Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hentai Bets ❯ Questions, Discoveries, & More Questions ( Chapter 14 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

I hope I’m starting the New Year right with this chapter. This one is dedicated to Touketsu Kaijin, who made me feel like a queen by gifting me with my 100th review for this story -- thank you! You’re awesome!

ALL of you who take the time to review make me feel so special, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it! And even if you don’t review, I am grateful for everyone who just takes the time to read it! I hope you enjoy it!

This chapter is UBER-long and covers some more of Kagome’s background in response to some questions from todavialoca -- hope I did them justice.

Kawaii-Keke-Chan - glad you enjoyed the Hiei/Kag stuff last time and I enjoyed your latest chapter!
Starlet Angel - no, Hojo didn’t slip her anything -- he’s just an innocent victim of circumstance -- well, maybe not exactly innocent -- heh heh!
Touketsu Kaijin - I had Hiei hit Hojo an extra time just for you -- and I think he’s gonna want to do it again.
Youkos Kitsune - Isn’t it just awful how Kagome’s thoughts are being corrupted? Being around hentais does that to you -- so you might not want to stand too close to me! And yes, Hiei is getting very possessive -- he’s a demon on a mission now.
loveinuyasha911 - I know this update wasn’t as quick as the last one, but I hope you’ll continue to share Hiei with me -- although Kurama might like for him to disappear for a few days -- just long enough for him to seduce Kagome.
halfblackwolfdemon - I rather liked the last bit of Hiei/Kagome goodness, too!
Pure Miko_ Kagome 69ner - Don’t worry -- there will be more Hiei/Kag coming up! Especially if Hiei has anything to say about it!
purple babe - Poor Kagome! Threesome? Foursome? And she didn’t even get any. It’s just as well since she can’t remember anyway.
animebook fan - hope you continue to read and enjoy!
todavialoca - I got to thinking about your questions and decided I should try to answer them all. Hope Kagome’s story satisfies your curiosity! And she still needs to learn more about both Hiei and Kurama -- their past is important, but first someone should tell the poor girl they’re not lovers, don’t you think?
underwater 963 - hope you enjoy the latest chapter!
bluepeach - I’m so glad you like it so far! And Kurama and Youko already decided they weren’t going to just let Hiei have her -- Kurama might be a little sympathetic to Hiei’s feelings, but Youko isn’t.


talking
mental/telepathic conversations - “Youko,” “Kurama,” “Hiei”
(thoughts to self)

DISCLAIMER: “Inuyasha” and “Yu Yu Hakusho” were written by and are owned by people with far more intelligence, talent, and money than me. They won’t even TALK to me, let alone allow me to profit from bastardizing their characters and settings.


*************************************************** *********************
Last time:

He sat up on the bed and started to reach for her to pull her back into his arms. At the sound of a low, warning growl, he realized they weren’t alone in the room. And for some reason, that sound made him wince -- he didn’t know why, but he was sure that sound spelled danger and pain for him. There, beside the bed, behind where Kagome was sitting, stood a short, dark-haired man with murder in his eyes.

“Who the hell are you?”

“My name is Hiei.”

“Hiei?” He recognized that name -- where had he heard it? “Kagome, is this the guy you came here with?”

“Yes. This is my boyfriend. He came back.”
********************************************************** **************


Hojo looked at Kagome, then he looked at Hiei. This man was not what he had imagined Kagome would go for. It wasn’t the fact that he was short -- hell, Kagome was extremely petite herself, -- no, it was the darkness that seemed to emanate from him. He looked like he could erupt in violence any second. And from the looks of the muscular arms and broad shoulders plainly visible in the sleeveless black shirt he had on, he was powerful enough to do some damage when he did blow.

Hojo looked at Kagome again. She was always so sweet and innocent. How in the world did she meet this guy? As he blinked his eyes to focus more sharply, he felt a sharp pain pulling at his left eye. Putting a hand to it, he realized the skin surrounding it was swollen and must be bruised. He couldn’t remember, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out the “boyfriend” must have decked him when he found Kagome here. Would he hit her, too? He wouldn’t allow him to hurt her. He stood up and moved to stand beside Kagome facing Hiei. It took a lot more courage than he would like to admit because he couldn’t shake the slight fear that ran through him. But a man had to protect his woman, right? And Kagome was going to be his.

“What are you doing in my room?”

“What were you doing with my onna?” Hiei hissed at him, stepping forward and forcing Hojo to step back from Kagome. Kagome reached out and placed a hand on Hiei’s arm, trying to calm him and hold him in check.

“Kagome and I have known each other a long time. And I believe you left her here.” Hojo straightened up, his voice getting firmer with each word.

Hiei narrowed his eyes at him. “That does not give you the right to take advantage of her when she’s had too much to drink.”

Hojo looked a little uncomfortable, but insisted, “I didn’t take advantage of her!”

Now Kagome had to ask, “Then how did I end up in your bed? The last thing I really remember is telling you I wanted to go back to my room, and you said you’d help me.”

Hojo quickly sat down by her and touched her cheek. “Kagome, …” but he was cut off when Hiei grabbed his wrist and threw him back.

“You will not touch her again.” Hiei was livid. (How dare he touch her in front of me! He’s a bigger fool than I thought.) And for just a minute, he was glad Kagome had healed the man so he could beat him all over again.

“Hiei, please,” Kagome turned to him and pleaded. She really wanted to know what had happened. He scowled at her, but stood still and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Relieved, Kagome reached out and rubbed his back soothingly as she turned back to Hojo. “Gomen nasai. This whole mess is my fault for drinking more than I realized, but what happened Hojo?”

After picking himself up off the floor, Hojo stood where he was, but looked deep into Kagome’s eyes -- willing her to believe him. “Kagome, I want you to believe that I would never do anything to hurt you -- I want you to trust me.”

Hiei noticed the shiver that ran through her body at Hojo’s words. (She is more upset over this than I thought. I should just kill him and get it over with.) But before he could make a move, the hand that had been softly running up and down his back stopped and pulled him closer to her. So, instead of burying his fist into the ningen’s face again, he reached out and buried it in Kagome’s hair. The feel of the silky strands running through his fingers soothed him as well as her, and he knew he was getting his point across to the man when he saw his jaw tense up.

“I do trust you, Hojo, and I know you wouldn’t hurt me, but I am confused.”

“Yes, well, … you started feeling dizzy and I thought it would be best if you just went ahead and lay down. That’s all there was to it.”

“Then why were you in the bed with her?” Hiei demanded.

“Because I care for her and I wanted to be there for her if she needed me.” Hojo was not going to back down.

“So, … nothing happened … between us?” Kagome had to know. She had thought she must have actually had sex with Hojo, but now it didn’t sound that way. At this point the only thing she was sure of was that she had been with Hiei -- she didn’t think Kurama had been there, but she would find out after they were done with Hojo.

“Then what happened to her clothes? All she had on was one of your shirts when I came in,” Hiei said accusingly.

“That’s not true! She had her panties on, too,” Hojo was quick to point out. And he immediately realized that had been the wrong thing to say as he heard that low growl reverberate around the room again, and saw the strange look that crossed Kagome’s face.

“Wait. You took off my dress, and my bra, and put me in one of your shirts? Why?”

