#looking at you svu and inuyasha | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

akitokihojo · 5 years ago

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In Between: Chapter 9

Here we gooooooooooo! Chapter 10, the final chapter, is in the works. So, hold on to your butts, shit’s getting real y’all!

Previous chapters can be found in my fic masterlist, as well as on AO3 and ff.net.

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Kagome grimaced, leaning over the counter to get a closer look at the bruise on her face in the mirror. Her cheek and part of her under eye were painted scarlet and purple, the intense darkness of the wound saved for the very side of her cheekbone where he'd hit her hardest, shaded navy and shadowed slightly with swelling. Swiveling her head, she pulled her damp hair away from her face, analyzing the cut just outsider her hairline. It was angry and tender, especially whenever she made any sort of facial expression, but it was easy to hide beneath her waves so long as she left them untamed. The marks on her neck, though, were an entirely different story. The splotchy bruising marred a portion of the center and the sides of her throat. She was grateful the marks weren't as dark as the one making up her left cheek; he was hitting her over and over in that spot, whereas on her neck he was controlling his strength so as not to choke her completely. The mauve and rouge colors blended and lined where his fingers had squeezed, hardly sensitive and serving as nothing more than a reminder that he'd had her pinned.

"You okay?" Inuyasha asked from the open doorway to the restroom.

"Why does it look so much worse today?" She moaned, lightly poking her cheek to test the soreness of it. She winced, instantly regretting her stupid action.

"It's usually worse the day after. Here." He held out a cloth-wrapped bag of frozen peas.

"Thanks." Kagome smiled, happily planting the icy vegetables on the side of her face.

"Come on, I need to get a bandaid on your cut before you start oozing all over my clean floors."

"It's not bleeding, I can do it." She grimaced again.

"Shut up and sit." He pointed behind him to the couch, watching as she rolled her eyes but followed his order. Pulling open the cabinet beneath the bathroom sink, he fished out the small first aid kit and followed her out, sitting on her right and setting the box in front of him on the coffee table.

Kagome dropped the bag of peas on her lap to pull her hair over her shoulder, using her right hand to keep it held back just behind her temple. There was no need to clean the wound since she'd taken a shower less than an hour ago - her third shower since they'd finished cleaning the apartment, and second since they'd woken up this morning. While she was handling the situation well enough, it was understandable that she'd want to try and "wash" the violation from her skin. Carefully, Inuyasha applied some ointment to the cut with a q-tip, spreading it out evenly before grabbing a small butterfly bandage from the box.

"I'm surprised you have those. It's not the most common type of bandaid to see in someone's house."

"Pfft," Inuyasha scoffed, applying the bandage securely and ignoring her little wince. "I'm a cop. I'm a reckless cop. And I've got just enough demon blood to avoid the constant visits to the hospital for a scratch that'll disappear in twelve hours. Put the peas back on your face. How's your head?"

"It's okay." She shrugged, leaning fully back into the cushions of the couch as she did as he said. "I'm more concerned about my face."

"Is it sensitive? I've got some Ibuprofen."

"No, the way it looks!"

"It's not that bad." He tried to comfort

"Are you kidding? I can't go to work like this, I work with children!" Kagome flailed her free hand in the air in exasperation, giving Inuyasha a look like her ailments were common sense.

"Well, it was stupid of you to still plan on working in the first place! You need to take time off!" The half demon argued.

"I can't just take time off, Inuyasha!"

"You literally never take vacations, you've probably got P.T.O. up the yin yang!"

"It's not about how much time I have accrued, it's about the lack of notice I'm giving! I'm a teacher!"

"With a teaching assistant!"

"She can't make teaching plans!"

"It's a preschool, Kagome, have her recite the ABC's and give the kids some coloring books!" He rolled his eyes so hard his head lolled to the side. Kagome scoffed.

"These are vital learning years in a child's life, I'll have you know!"

"Fine, go to work." He shrugged, leveling his expression, a hint of arrogance in the cock of his brow.

"Hello! Have you been listening? I can't go to work!"

"Then it sounds like you need to take some damn time off, you idiot! Two weeks, just for cushion!"

"Two weeks!?"

"God, you just keep arguing." He drawled.

She threw the peas at him. "And tell them what? "Hi, I can't come into work because I've caught the fourteen day flu."" Kagome mocked, holding her finger-phone to her ear.

"How about, and bare with me because this is pretty out there, a family emergency." Inuyasha spread his hands out like he was drawing a rainbow in the air above his head.

"What?"

Inuyasha chuckled hopelessly, shaking his head as he picked up the wrapped-up peas and gently held them to her cheek. "Man, this knock to the head really isn't helping you think straight, is it? A family emergency." He reiterated. "Say you have to fly out because your grandpa's in the hospital and you'll keep them posted, call again in a week and let them know things are worse than you expected. Boom, two weeks covered and no doctor's note needed."

"That's-" Kagome looked slightly stunned, blinking as the tension in her brow faded. "That's actually a good idea."

"Imagine that." Inuyasha nodded.

"God, you're so full of yourself." She snagged the frozen vegetables and pushed the half demon away, ignoring his cocky laugh as she rolled off the couch to grab her phone from across the room. Before she could open her email to prep her excuse, Inuyasha's phone rang right next to her, Koga's name illuminating the screen. She tossed it over to him, unable to hear what the normally-boisterous wolf was saying on the other end, only able to gather that it must have been semi-good information being fed through the line from the way Inuyasha didn't ignite in curse words but only nodded and responded with a simple "okay."

Hanging up his phone, he looked over at Kagome from his spot on the couch, sighing out before speaking. "So, they may have caught your attacker from last night."

Kagome sealed her lips, trying to swallow the nerves that suddenly began to inflate.

"They need you to pick him out of a lineup."

"Right now?"

"Right now."

She hadn't imagined having to see that man again so soon, and the thought was intimidating. She figured it would be through a two-way mirror, just like the interrogation room she sat in last night, and he wouldn't be able to see her, but what if he picked up her scent? What if he gave her that thin-lipped smile like he'd already done so many times?

"Will you be there?" Kagome asked.

"I can't for this one." He hesitantly admitted, looking half-ashamed. "I saw his profile in the system last night. I know what he looks like. They haven’t specifically told me I can't yet, but I already know Kagura won't let me ten feet near that room. This is just so no one can say I influenced your answer."

"Got it." She breathed with a nod, completely understanding the logistics behind it. "Then, alright. We've gotta do what we've gotta do."

"Come on," Inuyasha stood, walking around the room to gather his necessary belongings. "Let's get this over with."

SVU Precinct

Sango sipped her piping hot mug of coffee, ignoring the sting on her tongue so she could get the caffeine rolling through her system. It had been a long night and she'd only been able to doze off for a quick power nap in the cot room before her busy mind and restless legs demanded she move. It was hard to be still when they had a criminal detained, even more so when he was playing smug and abiding by his right to remain silent. Not once had he asked for a lawyer since they sat him in the interrogation room, though. As fishy as it seemed, it could potentially end up working out in their favor. No lawyer means they had room to play a little dirty.

