InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The curse of the dragon ❯ Nostalgia ( Chapter 61 )

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

 

 

~<>~ Chapter 61 ~<>~ Nostalgia

 

-Acidic content ahead

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Kagome peaked open one eye to meet the steady gaze that she had felt piercing through her soul for the last two hours. Was that really how long she had been asleep? Kagome yawned; tightly screwing her eyes shut once more and buried her head in the soft muscle of InuYasha's shoulder. “Just five more minutes…”

 

A hand ran through her raven tresses as a rather composed voice countered, “I'll be generous…take ten.”

 

Kagome smiled into his arm and sighed contently, “I could stay like this all day.”

 

A small scoff followed a hearty chuckle, “you have stayed like that all day, wench!”

 

Kagome blinked and lifted her head to glance at the clock. The red dots gleamed in bold numbers 7:15. She blinked again and rolled off the body she had been using as a pillow and rested her head on a real down pillow. “Have I really slept all day?”

 

InuYasha found himself entranced by her brown eyes as he very slowly reached out a hand to trace small circles on her pink cheeks. His mouth opened but no words would come out. The way she was looking at him…how at ease she felt with waking up to him and only him…it was earth shattering for him. No one had ever accepted him for who he was; except Kagome. Everything was different with her…everything was amazing, and new, and the feelings she instilled upon him were like nothing he ever even knew existed. He never knew he could care about someone else this much…it was feeling he thought had died with his mother. At points he had been sure that this was a foul trick of the gods…to give him such a goddess in his life; what had he ever deserved to be saved by the angel that lay so innocently in his arms? Who was he to be able to touch her…to love her? He was sure that one day he would wake up from the dream as the broken and filthy hanyou he believed himself to be and would be forced to face life without this light, this gleaming princess in his life. Could he live without her? He had promised himself, when his mother died, that he would never latch onto someone, that he would never again give his heart to anyone who could dare to shatter it. And yet giving that piece of himself to Kagome was easy, it was natural. Could he live without Kagome? `No.'

 

Kagome leaned into his touch, as if silently knowing what he needed and cooed at the warm touch of his fingers as they danced with the weight of feathers across her skin. It was a very comforting feeling…knowing he was so close that all she needed to do was reach out. She smiled as her fingers met his eyes. He instantly closed his lids, lowering his ears to his head as he let out what she had begun to call a purr. She ran her fingers down his eyes and cheeks to rest on his jawbone. Very slowly he opened his eyes to meet hers, a very different look in his eyes. She had seen him mad with passion…with desire…she had well versed herself with knowing his expressions; when he was angry, sad, lustful, spiteful, content, happy…but this look was new. He seemed so relaxed and yet…he seemed like there was something resting on the tip of his tongue. His eyes though burned into hers with enough fire to cause her to combust; it was past the label of desire, past the definition of lust. Maybe…just maybe…this was a look of absolute love. It was a look that could cause stars to fall from the sky, a look that could raise the sun and bring her to life. Whatever it was, the look triggered something inside of her; it was a stare that she knew in her heart and it caused tears to spring to her eyes. They were tears of joy…tears of knowing that whatever her future would bring her it would bring it to him as well. They were meant to be together, and she understood that now. She could see her entire life in his eyes, and she welcomed the view with open arms. She licked her dry lips and leaned forward, “Yash?”

 

InuYasha sat up abruptly, placing his back against the headrest and collected Kagome in his arms. Pulling her sideways into his lap, he rested his cheek upon her head and slowly rocked back and forth. “Kagome…there is so much I want to say.”

 

Kagome knew the feeling; a small part of her wanted to ream him out anew for all the shit he had pulled but she couldn't…wouldn't. A much larger part of her just wanted to kiss him senseless. She opened her mouth only to have his seal it. His lips pressed against hers lightly, not to incite any foreplay that would lead to what she would be sure to be interesting times but more to calm her and silence any retort she could throw in. the effects were opposite what he wanted. The tenderness of his touch, the passion that lingered in each unspoken word that was transposed with the kiss was enough to drive Kagome wild. She could feel her blood warming in her veins…flowing faster to her brain and nearly blinded her with the sparks that ignited in front of her eyes. A very large part of her thanked the Kami's for the cold she had for the mere fact that it had spend along that week long process that she had dreaded…and she had finished with it the day before. The thought that she was actually happy to sick nearly struck her stupid. `Dear god what is he doing to me? I'm actually happy to be sick! What the hell?'

 

InuYasha retreated from the kiss as soon as he saw it reached the desired effect plus some. It took a lot of control to keep from letting that arrogant bastard side of him sneak through the cracks in his cage and boast about how he was able to turn her on with a simple kiss. He smiled down at Kagome and ran a finger over her swollen lips then pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. “I need to talk to you and I'm serious this time baby; you can't say anything until I'm done, okay?”

 

Kagome nodded dumbly, nuzzling into his palm as it pressed tenderly against her cheek. She wanted him more then anything in the world right now and would probably agree to jump off a cliff if it were to mean that he would only kiss her again like he had before.

 

InuYasha smirked at Kagome then kissed her forehead lightly. “Kagome, I know I fucked up again. I know I did some stupid things and I want…no, I need to atone for them. Before that, I need for you to understand everything about me.”

 

Kagome opened her mouth to speak, to tell him that he could tell her when he felt the time to be right but only had a finger pressed over her lips in return. Remembering her promise, she kissed the pad of his finger and fell silent.

