Hojo discovers Kagome's lack of fidelity and the story behind it.

Can You Dig It

Hojo still couldn't believe it. Clutched in his hand was proof that his fiancée was hiding something from him. The love of his life was lying to him.

Earlier today, he'd gone over to Kagome's shrine directly from work. It was their anniversary and he had the whole evening planned. Dinner, the theater, dancing, then they'd walk along the lake and finally set a date for their nuptials. His car was filled with flowers for her and everything was going to be a great surprise. He was even planning on filming it, picturing them watching it years in the future, reminiscing on how young and in love they were and how their love had only deepened over time…

When he let himself in, she was finishing a phone call in the kitchen, laughing at what someone was saying and writing something down on a pad of paper. Jumping when she heard his footsteps, she abruptly ended the call and smiled at him. Her eyes, those beautiful gray eyes he could stare into for hours but didn't because she thought it was creepy, were distant, somewhere else. Tearing off the piece of paper, she stuck it in her coat pocket.

"Hojo, one of my friends is having a giant crisis and really needs my help right now. I've got to go." Kissing him on the cheek, she left him standing there, hurt and confused.

Everything was made so much worse by how beautiful she looked. Her bare legs were toned and made all the more appealing by the six-inch black heels she wore. The trench coat did seem a little out of place for the warm spring weather. Did she even remember it was their anniversary? Well, her friends were very important to her, after all.

Unable to help himself, he stared down at the notepad. Remembering that old trick from the movies, he grabbed the pencil she had been using and shaded over it. Shikon Hotel, room 1010.

And here he was, standing outside the expensive hotel where buying just one night would impoverish him. Hojo's hands shook. He trusted her. He did. Or he used to. Was he really going to go up there and risk ruining his relationship? The knowledge would kill him. He sighed. Not knowing would kill him, too. Pretending like he belonged there, he strolled right in and went to the elevator, punching in the button for the tenth floor. The elevator doors closed and reflected back how miserable he looked.

He stood in front of 1010, shaking arm raised to knock. Expelling a breath and bracing himself, he knocked, face coloring when it came out sounding timid.

The door opened revealing an older man, black hair down to his waist, wearing nothing but a pair of red satin boxers. His erection tented the fabric and Hojo was torn between awe and envy.

"Where's the champagne?" His violet eyes widened in recognition. "Ohhh, shit."

Kagome's voice came from inside. "Who is it?"

The man glanced at him and called back, "Don't be mad, okay?" He motioned Hojo inside and shut the door behind him.

Kagome was spread-eagled on the bed, waves of hair sexily mussed. The trench coat was on the floor and she was wearing only the sexiest lingerie set he'd ever seen and those heels. One of the scarlet lace bra cups had been dragged down, exposing her breast still glistening with saliva. Her face morphed into an expression of pure shock and then she was covering herself with a pillow. All he could think of in that moment was that they'd promised to save themselves for their wedding night. It was the most he'd ever seen of her body.

"Hojo, w-what are you doing here!?"

Going to the bed, he dropped to his knees like a child saying bedtime prayers. "Kagome, I can be mad at you later, but gods," his voice broke, "I can't live without you! Please don't do this to me!"

"Okay, buddy," the man said, grabbing Hojo by the back of his jacket and dragging him to his feet. Handing him a glass of some sort of amber liquid, he patted him on the back and gestured for him to sit down on one of the expensive chairs, himself sitting next to Kagome on the bed and lighting up a cigar. "Don't get all fuckin' hysterical, 'cause I'll toss your ass out."

Hands trembling, Hojo took his first gulp of hard liquor, nearly spitting it out at the burn. "Why, Kagome?" he asked, having an increasingly hard time keeping the tears from falling.

"It's… It's a long story, Hojo," she whispered. Her and her lover glanced at each other and she held his hand for comfort. "I'm sorry to say I can't stop seeing him. Inuyasha is… Well, he's family."

O\o/O

At seventeen, Kagome had never taken such a long trip by herself unaccompanied. With the bullet train, the trip from Tokyo to Kyoto was only three hours, but it was three hours of anxiety. She thought she'd cried all her tears, but her lower lip trembled and her eyes burned and she had to rub her fists against her eyes hard to keep herself composed. Her legs were jelly and she took her first steps in the new city like a newborn lamb. Luckily, her destination was not too far away.

The giant office building intimidated her, but she tried not to let it show. Squaring her shoulders, she fixed the red tie of her school uniform, smoothed down her skirt, and marched inside like she owned the place, taking the elevator to the top floor. The receptionist was a little old lady with tiny round eyeglasses who smiled at her as she approached.

"Are you lost, dear? Did you come on a field trip with your school?"

She shook her head. "No, I've come to see Mr. Inuyasha Takahashi."

"I'm sorry, dear, but it's impossible to see Mr. Takahashi without an appointment. In any case, he's in a meeting now."

"Can I make an appointment now?"

The woman smiled at her, but she could tell she was losing her patience. "He's booked six months in advance."

