InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The curse of the dragon ❯ Figures ( Chapter 49 )

~<>~ Curse of the Dragon ~<>~

 

~<>~ Chapter 49 ~<>~ Figures

 

 

Kagome sat next to Sango, her eyes trained on InuYasha who was two seats behind her with Hiten and Bankotsu surrounding him like bodyguards. He hadn't said more then two words to her since he had got back to the cafeteria after talking with the boys. She couldn't fight off the gut feeling that these guys were bad news…no; she knew they were but she feared more as to what their influence over InuYasha was going to be. `I have to trust him,' she decided with steel resolve. She took a deep breath and sighed heavily as Kenchi entered the room. The younger man took a seat at the front of the room and smiled out to the kids with an all-knowing grin, which could only mean one thing. Kagome reached out and grabbed Rin's hand and gave her a smile with a glint of anxiety in her eyes. She knew it meant the decision for the musical of the year had been made, and the musical was something that she had been looking forward to for months. It was a stupid thing to hold her hopes on; she knew that well, yet still…. The year before they had performed the American play `A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum,' and she, as well as Rin, had been two of the dancers…a part that was controversial to say the least. This year she was praying for a more…vocal…role.

 

Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru, whose lap she was currently residing in…with little given choice…and gave him a smile, mouthing the word `musical'. Sesshoumaru merely corked an eyebrow at her. She sighed and shrugged at Kagome with a drastic roll of her eyes. `As if Sesshoumaru would act…or sing…' she laughed into her hands at the mere thought…which only earned her a squeeze from the man of her dreams…and thoughts. She grinned like a kid on Christmas and turned the stare to Kagome, who was giggling at the same idea.

 

Kenchi licked his lips and glanced about the class then paused in confusion. After a moment, he nodded to no one. He stared to the three new faces and slowly started, “well, I see new faces out there today; Konichiwa and welcome. Might I ask you three to stand up?” he knew he was getting new students but to get three in one day was a little…different.

 

Silence filled the air as Bankotsu and Hiten glowered at InuYasha to see if the teacher actually expected them to do so and Sesshoumaru simply growled.

 

After a long moment of a very awkward silence, Kenchi cleared his throat and shifted his weight on the balls of his feet. “Right…okay…can I at least get names?”

 

Bankotsu rolled his eyes and coughed out, “can it, jiji, no one here gives a damn so shut your trap and let us vegetate.”

 

Kenchi narrowed his eyes and looked to Hiten, “how about you son, are you going to be as difficult?”

 

Hiten shrugged and raised two fingers into the air, “I'm Hiten and that is Bankotsu and we really, really don't belong here.” He turned his head to look at InuYasha and quickly added, “and neither does he.”

 

Kenchi chuckled deeply and shook his head; “whatever you say.” he then turned his attention to Sesshoumaru who had his face stuck the side of Rin's neck, choosing to find more interest in her then the teacher. With a rather deep grunt, he added, “excuse me…do you mind not doing that while you are here? Your name?”

 

Sesshoumaru pulled away from Rin, who was blushing, and glanced at Kenchi, “it is none of your concern. I am here to see to Rin's safety only, not to become some…choir boy.” He narrowed his eyes, daring Kenchi to challenge him to his claim. When the teacher merely shook his head, Sesshoumaru returned his full attention to the girl in his lap.

 

Hiten grinned like a bobcat and piped up, “his name Sesshiles and when he grows up, he wants to be an asshole.” There was very little laughter, mostly over fear of death, around the classroom.

 

Sesshoumaru turned very slowly to look over his left shoulder and give the boy a very hard stare.

 

Kenchi blinked a few times then shook his head. “Whatever you children say.” he let out a deep sigh. `They really let anyone in this school who flashes money anymore, don't they?' he cleared his throat and added, “So, on that note, we have finally chosen the musical for the school year.”

 

Ayame took it upon herself to jump to her feet and clasp her hands in front of her chest in a rather pleading manner, her red pigtails flying with her sudden uprising, “please, Kenchi, say that we're doing Wicked©!”

 

Kenchi sighed heavily and shook his head no, “no, Ayame…we're not doing Wicked…that isn't even available for schools to perform yet.” he gave the girl a apologetic smile as she frowned her way back to her seat and commented, “No, we are sticking to tradition.”

 

Kagome groaned and slapped a hand to her face, calling out rather loudly, “if you tell me that we're doing a musical version of Bamboo Cutter's Tale, then I'm going to puke!”

 

Rin nodded in agreement and crossed her arms, “I just want to hear one word…just one…and I'll be happy.” She bit her bottom lip waiting to hear the outcome.

 

Kenchi smiled at Rin, earning a deep growl from Sesshoumaru and nodded carefully, “I hope you are pleased then, Rin, because we are doing Grease.”

 

A bout of different emotions flickered across the class from the happy hollers from the perfects and Kagome and Rin to the groans of the boys. Sango turned and grabbed Kagome's hands, “tell me you're going for the lead! Kagome, you would be a perfect Sandy!”

 

Kagome blushed and nodded, “you know the part I always wanted was Sandra Dee. You know that!” she laughed, obviously giddy over the announcement, and hit Sango in her shoulder, “you should so go out for Rizzo! That character is so you…besides for being a slut….” She gave the girl a rueful smile and batted her lashes at her a few times, “please Sango!”

 

Sango laughed and shrugged, looking to the floor, “you know I hate to sing in front of people…and being in a gymnasium in front of tons of them isn't my idea of fun.”

 

An arm wrapped around Sango's shoulder and she relaxed her head knowing who it was. Miroku smiled and blinked twice, “I think you would be a stunning Rizzo…now tell me, what exactly is a Rizzo?”

 

Kagome laughed and rolled her eyes, “Betty Rizzo…she is a loud tom boy who isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, who flirts like no tomorrow and can beat up guys.”

 

Miroku seemed to be in deep thought for a moment before shrugging, “I don't know…maybe…sounds a little like you, Sango my sweet.”

