InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shrine Prostitute ❯ Accommodation ( Chapter 29 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: FlameTwirler 
In which Kagome runs into an old friend.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Drama / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.03.2015 | Pages: 15 | Words: 9.7K | Visits: 766 | Status: Work In Progress
In which Kagome runs into an old friend.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Drama / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.03.2015 | Pages: 15 | Words: 9.7K | Visits: 766 | Status: Work In Progress
Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler
~ ~ ~
Chapter 29: Accommodation
----- the act of accommodating; state or process of being accommodated; adaptation.
----- adjustment of differences; reconciliation.
----- a process of mutual adaptation between persons or groups, usually achieved by eliminating or reducing hostility, as by compromise or arbitration.
~ ~ ~
Kagome hated going to the grocery store anymore. It wasn't even because of how often they had to go now - every other day - but because of the sheer amount she had to buy, then carry, then lumber up the million stairs to her house with. She even brought a trolley with her, but that only helped as far as the steps. At least she was using otherwise forgotten muscles, as her body had achingly made her aware the first few times she'd been sent on the errand.
Luckily for her they normally sent youkai on the trip, which typically meant Yami. He'd basically become the youkai equivalent of troop mother for their shrine, but even though he was willing they couldn't make him do everything. Besides, he normally shopped at youkai markets, understandably enough. However, her mother had gotten a new cookbook and was anxious to try out some of the recipes.
Her mom had actually started teaching some of the kids how to do a bit of the cooking, and it was absolutely adorable the way they'd all pour over the cookbooks and point out new things they wanted to try. Most of the hanyou hadn't had very expansive diets growing up, they'd usually just been given the same cheap and easy foods day after day, so they loved the exotic spices and pictures they found.
Tonight they were going to try a variety of curries. Knowing how much Inuyasha hated spicy foods, she'd been surprised to discover that a few of the younger hanyou at the house absolutely loved them. She supposed it had to do with what type of youkai heritage they had, but wasn't sure. It could just be general preferences too, much like how she enjoyed hot things much more than Souta did.
Most curry, according to Yami, wasn't a big favorite among youkai, except among tiger youkai who, oddly enough, seemed to live off the stuff. She'd have thought that, given how little Inuyasha cared for spice, that tigers wouldn't be big fans of it either, but that just proved how little she really knew about similarities between youkai races and what characteristics were shared by their hanyou. But that made it harder for their youkai grocery shoppers to find curry; most youkai groceries tended to only carry a little bit of it, and then only one or two varieties. There was a market that catered to the big cat youkai but it was on the other side of town, whereas this ningen shop was just down the street from her shrine. It wasn't hard to ascertain what would be the easiest option.
So now here she was, trying to figure out how many different varieties to buy, and how much of each - if none of the hanyou liked red curry, for instance, they could be stuck with it for ages since none of the Higurashis much cared for that one either.
She had her cart about half full when she heard her name.
“Kagome?”
She wasn't sure why, but she tensed up as she spun in the aisle to face whoever had called out to her. Maybe it was the incredulity in the voice, or maybe she sensed some underlying anxiety, but a soon as she saw who it was she understood.
“Yuka?!” She mirrored her friend's surprise. Eyebrows up to her hairline, she faltered, “Wow, how long has it been?”
“Months,” Yuka said dryly.
“No, it can’t have been…” She did some mental calculations. “Holy cow, it really has been.” Well, that was awkward. “But it’s good to see you! What are you doing here?”
The other girl wordlessly raised the basket she was holding.
“Yeah, yeah, Miss Obvious,” Kagome ribbed lightly, testing the waters. “I mean here at this store. Last I heard you’d gotten an apartment closer to downtown."
“I’m staying with my parents. My mom fell and hurt her hip so I’m helping take care of things for a while.”
“Oh, Yuka…oh, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me anything?”
Yuka shrugged with forced nonchalance, or at least Kagome thought it was forced. "You just seem to busy these days; you're a hard person to pin down, you know?"
Now she knew for sure she was putting on an act. There was too much underlying bitterness and hurt and Kagome felt cut to the core. She hadn’t thought Yuka still cared about her that much.
Things had all kind of gone downhill after the situation at the hospital with Eri. Of course Ayumi and Yuka had come flying at her, demanding to know how she could just abandon Eri like that, vulnerable and alone in such a situation.
Kagome had tried to be patient, knowing they’d only heard Eri’s side of the tale, knowing they’d probably unsay every word when she told them the truth, but the words and accusations still stung.
‘Was friendship really worth so much less than a good fuck?’ The accusation still rung in her ears.
She was, admittedly, a little too heated and forceful in cutting them off and sharing her side of the story. They’d been in plenty of fights over the years, though – as teenage girls often will – and she knew they’d hold it against her no more than she held their previous words against them.
She withheld the information of Inuyasha’s breakdown despite knowing how it would sway their feelings. He wouldn’t want anyone else to know and frankly it wasn’t their right to know. Even still, she was surprised when they hadn’t immediately thrown their weight in her corner. To her it was so clear cut, black and white, that their hesitation seemed impossible.
Hadn’t she overreacted just a little bit? Did she really have to abandon a friend just because of a few cross words? Or maybe there was miscommunication; Eri was bound to be all high strung. Maybe she didn’t want anyone else there at all – it was a highly private matter after all. Maybe Kagome was so oversensitive to the whole hanyou thing that she took Eri’s request that her boyfriend leave as an insult to his heritage?
Kagome had felt blindsided. They’d watched plenty of movies together in their years of friendship, and whenever the dashing hero – whether he was the Japanese warrior wandering through an early China or the charming boy from the streets who managed to best even the most pompous of American tycoons – was treated as an outcast they’d all yelled at the unfairness of it and celebrated the hero’s inevitable victory. They’d all demanded that the hero be seen for who he was and what he was capable of, not the where, when, and to whom he was born.
Of course, the fact that the hero was almost unfailingly Japanese, not to mention young and hot, probably didn’t hurt, Kagome realized later, a bit sourly.
In the end Ayumi and Yuka simply chose not to take sides. Their two versions of events were too different, they said, it was impossible to know what had really happened, what with emotions running high on both sides. They would simply put it in the past where it belonged and move on. They’d still be friends with both Kagome and Eri, but understood if the two of them couldn’t be.
Things were all right but understandably awkward between them.
After that they didn’t see each other as much, since Yuka and Ayumi had to split their time between who they jokingly called ‘mom’ and ‘dad’. Oh, by the way mom, dad says hi, and to not forget to have us back by 7pm, ha ha.
And then Kagome’s life became busier and their calls became less frequent and they all just slowly, naturally drifted apart.
“So how is…everyone?”
“They’re fine.”
The space between them filled up with awkward silence. Kagome did not like awkward silences and always inevitably sought to fill or overcome them.
“Is Eri still upset with me?” she blurted out. It was a stupid thing to say; what difference would it make?
Yuka looked uncomfortable. “Erm, yeah.” And then, as if she felt a burning need to confess, “She’s actually been saying some rather unflattering things about hanyou since then.”
Kagome sighed and squeezed the bridge of her nose, deflating.
“I think it’s more just that she feels they stole you away from us, that you’d choose hanyou over her.”
Kagome looked up. Her friend looked slightly chagrined but her eyes were intently focused, waiting for some kind of answer to her unspoken question. The answer was a flat out yes, she would, but Kagome knew she needed more finesse than that. She was talking to her friend for the first time in months, suddenly tackling all the big issues between them, and she didn’t want to turn her off immediately.
“If Ayumi had a really bad lisp and a stutter would you defend her if she was getting made fun of?”
Brow scrunched but already seeing where Kagome was headed with this, Yuka sought to head her off. “Of course I would, and I get what you’re trying to do, but Eri’s your friend too.”
“Exactly. What would you do if I started making fun of Ayumi?”
Yuka snorted. “Like you’d do that.”
“I didn’t expect Eri to call Inuyasha an animal and a dirty thing to his face, either. People can surprise you. Now what would you do if I made fun of Ayumi?”
She shrugged. “I guess I’d tell you off.”
“And if I didn’t stop? If I continued to mock her?”
Yuka glanced away.
“How do you decide between keeping one friend and protecting another?”
"I thought they only had the one confrontation and saw each other for about a minute." It was avoidance and they both knew it.
“How could I tell hanyou they’re equal and then stand by as they’re mistreated?”
“So you’re saying it was a hard decision?
Kagome cringed. “No, it wasn’t.”
She knew how bad that sounded so she rushed to explain. “Eri had you guys. She had other friends. Family. She’s human: she had the whole world. Inuyasha has nobody. Besides, I have my beliefs and I have to stand up for them. I won’t stand for prejudice, even from a friend. Especially from a friend. And I would’ve done the same for any hanyou, not just Inuyasha.
“What happened to our ideals that everyone be treated for who and not what they are? Inuyasha was afraid that I’d been hurt, had just run himself ragged to get to the hospital thinking I’d been admitted, and was immediately met with scorn. If Eri had wanted him to leave because she just wanted us to be alone, that’d be one thing. Or if she’d said he was a stranger, or she wanted privacy, or she didn’t really want to see me with my boyfriend right then, given the nature of her visit. Any other excuse would’ve been fine, understandable even, but she fixated on his being hanyou and forced me to make a choice.”
“But you were still her friend,” Yuka lamented.
Kagome sighed. “I know. I don’t think one mistake makes her a bad person necessarily, but I had to choose.”
“She felt abandoned.”
“I know,” she repeated. In part it was frustrating; she’d just laid out how Inuyasha was the wronged party here, Yuka apparently buying her story in its entirety this time, but still her only worry was about Eri’s feelings. Then again, she didn’t know Inuyasha, had never seen his shell go up or his eyes deaden, she only knew Eri and saw how it affected her.
“I’m sorry it worked out this way. I should’ve called one of you and told you what was going on, to drop what you were doing and take my place at the hospital. I was just...preoccupied.” Busy holding him as he huddled into the wall, shivering in her arms, every defensive wall he had struggling to block out the hurt. Not that he’d ever describe it that way. “I had to be with the one who needed me more.” That was as close as she’d come to admitting his breakdown.
“So you chose your boyfriend over your friend.”
And that was the crux of it all. In the end what she did felt like a betrayal because she’d chosen a guy first and foremost, and that was a big no-no in the friendship book of ethics. Reasons almost didn’t even matter.
