InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lemonade, Too ❯ 10 Ways to Irritate Your Hanyou ( Chapter 3 )

Lemonade, Too

By Fujifunmum

Chapter 3: 10 Ways To Irritate Your Hanyou

"Houjou's here!"

Souta's voice rang out through the old church that the Higurashi's called home announcing the arrival of someone named Houjou. Instantly Yash smelled the change in Kagome's scent and his ears flattened back as his face took on the beginnings of a scowl. Soon that scowl was turning into a full-blown snarl.

Kagome was beginning to blush and fidget. She could tell even without looking that Yash was going into a major fit of jealousy. Worse, she knew it was undeserved and driven solely by her own reactions. She plopped down into the nearest chair at the kitchen table and flopped her head into her waiting palms, propped up by her elbows. Just when she thought this week couldn't get any worse, now this. After everything that had already happened, she rightfully feared that Yash might just go demon on her. That was something she never wanted to see, and definitely not here, in Wisconsin.

It was that damn armed robbery at the beginning of their "vacation", that's what had started it, she was sure. Or maybe it was deciding to get married. Or the canary diamond Yash had bought her. Kagome looked down at the brilliant yellow diamond on her hand. Nope. That couldn't be it, she was already too fond of the beautiful ring that her hanyou had given her to believe it could be the source of her phenomenal bad luck. No way. If any jewel was at fault, it had to be that damn Shikon no Tama that had been inside of her and was now hanging around her neck. She fingered the jewel on its chain underneath her t-shirt and sighed, thinking back on the seemingly unending stream of idiotic events which had plagued her this week.

First, on the drive home from buying the ring in Madison, Yash had been pulled over by the Prairie du Chien police. He hadn't been speeding, for a change, but that didn't make him any happier about the delay.

"License and registration, Sir," said the Officer as he leaned down to look in the driver's side window of the `Vette. Yash kept his eyes down, hidden by the visor of his baseball cap as he fumbled with his wallet to take out the requested documents. The Officer leaned down a bit more and looked into the car, habitually taking in the back seat area, which the Corvette didn't have. His eyes landed on Kagome as Yash leaned over her to pull the rental car papers out of the car pocket, and the Officer's features re-arranged into a big smile.

"Hey, Kagome," he said brightly.

"Hey, Kevin. How are you? And MaryJo and the kids? And your Dad? I heard about his heart attack from Mom."

"Everyone's fine. Dad's better now, giving us all lectures about diet and exercise from his new treadmill. Nothing like a new convert to drive you nuts. Heard you were in town. How's California treating you?"

"Never better. Let me introduce you to my fiancé. Yash, this is Kevin Milner, a friend from both high school and college. He is one of Prairie du Chien's finest, and married to one of my best friends, MaryJo Ransdale." Yash nodded. "Kevin, this is Yash, the biggest pain in the ass private eye in LA, and my fiancé."

"Nice to meet you Yash. Could you step out of the vehicle for a moment please? I'd like a word."

Kagome frowned. This was not good. Yash wasn't going to like it one bit if he was hassled by the local cops.

Reluctantly, Yash got out of the car, giving Kagome a look that clearly said, "Stay here, bitch."

Yash followed Kevin to the rear of the Corvette, lounging on the back of the car, crossing his arms and waiting impatiently for the local authorities to cough up their concern.

"I didn't realize that the `Vette was rented to a visitor at the Higurashi's until this morning, or I would have paid you a social call yesterday after dinner." Kevin walked around the back of the car, admiring the shiny red vehicle. He leaned on the spoiler, and with a smirk of a smile said, "Plastic Fantastic, eh?"

"Doesn't bother me, sport. Just the most interesting rental I could get. Back home I drive a Jag."

"Jagwire, huh. Out of the shop more now that Ford's in charge, eh?"

"Quality is Job 1, friend."

"Better than `Fix Or Repair Daily'."

"Keh, I see Prairie du Chien's finest uses a `Found on Road Dead', too."

Kevin just laughed and gestured to the `Vette. "Specs? This looks like a new one."

"Yep. We're only the second rental. 350 horse, LS1."

