Now listen up sugar plums, we have some business to take care of. This is my fifth story out right now, and I'm quite proud of it, and naturally I want other people to be proud of it too, but I understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinions. All the same, I'm giving you fair warning,
IF THE IDEA OF A GAY INUYASHA DISGUSTS YOU, TURN BACK NOW.
Now before we get things started, this is a whatchamacallit, an alternate universe fic. Set in New York. Tons of fun. Before we get this show on the road, we'll do the disclaimer.
I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA. I DON'T OWN ASPIRIN, I DON'T OWN JACK DANIELS. I DON'T OWN NEW YORK EITHER. THANK YOU.
***
Chapter One-I Should Have Known Better
***
I should have known better. It had all been too good to be true. There was no way in hell that I, Kagome Higurashi, could have ever reeled in such a catch. There was just no way. The whole confrontation was a week behind me, but it was still fresh in my mind. Everyday I woke up (assuming I had slept at all) and it felt like yesterday, or if I happened to be in denial, a bad dream. Every morning and every night I buried my nose in my pillow and cried.
I was so upset, I even made Inuyasha sleep with me. The days wore on, and being the stupid person that I was, I had tried during the first few to get up and try to piece my life back together. What a splendid disaster that was.
I distinctly remember the day that I broke into tears at work. I remember how Riba had pulled me into the back room with a little bustle of co-workers in tow. Surrounded by women who were anywhere from twenty to thirty years older than me, with the exception of Jordan, I gushed my whole story out and only felt worse when they cooed and comforted me. I mean really, I am such a spoiled little crybaby bitch. Is it all really that bad that I have to concern perfectly good people with my problems?
Yes it is.
Inuyasha muttered in his sleep beside me, and I turned over to look at his face. I realized with a start of anger that the little bitch had been wearing my fucking Chanel lip gloss, and my heart broke as I saw the sixty dollar material smeared horizontally across his face. My grief was quickly replaced by that for my sheets, which were no doubt ruined by now. I was ready to rip the covers off of him and roll him out, when I remembered how he had sacrificed many a good evening on my account, just to sit around on the couch and eat ice cream with me while I felt sorry for myself. That was another thing, he had skipped out on his diet for me.
I smiled, despite my rising headache from drinking myself to sleep the night before; although I was still rather pissed that he had borrowed my make-up. Again. Looking on the bright side, I suppose I should have been glad that he had returned home at all. Last night had been his first club night in a week, the poor baby was deprived, and I hadn't expected him to be back until at least the following Thursday.
His eyes suddenly fluttered open, and he moaned and flipped around. I flopped over him. "Come on princess, it's time to get up."
"Leave me alone."
"Well aren't we pleasant this morning? Did you see any cute guys?"
"Several, but leave me the hell alone or I'll never tell you anything about any of them."
I grinned impishly and touched his cheek. "Wake up and tell me and I might forget about how you borrowed my Chanel lip gloss."
"And I might forget about how you have made me stay home every night for the past week."
It got real quiet, real fast. I didn't readjust my position, which was at that moment my whole torso hanging over his waist as he lay on his side, but I turned my head away and let my hair cover my eyes.
"Kagome, hey, I'm sorry..."
"No, you don't have to be sorry. You're right." I felt the tears welling up in my eyes. If I cried it would be just the most pathetic thing in the world. Well, I had been on a roll for the past seven days, couldn't stop now.
He sat up and wrapped his arms around me. "Hey sweetie, come on, I didn't mean it..." I started to sob. "Shh shh...Baby it's alright..."
"No it isn't! I-I just..."
"Shhh... Come on Kagome, let's sleep some more."
The bed had picked this particular morning to become indescribably comfortable. And facing a long day in a stuffy office with a hangover didn't sound too appealing. I sniffed and my tears slowed a bit.
"But...but I have to go to work."
"Skip today. They won't miss you. I'm sure Riba will fill in for you."
There it was again. People bending over backwards just for me. It sucked.
I sniffed again and found myself lying down, curled up next to Inuyasha. He was rocking us back and forth soothingly. I wrapped my hands up in his long silvery hair. "It's unfair..." I whispered.
"Yeah I know, but it's okay. Go to sleep."
He has the strangest philosophies sometimes. I didn't see how on earth it could possibly be "okay" but when it came from him, I wanted to believe it so much that I gave in within seconds. Inuyasha could be inconsiderate, but only when he wanted to. Otherwise, it was simply a natural talent of his that he could say just the right thing at just the right time.
***
Kouga was the best thing that had ever happened to me. He was the light of my life. He made things perfect because he was perfect. I loved everything about him. His cocky attitude, his strange style, his laziness... He was the epitome of everything male, and I was smitten. Inuyasha didn't readily approve of him, and that of course upset me a little bit. And besides, Kouga made it blatantly obvious that he didn't like Inuyasha either, and you can't really be friends with someone who hates you. I guess the thought of me being alone in an apartment with a guy, granted, a homosexual guy, but still a guy, made Kouga a bit nervous. What an angel... But I assured myself that at our wedding Kouga would ease up, and Inuyasha would see just how great we were together.
Our wedding...I twirled on my toes like a complete idiot at the mere thought of the rapidly approaching event, but a complete idiot was not an uncommon sight in New York, so people didn't really notice.
Central Park...How romantic. Kouga always thought of the best places for dates. He was a little late at the moment, but I consoled myself by remembering the way he had spoken to me over the phone the previous night. The urgency in his voice, like a day without seeing me had really been torture for him.
I looked down at my hand and held it up to the sunshine, watching the sun bounce off the neat little diamond set nicely on its gold band. I couldn't help but giggle. In my heart, despite the fact that it was a little sad being away from him for longer periods of time, I was glad that I had agreed with his decision to have us remain in separate apartments until we were officially married. After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?
My watch told me that he was fifteen minutes late. I had to admit that it was a little strange...Kouga wasn't usually late at all. If anything, I was the one who wound up at the restaurant an hour after planned.
Then again, I was jittery and impish in light of the fact that I was actually going to get married, so I dismissed my concern as just that of a devoted wife-to-be.
Fifteen minutes quickly became a half-an-hour, and I started to actually grow worried. I was on the verge of dialing his apartment with my cell phone when I suddenly saw him walking down the little sidewalk-path that ran through the park. I noticed that just behind him, a girl with bright red hair was following, her eyes downcast.
Kouga himself looked a little worse for wear, as if he hadn't gotten much sleep last night. There were dark circles under his eyes and his hair was just a bit more disheveled than usual.
Unable to wait for him to finally reach me where I sat on a bench, I ran to him and promptly threw my arms around his neck. "Kouga! You're late!" My voice was teasing.
He didn't respond, nor did he look like he was intending to do so anytime soon, so I broke the icy silence by turning my head to the young girl and smiling brightly. "And who's this? A relative?"
"You might say that." The girl whispered quietly. Her flaming hair had been tied into two large ponytails on either side of her head. Her eyes were flashing green, and while they looked a little forlorn, they were piercing.
I thought she was adorable at first sight. "Really?! That's so great! I really like your hair, it's lovely."
She sort of half-smiled and muttered thanks under her breath.
After that, the silence grew considerably noticeable again and I sort of fidgeted, as much as I could anyway, with my arms still wrapped around Kouga's neck. "Hey so...um...what's going on?"
Kouga sighed, the first sound I had heard from him the whole time, and carefully lifted my arms off of him, then held my hands together in both of his own and gave me a hard, knowing look. "K-Kouga...? What's wrong?"
"Kagome, I have something to tell you."
I blushed, certainly we couldn't be romantic while his relative, who looked rather young, was standing right there. Aww hell, he was too cute. Screw it. "Yes Kouga?"
