InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Syndrome ❯ The Worst Impressions ( Chapter 10 )

I do not own Inuyasha and Company, no matter how happy it would make me. Rumiko Takahashi does.

 

 

Chapter 10 - The Worst Impressions

 

 

 

@@ Two Months Ago @@

 

 

 

She was so excited! Finally she was going to be out from under her mother's watchful eye and she couldn't thank Bankotsu enough. She hadn't wanted to stay at home once she started college, but she'd had a hard time finding something she could afford in the right area. He'd come to her rescue when he told her about his mother's friend. Apparently he had a house he was renting out to college students and while he had three tenants lined up he still needed one more. She'd fallen in love with the house the first time she saw it. What would be her room was large and cozy feeling; the kitchen was great, not a tiny hallway but a real kitchen she could cook in. Added to the fact that it was only a few blocks away from where the guys would be staying, the house was perfect. She'd immediately taken it; not even meeting her roommates before paying her deposit and first month's rent.

 

Today was moving day and her guys had all offered to help. She found herself laughing as Shippo was straining to carry as many boxes as Inuyasha, determined to prove that he was just as strong if not stronger than the much larger half-demon. “Shippo, you're going to hurt yourself,” she said while taking a box off the top so he could at least see.

 

“Leave him alone, Kags. The more he carries the sooner we'll be done and you can get us a snack.”

 

“Inuyasha,” she growled. “I am neither your servant, your chef, nor your waitress. If you're so hungry why don't you just order something? I know you know how to use a phone.”

 

“K'eh. Maybe I will wench, and maybe I won't get you any.” He smirked at her and she knew he was playing. He'd never order food without including something for her, not with the way she ate. He'd tried it once and with just a flash of her best puppy eyes he found himself without food, having handed it over to her.

After a few more trips Bankotsu came back inside, sweeping Kagome off her feet and into his arms. “All done, Kaggie. You want us to help you unpack too?”

 

The miko smiled at the offer. “You don't have to, but you're welcome to stay and hang out for a while. I think Inuyasha's gonna order takeout.”

 

The four guys and one girl made their way upstairs to her room. Miroku immediately took up the task of connecting her television, DVD player, and stereo, while Shippo climbed under the desk to hook up her computer and printer.

 

Inuyasha flopped himself in the middle of her bed before pulling out his cell phone. “Alright, wench. What kind of takeout do ya want?”

 

“I don't care. You're the one complaining about needing a snack. Pick something.”

 

“Oh,” Shippo yelled out from under the desk. “How about Mexican? We haven't had Mexican in a while.”

 

Inuyasha looked at Kagome, recognizing the glint in her eyes. “Everyone want the regular then?” After a chorus of positive responses the hanyou was making the call, the number for just about every takeout place in town stored in his cell phone. Bankotsu was standing next to Kagome, handing her books out of the boxes near his feet while she arranged them on her shelves. Each absorbed in their tasks, no one noticed the three girls watching from outside the open door.

 

 

@@@@@The Syndrome@@@@@

 

 

He couldn't help but thank the kamis that they were gone. Not that he cared or anything, but they were helping Kagome move into her new place. Sesshoumaru almost groaned aloud as he heard her name inside his head. It was so much worse now. Every day they all came home covered in her sweet scent. All the time they were talking about her. `Kagome this… Kagome that… Kagome, Kagome, Kagome!' He couldn't get her out of his mind no matter how hard he tried.

 

`Why must this Sesshoumaru be tormented as such? Why did father insist that the fools live here with me? And why must reminders of her be everywhere?' He looked around, seeing a few framed pictures sitting on the shelves in front of the DVDs and video games. `She had to have picked the frames,' he thought to himself. There was no way his half-brother or any of the other useless idiots would have bought actual frames.

 

He'd seen into the horrifying cavern Inuyasha called his room back at their father's house and there was just one framed photo, the rest tacked up on the walls, taped to the mirror, or just laying loose amongst the unidentifiable piles of filth that covered every surface. `Yes,' he decided. `The frames must be her doing.'

