Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Explosive Chemistry ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho

 

Author's Note: This is the beta'ed version. Special thanks to Madmiko for taking the time out of her busy schedule to look it over for me.

 

Chapter One

 

Kagome bit her lip as she stared at the clock, indecision gripping her about going out for the night. One way or another she'd have to make up her mind soon, it was a two hour ride by train into town from Genkai's temple and the girls had said if she wanted to join them they'd all meet at the club in three hours. It would leave her just enough time to get ready and get there if she decided to go. Normally the club scene wasn't her style, but she'd been training hard lately and a well deserved night out could actually prove to be a bit of fun. Of course, she didn't want to go without a date, but of the guys that were available, only one of them interested her. Unfortunately, he was also the one most likely to laugh in her face if she even suggested the idea. Why did she always have to pick the difficult ones?

 

It was as if Hiei knew that she was thinking about him, the way he turned from the window to look at her. His look of indifference quashed any ideas she might have had about throwing caution to the wind. No, it'd be a cold day in hell before that particular demon came off of his high horse to mingle among the lesser mortals he chose to avoid at all costs. If she went, she'd either have to ask Kurama, which didn't appeal to her, or go alone. Not that she had anything against the kitsune, Kagome would just prefer not to have to deal with beating horny women off of her date at every turn. The one time she'd accepted his invitation to go out all those months ago, her friends had proven to be absolutely shameless around him. It was a performance that she had no desire to repeat if she had anything to say about it.

 

"So, are you going?" Keiko looked at the raven haired priestess before looking wistfully at her own boyfriend who was currently on the gaming system with Genkai. Obviously there was no hope for getting out of the temple tonight, not when they were engaged in a contest of wills as they were. The thought of going with the girl was an idea, though she didn't have a change of clothes with her. Even if she did, Yusuke wasn't likely to allow her to leave dressed like that without an escort anyway. Based on the look Hiei had been giving Kagome, there was no way the girl would ask him to go with her. Everyone was well aware of the sexual tension between them, though both flatly refused to acknowledge it.

 

Tearing her gaze away from the apparition, Kagome regarded her best friend for a moment before nodding. If the look that Keiko had thrown to her oblivious boyfriend was any indication, she wanted to get out as well. It didn't matter that they'd only come to spend the day at the temple. Knowing Yusuke, the man didn't take her out often and Kagome knew that this was one of the few chances that she'd have to spend a night with her friend. "You know what? I think I will, and you're coming with me."

 

"Sounds like fun, when do you want to leave?" Keiko scowled when Yusuke looked over at her and shrugged his shoulders before turning back to the game. One of these days they were going to have to have a talk about doing things together, this was getting to be ridiculous. Not wanting her good mood to be ruined, she focused her attention on Kagome who was once more looking at the clock, gaging how much time they had.

 

"Well, assuming no one else wants to go, I could be ready in half an hour." It would give her just enough time to take a bath and get dressed so long as she was careful and didn't get her hair wet. A derisive snort from Hiei had Kagome glaring at the man. What the hell was his problem anyway? He'd gone out of his way to make sure she realized he couldn't stand her, so she'd left him alone after a while. It wasn't like she'd gone up to him and said he had to come too, so he had no reason to be giving her the look of death she was receiving. "Scratch that, make it twenty minutes. The sooner we're away from irritating youkai who need the sticks pulled out of their asses, the better."

 

"I wouldn't cut your time too far, you stupid girl. Twenty minutes isn't enough time for you to make yourself even presentable." By now, Hiei was certain that this particular woman would have realized he'd trade insult for insult, but apparently he'd been wrong. She still insisted on baiting him at every opportunity even though half the time he was positive Kagome wasn't aware of what she was doing. Seeing the look of outrage on the girl's face caused him to smirk maliciously at her. It didn't sit well with him that she was going out on the town for the night, but he certainly wasn't her keeper and wasn't about to tell her she couldn't go. If he tried it would just give Kurama even more ammo to throw at him about his irritating theory on why they fought so much. As long as he didn't acknowledge he wanted the priestess he could maintain his distance from her and avoid the complications that would come with it.

 

"So says the midget in black. If you think I'm going to take fashion advice from someone who can't acknowledge a color other than black exists, you're sadly mistaken." It was tempting to smack that stupid smirk off of his face but Kagome refrained, knowing that it would only provoke the man further. Of course, the time for death threats to be hurled her way had long since ended, but she doubted that he'd allow her such liberties. Once again, she wondered just what she'd done to earn the demon's disdain, but no one cared to enlighten her on that particular subject, much to her consternation. Of course, those same people were now watching the both of them with knowing looks. Even Yusuke and Genkai had paused their game to watch the insults fly.

