Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Par Tout Autre Nom ❯ The Absence of Logic ( Chapter 30 )

Disclaimers: Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho belong respectively to Rumiko Takahashi and Yoshihiro Togashi.

A/N: -holds up hands in a placating gesture- Ah, heh… I've had a few emails of confusion that I can clarify here regarding one or two things. One being the reference to the "shogun" that Naraku devoured. To be honest, I don't watch the dub mainly because it makes me cry, so I don't know how they address that, but, Naraku stole his current body from the young lord of the manor where the taijiya were killed and Kohaku was possessed. He doesn't really have "his own" face, he just picks bodies he likes.

-unhappy sigh- The dub also nearly destroys Miroku's character, and if you've seen the original Japanese version, you understand what I'm talking about. He's much deeper than he's made out to be in the dub, but he's a character of nuances, speech patterns, and all sorts of teensy little things that make him awesome but don't translate accurately into English.

As for why Kagome reacted to the name "Reiko," it's actually a teensy little thing from an actual legend. Reiko was a Japanese hero who was most renowned for his encounters with giant spiders, and no, not the normal kind, the legend is basically that he liberated the country of mountain spiders, who were an evil, terrorizing race of youkai. Hence… the irony. ^.~ -giggles-

And I must take my moment to shower love and adoration upon all my readers, junkies, reviewers, and various chat buddies. You're completely fabulous and you make all those times Kazusa sits on me and screams to write worth it. -sweatdrop- Seriously, I really do look forward to hearing what about the story you're enjoying, and hearing your speculations for the future. -grin- We'll just have to see if you're right as it comes around. -bows and blows prodigious kisses-

<~*~*~*~>

By Any Other Name

~The Absence of Logic~

"Shinju?!" Yuusuke's stunned yell echoed uncomfortably loud off the walls of the room, drawing a wince and a glare from Hiei that went completely ignored as he took a step forward and pointed an accusing figure and the unmoved monk. "You little shit! How did you get here, and what the hell are you playing at?"

Kurama's eyes had narrowed after his own initial shock had passed, unaware of the way his spine had gone perfectly straight as instinct kicked in and had him studying every inch of the proclaimed god who seemed content to stand there while Yuusuke screamed insults his way, "No… not Shinju…" It's his eyes… This man's eyes aren't blue like Shinju, they're violet, and his features are sharper, more cleanly defined. Shinju is still a boy, but this is a man grown.

`This is proof,' Youko corrected smugly. `It's the verification we were looking for. The only explanation for such an extreme resemblance is that Shinju is a direct descendant of this monk… but his eyes are identical to Kagome's. And that means it had to be one of her prior incarnations that created the line with "Houshi-sama." Her soul must have belonged to the other wife that was killed.'

"Correct," he dipped his head in a single nod of mocking agreement to the Kurama's negation of the words. "I am not Shinju-chan."

"But he's one of yours, isn't he?" Kurama arched an eyebrow, silently daring him to deny that association.

"He is one of many descendants, yes," the smile on the monk's face turned perfectly smug, almost dreamy as his lashes lowered to shield glowing, introspective eyes. "Shinju traces a pure line back to Kazenatsu… my first son, and the first child given to our family by my beautiful second wife."

`That was more forthcoming than I expected him to be,' Youko frowned slightly, trying to puzzle out just why he had offered so much information. `Be careful, Hiei, he isn't finished playing with us yet.'

I never would have guessed, Hiei clenched his fist around the hilt of his sword, dying to kick the kitsune for thinking he couldn't come up with that on his own, but unwilling to take his eyes off the calm monk reminiscing in front of them.

"The resemblance is striking," Kurama inserted a note of respect into that remark, easily reading the pride and affection this particular descendant was regarded with.

"He is beautiful, isn't he? Just as powerful as any monk born before the lines around the world diluted and humans ceased believing in their own magic," he sighed happily, lifting his hand up and pressing his lips briefly to his curled forefinger in a show of silent respect for something they didn't understand. But then, the glove and rosary beads wrapped around his that hand and reminding them starkly of the way the cousins had adorned their arms in the taijiya outfits captured their full attention before they'd begun to consider the action.