 

InuYasha smiled when he felt her lips on his finger and pleaded with all the merciful gods that she would leave that be and not begin to tease him. His wish was answered. He held her a little closer to his chest and continued, “you know that my father is Inu no Taisho. He and my mom went to school together…blah, blah, blah, you know all of this I know.” He met her eyes and smiled sadly, a side of him he knew she wasn't ready to see. He had never allowed himself to be weak around her; though he had cried in her presence once, he still held himself strong to be there for her. Now…now he needed to tell her things that he hadn't really ever consoled in people about. He had never spoken to anyone about his past, about his family. With a deep breath, he took the plunge into unknown waters. “Kagome, he loved my mother…I never understood that until this weekend. My father tried to protect her and me…he tried to keep us out of his drama with Launia and Diegosan, but even he couldn't null their poison. He was in love with my mother but couldn't marry her because he was pretending to be in love with Launia to get close to Diegosan. In the mean time, my mother raised me with the help of her father and mother. He came to visit once in a blue moon…and when he did they would sit alone on the hill together, outside of my grandparents house and talk for hours. I never really spoke with my dad…he would come calling and I would run off to hide. Mother never really outright told me who he was or why he was there. I guess she wasn't prepared to answer the millions of questions I would have had for her, and I understand that now as well.”

 

InuYasha paused and kissed the top of Kagome's forehead, briefly checking on her fever. The Aspirins must have been kicking in because she was no longer boiling up, though the fever was still present. He smiled softly and continued, “mother wanted the best for me, and she tried so hard. Her father and mother hated me…they hated my father and all Youkai of the world. To have a half-bred son…it was a disgrace for them; yet they held their tongues because they feared my father and what kind of vengeance he would bring upon the family if they hurt my mother or me. When he died, though, they lashed out at my mother. Baba wasn't quite as harsh as Jiji…but she was a bitch nevertheless. They would scorn my mother for what she did…lock her away and beat me in the process. My mother would lock my door at night and sleep in front of it, trying to keep them away from me. I can remember a number of nights when I would peak out of my door only to see my mother suffering at the hands of my drunken grandfather. He would hit her till she was black and blue, and then come after me. Mother knew that this would be a problem, so shortly after father died we made a cubbyhole, so to say, in the floorboards beneath my room. At night, when I would hear her scream, my orders were to hide in the floor until morning. I can remember night after night sitting awake in the dirt with my back pressed up against the hollowed earth listening to my grandfather beat his daughter. I don't think…” InuYasha leaned his head back and closed his eyes, “…that I have ever heard such a horrible sound in my life.” he struggled to keep himself calm, knowing that if he were to give into the slightest inclination of emotion over the events, it would lead to a torrent storm of emotional distress.

 

“I don't really know when my mother realized she was sick, but she did. I started getting these weird smells from her, like medicinal herbs…only later did I realize that she was trying to make herself better without telling anyone she was sick. I walked into her room one night and she was putting together a box. The box had photos in it of her days in high school and of her and me when I was younger. She also put a diary inside of it along with the one thing my father had given her…it was a promise ring. I guess, being that he couldn't marry her by law because of Launia, the ring substituted for the traditional one…and she wore it around her neck. I realize now though that the material possession of it never mattered, she knew he loved her and that was enough for my mother. But when I saw mother take it off and store it in the box, I knew something was wrong. Jiji had tried to force her to take it off a thousand times over. I'm not sure how but the chain always withstood his attempts to break it and she would never dare touch it to take it off. I guess in some ways it was a personification of the love that they shared…never breaking. She had me hide the box in the cubbyhole that we had made and I made sure that it was well hidden enough that no one would ever find it. The following morning, we left my grandfather's house.” slowly, InuYasha opened his eyes and met Kagome's saddened gaze. He flinched under the sudden delicate touch of her lips against his. He broke the kiss almost as soon as he felt the pressure for her lips and rested his forehead against hers.

 

“We stayed on the streets for about three months. During that time, Baba would bring us some scraps…I think more out of an obligation more so then anything else. We would both eat them as quickly as we could, like ravenous dogs and Baba would just stare with a rather cynical smile on her face. When mother asked her about it, Baba would say that we were like dogs, pathetic and ready to beg for food. After that, mother stopped eating. I began stealing food from restaurants just to get by but in less then a week…” InuYasha's voice faded and he screwed his eyes shut. In his mind he could still see her body lying against the wall that she was propped up against. Forcing himself to find the words for the horror of his discovery, he whispered hoarsely, “Under the canopy of the deserted Chinese restaurant that had been shut down for health code violations, it's walls covered in graffiti declarations and depictions, with the rain that never ceased its downpour of tears and misery…in puddles of day old water and dirt from the clay street…she died. I found her body and sat next to her for what felt like an eternity…begging her to wake up. I knew she was dead though…the stench of death was all around her. I still feel to this day that I can't get it out of my skin…that it permeated my soul and that I'll never be clean from it. Three days I begged for her to open her eyes, to save me from hell. It was my deliverance into it though. A police officer who was on patrol found us, by way of chance, and took me back to my grandfathers. They buried her in the field that we used to sit in…that was my grandmother's doing, probably the only kind thing she had done for my mother in nine years. I remember going to her funeral…and I remember my grandfather telling me it was my fault. That night he beat me until I couldn't stand on my own two legs. Somehow someone heard the commotion and called the police, because they showed up the next morning and took me to Launia, who lived not to far up the coast. That's when that hell began.” He felt hot tears against his cheek and the rationalization dawned on him that he was crying…that they were mixing with Kagome's shed tears and forming a small but profound puddle on her lap. He opened his eyes to see the tears coursing from Kagome's. He offered her a small smile that fell at the corners of his lips and crushed her into his chest.