She looked up from her half-drunk cup as Inuyasha's silver hair caught her peripherals. He walked in at a leisurely pace, dressed down in a thin, maroon hoody with a plain, white tee underneath, loose jeans making up the lower portion. The guy practically lived at the station with how busy he liked to keep himself, so seeing him dressed in his civilian wear was on the odd side of things for her. What was even more odd was how soft his features appeared as he shifted his body to let the woman behind him step in front, his hand not touching, but hovering at the small of her back to keep her near.

It was a suitable change for him, and one she hoped he got to permanently adopt this time around.

Sango rose from her seat, hoping the coffee would hit her sooner rather than later, her muscles feeling heavy and sluggish. Inuyasha's ember eyes landed on her instantly, and he led Kagome down the hall of desks to meet her.

"Hey, thanks for coming." She greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm okay. Don't worry about me." Kagome responded with a pleasant shake of her head. The thick bruise on her cheek crinkled slightly with her controlled grin, the smile appearing crooked so as not to anger the blue and purple mass. Her black, wavy hair was brought to the front of her shoulders, curving and covering most of the marks around her throat, and the only evidence of the nearly-shielded cut on her temple that would catch one's eye was the redness just outside of the swelling that traveled towards the outer tip of her eyebrow. She was wearing a charcoal pullover hoody with the brand name stitched across her chest, the bottom hem hugging the hips of her dark blue jeans.

"I'm glad to hear it, though." There was a brief pause before she continued. "So, I'm sure Inuyasha told you, but we have to have you pick the perp out of a lineup. Think you remember his face well enough to do that?"

"There's no way I could forget it." Kagome said earnestly. "Shouldn't be a problem at all."

Kagome was confident, but Sango couldn't help the pang of guilt she felt that a man's face was so unwillingly etched into her mind. She wondered if she was troubled with nightmares of his brutality as she slept last night, or watched him leap at her whenever she blinked. The way she held herself seemed calm and nicely put-together; there was no evidence of fear or lingering anxiety written in her body language, and Sango couldn't help but think this woman was fantastic at putting up a front in response. But that wasn't it. If Kagome was hiding behind a facade, Inuyasha's protective demeanor would give it away. She'd worked with the half demon for long enough to understand that he feeds off of the reactions of those around him; those he's closest to. Especially victims. If they wanted to shy back, he'd give them shelter behind his broad shoulders. If they were nervous, he'd compensate with his surety. Kagome was temporarily living with him, so it would be entirely too exhausting to keep up a lie all hours of the day until this mess was put to rest. And Inuyasha was undoubtedly synced with the woman at his side, standing close but not smothering, there for assistance if necessary but allowing her to stand tall without a crutch. If she was even slightly nervous, he'd pick up on that emotion like it was broadcasted clearly on a billboard. Sango watched him stiffen a smidge as Kagome took another step forward, a silent indication that she was ready. He was the nervous one.

Sango took Kagome's arm to guide her towards the back, letting Inuyasha know they'd return shortly as he plopped down in his own desk chair to wait. They walked through a small curve in the halls, coming up on an open room, greeted by Hojo and Kagura as they entered through, simple pleasantries exchanged as Hojo did his part to make sure Kagome was as comfortable as manageable. They stood before a two-way, illuminated from the opposite side, the room they watched completely empty aside from Koga standing next to a door on an adjacent wall.

"Koga's going to let them in through that doorway. Everyone will be holding a number, so if you see the man that attacked you, I want you to tell me which number he's holding, okay?" Kagura instructed. Kagome nodded, a note of hesitation finally crumbling her stature.

"He can't see me, right?" She asked, walking up to the window, placing her fingertips on the metal frame at the bottom of it.

"No, he won't be able to see you at all." Hojo steadily affirmed. Again, she nodded. They all stood there silently, giving Kagome a moment of composure. Her brown eyes didn't shift from the brightly-lit room they looked in on, and as she took in a deep breath, there was no more sag to her body, even her chin raising a hair. Hojo gave two deliberate knocks to the glass, and Koga turned to push open his door, ordering the row of men to enter without bark to his tone.

As each man passed through, Kagome quickly studied their faces, all looking slightly similar to the next. She immediately disqualified numbers two and three as they appeared for their five o'clock shadow. The man she'd been attacked by had such feminine features, she didn't think it'd be possible for him to grow facial hair. Number four walked through, shortly followed by number five. Neither were him. As soon as number six walked in, Kagome tensed considerably, her fingers gripping the frame.

"Number six." She announced, watching the man saunter to his spot, the number held just in front of his navel. His nose was slightly crooked, the bridge an off shade of magenta, green and yellow outlining and expanding to the inner corners and beneath his eyes. There was a cut on the side of his head that she swore was twice the size when she'd given it to him, little, angry nicks decorating the skin around the wound. That was her doing. That was the memento she was glad he was stuck with, even if his demon blood hastened his recovery. It didn't matter. She wasn't the only one currently standing marked.

"Give it one more moment." Kagura said, lightly placing her hand on Kagome's shoulder. As soon as all ten of the men were in the room - some detainees, some cops in disguise - and Koga had closed the door, she spoke. "Take a look at all of them. Are you sure?"

"Number six." Kagome stated again, more fervency in her tone. "That's him. He was the man at the coffee shop and he was the man that broke into Inuyasha's home."

Hojo gave six steady knocks against the window with the knuckle of his middle finger, and they watched as Koga emptied the room, the smile on the accused criminal's face growing wide and thin as he was personally led out by the wolf demon.

"You did great, thank you so much for your help." Kagura smiled.

"What happens now?" Kagome asked, turning around to face the lot of them.

"We interview him. Now's the time where we press him for any information he can give. He's our link to Naraku, so we're a step closer to tracking him down, and we're going to make sure this guy works with us." Sango replied assertively.

"Once we catch Naraku and trials begin, he'll be present. You'll have to testify against both of them." Kagura added.

"I'll do whatever you need."

"Good." Hojo grinned, watching Kagura walk off and in the opposite direction of the main office, lightly patting Kagome's upper back to lead her out the door. "Let's get you out of here."

"Wait," Kagome stopped in the center of the hall just outside the room, staring intently into the detective's blue eyes. Her determination took him back a bit as his fingers flinched away from her spine. "What's his name? I deserve to put a name to the face."

"It's Byakuya." He answered after a small moment of hesitation. "His name's Byakuya."

She swallowed the information, biting her bottom lip as she glanced to the floor, then darted her brown-eyed gaze back to him. "Thank you."

They walked out into the main office where Inuyasha sat, tapping his claws impatiently against the lining of his desk, his leg bobbing like a wind up toy bound tight. He jumped up at the sight of Kagome, quickly crossing the distance to meet her more than half way as she greeted him with a smile, her fingers loosely gripping the cloth of the arm of his sweater.

"Was he in there?"

"Yeah." She nodded curtly.

