InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ One More Try at the Big "L" ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

 

::Beginning of Chapter 2::

 

Sesshomaru woke up in the hospital with a headache, and started coughing. Someone pressed the button on the bed that moved him to a sitting position, then pressed a cup of water to his lips. “Glad to see you up and about, Fluffy,” his younger brother drawled. “Lets not loose a lung now.”

 

“Shut up,” Sesshomaru said. “You're only here because your mother made you come, and you and I both know it. Why pretend?”

 

Inuyasha ignored the last part of the sentence. “You know, legally, she's your mom too. Though I admit - - a hospital is not my ideal dating place.”

 

“Dating?” Movement in the corner of his eye caused him to look over to the other side of the bed. “Ah. Hello Kagome. You know, Inuyasha, only you would bring your girlfriend with you to see your recovering brother…”

 

“Um, hello Sesshomaru-sama. H-how do you feel?”

 

“Been better, been worse.”

 

“I hardly think you could ever have been worse,” Inuyasha scoffed.

 

“Inuyasha! That's not polite!” Kagome said.

 

“He's my brother, Kag! I don't have to be polite!”

 

“Yes you do! He can kick your ass!”

 

“Not while he's stuck in bed he can't…of course, he's pretty idiotic to try to die… Stupid brother.”

 

“At-hem. HALF-brother. Kami, I don't know what I'd do if we shared ALL the same blood. A full blood nincompoop for a brother? That would be terrible…” Sesshomaru shuddered. “And for your information, I have been much worse than I am now.”

 

“Oh yeah? When?”

 

“…when Jakotsu died, I locked myself in a room for a month. I didn't eat or drink anything and I fainted, and the butler had to break down the door so they could get me to the hospital. I hit my head or something going down and went into a coma for the next five months, remember?”

 

“Oh, hey I remember that! It was on the news! But…I didn't know you knew Jakotsu,” Kagome said doubtfully.

 

“Jakotsu told me he mentioned me to you, just not my name. I think, to you, I was “the person he met in a coffee shop and started dating” or something.”

 

“HUH?! I remember him saying there was someone, and I remember the media saying you were gay around the time of his death…I guess I just didn't put the pieces together. But the funny thing is, I saw Jakotsu walking around the park with a girl. I remember because I yelled at Inuyasha for staring at her.”

 

Sesshomaru reached back behind his head and quickly braided his hair, the grabbed the baseball cap off of Inuyasha's head and pulled it low over his eyes. Kagome gasped. “Do I look familiar?” Sesshomaru asked with a smirk. “Jakotsu told you that day that you didn't have to worry about Inuyasha leaving you for me. I guess, now you know why?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

~Time warp!

Inuyasha's school the next day.

!praw emit~

 

“Hey, Inuyasha! How's Sesshomaru?” Sango asked.

 

“He's getting better - - Kagome and I went to see him yesterday.”

 

“Awwwww!!! How come Kagome got to meet him and I didn't?!” Sango wailed.

 

“Eh, Sango? Why would you WANT to meet Sesshomaru? He's not very nice…” Inuyasha said, blunt and rude as was his wont.

 

“You just think he isn't special or anything because he's your brother and you get to see him all the time, and you think he's mean because of sibling rivalry!” Sango accused.

 

“No, I don't!” Inuyasha interrupted, “he doesn't like me much so he does everything in his power to avoid me. I hardly ever see him at all! Only when my mom forces us to do something together, and then he just sits there all surly and superior and doesn't say anything. He doesn't like me OR my mother!”

 

Sango ignored him and went on to say, “Still, he's the heir to the throne!! He's famous!! Couldn't you at least get me an autograph or something?! You let Kagome MEET him for crying out loud at least get me his signature or something…”

 

“Wait, Sango, who did I meet? What happened?” Kagome said, coming up and wrapping her arms around Inuyasha.

 

“SESSHOMARU!!! YOU MET SESSHOMARU!!!” Half the people in the hall turned and stared at the lunatic yelling about the emperor's son. When they noticed who it was, they just turned away, shaking their heads. Trust Sango to be the loudest in the building.

 

“So? It's not like he's that cool. He was bickering with Inuyasha the whole time we were there, right from the first word.”

 

“I DON'T CARE!! HE'S SESSHOMARU!! I MUST MEET HIM!!!”

 

“Sango…you COULD just ask to see him, you know. I could arrange it…oomph!” Inuyasha said, then gasped as Sango hugged him around the neck.

 

“INUYASHA YOU'RE THE GREATEST THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

 

“Oh, HE'S the greatest, huh? What happened to ME??” Miroku asked. Sango let go of Inuyasha, blushing.

 

“You don't have famous relatives. But don't worry, I still love you.”

