InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Savvy ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

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

A/N: Don't own it, and you know it. And thanks for those immediate reviews, it made me so happy! Also, sorry for the short chapter, but it was a nice place to end it.

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"Don't Believe" Letter Kills (just a tribute to the whole Inuyasha/Kagome 'thing' going on at this point, during Sano and Kagome's conversation)

"Sex Machine" Dope (Sango on stage!)

"Untitled" Story of the Year (Inuyasha plays at close)

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Kagome was certain she'd never had a more rotten day.

She'd woken up with a pounding headache, hadn't been able to touch breakfast, had two voicemails from Kouga, and now the club was completely packed with people from out of town that were here for some antique car convention, and most of them were complete perverts.

She sat her tray on the bar with a heavy sigh, and began to flip through her guest checks.

"Hand 'em here," Inuyasha told her, his hand out. "I'll get them; you take a break."

That's got to be the first thing he's said to me all night, she thought as she nodded, making her way to the back.

(*)(*)(*)

Sango had been looking for a chance to get Kagome alone since their shift had started, and she only had thirty minutes before she was due on stage. Throwing a hooded sweatshirt on over her stage attire, she made her way out into the club, waving at a few of the regular customers as she approached the bar, where Inuyasha had drinks lined down the bar, barking at Eric to come pick them up.

"Where's Kagome?" Sango asked.

"I sent her on break," Inuyasha replied, not even looking up as he poured another beer. "I think if she got her ass grabbed again, she was going to club someone over the head."

"Great." Sango walked off without another word.

She found Kagome alone in the break room, her forehead laying on the table. "You okay?"

Kagome sat up. "Sure. Just tired."

"Well, I sort of wanted to talk to you. About last night?"

Kagome's brow furrowed. "Last night? What about it?"

Sango smiled sadly. "I know why you left, Kagome. Why you really left." The flare of panic in the girl's eyes was more than enough proof. "I just wanted to tell you... Inuyasha and Kikyou... they aren't involved like, well, like that anymore."

"I-I never said--"

"I know you didn't," Sango assured her, "But as much as I love Inuyasha, and want to see him happy..." She sighed. "I don't want to see you get hurt, okay?"

"But there's nothing going on between him and her?"

"Besides the fact that he'll drop everything else in his life anytime she so much as whistles, no," Sango replied bitterly, hating the hope she heard in her friend's voice. Why couldn't Kikyou just disappear? "I just thought I should warn you. It seemed like the right thing to do, I guess."

Kagome smiled, but it was empty, and Sango knew she was doing it just to make her feel better. "Thanks."

Don't thank me, she thought as she left the break room. I think I just made things worse.

That didn't mean she was going to give up.

(*)(*)(*)

When Kagome returned from her break, Inuyasha was relieved to see she looked better, if only a little. "Only four more hours," he reminded her.

"Yay," she said with a little laugh. "Did my drinks make it out okay?"

"Yeah. Oh, your cell was ringing off the hook back here. I turned it off for you."

She scowled. "You can throw it in the trash for all I care," she muttered.

He gave her a sidelong glance. "Someone bothering you?" he asked, hoping she'd confess.

She smiled, a little too brightly. "Oh, no," she replied with a little laugh. "Everyone's just worried. Gets a little annoying sometimes, you know?"

"Yeah. You might want to head back out there. Sango's getting ready to go on; it might get a little crazy."

"It always does," she replied with a breathy little sigh. Inuyasha couldn't help but smile as she walked away.

"How does she manage to stay in such a great mood all the time?"

Inuyasha turned to see Eric leaning on the bar, his eyes trained on Kagome as she made her way through the patrons.

"You were in special classes, weren't you?" he asked. Eric responded with an utterly confused look. Inuyasha sighed. "Get off my bar."

"And now you salty sea dogs," the emcee announced, cutting through the music, "the talented Coral!"

A shrill whistle shot through the bar, forcing Inuyasha to lay his ears back, even though they were covered. Sango was by far one of the more popular strippers these days. Rin was right up there with her, but if Sesshoumaru had anything to say about it, she wouldn't be working much longer. It was only Rin's temper that had kept her on the payroll the past month, he knew.

Two giggling older women who had no business wearing the shirts they had squeezed themselves into took seats at the bar and Inuyasha went to see what they wanted. As he was grabbing the Absolut for another two cosmopolitans, he heard laughter from near the stage.