"Good, time for the interrogation?" He asked the detectives behind her.

"You know it." Sango replied.

"Let me see that fucker."

"Woah, woah, woah!" Hojo stepped in front of him, halting his path.

"Come on, I just want to look. I'm not gonna do anything." Inuyasha drawled.

"Why do you want to see him so bad all of a sudden?"

"Well, I had plenty of time to think out here and I've decided I'd get some nice closure if I got to see this man, too.” The half demon feigned innocence, the smile curving his lips only serving to disturb the detectives before him.

"No." Sango crossed her arms, planting her weight on one hip. "No way. You're gonna punch him."

"Just once!"

"Get out of here!"

"I can break him faster than you guys!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you can!"

"I just have a few words for him!"

"Well, write him a letter and we'll make sure he gets it!"

"Let me through!"

"Go home!"

"I should be part of the interview process! It's a good tactic to bring it down to a personal level, and he could potentially start talking faster!"

"You know damn well you can't do that! You aren't on the case, Inuyasha!"

"So!"

"You'd compromise everything!"

"No, I wou-"

Kagome reached up, gently flicking Inuyasha on the tip of his white ear, watching the appendage jerk to the side in response as his entire body froze and his voice completely hitched in his throat. He didn't look at her, his eyes stunned while facing his coworkers. "Come on," She spoke, her tone simple and level. "It's time to go, Inuyasha. You're in the way." She spun around on her heel, traveling to the door, only stopping to wait for her companion.

Sango blinked, covering her mouth to block the amusement she knew was written so clearly on it. She sniffed and cleared her throat, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible as she noticed her partner struggling to do the same, his lips pressed into a tight line. Inuyasha straightened, his body language no longer radiating defensive but slightly awkward and put off, scratching his temple as was his particular ism, and fixing the sweater over his shoulders to line up neatly.

"So, I'm gonna go." He raised his brows, pressing his own lips together. A small popping sound came as he released them and continued. "But it's only because I don't want to hear shit from you two. Got it?"

"Yup, sure, got it." Hojo nodded, a smug expression foiling his casualty. The half demon squinted his ember eyes in a meager challenge, spinning around and allowing his silver ponytail to fly behind him, following after Kagome and promptly exiting the office.

—

Sango unbuttoned the ends of her dress shirt sleeves, rolling her left up above the crook of her elbow, then swapping sides to roll up the right. She looked in on the man beyond the two-way, his pasty forehead dampened with sweat, the fine, ungroomed hairs of his bangs sticking to his skin. It was an effective tactic of theirs to spike the thermostat in the room. It was one thing to make them mentally uncomfortable with loaded questions, it was another to increase their physical discomfort - all around aiding in their quicker crumbling. On top of that, Koga had gone through and removed some of the bulbs in the overhead lamps before throwing Byakuya to sit alone in the room over an hour ago, the setting dingy and humid and uninviting.

Perfect.

Hojo approached, his button up and tie entirely removed as he prepared for their routine in his black tee shirt. He faced his partner, the back of his right forearm held out to her. "Good cop."

"Bad cop." She winked, tapping the edge of her right elbow to his.

"How long do you think it'll take to crack him, doc?" Totosai asked from the sidelines. Miroku observed the perp before them. Byakuya was tapping his foot against the flooring at a steady pace, his lips curved down in disapproval, his chest raising as he heaved a heavy, throaty sigh.

"Hard to say until he starts talking. He hasn't said a word since he's been apprehended. My guess is he's testy. He's secure, but he's guarded. He hides behind his rooted confidence. Find his weak spot and he'll give. Or potentially snap."

Sango spared Miroku a brief side glance, smiling softly when she noticed their chief wasn't looking. His face was serious, violet eyes captivating her gaze as he discretely mouthed the words, "Be careful."

Hojo stepped through the entry first, expression straight, holding the door open with one hand and a notepad in the other as Sango followed through. It was incredible, she'd been told, how fast her demeanor could change; how she could step into any roll necessary for the part. Next to Inuyasha, who'd rightfully earned his place at the top as lead detective in the precinct - despite his unorthodox practices - she fell just below him for her strong abilities to make perps fold. She was versatile in her tactics, adaptable in the room, and justifiably a force to be reckoned with.

Byakuya tilted his head upward to face the two detectives, his skin glowing beneath the yellow light from the slimy-looking film of sweat on his cheeks. Without the slightest hint as to what anyone should have expected, Sango crossed the room, curved around the corner of the table and demanded the criminal to stand. He did nothing but stare at her, thin brows pinching together audaciously. Again, she told him to stand. There was no degree of malice in her tone, no aggression, no attitude. The order she spoke was with the sincerity of a ship's captain. What she said would be heeded no matter what, and as he chose to ignore her once more, wrists bound close together in his lap with metal cuffs, she flicked her foot around a leg of the chair and kicked it from beneath his seat.

He fell to the ground, clambering up to his feet with dangerous chuckles mixed with growls brushing past his thin lips. Sango made sure the chair was out of reach from him, turning to push the wooden table to the far wall and out of the way. Hojo stood back, leaning against the wall at the very edge of the mirror, his face unchanged.

"You don't want to talk, you don't get to sit."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, leaning against the wall in back of him.

"You're not looking too good there, woman beater. You tired?" She baited, closing some of the distance between them, stopping with just a couple feet to spare.

Byakuya ground his jaw forward, the muscles at the joint flexing as he brought his teeth back where they belonged.

"Had a long night?"

His upper lip twitched.

"Hitting girls take a lot out of you?"

His head shifted slightly as Sango took two small steps forward, damn near in his face now, eyes slanted dangerously as she spoke again.

"Or was it the pounding she gave you that wore you out?"

Again, he scoffed, this time hard enough for spittle to fly from his mouth as he dramatically rolled his dark eyes. "I'd hardly call this a pounding."

"Really?" She feigned curiosity.

"Have you seen her face? I'm sure the marks I left have set in nicely."

"Sure, she's looked better. But there's one small detail you're neglecting. She's human. She, like most of us, get bruises from bumping the corner of a table.”

"What of it?"

"Well, you're a full-blooded demon. Your kind is difficult to harm and heals at a ridiculously fast rate, and yet..." Sango took an obvious glance at his wounded face and gashed head. "You're looking pretty worse for wear."

Another eye roll, this time swiveling his head to the side to face the neighboring wall instead of her.

"What's even better is once we lock you in a cell, you'll be labeled a woman beater. A lot of men in there don't take kindly to that."

"What, because a bruised septum and a cut on my head is clear indication of my crimes?" Byakuya chuckled. "How the hell would anyone know?"

"Oh, I'll make sure of it." Sango grinned, cocking a brow. "You think I don't have pull beyond these walls? You think one slip of the lip to the right guard wont spread your little secret of assault like wild fire? You'll have an awful rep before you're even indicted. The moment men see you walk through those doors, you'll be targeted. Your prissy, feminine looks will be scarred and bruised, and your ego will rightfully be smeared in the dirt. Your broken nose will stay this way, because everyone in there will want you to hold onto the little trophy Kagome gave you. Out here, you think you're something big, don't you? You think you're invincible because you hurt an unsuspecting girl, right? You're nothing. Not out here and definitely not in prison, and you'll have plenty of reminders coming your way for years to come."