 

He dropped his head to rest on the back of the couch. He could still smell her here, the teasing, tempting fragrance that tortured him. All he wanted to do was crawl in a hole and die at the moment. `Why? Why is it that every time I am angry or the hanyou pisses me off she is there to witness it? Never once has this Sesshoumaru made a positive impression on the little miko.' It was true too. He somehow always failed to notice her presence or she showed up at just the wrong time. And once again she was given another reason to dislike him. She wasn't rude really. She didn't make a point to let him know she didn't like him. It was more like she completely ignored his very existence.

 

He didn't understand how she wasn't like every other girl he'd ever come across. Her differences made her stand out, but they also made his life hell. She wasn't drawn to him. She didn't openly admire his body. She didn't flirt shamelessly. She wasn't completely and utterly in love with him. The only girl he wanted just happened to be the only one immune to his charms, the only one he couldn't have.

 

His heart twisted in his chest at the thought. The pain, it had been growing increasingly worse since the hanyou and his cronies moved in. He didn't understand why he was in pain or what it meant. All he knew was that it grew worse with every thought of her. Every time he heard her name, every time he caught her scent, every time he could hear her angelic voice floating on the air the pain grew. Her laughter was the worst because never once had she laughed for him. She'd laughed at him a few times over the years, never in front of him since she was much too polite for that, but she seemed to forget sometimes just how good his hearing was. It killed him that he had never been the one to draw that sweet sound from her. The hanyou could do it, as could the perverted monk and the odd human. Even the kitsune could make her laugh, but he knew he never would.

 

 

@@@@@The Syndrome@@@@@

 

 

“There ya go babe,” Miroku said before handing her the remote. “All set up for ya.” Kagome turned away from the bookshelves and wrapped her arms around Miroku, ignoring his hands on her ass just this once since he had just done her a huge favor. She hated trying to figure out what wires went where.

 

Inuyasha growled as he hung up the phone. “Ten minutes, and just cuz she ain't hittin' ya monk doesn't mean I won't!” Kagome laughed as Miroku slid his hands off her ass onto her back.

 

Their audience frowned as they tried to figure out which one of the four absolutely gorgeous guys their new roommate was dating. At first they'd thought it was the one with the long black braid and the mark on his forehead, judging by the way he'd picked her up and carried her to her room. Then they thought it was the guy with the violet eyes, golden earrings, and a small ponytail at his neck when he grabbed her ass so openly. But then the hanyou with the adorable puppy ears seemed upset by it. The only one that hadn't touched her or talked to her like they were in a relationship was the younger kitsune still nearly invisible under the desk.

 

Kagome finally pulled away from Miroku to return to unloading her books. “Hey, Miroku? Could you grab that box, the one that says DVDs? I want them on that shelf over there,” she said while pointing to the shelves closer to the television.

 

“Sure thing, love,” the monk said with a smirk. They all continued their tasks for a few minutes, everyone trying to ignore the lazy hanyou who looked awfully comfortable stretched out on Kagome's bed.

 

Finally he couldn't take it anymore. “Inuyasha? Are you just going to lay there?” Bankotsu asked him in a frustrated tone.

 

“Hey! I ordered the food. I'm gonna go down and get it when they get here. I think that's enough.”

 

Kagome turned and looked at the hanyou on her bed. He didn't like the look in her eyes and his worry was justified when she leapt at him, pinning him to the bed. “You can be such a jerk sometimes, you know that Inuyasha?” Kagome regretted her decision when she found herself rolled under the inu hanyou. In seconds she was squealing as he tickled her sides mercilessly.

 

The girls in the doorway frowned even more, thoroughly confused and more than a little jealous. How did this girl manage to ensnare these four attractive males? They found themselves wondering if the hotties could be swayed and each decided they would have to find out. Really, she wasn't anywhere near pretty enough to deserve any of them, let alone all of them!