 

Sango elbowed him in the ribs and pulled away from him, “whatever. I don't know…kissing a guy on the stage isn't high on my…”

Miroku leaned forward, holding his hand in back of her elbow and asked astutely, “and whom would she be kissing?” he couldn't help the anger that flashed through his eyes for a mere moment, soon replaced by the green eyed monster that always controlled his blood when it came to Sango.

 

Rin leaned forward and shrugged, “whoever plays Kenickie. He's Danny Zuko's right hand man.” She spoke as if she expected the entire world to know the play by heart…as well as the characters. She blinked a few times at Miroku to see if he was only acting stupid then sighed when she saw how confused he really was.

 

Miroku stroked his chin for a moment, obviously contemplating the thought then shrugged, “I haven't been in a play since freshman year…maybe I should reinvent myself.”

 

Sango laughed loudly and turned in her chair to stare at her boyfriend. “You, sing? Honestly, you sing? Since when? You haven't uttered a note in this class yet this year, nor since I can remember knowing you! You do not sing!”

 

Miroku pouted and put a hand on his chest, “Sango…your words sting. Just because I chose not to act like a performing monkey and not sing when told to, does not mean that I lack the ability to do so…I just chose not to.”

 

InuYasha scoffed, over hearing the conversation and jumped over a chair in front of him to sit behind Kagome. Wrapping his arms loosely around her neck, he turned to Miroku, “keh, whatever you say letch.”

 

Miroku glowered at the boy for a long moment, then stuck out his chin, “are we really going to talk about the christened stairwell in the gym? Honestly…you people call me the letch…”

 

InuYasha narrowed one eye at the boy before leaning down and kissing the side of Kagome's ear. “You're not mad at me, are you?” his voice was hardly above a meek whisper, making sure that no one around the pair, besides for his ignorant brother, heard.

 

Kagome craned her neck backwards to look at InuYasha with a rather puzzled expression. “Why would I be?”

 

InuYasha shrugged and kissed her cheek, “I don't know…you seem distant.”

 

 

Kagome snapped her eyes open and raised an eyebrow, “I seem distant? You haven't talked to me since you went outside with those…two.” It was obvious she was seeking out the right word for the bumbling idiots, who were staring the group down at the moment. Kagome only rolled her eyes at Bankotsu's dark expression.

 

InuYasha shrugged and kissed her cheek again, “I'm sorry babe…it's just really weird to see them again…and being in school with them bring a whole new meaning to the word weird. It's like I am…” he paused and turned very slowly to look over his right shoulder, nearly bumping heads with Hiten, who was perched on a chair behind the hanyou. He blinked once then brought up his right hand and flicked the kid in the red teardrop tattoo he had on his forehead. “Back up, freak…way to close for my comfort.”

 

Hiten rubbed his forehead and dropped from his crouch on the chair to sit on it. “Whatever…now why did you run away?”

 

Kagome blinked and looked around Inuyasha's side, “he does have other friends to attend to, you know.”

 

Bankotsu dropped into the chair next to Hiten and crossed his arms, “yeah, I can see that…” he let a coy smile slide to his lips as he made a rather loud whipping sound, “collar right around the neck, right Yash?” he rolled his eyes and shoved a piece of gum into his mouth as he glowered at the kids in front of him.

 

Kagome blinked as InuYasha turned his attention towards Bankotsu. Kagome scoffed and pulled on Inuyasha's hand, redirecting his attention to her. “Don't pay attention to them…they'll go away if you ignore them.”

 

Bankotsu cracked the gum in his mouth and faked two very loud laughs,” ha fucking ha, bitch…go fuck yourself, how does that sound?”

 

InuYasha whirled around, putting his foot under the kid's chair, and pulled it out from under the human, sending Bankotsu sprawling backwards onto his back. “How bout you shut the fuck up before you lose those two buck teeth of yours, asshole!”

 

Hiten stood up wearily and placed himself between Bankotsu and InuYasha. “Enough, gents…let's just simmer down now and take care of this rationally. Now…apparently all the kiddies in this room are in some sort of shits and giggles over this fuckin play…also as obvious is the fact that Bankotsu and me don't give a flying fuck over it. Now, InuYasha, the question is…or should I say the demand is…to tell me that you're not really considering going out for this!”

InuYasha laughed loudly and rolled his eyes, returning his gaze to Kagome. “Like I would…come on, can you really see me dancing? Fuck no I'm not trying out for that shit.”

 

Kagome licked her lips as the smile fell away from her face, “But Yash…”

 

InuYasha crossed his arms and turned his eyes from the pleading girl, “no way…”

 

Kagome brought her hands to her chest as she honestly looked like she was about to cry, “But…”

 

InuYasha snapped his head back to look at her and paused. “Kagome…” he let out a deep sigh and walked around the row of chairs, his mind slowly beginning to panic. He could handle a hand to hand battle with a demon twice his size…he could take on guys with guns and weapons aimed for killing him…but he could not handle Kagome crying…if he had one weakness, that was it. And he would be damned if he would let her exploit him on it…let alone figure it out. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest. “I'm sorry baby, but I don't do the singing bit.”

 

Bankotsu sat up, rubbing the small of his back, looking rather displeased with what he saw. With a deep sigh, he dug Inuyasha's grave a little deeper, “hey, you did the singing bit quite fabulously in the band with us…”

 

InuYasha growled, which only deepened when he felt Kagome freeze up in his arms. He immediately let her go and held up his two hands, “now before you go listening to that jack ass…”

 

“You were in a band?”

 

InuYasha looked to his right at the girl in his brother's lap. He held back the slur of insults that were building on his tongue for her annoying need to point out the obvious and shook his head slowly, “it wasn't like that…”

 

Hiten, catching onto Bankotsu's strategy, goaded InuYasha a little further, “yeah, he was…and he can play some killer drums as well as base guitar. The kid's pretty hard core when it…”

 

InuYasha reached out and smacked Hiten across the back of his head with a very loud growl, “shut your trap, bastard!” he turned back to Kagome who was staring at him with a rather icy glare and sighed deeply, “look, Kag…it was something I did when I was high…just fuckin around and shit. It's not like I've ever uttered a single note when I wasn't high…”

 

Kagome crossed her arms slowly, shaking her head at his words. `Why doesn't that surprise me? He has a talent but again, his damn pride stands in the way of him actually using it. Baka!' she sighed and blinked once, “look, InuYasha, if you have a talent, which these guys are saying that you do…you should use it.”