"You're not allowed to threaten me! I know my rights!" He hissed.

"Who's threatening? I'm only trying to be informative. Hojo, did you hear me threaten Byakuya?" She asked with a smile, irreproachably. Hojo shrugged and shook his head, grimacing as he pretended he didn't hear a thing.

"You guys out there, knock twice if you heard me threaten him." Sango called to her coworkers watching in. Nothing. She turned back to the perp before her, raising a shoulder as she dismissed his accusation.

"You're all corrupt!"

"What, are you mad now? Are you mad because a woman's in charge? A woman's in your face and you can't do anything about it?" She badgered, finally beginning to raise her voice.

"You don't know shit!"

"Don't I? Enlighten me, then!"

Byakuya stared at her, violet eyes flickering over every inch of her face, studying as his chest rose with an unsteady inhale. As he dropped his breath, he let out an incredulous chuckle, shifting his sights to the side.

"Or, is the only way you know how to teach a lesson-"

"God, woman beater, woman beater!" He drawled, unamused, bobbing his head from side-to-side. Byakuya stood up straight from the wall, leveling her challenge. "Is that all the material you've got? Look, if you think this has anything to do with the "reputation" you're giving me, you're sorely mistaken." He'd made quotation marks with the index and middle fingers of both chained hands, lifting them between their bodies so she'd see.

"Is that so? So, what did it have to do with?"

"Is that a loaded question?" He smirked.

"No, a loaded question would be me asking how much Naraku paid you to attack her." She watched his conceit fade. "I was fishing for you to admit it yourself."

His discomfort notably increased as his Adam's apple bobbed with the thick swallow. He moved to step away from Sango, to create some space, but she clutched the front of his shirt and yanked him back, slamming him against the wall.

"Did I say you could move?"

"Sango-" Hojo calmly warned, dropping his pad of paper on the discarded table as he apprehensibly stepped up beside her. "Ease up a bit."

"What? No." She smiled, shaking her head, the collar of his tee still balled in her fist. "He's obviously the type of guy that likes being told what to do. All I gotta do is smack him around a little to show him who his new boss is, and he'll break."

"This isn't the way to do it. He's talking now, let's just keep the conversation going." He held up his hands, trying to break the two apart. Sango brought her other hand up to grab Byakuya securely, bringing his body forward only to crush him back against the wall, his head colliding with the cement.

"Here's what's gonna happen, princess,” She spoke low, leaning closer to hover inches from his face. "You're gonna tell us everything we want to know, or I'm gonna give you a glimpse of what you have to look forward to in prison! Got it?"

"Sango!"

"Get the fuck off of me!" Byakuya growled.

"Or what? What are you gonna do?"

"It's not even ground-breaking that you know who he is, don't act like you have the upper hand!"

"But don't we? We have his lackey in custody, and he's seconds away from giving us what we need." She patronized.

"Like hell!"

Sango stepped back, the hint of an arrogant grin pushing the corners of her lips up as she crossed the floor and grabbed the discarded chair, dropping it down in the center of the heated room. Hojo created his own space, backing away to the table's new home, his fingers landing on the notepad but not picking it up. She silently commanded their perp to sit with the shift of her eyes that dragged from his body down to the seat. His expression was clearly ambivalent as he stayed put, thin lips twitching, eyes untrusting, sweat crawling down the side of his face.

Finally, he moved, squatting into the uncomfortable chair that only worked to further unease him, eyes inside and out of the immediate area focused on him as one of the remaining working lamp lights flickered in and out three times before going back to burning yellow.

"So," Sango began again, pacing around the room to stand before Byakuya. "How much did he pay you?"

He rolled his violet eyes, cocking his jaw out and in, a small popping sound heard from the grinding motion.

"Alright, we'll make this easy. We'll come up with scenarios and you can just confirm or deny. Ready?"

No response.

"You're having trouble paying your bills. Or, better yet, you're an addict - that explains the sweats you've got right now. Jonesing. Craving. Your blood must be boiling, poor thing. You met Naraku by pure coincidence, and he offered you money in exchange for your assistance. You had no idea what you were getting yourself into. Money means drugs, so you took the bait."

"No." He plainly refuted.

"You're right, that doesn't make sense. How would Naraku have even a dime to his name right now? It's not like an asylum-escapee could hold down a normal retail job. Unless he's selling-"

"No."

"What about blackmail?" Hojo asked, his tone kind and approachable. "You don't seem the kind of person that's capable of concocting something this dangerous just for the hell of it. I can see there's more to you, and if he's holding something over your head, now's the time to tell us. We can work with you, Byakuya."

"You don't know shit about me." He dismissed with a sneer. "I'm not in this for money, I'm not into hard drugs, if anything I'd be the blackmailer in this scheme considering the way this man's twisted mind works, and I have the sweats because you assholes turned the heat up to eighty-five fucking degrees!"

"Doesn't feel hot in here to me." Sango shrugged.

"So, you're saying he asked you to do his bidding and you agreed? Just like that?" Hojo inquired.

"Basically."

"Did you aid him in the murder of-"

"Oh, here we go again!" Byakuya rolled his head back and around dramatically, landing on his bony-looking shoulder as he laughed. "History's repeating itself, and you're about to chalk up the whole story of how Naraku's some sort of serial killer, aren't you? Don't bother!"

"What do you mean?" Hojo and Sango glanced at each other from the side.

"He didn't kill anyone!" He shouted, fervency in his beliefs, eyes glowing in his defensive hunch. "You guys had nothing, nothing, and you were only able nail him down by planting incriminating evidence that didn't exist!"

"You don't believe he's a criminal?"

"That's not what I said. He's broken some laws here and there, he's built a record. He's just not the criminal your system has painted him out to be."

"A murderer." Sango stated, crossing her arms where she stood.

"Exactly."

"How do you know anything about Naraku? What makes you so sure?" Hojo pulled up a chair, opting now to sit across from Byakuya, sparing five feet's distance between them.

"Let's just say we have history." The demon shrugged, sitting back in his seat.

"That's not the answer we were looking for." Sango declared.

"Well, that's the only answer you're gonna get, sweetie."

"Try again."

"Go fuck yourself."

She grabbed a chair for herself, swinging it around to straddle beside Byakuya who leaned away as she neared. "Big talk for a guy in your position. See, here's the thing, considering you aren't cooperating but have confessed to your affiliation with Naraku, you could be pinned for everything he's done, and the potential is strong here."

"Aside from the assault, you don't have a thing on me."

"How about aiding an escapee?"

"Alright, you've got one thing." He smiled. "I'll do my time."

"How about stalking on two accounts?"

"So he took a few photos. Big deal."