 

Shippo finally crawled out from under the desk, taking a seat in her chair while waiting for the computer to boot up so he could be sure everything was working properly. “Inuyasha, stop tickling her before I go deaf,” he said over his shoulder.

 

“Yeah…listen to… Shippo! Stop... tickling me!” she gasped out between uncontrollable laughter. Inuyasha stopped, but not because she or Shippo had said to. No, he heard a car pull up out front and knew the food had arrived. He rolled off her and made to walk towards the door but stopped when he saw the three girls watching them from just outside Kagome's bedroom.

 

“Who are you?” Inuyasha asked. “And what the fuck are you doing spying on us?” He frowned as he smelled the foul stench of jealousy and hatred rolling off the three girls. They hadn't even met her yet and they were doing it. This needed to be taken care of. It wasn't Kagome's fault and she shouldn't suffer because they all loved her and other girls couldn't deal with it.

 

“Inuyasha,” Kagome growled in warning. “Don't be so rude!”

 

Inuyasha pulled out his wallet and handed it to Kagome. “Go get the food, wench.” Kagome looked like she was going to protest but as she glanced from face to face she saw that they all agreed with Inuyasha. Letting out a sigh of frustration she left the room and started down the stairs. After he was shot a glare by Inuyasha, Shippo hopped across the bed and followed Kagome, just in case she needed help. They ordered a lot of food like always and she might not be able to carry it all.

 

Upstairs the three girls had slinked their way into Kagome's room as soon as she was out of sight. “Hi,” the girl with dark hair and red eyes, obviously some kind of demon, said in her most seductive voice. “I am Kagura, this is Tsubaki,” she said while pointing to the girl on her right with long white hair. “And this is Kikyo.” Kagura pointed to the girl on her left. “Are we going to be so lucky as to have you guys visiting often?”

 

Bankotsu rolled his eyes and Inuyasha snorted. “You're not gonna get any kinda lucky from us,” the half-demon muttered under his breath.

 

“I'm sure that you will be seeing us again. We do spend quite a bit of time with Kagome,” Miroku said politely, all the while trying to ignore the demoness leaning her entire form against his.

 

“It certainly seems so,” Tsubaki nearly purred as she draped herself over Bankotsu, making sure to press her breasts firmly into his muscled chest. “I'm sure she's a lovely little girl, but wouldn't you prefer to spend your time with a woman?”

 

Bankotsu looked down at the slut pressing herself against him. “Kagome is not a little girl,” he said darkly, not that Tsubaki noticed anything other than his incredible body.

 

Kikyo was focusing all her attention on Inuyasha. Sure, he was a hanyou but he was cute enough to let her overlook the flaw. Inuyasha was doing his best to ignore her. She sort of resembled Kagome but in a much naughtier way, and while it intrigued him it also disturbed him. “How is it that she's managed to capture the attention of someone as delicious looking as you?” Kikyo murmured while tracing invisible patterns on his chest with a long and obviously fake fingernail.

 

Inuyasha pulled himself from his not so pure thoughts to move Kikyo away from him, her hand having traveled unnoticed much lower than his chest as he tried to figure out what it was about her that caught his interest. It couldn't be the resemblance to Kagome… could it? Either way he needed to get her away from him. The scent of her jealousy was growing stronger with every second and he felt like he might just choke on it.

 

 

@@@@@The Syndrome@@@@@

 

 

Sesshoumaru rose with a sigh. He couldn't just sit there all day, staring at pictures of her. He had other more important things to do with his time. `Alright, not more important. More productive maybe, but lately all this Sesshoumaru wishes to do is gaze upon her beauty,' he admitted silently. He found himself almost praying that she would visit, just so he could smell her pure scent instead of the lingering traces that covered the bodies of the four males he hated more than any other living creature.

