InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Savvy ❯ Chapter Eighteen ( Chapter 18 )

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

Sorry it took longer than usual. I had another liquid nitrogen treatment, and I can't write longhand, which I usually do before I type everything up. It's just how I work, and now that my ritual has been messed with, I had a harder time writing. I can't do much of anything with my hands, though, since they're covered in blisters, but I can type, so I'll be writing as fast as I can. Also, if anyone has any ideas for another overdone AU type of story I can do, please email me about it. I'd love to do another one, and see if I can make it work. After I write all the other stories I have that are in the outline process, of course. (About seven, I think.) And as always, I don't own Inuyasha. (But that sounds pretty kinky, doesn't it?)

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"Lunacy Fringe" The Used

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The following Friday...

Kagome was miserable.

It wasn't the cramped theatre Jonathan had taken her to, which had smelled faintly of stale popcorn; the play would have been wonderful if she'd been able to concentrate on it. It also wasn't the fact that she'd chosen the wrong shoes, not knowing he'd planned a walk around Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree, and her feet were killing her. It definitely wasn't the restaurant they were now sitting in; the food smelled wonderful, even if all she had been able to do so far was rearrange it on her plate.

It was knowing she should be having a wonderful time, but couldn't because all she could think of was Inuyasha.

After the Christmas party, neither of them had spoken of the song, or how much it had upset her, but that was more her fault than Inuyasha's. When he'd knocked on the door Monday afternoon, it had been clear by the anxious expression on his face that he wanted to speak to her about it. Kagome had been afraid of what he might say, so she'd offered him breakfast instead, chattering incessantly until she'd felt confident he wasn't going to bring it up.

He still hadn't said anything, but she'd opened her door earlier in the day to find a plastic bag hanging from the knob. Opening it, she'd found a new cell phone, much nicer than her previous one, along with a simple note:

Please be careful tonight.

Even hours later, thinking about it brought tears to her eyes, which she quickly blinked away, trying once again to focus on what Jonathan was saying.

"So, what do you think?" he asked.

Kagome focused her eyes on him, trying desperately to remember what he'd been talking about. "I'm sorry," she said with a wince. "I zoned out."

"It's alright," he replied with an easy smile. "I asked whether or not you wanted to go to the audition with me."

"Audition?"

"For the play my friend Kevin wrote. There's a part I know you'd be perfect for. It probably won't have much of a turn out, but it'd be a start for you."

Kagome laughed nervously. "I don't know..."

"Oh, come on, I bet you'd be great!" he encouraged her.

"Well... I'll think about it," she told him as she continued to poke her grilled chicken with her fork.

They spoke more of the play, and Kagome was proud of the fact that she was actually managing to listen, but something caught her attention as she glanced out the window they were seated next to.

Someone was staring at her.

Telling herself it was nothing, or just some creep, Kagome politely nibbled at her food, nodding as Jonathan continued to tell her about the characters in his friend's script. Her eyes darted out the window again to see the same man. He wore a long, black wool coat and had a cell phone at his ear as he stood in front of a used bookstore across the street. There was no bus stop there, or a crosswalk. Was he really watching her?

"Kagome, are you alright?"

Kagome turned to look at Jonathan, who was wearing a concerned frown. "I'm sorry," she told him. "I'm just a little paranoid, I guess."

"Paranoid?"

She laughed, trying to chase away the trepidation she felt. "It's nothing." Yet her eyes traveled to the window again, and this time when they met the gaze of the stranger, he looked away quickly, still talking animatedly into his cell. "Um, could you excuse me?" she asked her date, getting up quickly to go to the restroom. "If he had me followed, I'll kill him," she muttered angrily as she brought her cell phone from her purse, dialing Inuyasha's number.

(*)(*)(*)

Savvy was hitting the usual lull before ten pm, and Inuyasha was discussing Kagome's Christmas present with Kagura when his cell rang. Glancing at the number display, his brow furrowed. "Kagome? Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not," she replied simply. "Did you send one of Sesshoumaru's goons to follow me? Because if you did, I swear I'll--"

"I didn't," he interrupted. "What's going on?"

She was silent for a moment before explaining. "Well, there's a man outside, across the street. He just keeps standing there, staring at me. He's talking to someone on his phone, and I just thought maybe..." she trailed off, sounding uncertain.

"Kagome, if I'd sent one of Sesshoumaru's men after you, you never would've known," he told her.

"But I don't understand who would be following me. Unless... You don't think Kouga would do it, do you?"

"I don't know why he wouldn't do it himself, but I guess he could've. Look, where are you? I'll check it out."

"We're on Second, near Ninety-Sixth."

