InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Sweetest Escape ❯ Flip Out ( Chapter 12 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

.seod ihsahakaT okimuR, ahsayunI now t'nod I : remialcsiD

Author's Notes: Man, I almost didn't make it with this chapter this weekend! Whew!

Oh, man, is this chapter loaded with angst. But there's fluff at the end! I hope I redeem myself…

Ya know…if I could draw/paint/sketch…I'd probably draw out what I'm seeing in my head for Inuyasha's paintings…too bad I'm not talented in that area. I'm jealous of my own character. Except that he's not mine! (see remialcsid)

Oh, well. Guess you'll all just have to imagine for yourselves…(big, wistful sigh)

PLEASE READ! Okay, so I think this chapter is kind of confusing. You'll soon see what I'm talking about. It's kind of a flashback within a flashback within a flashback…yeah, three flashbacks. I think the key is to read it slow, and then I think you should be able to pick out the flow of it. But I really like this chapter. I hope you do too.

Onward!

Chapter 12: Flip Out

“I just can't believe he changed his mind…”

“But you're happy about it, right?”

“…I guess…”

“What do you mean you guess?”

“I dunno…” Inuyasha frowned at the gold gilded invitation. The shiny, pseudo-metallic letters glinted innocently under the light of Kagome's desk lamp. The pair eyed the envelope that sat in the middle of the desk. Kagome made a grab for it.

“I wanna read it,” she proclaimed. She flipped the envelope open and slid the soft ivory paper from its covering, turning it over in her hands. “Mr. Inutaisho Shibasawa and Ms. Mitsu Shibasawa and Mr. Hiroshi Ayabito and Mrs. Yori Ayabito request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of Sesshomaru Shibasawa and Kagura Ayabito…” Kagome read on. Inuyasha closed his eyes and recited silently along with her the words he'd already read two dozen times, only to make sure he wasn't imagining things. “…on blah, blah, blah, date, at five o'clock in the evening, at the Sakura Springs Luxury Resort…whoa. Fancy place,” Kagome said, impressed.

“Only the best for Sesshomaru,” Inuyasha muttered.

“So…you're gonna go, right?”

“…I…I don't know…”

“Inuyasha! You've been wanting to go for weeks! And aren't you always talking about how you want Sesshomaru to like you? Well…here you've at least got a shot…” she pointed out. Inuyasha sighed.

“Yeah, but…why'd he invite me in the first place?”

“Did you ask him?”

“Yeah.”

“What did he say?”

“Well…nothing, really…I mean, it wasn't really much of a response…” he reflected, frowning at the back of his hands. His mind drifted back to the night before, when he'd arrived at home after leaving Kagome's house.

After weathering his father's cursing spiel about how much his cleaning skills left to be desired, Inuyasha dragged himself up to his room, hefting his book bag along. Sesshomaru's refined voice droned on about wedding details from his room, apparently on the phone with someone.

He'd almost tossed his bag on top of it. In fact, he'd been holding the straps of the bag, in mid swing to fling it onto the mattress as he always did.

The golden foil winked in the light as he flicked the switch, and Inuyasha's eyes bugged. Yanking the bag down out of mid air and dropping it to the ground, he rushed to the bed and ripped the envelope open with no small amount of enthusiasm.

He held his breath and his heart beat quickened as he read the elegant calligraphy, once, twice, three times, and again.

He bolted out of the room, card and envelope in hand, and burst into his older brother's room without preamble. The older demon glared at him, the sleek black cell phone held against his ear. Inuyasha found that he didn't quite care who was on the phone in that moment—he needed answers.

“Sesshomaru!” he said in a harsh whisper. The man gave an exasperated sigh along with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

“Jaken. I'm going to have to call you back…no, I'm not taking you out of the wedding march…I simply have something to…take care of. Yes. Okay. Goodbye,” he concluded his phone conversation, and pressed the `end' button with a single, graceful digit. “What is it, Inuyasha?” he finally asked, his tone annoyed.

The boy lost his words. He opened and closed his mouth, nothing but silence coming forth. He wordlessly held up the invitation with a shaking hand, giving his older brother a questioning look.

“I…you…you just…I mean—why did you…” he stammered, his voice low. Sesshomaru heaved a great sigh and rubbed the pointer and middle fingers of both hands in small circles against his temples.

“Do you have something meaningful to say?” Sesshomaru snapped, annoyed with his halting speech. Inuyasha took a deep breath and collected himself.

“I just…you're inviting me?” he asked finally. Sesshomaru gave him a barely-tolerant look.

“Well, that is usually the conclusion most people would derive from the obtaining of an invitation,” Sesshomaru said swiftly. He stood up from the desk chair and meticulously smoothed the light material of his dress slacks. Inuyasha blushed at his blunder.

“Oh, yeah, right,” he agreed hastily. He stepped closer to the man as he opened his expensive-looking briefcase and commenced to flip through carefully organized stacks of file folders. “I was only wondering…why?” Inuyasha asked. Sesshomaru didn't answer. “Why did you invite me? I mean…what made you change your mind?” he questioned.

Sesshomaru didn't answer for a long time. “Will you be joining us or not? Believe me, it would not be objected to if you should feel so inclined to deny to attend.”

“No, no, I want to come!” Inuyasha insisted, tightening his grip on the smooth paper, as if he were afraid the elder demon would snatch it away. “Um…hey, Sesshomaru…” The man paused his shuffling, waiting for the boy to continue. “Just…thanks. A lot. I mean, it really means a lot that you're inviting me, and I—“

“Your gratitude is as unnecessary as it is misplaced,” Sesshomaru stated. “Now if you don't mind, or even if you do, I have very important matters to attend to,” he said swiftly, motioning to the paper work he'd spread out on the desk. Inuyasha got the not-so-subtle hint.

