's, and smiled slightly at the sight before her. While Inuyasha slept in several positions, none of which were dignified, Sesshomaru laid flat on his back every single night, barely even ruffling the covers. There was something so calm and smooth about Sesshomaru, it was hard to remember he'd yet to turn 18.

"Sesshomaru, my boy, your father is home," she said, shaking his shoulder gently.

The boy grunted, opening his amber eyes with a slight hesitance. Upon digesting the words, he gave a sigh and sat up in bed. "Is he now," came his cool response.

"He requests your presence in the kitchen over breakfast; Inuyasha should be getting up, though far be it from me to trust the little scamp," Kaede informed him, rolling her eyes at the last part.

The boy before her smirked slightly, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing to his full height, at least a good foot and a half above Kaede. "You go on ahead downstairs, Kaede. If Inuyasha isn't up now, he certainly will be soon."

The woman nodded and left, footsteps thick as they descended the staircase to the ground floor. Sesshomaru made quick work of dressing, wearing simple black jeans and a white wifebeater with his Fangs jacket. He had no reservations about discussing gang business with his father for Inutaisho was once a Fang member himself. He was, in fact, leader of the gang in the early eighties, and respected his sons' decisions to walk that path of life. The way Inutaisho saw it, his sons earned good grades and worked hard in school; if they wanted to play around with the Fangs, who was he to stop them? They did all he asked of them and he had nothing more to ask.

Inutaisho glanced up from his coffee as Sesshomaru stepped inside the kitchen, the spitting image of his father. "Good morning, Sesshomaru," the man said mildly, setting down his mug and tearing his eyes away from the morning paper.

Inutaisho wore a simple grey suit, his long white hair pulled back in an elegant black ribbon. He was every bit the business man, yet every bit the father; he and Sesshomaru were quite alike in their ways, though Inutaisho had a terrible temper. This, he'd given to Inuyasha.

"Good morning, dad," Sesshomaru replied in kind, pouring himself a glass of milk while regarding his father with a small smile.

"Where's Yash?" Inutaisho asked casually, glancing around in search of his youngest son.

Sesshomaru only snorted. "Sleeping, I suppose. I'll go rouse him..."

Yet before the boy could do any such thing, Inuyasha came thundering down the stairs and into the kitchen, wearing leather pants and a black wife beater with his Fangs jacket. He merely nodded in his father's direction, drinking straight from the milk carton after grabbing it unceremoniously from Sesshomaru's hand. Inutaisho sighed, quirking a smile; Inuyasha always was the rebellious one.

"Hey old man," he said with a jerk of his head, plopping down at the table.

"Hey yourself," Inutaisho replied with mild amusement cocking his head to the side. "Kaede tells me you were up late doing God knows what."

The hanyou only snorted, tipping his chair back on two legs and leaning back his head. "I was writing Shitora; you oughta be thanking me."

At the slight belligerence in his son's voice, Inutaisho sighed and leaned back in his own chair. The subject of his daughter was one which never truly pleased him, for he'd sent her away at the young age of 13 to live with her aunt. After Izayoi's death, he couldn't very well raise her in a house of three men and a housekeeper, so he decided to introduce her to proper society. He would never truly know if his decision was correct, yet he knew it must be made. At least this was what he managed to convince himself; truly, the sight of Shitora brought back Izayoi's smiling face and Inutaisho couldn't stand it. The guilt inside tore him apart as he faced the cold hard truth: he couldn't stand to look at his daughter.

"I should be thanking you. How is she, have you heard?" Inutaisho asked, ever concious of his children.

Inuyasha shrugged. "When she writes back, it's normally about how much she hates that high fallutin' ballroom bull shit up there. I dunno, I guess high society ain't her thing. Never was, never will be."

His son's words provoked a wince from Inutaisho; she hated it? That certainly made him feel guilty. "Oh. She'll be turning 16 soon, I should send her something."

At this, Sesshomaru fixed his father with a cold glare. "17, dad. Shitora's turning 17."

The older man was silent for a moment before waving his hand dismissively. "Of course, 17. June 29th, I know. I've had a lot on my mind lately."

Inuyaha snorted once more, jerking his head moodily away from his father. "That was mom's birthday, dad. Tora's birthday is July 13, 1989. 7:33 in the morning, 5 pounds, 7 ounces, 18 inches long, Tokyo Hospital. It was raining like hell and mom called her Shitora, tiger child, because she had three stripe birth marks on her stomach. You might not remember all that shit, but I sure as hell do. And I was only a year old. So don't play dumb."

His words cut Inutaisho deep and the man grimaced slightly, scooting back his chair and standing to his feet. "Well, if you boys will excuse me, I got in three hours ago and could use some sleep. I suppose you'll be going to headquarters?" All he received in response was a curt nod from Sesshomaru, who barely met his gaze. "Right...I'll talk to you boys later."

As soon as Inutaisho left the room, Inuyasha let out a growl and kicked over a chair, mind raging with indignance. He couldn't even remember Shitora's birthday? How dare he call himself her father? Sesshomaru didn't react to Inuyasha's angry display, only standing quietly and retreiving his keys from his jacket pocket. Inuyasha caught his brother's eye and shook his head slowly, grabbing his own jacket before following Sesshomaru out to the car. It was going to be a long day, he could tell.

Rin gave a heavy sigh, standing directly in the path of the blowing fan; on days like today, the warehouse was almost unbearable. Even with the hangar door open, the Fangs and Wildcats struggled mightily with the heat, stripping off their clothes one by one. Rin, for instance, wore only a black sports bra and a pair of barely there jean shorts; she'd given up on her shirt long ago. Gang jackets were slung about the lounge area as the sound of turning wrenches and spinning drills echoed off the walls.

Sango wiped sweat from her brow as she pored over the engine of Jakotsu's old pick up truck. By this time, she was wearing baggy jeans and a sports bra, not unlike Rin; normally Sango was much more modest than her leader, but it seemed hot enough to scramble eggs on the pavement.

"Hey Miroku, what's it say?" she asked, watching as the boy tugged his shirt over his head, revealing a seat of impressive chest muscles, tan skin glistening as sweat rolled down his neck.

Miroku was currently trying to read the warehouse thermometer and, after studying the device for a moment, he looked up to meet several expectant eyes. "105 degrees."

The mechanics gave a simultaneous groan as several indulgently began peeling off another layer of clothing. It certainly sounded hotter when stated that way. Could it even safely reach 105 degrees without spontaneously setting things aflame?