"How about the murder of Abi Phoenix and her unsuspecting mother?" She delivered with more vehemency.

"Now that's where I have to stop you, because he hasn't-"

"He shot her mother in the head and tortured Abi all night until she bled out, you piece of shit! And before you defend his innocence again, he personally left his DNA on Abi by biting her thigh! We have the strongest evidence necessary to prove it was him!"

"Do you have an eye witness?"

"We have his saliva!"

"DID SOMEBODY SEE HIM!?"

"Yes! You! Apparently, you're the only person since his escape that has had any personal contact with him! You seem to know his every move, so you must have known he murdered the two women! Maybe you even helped him! You think the men in prison will be hard on you for brutally attacking a woman, wait until they find out-”

"You're making shit up!"

"We have to work with what we've got, don't we!? This is what you could be indicted for! This is the fire you're playing with, Byakuya!"

"He didn't kill anybody!"

"Sure, he did! He did, and so did you! How strong do your roots run, huh? Did you help him back in the day, too!"

"You mean the crimes you incorrectly pinned on a mentally unhealthy man!?"

"I mean the murders he committed on women and children! He killed a little boy! He kidnapped and murdered him in the backyard of his family's cabin!"

"Our family hadn't been to that damn cabin in three years, and Naraku hated that fucking place!"

Sango's mouth hung agape as she straightened her back, allowing this new information to bleed through. His cheeks went a sickly pale, neck tensing as he stared at her, the hollow of his throat emphasized with his discomfort.

"Our family?" Hojo spoke, leaning in slightly with an air of caution. Their perp was breaking, sweat dripping from his jaw line and soaking through his dirty, white shirt. He was nervous, a noticeable pulse pumping at the side of his neck, breathing elevated and heavy.

"So, you're related. That's how you know so much about him." Sango said.

"So fucking what!?" He spat defensively.

"That doesn't make sense, though. We have both yours and Naraku's DNA in the system and neither were matched to one another." Hojo said, brows furrowed as he reached for an explanation.

"Use your fucking brain, dumbass." Byakuya responded, his confidence raising as he embraced the now-exposed truth. "We aren't biologically related. Naraku was adopted."

"You're his younger brother."

"Ding, ding, ding! My parents thought themselves sterile since they were two clashing breeds of demons. They tried and tried and tried to get pregnant until a professional diagnosed that their contrasting biologics were too unstable an environment for a fetus. Hell, for semen. My mother's uterus was a war zone, you see. So, they adopted. They got my brother before he could even talk and it was a nice few years before I came around. I was deemed the "miracle child," and my brother was officially in the shadows from that day forward. He didn't take it to heart, though. He was... indifferent, I'd say. Indifferent to almost everything, really, but if there was one thing he hated, it was being still. If the house was too quiet or he ran out of things to do, he'd grow irrationally angry; he always had to be doing something stimulating. My brother's mentality began to slip when he was around, I don't know, ten or eleven. I was young, only seven, but I still remember the depthless look in his eyes when he first hurt an animal. Sure, I thought it was terrifying. How could a person do that to a cute, little bunny, right? It didn't take me long to realize Naraku wasn't a normal person, though. He never showed a hint of remorse when he did something wrong, was the biggest pathological liar you'd ever meet, either lacked or neglected control over his behavior, but still managed to be the most suave motherfucker around. That guy could manipulate the pants straight off of someone, but he was so charming not a single person batted an eye. Not even me. He was arrested several times over his teen years for animal cruelty; not the best hobby he could have picked up, even I can admit that. But not once did he ever target people for his twisted gimmicks. Not to mention, the last few times my family went up to that stupid cabin in the woods, Naraku lost his absolute shit! And I wish I was exaggerating! He'd break things, and scream, and curse, and kick, and punch holes in the walls, and demand to go home the entire fucking time. He wouldn't sleep while we were there, and he'd wander off into the woods and disappear for hours on end, which clearly wasn't a good thing considering what he was notorious for. So, we stopped going. Simple as that. Who knows why the hell he hated the place so much; probably because there's hardly anything to do in a secluded area. All I know is, it doesn't make sense that he'd ever willingly go back."

"He was arrested in the woods near the cabin."

"Fake."

"The little boy's body was dug up in the backyard."

"That doesn't mean he did it." Byakuya shook his head. "Hell, my father was more likely to kill a kid before Naraku ever would! He and my mother treated him like he was nothing, even after paying good fucking money for the adoption! I didn't want the limelight! I didn't want my brother to be treated as he was just because I was the one sperm that survived her fallopian tubes' ruthless defenses! For all I care, they caused his mental instability or whatever personality disorder he was diagnosed with! They threw him out on the street when he was seventeen! They kicked him out and moved so he wouldn't be able to find his way back! I was the only one that thought he deserved a little leeway! He wasn't right in the head and wasn't getting any sort of therapeutic help! How was he supposed to cope!? He was accused of all these murders, and it drove me crazy how that ugly, half-breed cop pinned all this false evidence on him like all psychopaths are bad! They aren't! There's this stupid stigma placed on psychopaths, that they're all murderers, but they're not! My brother may lack empathy, but he's not stone cold! He has a heart! He's never done a single bad thing to me! Not once! He lied about a lot of shit he did as a kid, but never once placed the blame on me! He was a good older brother!”

"No, not all psychopaths are killers." Sango spoke. "Not all killers are psychopaths. You're right. But you're brother-"

"YOU SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH!" Byakuya heatedly rose from his seat, cutting her off as he kicked his chair away and raised his cuffed hands to strike. She jumped back, but Hojo was on him before anything could happen, spinning Byakuya around and pinning him against the cement wall. He was gasping for air, struggling to escape the hand Hojo gripped his untidy, black hair with, body weight applied to his core so he was effectively restrained.

Sango held up her hand to the two-way mirror, knowing someone was probably preparing to break up the scene in case things were about to get messy, which she wanted to prevent. That couldn't happen yet. He was finally talking, and if they ended the interview now, the next time around would be twice as difficult. So long as Hojo could calm the detained demon, they could continue.

"There's no need to get angry, alright? Take a deep breath. That's it. One more. Good." Hojo soothed, backing off of Byakuya as his temper diminished. He took the liberty of grabbing the thrown chair and placing it where it was before, allowing the demon to sit and wind down as the tension in the room dwindled.

"He didn't kill anybody." He stated again, staring at the floor. "Abi's just a casualty in your half-demon's twisted game. He wants Naraku back in that hell hole so bad, it's pathetic."

"And how do you suppose he got the saliva sample?"

"Oh, please. Like that's even real. All you guys have to do is say you got it, and the system would take your word for it."

"What if we showed you the proof?"

"Then I'd insist you attained the DNA from his stay at the asylum and planted it.”

“Why would they have his DNA?”

“Who knows, but it’s a possibility.”

"You're very adamant in your opinion. You're incredibly loyal to your brother. It's understandable that you'd fight for him now that he's free; even going as far as running his errands." Hojo leaned in from his seat again, playing up the empathy.