"I don't think..." He looked sideways at the girl, and she nodded. "I don't think...we can be together anymore."
My heart dropped out. I went numb. My eyes grew wide as my lips moved silently. Everything was crashing down suddenly, but I was too rigid to register it. Every muscle I had was detached. It was the worst, empty feeling I had ever had. More than grief, more than crushing despair or agony or regret. The absence of...everything. Because Kouga was everything.
"Why?"
"Kagome..." He said after a long time. "This is Ayame. She is...we have been...seeing each other...for a little while." The strange emptiness grew.
"Seeing each other?" I was surprised that I could even speak at all.
"Kagome."
Silence. I felt something coming, everything I had left in me started screaming for me to cover my ears or run or something. This couldn't be real. This couldn't be real, it just wasn't possible. Run...don't listen...
"She's...going to have a baby."
The shock was almost too much, I almost feinted. I should have feinted. Maybe then I would have fallen and smashed my head on the pavement. Instead my knees buckled and I fell backwards onto the nearest bench. My breathing came in short little gasps. Kouga made no move, but his eyes conveyed a look of deep regret. I would be angered by that look later.
"What?"
"I'm so sorry Kagome." He whispered.
"WHAT?!"
The strangely absent tears finally began slipping out, but I didn't care. Kouga was quiet again, and I looked to Ayame. Her eyes were resting on me, they looked...guilty or embarrassed, but not necessarily ashamed. I didn't know what I was doing then, but I do know it felt very good. The next thing I knew, my right hand was gripping Ayame's shoulder very firmly. My eyes swimming with tears, I bore my teeth and scowled, fighting all of my chaotic emotions to keep from screaming at her until she was deaf. How was it that this little thing was carrying Kouga's child? How was it that she had the privilege I deserved? How could she even think of touching him...He was in love with me. ME. She looked a bit frightened, and I was glad, but then Kouga dragged me away; wrenching my hand from her shoulder and spinning me around to face him.
"Kagome, please understand that-"
My hand stung, but it was a good stinging. I watched the red mark on his face swell a bit from where my hand had hit it full speed.
"How dare you."
I tore my engagement ring from my finger, the first really good thing I had done besides terrifying Ayame and hitting Kouga with all the strength of a raging female. But this counted. Perhaps this would get through that impossibly thick skull of his.
I stalked, enraged, to the nearby street and stood looking out at the cars as they rushed by for a moment. I think Kouga thought I was about to end my life by walking out into traffic, which was certainly not a bad idea, but I had better things to do at that moment. He ran to me, saying something along the lines of, "wait Kagome", when I held the ring up and gave him the most vicious look of loathing I could pull off while I dropped the little scrap of metal into the gutter. It clattered all the way down into the icy depths below, music to my ears. With a satisfying splash I knew it was being taken away, out of my life forever. But not out of my heart.
Kouga stopped still. There was nothing more to be said.
"Goodbye Kouga."
I walked away. I hated him with every fiber of my being. Him, and Ayame. But I wasn't about to get over the love we had had together so easily. No, the relationship we had built was a very good one. I wouldn't forget it. Not for a week at least. After all, my Kouga was gone...my everything...was gone.
***
I woke up crying.
I had relived that experience many times in my dreams. It was getting easier to bear now that it was a week later, but you know...I was still very upset. I had been engaged, for the first time in my life. I had thought I was in love, I probably had been in love, and there was now no way that I could ever get that love back again.
I realized that Inuyasha was not in bed, and sat up, a salty, crusty, bushy mess of hair and tears. "Inuyasha?" I called weakly.
"You up Kagome? I'm making breakfast." He sounded happy. He was always happy when he was cooking.
"Yeah, I'm up." Sniffling and groggy, with a pounding hangover that was just now really surfacing at its worst from my high alcohol intake the night before, I wandered to the bathroom for some aspirin.
My neck was stiff as I rifled through the contents of the cabinet, being unsuccessful in my search. "Inuyasha? Where's the aspirin?"
"We're out."
"Oh that's fucking great..." I muttered to myself. "I have a massive hangover, can you please run to the drugstore or something?"
"But...the eggs will burn." He called sadly from the kitchen.
After swearing and cursing all egg laying creatures straight to hell, I resolved unhappily that I would have to go without relief at least until after breakfast, unless I wanted to attempt an overdose of some other drug, which was probably not in my best interest. So I dragged my feet to the living room of our spacious apartment and collapsed on the couch.
I stared up at the ceiling wordlessly, too lazy and far too ill-tempered to reach for the remote to turn on the T.V. The fan was swirling over my head; it had been our decision not to get an air-conditioning system, and in the height of the summer season, it was absolutely necessary to circulate as much heat out of the apartment as possible. I wanted the fan to stop though. It was making my steadily growing headache more ferocious.
"Inuyasha..." I mumbled, "I'm turning off the fan."
"Shit, don't do that! It's 95 outside today!"
I cursed. "It's making me dizzy..."
"Then close your eyes. There's no way in hell you're turning off the fan in this weather."
I did as I was told and closed my eyes. Stars burst on my eyelids and the constant swish of the fan blades echoed in my head, calling up the image of it whirling and whirling... "It's not working Inuyasha. I can still hear it."
"Put a pillow over your head then!"
I pinned the nearest fluffy throw pillow over my head and groaned beneath it. This wasn't working either. It was hot, cramped, and stuffy, and I emerged minutes later in even worse condition.
"Dammit...I'm turning off this fucking fan right now or else you're going to have a flaming bitch on your hands."
"Spare me." He leaned out of the kitchen and gave me a withering look. "You're a flaming bitch round the clock. If it's so damn bad then go out and get some aspirin yourself. I am occupied fixing your breakfast."
"You just love any excuse to cook!" I accused venomously, "And do you really think I could handle anything without vomiting right now?!"
He chose to respond by poking his hand around the corner and flipping me off. I countered with a vulgar gesture of my own and dragged myself up. Apparently my time in his good graces had been spent, and I had gone from a tragic break-up victim to another rambling single woman just out of a relationship.
I threw on a shirt over my pajamas, and tossing a few choice words in Inuyasha's general direction, slammed the door shut upon my exit.
As I shuffled down the hall, kicking any unfortunate object that happened to be lingering in my path as I went, I shoved my hands into my pockets and tried to ignore the headache that was growing more fierce by the second.
"Kagome?"
A familiar voice called my name, and I closed my eyes, "Dammit..." Turning around, I quickly replaced my murderous look with one of pleasant affect. "Yes?"
"Hey there!" It was my neighbor, Sango, standing there looking pretty and happy and on top of the world, per usual...Sango was a constant fiery topic of discussion between myself and Inuyasha. She was one of our best friends, but at the same time we hated her guts because she was so perfect. It occurred to me at that moment that talking to this cheerful girl would probably brighten my mood, and she might spare me a trip to the pharmacy by perhaps having some aspirin she had in stock, so I stopped to talk with her.
She approached me, running from her apartment door down the hall, tiny delicate feet tapping quietly on the beige carpet as she went. "Nice to see, you...um...Kagome." She was having difficulty choosing her words, as she was well aware of my recent...mishap. Of course her next statement wasn't so precious, she stopped a few feet away, "Whoa, you look like shit! What happened?"
"Yeah, nice to see you too sweetheart." I muttered sourly.
"Sorry, but really, what happened?" She shifted the strap of her bag on her shoulder, adjusting the load.
I shrugged. "Stayed up late. Had a few drinks. You know, the usual."
"Kagome..." Her voice became warning and firm, "You know you shouldn't try and drink your troubles away. It doesn't help."
"Oh to be sure. I have a massive hangover and I'm regretting every Jack Daniels I ever had."
