Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Nice Guys Finish Last? ❯ Too Nice? ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I own neither YYH or INU because I can't draw that well and seem to lack in ambition

 

Nice Guys Finish Last?

SKnFS

 

Her eyes appeared to search his very soul as she peered almost anxiously at him before she looked away with a forlorn sigh. “It isn't working,” she murmured softly to herself. “I just can't do it!”

“Can't do what?” he asked tired of not understanding just what it was this interesting woman was thinking about that appeared to trouble her so. “Is something the matter Kagome?” he asked his girlfriend of little over a month and a half. The first time they had met had been a mere accident, the second time was a “date” of sorts to make up for the horrible first meeting that was still mortifying to both players of that memory. After that they had started to meet up more and more and before he knew it he was starting to fall for her and with the urging of his kitsune half he had finally found it in himself to ask her on a real date.

Back then though, just like a little bit ago, she had looked at him as though searching for something she deemed vital and after what had seemed a brief struggle of inner turmoil she had agreed. At the time he had been relieved she had said yes he didn't think much about the unnatural long pause that had taken precedence when he'd asked her to be his (no that wasn't him being vain it's just what he was used to by now) but now…

She looked anywhere but at him for a moment before turning determined eyes his way. “Shuuichi we need to have a talk,” she began.

`Well hell,' he thought rather mildly. `This can hardly be good for me.'

“I swear it's not you. It has to be me but I'm still not sure what is entirely wrong with me,” she began trying to explain to him what “it” exactly was.

“What are you trying to tell me Kagome?” he asked wanting to stop beating around the bush.

She paused and looked at him carefully. Seeing his eyes filled with determination to know what was going on she gave a slow nod of her head. “I want to break up.”

He looked at her stunned. `Had she just...?'

“Oh, you don't look like you're taking this very well,” she murmured a little surprised. She had thought he'd hardly be bothered considering he had a million and one fans that wanted to dote on him; shouldn't he be happy that he was free to be with someone who wanted to be in his presence?

Not that she didn't mind you, but she had hardly been around lately and they hardly ever saw each other since they became “official”. This was like their fourth date since then for crying out loud! He should really look for someone who could be around, someone who… wasn't her. Yes, definitely all for that.

“Can you at least tell me why?” he asked feeling alarmingly confused.

She turned a bright red and looked away from him as she muttered her answer. He looked at her confused. “I really wasn't able to hear you,” he said truthfully. He didn't understand why she seemed to be so embarrassed about this. If she wanted to break up he wasn't going to stop her but he at least had the right to know why, right? What could be embarrassing about it?

Once again he got a muttered reply but he was able to make out the last word. `Nice'.

“Nice?” he asked confused.

If possible she turned an even brighter shade of red. “You're too nice!” she yelled out for him to hear.

If he was shocked before about someone breaking up with him it was nothing compared to now- the reason why said person wanted to break up with him. `That was… unexpected,' he thought mildly surprised as he looked at her rather dumbfounded. He barely took in the gentle voice she used as she spoke to him reassuring him it wasn't him and anybody would be lucky to have him and be happy and blah blah blah.

`Now this is a first,' Youko mused thoughtfully looking through his hosts eyes at the first woman they had agreed on, albeit for different reasons but they had agreed all the same and that's what was important. `Isn't it you who usually does the heartbreaking?'

`Not now Youko,' he growled clenching his teeth in frustration. This was new territory for him and he really had no idea how to go about this situation but it seemed the girl had solved the problem for him.

“You've been wonderful Shuichi and I hope we can still be friends,” she finished and stepping forward she placed a placating kiss on his cheek before turning away leaving him to stare after her still utterly dumbfounded.

`Plan to pull yourself together anytime soon?' Youko inquired.

`She just…'

`I know,' was the reply cutting him off.

`But I didn't even…'

`Of course you didn't,' Youko cut him off again.

“Shuichi-kun?” a woman called out to him almost curiously as though sensing something off about him or just unsure of how she'd be received by the red head.

He turned almost fearing running into someone he'd rather avoid only to spot his co-worker and one partly responsible for him meeting Kagome. “Yuka-chan,” he greeted.

“Are you waiting for Kagome? She left before I did so maybe you missed her or…” she looked absolutely frazzled.