“But what if they’re not what you think they are?” Yuka pleaded. “I mean, everyone holds they’re pretty much just talking animals, a mess of human instinct and youkai power that make them dumb, incompetent, and dangerous. You’re the only one who says otherwise. What if you’re wrong and just being blinded by emotion and good intentions? Or what if Inuyasha is an anomaly and all the rest are as dangerous as they all say?” She took a deep breath. “All I’m saying is you have an awful lot riding on this whole ‘hanyou-are-equal’ bit.”
Kagome was quiet a moment, mulling over her words. “Who’s this ‘everyone’ you keep referring to?”
Yuka floundered. “Uh, well…”
“And who among them – give me a single name – has met a hanyou? And don’t say Eri because she only saw Inuyasha for a minute and all she did was yell at him.”
Yuka was understandably silent.
"You won't even take my word for it, when you know me, so what kind of stock can you put in secondhand information? You simply want to dislike them because it's more convenient." Kagome said it softly, not particularly wanting to offend her friend, but knew it was a truth that needed to be said regardless. She wished she knew kinder words to use, but she was just so tired.
There was silence again, but Yuka's face was thoughtful, and Kagome could've cried at the fact her friend was considering her words instead of just shutting her out.
“Would you at least be willing to meet one?”
“W-wh-what?!” The girl looked downright terrified, and Kagome had to suppress a grim smile.
"How can you know what they are and how intelligent or dumb they are without judging for yourself? They are sweet, precious creatures who've grown up hearing their entire lives how they're unwanted, how it would be so much better for everyone if they'd never been born. Yet after all that they still manage to care about others and desire to be part of this world, not destroy it. I think that speaks to a strength beyond imagining.
"Besides, if you met one then maybe you'd stop looking at me like I'm crazy, stop thinking that I'm throwing my entire life away on some grand delusion. Maybe then you'd understand why this has become my focus and drive. If you won't believe me about them, then don't you owe it to yourself, to all of us, to be able to decide for yourself?"
Yuka looked curious, intrigued even, but unconvinced.
Kagome sighed. "It's not like I can guarantee you a meet-n-greet anyhow though. The hanyou I'm around are understandably skittish about meeting other people, and I only have one hanyou-friend who's agreed to meet a human-friend before. So even if you do agree to this it might be a while before it can actually happen."
The tension in Yuka's shoulders noticeable lessened. Kagome wasn't sure what had affected the change. The fact that any meeting wouldn't be immediate, that she'd have time to prepare for it? Or that the hanyou were just as reluctant about meeting 'outsiders'?
Slowly, Yuka nodded. "I...I'll think about it. That's the best I can do right now."
Kagome grinned widely and grasped her friend's hands. "Thank you, Yuka, really."
Yuka's smile was a bit more hesitant but she squeezed Kagome's hands back before letting go. "Well I need to get going now, but it's been good to see you."
"You too. Let me know what you decide, well, whenever. And let Ayumi know that she's more than welcome too. I don't know if you might be more comfortable if you two came together, but we can make it work, however you like. I just...don't know what the timetable might be. Sorry."
Shaking her head, Yuka chuckled lightly. Same old Kagome, babbling tendencies and all. "Okay, I'll do that. See you around Kagome." She raised her hand in a wave and then disappeared around the corner.
Once Yuka was gone Kagome's smile waned. She wondered if either she or Ayumi would be willing to go through with this. Still, just the fact that Yuka was considering it was a small victory in its own right. She'd just think about the positive; she was sure those two would come around eventually. She just didn't know how long it might take.
She was pulled from her musings when she hit her elbow. Rubbing it vigorously to soothe the pain, she turned back to her cart. Her half-empty cart. Groaning she gave up and just started throwing assortments of curries, spices, and other sauces in to join everything else. Whatever she picked would inevitably turn out wrong anyhow. They'd have too little of what everybody ended up liking, and too much of what everyone hated.
Glancing at the clock on her cell phone she decided it was late enough she could get away with calling home once she was close. Then she could wheedle out some helpers to assist in carrying the motley assortment of bags up the stairs of death.
Sighing once again, she slowly rolled her way over to the checkout.
~ ~ ~
It took Kagome a week to work up the courage to ask Jinenji if he’d be willing to meet one or even possibly two more of her friends. There was just so much more that could potentially go wrong with this introduction.
At least with Professor Hirohito he'd been actually interested in meeting hanyou and learning about them, looking forward to it even. The worst she’d worried about with him was that he’d be too pushy, too callous with emotion, relegating them to the realm and status of ‘research subject’, especially since while he was interested in hanyou psychology, he was much more interested in their physiology.
He’d already been clear that he wouldn’t do anything to place them at risk, postponing his findings at great personal loss considering all the potential fame and accolades such publications would likely garner. But for all that he was a researcher, so determinedly focused on his goals he could well be negligent and less than careful of things, people, and feelings outside it, he would never have intentionally lashed out at Jinenji.
With Yuka, however, she wasn’t so sure. She’d never had any interest in hanyou, let alone desire to meet one, and was only going to possibly do so at Kagome’s request. She had no doubt her friend probably had some hard feelings toward hanyou, given that they were at the root of what had caused their foursome to fracture, and worried she would redirect the blame onto Jinenji’s shoulders, as he acted as a representative for his race.
She explained all her misgivings to Jinenji, giving him every opportunity to say no, but he agreed to her request anyhow. Regardless, she was still conflicted about the whole thing. On the one hand, she felt she was taking advantage of Jinenji and his kindness. How high a probability was there that he'd actually tell her 'no'? On the other, she needed to respect his decision, otherwise what kind of example would she be setting? There would be plenty who saw it as her valuing her own opinion more than his, or just simply thinking her own opinion inherently better than that of a hanyou.
She took a deep breath. No, even if she was treading on Jinenji's gentleness and inherent good nature, she needed to go ahead with this. After all, the point of all of this was hanyou integration into society as a whole. Facing unfriendly, uncomfortable, or suspicious people was likely the mildest of what they'd face.
So yes, the meeting between Jinenji and Yuka would happen. After all, if they were both willing to go out of their comfort zones to meet the other, she could certainly deal with her own worry and discomfiture. All she could do in the meantime was pray to any kami that would listen for things to go well.
~ ~ ~
A motley group of men cautiously approached the immobile, red-clad form they’d just taken down, staring warily. After a few tense moments of indecision the bravest of them stepped forward, prodding the prone figure with the butt of his shotgun. When there was still no sign of movement he carefully rolled him over with the toe of his boot so they could all see it…him…it more clearly.
Strange ears came into view, fingers tipped with claws, and they all drew a collective sigh of relief as they were clearly able to see they hadn’t accidentally killed any human, despite the similarities in physiology.
Now that they were confident they were in no danger from the intruder, a second man hunkered down over him, scrutinizing his every feature. “What the hell is it?” he asked, tugging on one of the ears to make sure it wasn’t a fake.
“A hanyou,” answered a third man, a sneer plainly evident in his voice. Comprehension dawned on all faces except for the second man, who still looked confused. The sneering man elaborated. “The bastard offspring of one of us sleeping with one of those fucking youkai.” He spat derisively.
“Oh. So what do we do with ‘im?”
Several mouths opened but the sneering man was just a hair faster to respond than the rest. “It’s intruded on our lands, stolen our food, and terrorized our livestock. We do what we’d do to any other wild animal who’d done as such: we put it down. Now make sure it’s dead.” While he’d been speaking to the group at large at first, he directed this last at the second man, still kneeling over Inuyasha’s body.
The second man shrugged. “Easy enough.” Standing so he’d have enough room to aim, he raised his rifle, preparing to lodge another bullet right into the creature’s heart.
“Wait! Stop you idiot!”
Another man rushed at him, knocking his hand aside just as the trigger pulled. At the resounding concussion and the backfire of the gun they stared at each other before hastily checking to see what had happened. The intruder looked down at creature, breathing a sigh of relief to see the bullet had avoided striking his chest, even if it had lodged deeply in its arm.
“What the hell did you do that for?” the second man cried. Disgruntled at having his task interrupted, he ripped his rifle out of his neighbor’s grasp. So what that there had been interference? It wasn’t a proud moment to have his shot go astray, especially for a target so close.
“Look at what he’s wearing,” the interloper hissed.
“What, you want his haori so you don’t want it mucked up? Still got a shot off so it’s too late for that,” he added, more confused than annoyed at this point.
“No, you dolt, look at his necklace, his necklace!” he cried, shaking his comrade. “It’s a rosary. What if he’s a shrine pet? You think whatever kami he serves would smile on those who killed him?”
Everyone present, even Mr. Snide, a collective step back, except for the two standing almost on top of the hanyou.
The second man tried to back away as well but the intruder hung onto his shirt. He swallowed nervously. “And i-if he’s already dead?”
The intruder let go of him with a none-too gentle shove.
“We shot him in the trees while hunting a known predator. Not that any kami would be pleased with our action regardless, but it’s better at least than shooting him point blank after we’ve had the chance to get a good look at him.”
He glanced once again at the hanyou, who was completely immobile, not even the slightest rise and fall of his chest to hint that any breath remained in his body.
“Let us hope he has no such affiliation and that he got those beads through other, more nefarious means.”
They all shifted uncomfortably. What evil, predatory creature would be able to survive wearing something so holy? It hardly seemed a likely hope.
The man sighed, realizing how unrealistic that scenario was.
“Otherwise, let us pray for mercy from his kami.”
All of them sank slightly into despair and slunk even further away from the immobile form.
After all, kami weren’t exactly known for being forgiving.
~ ~ ~Kagome sat in the dining room with Miroku and Jinenji, tapping her fingernails on the table and fighting a sense of déjà vu. It had only been a week and a half since she'd mentioned the idea of a meeting to Yuka and she couldn't believe things were happening so fast. She herself had barely had time to get used to the idea of two vastly different parts of her world colliding, and she could only guess at how Jinenji felt.
But Yuka had always been rather sure of herself; it was one of the things the rest of them admired so much about her. She was outgoing and impulsive and when she made a decision - well thought out or no - she acted on it immediately, for better or worse. No second-guessing for her. It almost made Kagome wonder what had taken Yuka so long to come to a decision.
Looking up, she shot a nervous smile at her friend. Glancing at Miroku, she noted even he was a little tense. He'd insisted on being here for this meeting as well - to no small amount of relief on her part - but even though he was smiling as usual she could detect a hint of worry in his eyes when he looked at her.