"Your descendants mimic you," Hiei looked pointed at that hand, not at all surprised by the way the monk's brows lifted innocently as he made a sound of realization.

"Ahh, the glove and sealing beads? Now that you mention it, I suppose I do recall seeing such things worn among my children," he reached up to trace his fingertips over the strand, the smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Youth will show respect to the gods in the strangest of ways at times."

`And there he goes,' Youko's eyes sparkled with amusement, grinning widely as he leaned forward in eager anticipation of verbally sparring with this god. `He's warming up to try and talk us in circles.'

You get excited by the strangest things, Kurama mentally sighed, but secretly admitted he was just as eager as Youko to hear what the monk had to say to them.

"That's shit and you know it," Yuusuke spat out and folded his arms over his chest, spreading his feet into a wider stance in a reflexive show of aggression that had amusement lighting in those deep violet eyes. "What does it mean?"

The expression seemed to freeze on the monk's face, perfectly mild and calm while his eyes glittered with something indecipherable for a long breath until he tilted his head to one side and remarked, "You are still very young, aren't you? Perhaps… but no, such thoughts are inappropriate and would not accomplish a worthwhile end."

Youko couldn't help but snicker to himself at the rage that crossed Yuusuke's face under that vague statement that proved he spoke just like he wrote when he needed to: purposefully teasing with hints of deeper knowledge and meaning without saying a single word that made sense.

"Listen, you-!"

"Shinbatsu," he chirped out with a perfectly charming smile, curling the gloved fingers into a loose fist in front of his mouth, but leaving his fore and middle fingers pointing up as he pressed them to his lips.

"Wha-" Yuusuke had just started when a streak of black lightning abruptly ripped through the ceiling and slammed into him from above, completely obliterating him from view as Botan shrieked and darted back behind a perfectly unfazed Kaede.

Kurama and Hiei blinked in surprise, watching in awe as that lightning vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving Yuusuke sprawled flat on his stomach and lightly smoldering while he twitched and groaned, That… is highly impressive.

`That was a warning,' Youko shook his head and glanced back at the monk still standing in that meditative pose, one eye peeking open and focusing on him pointedly. `And that is telling us he's most interested in talking to us specifically rather than as a group.'

How do you know that? Hiei briefly wondered if he should kick at Yuusuke to check if he was dead, but decided against it when Kurama's focus on Houshi-sama became much more serious and direct.

`I told you, this guy is a conartist, pure and simple,' Youko offered a disdainful sniff at repeating himself when he felt the youkai should have seen it for himself given his own history. `He speaks our language.'

For your sake, I hope you are correct, Hiei snorted and took a sliding step backwards to put Kurama in front of him, but still positioned himself to be ready if necessary. I am not in the mood to suffer a god-strike for the success of your sex life, no matter how bored I may find myself.

"Hachi tells me that you were a great thief once, Youko Kurama," his brows lifted, disturbingly making him look unassuming and curious, as though making small talk instead of interrogating the wary kitsune. "A great thief who was not tempted by the stories of the Shikon-no-Tama…"

Hachi? Kurama's brow furrowed as he tried to place the name before Youko brushed it aside as unimportant.

`It's a distraction, don't follow it,' he instructed patiently, making a vague dismissive gesture. `He wants us to tell him if his information is right, but he's fishing for reasons why we wouldn't go after the jewel at the same time.'

"I was more enchanted with stories of treasures hidden in China than in a single jewel that was only good for a shortcut to rumored power and fame," Kurama folded one arm up across his chest to absently curl his fingers over his own shoulder, unaware of the way his eyes rimmed with gold around the pupils as he allowed Youko to spill over and mingle with his consciousness for that answer. "Only the weak and undisciplined would seek out an artifact to grant them more strength rather than gain it through more… natural methods."

