Lessons in Love, Class 101

Chapter 1: Gives and Gives

It was a perfect sunny day with partial clouds hovering over New York City. However, none of this mattered to Inuyasha Takeouchi, to him, there could have been a snowstorm with hail falling the size of cars all around him and he would have simply continued being lost in thought. For the second time in his life, he had willingly given his heart to "the" girl of his dreams only to have it tossed, beaten, and destroyed. He was sitting inside his favorite coffee shop waiting for his best friend. He hadn't ordered anything, since the break-up he had lost his appetite and the overall desire to take care of his well being. Miroku had noticed his behavior and was worried. He had called Inuyasha out to check if he was still alive or on the verge of death. If so, Miroku would do anything to help him.

Miroku walked into the coffee shop and looked around for Inuyasha. He noticed him sitting at the farthest and darkest corner in the vicinity, facing the wall. He slowly walked towards Inuyasha and even from a distance he disliked what he saw. Inuyasha was born with shinny, smooth, light blonde hair that looked like silver when light would hit it and he would have it slightly long to land around his eyes but, now it looked dull, dirty, and an utter mess as it landed in any given place around his face and just above his shoulders. Miroku lightly tapped his shoulder and Inuyasha turned startled by such a small action. Inuyasha had lost weight making his cheekbones more defined and his eyes looked bigger, morose, and pleading like a lost puppy. His complexion had become more pale and he had lost his well known tan sun-kissed skin.

"Hey Inuyasha, it has been a while." Miroku said as he sat down facing Inuyasha.

"Yeah it has been. How is Sango?" Inuyasha asked.

"Fine, her pregnancy is going along well. She still has two months to go she is doing all those traditional pregnancy things. Her baby shower is coming up." Miroku hesitated for a moment. "Kagome is planning it." At that moment Inuyasha glared at Miroku.

"May I help you?" asked the waitress.

"Yes, some coffee please." Miroku responded quickly, the waitress left and he turned to face Inuyasha again.

"Is this why you wanted to see me? You're wasting your time." Inuyasha said spitefully.

The waitress had come back and had interrupted them "Here is your coffee. If you need anything else I'll be near."

Miroku spoke again once she was out of hearing distance. "It has been almost a year since 'that' happened and all you have been doing is moping around. Don't you think it's time you did something else. I understand that what she did was wrong and of course you would be depressed about it, who wouldn't, but look at what you are doing to yourself. You hardly ever leave your house, your health is suffering because of it and you are giving up your life's passion." Miroku replied with a stern filled voice.

Inuyasha simply looked up and replied, "And what would you do if Sango, your one true love, left you for another man and told that the child she carries isn't yours?"

Miroku looked straight into his eyes, "I would probably want to end my life right then and there."

Inuyasha looked back down at the table ignoring Miroku's intense gaze. " When I had met Kikyo in high school, I thought that she was the one, she was my first love and I saw myself spending the rest of my life with her but then she left me for Naraku. I was hurt from then on. Then I met Kagome and I fell in love all over again but she was even worse than Kikyo, she slept with Kouga while she was still with me. I loved them both so much. I don't think I can fall in love ever again."

Miroku listened intently remembering Inuyasha back in high school, rambunctious, brutally honest, and he would cuss every other sentence before he had met Kikyo and lost his edge from then on and a couple of years later Sango had introduced Kagome to Inuyasha at their wedding. He felt somewhat guilty for Inuyasha being introduced to Kagome who had a tendency of being selfish. "I feel terrible for you having to go through it twice but I don't think that Kikyo or Kagome were the one. If you had stayed with them I don't think it would have worked out in the end. I never saw you growing old with either one of them by your side."

" What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked.

"I mean, you loved them, but what did they give you in return? You spoiled them with your devotion and they abused it. They used you until they got bored and they found themselves better toys. When did Kikyo or Kagome ever say that they loved you out of free will and not because you had said it? Did they ever once mean it!? A relationship can't and won't work if it is only one sided no matter how hard you try to hold the broken pieces together. That just makes you look desperate and pathetic. " Inuyasha stayed quiet for moment, lost in thought about those time he had said "I love you" and usually the only responses he would receive were "Me too" or "Yeah. I know" always in a monotone voice, never once did he hear them say 'I love you'. He writhed a bit in his seat, he hated when Miroku was right.

"Shit Miroku, and you used to call me brutally honest." Inuyasha attempted a chuckle but it came out sounding fake. He could not hide the hurt behind it and Miroku heard the pain behind the laughter as well. He tried to change the subject by bringing up old memories.

"That's the crude, smart-ass, spiteful, mouth that I remember. Haven't heard it in a while, I think I actually missed it."

"Ha! This coming from the most lecherous guy in our school and possibly in the city. Weren't you voted most likely to get hundred girls pregnant? I bet Sango wouldn't be happy if she found out about that award. I still don't see why Sango even went out with you in the first place. What surprises me more is that she married you and is now carrying your first child.

"What line did you used to use on girls? Oh yes now I remember 'My fair maiden, would you like to bare my children?' I can't believe that line worked on so many girls! The look on their faces when you would ask them that." Inuyasha laughed once again but this time he genially meant it. Miroku joined in the laughter.

As the laughter died down Inuyasha became serious again. He looked into Miroku's eyes and realized how much he had changed since he had met Sango. His eyes previously had an edge even though he had a charming aura around him. But now the eyes fit his gentle smile that was always laced on his face. Inuyasha opened his mouth but shut it again. He attempted it again, "How d-did you know that she was the one?"