 

Hiei had to roll his eyes then, a feeling of deja vu over coming him. "How quaint. And here I thought the oaf was the only one unable to come up with an original insult, but it seems I was wrong. I guess I gave you too much credit for your intelligence. It won't happen again." It was amusing watching how red this particular girl could become. At the moment, she could rival Zeru in that aspect, which was quite a feat, though this had nothing to do with fire abilities. The girl was pissed, plain and simple, and he basked in the knowledge that so far he'd been the only one to push her to those levels of anger.

 

Before Kagome had a chance to respond to the apparition's words, Yusuke started laughing. It was obvious even to him what the problem was. He hadn't even needed Kurama to point out to him why they were fighting so much, it was clear as day, just like the solution. When both of them turned to stare at him, he tossed his controller down and shook his head. "Damn and grandma calls me a dimwit. Suck it up you two, you should fuck and get it over with! At least then you both can quit your bitching."

 

"Yusuke!" Keiko stared at her boyfriend, horrified that he'd put it so bluntly even if she did agree with him. Frantically, she glanced towards the two he had addressed, wondering if she'd gotten him back only to lose him again to a pissed off priestess, or worse, a murderous fire demon. Both of them were looking at him with equal malice, not that it appeared that Yusuke cared. His cocky grin hadn't diminished yet and even Genkai was looking amused.

 

"Fool, you must want to tempt fate for a third time. Fornicating with a human is bad enough, but to do so with her? My tastes don't run to weak and ugly." The Toushin's words hit too close to home, bringing back urges that Hiei had thought he'd banished months ago. She was anything but weak and ugly, and while he wouldn't admit it to the girl, he could at least admit it to himself. Perhaps that was why the kitsune continued to find the situation amusing. Kurama knew that he was lying to himself.

 

They'd always said that history tends to repeat itself, and in this instance, Kagome was certainly beginning to believe it was true. Weak and ugly? Where had she heard that one before? Oh yeah, when she'd first met Inuyasha. Of course, later on he'd changed his opinion, but not before he'd thoroughly stomped her self esteem into the mud. She wasn't about to let it happen a second time. She might care for the selfish bastard hurling insults at her, but that didn't mean she had to stand there and take it. "I hate to break the news to you buddy, but you're no picnic either! You've got to be the most egotistical jackass I've ever had the displeasure to meet! What's the matter? Didn't you get any love as a child and you feel the need to take it out on everyone else?"

 

It hadn't escaped his notice how the other men in the room had tensed when she asked her question, not that they had anything to worry about. It was beneath him to beat the condescending attitude out of the female in front of him and Hiei wasn't about to let her know just how close to home she'd hit with that remark. So what if he hadn't been loved as a child? He'd come out stronger for it and he'd managed to put it behind him. Relaxing back against the wall, he gave her a look of boredom, as if her comment hadn't affected him in the slightest. "Weren't you going somewhere? Your time's running short and unless you want to go out looking like a little girl who still depends on her mother to get dressed, I suggest you get to it."

 

The argument could have continued for the next three hours, but Kagome realized that, unfortunately, Hiei did have a point. She was running out of time if she wanted to go. As tempting as it was to say the hell with it, Keiko wanted to go as well, so she couldn't just change her mind now, even if the other woman would understand. Abruptly she turned from the apparition and stormed into the room she'd been given for the duration of her stay. As she made her way down the hall she could feel his gaze burning holes into her back which only infuriated her more. With great difficulty, she refrained from slamming the door closed once she entered her room. Another glance at the time had her nearly snarling in frustration. While it only seemed as if their banter had gone on for a couple of minutes, nearly fifteen minutes had passed. She'd never get to take a bath and be ready to go at this rate!

 

One way or another, she was going to find a way to ruin his plans one time, just one was all she was asking for. The apparition did it to her often enough, shouldn't she be able to get revenge on him in compensation? Taking a deep breath, she knelt down and pulled a suitcase out from the bottom of the closet. There hadn't been a reason for her to unpack these particular clothes before, but she'd brought them just in case she needed them. Unlatching it, her hands slid over the top and opened it to reveal the clothing inside. Most were outfits that could be worn to casual parties, very few were considered clubbing material, though one in particular had held her eye from the moment she'd first seen it. Of course, Yuka had noticed and went back to the store later, purchasing it without her knowledge. The dress had ended up being her birthday present, though she hadn't worked up the courage to wear it yet. The soft lace was pretty, the dark blue complimenting her eyes and hair. Black wrist-length gloves accompanied the dress, as well as a choker to go with it. It was pretty and so very unlike something she would normally wear, but that made it that much more tempting.

 

Would people still believe her to be ugly when wearing a dress like this? Kagome wasn't certain, but as she stared at it, the outfit brought a smile to her face. Yuka would be there tonight and would probably be pleased that she'd finally worn it. With a smile, Kagome pulled it out of the suitcase and laid it out on the bed. Quickly, she removed her socks and then peeled her pants off, glancing at the full length mirror as she did so. Deciding to go all out, Kagome made her way over to the dresser while tugging the shirt over her head and then quickly removing her bra. Opening the drawer, she pulled out a matching set of underwear, a black thong with a strapless bra to go with it. Quickly, she donned the garments before returning to the bed and sliding the dress on. As she turned to look in the mirror again, Kagome couldn't help but stare, unable to believe that the reflection was actually her. The corset top hugged her body, emphasizing her breasts without making them overly obvious. The lace skirting only helped to accentuate the curve of her waist and hips before stopping just a couple inches shy of her knees. "Damn, why didn't I try this on sooner?"