Several other gang members were milling about, working on their own vehicles with Fang equipment at their disposal. The Fangs were well outfitted to serve several mechanics at once and the other Southern Cores took the gang up on their generous offer to share the warehouse elevators and tools, free of charge.

Ranbou, Ginta and Hakkaku, for instance, were arguing over a red Yamaha motorcycle, deciding what kind of bolts to use on the transmission valve. Across the way, Bankotsu was rolled up beneath an old Corvette, working dilligently away in the nearly unbearable conditions. Hiten was sitting, shirtless, on the Corvette's hood with a beer in his hand and a rather nasty bruise clouding his scalp, the result of Manten's beating.

"Hand me the wrench...no, smaller...smaller still, there you go," Ayame said tiredly, nodding as Kouga handed her the correct wrench.

Ayame, doing as the Romans had done, was wearing her sports bra and a pair of loose fitting mechanics jeans. Kouga was shirtless by this point, displaying his own well toned body, yet this was the least of his worries; right then, he could think of nothing but how sexy Ayame looked in her ragt-tag ensemble. It was making it difficult to concentrate, frankly, and Kouga almost wanted to throw her a shirt. Yet he would never deny himself the pleasure of watching her work on a motorcycle in a sports bra.

"So, where are we going tonight?" she asked, never removing her eyes from the motorcycle's open paneled parts; she hadn't forgotten their scheduled date.

Kouga rubbed the back of his neck, sweat coating his palm. "I was thinking the pier, but I wasn't counting on the heat wave of the century. It'll probably cool down by tonight...probably."

The girl laughed a little, glancing up at Kouga. "Hey, if you're willing to gamble, I'm game."

Meanwhile, Sango and Miroku were dilligently attending to some old Toyota Celica's expansion tank, passing parts back and forth in silence as Miroku configured his next move. After a moment, he asked, "Did you have a good day yesterday?" Sure, he knew it was lame, but he had to break the quiet; a man like Miroku couldn't stand noislessness for long, not before he wanted to do something dirty.

Without removing her eyes from the car's distributor box, Sango replied casually, "Went to see Kikyo. She asked about you."

This surprised Miroku, who glanced up from the mod plans he was glancing at; this car was going to take some extensive work. "About me? What about me?"

Oh, good job Sango, why don't you just ruin your entire life while you're at it, the girl chided herself. In truth, Kikyo had asked, in her catty way, if Sango and Miroku were dating yet. As she did almost daily, Sango stated her numerous reasons for disliking Miroku and was only met with Kikyo's pernicious brown gaze. There wasn't a word she could say in her defense and she knew it, so Sango just gave up on the idea of dissuading Kikyo's desire from romantic drama. Now that she'd mentioned Kikyo's curiosity, Sango would have to make up something convincing to go with it.

"Um...she asked about your race. I told her you did awesome and she was pleased," Sango replied, stumbling over her words as she examined the car's system dubiously.

Miroku practically beamed. "Thank you for your good words, Sango," he said gratefully.

The boy sounded so heart breakingly honest about his thanks that Sango couldn't help feeling guilty. Just one white lie and she was shamed out of her skin. "Yeah, no problem," she mumbled. Why couldn't she lie to him? She lied often, as a gang member in sticky situations, and got away emotionally unscathed by guilt. What was so different about Miroku?

Kagome was sitting at the table in the kitchen area of the lounge, wearing a white singlet and a short jean skirt. Rin had asked her to organize some of the Fang and Wildcats papers, which surprised Kagome to no end; seeing as though she wasn't part of the gang, what right did she have to sort through their no doubt incriminating materials? But Rin seemed to think it was legitimate and, at the current time, Kagome was massaging her temples as she leafed through a stack of territory meeting notes from way back when. Some of them dated as far back as August, 1996, but Rin said every single one of these papers was from the filing cabinets in the storage room. Sesshomaru insisted on documenting all these things and, every once and a while, someone had to go through everything and sort it.

"Hey," came a familiar, aggravated tone.

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had just parked and wandered inside five minutes prior, but Sesshomaru was preoccupied discussing "business" with Rin. This left Inuyasha to throw down his jacket and strip off his shirt, which was already sticking to his skin. After seeing Kagome doing the annual paper sorting, Inuyasha couldn't help but feel drawn to her, as though he just wanted to sit near her or speak a few words. He often had these feelings around Kagome, but he dismissed them as mere passing infatuation. Even though her scent drives you wild, Inuyasha reminded himself smugly. Apple blossoms and cinnamon, a heavenly combination.

Kagome glanced up, giving Inuyasha a tired but genuine smile. "Hey. How about this weather, huh?"

Shrugging a little, Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and replied moderately, "Is it better in Kyoto or somethin'?"

Kagome wouldn't admit it to herself, but she was actually examining Inuyasha's bare chest. It was the perfect tan shade, not too light or dark, and his muscles were the absolute embodiment of perfection, sculpted and well formed. The way they rippled beneath his skin was absolutely mesmerizing and Kagome only allowed her eyes to stray from the sight when she saw a flash of silver near his neck. She cocked her head, pointing to a chain hanging from Inuyasha's neck.

"What're those?" she asked, ignoring his question about Kyoto's weather.

Following her gaze to the chain, Inuyasha picked up the two dangling metal pieces in his hand. "What, these? Dogtags. My dad gave all of us dogtags when we were born and we just never took em off. Got our names an stuff."

"That's cool," Kagome said with a bright smile. After a moment, however, her smile fell. "God, it's so hot, I can't even smile without feeling tired." Glancing over at the other girls, Kagome noticed that everyone else had stripped down to their sports bras. Without a second thought, she reached down to the hem of her singlet and removed it with one swift tug.

Inuyasha stood, wide eyed and open mouthed, as Kagome took her shirt off right before his eyes. Sure, she was wearing a sports bra, but it wasn't every day that women stripped right before his eyes. He couldn't help but notice the light caramel tone of her skin, the flat stomach and curvacious chest which made her body so glorious. The hanyou gulped and looked away, trying to stifle whatever urges flooded to the surface of his mind. When he turned back to Kagome, she was bent over her work again, trying to find the records from July, 1999.

Shaking his head a little at the girl's innocent and oblivious nature, Inuyasha turned away from the beautiful sight of Kagome's bare flesh and ambled to the fridge, retrieving a cold beer and popping the top. It was barely eleven in the morning and the sun was already beating down mercilessly on little, defenseless Tokyo. Hesitating to wonder what the afternoon might feel like, Inuyasha kicked off his shoes and padded over towards Bankotsu and Hiten, taking a seat beside Hiten on the hood.

"Hey, Yash," Hiten greeted mildly, taking a swig of his own beer.