"I've been trying to reach him all week!" Her voice rose unintentionally, panic flooding her. "It's really important. I've been emailing him but he never responded and I kept getting hung up on—"

"Kaede, who's this?" A man asked, coming out of a room with frosted glass doors, a trail of other men behind him.

She sat up straight, correcting her posture without seeming to notice. "I've no clue, sir! She just came in and started rambling about trying to reach you."

He gave her the once-over, one dark brow raised, and then turned to go.

"Please!" she cried, racing over and grabbing his sleeve. "It's about Kun-loon. Kun-loon Higurashi."

Inuyasha stiffened. "Kaede, please cancel my appointments."

"But sir—"

"There were only two more, right? They can wait." He looked at her, his unusual eyes scanning her face. Seeming to find something there, he nodded once. "Come with me."

His office was a blend of modern and old school, with most of the décor something out of a turn of the century Wall Street banker's office and the latest gadgets here and there.

"Sit," he said, and she obeyed. Inuyasha leaned back against his desk and stared at her.

Clearing her throat, she began, "Kun-loon is my mother. Or, well, she was."

"I figured."

His abrupt sentences made her feel nervous and she squirmed in her seat. "The shrine… You know we live on a shrine, right?" When he nodded, she continued, "It's been foreclosed on. It happened right before Mama died. And my brother, Sōta, he's only ten and he's in the hospital. Leukemia. Mama was going to see him earlier this week and a car ran her over. A hit and run." She couldn't stop the tears from flowing now. "And I'm all by myself and I don't know what to do! I don't even have enough money to pay for her funeral, Mr. Takahashi!"

He snorted. "Figures the only time you lot would try and contact me is when you need money."

Her mouth dropped open. At first, she wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly. "Excuse me?"

"Look, my old man had a shit ton of bastard kids before he married my mom. I know all about it. I have someone like you coming in here every other month. It's gotten so bad I've had to put out fake email addresses and phone numbers to keep you away." Getting to his feet, he walked behind his desk. "He's dead now. I'm the one running the show. And I'm not gonna give any of you shit."

"M-Mama never wanted to bother you," she said. "Even when things got really bad when Daddy died and then Jii-chan. But she was so proud. She kept a scrapbook of you. She used to tell me how when she'd go to see your father when you were little, she'd play with you and—"

He barked out a laugh. "So now I owe you? I owe all my half-siblings and their spawn a big fat check because my dad couldn't figure out condoms?" He snorted. "Get the fuck out of my office. If you ever come back, I'll have you arrested."

Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. "But please, if you'd only—"

"Out!" he roared, pointing at the door.

She felt lightheaded. Rising to her feet, she glared at him. Never had she hated anyone more in her life.

"I never met my grandfather, so I don't know how he'd feel," she said, hand on the doorknob, "but I'm ashamed to share your blood."

The train ride back home was so much worse. Now that all her hopes were dashed and she could only envision a future of homelessness, she could not contain her sobs. Breaking down in public was humiliating. No one asked if she was okay, no one tried to help her. Part of her was grateful, but a greater part shuddered at the lack of humanity she'd been exposed to today. Maybe she'd grown up sheltered, but she'd never thought people to be capable of such things before this moment. As soon as she got home, she was going to call her boyfriend Hojo. A plan began to form in her mind. She didn't want to impose, but maybe if she worked really hard, his family would understand and let her stay with them. They liked her well enough, and his mom had been friends with hers.

She began to feel her spirits lift just the tiniest bit on her walk to the shrine. The worst part would be losing the ancient property, which had been in her father's family's keeping from its beginning. Slowly, she walked up the steps, staring at each and every one, carving them into her mind.

"Took ya long enough."

Kagome's head darted up at the voice. There wouldn't be visitors this late at night. Her eyes widened. It was Inuyasha.

"Get inside. I've got to talk to you."

Mute, she nodded and unlocked the door, not able to help herself when she flinched away from his large frame in the doorway. Making himself at home, he sat at the kitchen table.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "How'd you get here before I did?"

"Helicopter." His face went from smirking to a little more somber. "Look, about earlier. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. Your mother was one of the good ones. And now that I've thought it over, I realize you wouldn't come to me unless things were pretty severe, and it sounds like they are."

Hope rose in her chest and she wiped at her newly moist eyes. "They are," she croaked.

"How old are you? Fifteen, sixteen?"

"Seventeen. My birthday's in a couple weeks," she murmured, surprised at the change in subject.

"And you're here all alone?"

"Yes."

He shook his head. "Not anymore. I'll stay with you. I can go to work at the Tokyo branch."

"You don't have to!" she insisted, overwhelmed. How had he gone from not wanting to be involved at all to living with her? "I'll be fine on my own."

He laughed, and for the first time Kagome noticed that Inuyasha was handsome. Handsome and younger than she'd thought.

"I'm not going to leave a girl on her own." The sparkle in his eyes faded and then he was serious again. "I'll buy the shrine. I'll pay for Kun-loon's arrangements. I'll take care of your brother." His tone was solemn. "I'm gonna help you out."