 

For them to carry her scent so strongly meant that they'd been touching her, that she was in close contact with their bodies, something that made the pain even worse. None of them deserved to lay a finger on her and yet she was constantly being carried by the half-breed and the human. The monk dared to touch her in inappropriate ways and yet he was still allowed in her presence. It was a sound he'd come to enjoy though, the crack of skin against skin as she slapped the pervert. If he couldn't behead Miroku for touching her then at least she hit him. And the fox, he'd been snuggling up to the little miko far too comfortably in his opinion.

 

`No one should touch her. No one deserves such a pleasure.' He tried to shove her image from his mind but failed miserably, something he'd been doing a lot lately. Letting out a sigh he dropped back to the couch again. There was no point in trying to do anything. He couldn't focus. He was finding it increasingly difficult to complete his studies. He was sleeping less and less and every time he managed to drift off he was woken by the incredibly erotic and unimaginably frustrating dreams of her.

 

He wanted to scream. He really, really did. If it wasn't for his impressive self control he would have already. How was it possible for a human girl he'd barely ever even spoken to, that didn't even acknowledge his existence, to so completely take over his life and his mind? She owned his waking hours, creeping into his thoughts no matter where he was or what he was doing. She filled his dreams with breathy moans and whispers of his name. Hell, he even proclaimed his love for her in his dreams.

 

He still couldn't believe how blind he'd been for so long. It had been her, always her in his dreams. The eyes alone should have made it obvious but he'd been buried so deep in denial of his feelings that he missed what was right in front of him. He knew that he definitely felt something powerful for her, but he still couldn't bring himself to call it love during his waking hours. His dream self though had no qualms about declaring his undying love and devotion to the goddess he could only touch in his sleep.

 

What he couldn't figure out was why. Why was she the focus of his dreams? Why was she at the root of what had grown into an obsession? What was it about her that made it like this? What was so special about her? He growled aloud as he answered his own questions. `She is perfect; beautiful, intelligent, caring and compassionate.' He had never laid eyes on a more gorgeous female. None had ever heated his blood like she could. None came anywhere close to being interesting in his mind. No matter how much he wished it was someone, anyone else he could not shift the focus of his attentions.

 

Why did it have to be her? Why did it have to be the girl his half-brother loved and was devoted to? Why did it have to be her, who had only ever seen him at his worst and never once seen him at his best? And why did he always manage to make an ass of himself in her presence? It had become his greatest and most hated talent, always saying or doing the wrong thing in front of her. Perhaps it was better for her to ignore his existence. At least that was better than having her hate him. Anything was better than that.

 

 

 

@@@@@The Syndrome@@@@@

 

 

 

None of them had gotten the chance to say what needed to be said, each being basically attacked by their friend's horny roomies. They had wanted to ensure that the three girls would treat Kagome with respect. She always ended up with every girl she met hating her just as much as they envied her.

 

When everyone heard Kagome's footsteps approaching, all three girls clung to the male of their choice. If they couldn't get the guys to pay attention to them then they could at least get them in trouble. Maybe if Kagome dumped them they'd show a little more interest in what they each had to `offer'.

 

When she entered her room, Kagome glanced around for a second. She smiled at the sight, knowing that the girls were trying to upset her. It wasn't the first time girls tried to trick her into getting angry at her friends. They just never got it. If the guys wanted a girl they could have one. She wasn't their girlfriend or their mother. They could date anyone they wanted. She set the box of food on her bedside table, thankful she hadn't covered it with things yet. Apparently the Mexican takeout place realized that it was easier to put everything in one box than five bags, something she was thankful for. Shippo set the five two liter bottles of soda that had come with the order down beside the table. Kagome plopped herself on the bed, Shippo dropping down beside her, and they both watched and waited for the show they knew was coming.

 

Kagura had spent the last few minutes asking Miroku if he could help her hook up her electronics too, all the while trying to touch every inch of him. “I'd be very, very grateful,” she said in a seductive tone. Miroku looked her up and down before extracting himself from her hold.

 

“Sorry, but I don't have time for that, no matter how grateful you'd be.” He wanted to laugh as her face clearly showed her shock.

