Chapter 4: Wonder What's Next

Kagome always found that staying after school in the art room was her best refuge. Here, she was surrounded by what she used, what she could make. It was crowded by easels, it smelled deeply of pastels, paint removal, and pencil shavings, and the large windows provided enough light in the afternoon summer sunlight. Normally, the place was hot, dozens of lamps lit at once so students could see what they were making. But tonight she was alone, and she couldn't be happier.

Pulled up against a couple of cabinets, her easel leaned up against her worktable, her eyes soft and relaxed in the natural light than they would be under harsh fluorescents. Her portfolio sat against her leg, which was propped on the stool she sat on, and her current piece in front of her. She didn't know what gave her the idea, maybe the name or maybe she was partial to anthro (animal-human) design, either way. There was just…a fierce wilderness to his eyes…something…not human, but controlled…

Kagome found herself blushing as she penciled folds, shaping, and forming. By the devils, damn him. How did she let it happen? How could she have just let him slip by? "Oh here you go, have a look", that wasn't her! Thinking back on his studious expression, she felt naked for the first time. Having him look, having him study what she had created left her feeling stripped of what she held for cover. Like instead of looking at her, he undressed her sketchpad, bearing her down to the essentials. But who was she kidding? He didn't get it. He didn't see the hidden messages in those drawings, the inspirations. No one could understand those.

She let her pencil drop with a sigh. She shouldn't have colored his eyes yet, they were distracting her. the way she drew the light path, making them shine from the drawing itself. It was her damn fault really, she realized with a frown. But she can put some blame on him…they were his damn eyes.

Kagome straightened in her chair, hissing as her muscles protested to the movement. She really shouldn't sit hunched over right now, much less doing it while she was working.

How could she have been so stupid? They were the wrong kind, the wrong cigarettes…

She had been thinking of him, that's why. In-u-ya-sha. Even if she uttered the syllables at that moment, alone, she would have felt daring. The boy was everything a girl wanted, good looks, manners, a sense of humor an idiot can follow, and he even had left his boys to come see if she was okay. He was everything that made a girl sigh. He was everything, she couldn't have.

So why the fascination? Why would she randomly think of him in the drug store, showing a fake ID (which she wouldn't need soon) to a store clerk only to buy the wrong pack of cigarettes, trying not to gag on the smell of ripe deli meat and leaking refrigerator cooling systems and mold? Then Souta runs off and her bubble is popped only to be brought to a harsh reality when she sees again in the same day. Only a few houses down from her. Strange really, how the neighbors don't hear the sounds…

She winced. Well, she'd be damned if she bought the wrong pack again. Surely it wasn't a pretty sight. And after all that, he made her go back and buy the right ones. Kagome looked sullenly down at her piece, idly drawing lines that would either be erased or darkened. Damn the day that man came into their lives. Damn the day they married. Damn her mother for not seeing what he really was. Damn her for dying…

Kagome felt the prickle of a lone tear, quickly wiping it away, ignoring the pins her tortured cheek sent of to her brain. Well, she was still alive, and the only person souta had left. If souta was her only reason for living, then it's a great reason. She had made a promise to her mother, watch souta. She'll do more than that…she'll raise him.

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It was official. It was written down, typed, signed, whatever. It was carved in stone and made to last. It was one of the happiest days in their lives.

So why didn't it feel that way?

Shippou sat on a plastic crate facing the garage, right smack in the middle of the sidewalk, hunched over and resting his elbows on his knees. His chin sat in one hand while the other hang between his raggedy clad legs. His wife beater had been a good idea, the day was hot and the sun was a mother on his back. He sighed anyways, watching as a few of his bright rusted hairs danced in a small wind. Emerald bright eyes flicked to the side, catching a fleeting glance of his cousin before going back to look into the garage. A place of birth. His stomach growled and he whined. They were suppose to be celebrating, duh…

"Are you done staring at her house? I'm hungry, it's hot, and I would like nothing more than a cold drink, some wings, and a good view of the Hooters' girls," he groaned, earning a snort from Inuyasha and a flick of his braid as the golden-eyed boy turned his head slightly.