Unable to help herself, she lurched out of her seat and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Inuyasha." She couldn't quite bring herself to call him uncle, but she didn't want to go back to calling him mister. Kagome was very aware of how warm and muscular he was.

"What's your name?" His lips were brushing against her ear and she shivered. It was like he'd come after her primarily to find that out.

"Kagome." Reluctantly, she pulled away.

Arms still around her waist, he stared at her for a few seconds before he seemed to recover himself and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"We're family, right?"

Since it was late, she showed him upstairs, giving him the choice of Jii-chan's old room or her mother's. To her surprise, he chose her mother's, right next to hers. Kagome sadly remembered how her mother used to tease her, saying she purposely had her room next to hers as a form of birth control. They'd both laughed a lot, knowing how seriously she and Hojo took their promise to remain chaste until marriage, and they were certain they were going to marry one another someday.

"Good night, Kagome." He kissed her cheek, his lips lingering until she was blushing.

"Good night," she breathed, heart pounding in her chest.

That night was the first time she dreamed of him. She'd read a few romance novels that had stirred her imagination and her lust, and after tonight she regretted that. In her dream, they were in Inuyasha's office, only instead of yelling at her, he kissed her. He kissed her until she begged him to touch her, and then he slipped his hands under her skirt.

The screeching of her alarm clock woke her and she realized that she had been touching herself. Face red, she left her room, intending to shower the sin off of her. Before she could enter the bathroom, Inuyasha stepped out, long black hair still dripping wet from the shower, towel wrapped low enough on his waist to reveal his hip bones.

"Cute," he commented, eyeing her white nightgown with the pink bow between the breasts.

Controlling the urge to cover her chest, certain her nipples were still standing at attention, she beamed at him. "Good morning, Inuyasha!"

He chuckled. "I don't think anyone's ever been so happy to see me."

"You saved me. I'm always going to be this happy to see you."

"I was thinking," he began, making her pause yet again in her journey to the bathroom. "You should take the day off school. You've had a lot going on. I could take you to the Tokyo office and we could see your brother and maybe you can show me where your mom is."

Kagome hadn't taken a single day off, not wanting to fall behind in her studies. And she and Hojo had planned a lunch date today. Glancing at Inuyasha's nearly nude form, she hesitantly nodded, not realizing she was agreeing until she already had.

"Great!" he said, that smile transforming his face again. Leaning down, he kissed her cheek. "I'll take you out to breakfast."

Her knees went weak and she almost slammed the bathroom door behind her, throwing off her nightgown and stepping carefully into the shower. Kagome didn't like to do what she was about to do, but if ever she needed to, now was the time. Turning on the water, she slathered some thick creamy body wash on her hands and began thrusting her slippery fingers inside her cunt. Desperately trying to think of anything but Inuyasha, she rubbed her nipples, soaping up her breasts. Unbidden, how he'd acted in her dream and how he'd looked in the towel assaulted her mind and then she was coming, wildly rubbing her clit and panting his name as quietly as she could. Tears of pleasure turned into tears of self-hatred. What was wrong with her? The shower took longer than usual, and by the end she was feeling a little more prepared to face the man who had inserted himself into her life and her subconscious.

Inuyasha took her to a little café she had heard of but had never visited. It was so popular it was supposed to have a day's wait, but he made a single phone call ahead of time and they were in. Her cheeks flushed when he held open the door for her. Why was she acting so weird!? She never felt so effected when Hojo did the same thing. Their food came speedily and she dug in to her waffles, sighing at how good they tasted.

"So you're graduating this year?" His eyes stared intensely at where she was licking whipped cream off her fork.

Kagome nodded. "Somehow, I made it," she joked.

"Give any thought to where you want to go to school and what you want to study?"

She shrugged. It had been a while since someone had interrogated her about her future.

"If you chose business, you could work for me. You're smart. I'd be happy to have you."

"You don't have to do all that." For the life of her, she could not meet his eyes. "You're doing so much already."

"I want to." His foot accidentally nudged her ankle under the table. "And I want to do more."

Though she knew she'd regret it for the rest of her life, she looked up at him and immediately lost her heart. The sun was shining in such a way that it made him seem like some sort of dashing hero in a movie. That small smile he wore, the warmth in his eyes, made her insides clench and the place between her legs throb. He didn't seem to think it strange that she was staring at him, and he looked right back at her. Their moment was brought to an end by the ringing of his phone. Glancing at the screen, he sighed and apologized to her before answering it.

"Yeah?" There was a short pause. "You heard right." His eyes flitted over her again and his lips turned up at the corners. "For a while. Maybe. You'll be one of the first to know. Okay. Bye."

"Who was that?" she asked.

He sighed. "My wife."

There was a ringing in her ears and she had to force herself not to show how his words had hurt her. Of course anything happening between them was impossible. He was much too old for her, and there was the issue of him being her mother's half-brother.

"Oh," she said, stuffing her face with a giant bite of food so she wouldn't talk anymore.