"6 speed?"

"Yep." Yash was growing impatient with Wisconsin muscle mania. "So, you got a beef with Corvettes in general? Or me in particular?"

"Not at all. Just a friendly warning. Don't let Souta drive it on the public highway. The state park is fine, as long as he stays away from kids and other drivers. Too visible. Too dangerous." Kevin paused and gave Yash a sly smile. "You teaching him to drive a stick or letting him grind the gears in this fine machine?"

Yash smiled back. "He didn't do too much damage, figure he'll be ready to hit a Bondurant school by the end of the week."

"'Nuf said. Congrats on snagging Kagome, Yash. She's a fine-looking woman and a good one, too. Take good care of her." Kevin extended his hand and Yash shook hands lightly, thankful for the driving gloves, which avoided more unnecessary questions.

Yash didn't share the details of his male bonding experience with Kagome; he just grunted when she asked if everything was all right. He seemed peeved but not yet irritated, so Kagome was content to let this entire brush with the law fade away.

The remainder of Monday had been without incident. Yash and Kagome made tentative plans to be wed on Tuesday night, dependent on the arrival of Yash's birth certificate. Kagome's Mom found her birth certificate without incident. She had also confirmed that the church was theirs for the asking on either Tuesday or Thursday. They had a pleasant and uneventful family dinner. Kagome savored the time to catch up on family news and just spend some quiet time with her small, close-knit family.

The phone rang after dinner and Souta's voice rang out just afterwards, "Kagome, it's for you!"

Yash watched while she chatted briefly with the unknown party on the other end of the line. He was suspicious of her phone calls under the best of circumstances, and she didn't look like she was talking to Sango. He only had a few minutes to consider who might be taking her attention away from him, when she held out the receiver to him and said, "Jim wants to talk to you, Yash."

"This can't be good," Yash muttered as he reached for the phone.

"Hey, Yash. No ill effects from the robbery, I hope?"

"Uh, no. Everything's OK here. What's up?"

"I just wanted to give you a heads up on the `Vette."

"What about it?"

"Whenever it's leased, the rental company lets the police know and it's posted all over the state. The locals know who you are and that you're with Kagome by now."

"Yeah, we found that out the hard way."

"Oh, too bad, but be sure and be extra careful where you let Souta drive it. We know you're gonna do it - just make sure not to get caught."

"Yeah, thanks."

"Well, that's it. Hope to see you and Kagome tie the knot later this week. Bye."

Yash hung up the phone and went back to sit with Kagome.

"So what did he want to talk to you for? You just met him this morning!"

"Nothing much. What did he have to say to you?"

"Bad news. We can probably get the six-day waiting period waived by the local judge. However, there's no chance they will take a fax of your birth certificate. I hope that Fed Ex gets it here by tomorrow, or we may have trouble pulling this off by the end of the week. Speaking of which, I better go get my copy from Mom." Kagome got up and went off in search of her mother, but not before she paused at the back of the couch to tap Yash on the shoulder, lean over and whisper into his ear, "I'm tired, meet you upstairs in 15 minutes? Don't forget your karate outfit, I'm going to pretend you're Bruce Lee tonight. My hero!" And she scampered off before Yash could grab her.

Tuesday dawned beautiful and fair. Sunny, warm, everything you could ask for a wedding day in the Midwest. Kagome checked with the local Judge to be sure that he would be willing to waive their six-day waiting period. It looked like Tuesday might be a good day for them. Kagome gave Yash a quick kiss and went off to find a wedding dress with her mother. Yash and Gramps went to the local tux shop and tried to find something that would fit Yash's lean figure and his particular tastes. When that proved impossible, Yash settled for the least offensive tux in the place and the owner, a friend of Gramps, agreed to make the minor alterations necessary for it to fit Yash reasonably well. Yash knew it would not be up to the excellent fit standards of his Armani, but he believed he would be satisfied. Also, Kagome would be happier if he didn't insult the locals by commenting on the level of tailoring he was accustomed to getting in Los Angeles.