Inuyasha leaned on the other foot, bringing his almost dead one back to life. "You need to stop hanging with Miroku that much, he's influencing your little mind."

"Oh yes, my fragile little mind can't take it…can't take that we're not walking now to meet the guys there, and not enjoying it," Shippou replied, rolling his neck and getting a few cracks for it.

Inuyasha just snorted again, still focusing his attention on the house. "You have every right to leave man, I'm not stopping you."

He heard Shippou gave out a long sigh, hearing him shift on the crate. "The guys won't let me live it down if I just show up without you. Probably get ideas…though killing you sounds like a very good idea…"

This time Inuyasha sighed, shoulders slumping, "go on Shippou…go have a good time."

Shippou gazed at his cousin's back, a frown marring his boyish face. Instead, he got up, chains jingling from his belt as his casually strode to stand next to his most definitely taller cousin, mimicking his crossed arms and studious pout, but a bit exaggerated. One booted foot tapped pavement, and Inuyasha became acutely aware that Shippou was mocking him. He glared at the sibling from the corner of his eye.

Shippou took a breath, lifting a hand to his chin as he studied the house Inuyasha was preoccupied with. He looked like a mini-professor, having come to a seminar to discuss a new theory to his field of study. Give him a pair of glasses and a tweed jacket and he'd fit the part perfectly. After a few minutes of this, and of Inuyasha trying to shoot him with glares, the red headed boy raised a finger and opened his mouth.

"I've concluded…that house is gray. Now come, there are wings and drinks and some girls with my name on 'em! To the subway!"

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How Shippou managed it, he'll never figure out. With his master skills and quick tongue, Shippou managed to drag his sulking cousin to the subway, off a train car, down a few blocks, and nearing one of his favorite places in the world. But, there's one miracle he couldn't work. His cousin was still sulking.

As the cousins neared the famous Hooters, they were confronted with the most pathetic sight possible. Kouga and Miroku sat outside on a bench. Well…Kouga sat on the bench. Miroku sat a little ways off on his hunches, on what seemed a leash. And pretty close to tears.

"If this is a reference to my name, somebody's gonna get hurt," Inuyasha smarted as they walked up to Kouga, who looked up bored. He stretched and took a glance at Miroku.

"Sorry, no one loves you enough to remember your name," Kouga responded, missing when Inuyasha flipped him off when he got up. "And why else do you think Miroku's like that?"

"My goodness Miroku," Shippou stated, idly picking at the knot tied to the bench, and the other end Miroku's neck, "surprised your not whining by now, must be dreadfully painful for you."

Miroku gazed longingly down the street, where their destination was clearly in sight. His bottom lip trembled dramatically, "so…cruel…why do you guys hate me so?"

Kouga smirked and walked up behind the boy, tugging his rope off. And in the process choking Miroku harshly. Inuyasha and Shippou snickered when Miroku got up and punched him on the arm. Kouga just rubbed the spot and laughed, "if you don't mind, I'd like some hot wings and a drink before we get kicked out, no thanks to you."

"Ah, if I am correct, my supposed "reputation" has proceed me," Miroku sighed, rubbing his sore neck as the boys walked casually to the restaurant, making light banter and some shoving as they approached. All gentlemen, Miroku hopped ahead, holding the door like a butler (even trying to pull off the long faced look), earning him some catty remarks. They till a tall young man walked past them, accidentally bumping Inuyasha.

"Hey!" Inuyasha barked.

"Sorry dude!" the young man said, tearing off a black hat as he walked off. They saw he untied his apron, a cook's apron with the orange Hooters' logo on the back of his black t-shirt.

"Just be thankful he's not cooking for you Inuyasha," Shippou patted his shoulder, pushing him in. "Miroku come on…Miroku! Wings! Chicks!"