 

Of course, there was no one there to answer, which left her shaking her head. She didn't have time to gawk. Besides, that was better left to the others who would be seeing her on the dance floor that night. Returning to her task of getting ready Kagome brought the choker up, struggling with the clasp for a moment before it finally cooperated. Only then did she snatch the gloves up and return to the dresser, quickly applying a light layer of make up and pulling her hair up into a pony tail, leaving only a few wisps to frame her face. Now all that remained was her shoes, which she couldn't wear until she'd left the temple anyway. Sliding the gloves on, she returned to the closet, choosing a pair of black pumps before rushing out of the room. "Alright Keiko, I'm ready to go!"

 

All conversation stopped as she came rushing into the room, more than ready to leave the temple grounds. For several long moments no one said a word, which left Kagome to wonder if maybe in her rush she'd smeared her lip stick or something. "Is.. something wrong?"

 

Yusuke had to remember to breathe as he stared at the priestess. Why the hell did she always wear concealing clothing? It wasn't as if she had anything to be ashamed of. A secretive look over to Hiei revealed that the apparition was in the same state, looking as if he'd just been hit by a board. Serves the man right for insulting her earlier. Maybe next time he'd watch what he said. Feeling a little further prodding was in order, Yusuke opened his mouth while praying Keiko would understand what he was doing. After all, his motto was act first, think later. "Keiko I've been thinking... I think we should see other people." Playing the part, his eyes never left Kagome's body and he even went so far as to leer at her suggestively, causing the woman to blush.

 

"Yusuke!" At first Keiko saw red and was ready to smack the daylights out of him for saying such a thing, but one look of Hiei's face stopped her. The man had tensed considerably and looked ready to hurl himself at her boyfriend. Had that been what he was trying to do all along? Get Hiei to realize if he didn't pull the stick out of his ass that someone else would come along and snag her friend? If that was the case, it looked as if it was working. Still, he should have thought before he said anything. "You jerk! Who are you kidding? I'm the only one who would put up with you." As she was speaking, Genkai elbowed the former detective in the ribs causing him to yelp.

 

Kagome wasn't sure exactly what to make of what Yusuke had said. It was plain to everyone just how devoted he was to Keiko and he would never cast her aside, so what was he trying to do? Tease her? That would make sense, though why he would even want to was beyond her. At least Keiko wasn't blaming her for his odd outburst, that would have been more than awkward.

 

Seeing Kagome's baffled look, Kurama spoke up for the first time since the discussion had started before she'd left to change clothes. It was a round-about compliment that Yusuke had given her and she didn't seem to realize that was what it was. Then again, Yusuke was always unpredictable which made him difficult to figure out. "I think what he's trying to say, Kagome, is that you look lovely this evening." Now the girl did blush, which only added to her attractiveness. Really, if the apparition hadn't shown signs of being interested in the girl from the beginning, he might have pursued her with more determination.

 

Irritation swept through Hiei at the blatant flirting his team mates were doing with her, and she had the gall to sit there and act oblivious to it. Could she really be so blind? She had to be playing some sick game. As good as she looked in the dress she'd chosen, the girl couldn't possibly believe that she wasn't desirable. Wearing something like that to one of these clubs that humans seemed so fond of going to was a blanket invitation to any available males out there, and some that weren't. "Lovely? Hardly. That would apply to someone with better taste in clothing instead of a foolish woman just begging to be fucked. You look disgusting, go put something decent on. I think you looked better looking like a child."

 

Kagome turned then, placing a hand on her hip as she stared at Hiei with her eyes narrowed. The arrogant little bastard had the nerve to say these things even now? With great deliberation, she turned to look at Kurama and Yusuke, her gaze dragging over each of them in contemplation before looking back over at the hybrid who hadn't missed what she had just done. If anything, his expression seemed to darken, not that she cared at the moment. "Well, it seems some men find me desirable, and I'd tend to believe their reactions over an emotionally constipated jerk who's probably never been with a woman in his life. At any rate, it's no concern of yours just what happens tonight once I get to the club. Unlike you, I don't plan on sleeping alone in a tree while getting friendly with my hand. Don't wait up for me, I probably won't be home until morning."

 

When the priestess turned and walked out of the room, Keiko had to hurry to catch up to her, though she wasn't surprised the girl didn't want to wait around to hear what Hiei had to say. Was she really planning on picking someone up tonight? Keiko looked at her doubtfully. Kagome certainly didn't seem to be the type. Waiting until they were well out of hearing range and walking down the stairs, Keiko voiced her concerns, "You aren't really planning on going home with someone tonight, are you?" She couldn't imagine Hiei's reaction if the girl didn't actually come back that night. The look he gave Yusuke had been enough to convince her that if someone else were to put the moves on the girl, they wouldn't come away unscathed.