“I already met with her,” he informed her trying to soother her a little. From what he understood Yuka had been one of three friends that used to constantly hang out with Kagome and after a falling out of sorts, or so he assumed, Yuka had been the only one to stay by the girls side and watch over her carefully.

“Is something wrong Shuichi? You were just standing there looking…” she stopped unsure how to word just how he appeared at the moment. She really didn't want to crush him by informing him he reminded her of a lost and/or kicked puppy.

“I… how close are you to Kagome?” he asked looking downright confused.

The girl brought the heel of her palm to her head. “Oh man. She broke up with you huh?” She shook her head placing her hand on her hip. “I'm so sorry to hear that. She's downright confusing at times and particularly hard to understand. After her fifteenth birthday we started drifting and then she got that abusive, two-timing boyfriend of hers and missed so much school.” She gave a long sigh. “Her grandfather was always coming up with illnesses for her but, I mean; you could tell they were so fake. She never talked about what happened when she was gone but my guess was she was with him.”

“What do you know of this boyfriend of hers?” he asked. In the time he'd known the girl he couldn't remember ever hearing about her dating anyone. Sure there had been the supposed dates with Hojo but knowing how uninterested the girl was in him he didn't even count those. (Poor Hojo)

Yuka gave a small shrug as she brushed a hand through her short hair. “Tell you the truth? I know absolutely nothing. Me and the girls had met him once when they were going through town but that was it. He wasn't too bad looking either, black hair and violet eyes. He seemed a little rough around the edges but at the same time it was obvious that the two cared for each other but then shortly after that Kagome, when she did show up to school, would be covered in cuts, bruises and even had some broken bones a couple times.” She shook her head. “We tried getting her to turn him in but she was absolutely adamant that he would never lay a hand on her that was meant to harm her.”

“I see…” he murmured softly but in reality he didn't. She supposedly had dated a boy who had beaten her and when she was with him she was upset by the fact he was too nice? Something didn't add up.

`Maybe she's a masochist,' Youko suggested with a waggle of his eyebrows.

`Not funny,' he thought back slightly annoyed. `Besides you know as well as I do how much she hates pain. The paper cut the other day?' he reminded the kitsune.

`Maybe she was putting on a show. You wouldn't want just anyone to know you like to have someone be dominant over you would you?' the kitsune prodded.

`Somehow I doubt that's the case,' he responded resolute in the belief that it wasn't that.

`How about we find out then, hmm?'

`What are you….' He felt himself pushed back as the kitsune slowly invaded his body exerting his control but still keeping the body of his host. It wouldn't do to cause a stir just yet. “Thank you Yuka, I think that I'm going to find Kagome and try talking this out with her one last time.”

The girl smiled fondly at him. “You really care about her huh? Well, I'd like to say thank you for taking care of her. Things just aren't the same for us as they once were so I'm relieved to find she can open herself up to others.” With a short little wave she turned and walked away from him.

“And now, operation K.A.G.O.M.E. shall be put into motion,” Youko chuckled softly his golden eyes flashing briefly over the emerald green ones.

***

Kagome gave a tired sigh as she waved good-bye to her blue-haired co-worker and his crazy red-headed girlfriend at her new place of work. She had been introduced by a fellow classmate of hers who'd heard the young woman complain about how hard it was hard to find a decent paying job at night so she could take some classes in the morning and after a quick phone call she'd gotten employed at the new, trendy, young adult club Lunaire Equation. Tonight being her first night they had started to train her behind the bar, “Unless,” her mentor had teased brushing a neon blue strand of hair behind his ears, “you wish to work the poles?”

Yep, crazy people but after a couple of hours there she found it endearing and was looking forward to working again tomorrow. Feeling energized she took the long route back to her house taking in the quiet that the night offered… well as quiet as it could get at night in this crazy city she claimed as home. Above her the stars twinkled dimly their lights dulled by layers of pollution in the air and she found herself wishing once again to be in large forests that seemed to stretch on endlessly where hot springs were not tainted and stars stood out brightly late at night.

