InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fleeting ❯ Resolution ( Chapter 6 )

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

un_love_you prompt:  #19 – “This isn’t about you at all.”

Sesshoumaru sighed as he turned his key in the lock on the front door of his apartment.  In addition to the load of library books he needed for the next chapter of his thesis, he was juggling a bag of groceries and a bundle of holiday-delayed mail.  An initial rifle through the latter at the mailbox had only worsened his irritation, for among the stacks of bills and junk were two nengajo, one from his mother and one from his grandmother.  Though exquisitely decorated and pleasantly written, the postcards were silent commands, sent at his father’s behest – “come home for New Year’s.”

What else could go wrong today? he groused silently as he turned the knob.  He frowned when the door didn’t budge.  It was old, made of solid wood, which seemed to warp and expand with the whims of the weather.  That day had been one of the coldest (and wettest) yet of the winter, bad enough to cause the wood to swell and lodge the door in its frame.   For a moment, he simply stood there, closing his eyes as he gathered every fraying shred of patience he possessed.  He then tensed his arms, pressing the bundles he held into his coat, and rammed his shoulder against the door.

He stumbled into the foyer, put down his bags, and gave the door a hearty slam to wedge it back into place.  He leaned against it for a moment, taking in the unexpected peals of laughter that greeted him, drifting his way from the common area, and he tried to will his suddenly racing heart to slow down.

If missing Kagome had been…unanticipated, then what he felt now was positively mind-blowing.

Relief?

He hoisted himself up after a moment, squaring his shoulders and taking possession of his bags once more.  He was careful to avoid looking at her as he passed through the common room, but the mess that greeted him in their tiny kitchen quickly chased away any warm and fuzzy feelings he might have had about her return.

He scowled as he eyed the disarray of dishes and open boxes that littered the counters.  Not even a day and it’s already a mess again, he thought, annoyed.  Seriously – how careless can you be?  Dropping his groceries on the table, he turned on his heel and strode back into the common room, ready to demand an explanation and possibly, an apology.

“Kagome, wh – ” he began, only to find himself pulled up short as he caught sight of her.  His heart began to thud heavily in his chest once, much to his consternation.

“Sesshoumaru,” Kagome breathed, unable to hide her eagerness at seeing him again as she shot up from her seat on the sofa.  She gazed at him with a nervous expression, a smile playing at the corners of her lips, her eyes hooding slightly.  “I missed you.”

He could only stare at her in response, though he was careful to hide his surprise at her impulsive statement behind his usual impassive expression.  She blushed as the words rushed out of her, as if of their own volition, immediately raising a hand to cover her mouth as she averted her eyes.

A long, awkward silence stretched between them.  Kagome’s expression crumbled when she realized a reciprocal greeting would not be forthcoming.  Sesshoumaru instead chose that moment to look down at her companion, still seated on the sofa, watching their exchange with pointed interest.

He felt his blood run cold.

Inuyasha?

This was not good.

Sesshoumaru looked back at Kagome.  “What’s going on?” he asked cautiously, striving to keep his tone even.

“We’re just planning a little party,” she murmured, sinking down into the sofa, reaching blindly for Inuyasha’s hand.  “For New Year’s Eve.  I thought it’d be nice to have a few people over, make the traditional osechi, you know – have fun welcoming the new year.”

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as he watched Inuyasha lace his fingers through hers, giving her hand a comforting squeeze.  She sent him a grateful smile in return, before looking back up at her stony-faced roommate.

“Oh, come on, Sesshoumaru,” she cajoled, “it’ll be lots of fun!  We’ll over have a few people over, and – well, of course you’re invited, and welcome to bring anyone you wish.”

Sesshoumaru felt singularly unmoved by her pleading, his eyes sliding back to Inuyasha.  “Whose idea was this?” he queried.

Kagome furrowed her brow, standing up again and crossing her arms over her chest.  “Does it matter?  I mean – I met Inuyasha at the train station today, and he helped me bring in my luggage, and we just started chatting.”  She smiled wistfully.  “We thought it’d be cool to put something together for the holiday, and he’s agreed to introduce me to some of his friends who aren’t tight with Kouga’s crowd.”

