InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Gods' Opinion ❯ Somewhere We Belong ( Chapter 23 )

The Gods' Opinion

 

Disclaimer: Almost all characters belong to Takahashi Rumiko.

 

Warning: This is a mature story and I mean that in more than this story only containing sexual situations and bad language. It contains adult themes.

 

Summary: Kagome is trying hard to have a baby. But when things don't work out, she visits the best fertility doctor in the world. She finds her feelings and beliefs challenged as she struggles to hold onto her dreams.

 

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Chapter Twenty and Three Somewhere We Belong

 

Kagome pulled at the scarf around her neck, the one she had to wear with this blouse in order to hide the spot on her neck. She thought hickeys were something left to high schoolers and scandalous adults. It wasn't ugly like she had seen on some of her former classmates, but it wasn't anything to flash around for others to gawk at. Especially at work.

 

Just looking at it, alone in her office, she had a chance to reflect differently on it. It reminded her of how it got to be there and soon enough, her heart started to pound, pumping the blood that fueled her blush. She brushed her fingers over the purplish mark. It was something that Inuyasha had given her. It was silly to think that, but she couldn't help herself. There was something sexy about it because Inuyasha had given it to her during a fairly intense make-out session on the balcony of the restaurant.

 

Glancing around her office, she sighed as she thought about whether she should go to the Shrine now, before the subway closed for the night, or wait until morning. Her laundry still needed to be bagged up. Tallying the tills could wait until Monday evening when she returned, so she wouldn't have to bring work with her.

 

She figured she had just enough time to pack and run. If she did that, then she could enjoy a late-night soak, followed by a long sleep in her own bed. Living at the restaurant wouldn't last forever. And now that she was seeing Inuyasha, she wished she had a place of her own so she could invite him over to for a nice intimate dinner. And maybe other intimate activities.

 

Kagome paused as she stared at herself in the mirror. Was she ready for sex…with Inuyasha? They'd only kissed those two times. They'd only been on one real date and then whatever last night was. It was….Kagome blushed at her reaction. It was something.

 

Kagome didn't think she was ready. But she knew she could be wrong. But she didn't exactly know how to tell if she was ready or not. There were things that she did know. She knew that she was deeply attracted to him, sexually even. She liked to be with him, talk to him, be in his embrace, and all of those other cuddly actions. She had discovered that there was more to her in his presence.

 

Then there were the things she didn't know about him—like his views on politics, religion, education, his favorite sport, and other topics that defined a person. What were his fears, who were his heroes, and what in this world would make him cry? The more Kagome thought about it, she could only come to the realization that she really didn't know much about Inuyasha at all. Could she have sex with a stranger?

 

Well, it wasn't exactly like that. But what did she need to know about him before she felt comfortable enough to commit herself to a real relationship with him? Kagome groaned as she stuffed the last of her dirty laundry into the mesh bag. Inuyasha was a bit more complicated than Hojo ever was. But then again, what was her relationship with Hojo in the end?

 

“I can think about it tomorrow,” she said confidently to herself as she lugged the mesh bag over to her desk. She slipped into her black trench coat, carefully, yet quickly, going up each of the large plastic buttons. Grabbing her purse, as well as her laundry bag, she exited her office, locking the door behind her. Bankotsu had his own set of keys so he could lock up once the bar was closed for the evening, setting the alarm as well.

 

The sound of her heels echoed in the empty restaurant. All that was left were the few who stuck around to clean up. Only one cook remained to clean up the kitchen, as well as prepare any orders from the bar. Only a few lights remained lit as a safety precaution. Even if pitch-black, Kagome knew her way around the restaurant.

 

She opened the front doors and stepped outside, setting her laundry bag down on the sidewalk. Fishing in her coat pocket, she pulled out her set of keys and found the right one so she could lock the front doors up. She jiggled the handle of the door a few times to make sure the lock did catch. Satisfied that no one was going to be able to get in, she stuck her keys in her purse, picked up her laundry bag, and started down the street toward the subway station.

 

Normally, she didn't go home on Saturday nights. She didn't like to walk to the subway station at this time of night. So far, she knew she had been lucky that nothing bad had happened to her. Sure, crime was low in the city, but it still existed and Kagome believed that she had `victim' marked all over her. She slipped her hand into her pocket, wrapping her fingers around her cell phone, ready to push any button just in case.

 

Kagome's breathing picked up when she saw headlights making their way towards her. She sidestepped her way over towards the buildings, clutching even tighter onto her phone. Keeping her eyes focused forward, Kagome picked up her pace, and cursed the high heeled shoes she wore for work.

 

I could always turn them into a weapon.

 

Her eyes widened when the dark vehicle made a U-turn, slowing down until it was moving along at the same speed she was walking. Not immediately recognizing the vehicle, Kagome thought about disappearing into the nearest convenience store until the vehicle left. Or she could hang out in the store, call a taxi, and wait. She'd do anything to stay safe.

 

Where is the nearest convenience store?

 

Her body froze when she heard the tires screech as the brake was applied. She didn't know what to think. Either they were looking for something around this area, there were a lot of shops around here, or…Kagome gulped. Her friends would call her first if they had been planning on coming to visit her.

 

Maybe there is a police box at the end of the block.

 

“Where ya running off to?”

 

Kagome quickened her steps. Whoever it was couldn't be calling out for her, could they? She wanted to stop, but common sense told her not to. Tonight was not the night to head home. How she wished Inuyasha was with her. She felt so safe with him.

 

“Wait up,” the voice called out.

 

Now Kagome knew for sure that whoever it was, they were after her. She was still afraid to stop. The sound of running footsteps echoed against the empty buildings as they neared.

 

“Kagome,” it called out at her, using her name, meaning that they knew her.

 

The odd thing was, she knew who it was once she heard her name. She stopped and turned to face the one that gave her a bit of a scare. “W-what are you doing here at this time of night?”

 

The mysterious person stepped into the light of a nearby street lamp. Kagome walked up to him, feeling relieved by his presence.

 

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders. “Bored. Out taking a drive.”

 

“And that boredom brought you out here?” Kagome asked. She then realized that she didn't know where he lived.

 

“I guess. Whatchya doing out here?”

 

“Uh, heading to the subway station so I can take the train home.”

 

“At this time of night?” he practically bellowed at her. “Who knows what kinds of perverts are crawling around here.”

 

“No worse than the subway,” she joked, followed by a cute, short giggle.

 

Inuyasha, however, was not amused. The idea of Kagome walking home at this time of night, as well as the ride on the subway freaked him out. He quickly walked up to her, but refrained from grabbing her and shaking some sense of safety into that female brain of hers.

 

“Let's go,” he commanded.

 

“Eh, where?” she asked as she glanced around the area, finally noticing that everything in the area was closed.

 

Inuyasha snorted. The girl could be so damned dense at times. “I'm taking you home,” he spelled it out for her slowly, enunciating each word carefully.

 

Kagome cocked an eyebrow at him, sticking her hip out as she shifted her weight. “Did Mama put you up to this?”

 

Inuyasha narrowed his dark amber eyes at her as he thrust his hands into his pockets. “No,” he quietly mumbled, unable to look her in the eyes.

 

Kagome smiled at him. “Are you sure about this?”

 

Now he looked up at her and nodded. “You still have that car fear?”

 

Blushing, Kagome responded, “A little. I'm not as scared as I used to be, but it's still there.”

 

Inuyasha marched right up to her, grabbed the laundry bag out of her hand and hauled it over his shoulder. “Come on,” he commanded softly, taking a hold of her hand and tugging her along towards his truck. Kagome didn't say anything as she jogged to keep up with his long strides.

 

He tossed the laundry bag into the bed of his truck. Kagome patiently waited on the sidewalk as Inuyasha opened the passenger door up for her. She stepped over to the truck. Reaching out, she grabbed onto what she could in order to try and hoist herself up into the cab. First, she cursed the heels she wore, and now she was cursing the tight, charcoal pencil skirt she opted to wear today.

 

Inuyasha chuckled as he watched Kagome struggle to get into his truck. He knew how tiny she was.

 

“Eh…” Kagome screeched when she felt a pair of hands wrap around her waist and lift her up into the truck. Kagome violently blushed at the intimate touch. Once seated, she looked down at him. “Thanks.”

 

He didn't reply. Closing her door, he walked around the front of the truck, opening his door and easily pulling himself up and into the vehicle. The truck roared to life and he eased his way back onto the street and started on the route to the Shrine.

 

Inuyasha tapped his claws along the leather-covered steering wheel as silence reigned supreme. Kagome wasn't being her usual talkative self. He glanced over at her quickly, before returning his attention back to the road. Instead of her clawing at him like she had before, her hands were tightly fisted, curling the hem of her shirt into a tight roll. Her eyes were shut, but her face was still expressive as he figured she must be concentrating on something.

 

“You okay?” he asked as he took another glance at her.