"Alright. Don't leave, okay? Stay there, and don't go outside."

"Okay."

He hung up, looking to Kagura. "I've gotta go," he told her.

"Is Kagome alright?" Kagura asked with a worried frown.

"She'll be fine," he assured her. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

(*)(*)(*)

When Kagome returned to the table, Jonathan was waiting, looking quite nervous. "Kagome, are you sure everything's alright?"

She gave him a tight smile. "It should be fine."

"What's going on?"

She sighed. "Well, I've just got this problem with an ex-boyfriend of mine, but it's nothing to worry about. A friend of mine's taking care of it for me."

"A friend?" He looked toward the window. "So, you think that guy's following you?"

Kagome suddenly felt silly. "I'm not sure, but I really can't be too careful these days."

"If that guy's really bothering you so much, I could go say something to him. I mean, it is a little strange that he's just standing there."

"No, it's alright, really."

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "Sounds like life's been a little complicated for you."

"A little," she admitted, feeling a bit awkward. She really didn't feel like discussing Kouga with Jonathan.

"Well, it's good to see it doesn't bring you down," he told her.

"I try not to let it," she replied distractedly, glancing out the window once more. Inuyasha, hurry, she silently pleaded.

(*)(*)(*)

Inuyasha parked his car around the block, ensuring that if Kagome's pursuer was youkai, he wouldn't smell him coming right away. Rounding the corner, he immediately found his target, and rolled his eyes. The guy wasn't exactly trying to look inconspicuous. He looked to Inuyasha like someone posing as an FBI agent for Halloween, and doing a rather bad job of it. At least he was human, however, which would make his job easy.

Closing the distance quickly, Inuyasha slowed his pace long enough to listen to the creep's conversation on the cell phone he carried. "No, she hasn't left yet. Yeah, I'll--"

Inuyasha took the phone from the goon, listening for a voice. "Hey, you there?" someone inquired after a moment.

Kouga.


"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" the guy in the suit demanded, reaching for his phone.

Inuyasha crushed the device in his hand, letting the pieces of plastic and metal fall to the ground before grabbing the guy's shoulder, forcing him into a nearby store front. None of the passers-by paid them much attention. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Kagome's wide eyes focused on him through the restaurant window, and her date was gawking as well.

He turned back to Kagome's stalker. "Pretty, isn't she?" he growled. "Mind telling me what the hell you're doing following her?"

"I-I'm a p-p-private investigator," the man stammered, his eyes darting around in panic, as if he were hoping someone might come to his rescue.

"The hell you are," Inuyasha snarled, gripping the man's shoulder with more force. "You're nothing but a hired thug."

"Yeah, what do you know?" the guy retorted with his thick Brooklyn accent, surprisingly brave considering the position he was in.

"I know that no P.I. parades around in the middle of the street wearing a badly tailored suit, waiting to be noticed. Now, you're going to tell me why you're here."

"I ain't tellin' you nothing!"

Inuyasha smiled, a menacing glint in his eye as he pulled Mr. Brooklyn from the wall, forcing him into a nearby alley, where he slammed him against the brick, holding him by the throat. With his free hand, he brandished his claws. "See these?" he asked pleasantly before his expression darkened. "They're not a fashion statement. Now talk."

"I don't know the guy!" he cried.

"Then, tell me what you do know."

"Fine," the guy panted, struggling to speak around Inuyasha's grip on his windpipe. "I ran up on the guy the other day. He was in the park; looked pretty beat up, alright? He told me he'd pay me to follow his wife until he was up and going again. Said she was cheating on him. I've been pretty hard up for cash lately, so I said I'd do it. He told me to call him if she ever left that strip joint."

"His wife," Inuyasha grunted in disgust. "So, you called him. What then?"

"He said there was another guy he was paying, and when she left here we were supposed to grab her. But I don't know where we was supposed to go, I swear. He hadn't told me yet."

"Fine." Inuyasha released him, leaving the alley. The guy followed, massaging his throat, and retreated several steps down the sidewalk. "If I catch you around Kagome again, you're finished," Inuyasha told him, not bothering to turn to see if he'd been heard.

The man nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, I understand, buddy. You don't have to worry about me; I'm out of here."

"You're smarter than you look."

Listening to the idiot ambled away, Inuyasha retrieved his cell phone for his pocket, flipping it open. He would have to call Kagome in a moment, but he had another call he had to make first. Not that he was looking forward to it.

"Inuyasha," a cold voice greeted him on the other end of the line.

"Sesshoumaru," he answered, with even less cheer in his voice. "Would you happen to know what happened to Kouga? I heard he got pretty messed up."