A small sound from outside had her jumping where she sat, but when no knock on the door was forthcoming she slumped down in her chair."Kagome?" Jinenji asked softly and she yelped before offering him up a sheepish grin.
"Sorry," she said bashfully. "Guess I'm just a little jittery today."
"Actually, that's just what I wanted to talk to you about," he said hesitantly.
"I know, I know. Deep, calming breaths." She started to do just that but Jinenji shook his head.
"You're too anxious - it won't help enough. Actually I was going to ask-" a quick glance at Miroku, "if you would mind sitting this out and letting us handle this."
Mouth dropping open, Kagome spluttered "W-what?"
Miroku shrugged sheepishly. "I agree. If Jinenji hadn't spoken up first then I would've."
She looked back and forth between the two of them, indignation brewing. "Oh no, you guys are not doing this to me again."
"Kagome..." Jinenji started.
"Is it the nerves? Because I can totally tone that down. I can."
Miroku shared an exasperated look with the hanyou before turning back to Kagome, mischief glittering in his eyes. "Did you ever stop to think about what your friend really wants to know? What kinds of questions she'll have?"
Confused, Kagome's eyebrows drew together. "What do you mean? She's coming to meet a hanyou and learn about them, to see how they're really just like us."
Miroku clucked his tongue. "Ah, that's where you're wrong."
Kagome crossed her arms and sat back, clearly waiting to be convinced.
"She's your friend, Kagome. Her inquiries will be much more personal than that," Jinenji interjected.
They watched as comprehension slowly dawned across her face. Miroku took that moment to pounce.
"What she cares about is you and your relationship with this guy that has completely turned your life around, changing your goals and how you spend your time, pulling you away from them."
He leaned forward. "Yes, she'll want to know Jinenji, but only as a way gauge how to judge Inuyasha. Maybe she'll want to learn more about hanyou and the movement in the future, but for now her questions will be primarily about Inuyasha and your relationship with him."
"Then all the more reason for me to be here!" she exclaimed belligerently, almost pouting. "She should just ask me since I'm the one who knows the most about it."
"If you have a friend who's in an odd relationship, one that's changing her and making you worry, especially when you know very little about her partner - and the things you have heard are only bad - who do you ask? You know that if you ask her you'll only get either a defensive answer or her going all love-struck and going on and on about how amazing her partner is."
"All right, all right, fine, I get it. Anything I say would be seen as biased. But why can't I be here?"
Miroku's gaze softened. He knew she understood his point, that Yuka would feel more comfortable asking questions about Kagome if Kagome wasn't there, but she was worried, and for all parties involved.
He placed his hand on hers. "Trust us with this. I'll call you if things get out of hand but this meet will be much less productive if you're here."
She snorted. "Is that a polite-ish way of telling me I'm in the way?"
Jinenji's chuckle rattled the glasses sitting on the table. "Yes, I think that was."
Opening her mouth to retort, she cut herself off as the doorbell chimed. "She's here!" she squeaked. She darted out of the room, pulling the front door open almost before the doorbell had silenced.
"Yuka!" she enthused, throwing her arms around her friend. She froze, mid-hug, as she looked over Yuka's arm. "A-Ayumi?" she breathed. "You came too?" Dang it, she felt tears already starting in her eyes; she couldn't have that just yet, no need to freak them out before they even got over the threshold, so she viciously held them back.
Ayumi, for her part, blushed and looked at her feet. Kagome pulled back from Yuka, and when she realized just how hard she'd been squeezing her in her surprise she sent her a wordless glance of apology, she moved over to the embarrassed Ayumi. At least, she hoped it was embarrassment and not something like regret or repulsion that kept her eyes down. Hesitantly, Kagome placed a hand on her arm, feeling the other girl out.
"I've missed you," Ayumi admitted quietly and Kagome immediately pulled her into an embrace, feeling her tears threaten to come back. Oh well, it's not like her friends didn't already know she was an emotional basket-case at the best of times. "I missed you too." After a minute or two, she added, "Thank you for coming," and started to pull away.
Ayumi wiped suspiciously at her eyes too but that just made Kagome grin. "I'm not promising anything-" she started but Kagome cut her off.
"I know, I know. Believe me, I'm not expecting magic to happen today or anything like that. I just wanted you to know a little bit more about why things have changed for me. I honestly believe that if either of you had been in the same situation as me, seen the same things that I have, that you'd have responded the same way."
She huffed a little while leading them inside, torn between being reserved and careful - as they were on such fragile ground, or rolling her eyes and being somewhat flippant - as was more the status quo between them. "I'm not trying to get you to be all gung-ho about my cause with this. Wait, no, that's actually a bit of a lie." She sighed, rubbing at her temple.
"Oh, screw it. I've known you guys too long to try to be polite and dance around things instead of being blunt." To her surprise the other girls seemed to relax at this and even smiled a little. She grinned right back. "Of course I want you to come around to my way of thinking; I want everyone to. I wouldn't be so consumed with this if I didn't feel strongly about it, obviously. But like I said, I'm not expecting today to drastically shift your worldview or anything. I just want you to see a little bit of my world and maybe admit, even a tiny bit, that we've all been fed prejudiced bull our entire lives and we just believed it because we never had any reason to question it. Well, I met some hanyou and questioned it. Here you guys can do the same and see a bit of why I've gone off the deep end."
Yuka's smile turned nervous but it held nonetheless. "Well, we'll see."
Kagome nodded at this, then spun on her heel and led the way to the dining room. Miroku was waiting outside and she could already feel the girls' curious eyes on her back.
"Ladies, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Any friend of Kagome's is a friend of mine." Kagome was pretty sure the only reason they didn't titter at this was because of the tension lingering in the room. Miroku was pretty good at dealing with that though; already she'd felt it ratchet down a bit. "My name is Miroku and I am but a humble monk but I am happy to be able to offer my services during this meeting."
Ayumi and Yuka exchanged glances. "You're...human?" Yuka ventured.
"Through and through," he grinned. "Our hanyou friend is waiting at the table, but I'll let him introduce himself. I just thought I would come meet you first so you didn't have to do all the name-learning at once but also to let you know that we're kicking Kagome out of this meeting." He pulled her aside as he said this, shooing her toward the patio door. "That is, if you're comfortable with it. I just figured that this way you could ask all the questions that you really want to know, all those juicy tidbits that Kagome likes to leave out," he added with a wink and a stage-whisper specifically designed to carry. Kagome rolled her eyes dramatically at his antics and she was almost shocked by how not-shocked she was that Ayumi and Yuka fell right into it. Actually, considering the unfettered, almost vicious glee that she saw on their faces as they looked over at her, she was more surprised that they hadn't helped kicked her out that instant so they could get to their questions immediately.
"You're sure you're comfortable with this?" Kagome verified. They both nodded and Ayumi actually made a little shooing gesture with her hand. Kagome held back a laugh, but has to make sure. "You know I'll be within earshot, but you'll be in there with just a strange man - a very strange man," she added with a smirk at Miroku, "and a hanyou?"
Yuka actually growled a little bit and Ayumi rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, Kagome. Miroku is obviously a monk, even I can feel a faint bit of aura on him, and we're in a shrine. If this hanyou were completely evil I don't believe he would be able to come in, even with this new, weird designation the building has. So stop worrying and leave already so we can get to the juicy stuff." She actually rubbed her hands together in anticipation and Miroku let out a bark of laughter at that. "Yes, Kagome, leave the girls in my capable hands."
Kagome glared at them all, like they were just trying to make her life difficult, but at least it was better than the fear and trepidation she'd worried would overcast everything. "I just want everything to go alright, that's all. I don't want anyone to get hurt." Unbeknownst to the trio they all smile softly at her: Kagome, always trying to protect everyone with hands much too small for the task. Yuka went over and hugged her again. "We'll try our best, okay? No promises about what'll come of this but we'll be on our best behavior, mom."
She huffed in mock irritation but really this whole scene had warmed her heart. Everyone was trying, even if it was just for her sake, but that was more than she'd ever expected, really. "Well, if I'm playing the role of mom, do you guys need any refreshment?"
All three of them said "Go!" in unison and Kagome laughingly retreated toward the back door. "Make sure you youngins keep the door open now, you hear? You know how dangerous it is, having young men and women in the same room together."
"Go!" Yuka yelled again, throwing a nearby cushion at her.
She ducked out of the way, sticking her tongue out at Yuka for the action - very mature of her - and headed outside, a smile on her face. This might go better than she'd even imagined.
~ ~ ~
After their meeting Kagome led the girls outside so they could talk without worry of being overheard by those immediately involved. “So what did you-” She didn’t even get the chance to flesh out the question, though, since as soon as the door shut behind them her friends fell all over each other, giggling and chattering like they were still school girls.
“Oh my word, did you see him?”
“He was so cute!”
“W-who?” Kagome asked, taken aback. “Jinenji?”
Both Yuka and Ayumi shot her a look like she needed to have her eyes checked.
“No silly, the monk,” Yuka corrected.
“Miroku,” Ayumi supplied dreamily.
Kagome fought the urge to slap her forehead. She’d been grateful for Miroku’s presence, really. During those first few tense moments he’d been amazing at dispelling the tension rife in the air, at injecting some much-needed levity into this first meeting of two completely different parts of her world, and in getting everyone to loosen up enough to ask the questions they really wanted to.
What had surprised her was that not only had Yuka and Ayumi shown eventual interest in Jinenji, but that he’d also asked them a few questions of his own as well – even if most of them had been to get embarrassing stories about her. While she’d thrown up her token protests and played the wounded party, much to everyone’s amusement, it gave all the others something in common to be having fun at her expense, and from the knowing twinkle in Miroku’s eye the man had well-known it too.
But from the way her friends were still carrying on it seemed he might have done his job a bit too well.
“And did you see his eyes?”
“Violet!” Ayumi squealed. “I know! I’d read it was possible but I never really thought I’d see someone who had purple eyes. I’d have thought it would look silly on a man but the color is just so striking…”
Kagome just chuckled and shook her head at their carrying-on, but as they crossed the courtyard and she could see around to the other side of the enormous Goshinboku she came to a sudden stop. “Oh, Sango! I didn’t know you were here.”
Sango stood from the bench and brushed off her pants, blocking from view whoever else it was she’d been talking to. “I was going to come inside later if I still had time.”
“Miroku’s inside too if you wanted to say hello.”
“Yes,” Sango replied dryly, “so I heard.”