 

“So I come in right under Inuyasha…or Sesshomaru. One of them…or both. Nice to know.”

 

“C'mon, Miroku!! Don't take it like that. You come in before them. I promise.”

 

“Uh huh. Sure.”

 

“Miroku!!”

 

“What?”

 

“Sorry to interrupt, but I have a question for Sango,” Inuyasha said.

 

“Go ahead,” Miroku mumbled, “she wont mind. You're number one anyway…”

 

“MIROKU!!!” Inuyasha yelled. “You should be more respectful of Sango! I expected better from you!”

 

“Why?!”

 

“Because you're usually so nice to girls…”

 

“Yeah, well nice is all I've been to her! And what do I get?! YELLED AT!!”

 

“You don't have to yell at me!”

 

“WHY—”the rest of Miroku's sentence was cut off, due to his lips being pressed firmly up against Sango's. After a while, she stood back, blushing. “Wha—?”

 

“Inuyasha isn't my number one, and if you had a brain half the size of that lecherous hand of yours, you'd know it! I don't know why you're acting like this, but it's getting on my nerves! Inuyasha is your best friend. He has a girlfriend. How could you think he might possibly be a distraction to our relationship??”

 

Miroku blushed. “Sango, I—”

 

“Shush. I'm going with Inuyasha to meet his brother Sesshomaru and get his autograph. While I am at the hospital, you may think of what caused you to act this way, and when I get back, you will explain it to me. Then I will forgive you, and we can continue our daily lives. Sound good?” Miroku nodded, speechless. Sango turned to Inuyasha. “You wanted to ask me something?”

 

Inuyasha blinked, then shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “Yeah. I was wondering, you get all excited about Sesshomaru…why don't you get exited about me? I'm from the same family.”

 

“It's because, when I first met you I didn't care about politics. Now that I'm older and do, you've been my friend for so long, it just seems natural for you to be here. I guess that doesn't make sense, but…”

 

“That's ok. Oh, our ride's here. Lets go.”

 

“OMG YOU HAVE A LIMO!!!”

 

~time warp!

Font desk of the hospital

!praw emit~

 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE LEFT?! I WANT TO SEE MY BROTHER!!!” Inuyasha screamed at the secretary.

 

“Sir, he said he felt better and said if we didn't let him leave, he would sue. We don't want to be sued, sir.”

 

“How do you think he could hold up in court?! He was a patient and it was your job to make sure he got all better!”

 

“I don't know if you've noticed, but he happens to be the emperor's son!”

 

“I'M THE EMPERORS SON TOO!!”

 

“YOU THINK I DON'T REALIZE THAT?! Look. He's probably back at your house. Why don't you go check?” she said, her voice turning icy.

 

Inuyasha frowned. “Fine,” he grumbled, and stomped off. “C'mon, Sango. Looks like we'll have to go looking for him.”

 

“I don't want to cause trouble…”

 

“ITS NO TROUBLE!!” Inuyasha grabbed Sango's arm and practically dragged her out to the limo. “Myoga. DRIVE.”

 

“Umm…where to, my lord?”

 

“Our house.”

 

Myoga nodded and drove. As soon as they got to the house Inuyasha jumped out of the car and ran inside, up the stairs, and up to Sesshomaru's room. “SESSHOMARU YOU BASTARD OPEN UP!!!!” he yelled, pounding his fists on the door.

 

He almost fell forward as he raised his hands to hit the door again, only to find it opened, revealing an emotionless Sesshomaru standing in the doorway. “A polite knock would be appreciated in the future. What can I do to assist you?” Sango appeared behind Inuyasha, wide-eyed. “Gotten a new girlfriend already, Inuyasha? You sure go through them quickly.”

 

“NO! SANGO IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!!”

 

“Temper, temper,” Sesshomaru said calmly, examining a manicured nail. Then, suddenly, he looked up. “What can I do to assist you, lady Sango?”

 

“Autograph…” she managed to gasp out. Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow, then retreated into his room. He came out a second later and handed Sango a signed photo. She gasped out a thank you, grabbed it, and retreated, bowing. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, then looked at Inuyasha expectantly.

 

“OK, OK, I'm going…” he (Inuyasha) muttered. Sesshomaru let the smallest of smirks grace his lips for a fraction of a second, then re-entered his room, closing the door behind him. He walked out to the balcony, leaning over the railings to look out at his gardens. He frowned. Few of his plants were winter bloomers, and he missed the heavy sweet scent of heat and pollen, bees buzzing in the background…even immersed in his reverie, he still heard the footsteps as someone entered the garden.

 

“Who are you?” he asked coldly, “and what are you doing in my gardens?” The person had long, wavy black hair and pale skin, where it could be seen through black and dark purple clothing.