 

InuYasha kicked the chair next to him and growled, “Look, I really don't want to talk about this.”

 

Rin leaned back on the chair, resting her head on her elbows and cautiously asked, “why not?”

 

InuYasha snapped his head towards her and barked, “Just shut the fuck up over it, all right?”

 

Instantly Sesshoumaru hissed back, “watch that filthy jaw of yours, hanyou, or I'll break it.”

 

InuYasha rolled his eyes and scoffed, “you've been offering to break a number of my bones lately Sessh. Maybe you should become a fucking chiropractor or something like that.”

Sesshoumaru merely raised an eyebrow and turned his attention back to Kagome, “InuYasha chooses not to sing because…”

 

InuYasha turned slowly towards his brother, looking out at him from under his bangs, “asshole…drop it…”

 

Sesshoumaru continued on with his sentence, speaking over InuYasha, “…For some god forsaken reason, it reminds him of his mother.”

 

InuYasha bit the inside of his cheek and turned on his heels. He grabbed his book bag and yelled, “Like you would ever fuckin understand, bastard.”

 

Kagome gasped and ran after the hanyou, grabbing him by his arm at the door. She let out a sigh as she tried to pull him back towards her, “please, InuYasha…don't go…talk to me…what's wrong?”

 

InuYasha gave into her wishes and paused mid step to stare at Kagome blankly. “You heard him…that's what's wrong…”

 

Kagome swallowed hard and gave him a small frown, “so what if I heard him…”

 

InuYasha sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “don't you get it, Kagome…it's not that you heard him…that's not what I meant. What he said…what you heard…that's what's wrong. This is completely the wrong class for me…I won't sing, I just won't…”

 

Kagome grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers, then kissed his knuckles, “because you think it reminds you of your mother?”

 

InuYasha watched Kagome carefully as her lips connected with his flesh and he sighed. “Yeah…it does remind me of her, and it's not a good thing.”

Kagome's frown deepened as she leaned back against the wall, resting her head on his shoulder blade, “why…why is it bad?”

 

InuYasha swallowed hard and looked to the ground, “she used to sing to me…when I was little. She would sing to me when I couldn't sleep…when I would get scared…” he let his words drift off as he shook his head slowly. “Fuck it, it doesn't matter…” the pain that marred his face was an obvious sign of his reluctance to even think about his mother, let alone talk about her. anger and pain raged like a torrent storm in his eyes as he stared holes into the ground.

 

Kagome felt her eyes filling with tears for those unshed by the boy in front of her. This was only the first glimpse of pain that he had ever shown her when it came to his mother, and she had a feeling it was just scratching the iceberg. Truth be told, she knew nothing about his mother…or his life before Kyushu. And every day she was learning something new about that as well. She rested her cheek on his chest and muttered, “It does matter…it matters to me…”

 

InuYasha scoffed and pulled away from her, “well I ain't speaking about it…. ain't no used to talking about the dead.”

 

Kagome took a step towards him and held out her hand, “come on…maybe talking about it can help…maybe getting back into singing will help you honor her memory…”

 

InuYasha smacked away her hand as Bankotsu's words rung like a crystal bell in his mind. `No, it's called pussy-whipped. I took you into my gang…I made you my fucking brother and you ditch us for some chick who has you under her thumb.' InuYasha swallowed what felt like a lump in his throat as he backpedaled away from Kagome. “Look…I don't give a rat's ass what you think would be best for me, Princess….” He threw up both hands when she reached for him with a look of frustration on his face, “just drop it, okay Kagome…I'm not trying out for this damned musical so don't even fucking as me to.”

 

Kagome recoiled back as if his words had burnt her. She blinked twice, obvious hurt playing over her face before she sniffed once, “fine…” she snorted and looked away, crossing her arms in front of her body, “but I'm still going out for the lead…and you can't stop me.”

 

InuYasha held out one hand towards Kenchi and made a face, “go ahead, I'm not gonna try. It's great that you want to do this…I ain't gonna stop ya.”

 

Kagome blinked and then shrugged, knowing full well that he was going to blow up in T minus three seconds, “fine…I'll just have to find someone else to play my boyfriend.” She watched his face darken and thought to herself with mild amusement, `Huston, we have lift-off'

 

InuYasha took a step towards Kagome, a look of absolute jealousy shading his eyes. “You're what now?”

 

Kagome shrugged and gave him a stoic stare thought her eyes were swirling with anger, “my boyfriend…you know, the other lead of the play…Danny Zuko. Him and Sandra Dee are a real hot couple on stage…” she gave him a small sarcastic smile and quickly added, “but since you don't care about that…I guess I will be making out with some other guy on stage then.”

 

InuYasha nearly boiled over with rage. He grabbed Kagome's wrist as she moved to walk away and turned her to face him, his amber eyes flaring into hers, “the fuck you will! You aren't making out with anyone on stage, got it!”

 

Kagome tried to tug away from InuYasha then groaned when he tightened his hold. Staring him as calmly as she could into his eyes, she uttered, “let me go, Yash. You just said it yourself that you weren't going to try to stop me.”

 

InuYasha scoffed and pulled her to his chest. “You didn't inform me that you would be making out with some other guy…”

 

Kagome blinked then gave him a small smile, “so does that mean you'll try out?”

 

InuYasha laughed bitterly, “the fuck I will…it means that you shit out of luck on the play…you are not going to kiss some other fool up there on that stage.”

 

Kagome's jaw slacked open and she let out a loud huff. “You can't stop me…”

 

InuYasha felt the side of his lips twitch up in a small smirk, brought about by her untamed dare, “you want to bet?”

 

Kagome attempted to pull away from InuYasha again, but grimaced as he pulled her harder into his chest, crushing her into his frame. “Let me go. Now!”