Kagome fought a wince. She’d rather hoped Sango had gone momentarily deaf and hadn’t heard her friends’ effusive fawning. Speaking of which…
“Shoot, where are my manners? Sorry, sorry. Sango, these are my friends Yuka and Ayumi. We’ve known each other since middle school. Guys, this is my friend Sango who I met at law school.”
Whilst they were exchanging their pleasantries, Kagome saw a tail swish out from behind Sango’s legs. A couple years ago the sight might’ve startled her; now it just made her curious. Taking a step to the side and craning her neck a bit to peek around her friend she was a bit surprised to see Shinichi. It was no secret that he was the most comfortable with Sango out of all of them; perhaps it was her bluntness or her brash honesty, her no-nonsense manner, or maybe just some ineffable quality that was hers alone. But neither was it a secret that he didn’t like strangers very much, which was exactly why Sango had placed herself between him and Kagome’s other friends, so how a neko-youkai had come to be curled up in his lap, purring away happily, had her baffled for all of three seconds before suddenly everything clicked together. While she herself had never met the domestic youkai Sango had mentioned was something like family, she’d heard her described well enough that she knew without a doubt that this had to be Kirara.
Something inside her melted. While there were a couple youkai who came and went from the Sunset Shrine regularly, like Yami, they still spent the majority of their limited time with particular charges. Shinichi, like many others, had suffered years of neglect and abuse at the hands of his youkai family and wasn’t comfortable around any strangers, regardless of race or species, but it was so much harder with youkai because of his past and the rarity of their availability and willingness.
And here was Sango, the self-same woman who’d once upon a time told her that she had no intention of getting involved with the hanyou or Kagome’s cause since she was already so preoccupied with her own, taking time out of her schedule to help this shy, skittish, vulnerable child open up to the one youkai Sango herself held the most trust in.
She saw Shinichi peek out just a bit from behind Goshinboku’s trunk, waving to her when she caught his eye, before he skittered away. Apparently having three uninvited ningen females interrupt them meant his introductions to Kirara were over – at least for the day.
She grimaced. Her timing could just be so perfect sometimes.
A hand came to rest on her shoulder and Kagome turned to see Sango shaking her head at her. “Don’t worry about it, I need to be going anyhow.”
Kagome couldn’t help but sigh, wondering if Sango was saying that just to make her feel better, but the older girl’s grip just tightened on her shoulder. She looked up and Sango lifted an eyebrow, clearly reading Kagome’s mind on the matter. “Need I remind you I already mentioned that, had everything gone to plan, I might not have even had time to go inside to say hello to you and your family?”
Kagome relaxed a bit inside at that.
Sango leaned down to pet the pint-sized youkai before picking her up. “Kirara and I will be back another day, but as for now I really must be going. It was nice to meet you both.” She nodded slightly to Yuka and Ayumi before quickly walking across the courtyard and disappearing down the steps toward the street.
After a moment, Yuka declared, “Well that was very…abrupt.”
“Yes, so was she,” Ayumi ventured carefully.
Chuckling lightly, Kagome confided, “That might have something to do with how the two of you were going on about Miroku earlier.”
They both stared at her.
“Aw, you mean she’s into him too?” Yuka complained.
Ayumi tapped her chin. “I don’t know. If he flirts with her like he flirted with us I’d be surprised if she wasn’t.”
“I hate to break it to you guys, but I’m pretty sure he likes her too.”
Yuka rolled her eyes. “Yeah, because I know so many guys that flirt with other girls instead of pursuing the ones they like.”
Kagome shook her head. “Maybe he is a fixed flirt for life, that part I’m not sure about, but I can tell he definitely likes her. There’s something in the way he watches her. I don’t know what, but there’s something holding him back.”
“So you’re serious about this?” Ayumi asked. Kagome just kept from breaking into chortles at her friend’s pout.
That was, until Yuka commented, “But she’s such a cold-fish!” That sobered her right up.
“And you know that from having a thirty-second conversation with her?” she countered. “Besides, she has plenty of reasons to be standoffish.”
“Such as?” Ayumi leaned forward, genuinely curious.
Kagome laughed. “You’ll just have to find out for yourselves. That is, if you’re interested in coming around here anymore,” she said leadingly.
Her two friends traded glances before giving her matching grins.
“And miss all the fun?” Yuka asked.
“It certainly does seem there’s no end of interesting things going on here,” Ayumi added.
“You mean it?” Kagome asked with cautious optimism. “So you’re okay with all of this?” She gestured widely at the buildings surrounding them.
Yuka held up her hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, that might be taking things a little bit too fast but, well,” she glanced sidelong at Ayumi, “like we said, we missed you.”
Ayumi nodded in agreement and smiled warmly at Kagome. “I don’t know how much of your new lifestyle we’ll be able to embrace or even agree with or anything, but I for one am willing to give it a shot at least.”
“So you’d be willing to meet with Jinenji again, or even some of the other hanyou later on?”
Ayumi smiled. “I’m up for it! Although, I wonder if now would be an awkward time to ask why you introduced us to Jinenji instead of Inuyasha.” She tapped her finger against her chin and her eyes unfocused in that dreamy way of hers. “Unless of course that is Inuyasha under a different pseudonym.”
“Oh, ew, please tell me that’s not true,” Yuka choked out.
“No, no,” Kagome quickly assured them, “Inuyasha and Jinenji are two entirely different people.” That was one statement she never would’ve thought she’d have to declare, but life had thrown her stranger curveballs before.
Yuka’s eyes bored into her. “So then why did you have us meet Gigantor instead?”
Kagome fidgeted under their gazes. “Jinenji really is the best for these kinds of meetings; he’s the most passive hanyou I’ve ever met, one of the most passive people I’ve ever met period. He doesn’t get offended easily and really just wants to help people understand.”
“You’re evading, Kagome,” Yuka pointed out.
She sighed. There were some things you couldn’t hide from people who’d known you half your life, despite the fact she’d seen little of them for the past year or so.
“Well,” she scuffed the dirt with the toe of her shoe, avoiding eye contact with either of them, “that’s because I kinda don’t know where Inuyasha is right now.”
"What?!" her friends exclaimed in unison, promptly talking over each other and drowning her with questions.
"How on earth could you not know where he is?"
"Does he not have a phone or something? If he does I can show you how to track it."
"What kind of asshole is he?"
"He's not two-timing you, is he?"
"Did he just go to visit another client or something?"
Finally their questions petered out and their initial shock and curiosity was overcome as they noticed the far too sombre look on her face.
"Kagome?" Ayumi ventured cautiously, putting her hand to the other girl's shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "What is it?"
Kagome sighed once, long and hard, and pasted a smile on her face that was far too brittle to be even vaguely believable. "It's fine."
Yuka almost outright glared at her for that. "Clearly," she deadpanned.
"Really, it's just..." Kagome searched for words, fingers combing through her hair just to keep them busy. "Complicated," she finally muttered.
Yuka turned to Ayumi. "So what she's saying is that she doesn't want us in that part of her life."
"That's not it!" cried Kagome.
Ayumi nodded in agreement. "You're wrong," she told Yuka. "It's clearly because she doesn't trust us anymore."
Kagome's mouth gaped at that as both girls leveled flat looks at her. Finally gathering her wits about her, Kagome glowered right back. "You're evil. Both of you."
They smirked smugly but didn't move to say anything else, waiting for Kagome to break.
Kagome fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, glancing to the side and hoping they'd somehow forget about grilling her if she remained quiet for the next thirty seconds or so. Looking back at them, though, she saw the determination in their faces. Levering an exasperated grumble, she declared "It has to do with all of this hanyou stuff, Inuyasha's situation and the like. I just didn't think you'd really want to hear it," she finished meekly.
They didn't say anything else, merely steered Kagome to the nearest bench, one sitting to either side of her, and looked at her expectantly.
So Kagome told them. In a way, it was a relief to tell someone who didn't have a vested interest or stake in hanyou status. Someone who didn't know Inuyasha, whether through meeting or shared experience. It was almost cathartic to be able to focus on, even wallow in, her pain in the situation. Yes, Inuyasha had every right to do what he did, maybe he'd even made the right choice for himself, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt, didn't cut her deeply. Her friends naturally focused on her feelings, her role in the whole situation. She felt selfish, but it felt kind of nice.
She had to speak up and defend Inuyasha when they started badmouthing him for hurting her, trying to explain his circumstances, but she'd known they wouldn't get it. How could they? They'd never seen anything as depraved as the life he was subjected to. After all, she hadn't either, not until she'd seen the wounds on his body and his blood painting the walls. Would she have believed anyone if they'd told her that was currently happening in civilized, enlightened Japan, let alone in a shrine of all places? Her friends knew better than to doubt her but was aware they couldn't fully credit what she was saying, especially since she left out so many of the details Inuyasha would be bothered by.
After that they didn't make any more recriminations toward Inuyasha, though she suspected that had more to do with the fact that it obviously upset her, rather than them coming to a deeper sympathy of Inuyasha and his plight. But it felt nice to sit there, Yuka holding her hand and Ayumi stroking her hair, their words of sympathy washing over her.
She'd tried so hard to push aside thoughts of how it sometimes felt like Inuyasha had abandoned her, even though she knew better. She'd thrown herself into all the tasks she could, keeping herself as busy as possible so she just couldn't think about it. What good would it do anyhow, aside from depressing her?
She knew it was selfish, and that was also part of why she hadn't wanted to tell them everything. She knew they'd be on her 'side', comforting her. But she was tired, and her heart still hurt despite all the logic her brain threw at it, so for a little while she just let herself be weak. She let herself soak in the sympathy of her friends, let herself feel the pain without the guilt that always, always accompanied it. (For being selfish, for pushing him to it with her promise, for it being her fault if he got hurt or Ryu never got to see him again, for not suggesting this route to him before, for stifling him, for holding him back, for loving him so possessively and selfishly.)
After letting her walls down in front of them, even allowing a few tears to streak from her eyes, Kagome lifted her head from where she'd buried it in Yuka's shoulder. Exhaling long and heavy, she gave them a shaky smile that slowly turned genuine. She laughed at herself, only slightly deprecatingly. "Thanks for hearing me out guys."
"Any time," Yuka said.
"We mean it," Ayumi added promptly. "We know our lives are different now and it's not like we live really close to each other either, but still. If you need a shoulder to lean on or just someone to listen, especially if it's someone outside of the situation," Kagome chuckled weakly, so they had caught on to that, "then we're here for you."