 

A giggle escaped Kagome's lips as she looked over at her friend. "Oh no, I doubt there would be anyone at the club to interest me anyway. I just wanted to shut him up, and it seems to have worked for the moment, but I know that I'm in for it when I see him again." Honestly, she tried not to let it get to her, but she knew that the man would never see her as worth anything. She'd come to accept that little fact long ago, even though it still hurt from time to time. Particularly on nights like this when he was being so harsh.

 

Keiko knew that was true enough. Kagome was going to be lucky if the apparition didn't follow them into town, if the look on his face had been anything to go by. Of course, just when she thought she'd figured the man out, he went out of his way to throw her off. Added in that both Yusuke and Kurama were there to help keep him in line, there was a good chance he wouldn't show up as well. Only time would tell, and that was passing rather quickly. More than once, she thought of apologizing to Yusuke for making fun of him over his complaints about the stairs. At least she was going down this time and not up. "I still say he likes you. He just doesn't want to admit it."

 

"Oh, please. Hiei can't stand me. The only way I could get that man to like me is if I stopped breathing permanently." Not once had Hiei ever given her a compliment and it'd shock her senseless if he started to now. The skirt swayed as she reached the bottom of the steps, causing her to look down on it. Doubts began to resurface, no matter what she'd told the apparition. Were Kurama and Yusuke just being nice and humoring her? There was no way to know. Her opinion of herself had been distorted since she'd returned from the past.

 

Personally, Keiko thought she was wrong, but there was not going to be any changing the girl's mind. The only one who could do that was Hiei, and right now the man was being an ass. Seeing Kagome begin fidgeting again, she placed a hand on her arm, stilling the girl. "Kagome, you look fine, trust me. If Yusuke was willing to risk me slapping the leer off of his face, you can take it as he was telling the truth. He's not masochistic no matter what anyone says."

 

"You might be right. Let's hurry, we're almost there." Instead of dwelling on the moody apparition she'd grown to care for despite all odds, Kagome concentrated on the fun that they were going to have tonight. Only a couple more minutes would bring them to the bus stop and then from there they'd get to the train station.

 

~*~

 

After the girls left, no one was quite sure of what to say and the silence was becoming increasingly unbearable. Hiei looked as if he were ready to set something on fire, yet he hadn't made a move to do anything. Both Yusuke and Kurama continued to stare at him, each wondering just how much farther the apparition could be pushed until he was forced into doing something. Genkai, for her part, had ignored the man, choosing only to mutter the word imbecile as she walked by him. As expected, it had earned her a glare, but she didn't care. She merely called things as she saw them.

 

Now that his gaming partner was gone, Yusuke no longer had anything to hold his attention, though in all honesty they hadn't done anything on the game in several minutes. Casting a look over to Kurama, he noticed the avatar was staring at Hiei with an intensity that would make even Enki shudder. Clearing his throat, he caught the kitsune's attention for a moment. "So Kurama, you never did explain to me why you aren't going after her. She's pretty enough, and despite what some people say, she's not stupid. What's holding you back? If I didn't have Keiko I'd have already staked a claim on her."

 

"As tempting as the thought is, Yusuke, I have to wait for her to get over her current fixation. Though, it probably wouldn't take much to seduce her and make her forget about the one she wants." Kurama knew that he was treading thin ice when he heard a growl coming from the apparition who was staring at the both of them. Doggedly, he pushed on, knowing this was a kick in the ass that Hiei desperately needed. If the man wasn't careful, he'd lose her to someone who knew how to treat a woman. "No, it probably wouldn't be that hard at all. All women want to feel special. Cared for. Why would she turn that down in favor of someone who can do nothing more than insult her at every turn?"

 

"I think you should go for it. You would look good together." To take his eyes off of Hiei would have been suicidal at that point. As it was, Yusuke was conscious of how his hand crept towards his katana, which was hidden beneath his cloak. Still, he just couldn't stop now. "You know, I bet if you hurried, you could catch up to them. Get a little close dancing in. Who wouldn't want a pretty girl to wrap their arms around?"

 

For a moment, Kurama looked as if he were considering the suggestion before smiling slowly. Yusuke did indeed have a point. If nothing else, it would be two friends just enjoying an evening together. "You know, Yusuke, I think you are right. I could get out for a night, and I'm sure Kagome would prefer my company to someone she didn't know." As if he were dismissing the apparition entirely, Kurama made his way towards the door, when a streak of black suddenly appeared between him and the entrance.