Inuyasha jerked his head in response, spreading his legs and resting his elbows on his knees. After taking another sip from his bottle, Inuyasha gestured towards Hiten's face with his beer. "That where Manten gotcha?"

Hiten grimaced, eyes darkening at the sound of his brother's name. "Yeah, I...I didn't even fight back. People probably think I'm some kinda pansy ass fruitcake now."

His choice of words provoked a barking laugh from Inuyasha, who only shook his head. "Nah, they know you're made of tough shit. Just don't go getting yourself beat up next time."

Before Hiten could retort, a sharp howl echoed through the warehouse and the various mechanics turned their heads immediately towards the sound. Ginta was kneeling beside the Yamaha motorcycle, right hand clenched over his left thigh where a small blood stain was breaking out on his jeans. As though he could take no more, Ginta jerked to his feet and started swinging his arms in an angry gesture of displeasure. The onlookers exchanged confused glances; they'd never seen Ginta even remotely upset in their entire lives and he was throwing a temper tantrum right before their eyes.

"Mother fuckin' piece of crap!" Ginta hollered, tossing the said device to the ground in his anger; it was a sharp ended metal saw, which he'd been using to cut new tailpipes with. With his demon strength, Ginta could could through metal with the metal saw easily, yet in the heat he'd momentarily lost focus and landed the sharp blade in the meat of his thigh.

Ranbou sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck in a mild gesture of irritation. "I think that's a sign; we need to take a break," he announced, loud enough that the other mechanics could hear him. After exchanging brief glances with their partners, the other mechanics walked wordlessly away from their work and began meandering towards the lounge area, fanning themselves and muttering profanity.

Everyone settled down around the couches, after some grabbed beers and Hakkaku managed to calm Ginta down. The multitude of shirtless teens seemed to almost collapse from the heat and general anxiety of their day once they'd gathered together, letting out several sighs and yawns before Ranbou broke the silence.

"Anyone got a smoke?"

Sesshomaru dug around in his pocket before producing a box of Marlboro reds, holding out the box in Ranbou's direction. The wolf demon shot his friend a thankful glance before taking one and lighting it with the zippo lighter he'd found lingering in his jean pocket. This action seemed to inspire several people and others began lighting up until Rin, Bankotsu, Hiten, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Sesshomaru and Kouga had joined in the smoking circle. Kagome was still working away on the papers, not really noticing or caring that the others had stopped working to smoke cigarettes.

Rin glanced over, blowing out a perfect smoke ring before calling out, "Kagome, give it a rest over there. Come relax."

The girl in question looked up bewilderdly, eyes cloudy from the heat, before she replied, "But I'm not fini-"

"Don't worry about it," Rin insisted, smiling a little at her cousin. "We can't work either."

A few of the others chuckled and Sesshomaru reassured the girl, "I can't focus on organizing those papers when it's below boiling. Please, don't worry yourself over it."

Deciding to give up on her compulsive nature, Kagome stood up and walked over to the others, taking a seat on the couch next to Inuyasha. The cigarette smoke didn't bother her, as she'd become accustomed to it in Kyoto; most of the high school kids smoked there and she'd even lit up a few times. Sure, she didn't make a habit of it, but sometimes she wanted a cigarette just to kill the stress. She gave off the appearance of an innocent, charming little schoolgirl, but honestly she'd seen her fair share of troubles.

"Inuyasha, can I have a cigarette, please?" she asked the boy beside her.

The others were too hot to notice her request, at this point, but Inuyasha heard her quite clearly. He blinked, glancing around as though to look for other Inuyashas, and finally returned his gaze to Kagome. "You?" he asked, speaking around the cigarette tucked between his lips.

"No, the other me, yes me," Kagome retorted irritably as the couch stuck to her back.

Too tired to argue, Inuyasha reached into his pocket and withdrew a box of cigarettes, holding them up to Kagome. She retrieved one, thanking him shortly, before realizing she had no lighter. Before she could even ask, Inuyasha whipped out his own lighter and flicked the wheel, holding the flame up to the end of Kagome's smoke. As the action took place, Kagome and Inuyasha locked eyes, amber and chocolate resuming their familiar dance.

Before either party could say anything, a startled voice exclaimed, "Kagome!"

Kagome turned towards Rin, who was regarding her with a seemingly amused expression. "You're smoking," Rin pointed out, as though her cousin didn't know.

Rolling her eyes, Kagome replied sarcastically, "Oh God, really? I just thought I was chewing this flaming stick."

Sango let out a snort of laughter and Rin slapped her playfully, earning a muffled grunt in return. Smiling slightly, Rin turned away from Sango and continued her conversation with Kagome. "I didn't know you smoked."

Kagome shrugged. "I quit, kind of, but I guess it was bad timing cause I sure as hell need a cigarette right now."
Kouga chuckled slightly. "I hear ya."

There were similar murmurs of agreement before Hakkaku reached into his pocket, retrieving a small, rectangular box. He held it up, asking, "Texas hold 'em?"

Several people raised their hands, moving in closer to surround the table as Hakkaku began dealing out the deck. Kagome watched in fascination, realizing that Rin was right about the whole gang mentality; it was like a big family, getting together to protect each other when times got rough. Some nights they raced, some nights they boosted cars, and most days they worked away in a hidden garage. But some time, like right then, they just smoked and played cards like a normal bunch of folks. The transition was intriguing, to be sure, and Kagome didn't quite know what to make of it. Still, something inside her liked the way people could be dangerous and relaxed at the same time.

Kagome sat contentedly by and watched the boys play a game of cards, marveling at their closeness all the while. She could almost tell by watching that these boys would do anything for one another. As she removed the cigarette from her mouth and exhaled, she saw Rin's sillhouette through the smoke cloud. Her cousin was heading straight towards her with a purposeful yet somehow gleeful step.

"Kags," Rin greeted, bending down to level with Kagome. "We've got woman stuff to do; Ayame's got a date with Kouga tonight."

Blinking, Kagome stood and brushed herself off out of habit, looking back at the others momentarily. Turning back to Rin, she asked in a hushed tone, "What do we have to do about that?"

As though this were perfectly obvious, Rin popped her hip to the side and regarded Kagome with mild disdain. "Get her ready. Duh."

Rin turned on her heels and marched over to Sango, shaking her and beginning to explain the situation rapidly. Kagome rolled her eyes and was about to get up when a strong hand gripped her arm; she could feel the calming coolness of claws, barely grazing her skin. "Where you goin?" Inuyasha asked, glaring pointedly at her.

Shrugging, Kagome said, "Girl stuff. I've gotta go."