“I just wanted you to be comfortable. Kagome, you know how I feel about you, …” Again he took a step towards her, causing Hiei to tense up.

Kagome decided it was time to get Hiei out of there before she ended up having to heal Hojo all over again. “Look, it’s got to be really late. Or really early,” she began.

Hojo looked at his watch. “It’s almost 4:00 a.m.”

“…so, I think we should go.”

“You’re not going to leave with him, are you? Kagome, I thought we …” The words died in his throat as he felt a hand wrap around his neck. He hadn’t even seen the small man move.
“You didn’t think she was staying here with you, did you? Of course she is coming with me,” Hiei hissed.

“Um, yes, Hojo. Hiei and I need to talk. I’ll see you later today, okay?”

Now Hiei turned and glared at her. “No, you won’t.”

She walked over and took Hiei’s arm, forcing him to release his grip on Hojo. “We need to go, Hiei. We’ll talk about it.” And she pulled him out of the room.

“Stay away from her. She is mine,” Hiei warned as they left.

With a scowl marring his handsome face, Hojo muttered viciously to himself, “Not for long.”
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As they reached her room, Kagome turned to Hiei. She really wanted to talk to him about a lot of things, and now seemed as good a time as any. That is, if she could get him to stop glaring at her. (I can’t believe he is so angry about Hojo. I really just don’t get it. It would be one thing if he wanted me all for himself for a real relationship, but he doesn’t react this way to Kurama. Heck, I could have sex with Kurama and he wouldn’t care -- would probably want to join in -- but he doesn’t even want me to talk to Hojo. Not only is that unreasonable because of some weird prejudice he has against ningen, but it’s a double standard, too. If he and Kurama can be together, he should be able to tolerate it if I were to have another lover, too. Not that I am thinking about Hojo that way. At least, I don’t think I am.) Her life was way too confusing at the moment.

She was about to invite Hiei in to talk when she opened the door and saw all of the other detectives in the sitting room. “Don’t you guys have rooms of your own? Why are all of you constantly in mine?”

“Perhaps, My dear Miko, it is because you have developed an annoying habit of disappearing for great lengths of time with various males,” he indicated Hiei with a nod of his head, “and we wish to be assured you return unharmed, and with your virtue intact.”

Kagome started to blush.

“And clothed,” Miroku couldn’t resist adding.

The color in Kagome’s cheeks deepened, and spread across her face.

“And sober,” Jakotsu giggled.

“All right, already! I get the picture. So, now that you see that I’m back and fine, you can either leave,” she emphasized that option, “or we can discuss what the heck our next move is.”

“Well, I can’t speak for the avatar or the apparition as to what their next move might be,” Naraku told her with a rather amused look on his face, “but Kouga contacted us to let us know he’ll be joining us for breakfast at 7:00 to talk about how the mission is going.”

“It’s going to hell,” Yusuke grumbled, giving each of the others, except Kuwabara, a sharp glance.

Kagome frowned. “I know we haven’t found the necklace yet, but we have discovered who’s behind the demons gathering and what their plans are. We even know where we can find them if we decide to just take all of them out. Truthfully, it is the ningens involved that are giving us problems -- the one who has the necklace, and the one who is in league with the demons. Do you really think we aren’t accomplishing our goals?”

Yusuke looked at her considering. “Well, when you put it that way, I guess we aren’t doing too badly -- I just want to get this over with so I can go home.”

Kagome chuckled and walked over and ruffled his hair. “I can understand that. You have someone waiting for you. I’m afraid my team and I don’t get that feeling of urgency since we are all currently unattached. The only thing we have to get back to is a butt-kicking by Sesshoumaru since we promised to help patrol the Western Makai this month.”

Jakotsu paled at the mention of Sesshoumaru. “Oh, sugar! Please don’t make me go back there. He killed me twice the last time we stayed with him.”

“That’s because you were waiting for him in his private hot spring bath, and then tried to sneak into his room the next night,” Miroku said, rolling his eyes at him. “When will you ever learn?”

Yusuke’s mouth hung open. “You have GOT to be kidding me! He tried to seduce the Western Taiyoukai?” At Miroku and Naraku’s nods, he shook his head. “You’re crazy!”

“Lucky for you I convinced him to use Tenseiga and bring you back. BOTH times. He probably won’t bring you back a third time. You’ve got to give up on him -- he’s NOT going to be swayed,” Kagome said in a firm tone. Then her eyes softened and she rubbed Jakotsu’s back. “Don’t worry. There’s someone special out there for you. Just NOT Sesshoumaru.”

“But he’s so … so … delectable! So tall and commanding, and …,” Jakotsu shivered. “OOOOOooooo! And that hair! I could sit and play with that for hours,” He said dreamily. “And those oh-so-sexy stripes -- you know he even has them on his …”

“Jakotsu! I really don’t want to know that -- I don’t need that thought to pop into my head the next time I see him!” she cried in embarrassment. (Wonder if they run down the sides or wrap around … Oh Kami! Now I can’t think of anything else!) She smacked a hand over her eyes and groaned, blushing a vibrant red.

“Why, Kagome-sama, I had no idea you found such thoughts so distracting. I am sure Lord Sesshoumaru would be happy to …”

“Do NOT finish that thought, Miroku, or I swear I’ll tell him you groped Rin.”

Now Miroku paled. “You are a cruel woman indeed.”

Changing the subject, Naraku addressed Kagome, “If you don’t mind, before we take our leave, tell us what happened with the ningen.”

“Oh, well, nothing,” she said with a shrug.

Hiei narrowed his eyes at her. “It is nothing for the man to take advantage of you when you had too much to drink?” He demanded.

“He didn’t take advantage of me. He just thought it would be better if I lay down there rather than go back to my room. He was worried about me and wanted to take care of me if I needed it,” she insisted.

“He took off your clothes and climbed into bed with you, you baka onna,” he said, getting right in her face.

“Hoo hoo! He went too far that time -- she’s gonna blow!” Youko said gleefully, rubbing his hands together.

“He just wanted me to be comfortable so I could rest!” she yelled at him, putting her hands on her hips.

“And you believe that?!? How old are you -- 6? With those words, he reached out and grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “It’s one thing to be naïve -- it’s another to be stupid.”

The silence in the room stretched out for an uncomfortable few minutes. And Hiei, seeing the shock and hurt in her eyes, wished he could take back his hasty words.

“Get out,” Kagome said in a quiet voice.

“Kagome, …”

But she shrugged him off and walked into the bedroom, closing the door.

Hiei thought about following her, but a flash of energy let them all know she had thrown up a barrier. So, he turned and left.

“Well, Youko. I must say I am surprised you didn’t say anything to him about how foolish HE was.”

“What more could I say, Red? You could tell by the look on his face he wishes he could kick his own ass.”
******************************************************* *****************


A little before 7:00, the detectives got ready to gather for breakfast, and Hiei still had not returned. As Kurama brushed out his hair after his shower, Youko was still gloating about Hiei’s mistake and whining about missed opportunities.
“I’m telling you, we should have stayed and comforted her. She would have dropped the barrier after everyone else left.”

“She needed some time to herself or she wouldn’t have put up the barrier in the first place.”