 

"You must want to die, Kurama." Before he'd known it, he'd been moving, interposing himself between his partner and the girl in question. It had been purely an instinctive reaction, one that had him mentally cursing, but it was too late to back down now. If he did so, then Kurama would go after her, which was completely unacceptable, not that her going home with a stranger was any better. If that was the case, then it was easier to dispose of the bodies of those that had touched her than it would be to hide Kurama's.

 

"Die? No, I'm just looking to have a pleasant evening. You heard her, Hiei, she's not objectionable to male company and you claim to dislike her so what is the problem?" One way or another Kurama was determined to force the man to admit he wanted her, though it was looking like it'd come to a fight before he did so. The apparition was just that damned stubborn. Thankfully, if it did come down to a confrontation, he was more than capable of holding his own, though if the dragon came into play things were bound to get more interesting.

Hearing the kitsune outright admit that he'd go after the girl just to get between her legs made him long to run the man through, their friendship be damned. Forcibly, he restrained himself from the blood lust that was calling to him and gave Kurama an icy glare. He'd claim Kagome as his own when he was damned good and ready, not before. And any who touched her in the meantime would die. "Find your pleasure elsewhere Kurama. I'd hate for something... unfortunate to happen to you." The deadly intent was clear, which had Kurama narrowing his eyes. Let the fox get mad. He'd started this test of wills and now Hiei had every intention of finishing it.

 

Calmly, Kurama regarded the apparition, knowing just what was driving the man. It was only for that reason that he didn't react to the thinly veiled threat. Had it been anyone else, their blood would have been spilled within moments of the words being uttered. Leaning forward, he made sure that he held Hiei's gaze, his own warning clear to the apparition, "Don't make threats you cannot back up, Hiei. A word to the wise, a girl of Kagome's caliber will not remain unclaimed for long. If you can ever figure out just what it is that you want, I suggest you make your move before someone else beats you to it."

 

Satisfied that Kurama would back off for now, Hiei nodded once and resumed his position by the window, ignoring both of the other males. What had just transpired forced him into thinking. Instinct had made him react, and while he was loath to know that the others knew just how deep his fixation ran, he had known it would only be a matter of time before it was brought to light. Still, he wasn't going to just go acting on his desires because Kurama said so. Something of this magnitude required a lot of contemplation and there was a good chance she'd turn him down flat anyway. It wasn't as if he'd been nice to her after all.

 

~*~

 

"You should go for him, Kagome. He keeps staring at you!" For the past ten minutes they had all been seated at the table, recovering from the last round of dancing that they had done. The club was packed, not that any of them minded a bit, though it was a bit stuffy from so many people being in the room. Yuka looked over at the man with black hair once again, the look on his face was near predatory as he stared at Kagome, and it made her smile. It looked like there was a good chance her friend would get lucky tonight if only she'd give him a chance.

 

Despite her earlier boasting, Kagome was rather shy when it came to approaching men to dance and so far it had just been her and Keiko pairing up. Of course, that had drawn quite a bit of attention in itself, both girls knowing that their movements were only in play and they were determined to put on a show. They were two hours into the evening and the other girl had constantly been at her side, but now she wanted to rest while Kagome still wanted to dance. Maybe the guy would be a good partner for a while. Through lowered lashes she gazed at the man while twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "I dunno, Yuka. He hasn't come over yet." There was no way she was going to approach him on her own.

 

"Damn, Kagome. If you keep this up, you're never going to get laid." The statement met with laughter around the table even though Kagome didn't look the least bit amused. Each of them felt bad for the girl. The relationship she had with her two timing boyfriend had ended abruptly, though they hadn't been given any details no matter how much they pried, and now she was stuck up on another asshole who only seemed capable of insulting her at every turn. When would the girl learn to quit letting men walk all over her? Eri rolled her eyes when Kagome mock glared at her. Someone had to step in and salvage the poor girl's love life. "If you're not going to do something about it, I will!" With that, she pushed out of the chair and began striding over to the man, confident that he would be more than happy for at least one dance with Kagome.

 

"Eri! Eri, get back here!" Kagome tried yelling after her, knowing that the woman would be able to hear her over the loud music, but still she was ignored. The others seemed to think her mortified expression was amusing as Eri reached her target, smiling at the man and then pointing over at their table. At that moment, Kagome wanted to sink in her seat and hide. The man was far too cute to really be interested in her. Besides, she liked someone else anyway, right?

 

"Oh wow, here he comes." Yuka latched onto her friend's arm just in case she tried to bolt from the table. It seemed that Eri was successful in her mission and the man was now following closely behind her with a pleasant smile on his face. If anything, he seemed to get cuter the closer he got. If this didn't make the girl's panties wet, then Yuka was certain that nothing would.

 

Kagome smiled as the man stopped at the table, though she was still unsure of herself. All the women were urging her on and she had to admit he did look rather nice. Not in Hiei's league, but definitely not ugly. As she sat there, she should couldn't help but compare the two of them to each other. The only similarities they seemed to have was the black hair, and even then Hiei's was far different. Lost in her musings, she was rudely jerked back to the present when Eri grabbed her hand and hauled her up out of the chair. What had she missed?