 

InuYasha leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, his eyes demanding obedience from his wench. “You're not going out for this play.”

 

“Oh yes she is.”

 

InuYasha glanced up to find Sango and Rin standing in front of him, their arms crossed defensively over their chests looking rather peeved. He sneered at them then looked towards Miroku and Sesshoumaru who were standing idly by watching the show, “claim your wenches before I have to put them into their places.”

 

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and growled, “watch your tongue, baka.”

 

InuYasha glowered at the boy, “or what, you'll break that too?”

 

Kagome used the moment of distraction to pull away from InuYasha and cross her arms as well, joining her friends with a set scowl. “I'm joining the play…it's up to you whether or not you do as well.”

 

InuYasha shook his head once, pushing himself off of the wall to stare down at Kagome, “you're one manipulative little bitch, you know that Princess?”

 

Kagome snapped back just as fast, “and you're an asshole, what's your point?”

 

InuYasha seemed like he was ready to explode at her…but he simply shook his head and grabbed his book bag. “Fuck this.” he took two giant steps to the door and slammed it behind him.

 

Kagome winced at the door and fought back her tears. She turned to watch Bankotsu and Hiten go after the furious boy with a damned near demonic glare on her face. Only after they were gone did she let out a loud curse. “Those guys are assholes!” she took a deep breath and turned to look at Sesshoumaru, “please tell me you can get rid of them!”

 

Sesshoumaru blinked then wrapped his arms around Rin as she found her way to nestle against his chest. He blinked once then sighed loudly, “I cannot force people to vacate this city, no…but I can try to beat some sense into my baka brother…though that has failed miserably in the past.”

 

Kagome blinked angrily as her lips formed a thin white line darting across her tan face. “Why…why is he being such a jerk?”

 

Miroku creased his brows and brought a hand to his chin. “Because he is trying to fit two conflicting personalities into his mind.” He blinked when Kagome threw him a hostile glare and gave her a small smile, “think of it, Kagome; InuYasha was a drugged out gang-banger back in Kyushu. I'm willing to bet that he is a pussycat now compared to how he used to be. Yet with Bankotsu and Hiten suddenly appearing here, now, he's confused and his mind is turning. It's like not being sure what way is up.”

 

Kagome closed her eyes and brought her hands up to her face. Rubbing her eyes, she cried out, “He is so frustrating!”

 

Rin put a hand on her friend's shoulder and offered her a small smile. “Kagome…you're still going to try out for the play, right?”

 

Kagome paused for a moment then nodded furiously, “he can't keep me from doing what I want to. Just like how I wouldn't keep him from what he wants…” she made a face and looked to the ground. `But aren't I?'

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*

 

InuYasha settled himself on Rin's hood and put his head into his hands. He let out a loud growl of frustration then pulled his pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket. He stared at the box for a long moment before pulling one out and shoving it into his mouth. He patted down his pockets for his lighter then dramatically rolled his eyes. “Fucking wonderful…”

 

A flame danced in front of his eyes in a second, lighting up the stick in the boy's mouth. A metal clip snuffed out the light as Bankotsu snapped the lighter shut and leaned down against the Porsche. Both boys sat for a moment in silence, soaking in the toxic fumes and wallowing in the dismal rainy day. After a long moment, Bankotsu rubbed the back of his neck and commented, “you know…this place ain't so bad.”

 

InuYasha nodded and took a long drag of the cigarette. “It really isn't…I mean, it ain't all bad.”

 

Bankotsu shrugged and pulled a joint out of his back pocket. Taking a deep breath, he lit up and stared out at the bland side of the school. “Dude…you really need to get the hell out of here. You've become soft.”

 

InuYasha blinked and exhaled. “You can say that all you want…but you really don't know shit.”

 

Bankotsu pinched the joint between two fingers and stared at InuYasha for a moment then huffed, “I know that you've become soft.”

 

InuYasha jumped off the hood and walked up to Bank, looking eye to eye with the boy. Anger slowly began seeping into his amber eyes as he glared at the other boy. He let out a deep cloud of smoke into the kids face and seethed, “do you really want to start something, Bank…cause you know I'll finish it.”

 

Bankotsu shoved Inuyasha's shoulders playfully and rolled his eyes, “calm down, Yash...don't get your panties in a knot.” He inhaled off the roach and sighed happily, “look, ain't nothing bad about bein' soft…unless you're me…but its cool, you can just go off and do your own thing, forget about who you used to be, it's cool, I gotcha.”

 

InuYasha curled his right hand into a fist and shook his head slowly, “don't let that weed impair your judgment cause you know I'll put you face first into the ground either way.” he growled as he flicked the butt to the ground and squashed it under his heel. “Look, I ain't soft…I ain't gonna get soft…”

 

Bankotsu shrugged and nodded towards the school, “that bitch got you so wrapped around her finger, it ain't even funny…but I ain't gonna harass you about that. I'm just gonna let it slide. If you love the bitch, then I'll let it go…I'm just saying….”

 

InuYasha narrowed his eyes and spat back, “you want to know what, Bank? I do love her…I am in love with her…and if that makes me soft, fine...so be it, but I can still kick your ass into next week…and if you want me to, you know I'd be more then happy to.”

 

Bankotsu sniffed then held out the joint towards his friend. “I bet she is controlling you enough to keep you away from your first love. Come on…”

 

InuYasha smacked away Bankotsu's hand and turned his back to the boy with a small frown, “no…I chose to quit that shit and I promised her on my own I wouldn't do it anymore…I'm done with that shit.”

 

Bankotsu shook his head and finished off the joint. Dropping it to the ground, he ended its life and sighed heavily at the other boy. “See, soft. The Yash I know would never pass up a joint.”

 

InuYasha grabbed his backpack and stared off towards the school for a long moment before letting a very small smile grace his face, “the Yash you knew would never have fallen in love either.” He looked over his shoulder at Bankotsu and shrugged, “you should try to clean up your act…you could go somewhere, you know that?”