Clasping them both around the waist and bringing them in for an embrace, she said, "Thanks guys. I really- I really mean it."
"Friends for life, whatever weird paths it may lead us down?" Yuka asked.
Ayumi and Kagome both chimed in in unison. "Friends for life."
~ ~ ~
Chapter 29: Accommodation
----- the act of accommodating; state or process of being accommodated; adaptation.
----- adjustment of differences; reconciliation.
----- a process of mutual adaptation between persons or groups, usually achieved by eliminating or reducing hostility, as by compromise or arbitration.
~ ~ ~
Kagome hated going to the grocery store anymore. It wasn't even because of how often they had to go now - every other day - but because of the sheer amount she had to buy, then carry, then lumber up the million stairs to her house with. She even brought a trolley with her, but that only helped as far as the steps. At least she was using otherwise forgotten muscles, as her body had achingly made her aware the first few times she'd been sent on the errand.
Luckily for her they normally sent youkai on the trip, which typically meant Yami. He'd basically become the youkai equivalent of troop mother for their shrine, but even though he was willing they couldn't make him do everything. Besides, he normally shopped at youkai markets, understandably enough. However, her mother had gotten a new cookbook and was anxious to try out some of the recipes.
Her mom had actually started teaching some of the kids how to do a bit of the cooking, and it was absolutely adorable the way they'd all pour over the cookbooks and point out new things they wanted to try. Most of the hanyou hadn't had very expansive diets growing up, they'd usually just been given the same cheap and easy foods day after day, so they loved the exotic spices and pictures they found.
Tonight they were going to try a variety of curries. Knowing how much Inuyasha hated spicy foods, she'd been surprised to discover that a few of the younger hanyou at the house absolutely loved them. She supposed it had to do with what type of youkai heritage they had, but wasn't sure. It could just be general preferences too, much like how she enjoyed hot things much more than Souta did.
Most curry, according to Yami, wasn't a big favorite among youkai, except among tiger youkai who, oddly enough, seemed to live off the stuff. She'd have thought that, given how little Inuyasha cared for spice, that tigers wouldn't be big fans of it either, but that just proved how little she really knew about similarities between youkai races and what characteristics were shared by their hanyou. But that made it harder for their youkai grocery shoppers to find curry; most youkai groceries tended to only carry a little bit of it, and then only one or two varieties. There was a market that catered to the big cat youkai but it was on the other side of town, whereas this ningen shop was just down the street from her shrine. It wasn't hard to ascertain what would be the easiest option.
So now here she was, trying to figure out how many different varieties to buy, and how much of each - if none of the hanyou liked red curry, for instance, they could be stuck with it for ages since none of the Higurashis much cared for that one either.
She had her cart about half full when she heard her name.
“Kagome?”
She wasn't sure why, but she tensed up as she spun in the aisle to face whoever had called out to her. Maybe it was the incredulity in the voice, or maybe she sensed some underlying anxiety, but a soon as she saw who it was she understood.
“Yuka?!” She mirrored her friend's surprise. Eyebrows up to her hairline, she faltered, “Wow, how long has it been?”
“Months,” Yuka said dryly.
“No, it can’t have been…” She did some mental calculations. “Holy cow, it really has been.” Well, that was awkward. “But it’s good to see you! What are you doing here?”
The other girl wordlessly raised the basket she was holding.
“Yeah, yeah, Miss Obvious,” Kagome ribbed lightly, testing the waters. “I mean here at this store. Last I heard you’d gotten an apartment closer to downtown."
“I’m staying with my parents. My mom fell and hurt her hip so I’m helping take care of things for a while.”
“Oh, Yuka…oh, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me anything?”
Yuka shrugged with forced nonchalance, or at least Kagome thought it was forced. "You just seem to busy these days; you're a hard person to pin down, you know?"
Now she knew for sure she was putting on an act. There was too much underlying bitterness and hurt and Kagome felt cut to the core. She hadn’t thought Yuka still cared about her that much.
Things had all kind of gone downhill after the situation at the hospital with Eri. Of course Ayumi and Yuka had come flying at her, demanding to know how she could just abandon Eri like that, vulnerable and alone in such a situation.
Kagome had tried to be patient, knowing they’d only heard Eri’s side of the tale, knowing they’d probably unsay every word when she told them the truth, but the words and accusations still stung.
‘Was friendship really worth so much less than a good fuck?’ The accusation still rung in her ears.
She was, admittedly, a little too heated and forceful in cutting them off and sharing her side of the story. They’d been in plenty of fights over the years, though – as teenage girls often will – and she knew they’d hold it against her no more than she held their previous words against them.
She withheld the information of Inuyasha’s breakdown despite knowing how it would sway their feelings. He wouldn’t want anyone else to know and frankly it wasn’t their right to know. Even still, she was surprised when they hadn’t immediately thrown their weight in her corner. To her it was so clear cut, black and white, that their hesitation seemed impossible.
Hadn’t she overreacted just a little bit? Did she really have to abandon a friend just because of a few cross words? Or maybe there was miscommunication; Eri was bound to be all high strung. Maybe she didn’t want anyone else there at all – it was a highly private matter after all. Maybe Kagome was so oversensitive to the whole hanyou thing that she took Eri’s request that her boyfriend leave as an insult to his heritage?
Kagome had felt blindsided. They’d watched plenty of movies together in their years of friendship, and whenever the dashing hero – whether he was the Japanese warrior wandering through an early China or the charming boy from the streets who managed to best even the most pompous of American tycoons – was treated as an outcast they’d all yelled at the unfairness of it and celebrated the hero’s inevitable victory. They’d all demanded that the hero be seen for who he was and what he was capable of, not the where, when, and to whom he was born.
Of course, the fact that the hero was almost unfailingly Japanese, not to mention young and hot, probably didn’t hurt, Kagome realized later, a bit sourly.
In the end Ayumi and Yuka simply chose not to take sides. Their two versions of events were too different, they said, it was impossible to know what had really happened, what with emotions running high on both sides. They would simply put it in the past where it belonged and move on. They’d still be friends with both Kagome and Eri, but understood if the two of them couldn’t be.
Things were all right but understandably awkward between them.
After that they didn’t see each other as much, since Yuka and Ayumi had to split their time between who they jokingly called ‘mom’ and ‘dad’. Oh, by the way mom, dad says hi, and to not forget to have us back by 7pm, ha ha.
And then Kagome’s life became busier and their calls became less frequent and they all just slowly, naturally drifted apart.
“So how is…everyone?”
“They’re fine.”
The space between them filled up with awkward silence. Kagome did not like awkward silences and always inevitably sought to fill or overcome them.
“Is Eri still upset with me?” she blurted out. It was a stupid thing to say; what difference would it make?
Yuka looked uncomfortable. “Erm, yeah.” And then, as if she felt a burning need to confess, “She’s actually been saying some rather unflattering things about hanyou since then.”
Kagome sighed and squeezed the bridge of her nose, deflating.
“I think it’s more just that she feels they stole you away from us, that you’d choose hanyou over her.”
Kagome looked up. Her friend looked slightly chagrined but her eyes were intently focused, waiting for some kind of answer to her unspoken question. The answer was a flat out yes, she would, but Kagome knew she needed more finesse than that. She was talking to her friend for the first time in months, suddenly tackling all the big issues between them, and she didn’t want to turn her off immediately.
“If Ayumi had a really bad lisp and a stutter would you defend her if she was getting made fun of?”
Brow scrunched but already seeing where Kagome was headed with this, Yuka sought to head her off. “Of course I would, and I get what you’re trying to do, but Eri’s your friend too.”
“Exactly. What would you do if I started making fun of Ayumi?”
Yuka snorted. “Like you’d do that.”
“I didn’t expect Eri to call Inuyasha an animal and a dirty thing to his face, either. People can surprise you. Now what would you do if I made fun of Ayumi?”
She shrugged. “I guess I’d tell you off.”
“And if I didn’t stop? If I continued to mock her?”
Yuka glanced away.
“How do you decide between keeping one friend and protecting another?”
"I thought they only had the one confrontation and saw each other for about a minute." It was avoidance and they both knew it.
“How could I tell hanyou they’re equal and then stand by as they’re mistreated?”
“So you’re saying it was a hard decision?
Kagome cringed. “No, it wasn’t.”
She knew how bad that sounded so she rushed to explain. “Eri had you guys. She had other friends. Family. She’s human: she had the whole world. Inuyasha has nobody. Besides, I have my beliefs and I have to stand up for them. I won’t stand for prejudice, even from a friend. Especially from a friend. And I would’ve done the same for any hanyou, not just Inuyasha.
“What happened to our ideals that everyone be treated for who and not what they are? Inuyasha was afraid that I’d been hurt, had just run himself ragged to get to the hospital thinking I’d been admitted, and was immediately met with scorn. If Eri had wanted him to leave because she just wanted us to be alone, that’d be one thing. Or if she’d said he was a stranger, or she wanted privacy, or she didn’t really want to see me with my boyfriend right then, given the nature of her visit. Any other excuse would’ve been fine, understandable even, but she fixated on his being hanyou and forced me to make a choice.”
“But you were still her friend,” Yuka lamented.
Kagome sighed. “I know. I don’t think one mistake makes her a bad person necessarily, but I had to choose.”
“She felt abandoned.”
“I know,” she repeated. In part it was frustrating; she’d just laid out how Inuyasha was the wronged party here, Yuka apparently buying her story in its entirety this time, but still her only worry was about Eri’s feelings. Then again, she didn’t know Inuyasha, had never seen his shell go up or his eyes deaden, she only knew Eri and saw how it affected her.
“I’m sorry it worked out this way. I should’ve called one of you and told you what was going on, to drop what you were doing and take my place at the hospital. I was just...preoccupied.” Busy holding him as he huddled into the wall, shivering in her arms, every defensive wall he had struggling to block out the hurt. Not that he’d ever describe it that way. “I had to be with the one who needed me more.” That was as close as she’d come to admitting his breakdown.
“So you chose your boyfriend over your friend.”
And that was the crux of it all. In the end what she did felt like a betrayal because she’d chosen a guy first and foremost, and that was a big no-no in the friendship book of ethics. Reasons almost didn’t even matter.
“But what if they’re not what you think they are?” Yuka pleaded. “I mean, everyone holds they’re pretty much just talking animals, a mess of human instinct and youkai power that make them dumb, incompetent, and dangerous. You’re the only one who says otherwise. What if you’re wrong and just being blinded by emotion and good intentions? Or what if Inuyasha is an anomaly and all the rest are as dangerous as they all say?” She took a deep breath. “All I’m saying is you have an awful lot riding on this whole ‘hanyou-are-equal’ bit.”