Kagome and her Mother returned after a long day of shopping and lunch exhausted, but happy. Kagome had found an acceptable dress and it, too, was being sized and altered. Both had been promised for this evening. Gramps agreed to make the rounds to pick up the wedding clothes just before five o'clock.

The mail was less co-operative. The regular mail came just after noon, the usual delivery time. No special overnight mail was included. When no other express mail had been delivered by four o'clock, Kagome got on the phone. She couldn't reach Kaede, who would still be on the beach at two o'clock California time. She got voice mail for both Sango and Miroku, too. Kagome had to be satisfied with leaving all of them anxious messages to call her as soon as possible, her voice becoming more frantic with each message. Yash called the local Federal Express outlet with no luck. They had no record of any package addressed to anyone at their address that had not already been delivered.

At five o'clock Kagome gave up. Gramps left to go get their clothing and Kagome's Mom went off to call the Rector. Yash gave Kagome a quick hug. Then he took her chin in his hand and said, "We tried, babe, it wasn't meant to be for today. Let's try for tomorrow, ok? Don't forget, we're still mates, so nothing has really changed."

"I know, Yash. And there was no real reason to prefer today over any other day. But I really want my family to attend. What if we can't pull this off while we're here in Wisconsin?"

"Then your family will come to Los Angeles and we'll be married there. Whatever. It will all work out." Yash was actually a bit disappointed that the wedding was not going to take place tonight. He wanted to get this three-ring circus over with so Kagome's family, her Mother in particular, would be happy with his relationship with her. He was a bit nervous that if the wedding was postponed that Mrs. Higurashi might suggest that he actually sleep in Souta's room, or worse, as Miroku had suggested, that he find a room at a local hotel. That was not going to happen, he wouldn't permit it. There was no way Kagome was going to be away from him; not while she was pregnant; not while she wore the Shikon no Tama.

Kagome's Mom returned with the news that the Rector of their church was sorry to hear that the wedding could not take place tonight. Since the church was already booked for Wednesday there was no choice but to hope that the documents would be in order by Thursday. Yash and Kagome were scheduled to fly out on Friday afternoon, arriving back in Los Angeles late on Friday night after changing planes in Minneapolis.

Mrs. Higurashi seemed a bit put out by the delay, but she was well aware that the couple had done everything possible to be sure that the wedding took place quick, and her irritation soon vanished. Yash was hopeful that she would not attempt to keep him from seeking out Kagome until Thursday. He was prepared to use the skylights again should she threaten to deny him access to her, but at the moment the matter seemed closed to further discussion. He crossed his fingers and asked Kagome what she wanted to do this evening since they had some unexpected free time.

The doorbell put an end to that idea. Kagome answered it and a herd of young women about her age laid claim to the Higurashi household. Yash was unclear what was going on until he caught a glimpse of Kagome's Mother smiling broadly in the background. Clearly, she had called the ringleader, Samantha, after she had cancelled the arrangements at the church. The girls were giving Kagome an impromptu bridal shower. Yash scowled and was about to ask why all these girls would want to shower together, not that he wouldn't want to watch, when Kagome came over to take his arm and introduce him.

After the introductions, Gramps glommed onto Yash's arm and said, "Let's blow this pop stand, shall we? A gaggle of giggling girls eating salad and fruit and pretending that's dinner is not my idea of a good time. Let's hit the local brewery and get some real food. Best burgers in town, and a decent shot `n a beer, too."

Yash readily agreed and Souta, spotting the menfolk attempting to make a clean getaway without him tried to make it a threesome. Mrs. Higurashi put a stop to that immediately and they left Souta behind with the giggling mass of females. His eyes watched them balefully as they made their way to the front door.

"Be right back," Kagome stammered as Yash grabbed her by the arm and took her with him to the front door.

"Don't let these women tire you out, `Gome. I have plans for you later. Just `cause we couldn't get married doesn't mean we can't continue to practice for the honeymoon."

"Yeah, right. Unless my Mother locks you out. And don't forget, salad and fruit for dinner. You eat what I eat until after I have this baby."