 

Bankotsu looked to his left, avoiding the hanyou's gaze and muttered, “I could also keel over and retch out my lunch, but I think I'll pass…”

 

InuYasha shrugged and walked towards the school, “I got a girl to find.”

 

Bankotsu watched InuYasha walk off then kicked the tire of Rin's car. “Son of a bitch…this is gonna be tougher then I first thought.” He glanced around and sighed as he caught Hiten sitting in the bleachers watching the freshman girl's in their gym class. Stalking off towards that side of the lot, he screamed out, “Yo, pervert…come here…”

 

~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Rin pulled a black binder out of her locker and slammed the door shut. She turned and bumped straight into the solid chest that had been following her around the school like a lost puppy. With a giant sigh, she pulled back and glanced up at the handsome devil. “Hey baby…”

 

Sesshoumaru glanced down at Rin and gently swiped a piece of her raven hair out of her face and placed it behind her ear. “Rin?”

 

Rin frowned and wrapped her arms around her body, placing her book bag on the floor. She shifted her weight and blinked once. “I…look, I love you. You know that right?”

 

Sesshoumaru stared down at the girl emotionless, though his eyes told a different story. Rin could see the response to her comment in his eyes, and without trying; she could see the adoration swirling in the depths of his soul.

 

Rin gave him a small smile and placed her hands to his chest. With a rather seductive smile, she breathed up to him, “I. Need. My. Space.”

 

Sesshoumaru let his emotions slip to form a scowl on his perfect lips. “Rin.”

 

Rin sighed heavily and shoved her back against the lockers. “Sesshoumaru, I love you baby but I can't have you following me around all day. Yes, I love spending time with you but this…you being right there when I turn around…it drives me crazy!”

 

Sesshoumaru blinked and let out a short sigh. “I'm stopping at the bathroom then we are going home.” He seemed like he was near ordering her to follow him but he relented. With a sigh, he turned slowly from the girl, “wait out here…if there is any trouble, come get me.”

 

Rin nodded and looked to the advertisement for the play that she and Kagome spent the period hanging up around the school. Tryouts were Thursday and Friday after school…all kids were encouraged to go out for it…thought it was mostly known school wide that the lead would go to Kagome this year. She deserved it the year before but they were lacked for dancers and with her skills…there wasn't a question over it. Rin sighed as Sesshoumaru disappeared into the men's room. She leaned against the wall and rolled her eyes. She wanted to be in the play…she actually wouldn't have minded being a lead but…. She closed her eyes and bit the inside of her cheek from continuing with her train of thought; she would be happy playing Frenchie, the role fit her personality. She would have her time in the spotlight…even if it weren't her own solo. Maybe the following year she would go for a better part. This year…the spot light belonged to Kagome. `It's the least I can do for the whole mess.' She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. `It's my fault that she got so involved with Naraku. If he had….' She forced down the bile in the back of her throat that rose over that idea. `I wouldn't have been able to live with myself.' It was hard enough for her to close her eyes without seeing those devilish red coals staring at her…staring through her. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. `He is behind bars where he can't hurt me. His lackeys are falling apart and hence feel the need to come after me and my friends to get us to back off…which must mean that he really is up shits creek.'

 

She felt her lips twist to a very small smile before it fell from her face completely. She swallowed hard and turned to her right slowly, feeling absolutely sure that there was someone standing there staring at her. It was the same feeling she had the night before in the foyer of the mansion. Her eyes widened as she turned to find herself alone in the vacant hallway. She swallowed again as she wrapped her arms around herself. `Why am I feeling this way? Am I just being paranoid?' her eyes widened as she felt a bought of hot air graze the hairs on the back of her neck, as if someone was standing behind her breathing down her back. She snapped back around to her left, raising her hands up to rabbit punch whoever dared to fuck with her. Finding another vacant spot, she sniffed and her eyes locked onto the boy's bathroom. `I should get Sesshoumaru…' she took a step towards the room and froze. The stupidest of ideas crawled through her brain as she fought with herself. `If I tell him that the one time of the day he chose to leave me alone that I freaked out, he'll throw a fit and I'll never get any personal time.' she put her hand to the door then recoiled it as if it had burnt her.

 

`No…I can stick this out. It's just my imagination…I'm fine…no one is here.' She took a deep breath and backed away from the door and leaned back against the lockers. Taking very deep breaths, she focused her eyes straight ahead as the feeling assailed her again. This time it was near overwhelming. The feeling was of someone standing next to her, his arms laced around her hips. She took a deep breath, her eyes never wavering from the bathroom door. `It's just in my mind, it's just in my mind!' she cringed as she felt the breath on top part of her ear. She felt tears beginning to well in her eyes as images surged through her brain of all the times Naraku had touched her much like this…even here in this school. She bit back to forceful need to vomit and screwed her eyes shut. `What is going on…why…why am I feeling this way? Why me…after all of this shit, why now?'

 

Another hot gust of wind crossed her right cheek, and she felt something graze her skin. Goosebumps immediately flushed over her body as the tears finally leaked from her eyes. It was like a howl of the wind…a word carried in a lethargic tone that ravished any small bit of her sanity that she so desperately clung to. “…Rin…”

 

Her eyes snapped open with the rationalization of whom the voice belonged to. It was a voice that haunted her dreams, that called to her at all times of the day…daring her to unlock that sealed closet in her mind…daring her to remember. It was a voice that had driven her to the brink of insanity and laughed at her as pieces of her died with the rising of each sun. Naraku. She turned with the most amount of fury she could she shoved at where all the sources of this assault was coming from and her hands collided with a figure. “No!” she didn't know how loud she screamed until she was still hearing her echo halfway down the hallway as she ran. She wasn't quite sure when she had begun running but it was in the split millisecond that she felt her hands collide with the monster that had been beside her and when she wrenched her hand free from what had been holding her. Everything was like a blur…blips of color that hurt her eyes and hazes of movement around her. She pushed through it all, never once daring to look over her shoulder. `How did he get out? Damnit, why is he stalking me?' she hadn't seen Naraku's face but she didn't need to…she felt his presence and she heard his voice. That was enough to force all of her memories to the surface of her brain. All the nights she was that close to him…all the nights that she begged for that voice to disappear and never return…all the times she felt his grimy hands on her body, his breath on her neck. She felt the tears running down her cheeks as she tore down the high school's hallways. Her body was trembling with each step and it took all of her power to keep from crawling up into a ball and begging to die on that step. `Why didn't I run to get Sesshoumaru? Why didn't I take the two steps to get to a place where I would be safe? He would protect me?' she turned a corner and smacked into a solid figure, catapulting herself backwards and crashing hard to the floor on her back. Instant tears of pain joined those of fear that covered her face, running her black mascara down her face in thin lines. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she screamed bloody murder. She turned her head to her left shoulder, bracing herself for something to hit her…he always struck out when she….