“That was just to keep the little, big-mouthed bastard out. She would have wanted our support. I swear, Red. If you’d just do what I say, we could have been taking our shower with her.”

“So, now you are saying you would also take advantage of her by making a move when she is upset with me. You are no better than the ningen.” Hiei said with contempt, stepping in through the balcony doors.

“Well, well. You’re back. I thought maybe we’d seen the last of you after you slunk off with your tail between your legs. Why don’t you just keep sharpening that tongue of yours and see if you can stick it in her heart?”

Hiei’s eyes flashed with anger. He took a couple of menacing steps towards Kurama before he stopped and turned his back to him.

“What are you going to do now, Hiei?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’ll tell you what he’s going to do -- he’s going to have to suck it up and admit to her he was wrong, and then he’s going to have to admit to us that we were right, and he doesn’t know a thing about seducing a woman.”

“I was not wrong. That ningen did try to take advantage of her, and he is determined to have her, by any means necessary.”

“Perhaps. But you didn’t have to insult her the way you did. You hurt her.”

Hiei began pacing around the room. “You think I don’t know that?”

Kurama walked up and put a hand on his shoulder. “So you will apologize to her.”

A frustrated sound escaped his lips. “I don’t know what to say.”

“That’s easy. You simply say ‘I’m …”

“A jackass,” Youko finished for him.

“…sorry. Youko!”

“What?”

“Oh , forget it. We need to get going. Kouga will be here soon and we need to decide on a course of action.”

“That’s easy -- grab the girl, lock the door, and make love to her until we melt into the sheets.”

Hiei growled. Kurama sighed. “I meant a course of action concerning the mission.”

“That’s Yusuke’s job.”

“It’s also Kagome’s job, or have you forgotten she’s the leader of the other team?”

“Then let’s go! We’ll be agreeable and supportive and Hiei can be his usual unpleasant, rude, insulting self and then she won’t have any trouble choosing us.”

“Damn fox.”
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As they reached the other end of the hall, Kurama and Hiei could hear the other detectives’ voices coming from Miroku and Naraku’s room.

“I thought we were meeting in Kagome’s room,” Kurama said. But he knocked on the door and was greeted enthusiastically by Jakotsu.

“Ohayo, dreamcakes! You too, big stuff!” he said, winking at Hiei, earning himself a nasty glare for his efforts. “You boys are just in time -- Kouga brought a visitor for Kagome.”

Walking into the sitting room, they looked around until their gazes fell on an unfamiliar male sitting on the loveseat with Kagome in his lap. He had his arms wrapped around her, and she was kissing his cheek and hugging him tightly. “Oh, sweetie! I’ve missed you!”

He laughed and nuzzled her cheek. “I’ve missed you, too. How’s my best girl?”

At the sound of growling coming from the new arrivals, he looked up. Then he set Kagome down beside him and stood up. He was tall and slim, and his waist-length red hair was caught in a tie at the nape of his neck. When he stared at them mockingly, they saw that he was extremely handsome, with well-defined features and large green eyes that seemed to hold a mischievous gleam.

Miroku stepped up to make the introductions. “Ah, there they are. These are the two I was telling you about. Hiei. Kurama. This is Shippou -- Kagome’s son.”

The kitsune bowed shallowly in their direction. “Pleased to meet you,” he said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. He cracked the knuckles of one hand. “I’ve been hearing a lot about you two.”
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Hiei and Kurama eyed the kitsune standing between them and Kagome.

“The kit from her quest.”

“Hn.”

“ He thinks he’s going to intimidate US?!?”

Kurama bowed slightly and said, “It is nice to meet you, too, Shippou.” Then he walked across the room right past him and sat down on the loveseat next to Kagome. “Ohayo, Kagome,” he said softly as he took her hand and gently kissed it. “You look lovely this morning.”

“Arigato, Kurama. I see the short night’s sleep hasn’t dulled your charm,” she replied with a laugh.

“Nor my appreciation of yours.” His eyes flashed gold. To his satisfaction, he was rewarded to see a light tinge of pink creeping up her cheeks.

“Let’s order breakfast so we can get down to business,” Naraku suggested.

After their orders had been phoned in to room service, they took up a seat, or in Hiei’s case, leaned against a wall, and got comfortable as they discussed their plans. Once Kouga had been brought up-to-date on the situation so he could report back to Reikai, they turned their attention to figuring out what they should do next. When the food arrived, Shippou moved from his spot on the floor in front of Kagome and Kurama to stand next to Hiei. He looked the fire apparition over with undisguised interest.

In a low tone, that only Hiei and the other youkai could hear, he said, “So, you want to fuck my mother.”

Yusuke started choking on his food, while Naraku and Kurama each raised an eyebrow in their direction. Kouga turned towards them with a shocked look on his face. But Hiei’s only reaction, other than a brief widening of his eyes, was a cold stare.

“Well, damn! What’s this? Isn’t he a kitsune? I’ve never known one of our kind to be so blunt.”

“Kagome did say she was afraid that inu hanyou they traveled with was a bad influence on him. But, I think he’s just doing it for shock value.”

“Heh heh! You may be right. Interesting tactic. Let’s see how the runt holds up.”

Shippou continued. “She’s extremely beautiful, isn’t she? And her scent -- that tangy-sweetness -- seems to call out to most kinds of youkai on a primal level. Makes you want to bury your face between her legs -- your tongue inside her …”

Hiei interrupted him. “Is there a point to your ramblings, or do you just get some sort of perverse pleasure in thinking of her being with a male since you are denied that kind of relationship with her?”

“I have to give him full points for that one. He turned that around on him very nicely.” Youko said with approval.

Shippou narrowed his eyes and leaned over toward Hiei with a cold smile. “My point is you are not the first, nor will you be the last youkai to lust after her. Do you honestly think you’ve got what it takes to satisfy the Junjoukaren no Miko? You think she will spread her legs for you in exchange for a few nights of fleeting pleasure? Do you and your partner,” he nodded in Kurama direction and made eye contact with him, “really think she is some whore you can win in a bet?”

At that, Kurama stiffened, drawing Kagome’s attention to him just a split-second before Hiei grabbed the neck of Shippou’s shirt and yanked him down so his face was level with his.

“Do not presume you know what my thoughts or plans are. They are none of your concern. And do not think you can interfere. You may see her as a mother and the Junjoukaren no Miko, but underneath that, she is still an onna. And if she chooses to consent to a relationship, sexual or otherwise, you have no say in it.” And he released him with a light shove.

“Hiei! Shippou! What’s going on?!?” Kagome stood and rushed over to them. (Shippou didn’t proposition him, did he? No, he wouldn’t do that now that he’s courting Rin. Hiei didn’t proposition Shippou, did he?) She glanced over her shoulder to where Kurama had stood up. He looked very tense. (Perhaps they are having a spat and Hiei’s trying to make him jealous?)

“Nothing to worry about, Okaa-san. We were merely … seeing where the ground lies.” He looked coolly over at Hiei before arching a brow in Kurama’s direction.

“Well,” she looked nervously at Shippou, “why don’t you come with me for a few minutes. I think I should tell you some things.”

“Whatever you say, Okaa-san.”

And the two left to go over to Kagome’s room to talk.

“What the hell was that all about?!!?” Kouga demanded. “I’ve never seen Shippou do that before!”