“Oh, yeah, right! Right, sorry. I'll go,” he said, back pedaling out of the door he'd flung open. “Thank you, Sess,” he said one more time before he left, closing the door behind him.

He'd been positive that he wanted to go. There had been absolutely no doubt in his mind. As soon as he could, he'd even escaped to his flat to work on Sesshomaru's wedding gift. But as the wedding drew near, and his father's house became a port to caterers, florists, and photographers hurrying to make last minute changes and preparations, as Kagura, Sesshomaru's eerily pretty fiancée came to meet their father, as family members converged to a nearby hotel to be ready for the humongous event…Inuyasha wasn't so sure.

“What if you go with me?” he uttered the question without thinking. Kagome blinked in surprise.

“Go with you?” she parroted. “Inuyasha, I can't, I wasn't invited.”

“Yeah, but…you can bring guests to these kinds of things, right?”

“Well…sure, I guess you can…but…do you really think that's a good idea?” she asked, frowning a bit at the pretty card.

“Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?” he insisted.

“Inuyasha…” Kagome started, trying to formulate a way to turn his invitation down without hurting his fragile feelings. “From what you've told me, and I'm going strictly on that, your brother seems kind of…well…severe. Do you know what I mean? He seems like the type who wants everything just so. He seems like he wants everything planned perfectly, down to the last minute detail, and I get the feeling that if anyone showed up that wasn't invited by him or his fiancée personally….I think he just might throw a fit,” Kagome finished, a thoughtful look on her face.

“But…but I don't wanna go if you don't go,” he griped petulantly, his mouth pulling into a small frown. He crossed his arms on top of the desk. “I don't want to go by myself.”

“You won't be by yourself,” Kagome said brightly. He gave her a doubtful look. She hurried to explain. “Your family will be there: cousins, aunts, uncles. Everyone, right?”

“I don't know them. I've never met them before…” he muttered sulkily, resting his chin on top of his crossed wrists. Kagome stifled her smile. He looked like a pouting six-year old.

“You're worried they won't like you,” she assumed.

“…Maybe. It's not like it's that farfetched of an idea,” he mumbled. She was quiet a moment before brightening and giving him a small smile.

“I think you'll have fun,” she chirped. He shot her a disbelieving look. “I do! I think you'll have fun, and what's more, I think you'll say to yourself `What was I thinking, considering not going?'. That's what I think,” she said with finality.

“I think you're weird,” he shot back. “Come on…come with me, please?” Kagome melted. How often did Inuyasha say please?

“I can't. I can't go without an invitation, Inuyasha,” she stood her ground. He thought for a moment.

“I'll ask him to give you one,” he suggested.

“No way! Inuyasha, you barely got an invitation yourself. How are you gonna me one?” she blurted. The grimace on his face told her she'd said something out of line, and she kicked herself for it. “I'm sorry,” she said quietly. “That wasn't right…I'm sorry”

“ `S okay. You're right,” he admitted sullenly.

“I just meant to say…I don't think I'd fit in very well there.”

“Kagome, I don't fit in very well there,” he pointed out with a derisive snort.

“Better than me,” she said. She grabbed one of his hands from underneath his head. “Inuyasha, go. Okay? Go. I think you'll have fun. I mean, why else would Sesshomaru invite you if he didn't want you there, hm? So go. Have fun. Drink sparkling cider. Eat fancy, overpriced food. Dance with pretty girls,” she told him with a wry smile. He gave her a doubtful look at that last instruction. “I bet you won't even miss me,” she said, sure of herself.

Inuyasha sighed. She was wrong. He'd miss her. Of course, he'd rather die than tell her that.

“Fine.”

~*~

The rays of the evening sun shone warmly down on the picturesque garden of Sakura Springs Luxury Resort. Water rushing from the man-made waterfall, the distant chirping of cicadas, and classy violin music made for pleasant background noise as various species of demon, of varying degrees of importance in Sesshomaru's circles milled and mingled. The large white canopy, housing the buffet of, as Kagome said, fancy, overpriced food, swayed gracefully in the cool breeze.

Inuyasha tugged absently at the tie that felt too tight around his neck, no matter how many times he loosened it. He felt horribly out of place, and he had no doubt that he looked out of place as well. He knew that at least ninety percent of the people there had his scent, and he knew that it, too, was out of place. He'd known he'd be uncomfortable…he just hadn't been prepared in the least to say how much.

The ceremony had been beautiful: tastefully done and classy. It was everything that Sesshomaru was, and everything that his new bride appeared to be as well. Inuyasha had watched them exchange vows and rings from the last row of seats where he'd been relegated to sit alone. He wasn't upset about it, though. There hadn't been enough room in the front row with the family of the groom, with his father, Sesshomaru's mother, and a few of his friends there instead. Inuyasha understood, and dutifully sat where he was told. He was just happy that Sesshomaru was speaking to him at his wedding.

His chest had puffed up as Sesshomaru spoke his vows, tall and regal, in his commanding, deep voice. His new bride, anything but blushing and shy, was a vision in her sleek, champagne-colored gown, which she'd later bragged was `of the highest-end couture', dark hair piled atop her head with small flower adornments. In a moment of pride, Inuyasha felt the urge to announce, “Hey, look at my brother!”