Inuyasha gave a derisive snort and released her arm, returning to his game as though nothing had transpired. Kagome jogged over to Rin and Sango, waiting until they'd finished their conversation to ask the obvious question.

"So, why can't Ayame get ready by herself? Maybe she doesn't want us crowding her space."

Rin turned around with a fierce glare and threw up her hands in frustration. "Kagome, it's like you never been a girl or something! We're obligated to help! It's a rule in the feminism hand book!"

With this, Rin spun around, rubbing her hands together in an evil gesture, before marching straight up to where Ayame was dozing off on the couch next to Ranbou. The Wildcat's leader shook her violently, practically screaming in her ear, "Get up, bitch!"

Besides the fact that Ayame's sensetive demon hearing could've hear a near whisper, the wolf was practically scared out of her mind. She jumped slightly, body rocking the couch as she almost tumbled over the side, only to be stopped by Ranbou's hand on her bra straps. He yanked her back with a stinging snap and sighed, glaring up at Rin.

"Do you mind? I'm playing cards here," he informed her irritatedly.

Meanwhile, Kouga was trying to collect himself while simultaneously trying to forget his brother snapping Ayame's bra. It simply wasn't an image he needed to preserve, nor was this a feeling he needed to foster. He was feeling two things: possession towards Ayame and anger towards his brother for moving in on his territory. Sure, his streak of humanity knew Ranbou meant nothing but to help Ayame and Ayame was a person in and of herself, but Kouga's demon senses couldn't hear tell of these facts. Ayame was his and Ranbou was a rival, end of story.

Sesshomaru sensed his friend's anxiety and glanced to the side, murmuring, "Kouga," to grab the boy's attention.

"What?!" Kouga snarled in return, eyes blazing with unbidden fire. The others looked taken aback, as Kouga and Sesshomaru never fought over any issue, big or small, but Kouga soon resumed his poker face. Sighing slightly, he massaged his temples and muttered, "Sorry, Shomo. I don't know what's wrong with me."

By this time, Ayame found herself being dragged to her feet by an incredibly bossy Rin and dragged towards the door, followed slowly by Sango and Kagome. All four girls were hurriedly putting on their shirts, lest they run out in their sports bras where the world could see. Bankotsu glanced over the back of the couch, asking, "Where you ladies goin?"

"Business for bitches only!" Rin announced flirtatiously, winking at the boys before shoving Ayame bodily through the mechanical stations and towards the Mercedes.

Sango and Kagome waved goodbye to the others, looking more than a little confused as they followed at their leader's heels. Rin was often nonsensical, but she was charismatic that she'd never be forgotten or ignored. Even in times of great insanity, Rin would still have a faithful following.

The girls piled in the Mercedes, squealing off into the distance and leaving the boys in their wake. The group of males exchanged glances, shrugging their shoulders and preparing to resume their game. Before they could do this, however, Ranbou slapped down his cards and let loose a low chuckle, taking a swig of beer and a drag on his cigarette. He looked downright smug and Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

"What's a matter with you?" he asked rudely.

Ranbou continued grinning, turning to his little brother and winking broadly. "Ko's got a hot date!"

The others laughed, some at Ranbou's flamboyant attitude and some at Kouga's outraged face, before Kouga grew rather red and crossed his arms. "Shut up!" he said indignantly, looking pointedly away from his friends. "S'not like you never had one."

This only served to bring Ranbou's eyebrows into the fringe of his hair in surprise. "Me? Date? Oh no, no, no, baby bro, I don't date. I mate."

The group exploded with laughter at the outrageous statement, slapping their knees and throwing back their heads. Even Sesshomaru had a good hearty laugh over Ranbou's suggestion, while Kouga couldn't help but crack a smile. "You're such a frickin' man whore, Bo."

At this, Ranbou leapt to the other couch and plopped down next to Kouga, wrapping him in a headlock and giving him a fierce noogie. "And you're about to follow in my footsteps! I've got so many techniques to pass down through the generations!"

"Dear God," Ginta muttered hopelessly, "He's an idiot. Our leader's an idiot."

"I'll second that," Miroku snorted, smiling slightly as he took a sip of beer. They turned back to Ranbou's presentation on the art of seducing women; it was certainly going to be entertaining.

"Alright," Ranbou began, once he was standing where all could see him. "The first thing we need to cover is what to say when you pick her up. What're you gonna say?"

Quirking an eyebrow, Kouga suggested, "Hey, Ayame?"

"Enh, wrong!" Ranbou answered, crossing his arms disappointedly. "You need something exciting, something to grab her attention. Like...'Hey, Ayame, have you ever wanted to do it on a rollercoaster?'"

Inuyasha smacked his forehead with his palm, shaking his head slowly as Kouga stared at his brother incredulously. "You're joking," he said flatly, certain his brother was being funny like always. Yet Ranbou looked quite serious.

"What? Joking? Not me. Wouldn't it grab your attention if she knocked on your door in her underwear, asking if you could help her 'clean the shower?'" Ranbou replied haughtily, looking almost offended.

At the mere thought of Ayame in her underwear, Kouga gulped and grew incredibly red in the face. "Uh..." he trailed off. Realizing that he couldn't quite form a coherent sentence, Kouga resorted to thinking cold thoughts, hoping he might become slightly yes hot in the lower regions. 'Cold, cold cold, Antarctica, cold beer, old men in bikinis, Ranbou pole dancing...ugh.'

"Then you need to keep your promises, as I've always taught you. Take her to the rollercoaster and..." Ranbou began, only to be cut off by Sesshomaru.

"Ko, I think you know what to do, don't listen to this bonehead," Sesshomaru said with a small smile, ignoring Ranbou's outraged huff.

Groaning, Kouga massaged his head again and murmured, "If I don't listen to somebody I'm gonna screw the whole damn thing up. I know me. I suck at romantic situations."

Hiten smirked, raising his beer in a sort of toast. "I'll drink to that."

The others gave a hurrah, clinking their glasses as Kouga regarded them irritatedly. Finally, after everyone had practically drained their bottles, Inuyasha turned to Kouga with a sort of nonchalant hand gesture. "Look, just do what you normally do. You an Aya get along fine when you ain't on a date, so don't make it any different. Talk about mechanics or some shit...you got a lot in common."
The room was silent for a moment as the others' minds went blank with curious fear; had Inuyasha just made a good plan? Before anyone could taunt his brother, Sesshomaru picked up where Inuyasha left off. "If you really think about it, you're with Ayame for a good part of your day and most of your week. If you have nothing to talk about by now, then perhaps you weren't meant to be."