"Indeed," he flicked a hand, tucking his legs up beneath him and looking for all intents and purposes as though he'd just seated himself on air as he settled back comfortably. "Such silly dreams, to chase something so very fragile beneath a legendary strength, only to find your prize taken out of your reach time and again by a greater force."

`That had better not be a double meaning about our lover,' Youko twitched slightly inside their mind, humming with a new tension that set Kurama on edge as well. `I don't care who he was to her in her past lives, she's mine now.'

Hiei couldn't resist smiling and pointing out, You're obviously thinking it does, so I'd say it's safe to guess he wants that on your mind. I'm ready to admit you were right though, he makes it sound perfect, like an art.

`Beautiful, isn't it?' Youko grinned abruptly despite his lingering possessive irritation. `I haven't had a chance to cross wits with such worthy opponents in so long that I hardly know what to do with myself now that I have so many options to choose from.'

Gods help me, you're having fun even when we're at a disadvantage, Kurama wanted so badly to roll his eyes, but the monk's gaze had not once left him since he'd casually fried Yuusuke with that bolt.

`Don't be silly, Kurama, that's when it's the most fun!' Youko chirped out, his tail practically wagging as he sat back and crossed his legs in an elegant motion designed to annoy his other side even more. `Now stop ignoring Houshi-sama before he gets bored and takes it out of our ass unpleasantly. I've never been fond of lightning.'

Kurama's lips pursed for a moment as he returned his thoughts to trying to decipher what the silent deity wanted from him before he sighed and offered honestly, "I earn my victories without relying on enhancements, but I don't allow any prize I have won to be taken from me without permission, regardless of the circumstances."

He could have sworn he saw the monk's lips curve upward at the corners, but it came and went so rapidly it may have been a trick, "Pride before the fall."

`That was definitely directed at us,' Youko frowned thoughtfully as he tried to puzzle that into place with the rest of the discussion, but too many pieces were still missing. `Damn… he's rearranging the pieces-`

What the hell are you talking about? Hiei gave him a look that said he'd clearly lost his mind at last.

Youko waved him off with a snort of annoyance at having his thoughts disrupted, `Quiet. I'm thinking. We must be close to something important if he's stepping in to throw out such confusing remarks personally.'

"My family will not guide you to the jewel, Youko Kurama," the words were more candid than anything else he'd said, but still held a wealth of suggestion laced throughout what was just beneath them in the innuendos of his tone. "If you are bringing yourself into association with my descendants for such a thing, you will find nothing but punishment awaits you and your friends."

"Is that what you're afraid of?" Kurama arched and eyebrow, falling back into the same stance that had infuriated youkai for ages of his existence, relaxed and arms folded as he regarded the deceptively calm monk. "That I'm hunting for the jewel through your descendants?" And your reborn wife?

Those violet eyes nearly closed, staying focused on him as though stripping away every last barrier around them to see straight to the soul and the words he didn't say, "Your attempt to take the precious treasures of my family will not end as you anticipate if you proceed in this manner. My children will jealousy guard all things that belong to them even without my influence to guide them."

"Funny that you would suggest such selfish qualities in children descended from a union involving two wives," Kurama couldn't resist pointing that out, carefully readied ki skating just below the surface of his skin at the chill that traced down his spine. Damn, he's good… I can't tell if he's talking about the jewel or if he's actually openly warning us about their relation to Kagome. "One would think you would have taught your bloodlines how to share their toys after your own experience."

Now the smile was something that startled Youko to see on any creature that was not a pureblood kitsune, malicious and dark with an almost cruel twist of amusement that made his eyes flash before the entire expression returned to pious stoicism in the blink of an eye, "My wives were kept very dear to my hearts."

`In other words, he was a jealous bastard when he was alive and passed it along to his children,' Youko snickered, squaring his shoulders and deciding it would be far safer to treat this person as he would another of his own kind after that display. `He would never have allowed another man close to his wives in such a way without his supervision.'

You're reading too much into that, Kurama inwardly shook his head. That Sango-sama didn't appear the least bit restricted in the way you're suggesting.