The reception began soon thereafter, the small orchestra, a quartet of aphid demons with six arms each, played pieces that would have taken a full orchestra of humans to pull off.

Inuyasha had stood awkwardly at the end of the receiving line, wondering how to strike up a conversation with the young girl in front of him, who looked to be about his age. He knew she was one of his cousins, a daughter of his father's older brother. He didn't, however, know her name or anything else, for that matter. He was just about to ask her when she whirled around, white curls bouncing from the disturbance.

“Don't even think about it,” she hissed maliciously. Inuyasha's jaw snapped shut.

“I…I was only gonna ask your na—“

“I said, don't even think about it, half-breed,” she sneered. She stormed off, wisteria-colored dress flouncing around her calves as she moved a few places ahead in line, striking up a conversation, undoubtedly about him, with another young man. Inuyasha trained his eyes at the floor. He didn't dare attempt to talk to the severe-looking old coyote demon that now stood in front of him.

He waited, the receiving line moving slowly but steadily out the doors of the wedding hall and into the garden where the reception was already underway.

“Yama,” Sesshomaru greeted the old man. “Thank you so much for coming.”

“The pleasure's all mind, Sesshomaru. Congratulations to you, and your beautiful bride,” the man answered graciously. With that, the entire wedding party moved outside, abruptly leaving Inuyasha as the last attendee in the hall. He blinked in surprise as the door slammed shut, his hand halfway extended to shake hands with Kagura's father. Very slowly, he allowed his arm to fall back to his side as he absorbed what had just happened.

“That's alright,” he whispered to himself. “They're just…they're probably just eager to get to their party. Yeah, that's it. They don't want to miss too much of their reception,” he reasoned quietly as he pushed open the door.

He wandered aimlessly for a bit, clutching the straps of the large, black canvas bag he'd brought with him, before slinging the bag's long strap around his shoulders, and finally deciding to get himself a plate. Was it just him, or were the caterers all staring at him? Was it his imagination, or were they whispering? Inuyasha moved dully through the line, muttering only a small `thanks' to the last demon who spooned food onto his plate.

“Well, look what we have here,” said a woman's voice, high and nasally. A smoker's voice. “If it isn't the spawn of that home-wrecking, whore of a human.”

Inuyasha froze, his plate held in both hands. He embarrassedly moved to the side when he realized he was blocking the way of other guests who had come back for seconds. What was he supposed to say to her?

“Don't you remember who I am?” she pressed, taking a long sip from the wine glass she held. Inuyasha nodded mutely. He'd only met her once before—if it could be called a `meeting'—and he'd never forget her. Sesshomaru's mother.

“How is your mother, anyway?” she hummed. “Oh! That's right. She's dead. Gone. Hmph. Serves her right,” the vindictive woman spat, her refined face twisted into a snarl. Her golden eyes appraised him. “Hm. Imagine. A half-breed. Here, of all places.” She growled low in her throat, an action which surprised Inuyasha, though it shouldn't have. He'd heard her do it before. “Why are you even here,” she sneered, not so much a question, before she became the second woman that evening to storm away from him. Inuyasha grabbed the first flute of sparkling cider that presented itself, and hurried to find a table, to get away from the several pairs of eyes and ears that had played witness to the scene.

The first time he'd ever met Sesshomaru's mother had been relatively soon after he'd moved into his father's home. Sesshomaru would commute, taking himself back and for the between his divorced parents' homes. However, this particular weekend, for reasons Inuyasha could not remember, Mitsu Shibasawa had come to pick up her son. And with her, she brought years of apparent bitterness.

~*~

Inuyasha had been cleaning up the puddle of grape juice he'd spilled in the dining room when the flurry of knocks assaulted the door. He listened as his father went to answer it, still sopping up the mess with the towel that had already been died purple.

“Mitsu,” his father breathed.

“Inutaishou,” the woman responded coldly, and Inuyasha remembered thinking how much Sesshomaru sounded like her.

“He's getting ready to come down,” the man said tiredly. Inuyasha peeked around the corner, yearning to get a glimpse of the woman who had birthed the brother he so admired. She didn't disappoint. Inuyasha could see where Sesshomaru had gotten his other-worldly appearance, his poise. The woman stood tall, tapping a high-heeled foot impatiently, her silver locks hung in a sleek, trendy hair cut, hitting just under her jaw in an angled bob. Her skin looked deathly pale in contrast to the blood red suit she wore, to match her crimson-painted claws. She looked deadly, and Inuyasha was frightened by her. She eyed his father coldly.

“This place reeks, Tai,” she said contemptuously.

“I don't think I asked you, Mitsu,” the man said with barely managed patience.

“I simply thought I'd let you know. But then again…you're right; you probably don't need my nose to tell you that the house smells of whores.”

“There's no need for maliciousness.”

“The hell there isn't!” she sneered. “Don't you tell me that—don't you dare tell me that, you bastard.” Her voice was frightening, clipped and harsh.

“It's been nine years, Mitsu. Don't you think you're taking this to the extreme?” A tremendous growl ripped from her chest.

“I know I'm taking it to the extreme! I want to take it to the damned extreme, Tai! What you did to me…to Sesshomaru, to this family! It's inexcusable. And no, I will never let you live it down, and I will never let you forget it. Not ever.” Inutaisho growled.

“Let it go! What's done is done!”

“I hope you see this!” she exclaimed, red-painted claws flailing with her hands as she motioned to herself. “I hope you see all that you gave up for some human slut!” Inuyasha flinched. Human…the only human he knew they could be speaking of was his own mother…his heart clenched, and he felt his eyes prick.