 

Kagome never felt such a sorrowful emptiness in the pit of her stomach that could ever match how she felt during InuYasha's story. How could one eight-year-old boy sustain such treatment? How could someone ever treat a child in such a way? No wonder he acted as he did, she realized slowly. `If I had spent my life being told I was worthless and the cause for my parents deaths, I think I would lash out at society as well.' she swallowed what felt like a golf ball in her throat and forced herself to babble, “baby…I am so sorry. My god…oh my god, I am so sorry. No one should have…you shouldn't have had to…my god.” She felt a new batch of tears rip into the raw red tracks on her cheeks and buried her face in her lover. “I'm sorry I was mad at you for leaving…my God, if I had known…”

 

InuYasha rocked the girl back and forth, his eyes closed as he tried to comfort two souls at once. But with her help…with her undoubting love for him, he knew he could heal…and maybe, just maybe, he could move on. InuYasha pulled back to gaze down at the young girl and fished his hand into his pocket of his jeans. “I had to go back to Kyushu to finish a few things with my family that I never took care of. First and fore most, I had to get my mother's box for my grandfather.”

 

Kagome's eyes widened as her mouth fell into an incredulous O. “You went back and saw him…after everything that happened?”

 

InuYasha nodded and sighed once, removing his hand from his jeans. “I had to. If I could have not seen him, I would have gladly avoided it…but I think it was good…for both of us?”

 

Kagome put a hand to her mouth to smother her gasp at the rather cynical smile that was peaking on the hanyou's lips. “InuYasha…even though he was a jerk to you in life…you didn't…”

 

InuYasha shook his head slowly, “No, I didn't do anything to hurt him. We spat out words and slander but that was about it. I realized, though, how much of a fool he truly is. He is a man who was born a bigot, raised as a bigot and will die as a lonely bastard bigot. He was miserable and needed to take his frustrations out on something…and that something happened to be his daughter. It disgusts me, really, and I told him that. I also found out, by way of unspoken words, that Baba died. He really is alone now…and will always be.”

 

Kagome nodded solemnly, though InuYasha could see the anger that festered in her eyes. “He deserves death but I am glad that you didn't give him that escape. He should learn through life how wrong he was.”

 

InuYasha shrugged and lay back with her in his arms. “He'll soon find how truly lonely hell is. Jiji had the stench of death on him as well…and it's probably because he destroyed his liver with how much he drank.” He fell silent for a moment before cautiously continuing, “I retrieved the box that my mother had me burry…which is why I went to that house. Everything inside of it was preserved almost flawlessly. The photos are amazing and I brought some with me in my backpack that I am sure your mother would love to see.” He paused and rethought those words, “or maybe not...”

 

Kagome's interest peaked considerably and she replied slowly, “and why would she not want to see them?”

 

InuYasha grinned sheepishly, as if it were a big secret, “well, there are a number of shots of her with Ryen…”

 

That sparked Kagome's curiosity “let me see them! I need to see this!”

 

InuYasha laughed and eyed his book bag from where he had placed it at her window. “All in good time. There is something else…”

 

Kagome wiped a piece of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “What is it?”

 

InuYasha stammered for a moment, trying to find the right words. He felt like he was stuttering as he grasped her hands in his. His eyes met hers and he found his courage, “Kagome, I know I really screwed things up…I don't need you, Rin, Miroku, Sango, Ryen or my brother to tell me that. I know I could have permanently really messed things up a number of times. What I need for you to understand is that I never meant to. I love you, baby…I really do…and…” he swallowed hard and felt his heart begin to race with adrenaline…if he didn't get this out now, he never would. “Kagome, the ring I told you about, that my father gave my mother…it was a promise ring. On it was a promise of love and commitment…much like how my father's father promised his wife with the same crystal. The ring itself was a object that stood for the love that they had for each other, and for my father, it was an unspoken promise to marry my mother after things cleared up with Launia and Diegosan…after he put them behind bars.” He felt himself begin to sweat as Kagome's eyes widened. The dim setting sunlight reflected off the tiny silver object in his hand and cast a colorful spray of colors across Kagome's startled face. “I…I'm not saying I want to get married tomorrow…or five years from now. I'm not even saying we have to! What I am saying is that I promise on my dying breath that I love you…and that I want to be with you. I'm saying that I promise that no matter how much of a baka I may seem like, I always have you in my heart and in my mind. You're all I think about Kagome, and when I'm not with you, I'm miserable. I know the others doubt our relationship…that Rin and Sango see me as a walking hormone…but it's nothing like that. If we never…” he stopped himself from the rant he was entering and took a deep breath. “I love you and if you would…if you're willing to wear it…I want you to have this.” He held out the tiny silver ring and gave Kagome a worried smile, “like I said, this isn't some half-concocted engagement proposal…I'll get that right when I do that, don't worry. And this isn't a promise…it's a vow…that you own my heart and that I'll never hurt you again, and that when you're ready, this ring will be replaced with one that will see out our future.”

 

InuYasha had never known eyes could get so big…so glassy and so devastatingly sexy before he saw the orbs he had loved so much widen on Kagome's face. She was radiant…and the crystals that reflected the dim wisps of the setting sun sparkled like stars in her eyes. Kagome slowly looked from the rock in his hand to meet his worrisome gaze. Her mouth fell open as a vast blush rocketed to her cheeks. Twice she moved her mouth but no words would articulate on her tongue. A solitary tear dripped down her cheek as she flung her arms around his shoulders, burying her face into his shoulder blade. She choked on one sob and squeezed her eyes closed.