`There are different levels of jealousy and restriction, Kurama, don't be dense,' Youko scolded. `Trust me on this, this is not a man who shared the affections of his wives amongst other men well if at all.'

Then are you being warned away from the miko or is this still about the jewel? Hiei hated to admit it, but for some reason, he was having difficulties following along the careful words and hooded looks. He had to fight against the urge to growl and shake his head under the strange disorientation that seemed to be trying to insinuate itself into his mind, eyeing the deity with more blatant caution, He's doing something to the air in here…

`He's creating confusion,' Youko nodded in agreement, tilting their head to one side as they studied him another moment in silence, brows snapping low when a circular image seemed to flicker across his forehead. But the symbol was gone so quickly it seemed nothing more than a trick of light and shadow, `Dammit, what if he's a chaos god? I'm not sure I can win against him in a verbal match if he is…'

Kurama's brows lifted, unable to stop his show of surprise at the fact that Youko had so easily admitted to a potential failure without sounding upset at all, Youko-?

Youko snorted and let out a soft chuckle, sliding his arms around their soul again to comfort his anxiety, `Baka. Even I know there are some fights I can't win, but having them be against a worthy opponent such as a god is not a shameful thing. It's enough for our pride to be considered on equal footing to even challenge a higher being after all.'

Now Hiei did roll his eyes at hearing the kitsune so unashamedly compare himself to a deity, If your ego grows any larger, you'll start suffocating every creature living and unliving for a thirty mile radius.

`Jealousy of our confidence will not win you any favors for the future, hybrid,' Youko turned up his nose.

Kurama decided to step in before the discussion in his head could degenerate any further, clearing his throat and lifting his hand to slide through his hair in a lazy gesture of his own arrogance, "Why are you behaving in such a secretive manner towards a history that should be common knowledge?"

"If it should be common knowledge, Youko Kurama, why are you not more familiar with the events that occurred within your own lifespan?" he returned with that same simply questioning look, but his eyes were sparkling with mirth. "The legend did not begin to fade into obscurity until the barriers were created to split our realm into the three levels that are maintained now. You have had… ample opportunity to ask your questions of the creatures who lived through our nightmare firsthand."

Censure, Kurama set his jaw, perfectly able to translate that without Youko's help.

`No shit.'

You should have expected it, Fox, Hiei reminded him. You are fond of reminding me how very old you are, and he's right, this is all from a time you were already making your reputation. Unlike the rest of us.

`Shut up, Hiei.'

"Life does not carry so many difficulties if one doesn't go looking for troubles that have nothing to do with his own battles," Kurama offered the shrug as Youko settled in to watch for any clues as to what way to take the conversation.

"Strange words to come from the most notorious thief within the circles of Makai."

"Near death serves a harsh lesson," Kurama dipped his head to show he felt that remark well aimed. "I separated my soul from a body to escape that fate once, I'm not entirely certain how successful it would be if I were foolish enough to be forced to do so again."

Botan and Hiei turned startled looks on the kitsune to hear him speaking so openly about that part of his past, but stayed out the conversation respectfully at the way the two men seemed to be ignoring them in favor sizing each other up with a sort of sophisticated aggression. Hiei found it strangely entertaining, shaking off the impression that Kurama had finally located a kindred soul in this bizarre god, as both seemed to revel and shine in the confrontation with its careful non-information and seeking questions.

Finally he couldn't resist taunting lightly, Perhaps this "Houshi-sama" is a patron god to your kind, Fox.

Youko let out a startled laugh at the suggestion, shaking his head and grinning internally, `Cute, but no. If he were a kitsune deity or patron, I would know him. We have our ways of keeping up to date on who not to piss off in the higher levels.'

Hiei blinked in mild surprise at that casual answer, making a mental note to tie the damn kitsune down once they were out of these ridiculous confrontations and get a few answers about just what made him tick before he ended up on the other end of that instructive tone one more time. It was just damned creepy to have a youkai who'd spent the better part of their friendship trying to instigate an intimate relationship with him sounding so educated as he dropped out obscure bits of such impressive information.