“Hm,” Sesshoumaru replied noncommittally, the gears of his mind turning as he considered this so-called chance encounter.  Why in the world was Inuyasha suddenly interested in Kagome again, after striking out with her at the Halloween party and then snubbing her for two months?  

Inuyasha’s knowing smirk and challenging gaze – not to mention his uncharacteristic silence – did nothing to put his suspicions to rest.

“Look, I’m sorry if I didn’t ask before making plans,” Kagome was saying, bringing Sesshoumaru’s attention back to her.  “It was sort of spur of the moment but, well…I live here too, and should have a say in whether or not we have people over.”

Sesshoumaru lifted a brow.  “I didn’t say you couldn’t have the party,” he assured her.  “Quite frankly, I don’t care, as long as you keep it to the common areas and clean up afterward.”  This is very odd, he thought to himself.  She’s never wanted my permission before to have people over, so what makes her think she has to ask for it now?

“Great,” she replied with a relieved smile, unfurling her arms.  

From the corner of his eye, Sesshoumaru noted – with interest – Inuyasha’s reaction to the “granted permission.”

Hmm…

Kagome and Inuyasha went back to making their grand plans, which apparently included a huge, traditional meal.  Realization dawned across Kagome’s features as they discussed their food options, and she whirled back to Sesshoumaru.  “Oh, God – sorry!” she cried sheepishly.  “I totally forgot about the mess we made before.”  She ran out of the room, quick to busy herself with cleaning up the dishes.

Inuyasha gazed at Sesshoumaru for a long, contemplative moment, before standing up with a languid stretch.  “Fancy meeting you here,” he drawled.
Sesshoumaru took a step closer to him.  “What’s your angle?” he demanded without preamble, his voice low but menacing.  “Why is she suddenly so interesting to you again?”

Inuyasha’s mouth curved into a thin, irritating smirk.  “What makes you think I have an angle?” he returned just as softly.  “Kagome’s a cool girl, and it seems we have a lot in common.”  His eyes gleamed as he held Sesshoumaru’s gaze.  “We spent an intensely interesting holiday together at Father’s favorite ski resort over the Christmas break.”

When Sesshoumaru didn’t react to this little bit of news, Inuyasha shrugged.  “Plus, she’s fine as hell – I don’t know how you can stand living with her and trying to keep your hands to yourself.”  

He moved to pass, but Sesshoumaru caught his shoulder before he could.  “I’d advise you to rethink whatever plot you’re playing at,” he murmured in Inuyasha’s ear.  “I’d hate to have to hurt you over something so trivial.”

The self-satisfied mirth drained from Inuyasha’s features as he cut his eyes to his brother.  “Women’s feelings are trivial to you?” he replied sarcastically.

Sesshoumaru’s grip tightened on his shoulder.  “Not this woman’s.  Whatever scheme Father has put you up to, it had better not include her.”

Inuyasha’s eyes lit up at his threatening tone.  “What makes you think our father has anything to do with this?” he mused with feigned curiosity.  “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, dear brother – ”

“Don’t ever call me that again, half-breed,” Sesshoumaru hissed under his breath, digging his nails into Inuyasha’s shoulder where he held him.

His irritation only served to inflate his rival’s grin.  “…but your roommate is the stuff fantasies are made of.  I should know.”  He waggled his brows suggestively.  “So tell me – are you a eunuch, or just jealous that I got to her first?”

He wrenched away from Sesshoumaru’s hold, straightening his clothes with cool confidence, before calling out to Kagome that he was coming to help her clean up.

Inuyasha’s words ate at Sesshoumaru for the rest of the evening, but no matter how he turned the situation over in his head, he couldn’t quite find it.  His father’s ruthless ambition was infamous; he was well-known in the business world for his willingness to do anything in order to get what he wanted.  He was an upstart in a culture of tradition, bringing a fortune made in Russian and Chinese currency into a game that was played almost exclusively in yen.  He was shameless, heartless, and merciless, stopping at nothing in pursuit of his goals.  He was forever scheming, planning, and plotting, putting his skillful mastery to good use when it was least expected.