“I don't need for you to put me on a guilt trip, Bitch!” the demon growled, eyes flickering red for a brief moment. He stormed towards her. “I didn't need it then, I don't need it now! Maybe if you were a little less of a frigid bitch, I wouldn't have gone in search of what I could get elsewhere!”

“Don't. You. Dare! Don't you dare say those kinds of things to me—not when you go and fuck some human! How low could you have gone, hm? How low?” she shouted, her voice escalating in volume with every word. “To the lowest, I suppose! I hope that thing you've spawned—“ she flung a finger in Inuyasha's direction “was worth it!”

Sesshomaru, holding a suitcase and an open book, glided past the spot where Inuyasha crouched. He didn't look up as he walked nonchalantly between the two raging dog demons.

“Mother, Father, honestly. Must you two bicker like children?” he asked dully, and continued out the door. “Come, now, I'm ready to leave,” the teen called from outside. His words seemed to have done the trick, and his mother's expression smoothed out. She gently patted her hair, as though afraid it had gotten out of place during her tirade. She cleared her throat.

“Coming, Angel,” she responded, her voice attempting to be light and sweet. She shot Inuyasha a contemptuous look, and the boy ducked back around corner, heart racing. He resumed his cleaning with shaking hands.

`Home wrecker?' he thought. The word knocked around his skull ominously. He could figure out what that meant easily enough. It most certainly wasn't good. But his mother? A home wrecker? Someone who had come between a husband and his wife and son? Impossible. There had to be some kind of mistake. Yes, Sesshomaru had told him on numerous occasions that he was the reason his own family was in shambles—but Inuyasha had assumed that it was because he was only half demon, and therefore, beneath the rest of them for some reason he couldn't identify. There was no way that his mother could be that cruel—she loved his father, he could tell she did!

“Mommy, why don't I have a daddy?” Inuyasha asked suddenly one lazy Sunday afternoon. Had he been turned to face the woman, he would have seen the shock and franticness that crossed his mother's face.

“Um…er…I, uh…why do you ask that, Sweetheart?” she stammered, buying herself time. She had known this day would come. Dreaded it, but known it would come. The day her baby finally asked the question about that hole in his life. There was no way she could avoid it—if she did now, he'd only ask more later, and perhaps be angry with her for her delay. Her eight year old turned to face her, peering up at her from the floor, a thoughtful look on his face.

“Well, all the other kids at school have daddies,” he pointed out. “And they say there's somethin' wrong with me, because I don't have one. How come?” he asked curiously.

“Inuyasha, Honey, you have a dad,” she said. He frowned.

“How come I never see him? How come I never met him?”

Izayoi steeled her courage, and prayed to Kami to forgive her for what she was about to do.

“Your daddy's in the army,” she'd told him softly. Inuyasha's large golden eyes widened even further at that piece of information.

“The army?” he asked in a wonder-filled whisper. She nodded, feeling the horrible guilt bearing down on her even as she spoke.

“Mm-hm. The Japanese Army.”

“Wow…what does he do in the army?” Inuyasha asked, scooting closer to his mother's knees where she sat on the couch. He was rapt with attention.

“Well…he, um…he's…an officer! Yes, he's an officer in the army. A general, actually,” she added, embellishing the lie.

“Really? Cool!” Inuyasha exclaimed, a smile lighting his innocent face. “Does he have to save people?”

“Why, of course he does. What else would a general do in the army? He saves people all the time. Whenever there's an emergency that the human army can't handle, they call in your father's own demon platoon, and they go out and solve it,” she told him, saddening as his face lit up with excitement and admiration.

“My dad's cool!” he said happily. “I can't wait to tell Jinenji! And I'm gonna tell all the other kids at school, `cause they don't think I have a dad and they were teasing me. But they can't tease me anymore!” he told her, his eyes shining. He suddenly turned serious. “Mom?”

“Yes, Sweetheart?”

“Do you think he'll ever come and visit me?”

“I…I don't know, Baby,” Izayoi admitted hesitantly.

“Oh…well…can't we call him on the telephone?”

“We could…only…well, it's difficult to get phone calls to people in the army, since they travel so much. They travel all over,” she lied, cursing herself. Inuyasha thought on this.

“He's very busy, isn't he?”

“Yes he is. Very, very busy,” she agreed, nodding.

“But he's really cool, right? He's awesome, huh, Mom?”

“Yes, Honey. He's awesome. He's an amazing man,” she murmured, smoothing his hair affectionately, smiling wistfully at her son.

She had believed it, at one time. She had believed that Inutaishou was an amazing man. And, she supposed, he had been. He'd been everything her young heart could ask for in a man: strong, passionate, mannerly, intelligent, and devastatingly handsome. He was everything that mattered, and she didn't care than her family disapproved so strongly against their relationship that stretched for two years. She loved him, he loved her, and that was all that mattered. She felt, foolishly at times, that they were the only two people in the world. She didn't know, that during that magical two years he had an entire established family in the wings.

The day he'd broken the news to her would never leave her memory, because it was also the day she'd dropped a bomb on him as well: a bomb that she hoped would get her what she'd been yearning for for the past few months—a ring and a proposal.

“Tai…” she began. She was nervous. It wasn't as though it had happened on purpose. It was a pure accident. Yes, she wanted him to be her husband. Yes, she wanted their affair to become official, plain for all the world to see. But she hadn't wanted to trap him into it. That hadn't been her intent at all. But…since it had happened…it wasn't too bad to hope for something more out of it…was it?”