 

“Shush. I'm trying to concentrate,” she roughly whispered at him, her jaw kept tight as she continued on her concentrating.

 

“Concentrating on what?”

 

“Rollercoasters,” she quickly replied.

 

“Rollercoasters? Why those stupid things? They're dangerous. Have you seen the idiots that operate those things?”

 

“Well I think they're fun. And that's why I'm visualizing them. Sango and Eri told me to visualize a rollercoaster when I'm in a car.”

 

“That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.”

 

“Yeah, well, it works. I didn't believe Eri at first, especially considering her reasons for this imagining technique, but so far, it's working.”

 

“Eri…that's the one that fucks around?”

 

“Yes, it's part of her research. She says she has learned to visualize things to help her cope with some of the choices she's made, especially the boring ones.”

 

“Boring? Like boring men?”

 

“I guess. Though she's never told a boring story.”

 

“She shares that shit with you?”

 

Kagome nodded with her eyes still closed. “Yeah, she does. She's…descriptive and informative in her stories.”

 

“We're here.”

 

“Eh?” Kagome slowly popped an eye open to find herself looking at the sidewalk and the first few steps up to the Shrine. “Already?” Opening both eyes, she turned and stared out the window.

 

Kagome bit down on her bottom lip, worrying it between her teeth as she contemplated about whether or not she should ask Inuyasha up to the Shrine for a nightcap. The idea appealed to her, but for two huge reasons, she wasn't sure it was such a great idea. She uncurled her fingers, relaxing all of her muscles as she let out a sigh.

 

Kagome turned her head to look over at Inuyasha, smiling at him. “Thank you for the ride.”

 

Inuyasha barely nodded his head at her, staring out the front window. He didn't know what he should do. He knew what he wanted to do. And normally he was the type of guy that just went ahead and took what he wanted. But with women…with Kagome especially, it wasn't as easy as that. If anything, he didn't want to frighten her.

 

As Kagome looked at him, the fresh memories of last night appeared, causing her to blush again. She had enjoyed their time together immensely and it wouldn't be a bad thing to want to hang out with him again, to seek out those warm and fuzzy feelings that she found so nice.

 

“W-would you like to come up for some tea or something?” she asked as she continued to look at him, her cheeks burning with nervousness. It was hard to read Inuyasha. Reading and gauging his emotions was something she was still learning to do.

 

“I guess,” he quickly replied.

 

“Okay.” Kagome reached over to take off her seatbelt, letting the strap slide slowly through her fingers. Tea, did they have tea? Was the Shrine clean? Why was she worried about all of those little things? He'd been over before and she wasn't worried about these minor details.

 

Kagome opened the door and looked down, finding the sidewalk to be so far beneath her. She grabbed onto the door and onto the handle above her head as she tried to lower herself down without having her skirt ride up too high. That and she was wearing those damned high heels.

 

“Here.”

 

Kagome found Inuyasha standing in front of her, arms reaching out. She quickly looked behind her and then back to Inuyasha. How did he move so fast? Kagome reached out for him as she tried to find the best footing.

 

Her hands found his broad shoulders as his hands wrapped around her small waist. For a moment, he felt like he could easily squeeze her and break her. He knew how little she was, but holding her like this, she became fragile to him. However, he didn't want to compare her to some doll. He knew she was more than that.

 

Her feet touched the ground as he planted her firmly and safely onto the sidewalk. Kagome looked up at him, finding him already looking down at her. His eyes always shone with such intensity. It was within his eyes that told her he was always thinking…always feeling…

 

She ran her hands down his chest, feeling his muscles through the navy blue t-shirt he wore. That strange feeling, the one that resided in the pit of her stomach, returned. It really was a strange feeling. It was weird and funny, but it also felt…good. A different kind of good. A new kind of good.

 

“Um…” Kagome let the noise slip out. Kagome didn't know what to do in situations like these. If she were Eri, she knew exactly how this would end. But she couldn't do that. That just wasn't something she could do. Yet, what could she do?

 

Kagome reluctantly pushed herself back a step, looking down at the sidewalk. “We…uh…we should probably go inside.”

 

Inuyasha dropped his hands and backed away. Walking back to his truck, he shut the passenger door before reaching into the bed for Kagome's laundry bag. “Let's go then.” He slung the bag over his shoulder and headed for the stairs.

 

“Hey, wait up,” Kagome yelled as she chased after Inuyasha to catch up with him. “Hey…”

 

He chuckled as she tried to catch up with him. Kagome stopped about halfway up the steps, ripping her heels off. Hiking her skit up just above her knees, she was able to run up the steps at a much faster pace. Not that she expected to actually catch up with him, but the chase was fun.

 

Inuyasha waited for Kagome at the front door as she jogged her way over to him, panting. “Thanks for waiting,” she teased. Reaching into her purse, she fished out her keys, unlocked the door, and opened it up. She stepped inside and motioned to him to enter. Inuyasha dropped the laundry bag on the floor next to the organized pile of shoes. Kagome dropped her heels on top of the pile and added her coat to the mess.

 

“I'm going to change really quick. You can wait here or in the kitchen.” Kagome hurried up the stairs leaving Inuyasha alone downstairs. He sighed as he made his way over to the couch, not bothering to adjust the light.

 

Kagome wasn't gone too long, quickly changing into a pair of green lounge pants and a slim-fit white tee. “Anything specific you want?”

 

“No.”

 

“Okay. I'll be back in a moment. Um, if you want to, you can turn on the TV or something.” Kagome, with her fingers fidgeting, quickly turned and headed into the kitchen. Since she hadn't planned on having Inuyasha over, she didn't have anything prepared.

 

“What to make? Oh, why didn't I think about this before?” Kagome chatted with herself as she scoured the cupboards, pantry, and fridge, looking for something, anything, she could easily and quickly prepare for her guest. There had to be something.

 

“Maybe this'll work…” Kagome mused as she looked at the series of ingredients she held in her arms. She shrugged her shoulders as she went to work on preparing their snack.

 

“Oi.”

 

“Inuyasha, what is it? I'm just making a quick snack. I haven't eaten since lunch.”

 

“Bathroom's still upstairs, right?”

 

“Y-yeah…” Kagome turned back to the stove as soon as Inuyasha left. With Inuyasha's appetite, she wasn't sure how much to make.

 

“Kagome…what are you doing here?”

 

“Mama.”

 

“I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow morning.”

 

“How can you say that? Didn't you tell Inuyasha to pick me up from work?”

 

“Kagome, I've been at the theater for the last couple of hours.”

 

“Eh, the theater?” Kagome pulled out plate and arranged her cooked snacks onto it. “With who?”

 

“Some shrine patrons. They took me to the Globe Theater in Shin-Okubo to watch some Shakespeare plays.”

 

“That sounds like fun.” Kagome was satisfied with the arrangement and outcome of the snacks. Even simple snacks had to be arranged to perfection. “Okay. That's done. Now, for a beverage…”

 

“There's some plum wine.”

 

“Mama! Plum wine with-with grilled cheese sandwiches? That's just tacky—I was thinking more along the lines of water, maybe some soda or beer. But plum wine? No Mama, that's …no.”

 

“It was only a suggestion. Anyway, I'm heading off to bed. Leave your laundry where it is and I'll take care of it in the morning. You go ahead and sleep in. I'm meeting some friends for brunch in the morning, okay? Good night.”

 

“Night, Mama.” Kagome watched as her mother left, trying to decide on a beverage. Opening the fridge, her fingers idled on the frosted bottle of plum wine. Tightly wrapping her fingers around the neck of the bottle, she took it out. Plum wine, grilled cheese sandwiches, and two cups, that was everything she needed.

 

Heading back out into the living room, she found Inuyasha on the couch flipping through the channels. She chuckled at the scene. Walking over to the couch, she set down the snacks on the table.

 

“I hope this is okay.”

 

Inuyasha surveyed the goods. “Plum wine?”

 

Kagome sat down on the couch, taking a slice of grilled cheese with her to munch on. “Yeah. Mama suggested it.” Kagome took a bite of the triple-cheesy snack. “Anything good on? I normally don't watch television.”

 

“Me neither.”

 

“So, what do you do when you're not working, reading, exercising, eating ramen, or sleeping?”

 

“That's it.”

 

“That's…it? Really?” Kagome took the remote from Inuyasha and flipped it to the movie channel. “Ah, Kamikaze Girls. Have you seen this?”

 

“Nah, I don't like chick flicks.”

 

“It's not that kind of chick flick. It's about finding your place in the world and discovering who your friends can be.”

 

“Still a chick flick.”

 

“Fine. Fine.” Kagome flipped it to another channel that she knew played movies. “Ah, Rashomon?”

 

“Better than that frilly shit.”

 

Kagome reached over, grabbed the bottle of plum wine and poured herself a glassful. Taking another slice of grilled cheese, she leaned back into the couch, and she tossed the remote over to the other side of the couch.

 

“Aren't you hungry?”

 

“In a sec.”