Still, whatever Inuyasha was playing at didn’t seem to have any connection to their family business.  Maybe he truly was after Kagome for her looks and/or personality…

…but he couldn’t push away the niggling doubt.  Sesshoumaru was all-too-familiar with the way his father operated:  move in under the radar, divide and conquer, and take them down from the inside.  He relished the absolute control and power he could wrest away from his rivals by operating in this way.  After finding Inuyasha and seeing the same sort of latent charms in him, he’d taken to grooming him as his true successor.

Their father had obviously known of his bastard son’s existence for quite some time; Inuyasha was the product of an extramarital affair gone awry eighteen years ago, and their father had secretly provided for his well-being for the entirety of his life – that is, until his mother died.  With a scandal looming and threatening the empire he’d created, their father had taken matters into his own hands, paying off everyone involved to any degree in Inuyasha’s life, smuggling his half-breed son into Japan, and welcoming him into the fold, with seemingly little regard for how his ‘legitimate’ family would take the news.

No one knew of Inuyasha’s true heritage; that was by his father’s command.  Inuyasha had kept his mother’s maiden name as his surname, and was technically only involved in the family business as an employee of one of their father’s many holdings companies.  Sesshoumaru had long been recognized as the legitimate – and only – heir, though in reality, it seemed like their father was favoring his bastard son at every turn, up to and including giving him more and more free reign within the company that was to be the first of Sesshoumaru’s inheritances.

There was certainly no love lost between the “secret” brothers.

No, it just doesn’t make any sense, Sesshoumaru thought as he lay in bed and tried (in vain) to find sleep.  Kagome isn’t a threat to my father – she grew up at a Shinto shrine, for God’s sake!  Inuyasha’s pursuit of her is his own – no doubt merely wanting what he couldn’t have all those months ago…

And yet, the troubling seeds of suspicion, already planted and beginning to bloom, would not allow his mind to rest.

Kagome grinned as she gazed over the fruits of her labor.  The New Year’s party was in full swing, with a small group of (she hoped) soon-to-be new friends hanging around in the common room, enjoying the music, the company, and the food that she’d slaved over for the last two days.  She felt inordinately proud of herself, planning, organizing, and preparing for tonight in less than a week, and managing to pull it all off without a hitch.  By some miracle, absolutely nothing had gone wrong – the food had set properly, the decorations had arrived on time, and they had purchased enough wine and champagne on their first trip out to the shops.

Inuyasha had been a total dream through it all, from the initial planning to the hanging of the last decoration on the freshly purchased mini kadomatsu that dotted the foyer.  He wasn’t exactly the most patient person on the planet, but he knew how to get things done in a timely manner – and he knew better than to stick his nose where it didn’t belong.  He’d brought over a friend, Sango, to help her with the cooking, and they had gotten along swimmingly.  Neither of them were master chefs, but after a few tries (and a few trips to the shops for more Westernized fare), they had managed to produce quite the spread for their friends’ consumption.

“Having fun yet?” Inuyasha murmured in her ear as he reached for another glass of wine.  

She gave him a brilliant smile in response.  “Your friends are pretty cool,” she acknowledged, taking a sip from her own glass.  “I’m glad they are having fun.”

“Why wouldn’t they?” he returned breezily, draping his arm around her shoulders.  “You’re an amazing person, and you throw a damn good party.”

Kagome blushed under his shower of compliments.  They had seen quite a bit of each other since their midnight Christmas kiss at the ski lodge, though it had been strictly casual.  If he was disappointed by that, he didn’t let it show.  He’d kept his promise of introducing her to more of his friends – people not part of Kouga’s crowd, who had no reason to shun her – and she felt flattered and happy to be deemed worthy of socializing with again.  He’d been an absolute gentleman – truly, everything a girl could ask for – and anybody else in her situation would’ve snapped him up in a heartbeat.

But no – she had to be all complicated and indecisive.  For all that he made her feel like a princess in his attentive company, her heart still longed for the stubborn, elusive Sesshoumaru.