“I think you need to fill us ningen in, because obviously there was something going on that we weren’t aware of,” Miroku said, glancing around the room at the youkai.

“What you missed, monk, was Kagome’s kit confronting her would-be lovers about their intentions,” Naraku said in an amused voice.

“Shit. That’s not what he was doing. He flat-out accused them of treating her like a whore by betting on who could get her to sleep with him.” Yusuke still couldn’t believe the kitsune had taken on Hiei, even if it was just a verbal attack.

“It would serve them right if he kicked their asses for that. I agree they shouldn’t have done that,” Kuwabara spoke up, indignantly.

“You might not think that if you knew what you would win if Kurama wins,” Yusuke said with a sly smile.

“What do you mean?” Kuwabara asked, frowning.

“Shut up, detective.” Hiei gave Yusuke a nasty glare.

Ignoring Yusuke and Kuwabara, Miroku turned to Hiei and asked, “And you responded by threatening him?”

“I did not threaten him. I merely let him know it’s none of his affair,” Hiei said.

“You realize he could be telling her about your bet right now, and she’s probably going to come storming in here and fry both your asses,” Yusuke pointed out.

Hiei and Kurama both looked slightly uncomfortable at that thought, and all 3 of Kagome’s teammates laughed.

“I doubt Shippou will tell her. He’d rather thwart your attempts in a more subtle manner,” Naraku informed them.

“That’s not too surprising -- he is a kitsune, after all.” Kurama looked around the room. “How did he know about the bet in the first place?”

Kouga grinned. “I told him. I thought he might want in on it. It’s his kind of action.”

“Why, Kouga, I didn’t know you were in on this. Who are you backing?” Jakotsu asked.

“The runt. Pretty boy there has too many manners,” he indicated Kurama with a nod of his head. “You know what an asshole dogshit was, and she was crazy about him. ‘Course, if either of you ever treat her as bad as he did, I’ll kick your ass myself,” he said, giving them each a serious look.

“You are talking about the male she loved?” Hiei asked.

“Tell us about him, please,” Kurama said, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

“I don’t know that it’s our place to tell you about something so personal to Kagome. Perhaps you should ask her,” Miroku suggested.

“You know she would never tell them what a stupid bastard he was. She was always making excuses for him,” Kouga said.

Thinking about it, Miroku nodded. “Perhaps you are right. Well, Inuyasha was …”

“Inuyasha was unbelievably sexy! He was powerful -- built like a god, with really broad shoulders and huge, muscular arms, a trim waist, firm, perfectly-sculpted butt, and …”

“Jakotsu! I don’t think that’s the kind of information they want.”

“Why not? She was sexually attracted to him, too. You can deny it all you want, but Kagome appreciates a hot, manly body as much as the rest of us.” Seeing the looks on the faces around him, Jakotsu said, “Well, you know what I mean -- a hot male or female body -- however your tastes run.”

“Inuyasha -- as in the inu hanyou she traveled with on her quest?” Kurama asked.

“Yes. I assume she has told you a little about the quest and our companions?” At their nods, Miroku continued. “Inuyasha was a rather gruff, stand-offish fellow. Having grown up a hanyou in those times, he had no friends and didn’t trust anyone. He had led a very solitary life until he tried to steal the Shikon no Tama from the miko known as Kikyou. He wanted to use it to become a full demon. He was still very young, and not nearly as powerful back then, and she easily turned his attempts aside.

But, he fell in love with her. She was very beautiful, and also very lonely, as she seemed to feel she should distance herself from others in her duty. She never really wanted the responsibility of guarding the jewel, wishing instead to be an ordinary woman. So, she convinced him that they could be together if they used the jewel to make him human. That way, she would also be rid of the necessity to guard it, or so she thought. I am still not sure why she believed that, as the wish would have been an incredibly selfish one.

As fate would have it, a thief named Onigumo also fell in love with her. She was taking care of him because he had been severely burned. He gave his body over to demons in order to be able to have her, but the new being formed was Naraku, with a consciousness all his own. Naraku attacked Kikyou in the guise of Inuyasha and she believed it was him. He also told Inuyasha in Kikyou’s form that she would never want to be with him, and he believed that, too and so, stole the jewel. Their feelings of betrayal and hatred for each other tainted the jewel. Kikyou sealed Inuyasha to a tree before she died and had the jewel burned with her.

50 years later, Kagome came into the picture. Kikyou’s soul was reincarnated into her, along with the jewel, and when she was pulled back into the Feudal Era, she woke Inuyasha from his curse and freed him when he said he would save her from the centipede demon. Then, of course, he tried to kill her for the jewel, but with the help of Lady Kaede, she was able to subdue him. When the jewel was shattered, he agreed to help her gather the shards, still determined to use it to become a full demon.

Along their travels together, Inuyasha came to trust and care for Kagome. She was the only person who had ever truly accepted him and liked him just as he was. And she trusted him, too. It was through his promise to protect her that he gained control of the legendary Tetssaiga, and his growing feelings for her, as well as hers for him fueled his power and abilities. But, he was unable or unwilling to let her know how he felt because it made him feel vulnerable, and he was often very cruel to her. Being Kikyou’s reincarnation, he often compared her unfavorably to Kikyou. He called her names and denied loudly that she meant anything more to him than a means to recover the jewel.

To complicate matters further, a witch tried to resurrect Kikyou in order to obtain the jewel for herself. She made a body out of her bones and graveyard soil, and ripped the soul from Kagome to animate it. Somehow, Kagome was able to call most of the soul back, but a part of it remained in the new body, allowing Kikyou to walk the earth as a member of the living dead. She also had to use the souls of young maidens to maintain her body. Although she wasn’t really the Kikyou he had known, and she wanted nothing more than to drag him into hell with her, Inuyasha could not separate the two in his mind or heart. And he often ran off to meet with her whenever he would spot her shichidamu, leaving Kagome behind -- a few times putting her in danger. But, she never blamed him. She said she understood and even admired the loyalty of his love for Kikyou, even though he was breaking her heart. But, he did love Kagome, too. He couldn’t stand to see another man around her. Hence, his constant fighting with Kouga. And there were many others, men and demons, who wanted her, but Inuyasha wouldn’t let any of them get close.

But, through it all, he continued to compare her to Kikyou. I think he often saw them as part of the same person -- or perhaps he hoped they were because Kagome was all the things he had believed Kikyou to be and more. Kagome kept hoping he would see her for herself and that in the end, he would realize his love for her and choose her. She even saved Kikyou, with no hesitation, and with no one else around to see and recognize her selflessness and sacrifice. And this was after Kikyou had tried to kill her and had, in fact, stolen her jewel shards and given them to Naraku.”

Miroku fell silent for a few minutes, and he and his teammates seemed lost in thoughts of the past. Then he spoke again.

“Kagome’s love and trust for Inuyasha were so complete, she braved his transformation into a full demon more than once and was able to pull him back to himself. As a hanyou, when his demon blood took over, it was too powerful for him to control and he was like a mindless beast. Her heart and soul are so pure, she was even able to resist Akago’s attempts to control her through the tiny amount of darkness that made up her resentment of Inuyasha and her jealousy of Kikyou.