 

Kagome felt like a fool; InuYasha had traveled back to Kyushu to visit his dead mother and finish family business and was basically promising to marry her later on in life and she had scorned him for not calling her and had attempted to leave him over it. a small voice mocked her in the back of her mind, `face it, you know he would come after you….you know you would never of left him like that!' she had to admit it was right. Everything seemed so trivial in the moment that he offered her all of his heart that it forced tears to her eyes. Choking on another sob, she forced out, “why, InuYasha? Look at how I over reacted! How could you want me?”

 

InuYasha growled and cupped Kagome's chin, pulling her face away from his shoulder. He met her gaze and demanded her attention, his eyes burning like a molten sunset. “Listen to me, Kagome! I love you and I completely understand why you were hesitant when I got back! Hell, I would have kicked my own fucking ass if I could! I fucked up…it's okay to say…but I love you and I want to make up for it!”

 

Kagome gulped hard, the room slowly beginning to spin as she let her fingers drift to his to touch the rock as if it weren't real at all. “I…Inu…”. She paused and met his gaze with tears glistening on her eyelashes. Staring at him from under her bangs, she slowly stated, “you don' t need to make up for anything…if that is what….”

 

InuYasha's eyes widened and he growled lightly before slamming his mouth over hers sufficiently cutting off her train of thought. Only after she met his fervor did he relent, “don't think of this as any type of obligation. I'm not a fool, Kagome…I might be an idiot but I know true love when I feel it in my heart. No…I want this to mean forever, but I can wait. Forever is a long time and I know whom I want to spend it with. And when we're ready and in a place where we can indulge in that time, everything will be perfect.”

 

Kagome blinked back her tears and rested her forehead against his arms, trying her best to ward off tears, “are you sure?”

 

InuYasha smiled as he caught her hand and slipped the ring onto her left ring finger with the small diamond studded heart facing point towards her palm. “I love you, Kagome…and nothing is ever going to make me stop. Nothing is ever going to take you from me! I love you so much Kagome…and I am so sorry that it's taken me this long to get my head screwed on right!”

 

Kagome blinked back tears as she stared at the ring on her finger. Everything felt so surreal…so picturesque. Could this really be happening? Was she dreaming? She blinked once then again and realizing that she still had the diamond on her hand, threw herself at the hanyou, hugging him with what strength she had. “Oh, InuYasha! Don't…don't you dare say that you screwed things up! I don't want to hear it! I love you…I love you so much and of course I'll take your promise with one of my own. I may not be the most patient of people but I do love you…” she choked on another sob and closed her eyes, “by the gods, how I love you…”

 

InuYasha smiled and lowered his lips to hers. The kiss seemed to contain the fire of need and of lust that had overwhelmed the two teenagers for so long…that had driven them both back to the edges of passion and reason and dragged them back. But they were together…forever…as soul mates, and they both realized that at the exact moment that their lips touched. They were meant for each other and nothing would ever rip that apart. Kagome clung to InuYasha for dear life, her nails digging half crescent grooves into his back as she lost herself in the firm kiss he held her in. Only after he pulled back and traced a finger over her swelled lips did she mutter, “I love you…so much!”

 

InuYasha sealed his lips over hers again, holding the back of her head with a free hand as he pressed against her with a demanding need burning in his gut. This was what he was always missing…what he was always searching for. He needed her; she was his everything; she was his heart, she was his strength and his humanity…she was his pride and his joy…she was his logic and his wisdom. He smiled as he pulled back from the kiss and opened half lidded eyes to gaze at her. Never had he seen anything so beautiful in his life. Her eyes were slightly open, her lips swelled from his attention and eagerly awaiting more. He lowered his head once more and claimed her lips with his. Nibbling slightly on the bottom one, he traced it with his tongue before dipping the appendage into her mouth. Kagome wormed in his grasp, forcing herself from the cradled position she had been held in his arms to and draped her legs over his frame. Straddling his waist, she allowed him to continue indulging in the kiss as she grinded her core against the rapidly hardening member in his pants.

 

InuYasha blinked at the sudden switch that Kagome had demanded and smiled as he realized that she had become the dominant figure for the moment. Not allowing her to have all the fun, he grasped her hips with his hands, and holding her body against his, he ground his pelvis against her core allowing her to truly feel just how she turned him on. His eyes glazed over as his hands slid up the slim contour of her hips to rest just under the brim of her shirt. With a glint of mischief in his eyes, he grasped the material and pulled it from her body. Throwing it to the far side of the room, his hands ran over her exposed skin, achingly aware now of the state of undress she had been in under that baggy tee shirt. Unable to control the demanding Youkai that craved control that bellowed from deep inside of his soul, InuYasha met her slightly shocked expression and brought his mouth to hers in a near bruising kiss. He knew that she was still ill…and that he should stop the interactions but even if he had stopped it, she wouldn't relent…and he knew that. `Hell, might as well go for it!' He had to agree with his Youkai. Lacing one hand around the small of her back, the other around her head, he flipped her over so that he was straddling her thighs. Never once breaking the kiss, InuYasha wedged his right knee between her legs and parted her thighs, nearly loosing his mind as her scent hit his sensitive nose. He lowered his lips from hers to sketch the arteries in her neck, gently nipping at the places that he knew made her mad with passion. Reaching the juncture of her neck and shoulder blade, he traced the soft skin with his tongue then sucked on the flesh. His hand found it's way to her bare breast and cupped the muscle in his hand. He gently caught her nipple between his index finger and middle finger and gently caressed the hardening bud. He pulled his lips from her neck and breathed a gust of hot air against her wet skin, “baby…I want you so bad.” a deep shuddered moan was his response. He smirked into her skin and nuzzled his nose against the skin, inhaling her scents as his knee pressed against the juncture of her legs. Even through her sweatpants, he could feel the dampness he had caused from her. He smirked as brought his lips to her ear, “god you're wet baby…tell me what you want…just say the word…”