Kagome was quiet a moment, mulling over her words. “Who’s this ‘everyone’ you keep referring to?”
Yuka floundered. “Uh, well…”
“And who among them – give me a single name – has met a hanyou? And don’t say Eri because she only saw Inuyasha for a minute and all she did was yell at him.”
Yuka was understandably silent.
"You won't even take my word for it, when you know me, so what kind of stock can you put in secondhand information? You simply want to dislike them because it's more convenient." Kagome said it softly, not particularly wanting to offend her friend, but knew it was a truth that needed to be said regardless. She wished she knew kinder words to use, but she was just so tired.
There was silence again, but Yuka's face was thoughtful, and Kagome could've cried at the fact her friend was considering her words instead of just shutting her out.
“Would you at least be willing to meet one?”
“W-wh-what?!” The girl looked downright terrified, and Kagome had to suppress a grim smile.
"How can you know what they are and how intelligent or dumb they are without judging for yourself? They are sweet, precious creatures who've grown up hearing their entire lives how they're unwanted, how it would be so much better for everyone if they'd never been born. Yet after all that they still manage to care about others and desire to be part of this world, not destroy it. I think that speaks to a strength beyond imagining.
"Besides, if you met one then maybe you'd stop looking at me like I'm crazy, stop thinking that I'm throwing my entire life away on some grand delusion. Maybe then you'd understand why this has become my focus and drive. If you won't believe me about them, then don't you owe it to yourself, to all of us, to be able to decide for yourself?"
Yuka looked curious, intrigued even, but unconvinced.
Kagome sighed. "It's not like I can guarantee you a meet-n-greet anyhow though. The hanyou I'm around are understandably skittish about meeting other people, and I only have one hanyou-friend who's agreed to meet a human-friend before. So even if you do agree to this it might be a while before it can actually happen."
The tension in Yuka's shoulders noticeable lessened. Kagome wasn't sure what had affected the change. The fact that any meeting wouldn't be immediate, that she'd have time to prepare for it? Or that the hanyou were just as reluctant about meeting 'outsiders'?
Slowly, Yuka nodded. "I...I'll think about it. That's the best I can do right now."
Kagome grinned widely and grasped her friend's hands. "Thank you, Yuka, really."
Yuka's smile was a bit more hesitant but she squeezed Kagome's hands back before letting go. "Well I need to get going now, but it's been good to see you."
"You too. Let me know what you decide, well, whenever. And let Ayumi know that she's more than welcome too. I don't know if you might be more comfortable if you two came together, but we can make it work, however you like. I just...don't know what the timetable might be. Sorry."
Shaking her head, Yuka chuckled lightly. Same old Kagome, babbling tendencies and all. "Okay, I'll do that. See you around Kagome." She raised her hand in a wave and then disappeared around the corner.
Once Yuka was gone Kagome's smile waned. She wondered if either she or Ayumi would be willing to go through with this. Still, just the fact that Yuka was considering it was a small victory in its own right. She'd just think about the positive; she was sure those two would come around eventually. She just didn't know how long it might take.
She was pulled from her musings when she hit her elbow. Rubbing it vigorously to soothe the pain, she turned back to her cart. Her half-empty cart. Groaning she gave up and just started throwing assortments of curries, spices, and other sauces in to join everything else. Whatever she picked would inevitably turn out wrong anyhow. They'd have too little of what everybody ended up liking, and too much of what everyone hated.
Glancing at the clock on her cell phone she decided it was late enough she could get away with calling home once she was close. Then she could wheedle out some helpers to assist in carrying the motley assortment of bags up the stairs of death.
Sighing once again, she slowly rolled her way over to the checkout.
~ ~ ~
It took Kagome a week to work up the courage to ask Jinenji if he’d be willing to meet one or even possibly two more of her friends. There was just so much more that could potentially go wrong with this introduction.
At least with Professor Hirohito he'd been actually interested in meeting hanyou and learning about them, looking forward to it even. The worst she’d worried about with him was that he’d be too pushy, too callous with emotion, relegating them to the realm and status of ‘research subject’, especially since while he was interested in hanyou psychology, he was much more interested in their physiology.
He’d already been clear that he wouldn’t do anything to place them at risk, postponing his findings at great personal loss considering all the potential fame and accolades such publications would likely garner. But for all that he was a researcher, so determinedly focused on his goals he could well be negligent and less than careful of things, people, and feelings outside it, he would never have intentionally lashed out at Jinenji.
With Yuka, however, she wasn’t so sure. She’d never had any interest in hanyou, let alone desire to meet one, and was only going to possibly do so at Kagome’s request. She had no doubt her friend probably had some hard feelings toward hanyou, given that they were at the root of what had caused their foursome to fracture, and worried she would redirect the blame onto Jinenji’s shoulders, as he acted as a representative for his race.
She explained all her misgivings to Jinenji, giving him every opportunity to say no, but he agreed to her request anyhow. Regardless, she was still conflicted about the whole thing. On the one hand, she felt she was taking advantage of Jinenji and his kindness. How high a probability was there that he'd actually tell her 'no'? On the other, she needed to respect his decision, otherwise what kind of example would she be setting? There would be plenty who saw it as her valuing her own opinion more than his, or just simply thinking her own opinion inherently better than that of a hanyou.
She took a deep breath. No, even if she was treading on Jinenji's gentleness and inherent good nature, she needed to go ahead with this. After all, the point of all of this was hanyou integration into society as a whole. Facing unfriendly, uncomfortable, or suspicious people was likely the mildest of what they'd face.
So yes, the meeting between Jinenji and Yuka would happen. After all, if they were both willing to go out of their comfort zones to meet the other, she could certainly deal with her own worry and discomfiture. All she could do in the meantime was pray to any kami that would listen for things to go well.
~ ~ ~
A motley group of men cautiously approached the immobile, red-clad form they’d just taken down, staring warily. After a few tense moments of indecision the bravest of them stepped forward, prodding the prone figure with the butt of his shotgun. When there was still no sign of movement he carefully rolled him over with the toe of his boot so they could all see it…him…it more clearly.
Strange ears came into view, fingers tipped with claws, and they all drew a collective sigh of relief as they were clearly able to see they hadn’t accidentally killed any human, despite the similarities in physiology.
Now that they were confident they were in no danger from the intruder, a second man hunkered down over him, scrutinizing his every feature. “What the hell is it?” he asked, tugging on one of the ears to make sure it wasn’t a fake.
“A hanyou,” answered a third man, a sneer plainly evident in his voice. Comprehension dawned on all faces except for the second man, who still looked confused. The sneering man elaborated. “The bastard offspring of one of us sleeping with one of those fucking youkai.” He spat derisively.
“Oh. So what do we do with ‘im?”
Several mouths opened but the sneering man was just a hair faster to respond than the rest. “It’s intruded on our lands, stolen our food, and terrorized our livestock. We do what we’d do to any other wild animal who’d done as such: we put it down. Now make sure it’s dead.” While he’d been speaking to the group at large at first, he directed this last at the second man, still kneeling over Inuyasha’s body.
The second man shrugged. “Easy enough.” Standing so he’d have enough room to aim, he raised his rifle, preparing to lodge another bullet right into the creature’s heart.
“Wait! Stop you idiot!”
Another man rushed at him, knocking his hand aside just as the trigger pulled. At the resounding concussion and the backfire of the gun they stared at each other before hastily checking to see what had happened. The intruder looked down at creature, breathing a sigh of relief to see the bullet had avoided striking his chest, even if it had lodged deeply in its arm.
“What the hell did you do that for?” the second man cried. Disgruntled at having his task interrupted, he ripped his rifle out of his neighbor’s grasp. So what that there had been interference? It wasn’t a proud moment to have his shot go astray, especially for a target so close.
“Look at what he’s wearing,” the interloper hissed.
“What, you want his haori so you don’t want it mucked up? Still got a shot off so it’s too late for that,” he added, more confused than annoyed at this point.
“No, you dolt, look at his necklace, his necklace!” he cried, shaking his comrade. “It’s a rosary. What if he’s a shrine pet? You think whatever kami he serves would smile on those who killed him?”
Everyone present, even Mr. Snide, a collective step back, except for the two standing almost on top of the hanyou.
The second man tried to back away as well but the intruder hung onto his shirt. He swallowed nervously. “And i-if he’s already dead?”
The intruder let go of him with a none-too gentle shove.
“We shot him in the trees while hunting a known predator. Not that any kami would be pleased with our action regardless, but it’s better at least than shooting him point blank after we’ve had the chance to get a good look at him.”
He glanced once again at the hanyou, who was completely immobile, not even the slightest rise and fall of his chest to hint that any breath remained in his body.
“Let us hope he has no such affiliation and that he got those beads through other, more nefarious means.”
They all shifted uncomfortably. What evil, predatory creature would be able to survive wearing something so holy? It hardly seemed a likely hope.
The man sighed, realizing how unrealistic that scenario was.
“Otherwise, let us pray for mercy from his kami.”
All of them sank slightly into despair and slunk even further away from the immobile form.
After all, kami weren’t exactly known for being forgiving.
~ ~ ~Kagome sat in the dining room with Miroku and Jinenji, tapping her fingernails on the table and fighting a sense of déjà vu. It had only been a week and a half since she'd mentioned the idea of a meeting to Yuka and she couldn't believe things were happening so fast. She herself had barely had time to get used to the idea of two vastly different parts of her world colliding, and she could only guess at how Jinenji felt.
But Yuka had always been rather sure of herself; it was one of the things the rest of them admired so much about her. She was outgoing and impulsive and when she made a decision - well thought out or no - she acted on it immediately, for better or worse. No second-guessing for her. It almost made Kagome wonder what had taken Yuka so long to come to a decision.
Looking up, she shot a nervous smile at her friend. Glancing at Miroku, she noted even he was a little tense. He'd insisted on being here for this meeting as well - to no small amount of relief on her part - but even though he was smiling as usual she could detect a hint of worry in his eyes when he looked at her.
A small sound from outside had her jumping where she sat, but when no knock on the door was forthcoming she slumped down in her chair."Kagome?" Jinenji asked softly and she yelped before offering him up a sheepish grin.
"Sorry," she said bashfully. "Guess I'm just a little jittery today."
