InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Oden Shop ❯ Friends and Pocky ( Chapter 3 )

Friends and Pocky

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

.

He could barely restrain his anger when he pulled her out from the wrecked car.

"Why are you doing this, Miko?! Such things don't work when I'm around, I would simply revive you with Tensaiga! You should've known that you stupid wench!"

Kagome was inexplicably unharmed, except for the big bump she had on her head.

She guessed she should've been thankful that he saved her, preventing an ugly crash, but white cold fury was filling her that she momentarily forgot the pain she had from the double bashes.

"Who. Ask. You. Bastard. To. Save. My. Life."

"I could've left this non existent life of mine, and have peace. For the first time in my life I would not have to try so hard," her voice was becoming inaudible with each word she said, a lump was jumping in her throat, threatening its break, and then she gained strength, and her voice rose with each breath she took. "Everyday I woke up and when I opened my eyes, all I could see was everything that was not supposed to be, but I said, 'gambatte, gambatte,' then somewhere, someone along the way might wish for me to continue, but there is no one!!"

"Don't do this to yourself, Miko."

"WHY?! Why shouldn't I? Give me one reason, one reason, a stupid one for that, I don't care, just tell me why did you deny me my peace?"

"Because," he gritted out, "you might want to live."

"One chance, I would give you one more chance, if you-"

"Because I lied, dammit!" He spat, "because there is one 512 years old demon in my house who hasn't gotten over his mother yet."

         &nb sp;       

"Shi…Shippou…? Sesshoumaru, do you mean… Shippou is still… he's here? With you?"

"Come, I'll take you to him."

"No!! I mean wait, I can't see him like this, I have to get him something. He…, he- is he mad at me? I never meant to…" She fidgeted; somehow her senses found their way back to her nerves and the pain that was not there before began to thrum its way straight to her head, glorious, nauseating pain.

"I thought I told you not to faint on me."

"What?! I can't help it, you jerk!! Ow…" She groaned, clutching her injury. "Just don't give me impossible orders, okay?"

"Fine, do you have time tomorrow, around ten?"

"I'll make the time; just tell me where he lives, please."

"He lives with me; we accommodated the top floor of a tower that I owned."

"What happened to your fortress?" She was curious; she couldn't somehow place him in a modern building, drinking his coffee from a cup, made from a coffee machine.

"I destroyed it."

"You did what?! Oh… before someone destroyed it? Somewhere in (*) Meiji period, wasn't it?" He nodded. She regretted that she even asked him, it must have been hard for him; somehow she knew he was proud of his citadel, an heirloom that was trusted on him.      

"Here, take this." He offered awkwardly.

She smiled, "a business card?"

"Yes, I know, I should've offered this before, but it was as if- well, you've distracted me."

"Oh," she read the card, "only Sesshoumaru, no family name?"

"I wouldn't need to have one."

"That's sad."

It agitated him, the way the talk found no ending, one comment led to another, it disturbed him more to find that he didn't want to end it himself, curiosity killed the cat, he always thought, but he asked anyway.

"And why is that so?"

She looked up; she hadn't meant to voice her thought. "Well, I thought you said that, because you wouldn't want to continue your family line, not that- I don't want to presume, I'm sorry, it's the bump, you see."

"Yes, the thing is ugly."

"Excuse me?!!" She sputtered, but he was already gone, she sighed, it was indeed time to go home, she looked at her car, what would she do now?

"It's okay, I'll take care of it, go home, Kagome. You might want to rest before you meet them tomorrow."

"Shiki-kun?!" The young man with spiky black hair and gentle eyes stopped besides her, caught her chin and gave her an introspecting gaze, he touched her wound gently.

"Ouch!"

"It's okay; it's not a gash, so… want to tell me, now, or I'll wait?"

"You'll wait. I'm kinda tired, so I'll go home now. Thanks, Shiki-kun."