 

Kagome took a sip of the plum wine to wash down the sandwich. “So, what did you do today?”

 

“Nothing really.”

 

“Miroku and Sango came to the restaurant tonight. They look so cute together. I had to have Jakotsu as their server. He's into the fantasy of a sensitive guy taking care of him.”

 

“Ha, wish I was there to see that. He gets so uncomfortable around fruits.”

 

“He was a bit tongue-tied. Sango teased him about it as well. But I did make sure that Jakotsu didn't spend too much time flirting. I wanted them to have a nice evening.”

 

“They say anything?”

 

“Not really. They did ask about you.” Kagome finished off her glass of plum wine. “I told them I saw you and that we had dinner. But I didn't know what to say.” Kagome refilled her glass with more of the clear alcohol beverage. “What am I supposed to say?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I don't know. I can't say anything about your feelings. I couldn't really say anything about how I felt either. And I'm not the type that kisses and tells either.”

 

“Better not. Especially to Miroku. That bastard is as bad as a woman.”

 

Kagome finally smiled. “Yeah, he can be.” Kagome took a quick sip of the wine. “Wo…”

 

“What?”

 

“Would you like some wine?”

 

“I'm fine.”

 

“Okay. It's really good though. I wonder where Mama got it.” Kagome finished up her second glass. “Have you seen this movie before? I've seen it once or twice. I still don't get it.”

 

“Probably talked through the whole thing. Try watching it.”

 

“You're right.” Kagome giggled as she settled into the couch and against Inuyasha. She closed her eyes, enjoying how warm and comfortable he felt.

 

It wasn't long before her breathing evened out and she was snoring softly. Inuyasha took the empty glass out of her hand and placed it onto the table. She drank quite a bit of the stuff. He had a feeling she wanted to say something important to him. That was a problem because he just didn't like to talk much. She probably hadn't expected him to show up so soon after their date last night. But he wanted to see her, smell her…He really liked her scent.

 

Inuyasha wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hugging her closer to him. He turned his attention to the old black and white movie. What she started to say got him thinking. She never made any kind of point; instead, she quickly changed the subject before falling asleep.

 

“And for that low price you too can enjoy private pleasures from these vibrating cherries.”

 

Inuyasha lifted his head off the back of the couch, opening his eyes, his ear twitching from the sounds of the television. Looking around, he found himself sitting on the couch at the Shrine. Kagome was snuggled up on his lap, causing him to jump slightly from her movements. He reached out, his hand hesitating before he laid it on her head, brushing her soft locks with his claws. Looking around the living room, he found the grandfather clock proudly displaying 3:14.

 

When did I fall asleep?

 

“Shit…” he whispered as he let out a deep exhale. He hadn't planned on staying here, falling asleep like this. It wasn't a bad thing, but he didn't know if it was good.

 

Slipping both hands underneath Kagome, he lifted her head up enough for him to slip out from underneath her only to gently set her back down on the couch. Kagome's whimper caused him to frown.

 

He couldn't just leave her all sprawled out like that. It looked uncomfortable. Bending down, he slipped his arms under her and scooped her up, cradling her against his chest. Kagome immediately turned toward his body, seeking his comfort and warmth, nuzzling her cheek against the fabric stretched against his chest.

 

He grinned down at her as he carried her up the stairs. Using his nose, he found the room that was weighed down the most with her scent and opened the door. He pulled the covers back and gently laid her down onto the mattress. Kagome whimpered against the pillow as she wiggled around before finding the position that would allow her to sleep peacefully for the rest of the night.

 

Brushing her hair away from her face, he left her a small kiss on her cheek. Closing his eyes, he inhaled slowly, relishing in her sweet scent one more time before leaving her. Her scent…he didn't understand it. He could name what she smelled like, but he knew that if he was presented with the same scent mixture, say in a perfume, the reaction wouldn't be quite the same. Was it because the scent was attached to a living being? Or this particular person?

 

Inuyasha closed the door to the Shrine, checking to make sure the door was locked before quickly making his way back to his truck. Inside, he turned on the radio, letting the music keep him awake until he made it home.

 

xxxxx-----xxx-----xxxxx

 

 

“I don't think I can look good in anything today,” Kagome whined as she stood in the dressing room in only her underwear surrounded by a mess of clothes that had been tried on and then discarded.

 

“Kagome, you aren't seventeen anymore. That flashy hip stuff isn't for you,” Ayame yelled from the booth next to Kagome's, admiring herself in a really nice-looking pair of pants. “What happened anyway?”

 

“I don't know,” Kagome grumbled as she lifted up a dress Ayame picked out for her to try. “He picked me up from work. I invited him over and Mama suggested plum wine.”

 

“Mama did? Really? So, were you…drunk?”

 

“No. Plum wine makes me sleepy. Tacked onto a full day of work…”

 

“So…what happened?”

 

“I fell asleep of course. Fell asleep before I could ask…hey Ayame?”

 

“What?”

 

“When did you and Kouga know that you were a couple? How did it happen?”

 

“You've had a boyfriend before Kagome. Why are you asking me this?”

 

“Hojo was so…well, he was so formal about it. Like in the movies or something. He was like `Kagome, will you be my girlfriend?' and well, you know the rest.”

 

“I can't remember actually. Well, considering Kouga, I think he just declared me `his woman' and that was that.”

 

“Was it like a week, two weeks, of dating?”

 

“Kagome, I can't remember. Is this really important?”

 

“Maybe. We've been on two dinner dates and a bunch of lunches. We've kissed, made out…” Kagome pulled herself up and peeked over the wall to look at Ayame. “And counting the part where `once upon a time' he was my doctor, has touched more of me than Hojo ever did during any point in our relationship,” she whispered to her friend.

 

“So, you want to be his girlfriend, officially, so you don't feel so dirty about the making out part?”

Kagome gasped and quickly turned away. “Not that.”

 

“Then what?”

 

“I was asked.”

 

“Oh, by who?”

 

“Sango and Miroku. They were at the restaurant Saturday night. The way it was asked, I don't think they were that serious about it, but…it got me thinking…”

 

“That you want to be official.”

 

“Maybe. I think it would be nice.”

 

“Then be a woman and ask him.”

 

“Me? Ask him? Something tells me that he likes to be in control.”

 

“The kissing.”

 

“Eh?”

 

“The way he kisses you tells you that. Kouga is the same way. I get to be all dominating for two seconds and then super-duper-alpha-male mode kicks in. Yeah, you'll probably have to wait, but you can give him a choice.”

 

“An ultimatum you mean?”

 

“No, a choice. It's obvious you like the guy and want to be with him, so let him know you're interested in more. Then he can decide what to do next.”

 

“That sounds…devious.”

 

“We're female. According to Kouga, it's our nature.”

 

“Some of us can suppress our urges,” Kagome mumbled as she lowered herself back down.

 

“Constant suppression can be a bad thing,” Ayame sang after hearing Kagome's comment. “And there might come a point when you won't be able to suppress yourself around him.”

 

Kagome tied the sash to the dress tightly around her waist. Oh, didn't she know that. She was afraid that the next time they were intimate like that, then it would go all the way. She still wasn't sure if she was ready for that.

 

“Do you have that dress on yet?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Then work it for me.”

 

Kagome stepped out of the dressing room, doing a quick twirl for Ayame. Ayame wolf-whistled as she clapped her hands together, beaming.

 

“Perfect.”

 

“Perfect? Perfect for what?”

 

“Another date with Inuyasha. In that, he'll beg you to be his girlfriend.”

 

“Is dressing like this a part of my feminine wiles?”

 

“Sure.”

 

Kagome did feel pretty in the dress. Maybe, just maybe, she could think of something. She didn't want to trap him or deceive him in any way, but she knew she had to somehow make him want her to be his girlfriend.

 

xxxxx-----xxx-----xxxxx

 

Inuyasha sat in his office. It was Monday. Another boring Monday. It only meant that it was still another day before Tuesday. He did give Kagome a call Sunday night and apologized for leaving like he had. Then he listened as Kagome went on and on about how the alcohol made her sleepy and how she felt bad for falling asleep. She did thank him for carrying her to bed. He could hear her blush over the phone.

 

But that's where the call ended. No mentioning of what it was that she wanted to talk about Saturday night. Either she decided to drop the subject, or she couldn't remember it. He didn't press her about it either. Drama wasn't meant to happen over the phone. So they said their goodbyes and left things as they were.

 

Inuyasha shut his eyes and growled at the new scent in his office. Why did he leave his door open? It was an open invitation for those he didn't want to see.

 

“Like I wanted to come here,” the cool voice spoke, somehow sensing the inu-hanyou's thoughts.

 

“Then why are you here?” Inuyasha snapped back, ignoring his work for only a brief moment.

 

“We need to talk,” Sesshoumaru replied, closing the door and locking it behind him.

 

“Talk? Right. You mean lecture.”