There were just some times that he wasn't sure he understood Kurama as well as he thought he did, and for some reason, that thought bothered him.

But only a little.

"Ah, so that's how your avatar was created," the monk folded his hands into the sleeves of his kimono, tilting his head as he seemed to ponder over a thought before bringing one hand free with an ofuda held between two fingers. "But I am more interested in seeing your soul."

Kurama fell back a step, eyes widening in alarm when he felt the wave of holy magic radiating off that innocent looking paper, "What are-!?"

A flick of his hand had the ofuda streaking across the space separating them faster than even Hiei's eyes could follow, connecting with Kurama's chest and filling the hall with the near deafening sound of magic crackling over his body as it expanded and wound tightly around his limbs. Under their alarmed gazes, the kitsune threw back his head, eyes clenched shut and teeth bared as his body began to stretch and change, ears elongating and color leeching from his hair rapidly until the human body had been completely overtaken by Youko's original form.

Kurama fell to his knees, bracing the fall on his hands and gasping deep gulps of air into his lungs as his muscles shuddered and protested the forced speed of the transformation, energy fighting to restore itself to a battle-ready level while one golden eye opened to focus on the smirking monk, "You…"

"Well, well… this is a surprise," he interrupted, tucking his hands calmly back into his sleeves and leaning back as he regarded the kitsune with a critical eye. "Youko Kurama is a silver spirit? How very delightful."

`Fucking gods, I don't want to feel that shit again,' Youko shivered as the last of the holy energy retracted back into the ofuda and burned the paper away as though it had never been. `This bastard wasn't an ordinary monk.'

Kurama? Hiei took a step forward, scowling at the amused look that crossed the deity's face as the kitsune pushed himself back on his haunches, keeping one palm on the floor for balance and crossing the other to rest over his thigh as he regained his breath and bearings. Kurama, are you all right?

Knocked the wind out of us, but we're all right, Kurama assured him in a subdued voice. I've never felt any holy magic like that… it was…

`Incredible.'

"Koenma will be asking for you," his expression changed abruptly back to that harmless, charming smile, gesturing towards the wall at his side with his head as a door opened to reveal the outer chamber leading to the prince's offices. "One can only dally for so long after all."

"You're dismissing us?" Hiei rounded on him with a scowl. What the hell? What was the point of this meeting?!

Us, Kurama gritted out, forcing himself to rise and frowning at his body. He wanted to meet us, and now he has. He's accomplished what he wanted for now and he intends to plan again before we confront him further.

"I am a god," he reminded again with a nod before he let out a wistful sigh and lowered his legs to stand once more. "As such I am quite busy, and there are duties that must be attended to. As well as your own duties," he gestured to Botan and gave her a wink that had her gripping the oar more firmly again. "Now then, Botan! Would you do me the honor-?"

The monk was suddenly laid out flat on the ground, Sango standing over him with a fist clenched and eyebrow twitching as she growled out, "I should have known."

"My beautiful Sango! How could you be so cruel to your weak and handsome husband?" he whined out, coming to his feet in a fluid motion and taking both her hands in his as he pulled her in closer when to their stunned amazement, one of his hands moved down and firmly squeezed her backside.

That earned him a ringing slap that had them reflexively wincing as Sango dusted off her hands in exasperation before she looked up at the blank confusion on their faces and gestured over her shoulder to offer the explanation, "That worthless excuse for a caretaker is starting to get antsy. You'd best head that way before he panics and causes any more trouble than he already has."

Did he just-? Kurama blinked as his mind tried to process the little scene they had just witnessed.

`He groped her,' Youko snickered and shook his head, amusement restored and feeling his own discomfort had been retaliated. `So that's what they meant about Shinju's hand problem.'

Some monk, Hiei snorted, stepping back from the infuriated woman and keeping his eyes on both gods as Botan managed to get Yuusuke onto the oar and hurried out of the chamber, casting a quick look back to be sure they were following.

"What about this?" Kurama gestured to his body with a slight frown while Youko tried to urge him to keep it just to see Koenma's reaction to him sauntering into his office.