 

Kagome felt like her body was on fire…and this was not the same fire she felt earlier that day. This was a fire of need…of lust and love…of passion and desire. She opened her mouth a few times yet still blushed scarlet at the thought of saying such things. It was on the tip of her tongue and the pressure of his fingers that had found their way down her body and under her sweatpants was not helping. “InuYasha…” his tongue on the side of her neck was her eager answer. He wanted to hear her say those two words…and she was sure that if he did nothing would stop him short of a nuclear explosion. But wasn't that what she wanted, what her body craved? Yes…yes it was. Her eyes drifted shut as she let out a sudden gasp as his fingers traced over her sex. “Gods InuYasha….”

 

She gulped once as his warm breath assaulted her ear, “tell me, Kagome…”

 

Kagome opened her mouth and met his gaze determined. If she was going to say it, she wanted to see his reaction. “Fuck me, InuYasha.” Kagome nearly fisted the air at the complete shocked look that overtook the hanyou's face. His eyes widened in astonishment and she could nearly watch the plea reach his brain. The corners of his mouth twisted into a smirk as his eyes narrowed into his famous cocky glower, “all you needed to do was ask baby…I aim to please.” Kagome threw her head back as his name slipped from her lips in a breathy sigh. She needed him more then she ever had before and would be damned if…

 

The door to Kagome's room swung open and her mother strut in, her face buried behind a book that she was eagerly reading. “How are you two…” her voice fell away as the book dropped from her hand. Kagome could hear the wind being sucked into the woman's lungs and braced herself for the explosion.

 

“What the hell is going on in here?”

 

Kagome blinked, not ready for the masculine voice that got to the point before her mother had a chance. She grimaced and buried her face in InuYasha's right shoulder, only peaking up to make eye contact with an equally shocked and extremely uncomfortable set of golden eyes she had come to know well. “Ryen?”

 

InuYasha peeked over his right shoulder with an equal look of curiosity masking his ultimate embarrassment. `Damn them and their interruptions!' He sighed, rolling his eyes knowing that he was as good as dead. “What the hells are you doing here, old man?”

 

Ryen growled in the boy's direction yet held a rather stoic look to his features as he interpreted the scene in front of him. Reaching out gently, he wrapped one hand around Kauai's left shoulder to pull her back a foot from the rather…feisty…kids. He looked over the two's disposition before clicking his teeth, “maybe we came at a bad time…”

 

Kauai pulled herself from his grasp and stalked towards the two, “I thought we spoke of this, InuYasha! What did you tell me this morning?”

 

InuYasha crinkled his nose and rolled his eyes, “I told you I would not take advantage of Kagome while she was sleeping…and for the record, she ain't sleepin'…” A sharp elbow to the gut shut him up. Understanding the demand to be covered from the two sets of prying eyes, InuYasha caught the comforter at the end of the bed with his ankle and hitched it up to his hand to pull over the two half naked lovers.

 

Mrs. Higurashi looked like she was ready to explode. InuYasha and Kagome were both equally sure that the only thing that kept her grounded was Ryen's presence and his hand on her shoulder. She opened her mouth to say something yet snapped it shut when Ryen leaned down and whispered something in her ear low enough that not even InuYasha could discern what he said. The older woman blushed heartedly and turned her back from the situation. She swallowed hard, audibly, before carefully stating, “Kagome…honey…remember what we talked about?”

 

Kagome chewed on her tongue before pulling the shirt off of InuYasha. He gasped, his eyes widening at the girl's actions until he realized she did it to be able to cover herself. A rasp chuckle from Ryen only added more blush to her red face. Pulling the shirt over her chest, she pushed the hanyou off of her and sat up to stare at the two, “where have you both been?”

 

Ryen rolled his eyes and leaned against the doorframe, “don't change the subject.”

 

Kagome slowly turned her attention towards the Youkai and raised an eyebrow, “this concerns me and my mother.”

 

Ryen stared at the young girl blankly then raised an eyebrow, “and my nephew…and the fact that I'm standing here does help put the ball in my court…and don't think…” he sighed and rolled his eyes, “damnit, I said don't change the subject!”

 

Kauai licked her lips slowly before turning back towards the two teenagers, “I really think we need to talk about this.”

 

It must have been the gods who thought the situation wasn't awkward enough, because at the same moment, both adults' eyes caught the glimmer of the stone that now rested on Kagome's left ring finger. Mrs. Higurashi looked like she could have passed out as her daughters name barely made it past her lips and Ryen slapped one hand to his forehead and held the other ready to catch Kagome's mother if need to. Ryen grunted in a nearly exasperated tone, “Oi, I thought we agreed that you weren't going to do anything stupid!”

 

Kagome exchanged glances with InuYasha before allowing determination set her jaw in a firm, rigid line. “We all need to talk, I think…and I think you two need to listen.”