 

A hand grazed her cheek and a completely dumbfounded voice broke the sobs that racked the young girl. “R…Rin…Rin what's wrong?”

 

Rin turned her head slightly, though still cowering in her arms, to find a set of worried blue eyes staring at her in absolute shock. Instantly she launched herself at her former boyfriend, hugging his waist for all she was worth. Her knuckles turned white from the pressure she applied to the wolf demon. “Oh Kouga…thank god…”

 

Kouga stared down at the girl for a moment before very slowly and cautiously placing a hand on the middle of her back. He knew he could fuck around with InuYasha and possibly kick the shit out of the hanyou but messing with Sesshoumaru and what was his, `…no thank you,' he thought as he stared down at Rin with worry etched across his face. Yet that wasn't enough to make him not worry about her. “Rin…what happened? Are you okay?”

 

Rin hiccupped as she buried her face into Kouga's chest. “Na…Nara…” she panted for a moment, trying to catch her breath and settle down her tears. She knew she already had once panic attack due to that asshole and she had no intention of falling into another. She let out a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut.

Kouga growled darkly as he pried himself away from Rin. Grabbing her by her shoulders, he hunched over and gently cupped her chin in his hands. “What happened Rin?” rationalization of what she was trying to say washed over him and his eyes darkened. “Is Naraku here? Did he hurt you again?” he cringed as the word `again' left his mouth. To say he felt like the biggest jackass in the world over his ignorance of the situation was an understatement. When he found out that Naraku had raped Rin…the girl who he used to be in love with, he was ready to draw blood. Unfortunately, by that time, Naraku was already behind bars. A part of him had been afraid to face Rin after finding out the truth. He had dated her for a year and two months and never knew…he never once figured it out. She had broken up with him over six months ago but still…Naraku had touched what was his, and he never knew. He stared down at Rin then gently traced her cheek, wiping away some of her fallen tears. “What happened?”

 

Rin swallowed hard and stuttered, “I was waiting…for Sesshoumaru…and he…he…I think that he's in the school….”

 

Kouga narrowed his eyes as adrenalines rushed through his veins. If that bastard was stupid enough to step foot into his territory, he was asking to be killed. A logical part of Kouga's brain screamed that Naraku wasn't that stupid, but as always, passion presided over ration.

 

“Who's in the fucking school?”

 

Kouga snapped his head around towards the sound of the voice and groaned, “Inu-Kurro, ain't you dead yet?”

 

InuYasha dropped his bag and completely let what Kouga said slide when he saw Rin's tear stained face. To say he disliked Rin was a flat lie…to say that he tolerated her was a lot better of a description. And to see her in her present state ripped at something inside of him. He threw down his book bag and was at Rin's side in a second. He looked her over, making sure she wasn't hurt. “What happened Rin? Where's Sesshoumaru?” he knew instantly something wasn't right with the absence of her bodyguard.

 

In a second, InuYasha found himself suspended two feet in the air, his breath being cut short of his lungs, with a hand wrapped around his neck. He widened his eyes and bucked against the grasp. He rolled his eyes and stopped struggling when he caught a glimpse of a scruff of silver hair. He muttered out, “there he is.” it only took a millisecond for his face to meet the brick wall.

 

Sesshoumaru threw aside his brother and instantly Kouga backed away from Rin, his hands both up in the air and fear etched across his face. Sesshoumaru shoved his way past the wolf demon and dropped to his knees in front of Rin. He cursed himself silently as he gently wiped away the tears from her face with one finger. `I should have made her come with me.' he cringed as she threw herself into his chest with a loud sob and closed his eyes. `Damnit…why did I leave her by herself?' he looked over his shoulder at the other two boys, more so at his brother then Kouga. “What happened?”

 

InuYasha and Kouga exchanged glances and InuYasha ventured, “fuck if I know, I came in to find Kagome and ran into Rin crying into Kouga's chest.”

 

Kouga's eyes doubled in size as he waved his hands in front of his body rapidly, shaking his head just as fast. “It's not like that…honest! She ran into me…literally…heading down from the gym and was hysterical. I was trying to figure it out when mutt-face showed up! Honest, I didn't touch her!”

 

Sesshoumaru blinked then looked back to Rin. “Rin…”

 

Rin sniffed and pulled back, fear playing across her eyes and clung onto her words, “Naraku is in the school!”

 

InuYasha and Kouga both growled and jumped to their guard. Both began ranting very similar threats of the hanyou's life until Sesshoumaru roared, “enough!” both boys immediately shut up and glanced back to the older demon.

 

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply and looked down at Rin. He blinked and very carefully chose his words, “Rin…I do not believe Naraku is here, in the school.”

Rin shook her head, tears returning to her eyes as she choked out, “Please, Sesshoumaru…I know you think I must be insane after last night, but please…I know what I heard and felt…he's here…and he's after us!”

 

Sesshoumaru blinked slowly and wrapped his arms around Rin. With each of her sobs, a piece inside of him broke in utter desperation, and fueled his rage towards the disgusting hanyou that was sitting in prison at that very moment. “Rin…he is not here. I would have smelled him.”

 

Rin shook her head, crying harder, “I know he is…I heard him! Please Sesshoumaru, believe me!”