 

"Don't mind Kagome. She does that when she's been drinking." Determined not to let this guy think that Kagome wasn't interested in him, Eri played off the woman's absentmindedness with a light comment and almost pushed the girl into his arms. Granted, Kagome had consumed a couple of drinks, but nothing heavy enough to worry about. Most likely she'd begun to daydream about her would-be lover once again. It was an annoying habit, one that needed to be broken. Maybe this was the guy that could give her something other than day dreams. "Take good care of her, Daichi. She needs to unwind a bit." Giving the man a wink, she watched him lead the startled girl off to the dance floor.

 

At the moment, Kagome wasn't sure whether to thank or to murder her friend for putting her in this position. Well, at least Eri had been kind enough to give her the guy's name since she'd missed it the first time. Finally, they stopped on the dance floor and the man loosely wrapped his hands around her waist as another song started up, and while Kagome felt awkward, she attempted not to show it. "So Daichi, tell me about yourself."

 

The girl's friend had been right in his opinion. Kagome definitely needed to unwind. It was like she was ready to bolt the second she got a chance. However, he wasn't about to let her go so easily. He'd watched her quite a bit tonight and knew that she was a good dancer as well as attractive. He was there to have fun, not to go through twenty questions. There would be time enough for that after they were finished. "We can talk later, for now let's dance."

 

Kagome was slightly taken aback by what he'd said, but shrugged her shoulders anyway. He had a point she supposed. Most people didn't go to this club to have a quiet conversation, after all, and with the loud music, you had to scream to be heard anyway. Giving up for the moment, she concentrated on moving with the man and soon she found that she was indeed having fun.

 

As the two danced, Keiko watched from the side lines, keeping a close eye on her friend. Not that she didn't think Kagome couldn't handle herself, but it was rare to see the girl let herself go like that. Now she was absorbed into the music, her eyes were closed as she moved. It was a pity that Hiei hadn't come with them. Keiko was willing to bet the apparition would have been entranced by the woman, just as her current dancing partner was. Then again, Kagome probably wouldn't have stayed in Daichi's arms for long if he had.

 

Eri slid over to Kagome's vacated seat next to Keiko, watching the couple as well. They were now into the third song, which was considerably faster than the others, and if the look on his face was anything to go by, he'd be making a move on her soon. "They look cute together don't you think?"

 

"Maybe, though I know the guy she's interested in now. I doubt anything will come from this." If only Kagome and Hiei weren't so damned stubborn their problems could have been resolved a long time ago. Keiko took a sip of her drink and continued to watch them, wishing that Yusuke had come with her now. She was getting the urge to dance again, but she wasn't about to go pick out on of the available guys in the club. If she did, it was guaranteed that Yusuke would hunt whoever it was down and thrash them for the hell of it.

 

"You know him? How did you get so lucky?" Even though they'd prodded Kagome for an introduction to the guy she refused to admit to liking, they'd come up empty so far. Yuka wondered what in the hell made Keiko so special that she'd get to meet the guy? With her attention distracted, she'd almost missed Daichi's hand sliding up the girl's bare thigh, though it was made to look like an accident. The wandering hand was gone as quickly as it came when Kagome's eyes flew open though she quickly calmed. Poor deluded girl, she probably believed it was an accident.

 

Keiko looked across the table at the other woman and laughed then, finding the skeptical look she was getting amusing. "Let's just say I've known him for years and I was one of the first to figure out they liked each other, though to be honest they're both being stupid about it." It would figure that these two women would be irritated that she knew something about Kagome that they didn't. They were terrible gossips at the best of time. Worse than Botan in fact, which at first she hadn't thought was possible. Suddenly her eyes widened and Keiko had to blink, wondering if she'd actually seen what she thought she seen. "Did he just?"

 

"Grind against her ass? Yes, yes he did." Of course the move had probably been prompted since another single man had come up to them and started dancing along side of Kagome. The girl was certainly attracting her fair share of attention, though she looked terribly uncomfortable now. Eri could see that Daichi's hands were now on her hips, pulling Kagome flush against his body and one leg had been positioned between her legs as he moved his groin against the swell of her backside. The girl was effectively pinned in place when the second man moved in front of her, not giving her room to move away.

 

When Kagome's hands came up to the hard chest in front of her and tried to move him out of her comfort zone, Keiko stood up, fully intending on going to help her friend out. Clearly the girl was uncomfortable in the position she'd found herself in and was looking for a way out. More than once Keiko had dealt with these sort of men and this time would be no different. Her eyes narrowed when her arm was grabbed by Eri ,who was shaking her head. "Let me go."

 

"Give it a rest, Keiko. They're dancing, not fucking. Half the people on the dance floor are doing the exact same thing, let it go." Seeing the girl out there with the two guys made her wish she was in that particular position. Why wouldn't she enjoy that sort of attention? So far, nothing terribly inappropriate had been done. Getting close was a given when you danced to this particular song.