“Hm?” he asked lazily, briefly breaking the trail of lazy kisses he'd been planting down the column of her neck as they lay reclined side by side on her couch, watching an action movie that had become unimportant hours ago when he'd initiated their lovemaking.

“I have something to tell you,” she said uncomfortably.

“What is it?”

“You…you might be mad.” His kisses stopped.

“Are you sleeping with someone else?” he asked, anger seeping the tiniest amount into his deep voice.

“No, no, no, nothing like that!” she exclaimed, hurrying to placate him. “You know you're the only one for me. This only involves me and you,” she assured him.

“Oh. Good.”

“Well…maybe it involves one other person,” she winced. His rich golden eyes grew suspicious as he looked at her.

“Who?” he demanded.

“Just one person,” she said quickly, not really answering his question. “Just one…tiny person. One really, really tiny person…that might look like…you…and me…” she trailed off, toying with the nail of her pinky finger. His handsome face turned stony, and in his eyes, caution and wariness joined suspicion.

“Izayoi,” he began slowly. “Say what you're trying to say in plain Japanese. No screwing around and playing word games.”

“I'm saying…that…oh, don't make me say it, Tai! You know what I'm getting at!” she exclaimed frustrated. Her heart almost broke when he pushed away from her to sit on the opposite end of the couch. He buried his face in his hands, a low groan escaping his lips. She sat up.

“This can't be happening,” he whispered. Izayoi's heart dropped at his words. This wasn't going the way she'd hoped.

“I'm sorry,” she apologized, unsure why. It was just as much his fault as it was hers.

“No,” he said. He removed his hands from his face, staring intensely at the ground. “No!” he barked out, startling her.

“Tai, what—“

“No! This can't happen! You've got to be wrong. Dammit, Izayoi, I thought you were handling this!” he shouted.

“Me?”

“Yes, you! Aren't you on the fucking pills?”

“Of course I am!”

“Then how the hell did this happen, hm?” Realization dawned on his face. “You did this…you did this on purpose, didn't you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You manipulative bitch!” he bellowed, throwing an accusatory glare at her. “You skipped a day, didn't you? You skipped a day on purpose to do this to me! To trap me!” he yelled. Izayoi was beginning to get mad herself, now.

“I can't believe you would dare to think that low of me!” she said hotly. “Of course I didn't skip a day. I wouldn't do that to you!”

“Then how are you…? How can you be…?” He seemed unable to say the word `pregnant'.

“I don't know! Not every contraceptive method is one hundred percent effective, Tai! I took the pills, you wore a condom every time. It's an accident! Sometimes you hit a home run!” she shouted. The alienated, sorrowful look on his face stemmed her volume.

“But you can't…” he moaned. She moved closer to comfort him.

“It won't be that bad, will it?” she asked, tracing the lines on his cheekbones. “It won't be horrible…having a baby with me. Will it?”

“Having a—? Wait, no. No, Izayoi…you can't have it,” he said, shaking his head and frowning.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just what it sounds like: you can't actually go and give bir—Look. You…you've just got to get rid of it, alright?” Her eyes flew open wide and her nostrils flared.

“Get…get rid of it? Are you out of your mind?”

“No, I'm no—“

“There is no way in hell that I would—“

“You have to!” he insisted.

“No!” she screamed, clasping her arms around her stomach as if he were prepared to reach into her womb and tear out the embryo himself. He looked angry enough.

“Izayoi! Fuck!” he bellowed.

“What is wrong with you?” she yelled, furious. “If you don't my baby, then fine! You don't ever have to be in his or her life!”

“Don't ever think that I want anything other than just that!”

“Why not?” she cried, hysterical. Her eyes began to well with tears. His rejection stung like the dickens. “Why? Why don't you want my baby? Me?” His expression turned sorrowful once more at her tears, a deep sigh pulling from him. “Why don't you want us? What did I do wrong?” she whispered. Her tears only increased when he began to pull on his boxers, then his jeans, and began searching for his shirt.

“You can't even answer me? You can't even give me a reason?” she pleaded. Inutaishou looked at her sadly. He reached into his pocket, fumbled there for a moment before pulling out a small object, and he laid his palm flat for her to see. Leaning forward, Izayoi saw the ring of bright gold, winking in the dimmed light. Common sense told her that the ring was too large and masculine to be intended for a woman…for her. She withered on the inside.

“You're married,” she stated, her voice void of any emotion, no tremor or shake to match her face. He sighed, rubbed a hand over his face before replacing the ring on the fourth finger of his left hand.

“I…I've got a kid. A boy…” he said, adding details that she had no desire to know. The newfound guilt wasted no time in gnawing at her. She'd been sleeping with a married father for two years now…she was carrying his child. She was `the other woman'. “Now you see…why you've got to get rid of it. It…it'll ruin my marriage,” he said, almost beseeching. Izayoi fixed him with a stony glare, the tears running down her cheeks in full force.

“No…no, Tai…my baby didn't ruin your marriage. And even though feel guilty, I didn't ruin your marriage either. You ruined your marriage. You and you alone,” she said coldly. She wanted him out. She never wanted to see him again.

“Yes, alright, it was me. Me, me, me, I was greedy, I was selfish, I was an asshole. But that won't make it any better!” he said, motioning to her stomach. “That will make things worse.”

“Then I guess you'll just have to deal with the consequences of your actions, because there's no way that I'm getting rid of my baby,” she said calmly, even as her sorrow bubbled over so that he could see it. A tear ran under her chin where it fell and left a trail of salt down her chest.