 

Sesshoumaru sat down in a chair on the other side of Inuyasha's desk. “Inform and advise.”

 

“What?”

 

“Just listen for a moment. Then you can say or do what you feel is necessary, and most likely stupid.”

 

Inuyasha paused. Other than the name-calling part, he never heard Sesshoumaru speak quite like that. Dropping his pen down on his stack of papers, he directed his ears forward. And with every word he heard come out of Sesshoumaru's mouth, the less he felt like he actually had something to say back.

 

xxxxx-----xxx-----xxxxx

 

Kagome looked herself over once more, still unsure about the top she decided to wear. It was a simple white cotton tank that had lace trim and a tie front. However, during her shopping trip with Ayame, Ayame suggested that she try one of those tops with the bra built in, giving her cleavage some extra va-va-va-voom. She paired the pushy top with some jeans and sandals. Ayame was convinced that Inuyasha would like it.

 

And in case he didn't, Kagome had a backup plan. Lifting up the wooden container, she could sense its warmness. Nothing like ramen `to go.' And from the place that Inuyasha took her on their first date no less. She wasn't sure if the gesture would be lost on him or not.

 

Leaving the bathroom, Kagome took a deep breath as she neared the elevators she thought she'd never ride again, let alone be at the clinic itself. In a way, she felt a sense of sadness from this place. It didn't hold the best of memories for her. Other than the friendships she gained, there wasn't much else here for her.

 

She wasn't about to let the past bring her down. There was good news to share and she couldn't wait until their normal Tuesday lunch time to tell him. So she planned this little surprise.

 

“Saori,” Kagome said as she walked into the Reproductive Endocrinology wing of the clinic.

 

“Oh my god! Kagome. Long time. Oh, you're looking good. How are you?”

 

“I'm fine. How are you?”

 

“So much has happened.” Saori lifted her hand up to Kagome. “I'm getting married.”

 

“Congratulations.”

 

“It had to be fate that brought you here. Planning the wedding and we're stuck on the food part. What to serve so everyone is satisfied? Will you help? Could you?”

 

“Absolutely. The restaurant does catering.” Kagome reached into her purse and pulled out a business card, handing it to Saori. “Give me a call later on.”

 

“Wonderful. I'll tell him about this. He'll be so excited. Oh, um, you're here. So, what can I do for you?”

 

“Um, is Inuyasha available?”

 

“Dr. Takahashi? Let me see. Ah, yeah. He's got nothing scheduled so he should be in his office.”

 

“Okay. Thanks.” Kagome waved goodbye to Saori as she headed down the familiar hallway towards his office. Certain feelings that she didn't know she still had appeared, feelings of hopelessness. She swallowed hard, hoping to rid herself of those feelings until she left the clinic.

 

Kagome found his door slightly ajar. She peeked inside, finding him alone. She let out a sigh of relief. So far, so good. Pushing on the door, she let herself in, making sure to close the door shut to offer them a little bit of privacy. She was sure Miroku already knew she was here if Saori had the time to make a call.

 

Once she reached his desk, she set down the container that stored two bowls of that old man's ramen. “Surprise,” she chuckled out knowing that she probably didn't surprise him. “I have some good news to share with you and I couldn't wait.”

 

Inuyasha was sitting in his chair behind his desk, the back of his leather chair facing Kagome as he stared out the window. She noticed that his desk was completely cleared off, no papers, no files, no work.

 

“Uh, Saori said you didn't have any appointments.”

 

No reply.

 

“I brought you some ramen. Not mine. That nice old man from your favorite restaurant said that this was your favorite. He even said he'd teach me how to make it.”

 

Still nothing.

 

“Inuyasha? I guess I should've called.” Kagome sighed. “Maybe I should go,” she muttered quietly to herself. This was ridiculous. He was doing nothing in her presence. She knew he was rude, but like this? And to her?

 

“Maybe you should.”

 

“Eh?” He talked?

 

“Leave,” his low voice harshly commanded.

 

Kagome let out a tiny gasp. “Did…did I-I do something wrong?”

 

“You're still here?”

 

Kagome tightly grabbed onto the handle of the ramen container. What was going on? What was causing him to act like this? She really wanted to know. “Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?”

 

“Yeah, leave me alone.”

 

Kagome's eyes darted back and forth as she quickly digested his harsh words. That hopeless feeling returned, but this time it felt much different, so deep. She felt like she had been kicked in the gut. She could feel the burning of fresh tears prickling at her eyes.

 

“Can you talk to me about it?” She had to try. She wanted to.

 

“Talking is fuckin' pointless!” he yelled from his spot.

 

Kagome didn't know whether she should laugh, cry, or yell. She had planned on telling him that she wanted to be his girlfriend and to give him a chance to consider it. But now…not again, not this same confusion about what they were to each other.

 

“Yeah, you've made that clear.” Kagome turned, ready to head out. Halfway to the door, she turned back and went to his desk. She wasn't about to let him have that ramen since it seemed he wasn't interested in it or her.

 

Once outside the in the hallway, Kagome quickly composed herself. She didn't need to start crying here, drawing unneeded attention to herself. Crying could always wait for later.

 

“Oh, that was quick.”

 

“Yeah,” Kagome said to Saori. “He had an important phone call.”

 

“Was that…lunch?”

 

“Oh yeah, but he wasn't hungry. Do you want it? I don't have much of an appetite.”

 

“Is everything okay?”

 

“Yeah, it's fine. I wanted to surprise him, but…he's busy. I was just interrupting. I have to get back to work myself. Trouble at the restaurant.”

 

“Sure, I'll take it. If you insist.”

 

“It's no problem at all. There's a lot there, so you might want to share.”

 

“Okay. Oh, I'll call you later on then, about catering.”

 

“That'll be great. Bye.” Kagome didn't hear if Saori said anything or not after that.

 

Stupid surprise idea. Stupid shirt.

 

Kagome felt so exposed in it.

 

Men!

 

How was she supposed to interpret this?

 

Kagome sighed as the elevator took her down do the main level. Maybe he just needed a few days to cool down and collect his thoughts. She wanted to believe that this wasn't about her, but once again, his awesome handling of those communication skills of his proved to be so effective…effective at making her feel so useless and unimportant to him.

 

What was the point of being his girlfriend if she couldn't be there for him emotionally? The physical part seemed to be okay between them. But, she didn't want this to be an Eri-type relationship. Emotions were just as important to any real relationship as the physical. Did he know that?

 

xxxxx-----xxx-----xxxxx

 

Unlike the last time she and Inuyasha had a miscommunication, Kagome didn't go running off to her friends this time around. There were no pajama-wearing emergency meetings to be summoned. She'd figured she could handle this one on her own. Kagome had patience. She could wait a little for him.

 

And so the rest of Tuesday passed like normal, minus the usual lunch. Kagome ate the dinner special alone. With spring fast approaching, Kagome wanted the balcony cleaned and ready so it would be opened in time for the cherry-blossom viewing festivals. So there was that and the usual restaurant to-do list that kept her occupied Wednesday, Thursday, and the early part of Friday.

 

Her patience had run out by Friday mid-afternoon. There was absolute no word from him and it really bothered her. She just had to know. Whatever it was, she needed to hear it from him. Inside the KenSen kitchen, Kagome filled up yellow backpack with precut meat, noodles and a variety of vegetables. One thing she learned in the restaurant business was that a good meal could loosen lips.

 

Leaving the restaurant in the care of Bankotsu, she hopped onto a train that took her to the part of town that those with good jobs could afford—the nicer, more upscale apartments. When Saori had called yesterday to discuss appetizers and entrées, Kagome got her to spill the beans on Inuyasha's address. It didn't take much to get the information from Saori. In fact, she actually seemed eager to give the address away.

 

And that was how Kagome found herself standing at the entrance to the tall building. She pulled her cell phone out and scrolled down to his number. After two rings, the sound of him answering made her smile.

 

“Dr. Takahashi.”

 

“Inuyasha, its Kagome. I was wondering-“

 

“No.”

 

“But-“

 

“No.”

 

“We need to talk.”

 

And the line was dead. Kagome pulled the cell phone away from her ear and stared at it as if she didn't even know what the thing was. How could he…? Stuffing the phone into her pocket, she could no longer contain the tears that she had been storing up for the last couple of days. That and she really needed to talk to someone who could explain this Inuyasha to her. Sango didn't live too far from here.

 

xxxxx-----xxx-----xxxxx

 

Sango also lived in one of those nicer and larger-sized apartments in one of the taller buildings in the city. Kagome hoped to one day live in one for a while. She had been to Sango's place a couple of times and fell in love with its view. Kagome imagined Sango sitting on the balcony thinking deeply about relationships with the Tokyo skyline as a part of her inspiration. The clouds, the sea, even the city's night lights, could all provide symbolism to how living beings think and carry out their lives.

 

She felt really bad for coming over unannounced. Strange how her cell phone ran out of battery on her way over. Kagome had kept the thing constantly on in hopes of a call from Inuyasha. She couldn't remember when she had charged it last either. If Sango wasn't home, she had a list of friends she could still visit.