Kouga nodded a little, growing steadily more confident as he mulled over the idea. "Hey, yeah, you're right. And we never run outta stuff to talk about. So...I guess I'm in good shape then?"

The others exchanged glances, as though wondering if they'd forgotten anything, and they finally nodded. Bankotsu added almost as an afterthought, "And you know what you're wearin, right?"

The wolf demon's blank stare was the only necessary answer and Miroku chuckled. "Just go home and change shirts; you'll be fine. As far as I'm concerned, there's only three things to do in preparation for a date. Rest, relax, and stretch."

"Stretch?" Inuyasha echoed, cocking an eyebrow questioningly.

"Of course," Miroku replied, nodding wisely. "In case you end up doing something...strenuous. I myself practice my reach, just in case she leans over and-"

"Yeah, thanks Miroku," Hakaku interrupted, holding up one wry hand to stop the boy's perverted tirade.

Kouga leaned back against the couch and stared up at the ceiling, moaning, "This is gonna be a long day."

By this time, Ayame was beginning to wonder what Rin and the others were up to. She was sitting blindly in the passenger's seat, staring at everyone as though expecting some kind of explanation, though she never received one. Sango and Kagome were carrying on a hushed conversation in the backseat, sneaking glances at her every once and while; Rin merely grinned madly, eyes forever trained on the road. Eventually, the girls pulled up to a sickeningly familiar parking lot and Ayame gasped, grabbing desperately for the doorhandle only to find the child lock activated. Seeing that there was absolutely no way out, the wolf demon gave a whine and sat back against the seat, closing her eyes fretfully.

"Guys, have a heart," she moaned, staring at the mall entrance with a pitiful pout.
Rin just laughed, killing the engine and poising her finger directly above the child lock switch. "We're gonna get you ready for your date, Aya, and you're gonna love it! Positive!"

Seeing that her cousin's pitiful reassurance tactics had no effect on Ayame, Kagome jumped in, "We're really more tag alongs here than anything. You're picking what you want, we're just...sideline guidance."

Glancing at the two girls in the backseat, Ayame took a deep breath and said unhappily, "Let's just get this over with."

Rin squealed madly at what she considered her own "success" and unlocked the child mechanism, practically leaping out the door in her joyful state. Sango and Kagome exchanged glances, fighting back smiles, before following their friends towards the mall. Kagome had actually never been to the Tokyo mall before, but it was bigger than any mall she could ever imagine. Stores upon stores lined the walls, carrying all the latest fashions and buzzing with business. There must have been easily three thousand people within the mall, yet there was still room for more. Sango grabbed Kagome's hand and dragged her along, lest they not catch up with Rin and Ayame several feet ahead.

Their first stop was a wild looking teen store called "Hot Spot." The shades inside were mostly of the firetruck variety, though Rin seemed completely at home here. Ayame's mouth dropped as she looked around at all the ridiculously revealing clothing, recalling momentarily that she'd worn next to nothing the past few days. "But it's just because it's hot outside...it's not like I wear my bra around every day of the frickin' year." Yet her righteous moral speech did little to ease her mind. This really was a trying situation; Ayame hated shopping. Passionately.

"Oooh, this is cute!" Rin exclaimed, holding up a tight red tube top and barely there mini skirt to match.

Ayame merely blinked before announcing, "I'm outta here," and turning towards the door.

Rin opened her mouth to protest, yet Kagome was way ahead of her. The kind girl linked arms with her redheaded friend, accompanying her out of the store. "Maybe that wasn't your store. I'm sure we can find something in this mall you'd like."

Wincing at the thought of actually searching for clothes, Ayame sighed and muttered, "I hate shopping."

Kagome blinked, asking after a moment, "You do? I didn't know that. Well, we'll get this over with quickly then. Rin made it sound like you loved shopping."

"You don't say," Ayame said through gritted teeth, turning her head to stare back at Rin, several steps behind her. Rin just gave a nervous laugh, unconciously saddling up closer to Sango for protection.

"Oh, let's go in here!" Kagome said suddenly, dragging Ayame bodily into the store. On the way in, the redhead could barely make out the sign overhead; it read "Chloe's Closet."

Inside, the clothing took a completely different spin than that of Hot Spot; it was artistic, eccentric, often involving sequins, bits of cloth stapled on, and occassionally a hole or two. Ayame's eyes widened as she took in the plethera of radical clothing and she emitted a soft, "Wow." Kagome crossed her arms triumphantly and exchanged proud glances with Sango; perhaps this was more Ayame's style.

Immediately, the girls picked out several different tops and bottoms, throwing them in Ayame's arms until she was struggling beneath the bundle's weight. After staggering to the dressing room, Ayame locked the door and began to mix and match. The girls often threw out suggestions or comments, stating that her hips looked wide or the cut was wrong, sometimes things concerning color and style. Eventually, Ayame tried the last thing she could think of. Pushing the door open tentatively, she stood there as her friends examined her outfit.

She wore a pair of tight black jeans with her black platform flip flops, which she'd decided were lucky and going with her on the date no matter what her clothes looked like. Her top was bodice style, a black background with an green oriental flower design curling up its silken cloth. It laced up the front, yet in a modest way, managing to hug Ayame's curves perfectly. The girls exchanged glances, grinning and nodding in satisfaction; that would do nicely.

Rin glanced at her watch and gave a nod of satisfaction, calling, "Come along, ladies, it's already 5:00 and we haven't done hair or make up or any of that shit!"

Ayame scowled at her leader, handing the cashier a credit card before replying snotily, "We haven't and won't; I don't wear make-up."

The other girls just snorted. "That's what you think," Sango announced, winking broadly in her friend's direction.

Eventually, after a painful trip back to Rin's house, during which the other three girls discussed what sort of make-up might best compliment Ayame's skin tone, not to mention a rather angry disagreement over her hair style, the wolf demon's friends had donned her ready for her date. After her friends so painstakingly put on her make-up, which made Ayame feel rather caked with oil, Rin called up Kouga and announced rather smugly to him that he could pick Ayame up at the Takeyama residence whenever he was ready.

Ayame hadn't budged from her position in the mirror, where she was observing her face with some disdain. She'd never found herself extrodinarily beautiful; she was sure if a stunning man were to walk by on the street, he wouldn't even glance her direction. Her looks were that unremarkable. Still, she had to admit that Kouga was absolutely gorgeous. Despite their years of friendship, she was surprised he cared enough to ask her on a date. Ayame, to put it plainly, was stunned he'd ask someone so...ugly...to go on a date with him. He could have anyone that Friday night, but he chose her. Why?