She put her hands on her hips, "Well then what do you think you're doing up? Get to bed, I don't want you to walk out into traffic or something!"
"It just so happens..." I informed her astutely, " That we are out of aspirin, and Inuyasha intends to feed me breakfast this morning even if he has to personally shove it down my throat. You know how he gets when he's making food..."
"Yeah," she drawled, probably recalling old memories of occasions when Inuyasha would almost become violent over matters in the cooking department. "But even so...I can't have you wandering around looking for meds when you look half-dead. Come on, I'll get you some."
"You have stuff?"
"Nah, but I'll make a run to the drugstore for ya." She winked and smiled, one of her moves.
"Thank you so much...." I held her hands in mine and gave her the sincerest look of gratitude I could summon at the time, which probably turned out to be rather grotesque because she quickly released her hands and led me back to my apartment by the shoulder.
"Now..." She cooed, hand poised on the doorknob, "I'll be back in a little bit. Go get some rest."
I thanked her again as she scooted me through the door. Then she popped her head through the frame and told Inuyasha to take it easy on me. To which he replied, "Feh."
"Sango went to go get aspirin."
"Thought so. She's too nice."
"Oh I know..." I took up my previous roost on the couch again. "It's positively sickening..."
"The eggs are almost done."
"If you repeat the name of any food product to me ever again, ESPECIALLY eggs, I will strangle you with my bare hands."
"Eggs."
I hurried to the bathroom, hand clamped over my mouth.
***
Fifteen minutes and five trips to the bathroom later, I was hunched in a corner, a foot away from the toilet. Ready to rush in should the need arise again to relieve my stomach of what little remained of its contents. Sango knocked on the door timidly. "Kagome? I got the aspirin, you think you can swallow something?"
"Come on in Sango...But don't let Inuyasha in. I may be nearly unconscious but I can still beat the shit out of him." I heard him smirking from the beyond the door.
"Shut up Inuyasha," Sango scolded as she slipped in and flipped the lock as an added precaution.
As she knelt down beside me I shouted, "YEAH, YOU LAUGH NOW BUDDY! BUT WHEN I CAN STAND AGAIN YOUR PRISSY LITTLE ASS IS GOING STRAIGHT TO-"
"Shhh...Kagome, here, take this." She ran some water and offered me a glass, accompanied by a little pill.
"Thanks..." I washed it down, and eased down onto my back, sprawling out as much as the tight little space allowed.
"Are you alright?"
I wanted to bark at her; or at least the part of me that was suffering the most from the headache wanted to. But she was going out of her way, like everybody else, just to help little old me. So needless to say, I bit my tongue. But really, did I look alright? Sheesh. "Yeah Sango," I lied, "I'm fine."
"You sure?"
No. "Yes."
"Listen Kagome, you can talk to me if you need to."
"I know that, thank you Sango."
There was a little pause, and Inuyasha could be heard watching T.V. in the next room.
Nervous that I might be offending her with my short responses, even though it was obvious that I was dazed and ill, I tried to make small conversation. "So how's Miroku?"
"Fine...Fine."
I mentally berated myself, Miroku was a bit of a tender subject for Sango. Everyone around her saw that she was mad for him...Except for Miroku. It was devastatingly sad that the guy was never serious. You could see the disappointment in Sango's eyes whenever he would jokingly feel her up, just for fun, but it was even worse when he would proceed to do the same thing to any attractive female around right in front of her. I couldn't understand how they lived together. If anything it seemed like Miroku treated Sango like a sister. Well, maybe not a sister. I guess she was just that attracted to him.
I quickly changed the subject, "Any word from Kirara?"
"Kirara? Yeah, she's good. She just got a leading role in a big Broadway thing."
"Really? Anything familiar?"
She smiled weakly, "Gigi."
"Gigi? I love Gigi!" Actually, all I had seen of it was the little movie. It was one of Inuyasha's favorites. Seeing him prancing around in the kitchen singing "Thank Heaven For Little Girls" was normal.
"Yeah...It should be good."
"We should all go see it when it comes out. You know, drag along Inuyasha and Miroku and Inuyasha's boyfriend at the time or whatever. It'd be fun."
She sighed, "Uh-huh."
I wanted nothing more than to crawl into the tub and sleep, but I could tell something else was bothering Sango besides my stupid revival of the Miroku thing.
"Something wrong?"
She hesitated. "No."
"Sango, please."
"I, tried to...call Kohaku, the other day."
"..."
Kohaku, her little brother. Cute little scamp, but well...He had made a few bad choices in his day. I had never met him. Sango had pictures all over her apartment. She listened for news of him, she probably prayed for him every night. But things had gotten distant between them after they had moved to New York a few years ago. After the car accident that killed her parents. Kirara was old enough to support her little brother and sister with her promising career in acting just beginning, and despite their tragedy, it looked like they would be able to make the fresh start they had dreamed about. But for Kohaku, the youngest of the three, things were harder. The poor kid was only fourteen when it happened. Coming to New York had been difficult, strange, new...unwelcome. He consoled himself by hanging out with the wrong people. He didn't show up at his sisters' apartment for days at a time, and finally, after a violent night of fighting with his siblings, he ran off to join a gang. Sango and Kirara had done everything in their power to stop him, even phoned the police, but they couldn't do a thing. By then Kohaku had been 18, old enough to make his own decisions.
"What happened?"
"They said he couldn't speak with me." That meant he wasn't allowed to speak with her, or refused to speak with her. "And that if I ever tried to call again he would never see me again."
"Sango..." Stupid ass police. Didn't they see the danger of this situation?!
Moments later she was crying, and I was holding her loosely, trying not to vomit into her hair.
***
After twenty minutes of letting the pill sink in, Inuyasha just about broke down the door because breakfast was getting cold. Sango was invited to sit down with us, but she politely declined and slipped out the door with a look that told me I was on my own.
The infamous eggs were chalky and ill-favored in my mouth at that moment, and it took much of my strength to stomach them. I was very aware of Inuyasha watching me like a hawk out of the corner of his eye-uncaring as to if he happened to get food poisoning from his horrendous cooking or not, but totally hellbent on getting a positive reaction from me.
"Good...they're good, Inuyasha." I dabbed my mouth delicately with a napkin and set it down on my lap. Being a smart person, most of the time, I quickly changed the subject before he saw through my act. "So ahhh. . .Kirara is going to be in a new play...Gigi. I think it would be fun to go-"
"What were you talking about, really?"
My food stopped midway to my mouth. I was glad for an excuse to look shocked and stop eating, but given the abrupt switch to that particular department...I would have rather taken my chances with the eggs. "What do you mean?" Play innocent. How many times has that worked for you Kagome?
He gave me a hard, inquiring stare. "You know what I mean."
"I. . ."
Sighing, he set his fork down. "Was it about her brother?"
"Yeah. She. . .tried to call him."
"And?"
"She was threatened."
"Fucking police." He muttered after a time. He produced a cigarette from his pocket and grabbed a pack of restaurant matches from the counter.
"Hang out the window you dope."
"Bite me."
We weren't allowed to smoke in the apartment building, duh. And it was a pretty nice deal, high quality, lots of space, low costs. . .I wasn't giving it up because he didn't have the intelligence to at least let the smoke outside. I strode to the window, throwing it open and pointing. "Haul your royal ass over here right now or the smoke alarm will go off."
He grumbled and shuffled over, hanging over the ledge and looking down casually on the streets below. Suddenly he dropped the cigarette. "Oh shit."
"What?"
"Fuck. . .Miroku's got two sluts hanging off him, and he's drunk. What kind of loser gets drunk in the middle of the day?"