"He's been through enough. I don't blame him for wanting payback." Byakuya's knee started bobbing up and down, growing faster as he tried applying more weight into it to get it to stop. "He justifiably hates Inuyasha, and I'm on board with anything he has planned for him."

"So where does Kagome land in all of this?" Sango asked, her tone notably softer than any other time she'd spoken before.

"Just like Abi, she's a casualty." He smirked. "My brother can be... obsessive. He started following her to spike the half-breed's anxiety and paranoia, but then it evolved into something more. He had a reputation given to him by Inuyasha, kind of like how you tried to pin one on me, so he's decided to live up to it. Polaroids. Polaroids, everywhere. Quite frankly, it was annoying, but who am I to tell him how to get his revenge? In all honesty, though, Kagome deserves the backlash she's getting if she's choosing to stay with the guy."

"I thought he's never targeted people before." Hojo posed.

Byakuya shifted uncomfortably, handcuffs jingling as he brought his sweating palms closer together. "Well, yeah. Before now."

"That's a pretty big leap. And you were ready to kill for him?"

He half-scoffed, half-chuckled. "I was actually under strict orders not to kill the girl. He wanted her maimed, really. He wanted Inuyasha to see the damage he was inflicting."

Sango sunk into her chair a little lower. It made sense. Kagome had mentioned he wasn't cutting off her air supply when he choked her. He was only trying to leave his mark.

"And you still believe he didn't hurt a single living being, human or demon, before this?" Sango tried.

"God, are you not listening!? Your corrupt officer framed him!"

"But why?" Hojo asked. "For what reason would Inuyasha have an innocent man put in prison?"

"Probably because these crimes were really taking place, but you guys arrested the wrong man. Inuyasha seems prideful. Like the kind of guy that doesn't like to admit when he's made a mistake. He couldn't take the embarrassment since this was such a high-profile case, so he made sure all signs pointed to Naraku."

"Don't you think that's a little too coincidental? I mean, Hakudoshi's body was pulled from your family's backyard. If Naraku was falsely accused-"

"Planted. He was planted. Keep up."

"How could Inuyasha have had the time to plant Hakudoshi's body? We have tapes, plenty of eye-witness proof, that proves Inuyasha was here, at the precinct, interrogating Naraku the entire time most of the searches for evidence was happening. The only time he went on the field was when we drove up to the cabin and unburied Hakudoshi."

"Then he had a buddy working with him. All of you have partners, who's his?"

"I understand your stance on this, I do. You want to believe your brother. You probably feel like you even have to because of everything he's been through. There's guilt gluing you to Naraku's side." Hojo said, allowing Sango to pick up where he stopped, instinctively knowing they were riding the same wave.

"But you're looking at this all wrong. Believe us when we say we want to help you. We are not against you here. You need to think of us as deforesters, not landscapers. We're in the business of uprooting every fine piece of grooly evidence, not planting it. Inuyasha was here, and we can show you. Abi wasn’t just some casualty, she was the link that pointed to your brother's arrest. Hakudoshi was innocently slain. He was a little boy. You think your brother doesn't deserve this treatment, but what about Hakudoshi? What about all the other innocent people killed by Naraku? What about them?”

Byakuya’s deep eyes pierced the ground at his feet, face contorted and wet, stray hairs sticking to his cheeks and neck, breathing unsettled as he clasped his hands together but couldn’t seem to hold them steady. He began shaking his head, the rhythm small and barely noticeable, allowing his mouth to part, a drop of sweat flowing over his upper lip and meshing into the line where it met the bottom.

“Show me.” He whispered. “I want to see every piece of damning evidence you have.”

—

The room was sitting at a more comfortable temperature now, the thermostat adjusted accordingly and a water bottle delivered for Byakuya as he sat in the room alone once more. The table was put back in the center, his arms resting against the wood as he stared down at it, waiting.

Sango and Hojo reentered with manilla folders in their hands, choosing their seats opposite Byakuya and placing their items on the tabletop.

"Sorry it took so long." Hojo said.

"Just show it to me." He mumbled.

Sango opened the folder she held, dragging out a glossy, black and white, overhead photo of Inuyasha questioning Naraku almost exactly nine years ago, six days from the date, the timestamp printed clearly in the bottom, left corner. She placed that in front of Byakuya, turning it around so it was right-side up for him. The next was a photocopy of an incident report where evidence was found at Naraku's apartment, dated and timed only eighteen minutes apart.

"In the video, Inuyasha is trying to get Naraku to admit to Hakudoshi's disappearance. No one knew he was dead yet. He was consistently pressing him to get him to reveal his location. He was trying to save the boy. At the same time, Naraku had given just enough information to get a warrant to search his home. Detectives found polaroids on the walls of women and children he'd stalked, women and children that had active missing reports out for their safe return."

"That doesn't mean anything. The time on Inuyasha's picture could have been photoshopped in." He argued.

"You can believe that all you want, Byakuya. You can bathe in your denial for all I care, but this is it. This is the proof you asked for. Inuyasha was in this station, locked in a room with your brother for hours, all while other investigators searched his place. How could he have planted anything?" Sango asked, her frustration slowly hiking.

"Well, where was he before the interrogation began?"

"Arresting Naraku."

"And before that?"

"Oh my god." She could tell it was a never-ending cycle, the huff from her nose heated like a dragon's.

"Look at this!" Hojo instructed, his tone striking critical for the first time. He opened his own folder, slapping down image-after-image of the scene they'd walked in on at Abi Phoenix's residence. Pictures of her mother's lifeless body, of Abi sprawled on the floor, slightly decayed, closeups of her brutally-inflicted wounds, the contusions on her neck, the bite just above her knee, her dark hair matted in dried blood. "See that mark on her leg? That's where Naraku bit Abi! That's where he left behind his DNA! She was murdered by your brother!"

"Bullshit! What reason did he have to get revenge on Abi? They had no affiliation with one another, they-"

"She was his girlfriend nine years ago! She was the reason he was arrested!" Sango interjected.

"That doesn't make sense!"

"When she was questioned by the police, she told them the last time she'd spoken to Naraku, he'd said he was heading to his family's cabin with his nephew!" Hojo yelled.

"No, that's not right! Naraku didn't have a girlfriend, and he doesn't have a nephew!"

"Think about it!"

"I'm telling the truth!" Byakuya shouted, slamming his fists against the table. "He's never been able to hold down a relationship in his life! Hell, he even told me he finds the opposite sex repugnant and never felt any desire to be with them - sexually or what have you!"

Hojo sat back in his seat, the heat fading from his expression, though his lips pressed into a flat line as he allowed Byakuya's words to settle, to cool. He nodded, shrugging his brows as he spoke again, this time more levelly. "Think about it."

"E-even if he did have a girlfriend, we don't have a nephew - he doesn't have a nephew." He shakily said, eyes widened with unclarity. Hojo pulled another photo from his folder, placing it on top of the others in the center of the table. The little boy stood with a bright smile on his face, white hair falling over his shoulders as he held a large basketball between his hands.