Did she tell you that during the final battle, Naraku gave Inuyasha a choice to save one of them? He had managed to grab both mikos and held them high above the ground, far apart, with tentacles poised to kill them. Inuyasha was truly torn between them. Seeing his anguish at having to make such a decision, Kagome made it for him by stabbing herself in the chest with a dagger. Naraku was so stunned, he dropped Kikyou and Inuyasha caught her. That’s when my kazaana ripped open, so I’m afraid I did not see what happened after that.”

Naraku took up the tale. “You are right. I was stunned that she would make such a sacrifice. And I could tell that Inuyasha and Kikyou were, too. Kikyou could not conceive that anyone would do something like that, and Inuyasha couldn’t believe anyone would do that for him. And as stupid and cruel as he may have been to her, he did love Kagome, too. And he did not feel worthy of her. I think he recognized the shallowness of his and Kikyou’s love, but he didn’t feel he deserved anything better than that.

But, after setting Kikyou down, he attacked me in a rage, and I dropped Kagome’s body to defend myself. He was out of control, and I was able to wound him rather easily. Everyone on the battlefield was injured, and I knew victory and the complete Shikon no Tama were within my grasp. Then Kagome got up. I don’t know how she did it. I thought she was dead. And she started walking towards me. I taunted her about Kikyou and how Inuyasha would have surely chosen her because of how much better she was than Kagome. Then she reached me, and just as I was about to kill her and take the rest of the shards, she told me she wasn’t Kikyou and that I shouldn’t confuse them. And then she kissed me. And even though I knew she wasn’t doing it out of love for me, or even desire, all I could think was how wonderful it would be to have that kind of love and devotion. Of course, the next thing I know, I’m waking up in Reikai,” he grumbled.

Jakotsu wiped tears from his eyes. “That’s such a beautiful story. It’s so tragic and inspiring at the same time. Remind me to give our sweet Kagome a nice foot massage later. She deserves it. And Naraku? You really were a sick bastard.”

“No fucking shit. I can’t believe King Enma brought you back. And I really can’t believe Kagome actually works with you. Why the hell does she do it, anyway?” Yusuke asked.

“My Miko didn’t have a choice. She is serving out her sentence to Reikai, too. But, she has forgiven me, and she knows I am not the same as I was back then, -- after all, she was the one who purified the evil out of me,” Naraku told him.

“She’s NOT Your Miko!” All of the other occupants of them room glared at him.

“Why is Kagome indebted to Reikai?” Kuwabara wanted to know.

“Because they said she failed in her duty as the Guardian of the Shikon no Tama when she shattered the jewel, endangering countless lives and potentially changing the course of history, and for unauthorized time travel. Then there was the wish she made.”

“You have GOT to be shitting me! They couldn’t possibly blame her for any of that -- she didn’t even know she had miko powers or the jewel or anything!” Yusuke couldn’t believe it.

“Oh, I believe it, detective. King Enma will do anything to get the results he wants. And the same goes for Koenma, and I suppose Enmaru,” Hiei said with a hard look in his eyes.

“What was the wish she made?” Kurama wanted to know.

“She wished for those whose lives were hurt or lost because of the jewel to have a second chance to live them as they should have. That’s how we’re here. It caused a hell of an uproar in the Reikai as so many ningen and demons had died or been killed as a result of the jewel, and now their souls had to be revived or reassigned. King Enma was furious.” Miroku said with a chuckle.

“And what happened with Inuyasha?” Kurama asked quietly.

“Well, as a result of the wish, Kikyou should have been revived, too. That provided a real problem since her soul had been reincarnated, AND was currently split between two bodies. So, her clay body disintegrated, and that part of Kagome’s soul reunited with the rest in Kagome. Inuyasha was distraught at first. Then, King Enma showed up with Midoriko’s soul. He didn’t want to mess with having to bring Kikyou back, but Kagome insisted, even if it meant giving up her soul for her. They reached a compromise.

Midoriko, who had created the jewel in the first place, was also affected by the wish, but she was tired after her long years of battle within the jewel. She didn’t want her body back or to try to live her life out as herself. In order for Kikyou to be brought back and be Kikyou, Kagome let them split her soul again, donating a piece to Kikyou’s new body made of flesh. King Enma then split Midoriko’s soul and fused the majority of it to Kikyou’s and the rest of it to fill Kagome’s. All of the miko powers of both souls now rest in Kagome, and Kikyou got to be an ordinary woman. An ordinary woman who wanted an ordinary life with a human Inuyasha. Kagome asked Inuyasha if he still wanted to be human to be with Kikyou, and he agreed, though he hesitated. She voluntarily added another 100 years onto her sentence to Reikai in exchange for King Enma separating Inuyasha’s human and demon halves.

Without his human consciousness, his demon half lives on as an inu mononoke on Lord Sesshoumaru’s lands in the Western Makai. He mated with another inu mononoke, and sometimes Kagome searches them out to see if they are still alive and if they’re healthy.” Miroku sighed as he finished.

“This Inuyasha was an even bigger fool than I thought,” Hiei said. (And Kagome is more than I could have ever dreamed of. Like Inuyasha, I know I am not worthy of her, but if I were lucky enough to be offered her love, I would not turn it away.)

“That, Red, is a story for the ages.”

“And a woman to cherish. I’ve never met anyone like her -- I’ve never even heard of anyone like her.”

“And I doubt we ever will again. She’s one-of-a-kind.”

“Yeah, Inuyasha sure wasn’t much in the brains department, but he did have a great ass. Cute ears, too,” Jakotsu sighed.
*************************************************************** *********


“So, you’re telling me that they both told you they’re interested in you and they’re okay with the other one being with you, too?” Shippou asked.

“Yes. At first, it was just Hiei, and I thought, well, … I guess I thought it might actually lead to something serious -- he seemed so serious. Then when Kurama told me they knew about each other, and Hiei said it wasn’t a problem, I realized it had to be casual. I mean, if they were serious, wouldn’t their demonic instincts make them act somewhat territorial? I know that varies among different types of youkai, but isn’t it true to some extent? Even Inuyasha was possessive to a fault, and that was just because I was part of Kikyou to him.

Anyway, there’s more to it. I think they want to both be with me at the same time. And they’re lovers, too.” Kagome explained.

“What?” Shippou choked on his laughter. “Are you sure, Okaa-san?”

“Well, I was, ahem, … with Kurama, and suddenly Hiei came in and started taking his clothes off. But things were so heated between the two of them, I just couldn’t, … well, you know. So, I left. The reason I mention this is, if Hiei propositioned you in there, he may have just been trying to make Kurama jealous. It kind of looks like they may have had a spat. Now that I think about it, it was probably my fault. Hiei got mad at me because of Hojo and told me I was stupid, and I let it upset me more than I should have. Kurama probably scolded him about it. So, there‘s no need for you and him to get all upset, even if you did turn him down. I‘m sure he‘ll get over it when he and Kurama make up. Apparently they‘ve been together for a long time -- they‘re very good friends.”

Shippou was very amused at the moment. Kouga had told him about the two youkai vying for his mother’s favor. He had told him about the bet they had going on, too. From the things Kouga had said, he got the impression they were out to win her from under each other’s noses, and had even come to blows over her. How could one of them win the bet if they were both with her? But the things Kagome was telling him painted an entirely different picture of the situation. The question is: what was really going on?