Feeling that sinking feeling in her chest she gave a deep sigh and walked up the many steps that led up to the shrine striving to fight off the melancholy that threatened to overwhelm her and force her to remember things that she was trying so desperately to leave back in the past. “When did things get so difficult?” she asked softly pausing at the top of the steps to gaze longingly at the God tree. Before she had really realized what it was she was doing she found herself standing in front of the tree looking at the worn patch that rested much higher up on the tree now than it did back then. “You're the only other one who truly comprehends everything that we went through and you can't even talk to me,” she murmured running her hand softly over the rough bark. With a sad longing sigh she rested her head against the tree. “What do you want here?”

“So you sensed me,” a very amused male tone said in delight.

“It feels like your eyes are going to bore a hole through me. I'd have to be dead to my senses to not sense you. What do you want? We're closed for the night, the shrine will be open again tomorrow at eight though if you'd like a tour. My grandpa is particularly proud of this place and has many good stories to tell,” she said staying where she was. She wasn't trying to be rude or anything but she also didn't feel like moving either. She was just suddenly very tired, at times she found it really hard to move on and this was one of those times. She really wished this man would leave so she could have the space she needed to pull herself back together.

“But I'm not here for a tour. I came to see you specifically,” the man said now directly behind her startling her big time. She could feel the small hairs on the back of her neck stand up; she hadn't even heard him move.

“What do you want?” she asked keeping herself as relaxed as possible. No point in letting him know he'd frazzled her a little bit.

“Just to talk. We haven't met properly after all,” the man replied but she could hear an underlining tone of seductiveness filling his words. This man was certainly dangerous and if she wanted him to leave she'd have to do one of several things but at the current moment she felt too lazy to do a good deal of them so that left her with talking her way out of this.

With a sigh she pushed herself up and turned to face the man. “Look, I don't know what… Shuichi?” she asked freezing in surprise. The voice she heard though was most definitely not Shuichi.

“You couldn't tell it was me?” the Shuichi look alike asked feigning hurt.

“Cut it out. Who the hell are you?” Kagome growled beginning to get angry. Her Shuichi had, had a certain presence around him but this one's presence was full of arrogance and self assurance. He was most definitely not him, not to mention the flashing golden eyes that made her flinch a little at the memories it brought back to her.

“So you are able to tell,” the man mumbled mostly to himself. “Well if that's the case I might as well show you my true self.”

“Please do demon,” she growled slowly slipping into a defensive position that had been drilled into her head and body making it more instinct than an actual thought.

“It's not nice to call people names,” he taunted and before she could bite out a reply there was a loud bang and the area surrounding them was surrounded by smoke.

Kagome could feel panic in her, a demon in her time? Sure she hadn't truly thought it possible for every last one to be extinct but at the same time for such a strong one to be in her presence… she just might very well be screwed. As this thought presented itself in her mind the smoke cleared and before her stood a tall silver haired demon with flashing golden eyes. She felt tears burn the backs of her eyes as she gazed at him telling herself over and over again that it wasn't her hanyou in front of her even if he did have ears he also had a tail and he was too… refined to be him, it screamed from the way he stood.

As she made to open her mouth and scream, yell or do something he shot forward covering her mouth with his hand, hissing in pain when she sunk her teeth into his palm. “Never knew you were so feisty,” he said half joking.

She tossed her head back to meet his golden gaze to glare balefully at him looking like she had a thing or two she wanted to say to him.

“If I take my hand from your mouth will you not yell? If I promise not to hurt you?” he pressed earnestly. He really didn't want to have a fight on his hands with the girl. She reminded him of a cornered animal and he knew for a fact that cornered animals were some of the most dangerous ones.

He interpreted her flat expression correctly. “On my word, I won't hurt you,” he pressed.

With a roll of her eyes she shrugged her shoulders and he slowly took his hands away from her mouth watching her carefully. Evidently it wasn't careful enough though as she brought her foot back with a solid kick to his person and leapt nimbly away from him spinning to face him, eyes burning in anger.

“Pig,” she spat in anger.

“I believe that I'm a kitsune actually and I thought you were going to behave yourself,” he said rubbing his knee where she had landed her kick wining in pain. She kicked hard. Really hard.

“I agreed to not yelling,” she sniffed primly.

`Touché!' Youko thought slightly amused. `She's got me there.'