She turned and walked away, but suddenly he stopped her, turned her gently around and hugged her tightly.

"Kagome," he whispered softly through her hair, "gambatte... Or I- …I wouldn't know what to do…"

She felt wetness in her nape; she disengaged herself from him and wiped his cheeks. She left.

~*~

Friendship was something anomalous; it was like an unhinged relationship, she had made up her mind a long time ago, that she wouldn't like to have friends or friends that hoped to change their status, it was not right leading him on like that, using him like a recreation mall, and she tried, she really did try to change, but then it was weekend all over again and she was lonely.

It was not about give and take, it was just as much as this; that she gave a little and didn't want to take anything but still demanded more.

The addicted shopper

~*~

Anxiety was a great blunder, all morning she had been edgy, she had wanted to purchase something for Shippou, but didn't know exactly what, so she bought the only thing she knew that used to make him ecstatic.   

All nineteen sorts of Pocky they have in stores.

Chocolate Pocky, Men's Pocky (with dark chocolate), Marble Tee Pocky, Almond Pocky, Strawberry Pocky, Milk Flavored Pocky, Black Bitter Marble Pocky, Anglaise Almond Crush Pocky, Chocolat Almond Crush Pocky, Coconut Pocky, Plain Almond Crush Pocky, Giant Pocky, Crème Brule/Flan Pocky, Bittersweet Chocolate Pocky, Grape Pocky, Hokkaido Melon Pocky, Cornflakes and Almond Pocky, Kobe Giant Wine Pocky, Banana Lucky.

And he was like what? …Like… 512 years old maybe. (Put her fist in her palm)

Well he was lucky she didn't get him boxer shorts or something like that, and she was very tempted too, after all these years shopping with her mom, she knew what type that would be a comfort wear or- eeew… cut that.

So she took her change, muttered incoherent sentences with an oversized strip plastered on her head. Mental Note: She would never go to that store again.

~*~

She was not the only one who was edgy on that morning. How would you describe a nervous dog demon? And not just any dog demon, how would one recognized a nervous Sesshoumaru? His tail was slightly twitching, (he didn't need to conceal his marking as a demon in his own home, I'd say) he put sugar on his coffee, he choose honey instead of peach preserves to smear on his toast and he was reading his newspaper upside down.

"Spill it, o-tou-san." Shippou drawled his words leisurely.

Sesshoumaru glared at him, a glare that came from an impassive face was something that was very sinister.

"Sorry, Sesshoumaru, but you have to tell me for what reason I can't go out today and what the hell are we waiting for anyway? This is my fifth cup of coffee, and when caffeine is bad for human, it's worst for demon!"

He was about to answer the kit, preparing him before he met his long-lost surrogate mother, he never once thought to question his sentiments towards her, there was a probability that he might not wish a reunion, after all he did only assumed-

Too late, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get that." Shippou jumped from his seat, he was glad for the interruption, anything to ease the strain.

"Sit down; don't move before I told you so."

"What the-" Sesshoumaru gave him a warning glare and left the room.

~*~

He drank in her appearance, standing on his doorway, shivering, holding an enormous seven eleven plastic bag, was the most endearing nerve wreck he had ever seen; she was clothed in a simple white cotton, knee-length, empire waist cut, cap sleeved summer dress, her straightened shagged hair was unfastened, center parted, falling softly to her hip. She wore a thin black wristlet from leather, it seemed the only accessory that she wore regularly, he saw it yesterday adorning her wrist.   

Kagome never felt so out of place before, when she first entered the most exclusive tower in town, she felt so pastoral-like that she almost took off her shoes before stepping into the interior. Now here she was, starring at the most elegant beautiful man in his glorious summer yukata, feeling like she was entering an imperial court.

"Where is he?" She blurted out, afraid he might change his mind, or that telling her Shippou was still alive was some kind of sick joke from him, it was below him to do such things, she knew, but after yesterday she didn't know what to believe anymore.