 

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Kagome sat at the kitchen table with a blanket over her shoulders and a warm cup to tea in her hands. The beginning of the talk hadn't been easy…and that was saying the least. Trying to reason with the two grave faces in front of her was hard enough without the random side notes InuYasha decided to throw towards Ryen and there reaction. When Inu finally leveled about him not being able to impregnate Kagome except twice a month, it seemed that a level of tension broke only to be reapplied by the fact that they were `safe' to have sex at any other point without having to worry…that didn't bode well with Kagome's mother. Ryen also chose to lay into InuYasha over the `borrowing' of his vehicles. But after all was said and done, and no real common grounds were met, the four sat in silence. Kagome's mother stressed the fact that she didn't want Kagome and InuYasha `applying' the recent knowledge they had learned in her house…or at school…or anywhere for that matter and Kagome had begrudging agreed with the house and school rule. InuYasha had attempted to argue that thought but was foiled by a fist to the back of the head. In a plea to break the tension, InuYasha had pulled out the older photos and Kagome's mother made Oden.

 

Ryen picked up one photo and chuckled before handing it over to Kauai. “Do you remember the junior year play we did?”

 

Kauai looked over the image the laughed, tenderly putting a hand to her mouth as the memories washed over her. “You were so angry that I forced you into that play…I really thought you weren't going to talk to me again!”

 

Kagome walked around to the back of her mother's chair and glanced at the photo. “What did you guys perform that year?”

Ryen answered with a mouthful of Oden, “Grease.”

 

Kagome met InuYasha's roll of his eyes and smiled, “ironic, isn't it?” turning to address Ryen's inquisitive glance, she quickly explained, “we're doing that this year.”

 

Ryen hitched an eyebrow and looked towards InuYasha, “you in it?”

 

InuYasha rolled his eyes, “Fuck no. I don't do the singing bit.”

 

Kagome blushed slightly and muttered, “I beg to differ.” She winked at InuYasha as his eyes widened and then busied herself with questions, “so…who are these people?”

 

The older photo, having seen it's better days, was in black and white and was of about ten people on stage. Ryen leaned over Kauai's other shoulder and pointed at the people in the photo. “That was me at the end with your mother…we had the leads caused we were just that good…by gunpoint…” he laughed and shook his head, “the two next to us was Uri and Launia…” he paused at the look of sadness that crossed both women's faces at the familiar face. He scowled and sat back on his chair and looked at InuYasha, “it was a dirty trick, you know…that we played on the bitch. She thought…under mild influence that I was my brother so she tried out. The funny part was she always said she was so above anyone who did the play. Well…we sure taught her. She was so angry when she figured who I was and then after all the tricks we played on her… maybe we were a little harsh but the bitch deserved it.”

 

InuYasha laughed and shook his head, “that's great! What did you do to her?”

 

Kauai cracked a smile after putting a hand on Kagome's shoulder and blushed, “they would change the pages of her script…or give her someone else's lines so that she was always off in practice. They would move the scenery on her so she would go to sit and the chair would be gone. They also cut her microphone on opening night so when it got to be her lines she had to yell. And being Rizzo…that got hard. The best…” she bit her bottom lip and coughed once, “the worst, I mean…was when they got to her costume on the second show we did and cut holes in the seat of her pants. For some reason, she insisted on wearing nothing beneath it because of how hot the stage lights were. So she walked onto stage with her butt hanging out of her pants…needless to say, it took half the crew to pull her off of Ryen.”

 

Ryen cocked an eyebrow and laughed, “but it was so worth it! To see her face and how defeated she looked.” He chuckled again and shook his head. “Uri was next to me through the whole thing. He helped me set her up and he would randomly start speaking in pig Latin to her instead of his lines. She was convinced he was speaking English and it would aggravate her so much! We just had a lot of fun.”

 

Kagome smiled, her eyes drifting to meet InuYasha's scowl. “Inu…”

 

InuYasha opened his eyes a little wider and scoffed, “no fucking way in hell, wench…ain't happening. I don't sing.”

 

Kagome simply rolled her eyes and looked back to the photo. “Who are they?”

 

Ryen met her point and sneered, “That would be Diegosan. He was two years older and one year ahead. He decided to go out for the play since Launia was…they followed each other everywhere. The girl in front of him…was…” he scowled and looked a little harder, “Ranzaki Tsubaki…one of Launia's followers. She and Launia were like sisters…the only difference was that Tsubaki was human. Inuno once said that he could sense, and I quote, `some serious spiritual shit' coming from Tsubaki.”

 

Kagome made a face and rolled her eyes, “another friend of the Diegosan family?”

 

Kauai shook her head, “not really, dear. Diegosan gave Tsubaki the time of day…unlike Launia…then dumped her. They didn't get along so well, honestly. She always berated Launia for being obsessed with both men.”

 

InuYasha growled as he stood up and trudged to the other side of the table to look at the photo they were staring at. He had pretty much memorized all of the shots…wanting to know as much about his father, mother, and Ryen as he could. And he just about knew the photo by heart that they were speaking about. The two girls; Launia and Tsubaki, had caught his attention almost immediately. Both girls had long silver hair and if he hadn't known better, he would have thought them sisters. He scowled and looked over the photo cautiously, “Oi…how does Tsubaki have silver hair? You just said she ain't a demon…”

 

Ryen made a face and sat back in his chair. “She dyed it. She was the only human accepted by the Elites and she made sure to do something to let everyone know it…as if bragging weren't enough. She was a bitch, I'll say that.”

 

Kauai shot Ryen a dark look before relenting, “she was ruthless at points; I'll say that. I never really had any direct issues with her besides for when she decided to detest the brothers, but unlike Launia, she didn't associate me with them. She wasn't as bad as Launia and I think that is what drove them apart in the end.”

 

Kagome dully echoed, “in the end?”