“What do you want demon?” she asked sick and tired of this. Was everything a game to these demons? Why couldn't she be left in peace? She didn't even have the shikon no tama so what kind of business could he possibly have with her? “Gah!” she yelled out loud startling him.

“Do you have mental issues?” he teased.

“I'm sick of seeing your kind's ugly faces everywhere I go. I have no peace from you people,” she said frustrated. “Just yesterday I got attacked again. I mean seriously what do I have that any of you could possibly want? I'm a human that wants peace.”

“Oh? But I'm not ugly,” he said feeling his pride get a blow for the first time in awhile. He was used to people being in awe at his presence but it seemed his little `girlfriend' had been keeping a couple secrets from them.

She looked at him disdainfully. “I've seen others just as pretty as or prettier than you.”

`So she says but she keeps glancing at my ears and tail longingly,' he thought with satisfaction. With a fanged grin he flicked his ears back and forth teasingly and allowed his tail to stir a little behind him.

She glared at him knowing he was doing it on purpose. “The only thing you got up on Fluffy is the ears and tail,” she said crossly. “I think I even prefer his stoic I-hate-you attitude to your arrogance.”

`Ouch,' Kurama intoned for the first time since Youko took over. `She prefers someone of that nature to little ole' you. How does it feel?'

`I actually find myself enjoying this. You definitely picked a fun little human,' Youko said in amusement. `However I think that I'll have to change her attitude of me. It seems she knows of demons so holding back on her isn't necessary.'

`Hurt her and I'll find a way to make you suffer,' Kurama threatened.

`What's it matter? She's not your girlfriend anymore, remember?'

“Umm, hey? Hello! Remember the human you were just harassing? Yea, that'd be me so before you space out again can you tell me what you want so you can be on your merry way and I can get some sleep before I have to be back at school again? I have a higher education to satisfy and a job to attend to so sleep is my best friend,” she growled annoyed. Seriously, if you're going to bother someone couldn't you at least put your whole focus on it so you could get it over with that much faster?

Youko blinked. `She got a job?'

Kurama shrugged mentally. `I guess. It's what she said isn't it and she's not one for telling lies.'

`Yes, just omitting facts you need to know,' Youko thought annoyed.

`It's not like you… we don't do it,' Kurama replied in turn.

“That's it. I'm going to bed. Bother me some other day when you can pull yourself together,” Kagome said tired and annoyed, spinning on her heel to go into the house.

`She really thinks she can get away that easily?' Youko thought amused. With a push of his energy the flora around her sprang to action as it grew readily and captured her winding around her smaller form immobilizing her effectively. Youko grinned in delight as the girl struggled uselessly in her bonds her eyes burning with fire.

“What the hell!” she shouted in fury. “This is a really sick joke. You may be into bondage and whatever kinky things you use your plants for and that's all well and good for you, but don't drag me into it. I hate pain and I'm definitely not into that stuff.”

“You're not?” he purred as he stalked closer to her. “I could have sworn you told your ex-lover you couldn't be with him because he was too nice. Isn't this the kind of thing you were looking for?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Don't you dare drag Shuichi into this. He was a very considerate boyfriend and more of a man than you'll ever be. I left him for two reasons and two reasons only and the only one I'm going to inform you about is that I didn't want him to get hurt after I constantly started running into your kind around here.” She looked at him disdainfully and with a haughty snort she spat at him in distaste which he sidestepped looking at in slight disgust.

“How un-lady like,” he murmured.

“You have no idea,” she drawled. “I'm very improper. Fluffy and Dumbass used to tell me that all the time and if Fluffy didn't have a snowballs chance in hell of fixing my `poor etiquette' then you have an even worse chance then him. Hope you weren't hoping to use me as some little trophy prize to tote around and show off,” she concluded with an evil grin.

End chapter

 

Okay this is getting a bit longer then I thought it would. This is the first part and should be able to be concluded in one more chapter. I just wanted to break it down before I broke down.

Hope you enjoyed my latest creation and no I haven't forgotten about my other stuff. I'm working on it I swear. Just give me a little bit longer. I'm at a deadlock. I have a couple ways I can do them and so I'm trying to figure out which is the lesser evil in the end. XD

 

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