“Izayoi, you have to get rid of it! There is no negotiation about this—“

“You're right. There is no negotiation, because I'm keeping the baby—“

“I'll handle it myself,” he grumbled, obviously not intending for her to hear. Her mouth fell open.

“How? How would you handle it yourself? You would hit me? You would force me to miscarry?” she sent the flurry of questions shooting at him. “How did I ever manage to fall in love with you?” she whispered, asking more herself than him.

“It would be a half breed, Izayoi! Nothing more! No one would want it—“

“I want him!” she shouted. Inutaishou regarded her for a tense moment. He spied his shirt out of the corner of his eye, and, retrieving it, shrugged it on.

“Don't expect any help from me. Raising it, paying for it—nothing. I don't want any involvement. You won't get my help,” he told her coldly.

“I didn't ask for it,” she spat. She hated him. It was as though the blissful two years spent with a charming, prince of a man had disappeared in a matter of minutes, and in his place, stood the ugly, malicious, shell of a man, whom she wanted nothing to do with. She wished she could punch him.

“Fine,” he said simply. And he was gone.

Izayoi couldn't' remember how long she spent, crying over him. She couldn't remember how long she spent crying for her baby, who would grow up without a father. She couldn't remember anything of her thoughts after Inutaishou had left, except for the promise she made to the tiny embryo in her womb.

“You'll always have me.”

Inuyasha could tell: his mother had loved his father deeply. It was plain to see in her eyes, whenever she would tell him stories about the man, how she would light up, yet remain sad, as though she missed him.

His mother had been one of the kindest, sweetest women in the world. There was no way he'd believe that she'd torn his older brother's family apart.

~*~

Inuyasha ran a finger around the rim of the crystal wine flute that held only a bit of sparkling cider, his seventh glass. He considered going back for his eighth, until he saw a certain woman idly chatting with her date near the drink table. He decided he could wait. He didn't want to have another run in with her. Who knew what she'd say this time to get his memory dredging up painful things?

Inuyasha's gaze drifted over the many people in attendance, until he stopped at the head table. Sesshomaru was alone! Now was his chance. He downed the rest of his drink, and picked up his bag, crossing the perfectly manicured lawn scattered with tables and chairs, skirting around the dance floor, and edging behind the head table where his brother sat. He was watching Kagura from his seat as she danced with Jaken, the short toad demon that had been his best man. Personally, Inuyasha had been a bit disappointed. He'd hoped that on some off chance, his brother might have chosen him to be his best man. Not so.

Sesshomaru watched his new bride with an amused expression as she grimaced at him over the toad's head. Inuyasha sat in the chair next to his brother.

“Hey, Sess,” he began, fiddling with the straps. The smile melted off the older demon's face, brow wrinkled, almost imperceptibly.

“What is it, Inuyasha?” he asked, that annoyed tone lacing his voice.

“I, um…are you having a good time?” he asked a timid smile. Sesshomaru frowned.

“Of course I'm having a good time. It's my wedding,” he said condescendingly. “Did you need something? Other than, of course, to bother me?” Inuyasha winced.

“N-no…I just wanted to give you this,” he said, presenting the large bag. “For your wedding present. It's for you and Kagura. To say congratulations and good luck,” he explained, smiling briefly at the gift. He was particularly proud of this piece. Kagome's strong approval and encouragement had given him the guts he needed to attempt something like this.

“Mm,” Sesshomaru murmured absently, still watching the dance floor as he accepted the gift, and promptly set it down behind his chair, carelessly leaning against a tent post. Inuyasha's heart sunk.

“A-a-aren't you gonna open it?” he asked.

“Later,” Sesshomaru said briefly. Inuyasha sat still for a moment, unsure of how to proceed from here: whether he should leave or stay and try to carry out a conversation. “You may go now,” Sesshomaru added after a moment. Inuyasha took his dismissal and hastened away.

He wandered slowly back to his own empty table, stopping briefly to get another flute of sparkling cider, passing the various groups of family members that he overheard gossiping about him. The girl who had earlier shunned him made a crude joke, and he bit his lip, and pretended as though he didn't hear. He'd just reached his chair when the microphone came on. It was time for the speeches.

Most of them were boring, hackneyed, and melodramatic. Jaken, the strange, obsequious toad that constantly followed Sesshomaru, spent a good fifteen minutes paying him homage worthy of a king. Next, Kanna, Kagura's younger sister, who was also the maid of honor, gave a short, bland, emotionless speech congratulating the couple and wishing them happiness. His father was next, followed by Sesshomaru's mother, and then Kagura's parents. After Kagura made her speech thanking her bridesmaids and maid of honor for all of their help. Sesshomaru went last—undoubtedly because everyone knew that he would give the best speech, the one most worth listening too.

“Thank you all for coming here today. It means so much to Kagura and I that you would take the time out of your busy schedules to honor us,” he began, graciously thanking all in attendance. He went on to talk of how he and Kagura met, entertaining all present with his dry humor. He gave all of the credit to Jaken for helping them meet, which no doubt gave the little sycophant a complex. And then he proceeded to deal Inuyasha a blow that because it was public, hurt him more than any insult he'd ever received from the elder demon.

“…Yes, Jaken, thank you for being the catalyst for my meeting with the love of my life. If it weren't for you, none of us would be here right now. I owe you for all that you do. You are almost like the worshipping, fawning little brother I never had,” he chuckled. The audience chuckled. The orchestra chuckled. Inuyasha felt as though his stomach had shriveled up.