"Her name's Kikyo," he continued, seemingly oblivious to her turmoil. "Her dad was friends with mine. We've been married two years." He chuckled without humor and sipped his juice. "We hooked up a couple times and the old bastards were already planning the wedding. There was no way out after that."

"Do you love her?" The question came out of her mouth just as it entered her mind.

Not offended, he just looked at her for a few seconds and said, "Not much." He leaned forward. "You ever been in love?"

Her hands shook. "I-I don't know." Hojo's face came to her mind and she felt guilty. "I know my boyfriend loves me, but I think I'm too young to feel anything like that."

"Boyfriend?"

"His name's Hojo." Pulling out her phone, she went to her favorite picture of him and showed him off. "We've been together for almost three years."

Inuyasha eyed the photo with indifference and she shoved the phone back in her pocket, suddenly embarrassed.

"I think you're plenty old enough for those kinds of feelings. You just need someone to show you how." Pointing at her pocket with his knife, he said, "And that kid's not going to do it for you."

Kagome bristled. "What's wrong with Hojo?"

"Nothing, probably. But if you've been together for three years and you still don't feel it, you never will."

His words were things she had barely thought before and she wanted to deny it, but she couldn't. Instead, she just finished her meal in silent thought. It wasn't her who had wanted to date Hojo. Her friends had set them up and he had liked her so much she'd felt bad and kept going out with him. Internally, she'd never really been committed to him, never thinking that he was going to be her last relationship. But then when everything with Jii-chan and Sōta and Mama had happened, one right after another, he had been there for her. And for the first time, she could see herself loving him. Someday. Maybe. Didn't she owe him that?

The cab ride over to the Tokyo headquarters of Inuyasha's company perked her up some. She chattered on to him about the places they passed and the history of the area, not stopping until she was out of things to say and Inuyasha smilingly informed her he frequently traveled to Tokyo. When she blushed, he laughed and put an arm around her, drawing her to his side. The closeness inspired more of those feelings she didn't want to think about and she inched away a little at a time until she was back in her original place, heart thumping.

His Tokyo office was a carbon copy of the Kyoto one, if a bit sleeker somehow. He rarely visited, but it was neat and his chair was so comfy. Kagome laughed and spun herself around until she got dizzy, collapsing back and sighing.

"You're one of those people who can have fun wherever they go, aren't you?" he said with a smirk.

She giggled. "What's it like being the boss?"

He smiled and suddenly seemed predatory, his hands coming down one on either armrest, caging her in. "I get to tell people what to do. I like that."

"So if I did come and work for you, you'd order me around a lot?" Her voice was suddenly breathy.

"I wouldn't do anything else."

His eyes were intense, that violet clashing against her gray, and she leaned forward as though pulled by an invisible magnet, lips parted.

"Mr. Takahashi? You've got a phone call from Bokuseno. It's urgent."

Inuyasha turned to his desk and hit a flashing button on the phone before picking up the receiver. Kagome tuned out the conversation and silently thanked whoever this Bokuseno person was. Had she really been about to embarrass herself like that? Kissing him would have ruined everything! Clenching her hands into fists, she resolved to force him out of her brain. If she lost control of herself like that, there was a chance he'd no longer help with the shrine and Sōta, and there was no way she could take that chance for some momentary pleasure due to a second of insanity. Plus, she didn't want Inuyasha to leave her. She didn't want to be alone again, and she didn't want to never see him again. Though it hadn't even been twenty-four hours, Kagome couldn't bear to part with him. Just imagining him acting like he had when they first met made her want to cry.

"That was Kikyo's dad," he sighed after hanging up. "Sorry about that. Where were we?"

"Um, I was thinking we could go see Sōta now." At least in the company of her brother she wouldn't have an opportunity to jump him.

He nodded and they departed, him leaving instructions to his staff. When he led her out, he kept his hand on the small of her back and she wondered what it would feel like to have him slip his fingers higher, under the material of her shirt to graze against her bare skin, or lower, grabbing her bottom. Gods, she was ridiculous.

Sōta had once had a roommate, but he had been taken to the ICU last week. They had yet to assign another body to the bed, so the room was private. Grinning when he saw her, he held out his arms for a hug and she gladly complied. Before, when he'd still been a healthy, active little boy who dreamed of playing soccer professionally, he had hated hugs. Illness had made him much more affectionate.

"Who's that?" he said, noticing the man behind her.

"This is Inuyasha," she said, smilingly, tugging him forward. "He's Mama's half-brother."

His forehead crinkled, his faint freckles becoming obscured. "You're my uncle?"

Inuyasha nodded. "I'm going to be staying at the shrine for a while and making sure everything's taken care of."

Attention drifting, the boy turned back to Kagome. "Where's Mama? She hasn't visited me in a long time."

Kagome felt Inuyasha stiffen beside her and she put a hand on his wrist. "She's still really sick and she didn't want you to catch anything." Her throat burned and she struggled to keep her voice even. "She gave me these for you, though." Smothering him in kisses, her heart glowed as he shrieked with laughter and tried to fight her off.