I jostled him for a space in the window and swung my head out. Sure enough, Miroku was draped in trashy women, dressed in little more tea cozies. I placed my head in my hands and immediately knew that the aspirin was going to have a hell of a time combating this particular headache.
"Dammit. Go stall Sango, I'll take care of Miroku."
"You go with Sango! She listens to you, you're her best fr-"
I gave him the look of someone who had recently been hit by a truck. "I have female persuasion."
He was taken aback for a moment, probably forgetting his own gender. Idiot. Then it clicked, and the realization dawned stupidly in his burning yellow eyes. "Oh. Fine." He whirled around and stomped out the door. Obviously he was insulted by my comment.
Yanking down my top a bit and letting my hair loose, I stormed after him. There was no way Miroku was going to help Sango on her way to depression. Twit. Moron. I'm surrounded by idiots. So maybe he didn't know about the current situation with the phone call and the threats and what not, but he shouldn't be dragging strange women into Sango's apartment anyway. After all, it was more or less her apartment, he paid rent with her but she paid rent and cleaned. He had to have at least a little decency. Well...Maybe not Miroku...But still!
I heard Inuyasha slip into Sango's room down the hall as I marched in the opposite direction. I hopped into the rickety elevator and jammed my thumb into the button that would take me to the lobby area. My task would be easy, but totally humiliating. If there were any other way, I would have taken it. But when Miroku was as drunk as he looked at the moment, there was no getting to him unless you were willing to part with your pride. I knew from past experience.
The doors swished open and I found Miroku pressed against a wall, both girls bearing down upon him fiercely. Grimacing, I advanced. I mercilessly elbowed one female away, and closed in. My voice was soft and cooing in his ear, "Hey baby..."
He turned around drowsily, still preoccupied with the second girl; I shoved her away, and was pleased as she tumbled clumsily to the floor, tripping on her five-inch pink heels. "Kagome...?" He mumbled in a drunken slur.
I looked him up and down quickly. His hair was pushed back in the usual ponytail. Today he was sporting a pair of blue tinted sunglasses and a long white coat (in the summertime?). He was obviously going for the "desperado" look, and failing miserably in the attempt. I tried to hide my disgust. "Yeah baby..." I cut to the chase, unwilling to spare any more of my time than was necessary. "Why are you with these girls baby? Don't you love me?" I traced little figures on his chest with my index finger.
"Ah course ah love you baby..."
"Good." I placed a little kiss on his lips for extra insurance, and knew immediately that he was hooked. "Now let's go somewhere private baby."
For a moment he seemed doubtful. His glance strayed to the two women I had pointedly thrown away. "Wha about..."
"Come on, just us..." I shushed. After a moment, he complied, and I was soon guiding him towards the elevator shaft. Not surprisingly, the two girls were 99.9% passed out, and one looked a bit green. They had forgotten Miroku even existed by the time I was jabbing at the "up" button.
He leaned in to nuzzle my neck and I promptly shoved him away. "Miroku you are such a moron."
"Whatz wrong?"
"You're what's wrong!" I snapped, repulsed by his drunken stupor. "You have no absolutely..." I stamped my foot. "You are such a jerk!"
He mumbled something incoherent and slumped down to the floor in a pathetic heap. I hated his guts right then. Don't get me wrong, Miroku's a pretty nice guy when he's not being such a ridiculous ass, I really liked him, he was a good man. But sometimes he just did things that couldn't be ignored.
"You have the worst taste, the worst timing in the world, I swear..."
The elevator chimed and the doors swished open awkwardly. I dragged him out by the arm and half supporting him, led us to my apartment. Sango had enough on her brain, besides, I owed her for the aspirin.
I laid him out on the couch and sat on the arm rest for a moment, regarding his face. I wondered just what Sango saw in the guy... Sure he was good-looking and jolly and pleasant when he was on good behavior, but really, he was more like an older brother than anything else. Still, I hoped things worked out for her. Whether it was with Miroku or some other man, I wanted her to be happy.
My headache came pounding back full-force as the pills started to wear off, and I moaned in agony briefly before slumping towards the bathroom. Fortunately, this time I was heading in to use the shower, rather than the toilet. By then I had nothing left to throw up anyway.
Tomorrow Inuyasha wanted to take me to the premiere of his sister's art show. It was both to expose me to the world again, and to get me to accompany him to a family gathering. I wasn't particularly fond of Inuyasha's relatives, but my small dislike was nothing compared to the raging hatred he felt for his dad and older brother.
Maybe not hatred. At least not towards Sesshomaru. For Sesshomaru it was more of a distinct envy that sometimes blossomed into rage. Sesshomaru, the older brother. Inuyasha claimed he disliked Sesshomaru out of pure vanity; you see, Sesshomaru was beyond gorgeous. He was a pristine man-god that women and men alike worshiped with faith that bordered on extreme. His physical appearance was just immaculate; he had long, perfect hair that swayed and dripped to his waist, like Inuyasha, and he often kept it chained in a tempting, chic black band. His molten amber eyes melted hearts. Not to say that I was attracted to him or anything... Me? No, never.
So as to be expected from everyone's favorite little duchess, Inuyasha was forever in loathing of Sesshomaru because of his impossible looks. And he's the strong silent type that every female adores He works for his dad, one day he'll inherit the company. He's dedicated and beautiful and untouchable. Did I mention I'm not attracted to him? Cause I'm not, I'm just telling you.
It's just a sneaking suspicion, but I have faith in the belief that Inuyasha doesn't really hate Sesshomaru for said reasons...I think the problem really lies in the fact that since day one, Sesshomaru has been the favorite son. Sure their sister is a little darling and their dad loves her to death, but there's always been this sort of alien relationship going on between the father and the two sons. Inuyasha has always been sort of ignored, because Sesshomaru was always better, at...everything. Sesshomaru, the smart one. Sesshomaru, the competent one. Sesshomaru, the first born. It's no wonder that Inuyasha is bugged by how distant his father is with him, deliberately. I mean, it's easy to see that Inuyasha is the black sheep in that family. He's not about to settle down with a nice young lady and start a family. He's not about to drop fashion design to become an accountant...or whatever. He's different. It's alright if his sister does art, yeah, she's a female, according to his dad's narrow view of things, art is good for a woman. Inuyasha's supposed to be a strong male. Heh, obviously that didn't go too well.
Then, ignoring all that business, there's the sweetheart little sister Rin. Seriously, the kid is the cutest thing I've ever seen. She's perky 24/7, and her innocence is everlasting, I swear. Her novelty will never wear off. She doesn't look like her brothers, she's got black hair for one thing, and it's shoulder length, not down to her waist. She usually keeps part of it bunched up in a lopsided ponytail. Which sounds weird, but not only is it, duh, cute, but it's also got something to do with artistic expression. Hard to believe the little runt is eighteen already, but hey, time flies. She's at college now, a freshman, and she's already managed to book a show for her oil paintings. A big turn-out is expected. Her work is fantastic, and it's hailing quite some interest.
So I'll go, blend in, keep Inuyasha company. You know, no big deal.
It's just a tad uncomfortable is all...
I stepped into the shower timidly and the quick temperature change immediately went straight to my head. Slowly though, the steam and the hot water began working away at my headache, dulling it a bit. I heard Inuyasha come in, then there was a heated, one-sided argument between him and the half-dead Miroku, and then it was silent again. As silent as it can get in New York at least.
I still had some projects to complete, the apartment was due to be cleaned, but standing in the shower quickly became addictive, and I let the water flow, washing all my troubles away...for at least twenty minutes.
***
There you go. Now listen up, I have to recommend some things, be sure to read:
Ripples in the Sand
By chickmooget
All That Matters
By feathergurl
Myouga Strikes Back
By Myouga Jiji
Prisoner, My Prisoner
By profiler120
Have a lovely day everyone. And remember, even artichokes have hearts.