Miroku smile grew even bigger, "Well, the first time I saw her, she was beautiful that day but, I thought she was like all the other girls and I would use her just like the rest of them. So I asked her 'the' question…" He paused ashamed about he next part in his story.

"And what did she say?" Inuyasha anxiously asked.

"… she didn't say anything. She slapped me on the left side of my face punched me on the right and kneed me in the gut. After that she simply walked over my fallen body."

"And that's how you knew that she was the one?" Inuyasha asked in a rhetorical manner.

"Oddly enough, yes. I had fallen in love with her right then and there and I wanted her to fall in love with me. So I kept on talking to her and she started to see the real me, the one other girls had failed to see. Slowly but surely she did. Besides, you should have seen how cute her ass moved as she walked away. Absolutely perfect."

"Humph, should have known. But it seems that you both are quite happy. She is your perfect half. The person that balances you and sedates your perverted side and makes you a better human being."

"True, I want you to find your own Sango and for once truly be happy. Someone that you can give your love to and will give you their's fully. I know that you are still in pain from what Kagome did but, this isn't good for you. I am honestly worried about you. Please don't give up on love because she didn't know how to appreciate what you had to offer. However, I will ask you to do one thing. Get your life together start taking pictures, paint again, and if you meet someone new don't give them all of your heart. Test them to see if they really care for you. I hate it when people use you and I know that there is someone out there for you."

"Don't start fucking tearing up on me now? I can't promise that I won't be depressed for a little longer but I'll try and in the 'love' department I don't know yet. I can't say that I am open for another relationship yet. That is going to have to wait for some more time."

"I am fine with that. Now, lets get you some food because you look too damn skinny. Like a freaking skeleton." Miroku stood while saying this and pulled up Inuyasha by his arm. Miroku left money for the bill. Inuyasha had walked ahead of Miroku making his way towards the entrance. When he reached the door to push it open he fail to realize there was another person pulling the door on the other side at the same time. The force that he used to push the door had lunged his body full towards the person on the other side. Both of them fell backwards towards the ground, limbs entangled with one another. Inuyasha face had landed in the crook of the unknown person, he thought he might have bitten him by accident because he had heard him exclaim a small, almost silent "ouch" and he tasted a bit of blood on the tip of his tongue. His right hand had landed on the man's chest while his legs were on either side of the man almost as if he were sitting on the persons stomach. The man was holding him tightly, one hand holding his head tightly in place and while the other had manage to wrap itself around his waist. 'Shit this is a compromising position.'

Do to the awkward positioning what was only for a few seconds seemed much longer. When Inuyasha finally made the attempt to move, he pushed his head slightly back and the man loosened his hand. He started to apologize, "I am so sorry I didn't expect someone else to be on the other side of the door. I guess I pushed the door too…" Inuyasha stopped his chattering when he finally saw who was the person under him. A God. Such beauty he could not believe it was even possible. Semi-long, white hair cascaded all over the man's lean and perfectly sculpted face. He had pale skin that suited him quite well. There were no marks on it, not a single sign of a wrinkle on it. It reminded him of marble and the urge to touch it increased, to see if it actually was. His pale complexion and hair brought out is eyes even more. They were a warm honey-gold color.

"Hard." the stranger said.

"What?" Inuyasha was pulled out his thoughts as the 'god' spoke with a voice that would make the Siren never sing again for its voice being so vulgar in comparison.

"Hard. You didn't finish your sentence, did you hit your head during the fall?" Inuyasha pushed himself farther away from the man embarrassed by the fact that he had been caught staring and not only that, but had stopped mid sentence like a fool. The man pushed himself off the ground, still holding Inuyasha by the waist, the still unknown stranger pulled Inuyasha up with him. Inuyasha had not realized that he was literally sitting on top of the man. He was also surprised by how strong the man was so he began to blush. 'Wait! Why am I blushing? Oh god I must look the world's stupidest idiot. Oh shit 'stupidest' is not even a word. Yup, I am an idiot.' By this time Miroku was outside and had seen the whole incident. He had never seen his friend act so klutzy and he was surprised by the position that both men were in. For a second he thought they looked like intimate lovers. And to make matters worse, Inuyasha was sporting a bright blush across his cheeks. He decided to simply watch from a distance to see what would happen next.

Now they were both standing up but the man continued to hold on to Inuyasha. The stranger began to speak again. "It's alright, next time pay bit more attention and don't shove the door open with full force." After saying this he finally let go of Inuyasha and made his way towards the door of the coffee shop. Inuyasha followed him with his eyes until he disappeared from his sight. Then he realized that Miroku was standing by the door all along.

"Well, that was embarrassing." Miroku simply complemented.

"Shut up! Lets go before you get pushed onto the road." Inuyasha started to walk and Miroku followed suit a couple of paces behind. Inuyasha was still lost in thought but this time for a different reason. Rather than depressing thoughts over how much he still missed Kagome, he could only think about the white haired man and his beauty. If only Inuyasha had simply turned to look through the window of the coffee shop he would have noticed the mysterious man eyes watching his every moment, for this mysterious man was also thinking about him.

( Siren:in Greek mythology, a sea nymph, half-woman and half-bird, who was believed to sing beguilingly to passing sailors in order to lure them to their doom on the rocks she sat on )

Notes: Yay! First fanfic ever and I am quite happy with it so far. Please if you don't mind leave your comments and reviews so I'll know which direction would be best in the future to take this story. Harsh criticism is welcomed as well. I already started writing the second chapter and this one will be about Sesshomaru so wait patiently. I will try to have it up as soon as I can.