His eyes were drooping, exhausted from the short interaction. "Hey, will you play cards with me?"

"Of course!"

Taking the cards from where they kept them in the drawers, she dealt a hand to each of them. They only played for fifteen minutes before he passed out. She stayed a few minutes more, stroking his hair. With a sigh, she kissed his forehead and left.

"Sōta had leukemia before," she said in the elevator. "A couple years ago. He went through chemo and everything and he was better for a while, but then it happened again. The doctors say Sōta's is unusually persistent and they don't see another round of treatment doing anything but prolonging the inevitable and making him suffer." The tears came then and she hid her face in her hands. "I c-couldn't tell him about Mama!" she sobbed.

Strong arms enveloped her and she was pulled against Inuyasha's broad chest. "You've been so strong, Kagome. It's okay. We can be strong together now." His hand stroked her hair and she allowed herself to be soothed for their short descent, allowed herself to believe she had found one person who would never leave her.

O\o/O

The days passed and soon it was the day before her eighteenth birthday. Inuyasha had bought several bottles of some expensive unpronounceable pink champagne to celebrate, telling her it was an occasion so he was allowing her to drink.

"So what do you want to do for your big day?" he asked one morning over breakfast at the café they always went to.

"Well, after school my friends and I were going to visit Sōta and then go to the arcade. After that, Hojo has a big date planned for me." Hojo wasn't the only one with plans. Kagome was actually scheming to seduce her innocent and forever chaste boyfriend in an attempt to rid herself of the desire she had for Inuyasha. It had crawled inside her and had a place in her very bones so that she could not have a thought not involving him and her. If she allowed it to continue, she could see herself doing something crazy.

One corner of his mouth turned down. "Really? I was hoping we could spend the day together." He continued cutting his steak and eggs. "I guess I could always head back to Kyoto for a bit, check up on Kikyo and everything."

The thought of him leaving paralyzed her. "No!" she said, a bit too loud and too quickly. "I mean, friends are great and all, but family comes first, right? They'll understand. We can always do something another day."

The beauty of his smile made her stomach flip. "Let's make it a day you never forget to make up for rescheduling with your friends."

Dreamily, she nodded. A whole day with Inuyasha. She remained in that state the entire day. Her life had gone from terrible to surreal so soon. As long as she had him, she would never again—

A volleyball hit her right in the center of her face, forcing her out of her fluffy thoughts. With a small cry, she fell right on her ass. If her face didn't hurt so much, she knew she'd be terribly embarrassed. Physical education was never her favorite class. Even when she was focused she tended to perform poorly, and now that she had allowed her mind to wander, of course it went from difficult to painful.

"Higurashi! Get to the nurse."

Helped up by all three of her best friends, she numbly nodded, wondering if she had a concussion. It wasn't like she'd be able to notice since she'd been acting like someone with a head injury ever since she'd seen Inuyasha first smile. Feeling a tickle on her upper lip, she absentmindedly brushed her fingers there only to pull them away covered with blood. Now feeling truly urgent, she allowed her friends to walk her to the nurse, waving them away at the door. The nurse took one look at her and handed her an ice pack and some damp paper towels.

"That's gonna bruise somethin' terrible," she murmured, clucking her tongue somehow sympathetically and judgmentally all at once. "You better go home. Day's almost over, anyway." The nurse looked up her emergency contact information and a quick phone conversation ensued. Someone came and brought her her things, which she accepted with a nod of thanks. Kagome leaned her head against the wall and dabbed at the blood that was only now beginning to slow its trek.

"Kagome? Are you okay?"

Had she fallen asleep? She didn't think so. Wow, he got there fast. "I'b fibe," she said.

The barest touch to her hair and cheek made her shiver. His eyes held so much softness in that moment.

"Can you walk? Do you need me to carry you?"

Even though she would love to be held in his arms, she shook her head. Still concerned, he helped her up unnecessarily and kept an arm around her until he got in his rental car, buckling her in before himself. His palm brushed against her thigh and she felt herself grow wet.

"That's really what you wear for gym at that school? Those shorts look more like underwear. How is that legal?"

Smiling hurt but she did it anyway. "How'd you get there so fast?" At least now she could talk right.

His face turned grim. "I was already on my way. Kagome, I don't know how to say this…"

Her heart stopped for a moment. Oh gods. Inuyasha was leaving her. He had to go back to his business and his house and his wife and Kyoto and he was leaving her here all alone. Eventually his calls and visits would grow less and less frequent and it would be like they had never met, but for the aching void in her life.

"It's Sōta. He… He passed on."

At first, she didn't react. Inuyasha glanced at her, obviously concerned, and reached out a hand, giving her a comforting touch on her knee. It was the loving contact that made everything seem real, that made everything hurt inside. She was sobbing even before the tears gathered, curling up in the passenger seat and gasping, taking big, choking breaths. The vocalized sobs sounded almost like screams sometimes and soon she was screaming, screaming wordlessly and then his name, screaming for her mother. When she finally calmed down, she realized she was on her bed at home, though she could not remember how she got there. It was almost dark outside and the wind was howling, mourning in its own way.