 

Kagome took a deep breath, tying to subdue the sobs and still her quivering body. Once she reached Sango's door, Kagome pressed the doorbell a few times and then stood back to wait and see if anyone was home. Miroku liked to take Sango out on the weekends and it was possible that they were out somewhere having a good time. Kagome was happy for the couple and wanted them to be together always. She couldn't imagine either of them with someone else. She was such a hopeless romantic, for everyone but herself.

 

“What?”

 

Kagome stared at the person standing at the door. Had she cried that much?

 

“Inuyasha, what kind of takeout do you want?” Sango asked from somewhere in the apartment. When Inuyasha didn't reply, Sango walked over to the door holding several paper menus in her hands. “Did you want to order pi…zza…? Kagome. What are you doing here?”

 

“Oh, Kagome's here?” Miroku's voice asked from some other location within the apartment.

 

Inuyasha looked down at the floor, the only way he could avoid Kagome's blank, watery stare.

 

“I'm sorry,” Kagome's trembling voice whispered as the backpack of food fell out of her hand, plopping down onto the wooden floor. “I…I-I shouldn't have come.” Kagome quickly turned and ran down the hallways towards the elevator. She violently pressed the buttons, praying to whichever god was listening that the doors would hurry and open up so she could get away from this moment.

 

What is going on?

 

“Kagome?” Sango called out peering past Inuyasha and around the corner.

 

“I thought Kagome was here,” Miroku said as he stood behind Inuyasha.

 

“I think she left,” Sango commented as she stepped back into the apartment.

 

“Fuck!” Inuyasha yelled out, turning to Miroku. “What the hell? Why'd you hit me?”

 

“For letting Kagome leave.”

 

“Doesn't mean you should fuckin' hit me.”

 

“Actually…yes it does. Have you told her what's going on?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“Have you told her anything?”

 

“I haven't fuckin' talked to her at all.”

 

“I see.”

 

“You see what Miroku?” Sango asked as she felt that she was missing something.

 

“Saori was right,” he calmly mused. Miroku raised his hand and smacked Inuyasha across the head again. “Go get her.”

 

“Ow. No. She has nothing to do with this.”

 

“If she means anything to you at all, you will go get her and explain it to her.”

 

Inuyasha growled. This situation was already worse than he originally had planned. And it wasn't all his plan. But it pained him to hurt her like this. He knew he caused her pain. It was in her voice, her scent, and he knew she even cried painful tears. This week was just as difficult for him.

 

“Kagome…” he called out after her as he ran down the hallway.

 

Kagome was already at the elevator furiously tapping the buttons. Up, down, it didn't matter. She heard Inuyasha calling her name. All it did was cause more tears. Why did this hurt her so much?

 

“Hurry,” she muttered at the elevators as Inuyasha's footsteps approached. She closed her eyes tightly, squeezing more tears out.

 

Don't look back. Don't look back.

 

“Kagome,” he delicately spoke her name. The amount of tears she had cried and was crying now tore at him. Yeah, he hated it when any woman cried. But Kagome's tears drowned his heart. It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced.

 

“I'll be…be g-gone as…as s-soon as the ele-elevator arrives.” She choked on the words as she continued to sob. Yanking down on the sleeves of her sweatshirt, she quickly wiped her dripping eyes and runny nose. Old tears were quickly replaced with fresh ones.

 

“Damnit…Kagome…” Inuyasha ran his claws through his hair. “You're right. We need to talk.”

 

Kagome pressed the elevator button again. Where was that contraption at? She didn't know what to think at this moment. “T-talk? Half…half-hour a-ago you said…you said you d-didn't want to talk…to talk to me.”

 

“I changed my mind.”

 

“You or-or them?” Kagome tried the elevator buttons again. Was it broken? “I…I came to…to talk to S-Sango a-and ask…ask her about y-you. I…I-I…I only w-wanted t-to help y-you.”

 

Inuyasha was stunned. This wasn't what he thought it was about. He took a step towards her, reaching out to take a hold of her arm. “Let's go then.”

 

Kagome let out a hiccup. He had to be the most indecisive man she'd ever met. It made her head spin. She couldn't figure out what to do. Was it her presence here, Inuyasha witnessing her turbulent emotions, forcing him to speak when he wasn't ready? Did he still need more space and time to think things through?

 

The elevator doors finally opened. It was empty. Kagome took a staggered step forward. She really wanted to stay, to be with him, and help him. But if he didn't want her help, than an empty elevator was the best she could ask for.

 

“I-if you c-can't learn t-to trust me now…” And Kagome stopped. She couldn't finish the sentence. She had tried. That had to count for something. And she would walk away without forcing him to do something uncomfortable. All she wanted to do was be there for him. That was it. Whether it be as a friend or as a girlfriend. Sure she breached some relationship faux pas by telling him that they needed to talk and for that she was sorry.

 

Kagome stepped inside the elevator, her head bowed down as she reached over and pressed a button. It didn't matter which one. Anyone would do. She wasn't running away. This was her stepping back and giving the hanyou his space.

 

“Stay,” Inuyasha softly said, his hand stopping the elevator doors from completely shutting Kagome away from him. “Please.”

 

The tone in his voice made her spin around to see if that sincerity could be found in his eyes. She saw more then. She saw conflict and not the kind she thought it was. He was struggling with himself. And she realized what it was. She was once like him - independent. Even with Hojo, she thought she could handle anything and everything by herself, until that day of the crash. She tried and failed. No one could do it alone.

 

Kagome nodded as she stepped out of the elevator, the doors closing shut behind her. Tearing her eyes away from his, she slowly walked down the hallway back to Sango's apartment. As she walked, she continued to wipe her eyes and nose with her damp sweatshirt sleeves. Inuyasha followed behind her by just a few steps. Tonight was going to be a long night.

 

She entered Sango's apartment, finding its owner in a hushed-argument with her boyfriend. They quieted themselves completely when Inuyasha shut the door a little louder than needed. It was enough to grab their attention.

 

“Hey Kagome,” Sango softly said walking up the tear-stained girl. “I brought your bag in for you.” Sango pointed to the yellow backpack on the counter in the kitchen.

 

Kagome nodded. “Yakisoba.”

 

Sango squealed. “Will you stay and make some?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Good. I'm sorry but I kinda peeked in it…”

 

Kagome shook her head, a faint smile gracing her puffy, red face. “It's okay.”

 

“Inuyasha. Miroku. Go down the convenience store and grab some drinks.”

 

“Uh, Sango…” Miroku started to protest as he stared at Sango before his eyes turned toward Inuyasha's direction and then back to Sango.

 

“Go. It's only a ten minute walk.”

 

“What should we get?”

 

“Everything. I'm totally out. And some snacks, too…for later on.”

 

Miroku nodded. Grabbing Inuyasha by the arm, he pulled the hanyou out the door. Once the door was shut, Sango turned to Kagome, throwing her arms around the poor girl, giving her a good, comforting squeeze.

 

“S-sango…” Kagome breathed out in surprise.

 

“I didn't know he was doing this to you. If I did…well…it wouldn't have been pretty.” Sango released Kagome, but held onto her shoulders. “Are you going to be okay?”

 

Kagome nodded her head and then the nodding slowly transformed into a shake. “I went to his office Tuesday with some ramen to surprise him with some good news.”

 

“So that's where Miroku got the ramen. He and Saori got together to share lunch and rumors. Oh, wait until I get my hands on him.”

 

“I let him have his space Sango. Right? Guys needs that. I wasn't trying to worry myself over the reasons why he wasn't showing up to our lunches. Was three days not enough?”

 

“That's kinda hard to answer.”

 

“I tried again. I want to be there for him, no matter what. I know that things aren't always wonderful. Even if I don't have the answers…I just…for him…”

 

“It's harder for Inuyasha. He's…well, he's been through a lot in his life.”

 

“I know that,” Kagome cried out. She remembered him telling her about his past. She had to defend him in front of that strange guy. Returning to the food in her bag, she pulled the vegetables out, washed them and began cutting them up. “I thought that I had somehow proved myself to him.”

 

“And you may have if Inuyasha were any other guy.”

 

“Great. Hojo was the `I'll-trust-anyone' guy and Inuyasha is the `I-don't-trust-nothing' guy.”

 

Sango chuckled at the girl. “You know how to make things overly dramatic. Anything I can do to help? The boys should be back soon.”

 

Kagome nodded and started to slowly explain to Sango the steps she could do to help prepare the yakisoba for dinner. Sango had been taught by Kagome a few times on cooking easy items and the girls learned that it was best if Sango's help included getting out the necessary plates and other cooking items, leaving the real cooking to Kagome.

 

xxxxx-----xxx-----xxxxx

 

“Inuyasha, what have you been thinking?” Miroku asked as he surveyed the varied beverage choices.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“No, you did something to make her that upset.”