It was the little things – like how she’d found him making tea one night, sitting alone in the kitchen, in the dark.  She’d joined him, noting with surprise and pleasure that he’d purchased another box of peppermint tea to replace the one he’d consumed in her absence, and they’d sat in silence, but at ease.  It was almost as if…the simple art of sharing tea was enough to wash away the awkwardness that had settled between them.  

He hadn’t mentioned any sort of annoyance about her upcoming party plans, or mused aloud about the company she chose to keep.  In fact, he’d seemed rather preoccupied the entire time, if somehow grateful for her company.  As he’d risen from his seat and rinsed out his cup, he’d given her an enigmatic smile.

“I’m glad you’re back,” he told her, and his words had made her feel warm and giddy on the inside.  She’d stayed at the table long after he’d left, tracing the lines of the tea box, wondering why and how and when he’d started drinking her tea, but feeling very special that he did all the same.

Even now, flutterings of those feelings returned as the memory of that night ebbed in the back of her mind.  She glanced up, catching sight of him across the room, her heart skipping a beat as she watched him make polite conversation with Sango and her boyfriend, Miroku.  He was so calm, so cool – and she relished the idea, however untenable, that they could one day even have mutual friends.

The heart wants what it wants, she relented with a sigh.

Even if it made her absolutely, totally, completely miserable in the meanwhile.

You are pathetic, she reprimanded herself, straightening her spine as her eyes swept away from him.  What about your new year’s resolution, to be decisive and go after what you want?  It’s time to stop waiting for the guys to come around.

“Something on your mind?” Inuyasha mused, his breath warm against the shell of her ear as he leaned close.

“Just thinking about a new year’s resolution,” she replied, granting him a coy look.  “Have you made any?”

His eyes hooded and he braced the arm around her shoulder as he gazed back at her intently.  “Maybe,” he murmured.

She felt herself flush hot and cold and then hot again, steadying herself as he took her glass and set it on the table behind them.  Inuyasha’s obviously still interested, she noted to herself as his arms settled around her waist.  So why not have a little fun now, if romance isn’t in the cards?

“Let’s dance,” he said, giving her an experimental twirl.  

She smiled and agreed, and they joined the others on the impromptu dance floor in the middle of the common room.  Time slipped by unmarked as they danced almost exclusively with each other, the swirl of other bodies around them becoming a faint blur.  The music was loud, the drinks were flowing, and inhibitions were falling as the night wore on.  Twice, she forced herself out of Inuyasha’s welcoming embrace to stop others from wandering down the hallway and nosing about in the vicinity of the bedrooms.

She frowned fiercely after dragging yet another set of grabby-handed couples back to the common room.  “Is it just me, or are there more people here than were invited?” she muttered as she rejoined her date.  It was as if their small crowd of twenty or so had somehow multiplied, bringing with them Eurotrash music and cheap beer.

Inuyasha glanced around the room.  “I invited all of these people,” he shrugged.  “I guess some of them are only now starting to show up.”

“What?!” she hissed, granting him a sharp look.  “You said this was going to be a ‘small, intimate gathering’!”

“Relax,” he responded, pulling her close to nuzzle her neck.  “Nobody’s going to trash the place.”

She pushed against his shoulders.  “Relax?!” she exclaimed.  “Sesshoumaru’s going to kill me!  I promised him this wouldn’t get out of hand!”

“And it won’t!”  Inuyasha shot back, furrowing his brow.  “Why are you so afraid of him?  Is he – hurting you or something?”

“Of course not!” she cried, pulling away from him completely.  “He’d never lay a hand on me!”  That is, indeed, the root of the problem, she thought wryly.

“Then what’s the deal?  He has some sort of hold over you.”  Inuyasha frowned, displeasure settling over his features as he studied her.

Kagome hoped her face wasn’t as red as it felt.  She opened her mouth to respond, only to catch a glimpse of Sesshoumaru striding across the room, looking quite cross.  “Oh, shit,” she hissed.  She gave Inuyasha an apologetic look.  “Just give me five minutes, okay?  For my own peace of mind?”