 

“I just came to check on you. You got out of the hospital so quick, I didn't have time to drop in and say hi. You aren't planning to jump, are you?”

 

Sesshomaru glared. “No. I wouldn't jump down there anyway. My gardens are a place of peace not defiled by death. And you haven't answered who you are.”

 

“Flowers die,” the stranger pointed out. “And is not death itself a kind of peace?”

 

Sesshomaru lowered his eyes. “No. It doesn't bring peace to the people around you. And it doesn't let you start over, either. There are no second chances. But, just so you know… seasonal plants like flowers aren't really dying. They just need a break from growing all the time. It's kind of like bears hibernating. They just go to sleep for a little bit and then they come back in full force later.”

 

“I never knew his majesty was so interested in botany.”

 

“I don't see that it's any of your business what my father is interested in. And, by the way, it doesn't include flowers. His sinuses react strongly to pollen.”

 

“I meant you by `his majesty,'” the man pointed out.

 

“Wishful thinking, portraying me as the Emperor. Now, tell me who you are, or leave. I'm growing bored.”

 

“My name is Naraku. I'm the one who found you on the beach.”

 

“Well don't you feel special…” Sesshomaru muttered. Naraku laughed.

 

“I don't know if you intended for me to hear that, but it was funny nonetheless.”

 

Surprise flashed across Sesshomaru's face before a carefully schooled bland expression set in, and he rolled his eyes. “What do you want?”

 

“I just wanted to see that you were alright. Do me a favor though, would you? If you try to drown again, do it at some other beach. I don't want to have another perfect day spoiled by a dead guy washing up while I'm trying to study. It's okay when it happens in fiction, but in real life its just a nuisance,” he said, grinning. He dropped a scrap of something on the floor, then turned and exited the garden.

 

Sesshomaru waited for a bit, then went down and picked up the scrap, mentally cursing Naraku for littering in his garden. His breath caught in his throat as he read the writing on the scrap. It was…Jakotsu's address? But why…?

 

Sesshomaru sighed and went back inside to take a nap. He woke hours later to the sound of his brother hammering on the door to tell him that dinner was ready. “Coming, coming,” Sesshomaru groaned, still waking up. He sat emotionless during dinner, and then, near the end, suddenly looked up at his father. “Dad, can I use your car tomorrow?”

 

“Huh? Where do you want to go?”

 

“I want to go meet up with a friend of mine. Is that OK?”

 

Inutaishou wanted more details, but knew better than to press, so he just nodded, making a mental note to ask about it later.

 

~time warp!

Right in front of Jakotsu's door, the next day.

!Praw emit~

 

Sesshomaru raised a hand and knocked softly. He heard footsteps, and then the door swung open, revealing a grinning Naraku. Sesshomaru's eyes widened again, and this time Naraku didn't miss the surprise in his features. Controlling himself, Sesshomaru said calmly, “It's not polite to litter,” and threw the scrap into Naraku's room. “Do you live here?” he asked, walking past Naraku and into the room. It had been redecorated since he was last there, but somehow, even after two years, he could still smell Jakotsu's scent—and even, fainter still, his own.

 

“Yes, I do. You seem to know your way around,” Naraku commented as Sesshomaru walked straight to the bedroom, where Jakotsu's scent was strongest.

 

“Do you read the newspaper? Or listen to the news on the radio or TV?” Sesshomaru asked.

 

“Sometimes…”

 

“You know about me, then.”

 

“Yes…”

 

“Someone I used to love lived here, in this apartment. That's how I know my way around. I can still smell him, here.”

 

“Pity.”

 

Sesshomaru cast a sideways glance his way. “What is?”

 

“Many things. That your lover died is the biggest one, I suppose.”

 

“You…suppose? What do you mean by that?”

 

“You know,” Naraku said, changing the subject, “it's impolite to waltz into someone's apartment like you own it, when you don't even know the person. Even if you did know the previous owner, he doesn't live here now. This is my private space, and you're intruding.”

 

“So sorry. I just assumed that, since you purposefully left your address in my garden, you were inviting me over. I'll leave now.” He walked to the door and reached out to open it, then paused when Naraku grabbed his wrist.

 

“I never took you to be so forward. Always thought you were the silent, self contained type.”

 

“I am.”

 

“That's not how you act.”

 

“I beg to differ. I do act like that—around people who don't constantly throw new things at me to get me confused and unguarded.”

 

“Oh? You're confused and unguarded? It doesn't show on your face.”

 

“You know what they say, `practice makes perfect…' I'm still practicing, though.”

 

“Nobody's perfect.”

 

A shadow crossed Sesshomaru's face. “Don't I know it.”

 

Naraku placed a hand on his shoulder, a silent gesture of comfort. “It's not your fault he's gone.”