 

“It's none of her damn business anyways.”

 

“And that's not a good reason to ignore her and push her away like you did.”

 

“I just can't deal with her right now.”

 

“Then when?”

 

“When this is over with.”

 

“And you think she'll wait? Because while women have been gifted with an enormous amount of patience, without a worthwhile reason, they'll walk away.”

 

“I don't know why you're trying to lecture me on this shit.”

 

“Isn't it obvious? You need help getting through this. And not our help. But the kind only Kagome can give you.”

 

Inuyasha sighed after he digested Miroku's words. Miroku had a point. Then again, Miroku always had a point. Inuyasha was at a loss when it came to this relationship stuff. Never had he gotten to this point with any of the previous girls he had dated. Yet, none of those girls were anything like Kagome.

 

They grabbed a bunch of stuff and paid for it all, hauling four sacks of beverages and snacks back to Sango's apartment. The boys found the girls laughing in the kitchen as Kagome mixed up the stir-fried noodle dish. Once the boys made their presence known, the girls stopped talking, but shared knowing looks and more giggles.

 

“Will dinner be done soon ladies?”

 

“Yeah, it's almost ready,” Kagome replied as she checked the noodle mix one more time. Sango handed Kagome plates so Kagome could dish out the servings. Inuyasha was served triple the amount.

 

Everyone settled in Sango's living room, kneeling around the table placed in the center of the room. Kagome and Miroku sat in between Inuyasha and Sango. Random bottles of beverages littered the table. Chopsticks clicked as thanks were given and everyone started in on their meals.

 

They are mostly in silence. Only slurping sounds were heard. No one knew how to start. And no one knew what the right thing to say was. It made dinner even more awkward than what it already was.

 

“I hope I wasn't asked to stay just to be the chef,” Kagome said half-jokingly as she popped open a bottle of flavored water.

 

Everyone else coughed, quickly swallowing down the food they didn't want to choke on. That was one way to crack the delicate silence. Miroku and Sango exchanged looks. Now it was a matter of who was going to reply and say what.

 

“Of course not,” Miroku was the first to reply. “It's just difficult to hold a conversation when eating such a delicious meal.”

 

Sango and Kagome both rolled their eyes at him. Sango set her chopsticks down and was prepared to be the one to share the news.

 

“I don't know how much Inuyasha tells you about his job.”

 

“Not much. I mean, I understand though, about the medical profession and their rules of confidentiality. It's why I've never really asked about it.”

 

“Right. Um, well, we had an incident. A patient died over the weekend.”

 

“Oh no.”

 

“We do get still births,” Miroku added, making the point that deaths do happen at the clinic. “But this was an adult patient, one of Inuyasha's.”

 

Kagome looked over at Inuyasha. He had his head bowed, his eyes hiding behind his fluffy bangs as he kept his mouth busy with eating. “Was it the one that you said you had complications with?”

 

Inuyasha nodded. He pushed his empty plate away. It was time to join the conversation. “The one with the reaction.”

“Is that what caused her…her death?”

 

“She…she had a fuckin' allergy. Didn't even tell us.”

 

“Did she even know? We have the same problem at work. Food allergies. They are the most common. A lot of our guests are from out of town on business and have never eaten some of the food we serve. Your brother was helpful about that. We were worried about lawsuits and he said that if we made a note about food allergies, then we'd be okay. Lucky for us, we haven't had any problems.”

 

“Sesshoumaru is working on this case right now,” Sango mentioned before taking a sip of some juice drink the boys bought.

 

Kagome looked over at Inuyasha. “I'm sorry. I know how dedicated and committed you are to your work.” Kagome didn't know if she could help him any, but that wouldn't stop her from trying. Reaching out, she covered her hand with his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I believe in you,” she softly said to him.

 

Inuyasha snatched his hand away. “It's not that fuckin' simple,” he quickly shot out before standing up and walking over to the balcony door, pacing in front of the glass entrance.

 

Kagome watched him get up and leave. “Wha…” she breathed out as his rejection settled in. Kagome turned away from him, her body trembling as her hands fisted into tiny balls. “Then what can I do? I give you space. You ask me to stay. I want to help and…what? You don't want it? I don't…I just don't understand. What is going on?”

 

“Kagome-” Sango started to stop the girl from saying something she might regret.

 

“No. I know I came here looking to you for a way to understand him, but I can't have you explaining things for him. He needs to do it himself.”

 

“It's not like that Kagome,” Sango added, feeling Kagome's anger and confusion.

 

“I know that there's more to this. There has to be.”

 

“What makes you suspect that?” Miroku looked at Sango and then to Inuyasha, concern etched deeply in his plum-colored eyes.

 

“Inuyasha.”

 

Inuyasha didn't look at her; instead, he paused in his pacing. He crossed his arms defensively across his chest before resuming his back and forth walk. Sango and Miroku were intrigued with Kagome's reply.

 

“He's not blaming the patient for her own death. Not ranting and raving on and on about how she should've been aware of her limitations. Instead he's…” Kagome turned to look at him, “…not submissive but…compliant. Like someone told him to be like this.” Kagome looked back over at Miroku and Sango. “Sesshoumaru?”

 

“It is Sesshoumaru who told Inuyasha to remain calm while he and his army of lawyers sort through the paperwork.”

 

Kagome sighed. That made sense. Inuyasha was a liability, well, his mouth was. Still…she glanced back over at him, watching him as he paced in front of the balcony door, his eyes narrowed; the usual scowl on his face as if he was mad at the entire world. The longer she looked at him, studying him, something didn't feel right about all of this. For Inuyasha, this was personal.

 

Sango glanced down at her watch. It was getting late, but not too late for a Friday. This wasn't how she pictured tonight. It was supposed to be more relaxed. The tension between Kagome and Inuyasha was thick, dangerous even. Inuyasha was so stubborn that he could really screw this up. Sango didn't know whose side to take right now.

 

“How about we play a game? Mahjong? Anyone?” Sango said brightly as she was trying to find some way to cease this nauseating tension. When no one replied, she offered up an alternative, “Playstation?”

 

“What games?” Kagome softly asked as she turned away form the hanyou. If he just told her that this wasn't something he could share with her, that'd be okay. If he just told her that he was angry or something, she could be fine with that. But this was really hurting her. She needed him to trust her. She trusted him.

 

“Let's look,” Sango suggested. Crawling over to her TV, she pulled out the box that held her Playstation games. “I keep these over here for when Kohaku comes over to visit.”

 

“That's your brother, right?”

 

“Yeah. Younger. He's at Tokyo U. right now studying political science or something. And English. I think he wants to do a study abroad over there, working for the embassy. Here, see if there's anything you like. I'll clean the dishes since you cooked.”

 

Kagome flipped through the games. Sango picked up the dirty dishes and took them into the kitchen, placing them in the sink. Miroku quietly sat against the couch, sipping on his beverage. Inuyasha remained pacing by the balcony door. No one was talking to anyone.

 

Kagome pushed the box away. There was no motivation to be found in virtual ass-kicking games, not tonight. She just wanted the truth from everyone, which she knew she wasn't getting. If they just told her that they couldn't talk about it, all of them, she'd accept that as a viable answer. Between medical privacy laws and lawyer stuff, there was a lot that couldn't be discussed.

 

“Miroku could you come here for a moment?” Sango asked from her place in the kitchen.

 

Miroku placed his drink down on the table. “She still has trouble with the dishwasher,” he quietly said to Kagome barely getting a smile out of her.

 

Miroku joined Sango in the kitchen knowing full well that this wasn't about dishes. He wondered what kind of plan she had. Sango always had insight into couples. Either it came from her training or it was an innate talent, but somehow, she knew exactly what couples needed to start working on fixing their problems.

 

“So coach, what's the play?”

 

Sango started whispering her idea to Miroku who nodded along with a sly smile on his face. He nodded not only at the existence of such a plan, but its substance as well. For these two, with their personality types, Sango's plan could help them. They would make sure the couple got a good push in the right direction.

 

“How long do we have you think?”

 

“Five minutes, if that,” Sango replied as she rinsed off the plates.

 

“Is this right? Should we be doing this?”

 

“That's so unlike you. You usually have more confidence, and more hope when it comes to these types of situations. Are you hesitant because these are your close friends?”

 

“Perhaps. I try not to play cupid when the situation isn't as happy as this.”

 

“We're not playing cupid, not at all. Kagome and Inuyasha are already on that path. This is intervention to keep them going in the right direction. They've hit a dead-end once, which they managed to work around. We're just making sure they will be able to still be together. Is that right?”

 

“We'll see if you're right.”

 

Miroku wrapped an arm around Sango's waist as they walked together back into the living room. Inuyasha was still pacing in front of the balcony. Sango was worried that he was going to wear her floor out. Kagome was sitting on the floor, her back against the couch, staring at Inuyasha.