“But I'm your brother,” he whispered to no one. “Why are you here?” he asked himself, his voice cracking. He found he could no longer answer that question. He stood.

As inconspicuously as possible, Inuyasha snuck towards the door that would lead him into the wedding hall, and then out of the resort. He took one last glance at the happy couple, smiling and laughing, looking out into their sea of adoring guests. `Like fucking royalty,' he thought bitterly. He saw his bag. It had fallen off of the little raised platform where the head table was, behind the stage, forgotten. Not caring if anyone saw him, he eased behind the little stage and grabbed it, clenching his teeth when he saw the various particles of food and punch that had been spilled on it. Tucking it securely under his arm, he eased from behind the stage, flung the doors of wedding hall open, exited the grounds of resort, and ran as fast as he could to his flat.

~*~

Inuyasha stood staring at the likeness he'd created of the wonder couple as it sat innocently on his easel. He'd been so proud of it. He'd worked so hard on it. He'd used his best paints, his best brushes, trying to make it up to Sesshomaru's standards. It wasn't enough. It was never enough. It would never be enough.

The yellows and oranges blended beautifully to create an imaginary sunset he'd envisioned. They stood, on a precipice of some sort, embracing from the side, staring idyllically out into the sea.

He hated it. He'd bury it behind his other pieces so that he'd never have to see it again.

He was done.

“Fuck you, Sesshomaru,” he whispered bitterly, clenching his hands into fists. “Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you,” he repeated. He'd never said that before. Never `Fuck you' and `Sesshomaru' in the same sentence. But now…it felt so good to say. And he couldn't seem to stop. He screamed it. He screamed it at the portrait. He hoped the real Sesshomaru heard it.

He was trembling. He felt like he was going to fall apart. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing his bangs away from his forehead. He angrily ripped out the elastic that bound his hair into a ponytail. He yanked the knot out of the constricting tie and let the ends hang loose around his neck. He wanted to fling paint at the walls. But he didn't. He wanted to break something. But he didn't.

Kagome. He needed to see Kagome.

He turned to go, about to flick the lights out in his flat, when the bright colors of the accursed portrait caught his eye once more.

On an impulse, he rushed across the room and slashed it with his claws, ripping three long gashes in the canvas. The picture rocked on it's wooden supports. That wasn't enough. He slashed it again in the other direction. The fabric caved into the wooden frame, hanging limply. Inuyasha picked up the frame and hurled it at the wall, smashing the planks. He picked up the pieces that were large enough and snapped the in half, over and over. Those that weren't large enough, he crushed them in his fists and turned them into sawdust.

It was the first time he'd ever destroyed one of his paintings.

It was stupid, childish, and completely unhinged behavior, and he knew it.

But it made him feel better.

~*~

Kagome was startled at the sudden tapping on her window, and she almost screamed when she saw the hulking figure of a man in the tree outside. But she stopped her panic, and concern quickly replaced it when she recognized Inuyasha. She quickly threw the window open, the cool night air rushing in. She shivered.

“Inuyasha! What are you doing out there? Up here?” she asked, shocked. He gave her an uncertain look, fingers gripping the branch to which he clung.

“Can I come in?” he whispered.

“Yeah, yeah, sure,” she said quickly, stepping aside so he could hop the foot long gap into her room. Now that she could see him properly, she was worried. He was simply a ball of tense muscle, and he was fidgeting like crazy.

“Are…are you okay?” she asked, closing the window. “You're so tense, it's tangible. And,” she added, looking at the clock, “You're early. The reception isn't over yet, is it?” He shook his head, no. She eyed him, took in his pale, weary expression, the way seemed tired, even through his tenseness. “You didn't have a good time, did you?” she asked quietly. His eyes met hers, and they seemed to plead with her as his lips pressed tightly into a firm line. He shook his head again, and Kagome hurt for him. He looked so…dejected. “What happened?”

“What didn't happen would be an easier question to answer,” he grunted. “I shouldn't have gone,” he whispered. Kagome motioned for him to sit on her bed beside her, and he complied, plopping his weight down and making springs groan in protest.

“You can talk about it…if you want to,” she suggested, not wanting to push too hard. She didn't have too. He gushed information like a spring.

“I got the door slammed in my fucking face, I got shunned, I got pushed to the back of the fucking hall, I got made fun of, I got abandoned, I practically got cursed out, and then, to top it all off, I got disowned,” he spewed, his face a fierce frown as he stared at the opposite wall. “In front of over two hundred people. I got disowned.”

Kagome couldn't begin to imagine what that meant.

“He just…stood up there, all high and mighty, and just disowned me, Kagome! No, worse! He's got this friend, see? This little toady friend who follows him around like his servant, and you know what he said? Do you know what he said?” he asked her, looking at her hysterically.

“No, I don't know what he said,” she answered calmly. It was clear he was having a bit of a breakdown.

“He said that he was like the little brother he never had. Him! Jaken! His little brother!” he exclaimed, a wild look in his eye. “Kagome…I'm his little brother,” he whispered heartbrokenly. Kagome didn't know what to say, what to do. He sighed. “He didn't want my gift,” he murmured hollowly.

“He didn't?”

“Nope. He wouldn't even look at it.” Inuyasha toyed with a lock of his hair, tugging it harder than Kagome thought was really necessary. “I ripped it up,” he said, as if he were remembering that fact for the first time. He frowned. “I've never done that before. I've never ripped up my paintings,” he admitted.

“So that's when you left early?” she asked.