"I made you hot chocolate. It's cold now." Inuyasha was seated at her desk and she felt like a hospital patient.

A rush of gratitude enveloped Kagome. He hadn't left her. "I'm sorry," she whispered hoarsely. A few more tears escaped her eyes and she brushed them away before she could start up again.

"You don't have to be sorry." He moved over to her and sat beside her. "It's the world that owes you an apology, Kagome. I wish I could protect you from it." His arms wrapped around her, lifted her up until she was sitting and there was no space between them. "What can I do to make it stop hurting so much?"

Everything inside her was trembling. She was weak, so weak now. He'd come to her before she could make herself strong again, and now there was nothing else to do except give in to her weakness. Her lips were on his before she could think of the possible repercussions, wanting only the comfort he'd always given her to come in another form. Maybe three seconds passed before she pulled away, horrified at her actions and heartbroken that he had not kissed her back.

"I—I didn't mean—I don't want—"

Inuyasha grabbed her chin just a bit too hard. His eyes were darker than she'd ever seen them. "Kagome, if I kiss you back, it won't stop there."

Slowly, she nodded. "If I…do that…with you… Will you stay with me?"

The emotion in his eyes showed her he understood what she was asking. Kagome wanted a marriage, not one that bound them by law, she knew they could never have that, but one that bound their souls. His hands enveloped hers and her room became their chapel, her bed their altar.

"Even if you don't. I can't not be with you."

When he kissed her, it was like she forgot who she was, like all the sad things and happy things were wiped away and all that was left was him. Kagome had never been kissed like that before. All her explorations with Hojo were innocent, and she was more intimately involved with this man with just a single touch of the lips than she had been with that boy throughout her entire relationship.

"How old are you?" she asked, wanting to know the answer but not particularly caring. She was already in too deep for something like that to change anything.

"Thirty-one," he sighed, sucking her lower lip.

Of her own volition, she laid on her back, accepting his increasingly passionate attack of kisses. Her hands clutched at his shirt and before she knew it she was undressing him, tugging it over his head still buttoned. Kagome's fascinated hands explored his muscled chest until he stopped her, holding one of her hands over his quickly beating heart.

"Do you feel that?" he murmured. "You do that to me, Kagome." An almost evil smirk on his mouth, he dragged her palm down until she was cupping his hot and hard manhood through the cloth of his pants. "You do that to me, too."

"Please, Inuyasha," she whimpered, bringing his face close to hers and kissing him softly. "I've wanted this so much. I need it."

Sliding his hands up her ribcage, he freed her from her sweatshirt and made quick work of her sports bra. Her sweaty and bloody PE uniform was, in her opinion, perhaps the least sexy thing she could possibly wear, but he didn't seem to mind. Inuyasha was already palming a breast, kissing the top of the other. Her nipples were already achingly stiff and he hadn't even touched them yet. Sensing her need, he teased her a little, running just the tip of his tongue around her areola. When she was panting, he barely brushed his lips against her nipple which strained for him, yearned for his attention. Shuddering, she writhed in his grasp, and he finally took pity on her and sucked her hungrily. His fingers took the place of his mouth as he switched to her other nipple, pinching and rubbing and tweaking her. Lightly, his teeth grazed her and she swore she almost came.

Inuyasha abandoned her breasts and he kissed her savagely with tongue and teeth and pure lust. It occurred to her that perhaps he'd wanted her just as much as she had him, maybe even more. What had it been like for a man familiar with pleasure and used to instant gratification to wait for her? Even if it was just a couple weeks, the pull between them was so strong that it must have been torture, a torture she knew too well.

Anticipation and excitement had her heart racing as he kissed his way down her body, stopping at the top of her gym shorts. Slowly, he tugged them down, the look in his eyes feral. When she was fully revealed to him, he leaned down and gave her one long lick, moaning in enjoyment as she mewled.

"I've wanted to do this since I first saw you," he admitted, his thumb circling her clit. "I've come so many times imagining this."

Kagome couldn't stop her hips from humping the air, seeking more of him to fill her. A dark chuckle left his lips and he went back to licking her, tongue thrusting away inside her better than her fingers ever were. To change it up, he began to lick around her clit, two of his thick fingers entering her pussy, pumping inside and making her squeeze down on him. Curling his fingers slightly, he rubbed her from side to side and sucked her clit full on, bringing her to a screaming orgasm. Her hands held him against her by his hair, cradling him and clutching him, wanting more and wanting him to stop, to let her recover.