 

“Inuyasha, wanna play some Tekken?” Miroku asked as he sat down on the floor, pulling the box of video games towards him. “I think you still owe me a rematch.”

 

Inuyasha did nothing. He didn't even stop to look at Miroku. Sometimes, Miroku was rather transparent. He knew they had something up their sleeve. They usually did. And he didn't want to be a part of it at all.

 

Kagome pushed herself up. “I think I'm going to go.”

 

Sango quickly stood up. “Are you sure? I mean-“

 

“Yeah, I'm sure. It's probably best if I go.”

 

“It might not be,” Miroku commented as he pulled out an interesting looking game and began to examine its over.

 

“Well, what is it then?” Kagome cried out. She was reaching a limit she didn't even know she had. “I can't sit here and do nothing. I want to help. I've tried to and…and not one of you is-” Kagome stopped herself. Why was she investing so much of herself into their problem at their workplace?

 

Kagome bowed to her three friends. “I wish you the best during this difficult time and” Kagome froze mid-bow as she was starting to stand back up, her eyes widening. “Ah…how…” Kagome stood up straight, her mouth flapping like a goldfish.

 

“You might need to sit down for this,” Sango suggested as she took a gentle grip of Kagome's shoulders and pushed her down onto the couch, taking the seat next to the girl. “You are right, there is more to this.”

 

Kagome jumped off the couch, stumbling her way over to the jittery Inuyasha. He stopped his pacing and stared at her, his eyes clashing with hers. Kagome took another step towards him. Reaching up, she cupped his cheek, her thumb running over his smooth skin, his eyes…his deep violet eyes.

 

Her hand moved into his lush, ink-stained hair, as if the silver had rapidly tarnished. And his ears…he head ears like hers, human. “Is this what you were afraid of?” she whispered as her eyes searched his. Different color, but they still belonged to the same person, windows to the same soul.

 

Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply, but quickly shut it. He didn't know what to say right now. But her question, the one question she asked out of all of the possible questions she could've asked, it really showed him the kind of person she was.

 

“Can you tell me what's going on?”

 

“Inuyasha, you better explain the, um, obvious part,” Miroku suggested as he took a seat next to Sango.

 

Inuyasha stepped back, away from Kagome and turned so that he was staring out the window. The sun had just set, burning the horizon with a bright orange glow. The fiery color faded into a soft purple sky that was ready for night. A few stars had already popped up, twinkling so early in the evening.

 

“Because I'm hanyou…part dog demon, part human…I have a moment of weakness. The night of the new moon I become like…this.”

 

“How-how long does it last?”

 

“Until the sun rises.”

 

Kagome let out a huge sigh. For a moment there, she thought she had lost the ears, the golden eyes and the silver hair of the man she was so attracted to. He wasn't bad looking at all as a human. And if she was going to be with him, this was the beginning. She'd accept it, as she had already accepted him.

 

“Was it that bad? To share this with me?”

 

“Keh,” was his only response.

 

Miroku cleared his throat, breaking the intense gaze the couple was sharing. “Not that this is cleared up, I'll explain the rest.”

 

“The rest…?”

 

“This could be used against Inuyasha,” Miroku explained.

 

“Used against him? How?”

 

“Simple…Inuyasha loses any abilities related to his demon ancestry such as enhanced sight, hearing, his acute sense of smell…”

 

“I don't understand.”

 

“Sesshoumaru thought of it actually. The lawyers representing the patient could conclude that Inuyasha was not able to `scent' her allergic reaction, making him liable for her death.”

 

Kagome turned and directed her glance at Inuyasha. “You can smell allergic reactions?”

 

“Basically. Something to do with lgE antibodies. I can small their change in a person's blood.”

 

“Oh…okay.” Kagome then turned her attention back to Miroku. “But Inuyasha said she was stabilized.”

 

“True and that matter will be addressed. As far as Sesshoumaru is concerned, he just needs to protect the clinic. If he can convince whoever that the clinic was not responsible, then her death will have to be explained by the hospital.”

 

“Did you smell this allergic reaction?”

 

“Fuck yeah. It's how I knew she was having one. We stopped all procedures, stopped the administration of all drugs and called an ambulance. I'm not a fuckin' allergist-immunologist, so I don't know what caused her to flip out. We administered some antihistamines to stabilize her before the ambulance arrived. Shit…that was all I could do.”

 

“And you said this to your brother?”

“Of course I did. And that asshole knows…”

 

“So, is this his plan?”

 

“Yes and no,” Sango answered. “Inuyasha has been staying with either Miroku or I for the last few years. However, because of this mishap, Sesshoumaru just wanted us to be careful this time around. And for as long as we have to while this case is opened.”

 

“Everything will be okay then,” Kagome happily said.

 

Inuyasha quickly turned away, heading swiftly down the hallway, disappearing into one of the extra rooms. Everyone winced at the sound of the door slamming shut.

 

Miroku glanced over at Sango. “Well, that went better than I thought it would.”

 

“Is he okay?”

 

“As okay as someone who lives their days as a hanyou only to be robbed of that life one night every moon cycle,” Sango replied to Kagome's question. And though her answer shed some light on Inuyasha, it didn't do enough.

 

She marched herself down that hallway, stopping in front of the door. Taking in a deep breath, Kagome opened the door to the guest bedroom, letting herself in and then closing the door behind her.

 

Miroku let out a sigh of relief, tossing his head back against the couch. “So…”

 

“What?”

 

“Wanna play some Tekken? I'm sure this'll take them a while.”

 

“You do owe me one, don't you?”

 

“Let's make it interesting…strip Tekken.”

 

Sango slid off the couch and crawled over the TV, pulling out the Playstation. Miroku frowned when she unplugged the gaming device from the wall and the TV.

 

“It was only a joke Sango,” Miroku tried to explain to her.

 

“I don't need to have you naked in my living room,” she quickly said, glancing at him and giving him a naughty grin.

 

“Sango I do believe that sounded like a challenge…I accept.” Miroku grabbed the game, as well as a few beverages as he followed Sango down the hallway to their bedroom. “Was this a part of your plan as well?”

 

“Necessity is the mother of invention and it's necessary to entertain ourselves while they talk.” Sango looked coyly over her shoulder and winked at him. He in turn grinned, shut the door, and locked it up.

 

xxxxx-----xxx-----xxxxx

 

“Inuyasha?” Kagome called out, her voice soft and shaky. The bedroom was completely dark. She couldn't see anything or anyone. But she was sure Inuyasha had come to this room. “Inuyasha?” she called out again.

 

“Are you going to ignore me until tomorrow?” she asked as her eyes started to adjust to the darkness. “Are…are you ashamed to be human?” Kagome heard something that sounded something like a snort. She moved toward the sound of said snort, fumbling her way around the room's furniture. “That's what this is really about, isn't it?”

 

“No,” he gruffly replied.

 

Kagome, figuring out that this soft object was the bed, sat down. “Is it that hard, the change?”

 

“It's…it's like wearing earmuffs, a blindfold and a clothespin on my nose. I feel shitty…I hate it. I fuckin' hate it. If I could…I wouldn't go through this.”

 

Kagome giggled. Inuyasha growled at her, the best he cold as a human. “I know it's not exactly the same, but, woman have their time of the month and many of use hate it too. Some say we should embrace it because it defines a part of who we are and the burden we must endure when it comes to children. You have to accept your monthly change too because you like it or not, it's a part of who you are.”

 

“Don't you think I know that? Fuck…woman can get drugs. I can't.”

 

“You would really give it up?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“But then you wouldn't be you. I happen to like you. I…I don't want you to change.”

 

“I just did.”

 

“That's not what I mean. Before tonight, you know this was coming and yet you continued to go on. You were just being you. And I'm sure tomorrow, you'll continue on just like you have always done.”

 

“So, I just don't like this.”

 

“What's so wrong with being human? I'm a human.”

 

“It's different.”

 

“Why? I…what am I missing?”

 

“I can't smell you,” he blurted out.

 

“Eh?”

 

“I'm…damn…” He didn't want that bit of information to slip. “That…” and he didn't know how to cover.

 

“My smell? Are you saying that I stink?”

 

“No. Far from it.”

 

“So…you like my scent?” Kagome asked both surprised by the declaration and hopeful that it meant something more to the currently dark-haired male.

 

“Maybe.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Does it matter?”

 

“It must. You brought it up.” Kagome smiled to herself. “You have a scent as well. At least only from what I can detect with my weak human nose.”

 

“You…can smell me?”

 

“Mm-hmm. I like it.” Kagome moved up more onto the large-sized bed. “Where are you exactly?”

 

“Here,” he whispered huskily as he wrapped his arms around her, eliciting a startled gasp from her. “I'm sorry.”

 

“For what?”

 

“Only four know about this and for me, that's too many. You just wanted to help. I'm not used to getting any help.”

 

“It's okay.”

 

“No. I hurt you. I know I did. And I did it on purpose to protect myself.”

 

“Are you okay with me knowing this?”