IF THE IDEA OF A GAY INUYASHA DISGUSTS YOU, TURN BACK NOW.
Now before we get things started, this is a whatchamacallit, an alternate universe fic. Set in New York. Tons of fun. Before we get this show on the road, we'll do the disclaimer.
I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA. I DON'T OWN ASPIRIN, I DON'T OWN JACK DANIELS. I DON'T OWN NEW YORK EITHER. THANK YOU.
***
Chapter One-I Should Have Known Better
***
I should have known better. It had all been too good to be true. There was no way in hell that I, Kagome Higurashi, could have ever reeled in such a catch. There was just no way. The whole confrontation was a week behind me, but it was still fresh in my mind. Everyday I woke up (assuming I had slept at all) and it felt like yesterday, or if I happened to be in denial, a bad dream. Every morning and every night I buried my nose in my pillow and cried.
I was so upset, I even made Inuyasha sleep with me. The days wore on, and being the stupid person that I was, I had tried during the first few to get up and try to piece my life back together. What a splendid disaster that was.
I distinctly remember the day that I broke into tears at work. I remember how Riba had pulled me into the back room with a little bustle of co-workers in tow. Surrounded by women who were anywhere from twenty to thirty years older than me, with the exception of Jordan, I gushed my whole story out and only felt worse when they cooed and comforted me. I mean really, I am such a spoiled little crybaby bitch. Is it all really that bad that I have to concern perfectly good people with my problems?
Yes it is.
Inuyasha muttered in his sleep beside me, and I turned over to look at his face. I realized with a start of anger that the little bitch had been wearing my fucking Chanel lip gloss, and my heart broke as I saw the sixty dollar material smeared horizontally across his face. My grief was quickly replaced by that for my sheets, which were no doubt ruined by now. I was ready to rip the covers off of him and roll him out, when I remembered how he had sacrificed many a good evening on my account, just to sit around on the couch and eat ice cream with me while I felt sorry for myself. That was another thing, he had skipped out on his diet for me.
I smiled, despite my rising headache from drinking myself to sleep the night before; although I was still rather pissed that he had borrowed my make-up. Again. Looking on the bright side, I suppose I should have been glad that he had returned home at all. Last night had been his first club night in a week, the poor baby was deprived, and I hadn't expected him to be back until at least the following Thursday.
His eyes suddenly fluttered open, and he moaned and flipped around. I flopped over him. "Come on princess, it's time to get up."
"Leave me alone."
"Well aren't we pleasant this morning? Did you see any cute guys?"
"Several, but leave me the hell alone or I'll never tell you anything about any of them."
I grinned impishly and touched his cheek. "Wake up and tell me and I might forget about how you borrowed my Chanel lip gloss."
"And I might forget about how you have made me stay home every night for the past week."
It got real quiet, real fast. I didn't readjust my position, which was at that moment my whole torso hanging over his waist as he lay on his side, but I turned my head away and let my hair cover my eyes.
"Kagome, hey, I'm sorry..."
"No, you don't have to be sorry. You're right." I felt the tears welling up in my eyes. If I cried it would be just the most pathetic thing in the world. Well, I had been on a roll for the past seven days, couldn't stop now.
He sat up and wrapped his arms around me. "Hey sweetie, come on, I didn't mean it..." I started to sob. "Shh shh...Baby it's alright..."
"No it isn't! I-I just..."
"Shhh... Come on Kagome, let's sleep some more."
The bed had picked this particular morning to become indescribably comfortable. And facing a long day in a stuffy office with a hangover didn't sound too appealing. I sniffed and my tears slowed a bit.
"But...but I have to go to work."
"Skip today. They won't miss you. I'm sure Riba will fill in for you."
There it was again. People bending over backwards just for me. It sucked.
I sniffed again and found myself lying down, curled up next to Inuyasha. He was rocking us back and forth soothingly. I wrapped my hands up in his long silvery hair. "It's unfair..." I whispered.
"Yeah I know, but it's okay. Go to sleep."
He has the strangest philosophies sometimes. I didn't see how on earth it could possibly be "okay" but when it came from him, I wanted to believe it so much that I gave in within seconds. Inuyasha could be inconsiderate, but only when he wanted to. Otherwise, it was simply a natural talent of his that he could say just the right thing at just the right time.
***
Kouga was the best thing that had ever happened to me. He was the light of my life. He made things perfect because he was perfect. I loved everything about him. His cocky attitude, his strange style, his laziness... He was the epitome of everything male, and I was smitten. Inuyasha didn't readily approve of him, and that of course upset me a little bit. And besides, Kouga made it blatantly obvious that he didn't like Inuyasha either, and you can't really be friends with someone who hates you. I guess the thought of me being alone in an apartment with a guy, granted, a homosexual guy, but still a guy, made Kouga a bit nervous. What an angel... But I assured myself that at our wedding Kouga would ease up, and Inuyasha would see just how great we were together.
Our wedding...I twirled on my toes like a complete idiot at the mere thought of the rapidly approaching event, but a complete idiot was not an uncommon sight in New York, so people didn't really notice.
Central Park...How romantic. Kouga always thought of the best places for dates. He was a little late at the moment, but I consoled myself by remembering the way he had spoken to me over the phone the previous night. The urgency in his voice, like a day without seeing me had really been torture for him.
I looked down at my hand and held it up to the sunshine, watching the sun bounce off the neat little diamond set nicely on its gold band. I couldn't help but giggle. In my heart, despite the fact that it was a little sad being away from him for longer periods of time, I was glad that I had agreed with his decision to have us remain in separate apartments until we were officially married. After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?
My watch told me that he was fifteen minutes late. I had to admit that it was a little strange...Kouga wasn't usually late at all. If anything, I was the one who wound up at the restaurant an hour after planned.
Then again, I was jittery and impish in light of the fact that I was actually going to get married, so I dismissed my concern as just that of a devoted wife-to-be.
Fifteen minutes quickly became a half-an-hour, and I started to actually grow worried. I was on the verge of dialing his apartment with my cell phone when I suddenly saw him walking down the little sidewalk-path that ran through the park. I noticed that just behind him, a girl with bright red hair was following, her eyes downcast.
Kouga himself looked a little worse for wear, as if he hadn't gotten much sleep last night. There were dark circles under his eyes and his hair was just a bit more disheveled than usual.
Unable to wait for him to finally reach me where I sat on a bench, I ran to him and promptly threw my arms around his neck. "Kouga! You're late!" My voice was teasing.
He didn't respond, nor did he look like he was intending to do so anytime soon, so I broke the icy silence by turning my head to the young girl and smiling brightly. "And who's this? A relative?"
"You might say that." The girl whispered quietly. Her flaming hair had been tied into two large ponytails on either side of her head. Her eyes were flashing green, and while they looked a little forlorn, they were piercing.
I thought she was adorable at first sight. "Really?! That's so great! I really like your hair, it's lovely."
She sort of half-smiled and muttered thanks under her breath.
After that, the silence grew considerably noticeable again and I sort of fidgeted, as much as I could anyway, with my arms still wrapped around Kouga's neck. "Hey so...um...what's going on?"
Kouga sighed, the first sound I had heard from him the whole time, and carefully lifted my arms off of him, then held my hands together in both of his own and gave me a hard, knowing look. "K-Kouga...? What's wrong?"
"Kagome, I have something to tell you."
I blushed, certainly we couldn't be romantic while his relative, who looked rather young, was standing right there. Aww hell, he was too cute. Screw it. "Yes Kouga?"
"I don't think..." He looked sideways at the girl, and she nodded. "I don't think...we can be together anymore."