"Actually, that's just what I wanted to talk to you about," he said hesitantly.
"I know, I know. Deep, calming breaths." She started to do just that but Jinenji shook his head.
"You're too anxious - it won't help enough. Actually I was going to ask-" a quick glance at Miroku, "if you would mind sitting this out and letting us handle this."
Mouth dropping open, Kagome spluttered "W-what?"
Miroku shrugged sheepishly. "I agree. If Jinenji hadn't spoken up first then I would've."
She looked back and forth between the two of them, indignation brewing. "Oh no, you guys are not doing this to me again."
"Kagome..." Jinenji started.
"Is it the nerves? Because I can totally tone that down. I can."
Miroku shared an exasperated look with the hanyou before turning back to Kagome, mischief glittering in his eyes. "Did you ever stop to think about what your friend really wants to know? What kinds of questions she'll have?"
Confused, Kagome's eyebrows drew together. "What do you mean? She's coming to meet a hanyou and learn about them, to see how they're really just like us."
Miroku clucked his tongue. "Ah, that's where you're wrong."
Kagome crossed her arms and sat back, clearly waiting to be convinced.
"She's your friend, Kagome. Her inquiries will be much more personal than that," Jinenji interjected.
They watched as comprehension slowly dawned across her face. Miroku took that moment to pounce.
"What she cares about is you and your relationship with this guy that has completely turned your life around, changing your goals and how you spend your time, pulling you away from them."
He leaned forward. "Yes, she'll want to know Jinenji, but only as a way gauge how to judge Inuyasha. Maybe she'll want to learn more about hanyou and the movement in the future, but for now her questions will be primarily about Inuyasha and your relationship with him."
"Then all the more reason for me to be here!" she exclaimed belligerently, almost pouting. "She should just ask me since I'm the one who knows the most about it."
"If you have a friend who's in an odd relationship, one that's changing her and making you worry, especially when you know very little about her partner - and the things you have heard are only bad - who do you ask? You know that if you ask her you'll only get either a defensive answer or her going all love-struck and going on and on about how amazing her partner is."
"All right, all right, fine, I get it. Anything I say would be seen as biased. But why can't I be here?"
Miroku's gaze softened. He knew she understood his point, that Yuka would feel more comfortable asking questions about Kagome if Kagome wasn't there, but she was worried, and for all parties involved.
He placed his hand on hers. "Trust us with this. I'll call you if things get out of hand but this meet will be much less productive if you're here."
She snorted. "Is that a polite-ish way of telling me I'm in the way?"
Jinenji's chuckle rattled the glasses sitting on the table. "Yes, I think that was."
Opening her mouth to retort, she cut herself off as the doorbell chimed. "She's here!" she squeaked. She darted out of the room, pulling the front door open almost before the doorbell had silenced.
"Yuka!" she enthused, throwing her arms around her friend. She froze, mid-hug, as she looked over Yuka's arm. "A-Ayumi?" she breathed. "You came too?" Dang it, she felt tears already starting in her eyes; she couldn't have that just yet, no need to freak them out before they even got over the threshold, so she viciously held them back.
Ayumi, for her part, blushed and looked at her feet. Kagome pulled back from Yuka, and when she realized just how hard she'd been squeezing her in her surprise she sent her a wordless glance of apology, she moved over to the embarrassed Ayumi. At least, she hoped it was embarrassment and not something like regret or repulsion that kept her eyes down. Hesitantly, Kagome placed a hand on her arm, feeling the other girl out.
"I've missed you," Ayumi admitted quietly and Kagome immediately pulled her into an embrace, feeling her tears threaten to come back. Oh well, it's not like her friends didn't already know she was an emotional basket-case at the best of times. "I missed you too." After a minute or two, she added, "Thank you for coming," and started to pull away.
Ayumi wiped suspiciously at her eyes too but that just made Kagome grin. "I'm not promising anything-" she started but Kagome cut her off.
"I know, I know. Believe me, I'm not expecting magic to happen today or anything like that. I just wanted you to know a little bit more about why things have changed for me. I honestly believe that if either of you had been in the same situation as me, seen the same things that I have, that you'd have responded the same way."
She huffed a little while leading them inside, torn between being reserved and careful - as they were on such fragile ground, or rolling her eyes and being somewhat flippant - as was more the status quo between them. "I'm not trying to get you to be all gung-ho about my cause with this. Wait, no, that's actually a bit of a lie." She sighed, rubbing at her temple.
"Oh, screw it. I've known you guys too long to try to be polite and dance around things instead of being blunt." To her surprise the other girls seemed to relax at this and even smiled a little. She grinned right back. "Of course I want you to come around to my way of thinking; I want everyone to. I wouldn't be so consumed with this if I didn't feel strongly about it, obviously. But like I said, I'm not expecting today to drastically shift your worldview or anything. I just want you to see a little bit of my world and maybe admit, even a tiny bit, that we've all been fed prejudiced bull our entire lives and we just believed it because we never had any reason to question it. Well, I met some hanyou and questioned it. Here you guys can do the same and see a bit of why I've gone off the deep end."
Yuka's smile turned nervous but it held nonetheless. "Well, we'll see."
Kagome nodded at this, then spun on her heel and led the way to the dining room. Miroku was waiting outside and she could already feel the girls' curious eyes on her back.
"Ladies, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Any friend of Kagome's is a friend of mine." Kagome was pretty sure the only reason they didn't titter at this was because of the tension lingering in the room. Miroku was pretty good at dealing with that though; already she'd felt it ratchet down a bit. "My name is Miroku and I am but a humble monk but I am happy to be able to offer my services during this meeting."
Ayumi and Yuka exchanged glances. "You're...human?" Yuka ventured.
"Through and through," he grinned. "Our hanyou friend is waiting at the table, but I'll let him introduce himself. I just thought I would come meet you first so you didn't have to do all the name-learning at once but also to let you know that we're kicking Kagome out of this meeting." He pulled her aside as he said this, shooing her toward the patio door. "That is, if you're comfortable with it. I just figured that this way you could ask all the questions that you really want to know, all those juicy tidbits that Kagome likes to leave out," he added with a wink and a stage-whisper specifically designed to carry. Kagome rolled her eyes dramatically at his antics and she was almost shocked by how not-shocked she was that Ayumi and Yuka fell right into it. Actually, considering the unfettered, almost vicious glee that she saw on their faces as they looked over at her, she was more surprised that they hadn't helped kicked her out that instant so they could get to their questions immediately.
"You're sure you're comfortable with this?" Kagome verified. They both nodded and Ayumi actually made a little shooing gesture with her hand. Kagome held back a laugh, but has to make sure. "You know I'll be within earshot, but you'll be in there with just a strange man - a very strange man," she added with a smirk at Miroku, "and a hanyou?"
Yuka actually growled a little bit and Ayumi rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, Kagome. Miroku is obviously a monk, even I can feel a faint bit of aura on him, and we're in a shrine. If this hanyou were completely evil I don't believe he would be able to come in, even with this new, weird designation the building has. So stop worrying and leave already so we can get to the juicy stuff." She actually rubbed her hands together in anticipation and Miroku let out a bark of laughter at that. "Yes, Kagome, leave the girls in my capable hands."
Kagome glared at them all, like they were just trying to make her life difficult, but at least it was better than the fear and trepidation she'd worried would overcast everything. "I just want everything to go alright, that's all. I don't want anyone to get hurt." Unbeknownst to the trio they all smile softly at her: Kagome, always trying to protect everyone with hands much too small for the task. Yuka went over and hugged her again. "We'll try our best, okay? No promises about what'll come of this but we'll be on our best behavior, mom."
She huffed in mock irritation but really this whole scene had warmed her heart. Everyone was trying, even if it was just for her sake, but that was more than she'd ever expected, really. "Well, if I'm playing the role of mom, do you guys need any refreshment?"
All three of them said "Go!" in unison and Kagome laughingly retreated toward the back door. "Make sure you youngins keep the door open now, you hear? You know how dangerous it is, having young men and women in the same room together."
"Go!" Yuka yelled again, throwing a nearby cushion at her.
She ducked out of the way, sticking her tongue out at Yuka for the action - very mature of her - and headed outside, a smile on her face. This might go better than she'd even imagined.
~ ~ ~
After their meeting Kagome led the girls outside so they could talk without worry of being overheard by those immediately involved. “So what did you-” She didn’t even get the chance to flesh out the question, though, since as soon as the door shut behind them her friends fell all over each other, giggling and chattering like they were still school girls.
“Oh my word, did you see him?”
“He was so cute!”
“W-who?” Kagome asked, taken aback. “Jinenji?”
Both Yuka and Ayumi shot her a look like she needed to have her eyes checked.
“No silly, the monk,” Yuka corrected.
“Miroku,” Ayumi supplied dreamily.
Kagome fought the urge to slap her forehead. She’d been grateful for Miroku’s presence, really. During those first few tense moments he’d been amazing at dispelling the tension rife in the air, at injecting some much-needed levity into this first meeting of two completely different parts of her world, and in getting everyone to loosen up enough to ask the questions they really wanted to.
What had surprised her was that not only had Yuka and Ayumi shown eventual interest in Jinenji, but that he’d also asked them a few questions of his own as well – even if most of them had been to get embarrassing stories about her. While she’d thrown up her token protests and played the wounded party, much to everyone’s amusement, it gave all the others something in common to be having fun at her expense, and from the knowing twinkle in Miroku’s eye the man had well-known it too.
But from the way her friends were still carrying on it seemed he might have done his job a bit too well.
“And did you see his eyes?”
“Violet!” Ayumi squealed. “I know! I’d read it was possible but I never really thought I’d see someone who had purple eyes. I’d have thought it would look silly on a man but the color is just so striking…”
Kagome just chuckled and shook her head at their carrying-on, but as they crossed the courtyard and she could see around to the other side of the enormous Goshinboku she came to a sudden stop. “Oh, Sango! I didn’t know you were here.”
Sango stood from the bench and brushed off her pants, blocking from view whoever else it was she’d been talking to. “I was going to come inside later if I still had time.”
“Miroku’s inside too if you wanted to say hello.”
“Yes,” Sango replied dryly, “so I heard.”
Kagome fought a wince. She’d rather hoped Sango had gone momentarily deaf and hadn’t heard her friends’ effusive fawning. Speaking of which…
“Shoot, where are my manners? Sorry, sorry. Sango, these are my friends Yuka and Ayumi. We’ve known each other since middle school. Guys, this is my friend Sango who I met at law school.”