"This is Hakudoshi. He was eight years old and his body was discovered in the backyard of your parents' cabin."

"Inuyasha worked for hours to make Naraku slip, and a warrant was finally issued for us to search the premises. He was young, and terrified, and alone when he was killed. You want justice for your brother, but what about him?" Sango added, watching Byakuya's shoulders tremble from the applied guilt.

"You honestly didn't know?" Hojo inquired.

"No, o-of course not. I always believed him when he said he was set up, I-I thought I knew him better than anyone." He replied, the breath heavy against his lungs.

"I find that hard to believe."

Byakuya's violet gaze instantly redirected away from Hakudoshi's image, colliding with Hojo's skeptical, blue eyes.

"You mean to tell me you had no idea what pictures were inside the envelope you handed Kagome?"

"H-he didn't let me see them. The envelope was sealed when he gave it to me, I figured they were the same old thing." He hastily opposed.

"Well, it was; you're not wrong there." Hojo smiled incredulously. One of the remaining items in his folder was the very same envelope, slightly wrinkled, pointed corners of polaroids poking out from the opening. He dumped the contents on the table, tossing the empty envelope down beside it all. "Same old thing, same old Naraku! These are old photos he managed to keep of past victims! Look at them, Byakuya! Take a look at all the people he's stalked throughout the years!"

He did so, spreading them out, confused, taken aback, not knowing what to say anymore, studying, looking through and stopping as he spotted the silver-haired little girl he remembered from third street. Bile was rising into his throat as his stomach twisted and lurched in his abdomen. The temperature was normalized in the room, but his cheeks felt clammy. She'd gone missing when he was nine. Naraku used to babysit her for a little cash. He remembered the sirens blaring as they raced around the bend to her house, he remembered the police coming to their door to question his parents and then moving on, he remembered the incessant rumors about her dad spreading throughout the neighborhood community, the pain he would see on her mother's face when she watched little children walk by, the hint of envy as they went to elementary school - something her daughter would never do. And he remembered them eventually moving away.

"What-" His breath hitched as his nerves began getting the better of him, fingers shaking against one another. "What do you want to know?"

"Is there anyone else working with you two?" Sango asked without hesitation.

"No."

"How did you get Inuyasha's spare key?"

"I have a detachable eye, it's disgusting but one of the quirks of being a mixed race of demons. Stole a uniform from one of your cops and my scent was masked enough to blend with the mess of detainees you have in this building. Set up the eye, saw his combo, came back and got it. I got lucky finding the key in the locker; I was beginning to think he didn't have one."

"And Kagome's?"

"Her landlord is a dumbass with multiple masters in an unlocked office in the basement."

"Your parents, we never located them." Hojo stated, waiting for Byakuya to fill in the gap.

"They live upstate on a ranch. They're fine."

"And your brother," Sango leaned inward, maintaining a careful tone. "Where is he?"

He hesitated, eyes slowly shifting back and forth between the two detectives. His throat clenched, and he didn't know what to do. Naraku was still his brother. How could he turn his back on him after everything - no, that was all a lie. Naraku was the one inflicting pain, not the other way around. He was a serial killer.

The thought felt acidic on his brain.

Still, as he opened his mouth to speak, his throat clenched and held his voice captive. He tried again, to tell the truth, to give up the headache-inducing charade, but his abdomen tightened like a shockwave had coursed through the surrounding muscles.

What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? What was right? What was wrong? He was going to be doing time in prison anyway, maybe if he willingly took the fall for his brother, Naraku could start anew.

That wasn't the way it worked though, was it? His brother had grown obsessed with Inuyasha, obsessed with his revenge. He was going to kill again whether Byakuya took the fall or not. His brother was sick.

He deserved a chance.

But he was going to kill.

"I," Byakuya's bottom lip trembled as he hung his head, staring at the wood between his forearms. "I want a lawyer."

Two hard knocks against the mirror behind them rang heavily throughout the dense room, effectively ending the interview.

Inuyasha’s Residence

Inuyasha stomped around the apartment, huffing and puffing as he made sure the windows were secure for the fifth time and counting, rushing out of view for his next task. Kagome sat on the kitchen counter, watching him travel through with his ever-prominent scowl, propped with one hand just behind her butt while the other held the strawberry she nibbled. She knew it would be irrelevant to point out how repetitive he was being. She knew how this time of the month spiked his blood pressure, and with Naraku still on the loose and his teammates hardly communicating anything with him, there was very little comfort in tonight's new moon.

She could hardly blame him. She'd tried calming him down a few hours ago, but he had every right to be high strung. If Naraku has been stalking the two of them for months now, there was a huge probability that he knew of Inuyasha's human night. Not that it would provide an inkling of consolation for the irritable half demon, Kagome couldn't help but hope Naraku had spent his time being more focused on her. He could rob her of every secret she hid from the world, just so long as he didn't take this one from Inuyasha.

He walked into the kitchen, stopping close by, ember eyes dulled with anxiety, staring at her legging-clad legs that dangled from the marble counter. Even though he wasn't looking at her face, she gave him a congenial smile, one she hoped would express her empathy for the situation at hand. With a tense sigh, he turned around and she knew he was about the repeat the entire process all over again.

"Hey," She extended a leg out, barely skimming his thigh with a toe but serving to halt his path nonetheless. "You've got it all, Inuyasha. Everything's locked up tight. We're gonna be perfectly safe."

"One more time." He grunted, still not looking at her.

"No more times." Kagome scooted her bottom closer to the edge of the counter, reaching her foot out to nudge him in her direction. He was reluctant. Rigid. Strained. She nudged him again and he finally gave, glancing at her with an unamused expression as he stepped his left foot back to open his front to her. Using the leverage she was granted, she pinned his hips between both ankles and pulled until he gave her what she wanted and came to stand between her knees.

"What?" He grumbled.

She grabbed his hands and gently placed them to rest on the tops of her thighs.

"Kagome."

She shushed him, the sound quick and gentle, tenderly raking her nails up and down his bare forearms. He huffed again, the sound clenched in his throat, but he didn't try to pull away. Kagome dragged her fingers up to the crook of his elbow, tickling slightly from the way he twitched, secretly enjoying how sensitive his skin became when he was on the brink of transforming, traveling up to his biceps and going inside the hem of his tee so she could skim the faded edge of the tattoo on his arm. He was beginning to ease, beginning to soften, his thumbs rubbing back and forth over the material of her leggings. Kagome leaned in, placing a small and playful kiss on his chin.

"I don't have time for this." He said. It was gruff, but wasn't the least bit convincing. He never moved away. In fact, his hands had moved up to her hips, thumbs now meshing between her pelvis and the softness of her thighs.

"You can check the locks as many times as you want, but it won't stop the sun from setting and I know that's what you're really trying to do."

"Don't get all philosophical on me."

"Then relax. Everything's gonna be fine."

"Not if he tries anything."