He relented, albeit reluctantly, stepping aside and letting her go.  She pushed through the crowd that was beginning to bottleneck in the foyer, absently reaching for a coat before wrenching open their warped door and stepping out into the cold.

She finally found him, standing at the corner of their building, his hands braced against the railing of the outdoor staircase that led up to the second floor.  She pulled the coat closer around herself as she walked towards him, trying to figure out how she was going to explain this.

“I’m really sorry, Sesshoumaru,” she blurted out when she reached his spot.

“That’s what you call ‘a few friends’?” he murmured, moving a few steps away and wrapping his arms around the staircase’s support post in the corner.  His expression was sour as he gazed out into the parking lot, not even bothering to address her directly.

She bristled at his words, even though she’d just made the same argument a scant few minutes before.  “No,” she replied, burrowing into the folds of her coat as she moved closer to him.  “But either way, what does it matter?  It’s New Year’s Eve.  You were there, having a good time, so it’s not like I interrupted your precious studying or anything.”

He pressed his lips together into a thin line.  “Did Inuyasha put you up to this?”

“No,” she huffed, genuinely confused now, as well as cold.  She circled around to look him in the eye.  “I knew you’d get angry with so many people invading your space, so I came to apologize for his lack of foresight.  I apologize, okay?”  She searched his face for some sign of understanding, but found none forthcoming.

Dammit, why do you have to be so frustrating?

Just as she was about to give up and return to the party, Sesshoumaru deigned to speak.  “He’s bad news,” he declared.  “I’d stay away from him if I were you.”

“What?”   The word was soft, almost breathless as it left her lips.  She couldn’t suppress a smile as she gazed at him with new insight.  “Are you jealous?”

“Are you blind?” he replied witheringly.  

And asshole, she added silently.  Don’t forget being an asshole!

“Do you not remember the Halloween party?” he barged on, finally letting go of the post and turning to face her directly.  

Her expression darkened.  “You know I don’t,” she muttered, feeling a shameful heat flood into her face.

“Well, then, allow me to remind you,” he returned, his voice as cold as the gusts of wind blowing past.  “Inuyasha tried to get you drunk so he could take advantage of you.”  He narrowed his eyes.  “And now I find myself wondering just what kind of person you are, that you’re so willing to forgive him for it.”

She snorted as she took in his righteously indignant expression.  “Did it ever occur to you that maybe this isn’t about you at all?” she scoffed.  “Kouga is the one who treated me like shit after that night.  Inuyasha has been nothing less than a perfect gentleman to me.”  Which is more than I can say for you, she thought darkly.

Sesshoumaru shook his head.  “I thought you were better than that,” he sighed, as if she was some sort of grand disappointment.

“Why, because you thought I liked you?” she shot back.

For the first time in their tenuous relationship, she’d managed to stun him into silence.  She took a small measure of satisfaction when she noticed his eyes widen and his jaw snap shut, whatever comment he was planning to hurl at her next forever lost.

The crackle of fireworks being shot off startled them both, but did not break the tension that brewed between them.  As the sky behind their apartment building lit up in varying shades of red and green, Kagome was suddenly reminded of her new year’s resolution.  I might not have a better chance than this, she mused, noting how close they had drifted in the midst of their argument.

I’ll force him to show his hand.

Before she could change her mind, she rushed at him, throwing her arms around him and crushing her mouth against his.  She held on for all she was worth as she felt him tip back, his back slamming the pole, and she swallowed his gasp of surprise – at her kiss – at her embrace – at finding himself pressed against the railing.

She broke away as his arms encircled her waist, her heart pounding against her ribcage so hard she was sure it would burst right out of her chest.

“What are you doing?” he whispered, his breath hot and hard against her lips.

“Continuing what I started,” she replied boldly, taking his mouth once more.  Now you can’t deny it, any of it, she thought greedily, twining her hands around his neck.  Not Halloween, the kiss on the sofa, the fight over Kouga –

Her heart stopped when she felt him respond, tightening his hold at her waist as he whirled around, her back against the post now, pressing his body insistently into hers as he kissed her back with untold urgency.