Looking in that direction, Inuyasha's mouth fell open. She didn't...

But she had.

Sango had thrown her bra.

On Kagome's head.

Although the bra itself was a lovely red satin, Inuyasha was sure Kagome's face was a shade or two redder, making the whites of her widened eyes look quite striking.

Inuyasha burst out laughing.

(*)(*)(*)

I'm going to die. Well, maybe not die, but definitely pass out.

"Come on, Kagome!" Sango called over the music. "You gonna throw it back, or keep it?"

Kagome glanced around the bar in panic, but her eyes came to a halt on something severely out of place.

Inuyasha was laughing. Really laughing.

Oh, this is funny, is it?

As utterly horrified by Kagome was to be the center of attention, she shook it off, plucking Sango's bra from head and turning to face her topless friend. "I don't know..." she replied thoughtfully, looking at the piece of lingerie.

The crowd went crazy.

Sango grinned. "What do I have to do to get it back? I might need it later."

"Get naked!" someone called. Kagome slapped a hand across her mouth to stifle her nervous giggles.

"Beg her for it!" another man shouted.

Sango's eyes lit up. "You want me to beg her for it?" she cried.

The vote was an outstanding yes.

Sango curled her finger at Kagome, gesturing for her to come closer to the stage. Kagome did so, and Sango sank to her knees, bringing her hands together to rest on her chest as she pouted.

Kagome shook her head, smiling.

Sango looked thoughtful for a moment before falling forward on her hands and crawling towards Kagome with a predatory gaze in her eyes. Every nerve in Kagome's body was screaming at her to run, but she ignored them. Sango was her friend, and was just doing her job; besides they were going to make killer money doing this!

When Sango's face was a bare inch from Kagome's, she smiled sweetly. "Can I pretty please have my bra now?" she asked.

Kagome giggled.

And dropped it on Sango's head.

Sango laughed, jumping to her feet and whipping the bra around like a lasso before jumping back into her routine, the crowd screaming all the while. Kagome grabbed her tray from the table where she'd left it. Many people gave her cat calls as well as she made her way back to the bar. She dipped a little curtsy before stopping at the counter.

Inuyasha looked her up and down. "What was that all about?"

"Surprised?" she asked smugly.

"Well... a little," he admitted.

"Let's just say no one laughs at Kagome Higurashi and gets away with it."

"Damn, that was hot, girly!" Eric commented as he passed by with a tray full of martinis.

Kagome started to tell him thank you, but a strange noise interrupted her. She turned to look at Inuyasha, who had a hateful glower on his face, and it seemed to be directed right at Eric. Was it... "Are you... growling?" she asked.

The sound stopped abruptly, and he blinked, looking at her as if he'd forgotten she was standing there. "No."

She laughed nervously. "Sorry. Stupid question."

Inuyasha just shrugged.

(*)(*)(*)

Kagome sighed as Inuyasha let the last girl out, locking the door behind her. Eric had already finished his work in the back, and was gone as well.

And I still have this entire floor to sweep, she thought forlornly as she looked across at the cigarette butts, twizzle sticks, and popcorn kernels. It was like a desert of gross.

She watched as Inuyasha went through his nightly routine of choosing a CD, and seconds later a melancholy scale of guitar notes filled the empty club.

"It’s a silent murderIt’s a grave that sings your songIt’s a quiet failureIt’s the one that makes you strongWe are heading down a long empty roadWe pass lost souls blinded by the cold Watch the fire burn outWatch the curtains slowly closeWaiting on the final words your heart already knowsWe are heading down a long empty roadWe pass lost souls blinded by the coldBy the coldIt’s a silent murderIt’s a grave that sings your song..."

Kagome swept silently as Inuyasha counted the money in the register. Was he thinking about her? "This is a pretty song," she commented.

"Yeah, it's alright," he replied, not looking up from the money he stacked on the bar.

"Seems really sad, though."

"Most music is, if you listen to it."

"I listen to a lot of music that's not sad at all." He only shrugged. "I guess it has a lot to do with your experiences, though."

He suddenly looked up from the money he was counting. "Look, I have enough people with their noses stuck way too far up my ass. I don't need another one."