My heart dropped out. I went numb. My eyes grew wide as my lips moved silently. Everything was crashing down suddenly, but I was too rigid to register it. Every muscle I had was detached. It was the worst, empty feeling I had ever had. More than grief, more than crushing despair or agony or regret. The absence of...everything. Because Kouga was everything.
"Why?"
"Kagome..." He said after a long time. "This is Ayame. She is...we have been...seeing each other...for a little while." The strange emptiness grew.
"Seeing each other?" I was surprised that I could even speak at all.
"Kagome."
Silence. I felt something coming, everything I had left in me started screaming for me to cover my ears or run or something. This couldn't be real. This couldn't be real, it just wasn't possible. Run...don't listen...
"She's...going to have a baby."
The shock was almost too much, I almost feinted. I should have feinted. Maybe then I would have fallen and smashed my head on the pavement. Instead my knees buckled and I fell backwards onto the nearest bench. My breathing came in short little gasps. Kouga made no move, but his eyes conveyed a look of deep regret. I would be angered by that look later.
"What?"
"I'm so sorry Kagome." He whispered.
"WHAT?!"
The strangely absent tears finally began slipping out, but I didn't care. Kouga was quiet again, and I looked to Ayame. Her eyes were resting on me, they looked...guilty or embarrassed, but not necessarily ashamed. I didn't know what I was doing then, but I do know it felt very good. The next thing I knew, my right hand was gripping Ayame's shoulder very firmly. My eyes swimming with tears, I bore my teeth and scowled, fighting all of my chaotic emotions to keep from screaming at her until she was deaf. How was it that this little thing was carrying Kouga's child? How was it that she had the privilege I deserved? How could she even think of touching him...He was in love with me. ME. She looked a bit frightened, and I was glad, but then Kouga dragged me away; wrenching my hand from her shoulder and spinning me around to face him.
"Kagome, please understand that-"
My hand stung, but it was a good stinging. I watched the red mark on his face swell a bit from where my hand had hit it full speed.
"How dare you."
I tore my engagement ring from my finger, the first really good thing I had done besides terrifying Ayame and hitting Kouga with all the strength of a raging female. But this counted. Perhaps this would get through that impossibly thick skull of his.
I stalked, enraged, to the nearby street and stood looking out at the cars as they rushed by for a moment. I think Kouga thought I was about to end my life by walking out into traffic, which was certainly not a bad idea, but I had better things to do at that moment. He ran to me, saying something along the lines of, "wait Kagome", when I held the ring up and gave him the most vicious look of loathing I could pull off while I dropped the little scrap of metal into the gutter. It clattered all the way down into the icy depths below, music to my ears. With a satisfying splash I knew it was being taken away, out of my life forever. But not out of my heart.
Kouga stopped still. There was nothing more to be said.
"Goodbye Kouga."
I walked away. I hated him with every fiber of my being. Him, and Ayame. But I wasn't about to get over the love we had had together so easily. No, the relationship we had built was a very good one. I wouldn't forget it. Not for a week at least. After all, my Kouga was gone...my everything...was gone.
***
I woke up crying.
I had relived that experience many times in my dreams. It was getting easier to bear now that it was a week later, but you know...I was still very upset. I had been engaged, for the first time in my life. I had thought I was in love, I probably had been in love, and there was now no way that I could ever get that love back again.
I realized that Inuyasha was not in bed, and sat up, a salty, crusty, bushy mess of hair and tears. "Inuyasha?" I called weakly.
"You up Kagome? I'm making breakfast." He sounded happy. He was always happy when he was cooking.
"Yeah, I'm up." Sniffling and groggy, with a pounding hangover that was just now really surfacing at its worst from my high alcohol intake the night before, I wandered to the bathroom for some aspirin.
My neck was stiff as I rifled through the contents of the cabinet, being unsuccessful in my search. "Inuyasha? Where's the aspirin?"
"We're out."
"Oh that's fucking great..." I muttered to myself. "I have a massive hangover, can you please run to the drugstore or something?"
"But...the eggs will burn." He called sadly from the kitchen.
After swearing and cursing all egg laying creatures straight to hell, I resolved unhappily that I would have to go without relief at least until after breakfast, unless I wanted to attempt an overdose of some other drug, which was probably not in my best interest. So I dragged my feet to the living room of our spacious apartment and collapsed on the couch.
I stared up at the ceiling wordlessly, too lazy and far too ill-tempered to reach for the remote to turn on the T.V. The fan was swirling over my head; it had been our decision not to get an air-conditioning system, and in the height of the summer season, it was absolutely necessary to circulate as much heat out of the apartment as possible. I wanted the fan to stop though. It was making my steadily growing headache more ferocious.
"Inuyasha..." I mumbled, "I'm turning off the fan."
"Shit, don't do that! It's 95 outside today!"
I cursed. "It's making me dizzy..."
"Then close your eyes. There's no way in hell you're turning off the fan in this weather."
I did as I was told and closed my eyes. Stars burst on my eyelids and the constant swish of the fan blades echoed in my head, calling up the image of it whirling and whirling... "It's not working Inuyasha. I can still hear it."
"Put a pillow over your head then!"
I pinned the nearest fluffy throw pillow over my head and groaned beneath it. This wasn't working either. It was hot, cramped, and stuffy, and I emerged minutes later in even worse condition.
"Dammit...I'm turning off this fucking fan right now or else you're going to have a flaming bitch on your hands."
"Spare me." He leaned out of the kitchen and gave me a withering look. "You're a flaming bitch round the clock. If it's so damn bad then go out and get some aspirin yourself. I am occupied fixing your breakfast."
"You just love any excuse to cook!" I accused venomously, "And do you really think I could handle anything without vomiting right now?!"
He chose to respond by poking his hand around the corner and flipping me off. I countered with a vulgar gesture of my own and dragged myself up. Apparently my time in his good graces had been spent, and I had gone from a tragic break-up victim to another rambling single woman just out of a relationship.
I threw on a shirt over my pajamas, and tossing a few choice words in Inuyasha's general direction, slammed the door shut upon my exit.
As I shuffled down the hall, kicking any unfortunate object that happened to be lingering in my path as I went, I shoved my hands into my pockets and tried to ignore the headache that was growing more fierce by the second.
"Kagome?"
A familiar voice called my name, and I closed my eyes, "Dammit..." Turning around, I quickly replaced my murderous look with one of pleasant affect. "Yes?"
"Hey there!" It was my neighbor, Sango, standing there looking pretty and happy and on top of the world, per usual...Sango was a constant fiery topic of discussion between myself and Inuyasha. She was one of our best friends, but at the same time we hated her guts because she was so perfect. It occurred to me at that moment that talking to this cheerful girl would probably brighten my mood, and she might spare me a trip to the pharmacy by perhaps having some aspirin she had in stock, so I stopped to talk with her.
She approached me, running from her apartment door down the hall, tiny delicate feet tapping quietly on the beige carpet as she went. "Nice to see, you...um...Kagome." She was having difficulty choosing her words, as she was well aware of my recent...mishap. Of course her next statement wasn't so precious, she stopped a few feet away, "Whoa, you look like shit! What happened?"
"Yeah, nice to see you too sweetheart." I muttered sourly.
"Sorry, but really, what happened?" She shifted the strap of her bag on her shoulder, adjusting the load.
I shrugged. "Stayed up late. Had a few drinks. You know, the usual."
"Kagome..." Her voice became warning and firm, "You know you shouldn't try and drink your troubles away. It doesn't help."
"Oh to be sure. I have a massive hangover and I'm regretting every Jack Daniels I ever had."
She put her hands on her hips, "Well then what do you think you're doing up? Get to bed, I don't want you to walk out into traffic or something!"