 

Kauai nodded. “At our fifth high school reunion I found out that she had moved to the states and rumor was that she had died in some freak accident. Rumors also told that she had pissed Launia off and because of her attachment with Diegosan, she had the power to get Tsubaki killed for it. I don't believe it. They had their differences, mostly over Inuno and Diegosan, but they were still close.”

 

InuYasha stared at Kagome's mother for a moment then sneered, “she tried to kill her own kid…come on now! You really think that she wouldn't kill someone else?”

 

Ryen narrowed his eyes and growled, “Launia was always unpredictable.”

 

Kagome cleared her throat then stood up, “I think I'm gonna lay down. I'm still not feeling that great and am a little tired.”

 

Instantly InuYasha was holding her elbow leading her from the table. He put a hand to her forehead as they paused by the doorway. “You're really not so feverish which is good…but you should still lay down.” He turned and shot the two parents a weary smile, “I'm gonna lay down with her. If you need anything just… knock first.”

 

Ryen pointed one finger at the boy and raised an eyebrow in a warning fashion. He mouthed, “hands off” before lightly growling.

 

InuYasha met the demons annoyed glower and flipped him off with his free hand before helping Kagome up the steps. He could hear Ryen growling behind him and smiled maliciously. It was just too easy to get under the older demon's skin.

 

Ryen stood from his chair, just about knocking it backwards and started towards the steps. A delicate hand on his arm stopped him. He paused and looked down towards Kauai. “I should fry that brat's ass on an open fire! Oh…he's gonna get it.”

 

Kauai laughed lightly and sighed, “if he thinks Kagome is ill, I think he'll keep his hands to himself.”

Ryen shot her a half amused look, “oh, you think that would stop that little runt?”

 

She shook her head slowly, “maybe.”

 

Ryen licked his lips slowly and tried to hide the rather cocky tone in his voice. He leaned a little towards the woman and raised an eyebrow, “did it stop me?”

 

Kauai widened her eyes before adverting her gaze to the floor and shook her head once, choosing to ignore the tasteless jab. “You should have seen him earlier, Ryen. It was nearly nostalgic how protective he was over her.”

 

Ryen smirked and sat back down in his chair, moving it closer to Kauai. “Oh?”

 

Kauai ducked her head to hide the slight blush that rose to her cheeks as she slowly began to gather the dishes, “it was.” She paused then stood from the chair and carried the dishes to the sink. “I worry, Ryen…of his intentions towards my daughter. That flashy ring doesn't help things either, you know.”

 

Ryen shrugged and leaned back in the chair. “The boy has something wrong in his head…probably dropped a few times by my baka brother…or his…but he's all right. And I'll tell you this Kauai; he loves her. I see it in his eyes, every time he sets those eyes on her. He might botch thing up a lot…like I did…but he wants to be with her. I realized that after only spending a few hours with him. He's bit…and I'm sure she is to. Don't worry about the ring…it's just a symbol. He loves her and honestly, you better get ready for the fact that he ain't going anywhere anytime soon.”

 

Kauai paused, letting the dishrag fall from her hands into the water. She sighed deeply and whispered, “You didn't botch things up, Ryen.”

 

Ryen, who had been swaying the chair forward and backward on its back legs let the chair fall on all four legs and gaped at the woman. After a tense moment, he laughed wryly, “That's the biggest load of horse shit I've heard in a long ass time, Kauai. I fucked it all up, and you know that!”

 

Kauai sighed tightly then picked up the rag. “No…you didn't. Things…came up. It upsets me…at points…that all the time I confided in your brother…that I cried to him over it, that he never told me the truth…” she held up a hand as Ryen opened his mouth to protest, “don't…I understand completely now why he couldn't…but you have to understand my side.”

 

Ryen slowly stood from the chair, his eyes darker then normal and his hands clenched in a fist at his side, “I never wanted to make you cry…you do know that, right?”

 

Kauai swallowed hard once and stared hard into the dishwater, “I…I know that Ryen. I also know if you hadn't…if you hadn't of left, then Uri would not have been able to dry my tears…and fix my heart. Then I would not have the two wonderful children I do today!”

 

Ryen grimaced and flinched. “Ouch.”

 

Another sigh flowed from the woman, “I'm sorry…”

 

Ryen strode two feet and very slowly rested his right hand on her left shoulder. His voice was deeper then normal, all of his usual humor drowned out by sorrow. “A part of me Kauai…a small part of me is glad that this worked out in the fashion. Kagome and Souta are both wonderful kids who are full of life. Kagome is a perfect match for my nephew and she really has saved him. But a much bigger part of me still kicks my ass for doing things how I did.” He squeezed her shoulder lightly, “I have a lot of regrets Kauai…a lot of them. They follow me around like shadows and never let me forget. The biggest is losing you.”

 

Kauai flinched under his touch and moved away to put two cups back in the cupboards. “You shouldn't live your life with regrets, Ryen. Carpe Diem, remember?”

 

Ryen stared at the woman for a moment then blinked, “have dinner with me.”

 

Kauai nearly dropped the cup in her hands. Her hands trembled with the porcelain cup in it as his words filtered through her ears. As composed as she could be, she replied, “What makes you think my answer will be different then this morning?”

 

Ryen walked up behind the woman and reached around her. Taking the cup from her hands, he placed it in the cabinet, keeping his chest about five inches from her back. After he placed it in the cabinet, he placed his hands on either side of her. He lowered his face towards her ear and paused. “Because I know you want to. And besides, you said no to dinner this morning but we still went to lunch. I'll pick you up tomorrow night at five.” He smirked when he felt her tense up when he touched her shoulder. He retreated back a few feet and grabbed his leather coat. “It will be just like lunch was…promise, no strings attached. You know me, Kauai…”

 

Kauai screwed her eyes shut and turned to look at the demon. “And that is what scares me.”