The little fire demon had definitely not been propositioning him, but he couldn’t let her know what had been said. She’d tan his hide.

“So, what are you planning to do?” he asked her.

“I don’t know. They’re both very attractive, and I enjoy their company. Kurama is fun to be with -- very playful, very complimentary, -- you know, he’s a kitsune. And Hiei is very … intense, yet his presence is very comforting and comfortable.” At the doubtful look on Shippou’s face, she laughed. “No, really!”

“And?”

“And … yes, both of them are incredibly sexy. Kurama has a way of taking me by surprise before I even know what’s going on, and making me forget everyone and everything around; while Hiei has a way of making me intensely aware of myself and of him, and he makes me want to … do things … to him.” A deep, dark blush covered her face as she talked, making Shippou’s curiosity spike even higher. Then she sighed.

“But, I just don’t think I can be in the kind of relationship they’re wanting with them. It was hard enough knowing I wasn’t woman enough for Inuyasha by myself, -- I don’t think I could deal with not being woman enough for one of them because they want each other. Not to mention, I just get too embarrassed even thinking about the three of us … -- stop laughing! It’s not funny! And you know I’m not really the type to go for a casual fling, either. I thought about it. But, if I’m going to be intimate with someone, I’d rather at least think it’s real enough to last awhile.”

“So, you aren’t going to be with either of them?”

She sighed again. “I don’t think I can. At least not completely. Of course, I already had decided not to be with either of them at all, and let myself get carried away -- literally. Actually, I may have already … Honestly, there should be a law against you youkai and your seductive charms.” she waggled her eyebrows at him.

Shippou frowned. “What do you mean you may have already? Okaa-san, I can tell by your scent you are still a virgin. You aren’t saying you didn’t know? What the hell has been going on?” Obviously, something had happened that shouldn’t have.

“Oh. Well, that’s a relief. I was really wondering. And I wasn’t sure if it was just Hiei or if Kurama was there, too. Heck, at first, I thought it was Hojo!”

“Okaa-san!”

“Gomen, Shippou. I, heh heh, … well, I had a little too much to drink, and things got a little fuzzy and confusing. I was with Hojo, and so he just put me to bed in his room. And he lay down with me so he’d be close by in case I needed him. Apparently, the others panicked when they realized I wasn’t in my room, and Hiei jumped to conclusions and beat Hojo up. But, then he must have taken me somewhere, and we … well … anyway, you’ve saved me from having to ask him if we actually … Now all I need to find out is whether or not it was just me and him, or if Kurama was there, also. Oh! And since we were speaking of youkai and laws and such, tell me, please, why it is that youkai can share a woman with each other, but not with a ningen man?”

Shippou was still processing the fact that she had been drunk, and hadn‘t been sure she hadn‘t slept with three different males. And the whole Hojo part sounded fishy. Personally, he thought Hiei was probably right to kick his ass. But how drunk was she that she didn’t know if she was with a couple of youkai?

Giving her a stern look, he began, “Kaa-san. You have to …”

“Shippou, don’t worry. It’ll never happen again. You don’t need to lecture to me about alcohol. It was a mistake that will never happen again. I was just too preoccupied with other things to notice I’d reached my limit. I will be super-careful from now on.”

“Actually, I was going to lecture to you about the dangers of having sex with youkai while intoxicated. You don’t have to worry about diseases, but you could very easily end up pregnant if they aren‘t looking out for you. You‘ve got to get all that stuff out in the open ahead of time because if they‘re following their instincts, the instincts are to breed. Just be glad they weren‘t drunk.”

She turned bright red, before all the color slowly leeched from her face. (Sweet Kami!)

Satisfied that his mother had now been properly warned, but making a mental note to have a further talk with the two across the hall, he turned back to her question. “Now. About the whole youkai sharing but not with ningen thing. You’ll have to explain that a little more, kaa-san.”

“Well, it‘s about Hojo. I don’t know if you remember or not, but he’s a friend of mine from way back. We used to date a little. He’s one of the vice presidents, and we’ve been spending some time together, mostly because of the mission, but also because I enjoy his company and he wants to be with me. Now he would like to have a serious relationship with me, and Hiei and Kurama have pulled a couple of rather dirty little tricks on him, and then I told you about Hiei beating him up rather severely. Why would he act so jealous of Hojo and not Kurama? Is it just because he and Kurama are together, or is it some kind of youkai prejudice against ningens?”

Shippou had no idea how to answer that one. Based on the apparition’s reaction to his statements earlier, he was pretty sure he was a lot more serious than his mother thought. And the avatar had seemed rather affronted, too. He’d bet his favorite convertible they weren’t lovers, either. But, he wasn’t about to tell her that. No way. Why should he when this was so entertaining? But, he’d have to talk to her teammates to find out what was really going on. So, all he said to her was, “I have no idea. It’s not a kitsune thing, but then again, Kurama’s an avatar. And elemental apparitions are just too unpredictable to tell.”

Then he had an idea. “So, you think they are interested in a threesome? How about Jakotsu? He’s pretty effeminate.”

She laughed at that. “No. Jakotsu has already tried to crawl in bed with each of them and been sent away rather violently. And don‘t forget, he is a ningen. But, now that you mention it, I wonder if they’d be interested in Kouga?” She got up and held out her hand to pull him up.

“Kouga?!!? Why would they be interested in Kouga?”

“Now, Shippou. Kouga is very handsome, and he has a rather rakish sort of sex appeal. And he is youkai. Yes, that might work out for all of them. Kouga wasn’t interested in Jakotsu, either. Of course, I realized that Jakotsu is nothing like Inuyasha. So, if Kouga liked his type, Kurama and Hiei might appeal to him. Kurama’s got the build and height and hair, and Hiei has the hot-tempered, anti-social personality.”

“K…Kouga and Inuyasha?!!?” Shippou’s eyes bugged out.

“You didn’t know, either? Well, you were awfully young,” she said as they started to head back to join the others.
*************************************************************** *********


As they opened the door to go in, Hiei stepped out into the hall. He motioned for Shippou to go ahead and then closed the door behind him.

Kagome looked at him curiously, and just a bit cautiously. He reached out as if to touch her, then let his arm drop to his side. Looking down at his feet, he said quietly, “Kagome, … I need to tell you … I regret what I said earlier. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

She smiled and placing her fingers under his chin, tipped his head up to look in his eyes. “I know. Gomen nasai -- I overreacted. Let’s just chalk it up to lack of sleep, okay?”

He nodded and pulled her in close. Circling her waist with his arms, he hugged her tightly. She gave a small sigh as she returned the embrace. Then, his face in her hair, he said, “But I am not wrong about that ningen. You cannot trust him.”

“Hiei …”

He let her pull back a little, but didn’t release her from his arms. He looked her straight in the eye and willed her to listen to him. “I know that you consider him a friend, but you must be more cautious. Do not forget that he may prove to be mixed up in this mission. Aside from that, you yourself have said he has changed from the boy you once knew. Do not let your emotions or sentiment lead you.”

She frowned, then chuckled, causing him to look at her questioningly. “That’s great advice coming from someone who practically ripped a door off its hinges and dived over a bed to pound his fists into someone.”