The girl was becoming quite nervous, butterflies erupting in her stomach and causing her a great deal of confusion. Ayame was a fairly confident person and hadn't felt so shaky since her first grade ballet recital. What with the new clothes, the gallons of make-up and her friends' constant advice, (keep you eyes wide to make him think your interested, make sure not to talk too much, make him feel special, don't pick wedgies while he's looking) Ayame was about ready to explode with anxiety.

Just then, she felt a sort of comfort wash over her as her keen demon nose picked up a familiar scent, a mixture of several interesting smells: cigarettes, car grease and spearmint. The very presence of Kouga's scent set Ayame at ease and she took a deep breath, smiling slightly at her reflection. Tonight, she could forget about the world and it's problems, if only to think about herself and Kouga. Tonight, she was free from the Wildcats and the races, Naraku and his evil plans, broken down cars and heavyweight mods. Tonight, she could forget about everything.

Ayame turned as the doorbell rung and, before her friends could stop her, she'd flown out the door and down the impressive staircase, throwing the double doors wide to reveal Kouga's warm smile. He wore regular jeans and a black t-shirt with his Fang's jacket, nothing spactacular, but he looked comfortable and relaxed. His demeanor made Ayame want to feel the same and, before she could catch herself staring, she decided to say the first words.

"Hey Ko," she greeted cheerfully.

Kouga was stunned to see his friend of nearly ten years, that helpful, intelligent Ayame Saitou girl, looking more dolled up than he'd ever seen her. A quick olfactory inspection proved his suspicions true; she was wearing make-up. He knew she hated make-up, as they'd talked about it many times before, but yet she was wearing quite a bit of it. That didn't stop her from being any more beautiful.

"Aya," he breathed cooly. "You're looking gorgeous tonight." The compliment caught the redhead off guard and she blushed, earning a wolfish grin from Kouga. She was positively adorable when she blushed. "You ready to go?" he asked, hefting his motorcycle keys and gesturing to the Yamaha. "Your carriage awaits."

Ayame's eyes sparkled as she prepared to rush out the door when a voice cried out, "Ayame! Wait!"

Spinning about on her heels and trying to appear collected, Ayame observed Rin with slight irritation. "Uhuh," she asked noncomitally, observing Rin with confusion. She hadn't expected her friend to come downstairs.

Rin held Ayame's white Wildcat's jacket aloft, saying breathlessly, "You almost forgot your jacket."

At the sight of her jacket, her one constant reminder of the Wildcats and her own responsibilities, Ayame's face fell. It wouldn't have been noticeable had Kouga not known her so well, yet the tightening of her lips, the dull quality of her eyes...these symptoms said it all. Reaching out with one clawed hand, the girl snatched the jacket curtly away, thanking Rin with a nod of her head. Every single gang member wore their jackets when they went out, rain or shine, hot or cold, on their leaders' orders. The gang members knew that their jackets offered protection; kill one gang member, fight fifty angry friends for free. Yet Ayame would've gladly given up her constant protection just to forget her duties as the Wildcat's second in command.

"Have a good time," Kagome called warmly, appearing over Rin's shoulder as Kouga ushered Ayame towards the bike. Even Ayame couldn't help but smile as Kagome waved; the girl was so kind, it was hard not to smile. Sango just gave the redhead a satisfied nod; that was all Ayame ever needed in the first place.

The mansion doors shut with an echo of stark finality and Ayame sighed peacefully; alone with Kouga at last. The boy smirked, a grin which reached all the way up to his ice blue eyes, as he handed his date a visored helmet. His helmet.

Again, Ayame's smile fell. "Your helmet? No, Kouga, you can't, I can go witho-"

"Don't even think about it," Kouga interrupted gruffly. "If fer some fucked up reason we crash, you won't be the one dyin'."

His words were cryptic, yet they hit home with a painful smack. Ayame was used to his cynicism and only smiled; it was his way of showing affection. "Thanks," she said quietly, letting the subject drop at that. She knew better than to argue and Kouga knew better than to push.

Ayame climbed on the back of the bike behind Kouga, wrapping her arms securely around his waist and knotting her hands. She could feel his rippling muscles beneath her hands and she nearly moaned; that was, without a doubt, quite the turn on. Kouga smirked to himself as he smelled a spike in Ayame's scent; she was excited, almost aroused by something. Feeling her grip resettling on his stomach, he continued to grin and revved the motorcycle's engine. So she liked his body, did she? In that case, he was going to take the long way to the pier; that should give her enough time to become properly aroused.

Yet as he pulled on to the road and felt her presence surround him, arousal was suddenly the last thing on his mind. He could feel Ayame's head resting against his back, the warmth of her body against his. In that moment, he noticed just how small Ayame was compared to him. He was a good six feet while she stood at only about 5'6. Six inches could determine the winner of a bar fight, couldn't it? What if something were to happen to Ayame? What if some Northern punk tried to mug her or something? Just imagining these scenarios caused the hairs on Kouga's neck to stand on end. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to protect her.

The pair arrived at the pier as the sun sank lower in the sky, almost at the horizon. Kouga parked the bike and Ayame dismounted, albeit reluctantly, before locking the helmet to the motorcycle. She had to admit that, after all the rides she'd taken on a motorcycle, that one topped them all. She turned to find Kouga grinning at her, that smile she'd learned to love, and he jerked his head towards the pier.

"C'mon, I know you wanna hot dog," he said smugly.

Ayame smirked and rolled her eyes, "Oh boy, how'd you know? I crave hotdogs," Yet her sarcasm meant nothing when her stomach gave a discontented rumble. Maybe she was a bit hungry.

As thought this answered all his questions, Kouga placed his hand on the small of Ayame's back and ushered her towards the pier, their footsteps creating a comfortable rythym on the wooden planks. Shuddering pleasantly at the contact, Ayame felt that familiar sanctity surround her and she knew she was safe. Not that anything bad might happen at the boardwalk, but now she knew that, despite hurricanes and gunfire, Kouga wouldn't let the world harm a hair on her head.

The two walked up to a hot dog stand and got a hot dog for each of them, thanking the vendor before walking down the pier steps towards the beach. There was barely anyone out, as most were hitting up downtown Tokyo for clubbing and rowdy partying. The beach wasn't popular after dark and the last of the crowd was beginning to dwindle.

Ayame sighed and threw her hot dog container into the nearest trashcan, reaching into her pocket for a stick of gum. She offered one to Kouga, who accepted it gratefully; hotdogs were wonderful, but they left a peculiar aftertaste. Ayame kicked off her sandals and held them in her hand, sinking her feet deep in the sand as it rushed between her toes. There was hardly a more satisfying feeling than the beach on your feet, she'd decided, and she continued walking barefoot.