Before she was even done coming, he removed himself from her grasp and unzipped his pants, flinging them away and stroking his cock, eyes roaming over her as her breasts heaved with the big breaths she took. Carefully, slowly, he began to push inside her. When her legs started to tremble, he kissed her, and whispered sweet things to her she never thought she'd ever hear from someone as glorious as him. He was big and she was small, but she wanted to make it work and so she did. Kagome could tell he was restraining himself by how his teeth tore at his lip, how the sweat poured from his body and fell on her skin. More than anything, he didn't want to hurt her. He wanted to give her a beautiful memory. That mere fact ensured that it would always be her most precious one. Even as he lost some control over himself and began to pound into her, she met his every thrust, accepting his passion with her own, showing him she was like him and she could do whatever he wanted her to do, be whatever he needed her to be.

After, he curled his body around her and she allowed herself to be embraced by him, accepting his tired, loving kisses. Even the worst day of her life was made into something good as long as he was there.

He called her in sick for her birthday. The entire day was spent learning new things, how to please him and how to let herself be pleased. Every time she thought she was worn out, he'd touch her and her body would respond, brought to life once again. He was wilder than he'd been the first time, gradually showing her the darker things he preferred. They drank the champagne he'd bought, and at once moment he showered her in it, licking it from her body until she was gasping and writhing. Finally, after hours upon hours of fun, he gave her permission to take a shower by herself. Before he could jump her when she got out, she dressed in her pajamas, wanting to at least have some ice cream and maybe watch a movie, do something with him that wasn't physical. Knowing what would probably happen before the ending credits, however, she neglected to put on a bra and panties. Just as Inuyasha finished combing her hair, there was a knock on the door downstairs.

Kagome jumped, confused. "I told all my friends I wanted to be alone, after everything," she whispered. A part of her was worried, even though she knew it was ridiculous, that her new relationship with Inuyasha would be visible in her face. None of her friends had ever met Inuyasha, and she had made it that way, not wanting them to see the way she looked at him and pick up on how she felt.

"You want me to get it?" He kissed her neck, his hand massaging her thigh. "Or we could just ignore it…"

The door opened. "Kagome? Kagome, it's me. Are you here?"

She scrambled off the bed. "It's Hojo!" she whispered. Her mother had given him a key one summer when he was helping out on the shrine, knowing the boy enough to trust that he wouldn't ever abuse it and try to sneak into his girlfriend's room.

Inuyasha's expression turned something close to murderous. Anticipating a terrible fight, she held up a hand at him and closed the door behind her, going downstairs. She'd handle it.

"Heeey, Hojo," she said with a little wave, grimacing when she noticed she was trying way too hard to act casual and like she hadn't been fucking her dead mother's half-brother for a day and a half.

"Oh, Kagome!" he said in a hushed voice, coming over to hug her. "I was so worried! I took off work early and came here. We just heard about Sōta, and I—"

"I really did mean it when I said I wanted to be alone." Her voice was colder than she intended it to be but she couldn't bring herself to apologize.

He flinched. "Oh. Well. I'm sorry. I guess I just— I just didn't think that applied to me, too. I called and… Well, you didn't answer, and so I came over."

Now she felt guilty. While she'd been enjoying a sinful union, he'd been worrying about her, calling her on the phone she'd turned off, maybe even on the landline that she'd unplugged, not wanting her time with her lover to be interrupted by the outside world.

"Thank you, Hojo. I mean it." There was a sound upstairs and she knew Inuyasha was telling her to hurry up.

"Is someone here?" he asked, looking curiously at the staircase.

Kagome was afraid he'd try and investigate for himself. "Um, yeah, just a couple family members who came after, you know, everything."

He looked relieved. "So you're not alone." Hojo kissed her cheek, his lips soft and warm. "I'm glad. Even if it's not me, you need someone right now."

Her mouth was dry. "I'll see you soon, Hojo."

At least he recognized the dismissal when he heard it. Nodding, he replied, "As soon as you want, I'm going to take you out." There was a blush on his cheeks. "Somewhere nice. Really nice."

Certainty and dread mixed in her gut like a stone. He was going to propose. "That sounds nice. I can't wait."

She saw him out and made sure he was really gone and not lingering before she went back upstairs. Inuyasha was laid out on her bed, naked and magnificently displayed, smoking a cigarette.

"Haven't smoked in years," he said. "You've got me starting up again."

With a glare, she grabbed it out of his mouth and stubbed it out in one of her potted plants. "Just say what you want to say."

"You didn't break up with him," he said after a short pause.

Sighing, she sat down in her chair. "It's not the time. And I think… I think he's going to propose." They had talked about marriage a lot and she knew he was the type who wanted everything lined up after high school, tying him to her throughout college, and after they graduated they'd get married right away, perhaps even in the same month.

His hands clenched into fists. "What are you going to do?"

Kagome refused to cry. Not now, not when she finally had found happiness. "I… I don't know."

He held out his arms to her and she launched herself into him, burrowing her face in his chest. Tenderly, he stroked her hair, and they stayed like that for a while, just being with each other.

"We can never have a wedding," he said softly, "but that doesn't mean we can't be together. Maybe this will make things easier."

"How?"