 

Sesshoumaru winced and lowered his lips to her forehead. He lifted his eyes to stare at Kouga and InuYasha, mentally telling them to keep their traps shut. His voice trembled in frustration over a few words, yet still remained eerily emotionless. “Rin…it's not that I don't believe you, but trust me when I say that he is not here.” He kissed her head again and ventured, “Rin…you didn't…”

 

Rin pulled away from Sesshoumaru and crossed her arms over her body. “I know what I saw, Sesshoumaru! God, if you don't believe, fine, but don't treat me like a child! I'm not going insane…he's following me and trying to destroy me! Just…” she bit her bottom lip and shook her head, “it you don't believe me then leave me be…”

 

Sesshoumaru stared at Rin for a moment before calling over to his brother, “check the school…see if you can find any sign of that filth.”

 

InuYasha nodded and Kouga threw in, “I'll help.” Both boys were gone in an instant, glad to be away from the mess that was developing.

 

Sesshoumaru waited until the boys were gone from hearing range before enveloping Rin once again in his arms. “Rin, before…what did you see?”

 

Rin swallowed hard and cringed, “I saw…well… I didn't see, but I know! I know that Naraku was there! I felt his breath on me…I felt his hands…he was right next to me! I hit him…I hit him and ran.”

 

Sesshoumaru sighed and ran one hand over his face, while holding onto her waist with the other. “Rin…you didn't hit Naraku…”

 

Rin nodded swiftly, again trying to pull away from Sesshoumaru, “I did! I know I did! I swung and ran! I should have come to find you…I should have run into the bathroom…but I just ran off! I'm sorry…I should have come to find you! I'm sorry!”

 

Sesshoumaru grabbed both of her shoulders and gave her a hard shake. She stopped crying with the sudden jolt and stared up at the lord in shock. His eyes hardened and his voice deepened with anger as he nearly yelled, “stop apologizing right now, Rin. There is nothing, not a damned thing, for you to be sorry over.” He closed his eyes as she hiccupped out a sob and pulled her back into his chest. Not daring to glance down at the look of fright on her face, he softened his tone, “Rin, I came out of the bathroom to find you completely panicking. I called your name when I reached your side and you flipped out and decked me in the jaw. I wasn't ready for it and before I could call to you, you took off like a bat out of hell.”

 

Rin gasped into his shirt and pulled back, her eyes traveling up to really look at his face for the first time that he got to her side. He had a very faint but darkening red mark on the right side of his jawbone. She put her hands to her mouth and pulled away from him, her eyes widening in absolute shock. “I…I…” she looked down to the floor and shook her head, muttering, “I hit you…I thought you were…and I hit you…” her head snapped up to Sesshoumaru and she practically ran to his side, reaching up to gently trace the bruise, “I'm so sorry baby…dear god what did I do? Are you okay?”

 

Sesshoumaru smirked at her overbearing concern over such a small wound that would be gone in an hour. He captured her hand in his and brought it to his lips. He kissed her fingertips and answered, “I'm fine, Rin…you hit like a girl.”

 

Rin snorted a response and then hugged him. “I'm sorry…I don't know what's wrong with me…” she closed her eyes as another tear slid down her face, “what's wrong with me?”

 

Sesshoumaru kissed the top of her head and pulled her against him then rested his cheek against the crown of her forehead. “Nothing is wrong with you Rin…”

 

Rin gasped and shook her head, then pushed at his shoulders with her hands. “Let me go…let me go!”

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes darkened in pain as he forced himself to abide by her wishes. He looked down at the girl he loved…the girl who he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and his heart broke. She looked so lost…so broken…that it made his heart bleed. He held out a hand to her and she pulled away from him, flinching at the mere thought of contact.

 

“Don't touch me, Sesshoumaru…I'm like acid. Every thing that I fucking touch is hurt by me.” her eyes locked onto his and she whispered while backing up two steps, “not you…I can't hurt you…I won't allow myself to hurt you.”

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as he attempted to reach out to her again. “Rin…”

 

“No! Don't touch me! God, you deserve someone so much better then me! Someone who doesn't see shit…someone who can tell the difference between reality and illusion! Someone who isn't fucking tainted by filth! That's all I am, Sesshoumaru…someone's old toy! Just…just go home and leave me alone! You deserve so much more! I'm sorry…I'm sorry I got you into this and I'm sorry that I wasted your time.” a sob wracked her body as she pulled away and her voice dropped to a tiny whisper, “I'm sorry…” she turned on her heals and fled down the hallway, slamming her way out of the school doors.

 

Sesshoumaru stood still for a moment, his breath leaving his body in rugged gasps. What she said…the words that had left Rin's mouth hit a nerve inside of him. He felt like his heart was being ripped out of his body as he watched the young girl flee and yet was unable to move. A part of him wanted to break down and cry…how could she say such things about herself? Then a much larger part of him took over; a part that was angry…a part that was furious with her and her words. `How dare she say such things? Is she such an idiot that she cannot see how much I love her?' he snorted and willed himself to move…he had to go after her and force her to see it his way. Then he needed to get her help.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~~*

 

Rin ran until her legs wouldn't carry her any further. The pouring rain had long soaked through her clothes, leaving her freezing cold and alone. She ran down the dirt road that her, Kagome and Sango had found their freshman year that was across from the school. It led to a park on the other side of the block, a park that she hadn't been to in years. Pushing her way through the brushes and growth, she finally emerged on the far side of the abandoned park. A torrent stream that was more of a runoff lined the back entrance to the park, secluded from the children's play area by a fence that Kagome and her had climbed over many times. Yet the runoff was normally empty… it didn't matter, she would still be able to clear the five-foot gully. She didn't give herself that much time to run…she just kind of sped up her pace. Her words from earlier haunted each step in the mushy dirt; splat…'I just told Sesshoumaru to leave me alone,' …splat… `He's not coming…he won't follow me after I told him that…I ripped his heart out and threw it back to him.' …Splat… `Why would he want me? What can I offer him?' she cringed as she took the final step and leapt from her side of the embankment. Landing on the other, she fell to her left knee with a grimace and blinked at the sudden pang that rang through her body. She gritted her teeth as she connected with the earth and slammed her right hand into the soft ground. A blinding pain overwhelmed her as she looked down to see red mixing with the earth beneath her. She took the moment to notice that she had slit open her pants at her knee level and apparently had cut herself on something. She stood, very wearily, to see that she had slit open her knee on a broken tree stump. She bent it, making sure she hadn't broken it and closed her eyes. `Shit that hurts!' she looked up, through the pouring rain into the park she had so strived to reach. A fresh batch of tears began to flow from her eyes as she took a step towards the fence. Then it happened.