 

Ryen studied her face and let the smirk slip from his lips. “If you don't want to…I understand.”

 

Kauai seemed to contemplate the decision then nodded slowly. “Its just dinner…between friends, right? That's all.”

 

Ryen put on the bomber and turned from the kitchen. Sliding on his mirrored glasses he called back, “that's all it ever was Darling…” knowing she was well flushed, he strut from the house, yelling once over his shoulder up the steps, “Oi, pup…be good or I'll kill you.”

 

Kauai didn't move until the door slammed shut. Only then did she slowly slide down the cabinets to sit on the floor. She stared straight ahead with a very tiny smile on her face; her eyes were hazy as if in a daze. “What just happened?”

 

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

 

“Yamaoto speaking…what can I do for you Taisho-san?”

 

A voice cracked through the phone like a verbal whip, “cut that shit out, Tsubaki. I don't have much time!”

 

Yamaoto Tsubaki let out a deep wicked laugh and fingered her black tresses, “odd that you would chose to call me then, Taisho-san.”

 

The reply was more hostile, more venomousness. “Look…I need help. That little shit son of mine cut me off completely…and the government has frozen Diegosan's assets with his only kin in jail. I'm broke and I can't stay here a day longer…I need out so I'm calling in a solid favor.”

 

A laugh was her reply. Tsubaki leaned forward over paperwork that cluttered her protégées desk and slammed her fist down on the desk. “I think not, Launia. I'm favored out…I think I did enough for you and that dead bastard!”

 

The phone was silent for a moment before the storm emerged, “why you ungrateful bitch! Who the hell paid for you to get through fucking medical school? Who fronted all of the money to open those clinics of yours?”

 

Tsubaki yawned, holding the phone away from her ear while the older woman ranted. After she was sure that she was done, she returned the receiver to her ear. “Are you done? I don't care if you are or aren't…just listen up! I know your up shits creek without a paddle but guess what, I don't care. I'm still cleaning up your and Naraku's messes…some of which have stained so far through the cloth I can't get it out! I'm sick of playing clean up, Launia. While I was making seven digit incomes, it was fine…but I haven't seen that kind of money in a long time! I'm making people disappear for nearly nothing now and hey, now your son is involved and he has me worried.”

 

Launia was silent for a very long moment. When she finally spoke, her voice was filled with near amazement, “Sesshoumaru is seeing you for therapy?”

 

Tsubaki sighed and let go of her hair, “no, Baka! Naraku's little fuck toy is, he's just her body guard.”

 

Launia seethed back, “Rin.”

 

Tsubaki rolled her eyes and blew her bangs from her face. “Yes…Rin.”

 

“How bad is she? Did Naraku mess her up as much as he boasts that he did?”

 

Tsubaki glanced around the office then cleared her throat. “She was pretty fucked up before I intervened. She's open to manipulation and the plan is going well…that is if Sesshoumaru doesn't stick his foot into the plans.”

 

Launia sighed. “Ryen is also back in the picture. Scared the hell out of me when I went back to the house to get that fucking sword of Sesshoumaru's for our first plan. Needless to say, it didn't work.” She paused for a moment before adding, “what plan?”

 

Tsubaki sat up straight in her seat, her eyes widening at the thought. “Ryen? As in Taisho Ryen?”

 

Launia bit back, “yes, Inuno's brother. He's the one who arrested me. He got me to say a few wrong things and without the right amount of money, I'm stuck in this hellhole. You have to get me out, Tsubaki.”

 

Tsubaki licked her lips and taped her polished nails against the oak desk. “Oh, I don't have to do anything for you. I'm still working under Naraku's payroll though, so I am helping him out.”

 

Launia nearly choked on her end of the phone. “How the hell is he paying you? How is that working?”

 

Tsubaki laughed spitefully, “Wouldn't you love to know. Here is what I'm telling you, bitch. I work for Naraku, not for you. I work for the person who is shelling out a thousand dollars an hour that I have to drug that little bitch and listen to her whine about what Naraku did to her. The show is about to start though, and I have a front row seat for it. You…my dear friend, in the meantime…enjoy prison.”

 

The voice on the other end of the phone became vastly livid. “Who the hell are you that Naraku is willing to pay you off? I'm nearly his mother and he should be willing to save my life! How ungrateful that little shit is!”

 

Tsubaki yawned again. “Why, Taisho-san…don't you remember what he did to his father? You're not even his flesh in blood. He doesn't give a rat's ass about you. You can rot in jail, as far as I care.” with that said, Tsubaki hung up the phone. Stretching back over the leather chair, she sighed again and stood up. “Stupid bitch.” her eyes darkened at the thought of Ryen. `Hopefully Sesshoumaru is the proud bastard that he tries to be. If he brings Ryen here…then I'm as good as dead. Damn…this complicates matters.' she kicked the wall once then screamed into the hallway, “someone get me some fucking coffee…I have a headache!”

 

 

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

 

okay, so I got tips done for a wedding and needless to say, it is a pain in the ass to type. As if I'm not slow enough to get chapters out. I apologize ahead of time! Gomen.

 

Cheers also to those who figured out who the doc was before I dropped the hints last chapter and the name in this one. Yes, Rin's Doctor is Tsubaki (and yes, she is evil). :0)