 

“HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?! IF IT WASN'T FOR ME HE'D STILL BE HERE! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED!!”

 

“I'm sure no one does, the way you keep yourself locked up inside! You have to talk to bleed off the poison, sometimes.”

 

“Don't tell me what to do! Sometimes isn't always.”

 

“It's killing you! You should talk about it!”

 

“No!”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because my own way is fine!”

 

“And what's your way, huh? Keeping quiet about everything and never getting help?”

 

“Force all the bad stuff into a little ball and push it down to your feet.”

 

“Where it'll rot and destroy you from the inside out!”

 

“I never asked for your help!”

 

“YOU'RE THE ONE THAT SHOWED UP AT MY APARTMENT!!”

 

“SO?! YOU HAVE THE SAME APARTMENT AS MY OLD FRIEND!! HOW COULD I NOT BE CURIOUS?!”

 

Naraku sighed. “This isn't working. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed. It's not my place.”

 

“No…I guess not. But…you're probably right.”

 

Naraku looked up in surprise. “WHAT?!”

 

“I said, I think I should talk to someone about it.”

 

“Me?” Naraku asked hopefully.

 

Sesshomaru wanted to frown, but a playful smile that was tugging on his lips made it near impossible. “You do too much wishful thinking, man. Sorry. I'm thinking maybe my… uhh…let's see…” Damn! I can't tell my brother, he's too insensitive. I don't have a mom anymore, and no way am I gonna talk to that human wench! My dad doesn't even want it to be mentioned that I'm gay…there's no one! Sesshomaru let the smile take over his features, causing Naraku to take a step back in surprise. “Actually, I think I will tell you. Let's go out for coffee.”

 

Naraku stared at Sesshomaru like he had gone crazy. “Really?!” Yes! He thought. Coffee and secret spilling with one of the hottest gay guys in the world! My lucky day!!

 

“Sure. I know a great place. Oh, let me fix my hair before we go…” even as he said it, he had already started with the familiar braid. “Got any baseball hats?”

 

“Umm…yeah, here,” Naraku said, tossing him a Dodgers cap.

 

Sesshomaru frowned. “I'm a Giants fan…oh well. Whatever I can get, I suppose.” He pulled the cap low over his eyes, and together they walked out and down to the coffee shop Sesshomaru used to work at. Sarah still worked there, and popped over preppy as ever to get their order (and do a little chatting.)

 

“Hi! Long time no see. You get a new boyfriend?” she asked sweetly. Innocent and naïve she may be, by stupid she was not—she knew better than to call Sesshomaru by his name in public. Media spies were everywhere.

 

“Not really…”

 

“You either have one or you don't. So?”

 

Sesshomaru glanced at Naraku. They weren't really dating—Sesshomaru didn't even know if Naraku was gay or not. But if he was…maybe it was time to move on?

 

Lucky for him, Sarah's boss came in at that moment and yelled at her to quit dallying and take their orders. Sarah blushed, took their orders, and left.

 

“Not really? How come you didn't just tell her no?” Naraku asked the moment she was gone. “And how does she know you?”

 

“I used to work here…she's a former co-worker. Her name's Sarah…and as ditzy as she is, she knows better than to shout out to the world who I am. She recognized me cause this is how I usually showed up for the 10:00 shift—with my hair braided and a baseball cap pulled over my eyes. I usually showed up after spending time with Jakotsu…”

 

“Oh, I get it. So, how come you think its your fault he's gone?”

 

“We met here, in this coffee shop. He was a regular—the boss encourages us to be friendly with the customers. We bonded, and friends became…more than friends. We liked all the same stuff, from bands to cartoons to food. We spent so much time together, just talking, hanging out… We did everything together. Well…not EVERYTHING, like going to the toilet and junk. But pretty close…”The food arrived, a Danish for Sesshomaru and a blueberry muffin for Naraku, as well as coffee for them both, and Sesshomaru took a sip and a bite before continuing. “We went to a park near here often. The day he died, we went. When it was time for me to go to work, he decided to go with me. I spaced out, walking, and when I was crossing the street a car came at me. I didn't notice it—Jakotsu pushed me out of the way, putting himself in danger. That's how he died,” Sesshomaru said, sighing, “and that's why its my fault.”

 

“He chose to save you. It's not your fault.”

 

“If I was paying attention—”

 

“If the fault belongs to anyone, it goes to the driver.”

 

“Hey! That's not fair!”

 

“Oh, come now, I know he's your servant and all but really, it was his fault. Or perhaps your fathers… Did you ever find out what he was doing there, anyway?”

 

“No…I always just put it down to being a meeting or something, but it was a Saturday…he doesn't go to meetings on Saturdays! Hmm…” Sesshomaru ate some more, silent and contemplating.

 

 

::End of Chapter 2::

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