 

Sesshoumaru pushed his way through the thick undergrowth of the trail that he could just about smell Rin's scent on. Even though he had only paused for two minutes to let her get ahead, her scent was nearly gone in the heavy rain. He paused as a look of dread besieged his face. Sniffing the air again, his eyes widened as he picked up his pace. He could smell her blood…and there was a lot. `If she's hurt…because I hesitated…I will never forgive myself. Rin…why would she say such things? What is going through her head? That baka! How could she…how dare she think that I would think her tainted! How could she look me in the eye and say such a thing?' another part of his mind countered the balance of his Id and demanded his attention. `She is hurt…she doesn't understand what is going on and she is losing her sanity! She sees herself as being tainted by that bastard…she thinks you see it as well. She is projecting her own fears onto you and claming them as motives to push herself into isolation. You cannot let her go…you have to find her and fast before she does something stupid. She is your soul mate…your mate. You must protect your mate!” Sesshoumaru growled in frustration as a branch snapped towards him, narrowly missing smacking him in the nose. He could feel his Youkai blood riling up in anger and irritation. `How dare she think that I would care about that!' He wanted to put his hands to his head as so many thoughts whirled through him…splitting him into two different entities. Reason versus passion raged through his mind. One side knowing what pain she was feeling…knowing how she was suffering and feeling inadequate to help her. His other side, his demon blood, demanded her obedience and called for him to make her see otherwise…to know that he still loved her. He glanced at his clawless hands and growled in annoyance. `This is not helping.' With a wave of his hand, he allowed his concealment charm drop. His silver hair stuck in wet clumps around the maroon stripes that suddenly graced his cheeks. He finally came to an opening and he paused mid-step, his mouth slacking in a warning. Rin was latching onto a fence on the other side of the river, seemingly intent on pulling herself over it. Before he could move a step, her hand on the fence slipped. She fell backwards, over the edge of the hill and into the ravine. It was slow motion, watching her disappear into the dreadful rapids of the surging stream. Sesshoumaru kicked himself into gear and flung himself into the water behind her. It took him only a second to grab her tiny body and wrap her under one arm. Grabbing onto a branch of a fallen tree, Sesshoumaru tugged both of them to the edge of the stream. He placed Rin up on the ground, who was sputtering and coughing out water, and then pulled himself from the stream. He sat back on the ground, completely soaked and now covered in dirt and debris from the stream. He glanced to his right to find Rin heaving, trying to catch her breath. He let out a cough, spit out a mouthful of water, then grabbed her and pulled her into his lap. “Baka.”

 

Rin instantly curled around Sesshoumaru, wrapping her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shirt. She could feel her chest constricting and it ached from how winded she was. `He saved me…he came after me and saved me yet again…from myself.' She chocked down another sob and lifted her gray eyes to meet his calm amber ones. `He seems so put together…we almost died and yet…he seems so…' she blinked as his fingers wiped away her tears. “Why?” her voice was so rasp it honestly startled her.

 

Sesshoumaru answered without pause, “Because I love you. I don't care what happened Rin…I know what happened and I know you are not to blame. You are not dirty…you are not tainted. You were used…you were hurt…and you are now hurting yourself. I love you Rin…you need to understand that.”

 

Rin sucked down her tears for a moment while she shook her head and tried to pull herself from his grasp. Twice today she had managed to break the great tai-youkai's hold on her…she had managed to get away from him. She now realized that those two times were mere slips…very rare flaws in his persona. It was two times that she had caught him off guard. As he tightened his hold on her, she realized with some certainty that she would never be able to get away from him…never be able to scare him off. And that calmed her down…that comforted her. She swallowed hard and coughed out, “why…why do you want something used? You don't know, Sesshoumaru…you don't know what he did to me! No one does! You don't know what he made me do!”

 

Sesshoumaru hugged her into his chest, nullifying her urge to fight him, and calmly stated, no matter the pain that her words stabbed into his heart, “it does not matter. I don't care what he made you do. What I care about is ripping him limb from limb for daring to touch you. What I care about is the fact that he hurt you! What I care about, Rin is that I love you.”

 

Rin pulled back and slapped Sesshoumaru, open palm, across his face. That was unexpected. But this time his grasp on her didn't loosen, instead his hands tightened around her arms as she fell into another fit of sobs. “You don't know…you shouldn't have to know! You don't love me, you can't!”

 

Sesshoumaru hissed back, turning his head to stare down at the shivering girl in his arms, “Rin, stop speaking!” the tone in his voice left no room for question, no room for defiance. Instantly, the young girl snapped her mouth shut and cowered into the lord's arms. He grabbed her chin roughly with his right hand and stared into her broken gray eyes, “hear me now Rin. Don't you dare ever presume you know what I want and what I don't want…what I can do and what I cannot do.” he let go of her chin and kissed her, his lips gently soothing her horrors and heartbreak…trying from those two appendages to reach her heart to heal what that bastard had done to her. As he pulled away, he felt another round of sobs overwhelm the young girl's body and he wrapped her in his arms and stood slowly, carrying her bridal style. He stared down at her, watching as she closed her eyes and curled as close as humanly possible into his soaking wet body. `I will get her the help she needs…that is without question.' He bent his knees and jumped over the gully, and using his inhuman strength, he raced back towards the school…to get out of the rain…to get her out of the rain that had plagued her life for six long months.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*

 

Okay, so yeah, I know, a little dark and really sad…but now it gets better, right? He can get her help……