"In breakfast room, if you would follow me."

A door was suddenly slammed open; a young man with shoulder-length orange hair tied into a low ponytail stepped into the scene.

"Sesshoumaru! I thought I-" His eyes went wide, and his lower lip trembled, something inside him that was empty for a long, long time, was beginning to fill him up, threatening to break through, all those longing, yearning, all the missing kisses und cuddles for hundreds of years. His knees felt weak, and he just couldn't hold it in anymore, he fell on his knees, gazed at her with glassy, yearning eyes and pleaded, "Kagome… Kagome… Okaa-san…" She wouldn't throw him away again, would she?

"Shippou! Shippou… Shippou… Shippou…" She said his name over and over again, chanting it like a holy sutra, and she crushed his bending form in her tiny little body, spasm of choked sobs engulfed them both.

Sesshoumaru exited the room silently.

~*~

She stroked his temple, caressed the contour of his nose, cheeks, trying to absorb his changes, and he snuggled forward, burying his nose in her hair, breathing in her scent, took comfort in everything that was hers.

"Look at you, so tall and handsome… Shippou, don't you know I was worried about you… when I found myself on the other side of the well, I realized… Oh Shippou, I'm so sorry, so sorry, I never once thought, the wish- I never wanted to cast you aside, love…"

He shook his head; fresh tears were threatening to break.

"I'm so sorry, Shippou, I didn't think at all, I never once stopped to think how you might feel, I never meant to leave-"

Shippou shook his head, "sshh… there was nothing you could do, kaa-san, it was not your fault."

"But- but I should never-"

"Sssshhh… Kagome, kaa-san, I forgive you."

Out of relief she sobbed, gently at first than harder.

"And I survived, did I not? You're my reward for all the loss and isolation, after all I get to keep you, don't I?"

Kagome nodded through her tears, she ran her fingers through his hair, there was nothing left to say, the intensity of the hour was consumed in the necessity to touch, to feel something that they were promised to have a long time ago, comfort and home.

~*~

"Kaa-san, ask."

He gazed at her lovingly with his green big eyes, eyes that had haunted her dreams and waking hours.

"No."

He frowned, "but, I would've thought-"

"Shippou," she interrupted him, giving him a frantic almost crazed smile, "I would rather not know that now, okay."

"Kaa-san-"

"Please…," she pleaded, "I beg you…"

He nodded but still disturbed, why had she not wanted to know? He almost swore it would be the first inquiring she made, and he had to tell her too that something was wrong back then, because even though she disappeared, he had thought that some of the group would be able to cope with that, but instead they all went their own way and never seemed to bear with what happened.

At that moment his trail of thoughts was disrupted by the sudden appearance of his guardian.

~*~

Sesshoumaru entered the room after he had sensed the change of the atmosphere; her last words got him baffled too. Why didn't she want to know? Was it because the trauma yesterday? He pushed away the remorse that was starting to consume him, there was no way he would apologize, part of what he had said was true, they all did die tragically, and she had left them, let her handle with her own culpability herself.

The reunited pair lifted their heads the moment he stated his appearance, and then they were starting to realize that they were still sitting on the floor, holding each other. She pulled gently away, but her hand stroked his cheek softly before she disengaged herself. Sesshoumaru felt a cold grip of fury clenching his heart by the display of tenderness he had witnessed, he disregarded the feeling.

"I believe you have seemed to lost track of time, Miko, if you would allow me, I would like to invite you to have late lunch with us," he stated coldly.

"Oh sure, thank you," then she remembered something, "Shippou, on the way here I got you-" She stopped, suddenly embarrassed.

"Okaa-san? What did you get me, is it on the bag? Lemme see!"

"Shippou-chan, just check it later on, okay?" She blushed as she gently slapped his hand away from the bag, Sesshoumaru lifted his brow questioningly.