"Well, I already have Kikyo. And you could marry Hojo," he said it as though the words tasted bad in his mouth. "And you can work for me after you finish high school and go to college at the same time. No one will even think to question us being together all the time."

She began to get excited, but then reality hit. "But if I marry Hojo, we'll have to live together, and then we can't be like we are now."

He sighed. "But there would be a lot of business trips, and working late, and we could get hotel rooms…"

It wouldn't be everything they wanted, but it would have to do.

"You know I'll do anything if it means I get to be with you," she whispered, face heating at the admission.

He chuckled and rolled her onto her back. "Same here. I love you, Kagome."

"I love you so much, Inuyasha," she gasped as he sucked her pulse point.

O\o/O

Hojo's hands gripped the glass tumbler so hard that for a second he feared he might shatter it.

"So all this time, you were just using me?" His voice sounded as pathetic as he felt.

"It's not like that, Hojo," Kagome said softly, trying to ease the pain. "I do love you. In a way. And you were always there for me. But Inuyasha's—"

"I know. Family." He took a swig of what was left in the glass and shuddered.

"Well, I for one think it's a good thing this happened." Inuyasha said, the only one there who didn't look like he would literally rather die than have to go through this. Hojo would even go so far as to say he looked delighted. "Now we can set down some rules."

"What do you mean 'rules'?! I'm done. I'm not going to be your cover anymore!"

Inuyasha quickly got to his feet and put a firm hand on Hojo's shoulder, forcing him to sit back down. The boy quickly realized he was not a man to disobey.

"Good," he purred in satisfaction, seeing that his rival was complacent. "Now, here's how things are gonna go. You're still gonna marry Kagome in three months." Before anyone could object, he held up a hand, effectively silencing them. "You will be moving into a spacious mansion you never could have afforded with your low-level government employee salary. The property is right next to mine. It's a gift. Be fuckin' grateful." When Hojo nodded, he continued, "You are never to have sex with Kagome. Never. Under any circumstances. Or you will go missing, a case the police will link to your secret gambling addiction." Hojo gaped at the man's ruthlessness. "Hey, it won't be all bad, buddy. You can fuck my wife whenever you want. She's got a thing for younger guys, and I think she'd be happy meeting someone in her situation. I can tell you two would hit it off. But here's the important part: every child Kagome has, you will publicly claim as your own. The kids will know the truth, everyone who needs to know will know the truth."

Struck dumb, Hojo just kept nodding long after the man stopped.

Inuyasha grinned and the poor boy felt the evil emanating from him. How could his beautiful Kagome want that? Looking over at her, he saw the adoration plain on her face, her eyes only on the one who was to give her the children she'd always longed for. Inuyasha looked on her and his expression shifted, turning into something feral and lustful.

"Just this once," he said, voice husky, "I'll give you a treat. For the first and last time, you can watch Kagome get fucked."

He wanted to say no, he wanted to leave, but he was weak. Hojo hoped for Kagome to say no, to stand up for her modesty, but she only wrapped her arms around her uncle and kissed him until he growled and pushed her to her back, grabbing her behind the knees and hooking her legs over his shoulders. With cruel fingers, he tore through the mesh lace of her panties and buried himself to the hilt inside her, mouth falling open in the most satisfied groan he'd ever heard. Despite himself, Hojo was hard. So many times, he'd touched himself imagining Kagome, imagining what it would be like to finally take her. A sigh of resignation escaping his lips, he pulled himself from his pants and began to masturbate, stroking his cock and watching the girl he loved mewl like a kitten and claw like a lioness, full breasts jiggling from the force of Inuyasha's thrusts.

Inuyasha leaned over her and sucked at a nipple, savagely nibbling at her until she shrieked, his dark hair eclipsing most of what his mouth was doing from Hojo's view. Kagome was babbling something, urging him to come, telling him she loved him, words that would have broken Hojo's heart all over again had he not been so close to a release. The woman of his dreams started to thrust her hips back against Inuyasha's at a wilder pace and soon she was cumming, full lips parted in bliss, and the man on top of her roared and slammed his lips onto hers, emptying himself inside her right when Hojo spilled his seed on his palm.

"I'll text Kikyo your number," Inuyasha said sleepily, head resting on Kagome's perfect bosom. "Don't be surprised if she jumps you first thing. She's that way."

Hojo just nodded, unsure of what to do now.

Kagome blinked at him sleepily. "Can you check downstairs and see what's taking the champagne so long? I think they forgot about us."

"Uh, okay."

When he left the room, they were starting up again, this time with Kagome on top. Still in shock, Hojo closed the door. His cell phone began to ring and he recognized the area code as belonging to Kyoto. Shrugging, he answered and went to see about the champagne.

And so ends SWII. I'm so glad you guys liked it! Mad love to Coquine and the other readers without accounts for reading and reviewing!

My next story's coming on V-Day.

PREPARE YOURSELVES.

MARK YOU CALENDARS.

CALL YOUR MOM AND TELL HER ABOUT US 'CAUSE THIS IS SERIOUS.

SHIT'S GONNA BE AWESOME!