"It just so happens..." I informed her astutely, " That we are out of aspirin, and Inuyasha intends to feed me breakfast this morning even if he has to personally shove it down my throat. You know how he gets when he's making food..."
"Yeah," she drawled, probably recalling old memories of occasions when Inuyasha would almost become violent over matters in the cooking department. "But even so...I can't have you wandering around looking for meds when you look half-dead. Come on, I'll get you some."
"You have stuff?"
"Nah, but I'll make a run to the drugstore for ya." She winked and smiled, one of her moves.
"Thank you so much...." I held her hands in mine and gave her the sincerest look of gratitude I could summon at the time, which probably turned out to be rather grotesque because she quickly released her hands and led me back to my apartment by the shoulder.
"Now..." She cooed, hand poised on the doorknob, "I'll be back in a little bit. Go get some rest."
I thanked her again as she scooted me through the door. Then she popped her head through the frame and told Inuyasha to take it easy on me. To which he replied, "Feh."
"Sango went to go get aspirin."
"Thought so. She's too nice."
"Oh I know..." I took up my previous roost on the couch again. "It's positively sickening..."
"The eggs are almost done."
"If you repeat the name of any food product to me ever again, ESPECIALLY eggs, I will strangle you with my bare hands."
"Eggs."
I hurried to the bathroom, hand clamped over my mouth.
***
Fifteen minutes and five trips to the bathroom later, I was hunched in a corner, a foot away from the toilet. Ready to rush in should the need arise again to relieve my stomach of what little remained of its contents. Sango knocked on the door timidly. "Kagome? I got the aspirin, you think you can swallow something?"
"Come on in Sango...But don't let Inuyasha in. I may be nearly unconscious but I can still beat the shit out of him." I heard him smirking from the beyond the door.
"Shut up Inuyasha," Sango scolded as she slipped in and flipped the lock as an added precaution.
As she knelt down beside me I shouted, "YEAH, YOU LAUGH NOW BUDDY! BUT WHEN I CAN STAND AGAIN YOUR PRISSY LITTLE ASS IS GOING STRAIGHT TO-"
"Shhh...Kagome, here, take this." She ran some water and offered me a glass, accompanied by a little pill.
"Thanks..." I washed it down, and eased down onto my back, sprawling out as much as the tight little space allowed.
"Are you alright?"
I wanted to bark at her; or at least the part of me that was suffering the most from the headache wanted to. But she was going out of her way, like everybody else, just to help little old me. So needless to say, I bit my tongue. But really, did I look alright? Sheesh. "Yeah Sango," I lied, "I'm fine."
"You sure?"
No. "Yes."
"Listen Kagome, you can talk to me if you need to."
"I know that, thank you Sango."
There was a little pause, and Inuyasha could be heard watching T.V. in the next room.
Nervous that I might be offending her with my short responses, even though it was obvious that I was dazed and ill, I tried to make small conversation. "So how's Miroku?"
"Fine...Fine."
I mentally berated myself, Miroku was a bit of a tender subject for Sango. Everyone around her saw that she was mad for him...Except for Miroku. It was devastatingly sad that the guy was never serious. You could see the disappointment in Sango's eyes whenever he would jokingly feel her up, just for fun, but it was even worse when he would proceed to do the same thing to any attractive female around right in front of her. I couldn't understand how they lived together. If anything it seemed like Miroku treated Sango like a sister. Well, maybe not a sister. I guess she was just that attracted to him.
I quickly changed the subject, "Any word from Kirara?"
"Kirara? Yeah, she's good. She just got a leading role in a big Broadway thing."
"Really? Anything familiar?"
She smiled weakly, "Gigi."
"Gigi? I love Gigi!" Actually, all I had seen of it was the little movie. It was one of Inuyasha's favorites. Seeing him prancing around in the kitchen singing "Thank Heaven For Little Girls" was normal.
"Yeah...It should be good."
"We should all go see it when it comes out. You know, drag along Inuyasha and Miroku and Inuyasha's boyfriend at the time or whatever. It'd be fun."
She sighed, "Uh-huh."
I wanted nothing more than to crawl into the tub and sleep, but I could tell something else was bothering Sango besides my stupid revival of the Miroku thing.
"Something wrong?"
She hesitated. "No."
"Sango, please."
"I, tried to...call Kohaku, the other day."
"..."
Kohaku, her little brother. Cute little scamp, but well...He had made a few bad choices in his day. I had never met him. Sango had pictures all over her apartment. She listened for news of him, she probably prayed for him every night. But things had gotten distant between them after they had moved to New York a few years ago. After the car accident that killed her parents. Kirara was old enough to support her little brother and sister with her promising career in acting just beginning, and despite their tragedy, it looked like they would be able to make the fresh start they had dreamed about. But for Kohaku, the youngest of the three, things were harder. The poor kid was only fourteen when it happened. Coming to New York had been difficult, strange, new...unwelcome. He consoled himself by hanging out with the wrong people. He didn't show up at his sisters' apartment for days at a time, and finally, after a violent night of fighting with his siblings, he ran off to join a gang. Sango and Kirara had done everything in their power to stop him, even phoned the police, but they couldn't do a thing. By then Kohaku had been 18, old enough to make his own decisions.
"What happened?"
"They said he couldn't speak with me." That meant he wasn't allowed to speak with her, or refused to speak with her. "And that if I ever tried to call again he would never see me again."
"Sango..." Stupid ass police. Didn't they see the danger of this situation?!
Moments later she was crying, and I was holding her loosely, trying not to vomit into her hair.
***
After twenty minutes of letting the pill sink in, Inuyasha just about broke down the door because breakfast was getting cold. Sango was invited to sit down with us, but she politely declined and slipped out the door with a look that told me I was on my own.
The infamous eggs were chalky and ill-favored in my mouth at that moment, and it took much of my strength to stomach them. I was very aware of Inuyasha watching me like a hawk out of the corner of his eye-uncaring as to if he happened to get food poisoning from his horrendous cooking or not, but totally hellbent on getting a positive reaction from me.
"Good...they're good, Inuyasha." I dabbed my mouth delicately with a napkin and set it down on my lap. Being a smart person, most of the time, I quickly changed the subject before he saw through my act. "So ahhh. . .Kirara is going to be in a new play...Gigi. I think it would be fun to go-"
"What were you talking about, really?"
My food stopped midway to my mouth. I was glad for an excuse to look shocked and stop eating, but given the abrupt switch to that particular department...I would have rather taken my chances with the eggs. "What do you mean?" Play innocent. How many times has that worked for you Kagome?
He gave me a hard, inquiring stare. "You know what I mean."
"I. . ."
Sighing, he set his fork down. "Was it about her brother?"
"Yeah. She. . .tried to call him."
"And?"
"She was threatened."
"Fucking police." He muttered after a time. He produced a cigarette from his pocket and grabbed a pack of restaurant matches from the counter.
"Hang out the window you dope."
"Bite me."
We weren't allowed to smoke in the apartment building, duh. And it was a pretty nice deal, high quality, lots of space, low costs. . .I wasn't giving it up because he didn't have the intelligence to at least let the smoke outside. I strode to the window, throwing it open and pointing. "Haul your royal ass over here right now or the smoke alarm will go off."
He grumbled and shuffled over, hanging over the ledge and looking down casually on the streets below. Suddenly he dropped the cigarette. "Oh shit."
"What?"
"Fuck. . .Miroku's got two sluts hanging off him, and he's drunk. What kind of loser gets drunk in the middle of the day?"
I jostled him for a space in the window and swung my head out. Sure enough, Miroku was draped in trashy women, dressed in little more tea cozies. I placed my head in my hands and immediately knew that the aspirin was going to have a hell of a time combating this particular headache.