"Nooooo! I want to know now!" using his demon speed, he retracted the bag back and spilled the content out, Kagome reached out frantically, flushing adorably.

"Pocky?!" At the moment Shippou was stunned, but as he looked at Kagome who was feeling uncomfortable by each passing second, he smiled kindly and let out a childish shriek that made Kagome beamed at him ecstatically.

Sesshoumaru had to bite his lip to restrain his mirth, no one had managed to provoke so many changes of emotion in him before, first he was captivated, then culpable, jealous and now he was tenderly amused. WAIT! Jealous? Tenderly amused? What was that? How did those vocabularies manage to creep in his head? He mentally shook his head.

"Sesshoumaru, you want one too? Okay, but only one." Shippou handed him a Men's Pocky. "Shippou, don't be so greedy, I bought you two from every sorts, there must be about thirty eight of them, let Sesshoumaru-sama choose which one he would like to have," Kagome admonished him.

Sesshoumaru looked at them menacingly, thinking they were making fun of him, he was about to melt the pocky down with his toxic claw when he saw her face, innocently gesturing him to take his pick. He quenched down his irritation and managed a polite reply, "Thank you, but this is quite adequate for me."

'When she ask me if I'm quite sure with that, I swear, I' m going to harm her,' but Kagome was fortunately contented with his answer, and turned her attention fully to her adopted son.

"Before we have lunch, I have something to discuss with both of you, it's about the living arrangement." Suddenly Shippou looked away sadly and Kagome took notice of it, "Sesshoumaru-sama, if you would allow me, I would like to ask for your permission to visit Shippou as often as I could, of course I would be happy if we-"

"Miko, I'm asking you to permanently stay with us, I mean him, here. There are plenty of guest rooms in this residence, and you'll be living here rent-free of course, I hope you'll consent me this offer."

"Kaa-san, please, please, please, say yes, please."

Kagome looked at her son benignly, and slowly nodded her head. He hugged her bone-crushingly and jumped up and down like he used to do when he was a child.

The doorbell rang and Shippou shouted excitedly, "I'll get that!"

Kagome turned her attention to Sesshoumaru who was about to leave the room. "Now that we're going to live together, don't you think it's time to call me something others than Miko, like my name, maybe?"

"Now, why should I do that?" He smirked.

She needed to get use to him moving his visage muscle, well it might have been a bit easier when he didn't looked like as if he had to cracked a rusty smile.

"Alright, suit yourself, Onii-sama." She grinned back evilly at him.

"Kagome," he gritted out, 'this wench is as bad as the kitsune!' He checked himself. "I would like to correct myself; I will, of course, from now on refer to you on your name."

She smiled softly at him, "Sesshoumaru-sama, I would like to make a new start, this time there is no legacy to fight for, so…" She held out her hand, gesturing him to tie the freshened kinship.

"No."

"I see; then you still hate me." She confirmed sadly.

"I don't hate you, but I will never befriend you."

*end of chapter*

Gambatte: something you say to cheer on a competition, literally means 'Fight!'

(*) Meiji Period <1868-1912>, during this period, many castles was destroyed as unwelcome relicts of the feudal past.

Otou-san: Father

Okaa-san: Mother

Onii-sama: Brother

Yukata: a light Kimono

AN: Jinxs, huh? Yikes, me and my ecstasy adrenalines, would you consider changing name, like Katherine or Marie? Still, a great big-ups to you.

LadySesshou: He's not going to get meaner, I promise.

For the reviewer in a single spark:

Amanda: Thanks, I'm honored that my fic almost got you late for your class. Would probably be prouder, when I get you skipping your class, ^__-

Honakett: I hope I'm not disappointing you, the way that the fiction seemed to lead was actually quite boring.

Akuma_river: Thanks, I guess. It was a positive comment, wasn't it? Well, I like peas, so…   

And to everybody else who read this fic, please review, I still ask nicely, mind you, I'm not desperate, yet.