"Demon scouts honor," said Yash, crossing his fingers behind his back and giving her a quick kiss before he ran out the door.

"Hey! Demon scouts don't have any honor, do they? I'll bet they don't even have any scouts!"

Yash just laughed back at her as he got into the Corvette with Gramps. He was letting Gramps drive, a real treat for the old gent.

Fifteen minutes later, as they slammed into a parking space next to the Chief Dawg Pub, Yash regretted ever giving Gramps the keys. They had streaked through town at breakneck speeds, then driven past every single house in town making sure that anyone who was paying any attention whatsoever saw Gramps at the wheel of the badass Corvette. They'd gotten a few waves from innocent bystanders on their porches and a couple of thumbs up from two joggers and a couple out walking their dog. In total, it had only cost Yash his appetite and who knew how many years off his very long demon life span. He had never felt quite so relieved to be walking into a bar in his life. A beer was definitely in order tonight - as soon as he wrested the keys away from the old guy. Any additional male bonding with this generation of the Higurashi's would have to take place while fishing, not driving.

Yash was stopped in his tracks by the neon sign in the window of The Chief Dawg. It showed a young sweet face, half puppy half human, under a large traditional Chief's feathered headdress. The side feathers looking remarkably like his side forelocks with his hair down. "Remind you of someone?" said Gramps, slyly grinning as he walked past Yash to enter the pub.

The Chief Dawg Pub was having a busy night. Yash could tell by the way the "regulars" offered to somehow find room for the two of them at the bar. It was a comfortable place and reminded Yash of Badgers in LA. When Kevin and another of Prairie du Chien's finest came in just as their beers arrived, Yash recognized the familiarity. This was definitely a cop bar. And a neighborhood bar, too. Hell, the cops probably lived in this neighborhood - wasn't that the entire town?

Kevin paid his respects to Gramps and introduced his partner to Yash. Yash agreed to join them later for a drink. Then he turned his attention to Gramps and his beer and was just starting to relax. He was hoping to spend a decent evening in small town USA when he caught a brief flash in the mirror across from the bar. Suddenly Yash's full attention was on the mirror.

It had been a blue flash, he was sure of it. And it had hit him in his demon senses. He excused himself as casually as possible, leaving Gramps to chat with his usual buddies about the latest sports news. If he was quick and lucky, he could locate the source of the energy and determine if it was a threat without Gramps even knowing he'd been gone.

He slipped out the front door, hopped in the `Vette and took off towards the far side of town, the direction his senses told him he'd find the demon. He followed the lingering demon aura to the outskirts of town and then pulled over to the side of the road when the aura seemed to dissipate.

He got out of the `Vette and walked all around the car, sniffing in all directions to try to determine what direction the demon might have chosen. It was fruitless. He could still sense a demon presence, but it was only around him, around the car, and didn't lead off in any particular direction. He swore and got back into the car.

Just as he pulled back into the parking space next to the bar, he felt a prick on his neck and heard a very familiar voice say, "Long time, no suck."

Infuriated, he smashed the blood-engorged flea as he pulled him off his neck. "Myouga-jiji, you blood sucking bastard! Where the fuck have you been? I sent you out to find some information on a case I was working on over six months ago in LA, how the hell did you find me here in Wisconsin?"

"Lord InuYasha," said Myouga, bowing deeply to acknowledge the fealty of their relationship. "I, your faithful retainer, have been off seeking information, the better to serve you, of course."

"Right. You left as soon as I needed you and have turned up now that I don't. As usual. Why are you here? What the fuck is a demon flea doing in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin?"

"How ironic that a dog demon should find his mate's family to be living within the sacred sphere of the native aboriginal inhabitants of this area. Especially under the auspicious protection of the formidable Chief Alim, the Dog Chief. Perhaps the Jewel of the Four Souls has felt protected by his spirit while the current keeper of the Jewel was here, ne?"

"Tell me something I don't know, Old Man. I have to get back to Kagome's Grandfather before he suspects I was gone."

"I'll just tag along then. We can talk later."

"Talk about what? Your ineptitude or your lack of backbone?"