“Yeah. I left, then I went to the flat, and I ripped it up. Then I came here. I'm sorry, were you busy?” he asked as an afterthought.

“No, I wasn't doing anything,” she assured him, and he looked relieved.

“Good. I…I wouldn't want to barge in another place where I'm not wanted,” he said in a low voice. Kagome wanted to wrap her arms around him. She wanted to take him in her arms and shield him from all the hurt he'd obviously experienced so much of that day. But she didn't want to frighten him. She settled for running what she hoped was a soothing hand through his long hair. She must have been spot on, because he stopped tugging on the lock he held, letting it drop, and he hesitantly leaned into her touch, his head tilting ever so slightly to the right.

“Wasn't…wasn't your family there? Anyone?”

“Yeah. They were all there. Cousins, aunts, uncles, just like you said. But they didn't wanna be around me,” he murmured. “His mom was there too,” he added. “I think that if there's anyone in the world who hates me more than my dad and Sesshomaru do, it's probably her. She can't stand me…” he elaborated, a wry smile on his lips.

“Because your dad married your mom?” Kagome queried.

“No. Because she said my mom was a home wrecker. My parents were never married,” he explained. “It's not true, though. I know it's not. My mom…she was the nicest lady ever. She'd…she'd never do something like that,” he said with finality. “You believe me, don't you?” he asked, peering at her.

“Yes,” she said sincerely.

“Why'd you stop?” he asked. Kagome hadn't even realized that her hand's ministrations had ceased until he'd pointed it out.

“Oh, you like that, do you?” she asked slyly with a smile. He blushed, ducked his head and nodded. Kagome snickered at his antics and went to retrieve a brush from her drawer. “Then this should feel really good,” she said. “Here, turn around that way. Take off your shoes first, Inuyasha,” she laughed. He turned, his back to her, and she went to work on the head of snowy locks, working slowly, one section at a time, from the tips to roots. His head tilted backwards when she gently brushed his scalp, stimulating it with the bristles. She loved his hair. It was so soft, despite how it could appear at times, and was almost slippery under her fingers.

“You look very nice in your suit,” she said after a while. She was grateful his back was to her, so that he couldn't see the blush that stained the bridge of her nose and her cheeks. Then again, she couldn't see the blush that he sported either. But he did look very suave and debonair in the charcoal gray suit, even if the tie hung untidily around his neck. It made him look…roguish. `Either way,' she thought with a sigh. `He looks so hot,'

“Thanks…but it's Sesshomaru's. He only let me wear it because one, he says it's `so nineties', and two, it's too small for him anyway,” Inuyasha explained.

“It's `so nineties'?” Kagome giggled. “What is he, a fashion guru?”

“That's Sesshomaru,” Inuyasha said with a shrug. He fell silent for a moment. “I hate him, you know,” he said quietly, picking at a small fray in her blanket. “I don't…I don't want to impress him anymore…I just hate him.” Kagome cringed and felt horribly guilty. This was all her fault.

“Inuyasha…don't say that…” she implored.

“Why shouldn't I?” he snapped. “He says it to me. He says it all the time.”

“Because he's your brother, and—“

“No, I'm not. Not according to him. And now? Not according to me either. Jaken is his brother. Fuck Sesshomaru,” Inuyasha spat angrily.

“I'm so sorry,” Kagome whispered as she ran the brush through one section, top to bottom, watching it gleam in the dim light of her lamp.

“What are you sorry for?”

“This. I feel like all this…anger…is my fault. I shouldn't have told you to go…I'm so sorry, Inuyasha…” she muttered. He turned around to face her again, his brow wrinkled.

“It's not your fault,” he assured her.

“Yes it is—“

“No, really. It isn't your fault, Kagome. I wouldn't have gone if I didn't really want to go…and as far as Sesshomaru goes…well…let's just say there's no love lost. I mean it when I say he hates me, Kagome. It's just time that I started acknowledging that, and move the fuck on. Believe me, it's not so bad for me to hate him back,” he explained. Kagome searched his beautiful golden eyes, and smiled weakly. Without hesitating, or giving her mind a chance to protest, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a gentle hug.

Inuyasha's eyes popped open wide, and he froze on the spot. A picture of his face would have been priceless.

“K-K-Kah! Kagome! What are you doing?” he whispered furiously.

“Hugging you,” she murmured, her voice muffled by his curtain of hair. “You…you need it, Inuyasha. Everyone needs a hug once in a while. And I'm gonna give it to you, whether you like it or not,” she said with finality.

“I…I…I like it,” he muttered, so low that she barely caught his words. Her heart skipped at beat in chest, and she smiled against him, tightening her hold, trying to give him the hint to hug her back. Ever so slowly, his arms wound around her rib cage, and he loosely hugged her back.

“I like it too,” she whispered. Inuyasha blushed, and then, positive that she could feel the heat of it, blushed a bit more. This was why he'd come tonight. Well, not this exactly…but he knew, just knew that when he came to her house, some how, in some way, she would make him feel better. She would make him smile, and he could pick up the pieces and get along.

He inhaled through his nose, and for the first time in the while that he'd known her, he got a proper whiff of her hair. Not wanting to creep her out by continuing to sniff about like a rooting dog, he concentrated on evening his breathing to normal lengths, content to simply inhale her scent in slow, languorous breaths.

Had Kagome always smelled that good?

Author's Notes:

Oh, my Gosh! 43 pages! My, my, my, aren't you all lucky readers! I think the hard-working author deserves some wonderful reviews for this…

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