"Dammit. Go stall Sango, I'll take care of Miroku."
"You go with Sango! She listens to you, you're her best fr-"
I gave him the look of someone who had recently been hit by a truck. "I have female persuasion."
He was taken aback for a moment, probably forgetting his own gender. Idiot. Then it clicked, and the realization dawned stupidly in his burning yellow eyes. "Oh. Fine." He whirled around and stomped out the door. Obviously he was insulted by my comment.
Yanking down my top a bit and letting my hair loose, I stormed after him. There was no way Miroku was going to help Sango on her way to depression. Twit. Moron. I'm surrounded by idiots. So maybe he didn't know about the current situation with the phone call and the threats and what not, but he shouldn't be dragging strange women into Sango's apartment anyway. After all, it was more or less her apartment, he paid rent with her but she paid rent and cleaned. He had to have at least a little decency. Well...Maybe not Miroku...But still!
I heard Inuyasha slip into Sango's room down the hall as I marched in the opposite direction. I hopped into the rickety elevator and jammed my thumb into the button that would take me to the lobby area. My task would be easy, but totally humiliating. If there were any other way, I would have taken it. But when Miroku was as drunk as he looked at the moment, there was no getting to him unless you were willing to part with your pride. I knew from past experience.
The doors swished open and I found Miroku pressed against a wall, both girls bearing down upon him fiercely. Grimacing, I advanced. I mercilessly elbowed one female away, and closed in. My voice was soft and cooing in his ear, "Hey baby..."
He turned around drowsily, still preoccupied with the second girl; I shoved her away, and was pleased as she tumbled clumsily to the floor, tripping on her five-inch pink heels. "Kagome...?" He mumbled in a drunken slur.
I looked him up and down quickly. His hair was pushed back in the usual ponytail. Today he was sporting a pair of blue tinted sunglasses and a long white coat (in the summertime?). He was obviously going for the "desperado" look, and failing miserably in the attempt. I tried to hide my disgust. "Yeah baby..." I cut to the chase, unwilling to spare any more of my time than was necessary. "Why are you with these girls baby? Don't you love me?" I traced little figures on his chest with my index finger.
"Ah course ah love you baby..."
"Good." I placed a little kiss on his lips for extra insurance, and knew immediately that he was hooked. "Now let's go somewhere private baby."
For a moment he seemed doubtful. His glance strayed to the two women I had pointedly thrown away. "Wha about..."
"Come on, just us..." I shushed. After a moment, he complied, and I was soon guiding him towards the elevator shaft. Not surprisingly, the two girls were 99.9% passed out, and one looked a bit green. They had forgotten Miroku even existed by the time I was jabbing at the "up" button.
He leaned in to nuzzle my neck and I promptly shoved him away. "Miroku you are such a moron."
"Whatz wrong?"
"You're what's wrong!" I snapped, repulsed by his drunken stupor. "You have no absolutely..." I stamped my foot. "You are such a jerk!"
He mumbled something incoherent and slumped down to the floor in a pathetic heap. I hated his guts right then. Don't get me wrong, Miroku's a pretty nice guy when he's not being such a ridiculous ass, I really liked him, he was a good man. But sometimes he just did things that couldn't be ignored.
"You have the worst taste, the worst timing in the world, I swear..."
The elevator chimed and the doors swished open awkwardly. I dragged him out by the arm and half supporting him, led us to my apartment. Sango had enough on her brain, besides, I owed her for the aspirin.
I laid him out on the couch and sat on the arm rest for a moment, regarding his face. I wondered just what Sango saw in the guy... Sure he was good-looking and jolly and pleasant when he was on good behavior, but really, he was more like an older brother than anything else. Still, I hoped things worked out for her. Whether it was with Miroku or some other man, I wanted her to be happy.
My headache came pounding back full-force as the pills started to wear off, and I moaned in agony briefly before slumping towards the bathroom. Fortunately, this time I was heading in to use the shower, rather than the toilet. By then I had nothing left to throw up anyway.
Tomorrow Inuyasha wanted to take me to the premiere of his sister's art show. It was both to expose me to the world again, and to get me to accompany him to a family gathering. I wasn't particularly fond of Inuyasha's relatives, but my small dislike was nothing compared to the raging hatred he felt for his dad and older brother.
Maybe not hatred. At least not towards Sesshomaru. For Sesshomaru it was more of a distinct envy that sometimes blossomed into rage. Sesshomaru, the older brother. Inuyasha claimed he disliked Sesshomaru out of pure vanity; you see, Sesshomaru was beyond gorgeous. He was a pristine man-god that women and men alike worshiped with faith that bordered on extreme. His physical appearance was just immaculate; he had long, perfect hair that swayed and dripped to his waist, like Inuyasha, and he often kept it chained in a tempting, chic black band. His molten amber eyes melted hearts. Not to say that I was attracted to him or anything... Me? No, never.
So as to be expected from everyone's favorite little duchess, Inuyasha was forever in loathing of Sesshomaru because of his impossible looks. And he's the strong silent type that every female adores He works for his dad, one day he'll inherit the company. He's dedicated and beautiful and untouchable. Did I mention I'm not attracted to him? Cause I'm not, I'm just telling you.
It's just a sneaking suspicion, but I have faith in the belief that Inuyasha doesn't really hate Sesshomaru for said reasons...I think the problem really lies in the fact that since day one, Sesshomaru has been the favorite son. Sure their sister is a little darling and their dad loves her to death, but there's always been this sort of alien relationship going on between the father and the two sons. Inuyasha has always been sort of ignored, because Sesshomaru was always better, at...everything. Sesshomaru, the smart one. Sesshomaru, the competent one. Sesshomaru, the first born. It's no wonder that Inuyasha is bugged by how distant his father is with him, deliberately. I mean, it's easy to see that Inuyasha is the black sheep in that family. He's not about to settle down with a nice young lady and start a family. He's not about to drop fashion design to become an accountant...or whatever. He's different. It's alright if his sister does art, yeah, she's a female, according to his dad's narrow view of things, art is good for a woman. Inuyasha's supposed to be a strong male. Heh, obviously that didn't go too well.
Then, ignoring all that business, there's the sweetheart little sister Rin. Seriously, the kid is the cutest thing I've ever seen. She's perky 24/7, and her innocence is everlasting, I swear. Her novelty will never wear off. She doesn't look like her brothers, she's got black hair for one thing, and it's shoulder length, not down to her waist. She usually keeps part of it bunched up in a lopsided ponytail. Which sounds weird, but not only is it, duh, cute, but it's also got something to do with artistic expression. Hard to believe the little runt is eighteen already, but hey, time flies. She's at college now, a freshman, and she's already managed to book a show for her oil paintings. A big turn-out is expected. Her work is fantastic, and it's hailing quite some interest.
So I'll go, blend in, keep Inuyasha company. You know, no big deal.
It's just a tad uncomfortable is all...
I stepped into the shower timidly and the quick temperature change immediately went straight to my head. Slowly though, the steam and the hot water began working away at my headache, dulling it a bit. I heard Inuyasha come in, then there was a heated, one-sided argument between him and the half-dead Miroku, and then it was silent again. As silent as it can get in New York at least.
I still had some projects to complete, the apartment was due to be cleaned, but standing in the shower quickly became addictive, and I let the water flow, washing all my troubles away...for at least twenty minutes.
***
There you go. Now listen up, I have to recommend some things, be sure to read:
Ripples in the Sand
By chickmooget
All That Matters
By feathergurl
Myouga Strikes Back
By Myouga Jiji
Prisoner, My Prisoner
By profiler120
Have a lovely day everyone. And remember, even artichokes have hearts.