"How about the latest news on local demons? Perhaps that would interest the great Lord Inu Yasha."

Squishing Myouga again for good measure, Yash dropped him into his shirt pocket and went back into the Chief Dawg. He hoped that the burgers would be good, and that he'd have time for another beer before he had to take Gramps back to the house. But most of all, he hoped that the giggling chickies would be gone and they hadn't tired out his mate with their bridal shower. At least she'd be clean.

He and Gramps had a beer and a burger with his buds at the bar, Yash mostly listening to the old guys chat about the current sad state of affairs in major league baseball. Yash was soon bored by their longing for the `good ole days' before free agency and their equally uncharitable chatter about the owners' greed. He went over to have a second beer with the boys in blue and was greeted warmly by Kevin.

Yash told them about Badgers as they bought him a beer, offering to repay the favor on his home turf. They inquired about Kagome's job at the LAPD, and Yash nearly gushed with pride at telling them about her rise in the department and her accomplishments as a detective. Gramps joined them when most of his regular crowd went home before they missed another rerun of Matlock.

As soon as Gramps had settled in, Kevin asked him about the Higurashi house. He had been assigned to clear out the old historical files and had come across the 50-year-old reports of supernatural harassment filed by the churchgoers. Everyone from the Rector, the Deacons, and the members to the Sexton and the clean-up crew had verified the unholy sightings. Gramps, never one to pass up a chance to educate the young-uns, launched into the story of how he purchased the church and remodeled it for his home.

"Were you ever bothered by the `ghosts'?"

"Naw. I remodeled the place myself - I was quite a carpenter in those days - and moved into the building right after my dear late wife and I were married. We never had any trouble at all."

"What was your wife like? Any family resemblance to Kagome?" Yash was mildly curious. He hadn't come across any pictures of the late Mrs. Higurashi at the house.

"They didn't look particularly alike, but they were very much alike in other ways. Their sweetness, their generosity, their good-natured caring, you might say their souls were alike."

"Did your wife ever have any `supernatural' experiences?" Yash wondered if the fates were being excessively cruel now as they had been in the distant past.

"Yes. Shortly after we moved into the building she told me she had seen a vision. It was the vision of Chief Alim welcoming her as caretaker of the sacred grounds." He paused, took another sip of his beer and murmured, "I haven't thought of that in 50 years. I don't think I've even told Kagome's Mom that story. Funny."

Yash just swore under his breath. "Shit yeah, it's damn hysterical."

By the time he got Gramps home, the house was totally dark and quiet. Kagome was fast asleep, as was Myouga. At least this evening hadn't been a complete loss, he thought, as he crept into Kagome's bed and silently gathered her into his arms. She was exhausted, but she was safe and they'd get this marriage thingy finished on Thursday. And now he knew one very important thing. She was safe here. She would always be safe here. If he ever had to hide her from their enemies, or even her enemies, this was where he would bring her. He fell asleep wondering if they should consider relocating here.

Thursday came all too soon for the young couple. Wednesday had been a flurry of activity. Mrs. Higurashi had called on all of her lifelong friends and neighbors to attend the small wedding and help her prepare a family reception back at their house afterwards. The preparations were in full swing and Yash felt underfoot and out of place at the same time. Myouga had disappeared again without so much as a news bulletin about local demon activity and Yash was beginning to suspect that his absence meant that the only demon in the county was Yash himself. He took Souta driving to keep them both out from underfoot and no matter which deserted county road they chose to drive on, there was no sense of demons anywhere.

Finally, late Thursday afternoon the long awaited "Overnight" package from Kaede arrived. Within was an especially lovely beaded necklace for Kagome to wear at her wedding with a special clasp to hold the Shikon no Tama. Kaede had also sent a matching bracelet, Yash's birth certificate, and her warmest wedding wishes. Ironically, another identical copy arrived from Miroku and Sango at the same time. Theirs included special wards for their church from Miroku and a long sappy letter from Sango to Kagome that left the latter in tears. If the stains on the pages were any indication, Sango had cried the whole time she had written it, too. Yash just rolled his eyes and hoped that this was a portent of good things to come.