"I'd forgotten how pretty the beach was," she commented, glancing at the sun as it begun setting, casting orages and reds across the rippling waters.

"Yeah," Kouga murmured in agreement, placing his hands comfortably in her jean pockets. "I come here to think sometimes."

Ayame clasped her hands thoughtfully behind her back. "About what?"

Kouga shrugged. "Everything and nothing, I guess. I think about racing, about the guys and all their shit, sometimes I think about you girls and your shit. Other times I think about life before and after the Fangs. Ya know?" His ponytail blew slightly in the ocean breeze as his ice blue eyes turned skyward.

Observing the boy carefully, Ayame replied, "I know what you mean. Sometimes I..." Almost startled by her own thoughts, Ayame trailed off and averted her eyes to the sand. "Nevermind."

Yet Kouga wouldn't leave this unfinished. "You can tell me, Aya," he said reasurringly, knowing she had something to get out. The gangs offered protection, they offered family, but sometimes even brothers and sisters couldn't share things. Everyone needed a friend. Or a lover.

"Well," Ayame continued unsurely. "Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I weren't in the Wildcats. Like, what if I was...a cheerleader or something?" she blurted out, confessing her darkest secret in a mere two sentences.

Kouga took it in stride with a hint of relief. "I think about that too," he conceeded. "Don't get me wrong, I love the Fangs and all that crap, but...I could've taken other roads and I didn't."

"Sometimes I wish I hadn't joined," Ayame muttered quietly, eyes slightly downcast. "It's like I have two people inside of me. Good Ayame and Bad Ayame. Bad Ayame wants to go race and win, the beat the crap out of Kagura and her Vixens, to drink and cuss and spit and smoke. Then Good Ayame wants to go be a big sister to her siblings or bake a cake or watch movies at night with someone who cares. And a lot of the times, I wish I was Good Ayame, just for a minute. She used to come out when I wasn't working but...now I'm Bad Ayame all the time. That must sound pretty stupid, huh?"

Glancing over at the girl, Kouga gauged her silently, watching her sad green eyes becoming oddly bright as they observed the sunset. "I only know one Ayame," he said in a softer tone...one reserved only for her. When she only turned to face him, face confused, he continued. "She races and wins and beats the crap outta the Vixens. She drinks sometimes and smokes sometimes, not a lot though. She cusses a lot, but I cuss more. I think she might spit more than I do, though." At this Ayame chuckled almost brokenly, yet he kept speaking. "She's still a sister to all her siblings and she cooks whenever she can, which is never often enough, cause she's a fucking good cook. The only thing my Ayame ain't got that yours wants is that 'someone who cares' to watch movies with. And she oughta know that there's a guy who's wanted to be that 'someone who cares' for a fucking long time. He works with her everday and they laugh and talk cause they've known each other too long not to. And...he always wishes he could do more for her. But he ain't a superhero. He's just a guy. Just some guy."

Ayame could barely even speak as a strange warmth spread throughout her body, tingling her fingertips and jostling her stomach. She knew the underlying meaning of Kouga's words, could hear his uncertainty and his sadness, yet she could barely trust her own ears. She could swear he'd just confessed his feelings for her, in an indirect and Kouga like way. And she oughta know that there's a guy who's wanted to be that someone who cares for a fucking long time...and he always wishes he could do more for her...he's just some guy.

But he wasn't just some guy to Ayame. This was Kouga, her friend, her companion, the boy she'd had a crush on for years now. True, she'd never had the courage to confess her feelings for him, but she always figured some prettier, wittier girl would win his heart. What was the point in trying when there were people like Kikyo in this world? It just seemed pointelss. But now...now it seemed anything but pointless.

"Kouga..." she mumbled, startled into silence by his words. "He's not just some guy to me. He never was. He was always..the most precious friend I had. My most precious...anything."

She stopped walking, not trusting her feet to carry her farther, and Kouga stopped, turning to stand before her. They were face to face, eye to eye, and Ayame felt her breath escape in a steady stream. The way he was looking at her, ice blue eyes the color of a frozen pond in winter...it sent chills down her spine despite the warm ocean wind.

Before Kouga could think about the moment, he found his eyes drawn to her lips, slightly parted and the pretty pink of the sunset behind her. The way the light caught her face was positively breathtaking and he wasn't about to let her get away. Without another thought, Kouga leaned forward, claiming her mouth with his. Ayame gasped slightly, suddenly realizing that Kouga was kissing her, Ayame Saitou, the girl who found herself boring and plain. But she could tell from his kiss that he wasn't just playing with her. No, it wasn't that kind of kiss. This kiss was sheer beauty. Raw passion.

She savored the sweetness of his lips on hers, the minty taste of his mouth, the warmth of his arms as he snaked them around her waist. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck, closing the space between them as molten gold filled her entire body to her core. Kissing was truly everything romance novels claimed, that exploding firework, the delicate budding of a rose; any cliche she'd ever heard was suddenly coming true. Despite that fact, she was sharing her first kiss with her longtime crush, barefoot on the beach with the sunset to light their way. That was, in and of itself, a culmination of the most overused cliches in the world to date, but she could've cared less. She was happier than she'd ever been.

Kouga just couldn't believe how amazing Ayame tasted. Most of the time, guys claimed lame things like she tasted like strawberries, but Ayame's taste was entirely original. Cinammon, sugar and the crisp sensation of ice surrounded his tongue as she granted him entrance and he moaned slightly. He's kissed girls before, but it was nothing like this. Nothing like his Ayame.

When they finally broke apart, gasping for breath, Kouga and Ayame met each others eyes with a hint of surprise and delight. As Kouga assessed Ayame's wild green gaze, overcome with a beautiful sparkling happiness, he felt a surge of affection for his lifelong friend. Yet it wasn't just a friendship sort of emotion; it went much deeper than that and both wolves knew it.

Kouga leaned down and kissed Ayame's forehead, earning a contented sigh from the girl as he held her closely. After these past few months of endless chaos, floating in a purgatory where there was nothing to hold on to, he was afraid to let her escape his grasp, as though she were an illusion. Ayame rested her head against Kouga's chest and, after a moment, she could hear his heart beat. Despite their kiss, his heart was thumping slowly and rythymically, one constant in Ayame's world that could never be changed.

Neither was sure how long they stood there, but Kouga's ears perked up at the low belch of a coast guard ship. He suddenly became aware of the darkness surrounding them, the lights from the pier sending strange, dancing creatures across the waves below. He chuckled, realizing just how much time had passed since their first kiss, and he glanced down at Ayame's softly smiling face.