 

Of course the other girls would be saying that. Keiko had seen how they'd been on the dance floor herself, and to be honest, she and Kagome had been doing much the same thing earlier. Still, Kagome wasn't going to just give it up for one stranger, much less two. For the moment, the second guy had stepped away from the priestess, making her relax slightly. One man, Kagome could take care of on her own if needed, and Keiko wouldn't need to get involved. However, as Daichi pulled the girl's hair away from her neck and began sucking on the sensitive flesh, Keiko's eyes narrowed. So had Kagome's for that matter, and she looked as if she were ready to turn around and deck the man one, especially when he slid his hand beneath her skirt.

 

Kagome had put up with more than enough at that particular moment, having thought at first the touches were accidental, but there was no way in hell what was going on now was out of his control. Since the second guy had finally backed off after getting the hint she wasn't interested, she could finally move. Gripping his hand firmly, she removed it from her leg, where it was trying to make its way towards her panties, and stepped away from him. "That's quite enough, I think, if you will excuse me."

 

Moving away from the man, Kagome looked towards the table, fully intending to rejoin the group, when she noticed that Yusuke had just walked through the door and was heading Keiko's way. The other girl, who had been watching her, turned at her surprised expression, a smile breaking out on her face when she saw her boyfriend walk in. Kagome could only imagine the man had gotten bored and decided he wanted to come after all. It was just as well. Kagome was feeling rather closed in at the moment anyway, and could use some fresh air. The Toushin could have her seat for the time being while she went out to the balcony. While the two were focused on each other, she made her way through the crowd and disappeared through the sliding doors.

 

"Yusuke, what are you doing here?" Seeing her boyfriend arrive had been the absolute last thing Keiko had been expecting, especially with how long it took to get to the club. He had to have left only an hour after they did. Maybe he was fleeing the temple so Hiei didn't kill him for what he'd said earlier. That reminded her, she should be angry with him, though truthfully she was happy for the company.

 

If only Keiko had realized how close to the truth she was, though it wasn't because Yusuke was afraid of what Hiei would do to him. Rather it was because the apparition had become so damned irritable as he thought about what Kagome could possibly be doing while here. Of course, he'd seen what was going on with the girl as he walked in and had been more than ready to go step in, but Kagome seemed to have it under control. As the priestess wandered off, he debated on following her before he took up a seat next to his own girl friend. Kagome would probably be back soon anyway. "Oh, you know. Hiei was threatening to come here and slaughter every being that happened to be male. I figured either me or Kurama would be the better choice to come down, but since he's pissed at Kurama for hinting at being interested in her, I was the better choice. Who's the dick head who was coping a feel?"

 

Keiko mock glared at him for his use of language, but it wasn't as if she hadn't gotten used to it a long time ago. It wasn't like he was ever going to stop cursing, no matter what she did, and eventually she'd just given up trying, "Some guy these two tried setting her up with. She seemed to handle him alright though." Somehow she wasn't surprised to hear that Hiei was agitated and frankly, she was glad to see it. Maybe the demon would do something about it now instead of sitting on his ass. "So does this mean when she gets back he's going to finally tell her he wants her or are we going to be waiting another six months or longer?"

 

"This is Hiei we're talking about. Your guess is as good as mine." As he spoke, Yusuke continued to look at Daichi, who kept glancing to the doors that Kagome had disappeared through as if he was thinking about following her. This, of course, would never do. It was bad enough he'd already put his hands on the girl once, and Yusuke wasn't going to let him get a second opportunity. "You know what, Keiko, I'll be back."

 

"Yusuke, what are you up to?" Keiko stared at him as he stood and shook her head. It was a stupid question to ask. More often than not, the man treated Kagome like a sister, though he'd have to be called the perverted older brother in this instance. Over the years, if there was one thing that Keiko had learned, it was that the man would never lose his desire to fight or protect, and in this instance he'd just gone into protective mode.

 

Yuka and Eri exchanged worried looks as they all watched him stroll up to the man as if he hadn't a care in the world. What was it with their friends preferring violent men? "What does he think he's doing?" Eri stared, horrified, as Keiko's boyfriend laid a hand on Daichi's shoulder. None of them missed the anticipation in Yusuke's eyes nor the wariness in Daichi's. When the Toushin inclined his head towards the doorway, they both looked to Keiko as if she could stop what they just knew was going to happen. "Keiko do something!"

 

"Alright." Nearly laughing at the relieved look upon the two women's faces, Keiko waved a waitress over, intending on ordering Yusuke a drink. No doubt when he got finished he'd be ready to settle down for a little while and he'd thank her for being so considerate. As the waitress came over, Yusuke was already leading the man outside and she knew he'd return soon. After all, it wasn't like he was fighting a demon. This would be a piece of cake for him. "I'll take another Hurricane and can you also bring a beer? Thanks!" Slipping the woman some money, Keiko leaned back in her seat and ignored the astonished protests coming from the two sitting across from her.