He and Kagome went off to the local courthouse to get their marriage license and the Judge's consent to waive the six-day waiting period. It was fortunate they left without delay, because they barely made it to the counter before closing. The clerks were getting ready to leave for the day, but were happy to help the young couple get all of their documents in order before the wedding. They contacted the Judge's clerk to be sure he hadn't already left for the day, and soon Yash and Kagome were on their way back to her family home, license in hand. Kagome excitedly took Yash's arm and snuggled against him, giving him a huge smile. It was really going to happen. They were finally all set to get married.

Her smile turned to a huge frown of anxiety as they turned into the driveway and she saw her mother waiting for them on the porch, her face a study of worry and concern. She hopped out of the `Vette and ran up the steps before Yash had even gotten out of the car. He could hear the fear in her voice as she greeted her Mother.

"What's happened? Are you OK? Are Souta and Gramps OK?"

"We're all fine, dear. But I'm afraid I do have bad news. No wedding tonight. The Rector called and there's been a death in his wife's family. He has to leave immediately for the East Coast and won't be back until Sunday."

Kagome burst into tears. Yash came up behind her and put his arms around her. Trying to comfort her and ease her disappointment.

"What about the Judge? Maybe he could marry us at the church since it's all arranged."

Mom shook her head. "Already called him, honey. He left for an out of town seminar right after you left the courthouse. He won't be back for a week. I think you weren't destined to be married here."

"All that work for nothing. What are we going to do with all that food?"

"Why don't we just have a party for all of our friends and family in anticipation of your marriage." Turning to Yash, she continued pointedly, "I'm sure you intend to marry Kagome as soon as you return to California, don't you Yash?"

"Of course. We'll arrange it as soon as we get back. Can you, Gramps and Souta come out for the wedding? That would be the ONLY reason we would delay it at all." Yash was sincere in his reassurances to his soon to be mother-in-law. The last thing he wanted was for Kagome to be more upset by this latest wedding fiasco. He'd already agreed to marry her. It didn't matter to him how or where. If they couldn't arrange it in her family church, Kaede would help them arrange it back home.

"We'll see what we can do about coming out to California, Yash. Will you take Kagome inside? I think she could use a bit of a rest before everyone gets here."

Yash took the still weeping Kagome upstairs, trying everything to make her feel better and stop crying. "Don't cry Kagome, you know I can't stand it. Are you sure you want to get married? It sure seems like more trouble than it's worth to me." That didn't seem to help. Kagome just cried harder.

And now it was Friday and they were getting ready to go to the airport to go home. Still unmarried. She was exhausted from the non-reception party they had pasted on smiles to host the previous evening. Plus, she and Yash had had exactly NO quality time together since Monday when Yash had done his Bruce Lee imitation for her. Proof positive that he had no talent as an actor but exceedingly fine talents in other areas. Monday seemed a long time ago. She had thought things couldn't get any worse, or be any more disappointing until the doorbell rang and her brother's young voice announced the arrival of her high school boyfriend.

"Houjou's here….."

Later, Friday evening:

As they got out of the cab and entered the Target Center, Yash said, "It was really nice of your friends to give us tickets to No Doubt."

"We're not here to see No Doubt, Yash. I told you on the plane, my friends gave me these tickets when they heard we'd be going through Minneapolis tonight. These tickets were impossible to get, but the girls got them for me `cause they know what a big fan I am. We've seen No Doubt bunches of times in California."

"It's not No Doubt? Why would we go see anyone but Gwen?"

"Because I like other performers besides Gwen?"

"Why don't you like Gwen? You told me you liked Gwen…"

"I didn't say I didn't like Gwen. Are you paying any attention at all to what I'm saying? Can you even see my lips moving?"

Kagome was getting really frustrated with Yash. All the way from the airport he'd been talking about looking forward to going to a No Doubt concert. Except, of course, they weren't going to a No Doubt concert. She knew Yash had a thing for Gwen Stephani. She ought to; they'd gone to see No Doubt in concert every time they had appeared in or near Los Angeles in the last year and a half. She knew Yash had been a fan for a long time and didn't have any interest in any other groups at all. Just Do Doubt. Or to be more accurate, just Gwen.