Sango made a face, folding her arms over her chest, "Your change isn't a permanent one. That human body will be restored once you leave our hall, won't it, Houshi-sama?"

"Of course, Sango!" he looked offended that she would suggest he would do anything so underhanded as trap the kitsune in his original form, but the look he slanted Kurama over her head when she wasn't looking suggested he had indeed been thinking of doing just that.

"Please accept my apologies for my husband's behavior if he offended you," Sango brought her elbow into his stomach before his hand could reach its destination a second time when he came to stand behind her, smiling at the satisfying "oomph" that escaped him. "And good luck on your mission."

"Thank you, Sango-sama," Kurama offered her a deep bow, smiling at the pleased surprise on her face and mentally urging Hiei to follow him out on that note. He recognized the dismissal in her words, and showing a good faith gesture without argument now would likely bring their second meeting much sooner than later.

He hasn't answered all our questions, Hiei remarked sourly as they passed the archway and Kurama's body rippled and shrunk back down just as promised, this time without a hint of pain or weakness.

And he won't right now, Kurama patted down their body to check for any lingering effects of the transformation with a snort of wry amusement. That bastard. He gave us that taste of his power on purpose.

`You expected anything less?' Youko chuckled, stretching out languidly in their soul with a pleased smile. `I think that went well, don't you?'

Hiei just rolled his eyes, absently wondering at his own sanity for being involved with these people as they obediently followed Botan to their next "crisis" meeting with the high-strung caretaker of Reikai.

Blissfully unaware of the eyes that continued to watch until they were out of sight before the doorway to the Hall of Records slid closed and left the trio within smiling with varying degrees of pleased satisfaction.

Miroku slid his arms around Sango's waist from behind and pressed a kiss to her cheek with a quiet chuckle, "Your timing is as impeccable as ever, dear Sango."

She leaned back to give him an arch look, "You ever doubted?"

"Of course not, my beautiful wife," he sighed dreamily and rubbed his cheek against her hair before a wicked smile crossed his lips. "And it seems our little Kagome has finally re-emerged."

"Shame on you for using them to pinpoint her," Sango shook her head and pushed out of his arms, clasping her hands behind her back to offer Kaede a bow and a smile. "What did you think of them, Kaede-sama? Should we agree to Miroku's ridiculous plans this time?"

Kaede chuckled and walked back over to the table to watch Kanna write, resting her hand on the former youkai's head with motherly affection before she answered, "I am willing to trust his judgment in this matter. Houshi-sama's love for her prevents him from involving her in a matter that would prove unpleasant."

"I have only Kagome-sama's best interests at heart at all times," he pressed his hand over his own heart, expression somber in a gesture of true sincerity.

Sango smiled gently, reaching up to cup his cheek and bring him down for a soft kiss as she shook her head and looked back at the blank wall, "In any other circumstances I would be suspicious, but… Kaede-sama's correct."

Miroku's brows rose, "Sango! I'm hurt to think that you would doubt my intentions!"

She tilted her head and drawled out meaningfully, "Said the God of deception."

Kaede and Sango shared a chuckle at the affront on his face, "Please! I am but a humble servant of Buddha-"

"That stopped working when you died, Houshi-sama," Sango patted him on the head, but sighed and looked wistfully towards the mirror hidden behind the concealing mists. "But… I also believe Kagome-chan deserves all the happiness we can give her after being taken away from us."

Miroku smiled, "Then you're in agreement?"

"I'm in agreement."

<:………:>

Kagome rolled her eyes as she slid across the kitchen floor carelessly on her socks, sticking her tongue out towards the living room where she could hear Souta laughing over Shippou's running commentary of the video they were watching. He was enjoying watching her earliest attempts at being trained a little too much for her to not feel the need to be there to clock him over the head for his taunting remarks, and highly suspected it was the reason they'd ganged up and voted her to be the one to answer the insistent ringing.

She sighed and reached for the trilling phone with a soft, disparaging mutter, "It's not fair that I have to be the one to get the phone just because I was there, Shippou was too. Boys, honestly… Moshi moshi?"