"Kouga's been... handled," his brother replied.

"And I'm guessing this happened after his stunt with the window?"

"Very astute, brother."

Inuyasha scowled. "You know, I can handle my own problems, bastard."

"As doubtful as I believe that to be, Kouga's recklessness had become more than your problem alone, Inuyasha. He risked the discovery of our kind when he walked away from such an 'accident,' completely unharmed. He's been advised to leave New York."

"Well, he ain't listening," Inuyasha replied, hanging up the phone before dialing Kagome's number.

She answered on the first ring. "Inuyasha?"

"Yeah. Look, the date's over. That guy's not the only one Kouga's been paying, and I don't see anyone else out here. I'm going to come in to get you, alright?"

"Oh, okay. I'll be ready."

Kagome was apologizing to Jonathan when Inuyasha entered the restaurant, his eyes carefully avoiding their table he waited by the door.

"I guess that's your friend?" Jonathan asked, glancing at Inuyasha as Kagome shrugged her coat on, grabbing her purse from the back of her chair.

"Yeah. So, I'll see you at class?"

"Definitely. Maybe we can try this again sometime," he laughed.

"That'd be great. See ya." Waving a good-bye, she joined Inuyasha, who wordlessly led her outside. He said nothing on the walk to his car, and once inside the Chevelle, he flipped through his large CD wallet, choosing a disc to play before pulling from the curb.

It was another five minutes before he finally spoke. "Sorry about your date," he told her, his voice barely discernable over the music.

Kagome turned from the window, smiling faintly at him. "It's not your fault," she assured him. "Thanks for coming; you really didn't have to."

"Keh." They rode in silence for a few moments before Inuyasha spoke again. "Does the new phone work alright?"

Kagome's eyes lit up as she smiled. "Yeah, I almost forgot! It works fine. I'll be able to pay you back in a few days."

"You're not paying me back," he replied tonelessly.

She gave him a bemused look. "But it must have cost over a hun--"

"Don't worry about it." The tone of his voice made it clear to Kagome that he wouldn't argue about it further.

"Well... Thanks. I'll consider it an early Christmas present," she replied, trying to sound cheerful.

His eyes slid over to pin her with an amused look. "I already got you a Christmas present," he said, "and that ain't it."

"Oh?" She grinned. "What is it, then?"

"Tell me what you got me first, and I'll think about it."

"Not a chance," she laughed, before her expression took a more serious turn. "So, that guy? Was he working for Kouga?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied with a grimace. He had no intention of telling Kagome of Kouga's plans to have her kidnapped. "Apparently Kouga went and got his ass kicked. Lucky for us, that just made him even more annoying."

Parking the car minutes later, Inuyasha walked Kagome upstairs. After unlocking her door, she turned to face him. "Guess I'll see you later?" she asked

"Yeah, I better get back to the bar."

"Yeah." She suddenly wrapped her arms around him, embracing him tightly. "Thank you, Inuyasha. I know... I know you probably didn't want to come."

She didn't elaborate, but Inuyasha understood. She knew he was jealous, didn't she? And yet she was nice enough not to really say so. Letting his arms fold her against him, he closed his eyes, taking in the clean scent of her hair. "I don't care where you are," he told her, struggling to keep a steady voice. "If you think there's trouble, you call me. I doubt that shrimpy twerp could have handled it."

"...Alright."

She made no move to leave his embrace, and he found himself wishing he didn't have to go back to work. What would happen, then? He sighed, thinking it was better not to wonder, and he reluctantly put his hands on her shoulders, pulling away from her. "Think you'll be awake after close?"

She nodded, her eyes sparkling as she stared up at him. "I should be."

"There's a monster marathon on TV," he suggested, and Kagome grinned.

"I'll have the popcorn ready," she promised, disappearing behind her door.

Inuyasha sighed heavily, removing his sock cap long enough to run a hand through his long hair before putting it back on. Sometimes when it came to Kagome, he felt like he was fighting a losing battle, and he had the feeling she hadn't minded the early end to her date at all. So, why had she gone in the first place?

Deciding it wouldn't pay to try to understand Kagome, let alone any woman at all, Inuyasha made his way back downstairs, where the bar had grown quite crowded, and returned to work.

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Thanks to sogi for the new fanart! It's my favorite one yet! I just figured out, though, that my little, free website isn't going to have enough room for graphics and my fanfic. So, I'll be moving the pictures as soon as I can find a place for them. (Perhaps a Yahoo album...) I'll also be updating the soundtrack today, so if you're interested, check it out! (http://www.geocities.com/oxrosesthornxo/savvy/soundtrack.html)