Kagome looked back to the floor quickly, her face flaming. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Inuyasha sighed as he watched her turn away, sweeping furiously. What was it about Kagome that made him act like a complete asshole? She'd only been trying to talk to him. "Kagome."

"Hmmm?" She didn't look up from the floor.

"I'm sorry."

She looked up, seemingly startled by the apology. "Oh... it's okay. I shouldn't have pried."

"Kagome, don't make it okay when it's not."

"A-Alright," she stammered. "Apology accepted, then."

"Good." He paper-clipped the twenties together, stuffing them in an envelope. "So, you listen to happy music, huh? You must've hated our band, then."

She looked up with wide eyes. "No, I thought you were great!" she told him, crossing the room for the dustpan.

"Are you lying?" he asked with a squint.

"No," she replied, sticking her tongue out at him before returning to her work.

Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it. "Sorry I didn't see much of you after the show. Kikyou wanted to talk about some stuff, and you seemed busy." Stupid fucking mouth.

"Busy?" she echoed, emptying the dustpan into the trash.

"With, um... Daniel?"

"Oh, Daniel." She shrugged. "He was pretty boring, really."

"You thought so, too?"

She smiled. "Well, after awhile, I was really too drunk to listen to him."

"I doubt you missed anything stunning."

She lifted her eyebrows, giggling. "Probably not."

"You done with the floor?"

"Uh-huh."

"Help me count this money, then, and we can get out of here."

"Sure." Kagome hopped up on a stool, and took the stack of bills Inuyasha handed her.

After a moment, he raised an eyebrow. "You're pretty fast," he commented.

"Well, I used to work at the gift shop in the shrine. I had to count the drawer down there."

"Oh, okay. That reminds me, don't forget your phone. You probably have fifty voicemails."

"Oh, yeah."

He looked up at the strange tone of her voice. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"If you say so," he relented before deciding he should probably change the subject. "So, do you think you'll change your career choice after tonight?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, stuffing the fives into another envelope.

"Well, seemed like you had a natural talent," he joked.

Kagome looked thoughtful before her mouth fell open. "Are you... you pervert!"

Inuyasha cackled. "What, you don't want to be a stripper?" he joked, jumping back as Kagome leaned forward, trying to smack his arm.

"No way! I couldn't do that!"

"Why not?" he asked her, putting the till back in the register.

"Because!"

He rolled his eyes. "Elaborating would work in this situation..."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him. "Stop messing with me."

"It was a simple question," he replied, trying not to smile. She was adorable when she blushed.

"Because, I just couldn't do something like that! I can't stand when guys look at me like that, it's embarrassing. And taking my clothes off?" She shuddered.

"To each their own, I guess. Honestly, if I were Miroku, there'd be no way in hell Sango would be doing that."

"Well, at least it shows he trusts her."

"It wouldn't be her I was worried about. Most guys that come in here are harmless, but I've personally thrown out my fair share of assholes."

"I'm sure."

Inuyasha gathered up the money and grabbed Kagome's cell phone, handing it to her as he came around the bar before going to Kagura's office and dropping the money in the safe.

"Gosh, I'm so tired," Kagome yawned as they climbed the stairs and reached the hall to their separate apartments.

"Well, I'll try not to keep you up," he replied.

"You're not going to bed?"

He shook his head. "I don't sleep much. I might try writing a song, I guess."

Kagome smiled, opening her door. "Write a happy one."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Keh."

Closing the door behind her, Kagome sighed. It had been a long night, but she supposed it hadn't been all bad. She went into her bedroom, quickly changing into her pajamas, and brushed her teeth before turning on her dreaded cell phone. She listened to her voice mail, the frown on her face growing more pronounced with each passing message.

Every single one was from Kouga.

"What am I going to do?" she whispered as she shut off her light, crawling into bed.

(*)(*)(*)

Inuyasha waited until he didn't hear any movement from Kagome's apartment before he crossed the hall, checking the door.

It was unlocked again, and he sighed in frustration, locking it before he returned to his living room.

Maybe now he could concentrate.

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ShaylaBlade- I think this was pretty soon, don't you?

Princess-in-Training- I must agree with you...

alatero- I hope you feel better about what you were worried about; that would be wrong!

sublimetrickster- I plan on revising pretty soon... when I'm not lazy. Yeah, I can't wait for Kouga, but I'm not going to rush. (I'm bad about rushing!)

dbzgurl 34- Thanks so much!