"Ah! Kagome-chan? Kagome-chan, is that you?"

Kagome jerked the phone to arm's length at the volume of that girlish shriek coming through the receiver, wincing as she rubbed her ringing ear and tried to place the voice echoing in rapid-fire tones through the plastic, What in the world?

"Eri?" Kagome blinked in surprise, bringing it back to a workable distance and frowning in confusion as she spoke louder. "Eri-chan? How did you get this number?"

"You should have given it to me, Kagome-chan!" Eri protested in a loud whine on the other end, proving she had guessed her old classmate's voice correctly. "Just like you should have called me first! Good gods, do you know how embarrassing it was to have to hear it from Arimi-chan, and she heard it from Aiko-chan, and she says she heard it from-"

"Whoa, Eri-chan, stop! Breathe!" Kagome urged in confusion, leaning back against the counter with a frown as she shifted the phone to her other hand and brought it a little closer to her ear. "What on earth are you talking about? Told you what?"

"Hojou-kun told me you were back in town, and we were going to get together to visit you once we all had a day off, but then I got that call from Arimi-chan," she was speaking so quickly Kagome had to frown and walk deeper into the kitchen to filter out the noise from the living room. "How could you? Mou, Kagome-chan, I thought we were your best friends and you didn't even tell us! We could have-"

"Wait, Eri-chan, what didn't I tell you?" Kagome cut her off before she could start rambling again. "What are you talking about?"

"Kagomeeee! You're still being evasive!" Eri's voice had her yanking the phone away again and staring at it like it had come alive and turned into a poisonous thing. "Why didn't you tell us that you were in a relationship with Minamino-sempai!?"

Kagome's mind blanked, eyes going up to the ceiling as she mentally went back over all her acquaintances to figure out what the easily excited girl could possibly be talking about, "Who?" Dear gods, don't let this be another matchmaking disaster…

The shriek that single, distracted word brought out was almost enough to convince her to fling the phone to the furthest corner of the kitchen before her ears suffered permanent damage, but she caught herself at the last second and tried to filter out anything useful in that whining lament rising from the receiver. To her utter relief, it finally seemed to wind down into actual words again, "Don't be dense, Kagome-chan! Being sick doesn't give you an excuse to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about! We talked about him all the time when we started high school before you had to leave for your treatments, don't you remember?"

"No, I don't. I don't know what you're talking about," Kagome remarked dryly, regretting it when Eri wailed again. "Mou! Eri-chan, calm down! You're acting like the world is coming to an end."

Eri continued as if Kagome hadn't spoken, "Acting like I wouldn't know the name of Minamino-sempai, honestly, Kagome-chan! His scores are only practically legendary in the district, and not just that but he's gorgeous! How could you keep this to yourself?"

Legendary scores? Kagome felt her eyebrow kick up in amusement at that description, lips twitching against the urge to start laughing. The future has such ridiculous things to be proud over, she shook her head and tried to think back to the rumors in high school, brow furrowed as the name finally seemed to tweak some vague memory through the other, infinitely more important concerns she'd been having at the time. Okay, so maybe I have heard of him. That was a long time ago though, what was it about-?

"And you can't deny it, because there are witnesses!" she could just see the girl pointing accusingly even over the phone.

The smile faded and Kagome's brows lowered suspiciously, "Witnesses?" What the hell? Is this-?

"Oh please… You weren't even trying to hide it," Eri snorted in annoyance. "Arimi-chan said that Aiko-chan said-"

"Nevermind all that, Eri-chan, just tell me what they said," Kagome made an impatient gesture with her hand.

"You were practically making out with Minamino-sempai in a restaurant this morning. In full public view, Kagome-chan, how shameless!" Eri squealed out, daring her to deny that bold statement with the edge in her voice.

Kagome let out a groan and smacked her hand over her eyes as that remark processed, very clearly snapping her attention to the only person "Minamino-sempai" could possibly be, "Oh damn."