"It's dark," he pointed out astutely.

Ayame giggled. "So it is."

Without removing his arm from around her waist, Kouga helped Ayame up the sand banks to the boardwalk and together they approached the motorcycle. It was one of three vehicles in the parking lot, the other two belonging to the security men. Though the pier's lights shone in the darkness, the ferris wheel a great shining firework against the dark summer sky, the carnival was closed and no one lingered at the beach.

Ayame donned her helmet and retook her position behind Kouga on the motorcycle, leaning against him as he rode calmly out of the parking lot onto the street. The ride home was quicker than Ayame might've liked, yet she enjoyed it all the same. Kouga pulled up in front of Rin's house on Ayame's request, riding inside the gates as the butler opened them for the pair. After parking the motorcyle, Kouga dismounted and helped Ayame slide off as well, depositing the helmet on the handlebars.

As Kouga wrapped his arms around her waist, Ayame couldn't help but feel a strange sort of fear. The entire ride home, she'd been puzzling over one certain question, one which plagued the mind of every female on the planet after their very first date. Exactly how far would this go? She didn't want to pressure him into asking her out, but she also didn't want to wait while he tried to decode her feelings. Wouldn't it be easier if she just...

"Aya?"

Blinking, Ayame refocused her gaze on Kouga's confused face, giggling slightly as his head cocked to the side in an animalistic gesture. "Sorry, just thinking."

"About..." he trailed off, waiting for her to fill in the blink.

The girl bit her lip momentarily, completely oblivious to Kouga's growing desire to kiss her, and finally asked rather tentatively, "What are we now?"

Without hardly missing a beat, Kouiga let loose a low chuckle and replied, "Isn't it obvious? You're my girlfriend and if anyone even thinks about touchin' ya, I'll rip 'im to shreds."

While most girls would have found this possessive and slightly creepy, Ayame was flattered beyond all comprehensible reason. Her eyes glowed as her smile simultaneously began to grow. "Really?!" she asked, voice high pitched in her excitement.

"Of course," Kouga replied huskily, leaning down and silencing her delighted laughter with a soft kiss. Unlike their first kiss, this one was more about enjoying each other's company and celebrating their time together than the heated passion of desire.

When they finally broke apart, Kouga smirked and rested his forehead against hers. "We've got an audience."

Without even straining her ears, Ayame could hear the high pitched squeals from her friends on the second floor. She scowled slightly, rolling her eyes. "Now I'm going to have to go upstairs and tell them all the ridiculous details. Ugh, sometimes I hate being a girl."

At this, Kouga only smiled, a wild, wicked smile with always made Ayame weak in the knees. "You ain't just a girl, baby. You're a woman. My woman."

Her heart warmed at these words, which were just Kouga's way of showing deep affection for someone, and she smiled, leaning up to place a goodnight kiss on his lips. "And you're my man. So if you see me beating up some poor Vixen girl, it's probably because she was oogling your ass or something."

Kouga laughed, a rich rumbling sound which Ayame had grown to love. "That would turn me on, I think. To see you beat up some chick for me."

With her own wicked smile, Ayame leaned up on her toes until her lips were barely touching his ear lobe. "I think it would turn me on, too."

Just hearing these words escape Ayame's mouth provoked a grown from Kouga's mouth and he leaned his forehead against Ayame's shoulder. "Damn, woman. Now I'm gonna have to take a long, cold shower."

Ayame was pleased at the reaction she'd elicited from Kouga and she smiled mysteriously, kissing his lips briefly before breakiing away. "You do that, babe. I'll see you bright and early, elbow deep in grease."

And with that, Ayame turned on her heels, walking up the stairs with a decided shake of her ass. Kouga couldn't help but follow the seat of Ayame's pants with his eyes as she swayed up the stairs, turning to observe him lovingly before closing the door shut behind her. After releasing a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, Kouga sighed and smiled up at the starry sky. Perhaps there was some sort of higher power.

The boy put on his helmet, smiling as Ayame's scent flooded his nostrils, and he revved the engine, bound for one place: Sesshomaru's house.

Sesshomaru sat on his house's porch swing, looking up at the flawless night sky while nursing a cigarette between his lips. He'd always been a night lover and couldn't help but find something extrodinary in darkness that just wasn't there in light. It was as though he could hide at night, though this idea was proposterous. He knew he couldn't really hide, but it was enough to make believe, wasn't it?

The Fang leader was startled from his thoughts by the familiar roar of Kouga's Yamaha motorcycle and he turned, glancing down the street at a fast approaching headlight. The motorcycle in question pulled to a stop at the curb and the rider killed the engine, dismounting and tossing his helmet carelessly on the grass. Kouga jogged up to the porch, jacket slung over his shoulder and eyes alight with happiness.

Sesshomaru just gave a small smile. "How did it go?"

His best friend chuckled, leaning against the porch column as he fished for a box of cigarettes in his pocket. "Better than expected. We're officially going out, though titles never meant anything to me anyway."

"They mean something to women, though," Sesshomaru pointed out.

Kouga snorted. "Well yeah, but that's cause women give a damn about what other people think. It's enough for us to just be happy, you know? Guys are so much easier to please than girls."

This only provoked a wry smile from Sesshomaru as he puffed out perfect smoke rings, watching them fade in the darkness. "Try pleasing a hundred testosterone charged men on motorcycles and get back to me. We're not the fucking saints you think we are."

Shrugging Kouga took a seat next to his friend, catching the swing in mid cycle and sliding smoothy into the rythym. "Yeah, we're probably not. Hell, I know I ain't perfect. But Aya...she comes pretty damn close."

Sesshomaru nodded sagely. "I feel the same about Rin."

The two dissolved into a friendly silence, a moment perfected by their years of companionship. There were so many things to say, yet they knew and understood that nothing was that important. Without even bothering to speak, they knew the other agreed and that had to count for something. Both were struck by a strange infinince in that moment and savored it's sweet, never ending flavor. Ah, to be infinite...

"When did we get so soft?" Kouga murmured, half to himself and half to his friend.

Sighing, Sesshomaru snubbed out his cigarette on the swing arm and replied, "I like to think that we're not getting softer, but the world's getting harder. It preserves my pride."

"And that's what it's all about," Kouga replied with a light joking quality to his voice.

"Right," Sesshomaru agreed quietly. "That's what it's all about."

Another chapter under my belt. I hope you guys enjoyed it. The next installment is easier to write, so I should have it within the next week. Be prepared, bwahah!

KOLU