 

“Yeah. I guess you are right. We need to trust each other if…”

 

“You're very talkative, and sincere right now.”

 

“Keh, it's the fuckin' side effect of being human.”

 

“This doesn't change anything. I still want to be with you.”

 

“I'll let you.”

 

“You'll let me? Why you…” Kagome started to giggle as human hands tickled her sides. Inuyasha stopped as quickly as he started. “What is it?”

 

“I have to say this to you now.”

 

“Why now?”

 

“Because I probably won't say it later when I'm hanyou again.”

 

“Okay, what is it?”

 

“Sex,” he blurted out a little too quickly.

 

“WHAT?!”

 

“Fuck, that hurt,” Inuyasha shot back, covering his somewhat sensitive human ears with his hands.

 

“Well…”

 

“Shit. All right. I don't want to pressure ya or anything. But last Friday, if we weren't at your restaurant…” Kagome nodded her head at her quick understanding of what Inuyasha hadn't said. “I think I can wait for you to be ready. I don't want to…I don't know…make ya feel you were forced to do it because I'm damned well primed to go.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“I'm basically giving you…control.”

 

“Wow.”

 

“What?”

 

“You don't…forget anything said during your human night, do you?”

 

“No. My brain ain't broken.”

 

“Is it hard?” Realizing the inadvertent double entendre she made, Kagome quickly corrected herself, “I mean…not that! Is it difficult for you to give up control?”

“Yeah.”

 

“Well, we'll just see how things go. I'm…I'm on the pill again. My gynecologist prescribed them for me to get my hormones all balanced again after all of the treatments.”

 

“It's not Miroku is it?”

 

“Oh no. No. I…I'd be too embarrassed. That and it'd be weird. You know with him being with Sango and both being my friends.” Kagome nibbled on her bottom lip. “So, are we okay?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean, are we okay? Can you come to me with your problems? I understand that certain aspects, eh, details of your job are to be kept private, but you can still tell me what you can. You can vent,” she chuckled out. Souta would do that with her. And she did it with him. Without giving away too much information, they would just go on and on about how angry, frustrated, and hurt they were. But the venting helped.

 

“Vent?” he asked suspiciously. He'd never trusted a girl he was dating enough to vent.

 

Dating? We're…we're dating? Like boyfriend and girlfriend?

 

He looked at her, seeing the outline of her in the dark. She had put in more effort than any other girl to be there for him. And this wasn't about sex at all. She was genuinely concerned about him and his feelings. Other than his mother and his two close friends, no one was ever interested in how he felt.

 

Beautiful she was, inside and out. He stared at her, wondering how someone like her entered his life. He then tightened his fists. His human night made him softer than normal. This time around, it wasn't as bad. He had someone to really share it with.

 

“Come here,” he instructed her.

 

“What?” she squeaked when she felt him pulling on her towards him.

 

“Lie down.”

 

Kagome nodded her head and felt around the bed, trying to get her bearings. Finding the pillows, she stopped and pulled off her sweatshirt, tossing it onto the floor. She laid down on her back, head on her pillow, her hands folded across her abdomen.

 

Inuyasha laid down next to her, wrapping an arm over her waist and then he pulled her over to him. Kagome blushed as soon as she felt him wrap his body around hers, burrowing his face deeply in her hair. Kagome closed her eyes. Being embraced by him like this…this felt so perfect. Inuyasha thought the same thing. He had found a person he could belong with.

 

xxxxx-----xxx-----xxxxx

 

roshully's notes: Hi. Took a while to get here, didn't it? So, I hope you enjoyed it. It was long, a little bit of drama, a little bit of togetherness as well as the introduction of Inuyasha's human night. I gave his human night a twist by introducing the patient plotline. A way to tie in Inuyasha, his work, who he is and how Kagome fits into it all, or how he wants Kagome to fit into is his life as well. So, not all fluff.

 

On a side note, I will be taking a little sabbatical from this story for about a week or two. So I have this new job, well not really new much anymore. I've been there for two months now. Anyway, someone put in their two week notice and I was tapped to replace him. Replacing him means I have to learn a whole bunch of stuff. In order for me to learn what I need to know, I have to concentrate on that. So Chapter 24 will be a bit delayed. I hate to do this, but I realize that I have to. That's the thing about being an adult, there's adult things to be done, like a job. I actually have an outline for chapter 24 done and I'll probably do one for the next chapter as well. I won't stop writing. I don't think I could if I tried. But I'm not going to be spending every free moment writing. Have to save some of that time to memorize procedures. Also, by telling you this, please, in your reviews, don't ask me to update soon, because I'm not going to. I'd rather hear about this story's substance than your wishes of a faster update. I won't be completely out of the loop either. PM me or leave me a comment on my LJ if you want. If you have a question about something that I haven't resolved yet from a previous chapter, that'd be cool to let me know.

 

Well, now that is over, a few notes about some of the information in this story that you might need some explanations on.

 

The recipe for yakisoba is posted on my LJ site. Basically `yaki' means fried and `soba' is a type of noodle, hence fried noodle. It's a quick and popular Japanese dish.

 

The Globe Theater is the name of the theater where Shakespeare did a lot of his plays in England. In Shin-Okubo, there is a replica of The Globe Theater built there in Japan and Shakespeare plays are performed in both English and Japanese. A lot of popular Japanese actors get there start performing theater there.

 

Kamikaze Girls is a recently made Japanese movie that I watched in my Japanese class last year. It was entertaining. I would recommend it. I don't know if I would call it a chick flick, there is a gang fight in it, but it's a friendship flick.

 

Rashomon. Basically, the Japanese movie of Japanese movies, directed by the Kurosawa. I would explain the plot, but for anyone who's seen it, that's nearly impossible. The movie is about a rape and murder that takes place in the woods and the witnesses, the rape victim and even the one who was murdered each testify their version of the events at the court. The basic moral of the story is that the whole truth about an event can never be fully known.

 

The woman's allergic reaction hasn't been revealed yet because it is important to next part of that story, so it will remain a secret. Antihistamines is one of the drugs used to treat an allergic reaction. Adrenaline in the form of epinephrine is more commonly used. Why I didn't use epinephrine will also be explained later, so hang tight.

 

Plum wine is a wine made from ume, a type of Asian plum found in Japan and the Koreas. It's fermented plums. The plum wine version found in the US is sweeter than the Japanese version.

 

Lastly, the subways in Japan are notoriously known for perverts. Because of the cramped space, it's easy for perverts to fondle whomever they want in subways.

 

And now time for my reply to your reviews:

 

 

@__@ - I've been told that almost only counts in horseshoes. So no matter how close they get….it's still not a lemon.

 

Tarzan from ff.net - What are you doing over here? Not that it matters, but…You don't sound like a pervert. You were most definitely not the only one grinning at the make-out moment. Some squealed.

 

Chase 65 - I'm getting better, but there is this cough that keeps tickling my throat every now and then. I think it's because the weather here took a turn for the worst and it's been really cool/cold for the last two weeks. There is always tension between this these two. It's just the way they are, their personalities. Kagome is becoming a bit more assertive when it comes to the things she wants in her life. She's not super demanding, dominatrix woman, but she is willing to swallow back some of that hesitation and yes, go with the flow. Inuyasha and Kagome will have their moments when their communication is just fine and then the rest of the time, they'll continue to have that difficulty. Inuyasha said so himself, he's not a talky kind of guy. They'll just have to find other ways to communicate.

 

malitiadixie - This story does contain meals. Some can be eaten, others are to be experienced. I've done both. I have a basic understanding of women's health (I am one, that helps), psychology (took three courses of it in college) and as for the cooking, I'm the one in the home that does most of the cooking. I have cookbooks and internet sites bookmarked for recipes and cooking tips. I don't have cable, so I don't get to actually watch anything on the Food Network. I do believe that food is more than just something to eat. And I've inserted that belief into the story. What Kagome believes food and cooking to be is what I believe it to be. And while I think everyone has their own twist on the belief, I think one thing all cooks have in common is that they want everyone to enjoy a good meal.

 

axel720 - I made up for the length with substance. Chocolate is an aphrodisiac, so, it can easily lead to one thing or another. I've put a lot of myself into Kagome, the same sort of things that I went through when I first starting dating my boytoy. It was my first real relationship and it just seemed like there was so much to consider. I think a lot of people can relate to it because I do draw it from real experiences and feelings. At least, that's what I think. Who knows?

 

Inuyasha Baby bre - Mark explained in Chapter 23. At first I wasn't going to say what it was, but when I thought about it, and more about who these characters are, the hicky was the better choice. Yeah, spring is coming, he's around Kagome a lot more, plus the other messes I've thrown in their way. Life is a bitch, well, I guess for Inuyasha, he'd prefer to say that Life is a wolf demon.

 

 

I think that's about it. Nothing like notes to make the chapter even longer. Thank you so much for your support and please bear with me as I make this transition at work.

 

roshully