"Don't you `oh damn' me, Kagome-chan," Eri scolded, but now it was clear the girl was feeling triumphant. "Admit it! You finally dumped that guy and went after Minamino-sempai."

"Eri-chan, are you absolutely sure they said it was Minamino?" Kagome prodded, trying to buy herself time to come up with an excuse, or at least remember what his first name had been since the girl thought the relationship was on a more serious level, and denying that after the scene they'd made would admittedly be in poor taste. Can't exactly come out and say he's really a youkai and he hasn't gotten around to telling me his other name… That and the human girl wouldn't understand there was a great deal more intimacy in knowing that name over the one he'd assumed to fit in.

Eri made a disgusted sound, "Right… because it's so easy to mistake the Minamino Shuuichi with anyone else. C'mon, Kagome-chan, do you think we're stupid? Mayako-chan was part of his fanclub for five years straight, she wouldn't make that kind of mistake."

"Fan…club…?" no doubt about it, there was definitely a laugh just dying to break free of her control and shake the house on its foundations at that little gem of information. Oh gods… a fanclub! Oh this is going to be good.

"How many boys with that color hair are in Japan, Kagome-chan?" Eri scolded in frustration. "And no one could possibly be as pretty as Minamino-sempai! I'll forgive you for not thinking about his scores because you were so sick and missed so often, but you have to tell me everything now! How did you meet? When did you meet?! How did you two start dating? Is it serious?" A pause, a shriek, and then the high-pitched demand was ringing through the phone, "Kagome-chan! Are you pregnant?"

Kagome dropped the phone.

"Kagome-chan? Kagome-chan! Moshi moshi?!"

Gritting her teeth, she scooped it up and hissed out, "Good gods, Eri-chan, just because I was kissing him, it doesn't automatically mean I'm pregnant! What are we in high school still?!"

Eri let out a triumphant shout, "Ah HA! Then you are dating! It's serious, ne, ne? Mayako-chan said it was really hot-"

"ERI-CHAN!" Kagome felt her cheeks heat, silently vowing to make a certain incorrigible kitsune pay dearly for failing to prepare her for this particular conversation. He was going to take full responsibility for her embarrassment, or she was going to go back on her word and let Sesshoumaru at him for real.

"Well that's what she said," she pouted over the phone. "What number is this anyway? Ooooh, is this Minamino's number? Did I interrupt something?"

She bit her tongue against a less than pleasant response at the eager note that had entered her friend's voice, letting out a defeated sigh and forcing herself to answer rather than hang up, "This is my home phone number, Eri-chan. Ku- Shuuichi-kun is away on business, and I'm having a night in with my brother and the rest of the family. Didn't my mother tell you I took a job with another temple for training?"

"Ah, now that you mention it, I think she did," Eri hummed thoughtfully before perking up to chirp out again. "So… details?"

"I'm hanging up on you, Eri-chan," Kagome gritted out.

"Ah, ah… I see," Eri purred out slyly. "That's how it is. Did you two just decide to get more serious-?"

Kagome disconnected the call with a muttered curse, setting the phone carefully on the counter before she gave into the urge to fling it out the window in frustration. Annoyed, she reached up into her hair and poked at the sleeping rose, "Tell him I'm going to kill him again when he gets back for this."

The rose grunted and wound a vine around her finger, pressing another of its odd "kisses" against it before letting her go, patting her on the head, and going back to sleep, completely unimpressed and unconcerned with her temper as it left her silently fuming over the apparent infamy of her tenacious kitsune "lover" in human society.

Blowing out a heavy sigh, Kagome forced it out of her mind and turned to rejoin her family, determined to put him out of her mind as long as she could with pleasant memories of the past.

Night just came too quickly sometimes, and with it all the whisperings and fantasies that she managed to push away in the light of day…

Then again, Kagome's mind whispered rebelliously despite her efforts to silence it, it's gone too quickly as well.

But if any of the boys noticed the blush staining her cheeks from those lingering thoughts when she stiffly rejoined them on the floor in front of the television, then wisely gave no sign.