 

Bankotsu had been putting up with the clingy Tsubaki, even after her little girl comment, but when she tried to get him to `drop' Kagome and join her in her room he almost laughed. “Sorry. You're just not my type,” he said before forcibly removing her hands from his body.

 

“But… but… but why would you want to waste your time on her when you could be having fun with me?” She was certain he'd just misunderstood her somehow. She had to make it clear that she wanted to fuck his brains out, and would begin doing so the second he entered her room. Hell, if he wanted they could get started right here!

 

“Because I have no interest in venereal diseases and any girl who would offer herself to someone she just met I'm fairly sure would be absolutely riddled with them.” She gasped in shock and backed away, bumping into Kagura who was staring at Miroku like he'd lost his mind.

 

Kikyo wasn't having better luck. Actually, it was worse. Inuyasha was still ignoring her. He'd moved her away from him but he'd refused to look at her even then. Finally she decided that she just needed to be a bit more forward, reaching out to rub a furry white ear. His hand caught her wrist and he glared down at her. “Don't touch me,” he hissed before letting go and moving from where he stood to poke through the food as if the girls weren't there at all.

 

All three girls glanced at each other in shock. No one had ever turned them down before but all three of the males seemed to see only their little friend. They turned, looking at Shippo who laughed. “Don't even think about it. Do you girls have any idea how you smell? You could at least take a shower before trying to pick up another guy.”

 

Kagome clapped her hand over her mouth, turning and burying her face in Shippo's chest. She didn't want to make enemies of her roomies but it was already clear that they weren't going to be friends. Kagome had experienced more than her fair share of jealous girls and knew that they were going to be just like all the others.

 

“Ladies, you must understand that Kagome is all that matters to us. We can feel it, you know. We can feel the malice you're already harboring for her and she hasn't even met you yet,” Miroku said with a bit more tact than the kitsune who was still laughing, one hand having come up instinctively to bury itself in Kagome's hair.

 

Inuyasha grunted from where he stood, not even bothering to turn and look at them. “And the stink of your jealousy is overwhelming. You're killing my appetite.

 

Bankotsu nodded. “You each can give up any disgusting fantasies you're busy thinking up because it isn't going to happen. None of us would ever be interested in any girl who treated Kagome with anything but respect.”

 

“I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you!” Kagura screeched. “How in the hell does one little bitch sink her nails so deep into all four of you? Is she that good? Does she give that great a blow job? Cuz I can guarantee you that anything she can do I can do ten times better!”

 

Inuyasha snarled, startling all three girls. “First, you,” he said while staring into Kagura's red eyes. “Don't you ever fucking call my Kagome a bitch!”

 

“Our Kagome,” Shippo said, mostly out of habit, into Kagome's hair where he'd buried his nose to avoid the combination of their jealousy, hatred, arousal, and the lingering scent of sweat and sex. Kagome smelled so much better than her room did at the moment.

 

“And don't ever insult her! Any of us would choose her over any of you in an instant, and she's our friend, not our personal sex toy. Do you not understand the meaning of the word friend? Or has no one ever wanted more from you that a quick fuck?! Second, you,” he pointed at Tsubaki, “have the scent of at least four different guys all over you. But just because you fuck a lot doesn't make you better than her or more attractive to us. It makes you a whore.” He turned to Kikyo last. “And if you ever try to touch my ears again you'll be pulling back a bloody stump. Now, you three are going to be polite and respectful to Kagome. Leave her alone and she'll leave you alone, because I won't hesitate to teach you to be civil.”

 

Bankotsu and Miroku nodded their agreement, still watching in amusement as the girls slowly backed their way out of the room. “I'm sorry Kagome,” Bankotsu said when they were gone. She rolled back from her hiding place on Shippo to look at him. “I should have expected something like this. I guess I thought that by now girls would have grown up enough to stop being so petty.”