Yash was looking around the hall worriedly. He had felt other demons in the large crowd and was getting concerned for Kagome's safety. They were sitting in the front row, directly in front of the stage. If it hadn't been a No Doubt concert, he never would have agreed to stay over in Minneapolis on their way back to California. But it wasn't really any extra trouble since they had to change planes in Minneapolis anyway. Her friends had given them the tickets for the concert, changed their flight reservations and arranged for a limo and a hotel suite. So much had gone wrong on this vacation; he could hardly refuse when Kagome told him about the gift. She was very excited about it and had talked about it nearly all the way here from Prairie du Chien. Needless to say, Yash had tuned her out before they reached Madison.

Now he was regretting his decision to bring her here. It was a huge hall, sold out for the performance, and he could feel a really strong demon presence.

"When are Gwen and the guys going to come on? I don't like the feeling I'm getting that other demons are around. We're leaving right after Gwen finishes, no encores tonight."

Kagome was speechless with disgust. She grabbed Yash on either side of his head and pulled him down to her level so she could look him in the eyes.

"Read my lips, Yash! We are not here to see No Doubt. Gwen and the boys are NOT here. Deal with it."

Yash was shocked. They weren't here to see No Doubt? Then what the hell were they bothering with this for and why was Kagome so interested to see whoever it was?

"Who the fuck are we seeing then? That Bono guy? I know Gwen likes that Bono guy."

"No. We're not seeing U2, either." She could tell from the frown growing on Yash's face that he was about to insist that they leave now that he'd finally figured out that Gwen was not in the house. Time to drop the bomb. " You do know she's married, don't you?"

"Who?"

"Gwen."

"Gwen's here? I thought you just said Gwen wasn't here! Make up your mind bitch!"

"Gwen's not here. She's married."

"To that Tony guy?"

"No. Some other guy."

"Oh. If Gwen's not here, why are we here?"

"Because this was a present for ME? Because I want to see the performance? Because we don't ALWAYS have to see No Doubt when we got to a concert?"

"Who else would you want to see? You never told me you wanted to see anyone else."

"You never asked me, did you? You just always got us tickets for No Doubt."

"Well, yeah. But that's Gwen. I know you like Gwen."

"Yes, I like Gwen. She's just not the only one I like, unlike some dog-demons I could mention."

"Keep your voice down, bitch. And if we're not here to see Gwen, let's go. I don't like the feeling I'm getting. There are other demons here for sure. You could be in danger."

Yash stood up and started to drag Kagome up with him. Just then everyone else stood up too, and the house lights went completely black. A double spot danced across the elaborate stage set in front of them, highlighting a stark image of the outline of a white double silo and modern trapezoidal shaped building next to it. The all-white buildings stood out against the blue cloudless Minnesota sky.

Yash recognized the image. It took him a moment to place it, but then he remembered it from Souta's room. Souta had a poster that matched it, with some words across it - what had those words been?

"Who is this guy, Kagome? I saw a poster like this in Souta's room. I never heard of the guy and I didn't think to ask Souta about it."

Kagome was busy applauding and waiting for the main act to enter the stage. It was so loud in the hall she couldn't hear anything Yash was saying. She just smiled up at him and motioned towards the stage. At this point she was just happy he'd been distracted from dragging her out of there before the concert had even begun.

The noise was deafening, right up until the dancing spotlights came to rest on a single microphone stand at center stage. It was apparently some sort of visual cue, because the entire arena went silent.

Yash was starting to panic. He could feel the excitement in the crowd building but the sudden silence confused him. He was too distracted by the growing demon presence, one that was coming closer. His head snapped around from searching the crowd for potential demon problems when the feeling became overwhelming and recognizable.

The crowd was completely silent and expectant as a lone figure strode to the microphone, the stillness broken abruptly by the growling yell of Inu Yasha at Kagome.

"You brought me to see my asshole brother?"

Author's Note: Many thanks to my wonderful beta reader, Autumnfire. You're the best chica!