 

~*~

 

Kagome nearly sighed with relief as the cool breeze washed over her skin. She hadn't realized just how hot it had gotten in the building until she'd stepped outside. Now she stood draped over the railing and looking out over the river that ran behind the club. While it wasn't exactly quiet out here, it was far better than being indoors. A few couples were out enjoying the night as well, though she avoided looking at them. One of them was clearly engaged in a make out session, while the other didn't seem to be too far off from doing the same. It would figure that this was the designated area for people to release some of their sexual tension, at least for the most part they didn't do it on the dance floor. Well, unless your name happened to be Daichi anyway.

 

Her thoughts drifted back towards how Yusuke had showed up, and she couldn't decide whether she was disappointed or grateful that Hiei hadn't come as well. If the apparition had made an appearance, it probably would have ended up with him insulting her like usual, so maybe she was better off. Besides, he wouldn't have come for her anyway, and it would have been more likely that he would have found someone else to hang out with. Kagome wasn't sure she could have handled watching that. Though to be honest, it wasn't likely the apparition would feel up someone he'd just met, the idea was enough to make her feel ill. Then again, he might do it just to provoke a reaction from her.

 

Resting her arms upon the railing, she allowed her eyes to close. The hell with him if he couldn't find her desirable. No longer would she worry about the insults he threw at her about being undesirable and ugly. That had been proven to be a lie tonight. Though she hadn't exactly asked for it, she'd had two men tonight who had expressed desire for her, aside from what had happened in the temple. That had to count for something. A slight smile crossed her face as she imagined telling him that he was the one who had something wrong with him, not her. She heard the door open and close once more and the soft footsteps of someone stepping out onto the balcony, but ignored it. People frequently came in and out, it was nothing to take note of really. Instead, she concentrated on the mental image of the apparition she wanted. If only it had been him touching her earlier, she might have welcomed his advances.

 

The feel of someone pushing up against her from behind was what made her open her eyes, though they quickly narrowed again in irritation. What was this? Find a single girl and fuck her night? Insistent hands turned her around quickly before tangling in her pony tail, wet lips pressing up against her own. Immediately, Kagome recognized the man as the second guy who had wanted to dance. Why couldn't these jerks take a hint? His lips were warm and insistent as they closed over her own, and while the man wasn't trying to be brutal, there was no doubt in her mind what he wanted.

 

Gripping his wrist, Kagome tried to remove his hand from her hair so she could move and she yelped as several strands pulled loose. Unfortunately, it was just enough to allow him to slip his tongue into her mouth, nearly making her gag with the strong taste of alcohol. The man was probably too drunk to realize she wasn't interested, she knew, but what made her see red was when something warm and wet brushed against her bare leg. "You pervert!" With a punch that would have made Yusuke proud, she slugged the man in the stomach, causing him to double over. As she suspected, somehow in the time between him coming onto the porch and trying to kiss her, he'd managed to get his pants undone. It was his erection that had brushed across her skin, leaving a sticky smear of precum along her leg.

"How dare you!" Kagome no longer cared that he was drunk, he'd more than crossed the line the moment he'd touched her. Anger swept through her as she advanced on the man who was just now beginning to straighten up. Hauling her fist back, she decked him as hard as she could in the face, sending him falling over backwards. Now was the time that those fighting lessons Yusuke had given her were paying off. As the man lay on the ground she looked down at the mess he had made and snarled. Not only had he gotten it on her leg, but there was a streak of the drying fluid staining the front of her dress. "You jerk! I should hit you again!"

 

A crowd was beginning to form as Kagome continued to yell at him, but she didn't care. Let him lay there with his dick out. It was obvious he'd just had his ass kicked by a female. "If you ever come near me again, I'm going to break that sorry thing off and shove it up your ass!" Angrily she stormed past him, not caring that she'd stomped on his hand as she made her way back inside. Her eyes went immediately to the table that they'd chosen to sit at earlier and she was dismayed to find it empty. All she wanted to do now was go back to the temple and change. Sighing heavily, she looked for her friends as she made her way through the crowd on the dance floor and was disheartened not to see any of them. Of course, with the amount of people there, that was hardly surprising, so for the moment she returned to her seat and snatched some napkins off of the table. Cleaning the goo from her leg and dress as best she could, she was left waiting for the next ten minutes before she finally became fed up. Snatching one of the remaining napkins, she quickly searched for a pen and scribbled a quick note that she was leaving and would see them when they got back.

 

With that done, Kagome quickly left her seat and made her way towards the exit. The trip back would be a long one and she knew that she probably wouldn't see the others until sometime in the morning. Assuming that they hadn't already heard about what happened, Kagome had no intentions of saying anything about it. While Yusuke would be more than happy to take care of the man who had done it, she didn't want to be reminded of this again. Something of this nature was best forgotten, if at all possible.