Whilst they were exchanging their pleasantries, Kagome saw a tail swish out from behind Sango’s legs. A couple years ago the sight might’ve startled her; now it just made her curious. Taking a step to the side and craning her neck a bit to peek around her friend she was a bit surprised to see Shinichi. It was no secret that he was the most comfortable with Sango out of all of them; perhaps it was her bluntness or her brash honesty, her no-nonsense manner, or maybe just some ineffable quality that was hers alone. But neither was it a secret that he didn’t like strangers very much, which was exactly why Sango had placed herself between him and Kagome’s other friends, so how a neko-youkai had come to be curled up in his lap, purring away happily, had her baffled for all of three seconds before suddenly everything clicked together. While she herself had never met the domestic youkai Sango had mentioned was something like family, she’d heard her described well enough that she knew without a doubt that this had to be Kirara.
Something inside her melted. While there were a couple youkai who came and went from the Sunset Shrine regularly, like Yami, they still spent the majority of their limited time with particular charges. Shinichi, like many others, had suffered years of neglect and abuse at the hands of his youkai family and wasn’t comfortable around any strangers, regardless of race or species, but it was so much harder with youkai because of his past and the rarity of their availability and willingness.
And here was Sango, the self-same woman who’d once upon a time told her that she had no intention of getting involved with the hanyou or Kagome’s cause since she was already so preoccupied with her own, taking time out of her schedule to help this shy, skittish, vulnerable child open up to the one youkai Sango herself held the most trust in.
She saw Shinichi peek out just a bit from behind Goshinboku’s trunk, waving to her when she caught his eye, before he skittered away. Apparently having three uninvited ningen females interrupt them meant his introductions to Kirara were over – at least for the day.
She grimaced. Her timing could just be so perfect sometimes.
A hand came to rest on her shoulder and Kagome turned to see Sango shaking her head at her. “Don’t worry about it, I need to be going anyhow.”
Kagome couldn’t help but sigh, wondering if Sango was saying that just to make her feel better, but the older girl’s grip just tightened on her shoulder. She looked up and Sango lifted an eyebrow, clearly reading Kagome’s mind on the matter. “Need I remind you I already mentioned that, had everything gone to plan, I might not have even had time to go inside to say hello to you and your family?”
Kagome relaxed a bit inside at that.
Sango leaned down to pet the pint-sized youkai before picking her up. “Kirara and I will be back another day, but as for now I really must be going. It was nice to meet you both.” She nodded slightly to Yuka and Ayumi before quickly walking across the courtyard and disappearing down the steps toward the street.
After a moment, Yuka declared, “Well that was very…abrupt.”
“Yes, so was she,” Ayumi ventured carefully.
Chuckling lightly, Kagome confided, “That might have something to do with how the two of you were going on about Miroku earlier.”
They both stared at her.
“Aw, you mean she’s into him too?” Yuka complained.
Ayumi tapped her chin. “I don’t know. If he flirts with her like he flirted with us I’d be surprised if she wasn’t.”
“I hate to break it to you guys, but I’m pretty sure he likes her too.”
Yuka rolled her eyes. “Yeah, because I know so many guys that flirt with other girls instead of pursuing the ones they like.”
Kagome shook her head. “Maybe he is a fixed flirt for life, that part I’m not sure about, but I can tell he definitely likes her. There’s something in the way he watches her. I don’t know what, but there’s something holding him back.”
“So you’re serious about this?” Ayumi asked. Kagome just kept from breaking into chortles at her friend’s pout.
That was, until Yuka commented, “But she’s such a cold-fish!” That sobered her right up.
“And you know that from having a thirty-second conversation with her?” she countered. “Besides, she has plenty of reasons to be standoffish.”
“Such as?” Ayumi leaned forward, genuinely curious.
Kagome laughed. “You’ll just have to find out for yourselves. That is, if you’re interested in coming around here anymore,” she said leadingly.
Her two friends traded glances before giving her matching grins.
“And miss all the fun?” Yuka asked.
“It certainly does seem there’s no end of interesting things going on here,” Ayumi added.
“You mean it?” Kagome asked with cautious optimism. “So you’re okay with all of this?” She gestured widely at the buildings surrounding them.
Yuka held up her hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, that might be taking things a little bit too fast but, well,” she glanced sidelong at Ayumi, “like we said, we missed you.”
Ayumi nodded in agreement and smiled warmly at Kagome. “I don’t know how much of your new lifestyle we’ll be able to embrace or even agree with or anything, but I for one am willing to give it a shot at least.”
“So you’d be willing to meet with Jinenji again, or even some of the other hanyou later on?”
Ayumi smiled. “I’m up for it! Although, I wonder if now would be an awkward time to ask why you introduced us to Jinenji instead of Inuyasha.” She tapped her finger against her chin and her eyes unfocused in that dreamy way of hers. “Unless of course that is Inuyasha under a different pseudonym.”
“Oh, ew, please tell me that’s not true,” Yuka choked out.
“No, no,” Kagome quickly assured them, “Inuyasha and Jinenji are two entirely different people.” That was one statement she never would’ve thought she’d have to declare, but life had thrown her stranger curveballs before.
Yuka’s eyes bored into her. “So then why did you have us meet Gigantor instead?”
Kagome fidgeted under their gazes. “Jinenji really is the best for these kinds of meetings; he’s the most passive hanyou I’ve ever met, one of the most passive people I’ve ever met period. He doesn’t get offended easily and really just wants to help people understand.”
“You’re evading, Kagome,” Yuka pointed out.
She sighed. There were some things you couldn’t hide from people who’d known you half your life, despite the fact she’d seen little of them for the past year or so.
“Well,” she scuffed the dirt with the toe of her shoe, avoiding eye contact with either of them, “that’s because I kinda don’t know where Inuyasha is right now.”
"What?!" her friends exclaimed in unison, promptly talking over each other and drowning her with questions.
"How on earth could you not know where he is?"
"Does he not have a phone or something? If he does I can show you how to track it."
"What kind of asshole is he?"
"He's not two-timing you, is he?"
"Did he just go to visit another client or something?"
Finally their questions petered out and their initial shock and curiosity was overcome as they noticed the far too sombre look on her face.
"Kagome?" Ayumi ventured cautiously, putting her hand to the other girl's shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "What is it?"
Kagome sighed once, long and hard, and pasted a smile on her face that was far too brittle to be even vaguely believable. "It's fine."
Yuka almost outright glared at her for that. "Clearly," she deadpanned.
"Really, it's just..." Kagome searched for words, fingers combing through her hair just to keep them busy. "Complicated," she finally muttered.
Yuka turned to Ayumi. "So what she's saying is that she doesn't want us in that part of her life."
"That's not it!" cried Kagome.
Ayumi nodded in agreement. "You're wrong," she told Yuka. "It's clearly because she doesn't trust us anymore."
Kagome's mouth gaped at that as both girls leveled flat looks at her. Finally gathering her wits about her, Kagome glowered right back. "You're evil. Both of you."
They smirked smugly but didn't move to say anything else, waiting for Kagome to break.
Kagome fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, glancing to the side and hoping they'd somehow forget about grilling her if she remained quiet for the next thirty seconds or so. Looking back at them, though, she saw the determination in their faces. Levering an exasperated grumble, she declared "It has to do with all of this hanyou stuff, Inuyasha's situation and the like. I just didn't think you'd really want to hear it," she finished meekly.
They didn't say anything else, merely steered Kagome to the nearest bench, one sitting to either side of her, and looked at her expectantly.
So Kagome told them. In a way, it was a relief to tell someone who didn't have a vested interest or stake in hanyou status. Someone who didn't know Inuyasha, whether through meeting or shared experience. It was almost cathartic to be able to focus on, even wallow in, her pain in the situation. Yes, Inuyasha had every right to do what he did, maybe he'd even made the right choice for himself, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt, didn't cut her deeply. Her friends naturally focused on her feelings, her role in the whole situation. She felt selfish, but it felt kind of nice.
She had to speak up and defend Inuyasha when they started badmouthing him for hurting her, trying to explain his circumstances, but she'd known they wouldn't get it. How could they? They'd never seen anything as depraved as the life he was subjected to. After all, she hadn't either, not until she'd seen the wounds on his body and his blood painting the walls. Would she have believed anyone if they'd told her that was currently happening in civilized, enlightened Japan, let alone in a shrine of all places? Her friends knew better than to doubt her but was aware they couldn't fully credit what she was saying, especially since she left out so many of the details Inuyasha would be bothered by.
After that they didn't make any more recriminations toward Inuyasha, though she suspected that had more to do with the fact that it obviously upset her, rather than them coming to a deeper sympathy of Inuyasha and his plight. But it felt nice to sit there, Yuka holding her hand and Ayumi stroking her hair, their words of sympathy washing over her.
She'd tried so hard to push aside thoughts of how it sometimes felt like Inuyasha had abandoned her, even though she knew better. She'd thrown herself into all the tasks she could, keeping herself as busy as possible so she just couldn't think about it. What good would it do anyhow, aside from depressing her?
She knew it was selfish, and that was also part of why she hadn't wanted to tell them everything. She knew they'd be on her 'side', comforting her. But she was tired, and her heart still hurt despite all the logic her brain threw at it, so for a little while she just let herself be weak. She let herself soak in the sympathy of her friends, let herself feel the pain without the guilt that always, always accompanied it. (For being selfish, for pushing him to it with her promise, for it being her fault if he got hurt or Ryu never got to see him again, for not suggesting this route to him before, for stifling him, for holding him back, for loving him so possessively and selfishly.)
After letting her walls down in front of them, even allowing a few tears to streak from her eyes, Kagome lifted her head from where she'd buried it in Yuka's shoulder. Exhaling long and heavy, she gave them a shaky smile that slowly turned genuine. She laughed at herself, only slightly deprecatingly. "Thanks for hearing me out guys."
"Any time," Yuka said.
"We mean it," Ayumi added promptly. "We know our lives are different now and it's not like we live really close to each other either, but still. If you need a shoulder to lean on or just someone to listen, especially if it's someone outside of the situation," Kagome chuckled weakly, so they had caught on to that, "then we're here for you."
Clasping them both around the waist and bringing them in for an embrace, she said, "Thanks guys. I really- I really mean it."
"Friends for life, whatever weird paths it may lead us down?" Yuka asked.
Ayumi and Kagome both chimed in in unison. "Friends for life."