Hiei looked a little startled at her description of his actions, and she laughed again. (I guess he didn’t see it that way.) She could tell he was trying to think of a way to explain why what he did was different, and she rolled her eyes at him. “Come on. Kurama will be able to tell you apologized and then he’ll lighten up on you about it. And I’m not sure what was said, but I’m sorry if Shippou was rude earlier -- he just recently began courting Sesshoumaru’s adopted daughter, Rin.”

Hiei wasn‘t sure why Shippou‘s courting someone would have made him rude, but he shrugged it off. However, “I did not say I regretted my words to you just because Kurama thought I should.”

“I know. But I don’t want you to argue because of me. You two have been together too long to let something so silly cause problems, okay?”

“Hn.”

She took that as an agreement. Hiei’s brow furrowed just a bit. Something about the way she said that didn’t sound quite right. But as she was about to turn the knob to open the door, he pulled her back to him and pressed his lips to hers, startling a soft, “Oh!” from her. Taking advantage of the way her lips parted, his tongue swept into her mouth, seeking hers as if to challenge her to meet his sudden passion.

This wasn’t a slow, seductive dance he was leading her to -- it was a fast, fiery race, and she was shocked to realize how quickly her body responded to his call. And the heady scent of arousal began to rise in the hallway. Their hands didn’t roam each other’s bodies with searching caresses, instead, they clutched each other tightly as if trying to mold their two beings into one.

Neither noticed the door behind them opening until a low voice drawled, “Well, that didn’t take long.”

Kagome jumped back in surprise and whirled around to see Shippou lounging against the wall with his arms crossed casually in front of his chest. With a raised brow, and an obvious sniff, he turned to step back into the room, just pausing to look over his shoulder and say, “Coming, Okaa-san?”

Blushing furiously, Kagome stalked after him muttering, “You are so grounded, you little brat.”

Hiei wasn’t sure if he should be annoyed or amused. But he felt better than he had since he’d brought Kagome back from the hot springs.
************************************************************** **********


The detectives were arguing loudly. They had decided that since they weren’t having any luck finding the necklace, their best course of action would be to either keep watch on the demons for when they made another move for it, or to try to find the ningen informant with them and trace him back to the necklace. Either way, it meant it was time for a stakeout in the woods. The argument concerned whether or not Kagome would be taking part in it.

A little tired of the confines of the resort, she was eager to get out, and she had always enjoyed spending time camping out during her quest. But most of the others were deadset against it because of the danger Musou presented to her.

“You aren’t thinking clearly. You might as well just walk up the camp and ask if Musou’s around!” Yusuke argued.

“Excuse me, but he already knows where I am. I’ve got a greater chance of hiding from him out in the woods than here at the resort.”

“Kagome, Urameshi’s got a point. It will be easier to protect you here where he’s less likely to launch an all-out attack,” Kuwabara added.

Shippou looked at his mother. There had been a lot going on with her on this mission, and he thought it might do her some good to get out and commune with nature a bit to get her balance back. “If you all are just worried about Okaa-san’s safety, I will stick close by her. She knows as well as anyone how to take care of herself outdoors. But I’m sure that we can provide any extra protection needed.”

“You are both being foolish and wanting to take unnecessary risks. No. She stays,” Hiei stated unequivocally.

She glared at him, her eyes blazing. “Fine. You seven go beat on drums and play commando warrior in the forest, and I’ll stay here -- with Hojo. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind having a roommate for a few days.”

“Onna!”

“Youkai!”

“OOOooooo! He’s so cute when he’s angry! Couldn’t you just squeeze the stuffings out of him?” Jakotsu declared to the room at large.

Yusuke and Kuwabara stared at him. “You are so messed up,” Yusuke told him.

“Personally, I wouldn’t mind a romp in the woods with her. I say we take her with us. To make sure she’s safe, she can sleep in our sleeping bag.”

Kurama spoke up. “I believe we can keep her safe. And we could all use a break from the routine around here. I say we all go for 2 days and see how it goes.”

Kagome smiled brightly at him. “Arigato, Kurama. We should gather supplies today and leave either this evening or early in the morning. Kouga? Are you really busy or could you take a couple of days and come with us? We could reminisce a bit over old times. And you could get to know Lord Koenma’s team better. I’ll bet you and Hiei and Kurama have a lot in common.”

Shippou had to stifle a laugh at that, and Naraku and Miroku exchanged looks. This was going to be fun.

“Sure, Kagome! I’d love to join you. Just let me report to Enmaru and Koenma. They’re going to be disappointed the necklace wasn’t in the hotel safe, though. They’re both getting really nervous that it hasn’t shown up yet.”

“I’d better call Hojo and ask him to lunch,” Kagome said.

“What?” Hiei asked in disbelief.

“I’ll have to tell him I’ll be gone for a few days or he’ll be worried.” She rolled her eyes at Hiei’s pissed off expression.

“I’ll come with you,” he told her.

“No, let me talk to him alone. I’ll tell him my boyfriend and I need to spend some time together. I can’t break all ties with him, you know. If he’s involved with the necklace, I may need him to trust me. And if he’s not, when all is said and done, he’s still my friend, and we may want to see each other sometimes,” she explained.

Hiei didn’t like her explanation. But, he didn’t know what he could say to change her mind. (Blasted stubborn onna.) After he took her as his mate, he’d make sure she never saw that ningen man again. (Hell! She’ll never talk to another male again.) Except maybe their sons. All ten of them. Two daughters would be plenty. (No sense in asking for trouble.) And he’d be damned if any bakas like Kuwabara would ever court his girls.

“Hiei? We should go ahead and pack our things. What are you thinking about? You looked a million miles away.” Kurama smiled at him.

“Hn.”

“Thank goodness we’re all going to be the forest for a few nights. Maybe I can finally get some sleep,” Kuwabara said.

“If you don’t mind my asking, what does being in the forest have to do with you getting some sleep?” Kurama looked at him curiously.

Yusuke laughed. “Ha! The baka hasn’t slept for days -- he just sits against the wall with pillows and cushions all around him like a little fortress. He’s afraid Jakotsu is going to crawl into bed with him.”
*********************************************************** *************


Shippou sat on Kagome’s bed as she packed some clothes. “So, kaa-san, are you going to tell me about that steamy little scene I interrupted in the hallway? Because I could swear you had just told me you weren’t going to be doing anything like that with either of those youkai,” he said, laughing at her.

She narrowed her eyes and glared at him. “I also told you I had already decided that once before.” She sighed and sat down next to him. “I just can’t seem to help myself.”

“You know, since you were the one who raised me, I just always assumed you knew the facts of life, but I’m beginning to wonder. Shall I tell you how it works, kaa-san? Or perhaps you would like some tips?” He winked at her.

“No thanks! Any “tips” you might give me are probably illegal in at least two of the realms. I knew I shouldn’t have let you hang out with Miroku when you were little. It’s no wonder you get along so well with my team. You realize if your reputation hadn’t been quite so scandalous, I might not have had to fight Sesshoumaru to a draw to get his permission for you to court Rin. Lucky for you he likes me, or he would have insisted on a fight to the death. When you actually petition him to mate her, you’re on your own.”