 

Inuyasha snorted. “Bitches like that never stop being petty, jealous, hateful cunts. Now, can we go and eat at our place? There's no way I'm gonna be able to hold anything down with their stench floating around in here.”

 

“Sounds good to me,” Kagome said with a smile. “I haven't seen the place since you guys got all moved in anyways.”

 

“It's not like we remodeled, wench. Just put some shit in our rooms and set up the living room. My fucking asshole of a `brother' was such a little bitch about it too!”

 

Kagome looked at him with interest. “And what's his problem this time?”

 

“The TV's `too large', there are too many `gaming systems', our dvds `clutter the shelves', and we don't `understand the concept of a coaster',” he answered, using a very entertaining mocking impression of Sesshoumaru's usual monotone way of speaking. She laughed as he picked her up off the bed and tossed her over his shoulder. Bankotsu grabbed the box of food and Miroku found his hands sadly too full of bottles to take advantage of Kagome's perfectly presented ass. Shippo grabbed the last three bottles and closed her door behind them.

 

When they got outside, Bank, Miroku, and Shippo climbed into his car with the food and drinks. Inuyasha simply lowered Kagome to her feet before kneeling down for her to climb on. He loved carrying her. It made him feel like he was taking care of her, something his instincts constantly demanded of him. Ever since that day years ago when she slapped him, she was the center of his beast's universe… not that he minded or anything. Even with the `advantage' of driving Inuyasha and Kagome reached their house first and the hanyou opened the door and carried her inside.

 

 

 

@@@@@The Syndrome@@@@@

 

 

 

When he heard the front door open, Sesshoumaru rose. He had a few things to discuss with the fools. He had once again found a sink full of dishes, an overflowing garbage, and most disgusting, dirty underwear on the bathroom floor. He didn't bother to look at his brother. He knew it was the hanyou, just by the smell. Again he was almost dripping with her scent, something that only made him angrier.

 

“This Sesshoumaru has something to say and you, hanyou filth, will shut up and listen. I am not your maid. If you dirty a dish, put it in the dishwasher! It is not a difficult concept. When the garbage is full you do not simply drop whatever does not fit on the floor beside it. You take it out! And this Sesshoumaru does not, in the least, enjoy discovering your soiled underclothes in the bathroom. Did your pathetic excuse for a mother fail to teach you to wipe properly or are you just too lazy to do that as well?” All this was said as he walked slowly through the house towards the front door where his brother had stopped when he began to speak.

 

As he turned the corner he wanted to slap himself. There, perched comfortably on Inuyasha's back, her arms around his neck and his hands holding firmly to her thighs, much higher up than necessary in his opinion, was Kagome.

 

Inuyasha growled angrily. “Listen, asshole! I'm getting awfully tired of your high and mighty, Mr. Perfect, my shit don't fucking stink attitude. Just go to hell, would ya? It'd make everyone else so much happier.” He was going to continue, nowhere near the end of his rant, when Kagome released her hold on his neck, moving both hands to softly rub his ears. He almost purred at the sensation. She knew just how to calm him down.

 

“Inuyasha,” she said softly. “Just ignore him, he isn't worth it. Show me the living room. I wanna see how you guys set it up.”

 

Without another word Inuyasha turned his back on his brother and walked away, leaving Sesshoumaru standing there near the entrance alone. He sighed softly and dragged a hand down his face. He'd done it again. Somehow he had once again made an ass of himself in front of her. He was almost hit by the front door as it was thrown open. He glared at the three who entered, Miroku kicking the door closed behind him, but he didn't dare open his mouth. He'd done enough damage for the day. Instead, the taiyoukai slowly made his way up the stairs to take refuge in his room. He'd almost missed it, but right before he closed his door his demon hearing caught her voice.

 

“I don't know why he has to be such an asshole, Inu. I don't know how you can live with him. I don't think I've ever seen him be anything but mean, rude, and downright cruel.”

 

Closing his door silently, Sesshoumaru found himself with the urge to kick his own ass, something he was getting increasingly familiar with.