He still didn't answer, and the others turned to find him transfixed on an object down the street. They exchanged worried glances. Kouga scratched his head. "he…he didn't respond? Guys, did we walk into a parallel universe when we walked through that door?"

"I don't think so…" Shippou cocked his head, taking a look around. Then he scowled, stomping up to Miroku and grabbing his arm, making the boy trip in his surprise as he was pulled inside. He sputtered when Shippou just kept walking, up till the reception booth.

"Dude!" Miroku cried as they were walked to a table, "did you see her?"

"See who?" Inuyasha snapped, giving off a charming smirk as the waitress walked away.

"The girl! Down the street!" Miroku pointed in the direction he had been staring.

"Like we're gonna see her from inside the building. Good job Miroku," Kouga quipped smartly, pushing his menu away, he choice already decided. Always go for the wings.

"Should have seen her man," Miroku sighed, laying a hand over his heart, "she picked up that cook you ran into Inuyasha. Got outta the car, and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Heart shaped face, long silky hair, long slender legs…"

"Miroku if you're going to remember," Inuyasha stated, pushing his menu away too, "do it in the bathroom. You wouldn't want to get charged with public indecency, not that you don't anyways, you just get away with it."

Miroku gave him a very dark look, cheeks flaring red. He picked up his steak knie that was in his napkin and pointed it at Inuyasha "I have a knife…and have no problem hurting you…"

"Save it for later, they might make us clean up the blood," Kouga laughed as he was glared at, but conversation died as the pretty, all legs waitress came to take drink orders.

They had a blast, least to say. They celebrated like they never had before. Shippou challenged Kouga to an All-You-Can-Eat spicy wing contest, which Kouga readily accepted. They ordered mounds of wings, and dug in with a feverish hunger. Miroku and Inuyasha sat by idly, with somewhat ruined appetites thanks to the boys stuffing their faces like no tomorrow. Shippou, as little as he was, ended up winning, when Kouga couldn't take it any more and broke for a drink. With that reacting with all in his stomach, he ultimately fled for the bathroom, leaving his friends to laugh on his account. He came back and settled for just drinks as the rest of the boys stuffed their face with onion rings, fries, wings, and plenty of joking around (Shippou's favorite was sticking fries in his nose and getting in inuaysha's face). Flirting was a must, of course. The place was full of pretty, young, and robust females, and Miroku was ready to have a heart attack. He'd die happy.

"Okay," Kouga said over a soda, "down to business guys."

"Do we have to?" Miroku whined as the current waitress he was flirting with skipped off with a blush. He sighed. Did god not have pity for him? Just one, why not just one?

"Yes, we do," Kouga growled mildy, putting down his drink, "I don't have to tell you we just made the biggest choice in our young adult lives. Whether it will be a mistake or a good one we have yet to see."

"No, you didn't have to tell us, I'm sure we got that faster than you," Shippou commented, and had a fry thrown at his head when he went to take a drink.

"Kouga's right guys, though I'd never thought I'd say that," Inuyasha mumbled, and Kouga snorted. "Whatever we do from now on, we have to do it with care. Lord knows how it could affect our career."

"When we start it that is," Miroku added, picking at the French fry basket.

"Yeah…a lot of hard work…recording, rehearsing…" Shippou smiled, the stars still in his eyes.

"Publicity…" Kouga said softly and they nodded.

"Mobs of fans…or when we get them…" Miroku replied, and he smirked when they just rolled eyes.

"Need to pick out songs, good ones guys…" Inuyasha warned, and they just grumbled a "yeah yeah…".

"Not to mention an album, "Shippou pointed out with an onion ring, "we need to design it, our logo, our cover, the CD booklet, every aspect of our image in the production world."

"Yeah you got…"

Inuyasha drifted off after Shippou's little statement. He…just got the greatest idea…

"Shippou you're a genius."

Yay! Another chappy! And keep the ideas coming! I need a band name!