“No worries. Like you said, Sesshoumaru likes you -- he would have brought you back.”

A pillow came sailing through the air and made contact with his head with a soft ‘whoomph.’ “Now, now,” he said, laughing, “no need to get violent. Though I do know of a few things you can do with a pillow. I’m sure the kitsune avatar would appreciate them, but I’m not so sure about the apparition. He is pretty short -- I take it that doesn’t extend to his …”

“Shippou! And he’s not short! He’s taller than I am, you know. It’s the rest of you who are so freakishly tall -- I swear, sometime in the distant past the youkai must have interbred with the Americans.”

“Interesting theory. But no changing the subject. So, the little fire demon is not lacking in …”

“Oh, honey! He’s packing!” Jakotsu interrupted as he walked in the room. “And I’m not talking about his luggage.” He winked.

“Jakotsu, just how is it that you always know these things? You haven’t taken to peeping in the men’s bathhouses, have you?” Shippou asked him.

Insulted, Jakotsu huffed indignantly. “Well! I never! … Except Sesshoumaru. And Bankotsu. And Inuyasha. And Miroku -- but that was an accident. Do you know he curves to the …”

“Don’t tell me! Please!” And Kagome flopped down on the bed and covered her head with a pillow.

“So, anyway. How is it you know about Hiei?” Shippou turned back to Jakotsu.

“It’s no secret around here. That sweet thing has no shame -- not that he has anything to be ashamed of -- no, sir! But just last night when he brought Kagome back here, both of them were stark naked. He covered her up, but he just walked around and threatened the rest of us like usual. It was quite a treat!”

“He brought you back naked?!?” Shippou exclaimed. (Oh, I will definitely be having another talk with that one.) “I guess I should have shown up here sooner -- I can see it now: my very own Okaa-san starring in the next “Mikos Gone Wild” video. OW!” Kagome pummeled him with another pillow.

“You’ve got cooking and cleaning up duty while we’re in the forest.”
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Kagome headed down to the lobby to meet Hojo for lunch, with 7 Spirit Detectives and 1 kitsune slinking along in the shadows behind her. She had dressed casually in a pretty white sundress with a pink flowered print. The halter-style bodice of the dress had two straps that buttoned at the nape of her neck, leaving her shoulders arms, and most of her back bare. The neckline was modest, exposing only the smallest hint of cleavage, but otherwise molded to her full breasts, emphasizing her shapely figure. Similarly, the dress hugged her trim waist and the curves of her hips before flaring out in a full skirt that ended just above her knees. She wore her hair loose, and it flowed like a river of silk over her shoulders and down her back, swaying around her hips as she walked. Her only jewelry was a brooch with a large pink jewel, which she wore pinned up near her left collarbone, and the bracelet Hojo had given her around her right wrist.

Hojo was waiting anxiously for her, and he smiled widely when she walked up to him. He had been relieved when she called to invite him to lunch. He was glad that little punk wasn’t with her.

“Kagome, you look beautiful!” he greeted her. He took her hands and pulled her close for a soft, chaste kiss. Then dropping one hand, he led her into the dining room.

“I see he didn’t learn his lesson. He’s still touching her. I think I will remove his hands at the shoulders.”

“Now, Hiei. That could be viewed as a simple, friendly greeting.”

“Friendly my ass. That damn ningen is sly. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was a kitsune.”

“Hey now! No need to be insulting. I said he was good, for a ningen, -- but he is nowhere near our class.”

“You’ll have to wait out here, Hiei. I’ll go in with Shippou and keep an eye on them.”

“Hn. Just keep him away from her.”

As Shippou and Kurama headed for a table near Kagome, they saw that he was sitting right next to her with one arm draped across her shoulders, and the other holding her hand. They seemed to be deep in conversation, but Hojo kept leaning in closer and closer to her.

“What do you think about that, Red? That’s definitely NOT a friendly distance he’s keeping between them. Walk closer to their table, we need to back him up.”

“I agree.”

As Kurama passed their table, he let the smallest amount of his ki flow out to the flowers in the vase sitting in the center of the table. Directing it with precision, he sent the pollen from the petals out into the air, directly at Hojo’s face. When the man started sneezing, Kurama smiled. As the sneezing continued, Hojo excused himself and left the room.

“That was an interesting solution,” Shippou commented with a grin.

“Thank you,” Kurama acknowledged the compliment.

“Kurama!” Kagome hissed. “Don’t think I didn’t feel that.”

“Gomen nasai, Kagome. It slipped,” he said with a wink.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

When Hojo returned, he had one of the waiters with him to remove the vase. He sat down, but made no move to take her hand again. Instead he took a few cubes of ice from his water glass and wrapped them in his napkin and then wrapped it around one of his hands. Curious, Kagome looked at his hand and saw that it was severely red, and seemed to be almost at the point of blistering in the palm.

“Hojo, what happened to your hand?”

“They’re having some sort of plumbing problem in the men’s room -- I turned on the cold water to wash my hands and face, but it came out scalding hot. It’ll be okay.” He smiled at her.

Under her breath, she muttered, “Hiei.”

At the next table, Shippou burst out laughing.
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During the meal, Kagome explained to Hojo that she and Hiei were going to go camping for the next couple of days. She said they needed some time alone to talk things out and make some decisions about their relationship. Hojo frowned, but he told her he understood. When they were done eating, he asked her to take a walk with him. She told him she couldn’t go far, as she still needed to gather some supplies for the next few days.

He led her around to the side of the resort to a small, fenced-in garden area where an old-fashioned swing hung from a huge tree in the middle. He smiled and asked her if she wanted to try it, and offered to give her a push. She agreed with a smile and giggled in delight as he rolled up his sleeves and set her swinging at a slow, gentle pace. Somehow, it reminded her of an old movie she had seen as a young girl -- a rather romantic movie, where the dashing young man courted the girl in much this same way under the watchful eyes of her chaperone. The thought really made Kagome laugh, as she was highly aware that she had 8 chaperones of her own in the immediate vicinity.

After a few minutes, the swing stopped, and she just sat there contentedly. Hojo leaned against the swing with one hand on the nearest rope, looking down at her. She was absolutely breathtaking. No other woman had ever made him feel the way she did. He leaned over and brushed his lips across hers, caressing her cheek with the backs of his fingers.

“Hojo, I …”

“Shhhh.” He placed a finger against her lips. “Let me speak.”

He knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his. “I know you are feeling conflicted right now, and I understand that you need to settle things with the man you came here with. But, Kagome, I want you to seriously consider what I have to say.”

Her eyes widened and she suddenly felt butterflies flitting around in her stomach, accompanied by a tingling sensation at the back of her neck. She was in shock as she realized what was about to happen, and she had no idea how she felt about it.

“You and I have known each other for a long time. And you know I have always had feelings for you. Even when we went our separate ways when I left for University, I knew we would see each other again. I am not the same silly, awkward boy I was back then, but my feelings for you haven’t changed. They’ve only grown stronger and deepened into a more mature love and passion. I love you with all my heart and soul, and my fondest dream is spend my life with you -- loving you, taking care of you, having a family with you. I don’t expect you to answer me right now, but while you are gone these next few days, I want you to think about me -- about us.” He paused briefly and gazed into her eyes. “Kagome, will you marry me?”
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