"Who says he will? Nothing has happened in the previous months on this night, right? Maybe he doesn't even know."

"I can't take that chance, Kagome. You know I can't take that chance." Inuyasha rebutted, shifting his head to the side, glaring at the drawn curtains of the closest window. "If anything happens tonight, I won't be able to protect you as well as any other night."

"I'm not worried."

"Well, you should be." He said earnestly.

"Well, I'm not! Look - hey, look at me!" Golden eyes shifted, landing on the bruise that had settled into her cheek. The last she'd seen it, which wasn't all that long ago, it was a nasty mixture of green and yellow, outlined with sprinkles of purple. It was healing, but he still stared at it as if it were freshly-inflicted and the bane of the Earth. "I trust you. Nothing will stop me from trusting you, not even the moon. Get that through your thick skull, Inuyasha, because I'm really not worried. And if it makes you feel any better, I'll double check everything for you so you can stop second guessing yourself. Alright?"

He rolled his eyes, giving her a small shake of his head as he ground his jaw outward.

"Alright?" Kagome tried again, this time with a little more fervency, moving her hands to grip the slant in his shoulder muscles, giving a warning squeeze so he'd take her seriously.

"Alright, alright. Whatever. It's your funeral."

"Make sure The Black Parade plays at it." She teased.

"That's not fucking funny." Inuyasha groaned, leaning down to bury his face in the curve of her neck. She wrapped her arms around the nape of his, welcoming him, allowing him to clutch her tighter than normal as he hissed a curse and shuddered. Through the curtains, Kagome could see the night resting in, the orange and pink hues of the sunset vanishing completely.

His hearing dulled incredibly, making him feel stuffed up, his equilibrium swaying slightly as he gathered himself against her. Tucking inward even more, he felt a swarm of gooseflesh travel over his body like tiny electric shocks thieving away his supernatural gifts. Everything was bland suddenly. Plain. Limited. He hated it. It was unsettling to be this vulnerable.

He felt the tips of her fingers caressing over the bumps of his spine at the base of his neck, and he finally blinked open his eyes. Her inner thighs were relaxed alongside his hips, her mouth pressed to the shirt on his shoulders, the hot exhales leaving her nose seeping through the cloth and gracing the skin beneath. She was being so patient, tender, as if the transformation was something painful for him. Of course it wasn't, and he was sure she was well aware. It wasn't the first new moon they'd spent together in all the years they've known one another. Still, that never stopped her from waiting him out, never saying a word until she was sure he was adjusted.

Inuyasha sighed defeatedly, stepping back and standing tall, unable to hide the way he avoided looking at Kagome. Maybe he was sloppy, or maybe it was because he was human for the next twelve hours or so - truth be told, probably the former; he couldn't blame everything on the night of the new moon, no matter how overwhelming his emotions became. - but his shame was evident, as was his lack of confidence the darkness had graciously provided. He believed her when she said she trusted him, he had no reason not to, but that didn't stop him from thinking she was stupid. So fucking stupid. He had a horrible feeling pooling in the pit of his gut, bubbling, churning wildly, heating his core like his demon blood used to, and it put him on edge.

It had been six days since Kagome was attacked; six days since he initially failed to provide her the protection he promised. If something happened tonight while they were under the same roof and he failed again, he didn't think he could live with himself. But that was selfish, wasn't it? He was only thinking about the way he felt. She wasn't worried, wasn't scared, wasn't even bothered by the diminishing marks on her face. Yeah, she was stupid and he would argue that until the day he died, but she was also way more intuitive than he was. If her gut wasn't telling her to tread carefully, then maybe it was just his human emotions and the effervescent need to protect that was fooling him into thinking something may go wrong.

Kagome pulled Inuyasha's ponytail to the front of his shoulder, combing the stark black ends she'd always expressed she loved so much with her nails. He still hadn't looked at her but, god, did he want to. The sooner he looked, he realized, the sooner she'd stop her ministrations. Selfish, yes, but that's a degree of greed he could accept within himself. She shifted her head, he could see in his peripherals, and her hands slid up his neck, fingers gently massaging the lobes of his ears, the feeling foreign and slightly weird. He didn't stop her. Instead, he subconsciously leaned into it, effectively blowing his cover. There was mirth in her brown eyes as he caught her gaze, her smile scrunching her nose, and her fingers fumbled to the tops of his ears, still rubbing, still foiling his act.

"Move," She said, a giggle on her breath. "I've gotta check the house since you clearly didn't do a good enough job."

"Punk ass." He grunted, stepping out of her way. Kagome grabbed a strawberry from the bowl beside her and put it in his eagerly-accepting mouth before hopping down from the counter and working her way from window-to-window. She pushed up on the borders, making sure they were all stuck securely by the locks, readjusting the curtains she'd pushed aside and moving onto the next. Lastly, she checked the the door, unlocking and re-locking so Inuyasha had the satisfaction of the bolt clicking into place.

"Everything looks good to me. What about your gun?"

"Loaded and on me."

"You can't sleep while wearing it." She grimaced.

"Makes sense since I'm not sleeping." He shrugged, discarding the top of the strawberry in the trash.

"Oh, that's right. It's the all-nighter. I'll stay up with you.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“There’s no need.”

“Four eyes are better than two.”

“You can’t stay up. You’re practically an old lady with how early you usually fall asleep.”

“Just because you have the unhealthy habit of doing it all the time, doesn’t mean I don’t have it in me!”

“I don’t need to sleep as much as humans!”

“And I’ve been reserving my energy just for tonight!”

“Bullshit! Ten bucks says you don't make it past two am."

"Twenty says you're the one that falls asleep first." Kagome challenged, laughing as he chucked a strawberry at her.

Her eyes were heavy as she watched one of the lesser-rated episodes of The Twilight Zone, making sure the volume to the chilling opening theme was low enough that it wouldn't disturb the sleeping man at the other end of the couch. It was surprising that he'd given in to the fatigue, despite how much she'd hoped for it from the beginning. All it took was some simple caressing and he was a puddle on the sofa, melting and dozing off until he couldn't fight it anymore, and she silently thanked his human night for making the guy substantially more sensitive than he’d ever willingly admit to being. Even under the illumination of the television, the black and white contrast bouncing off of his even skin, he looked peaceful. His scowl wasn't dominant, his brows were relaxed, and his lips were slightly parted as he steadily breathed in contentment. For his added comfort, she'd happily stay up all night. Plus, it would be fun to rub it in when he woke up that he owed her some money since it was hitting four-forty in the morning and she was still conscious.

She leaned forward, minding that the motion was controlled to not alert Inuyasha, going for her glass for a sip of flat soda, fully relying on the small intake of caffeine to perk her up for the few remaining hours she had. As she reached, her phone vibrated against the coffee table, claiming her undivided attention as her hand snagged the device instead. It was the god-awful hours of the morning, who in the world could have been texting her?

The number was unfamiliar, though the area code was the same as her own. She opened the message, a chill rushing down her spine as she read the text three times over.

Kagome, is this still your number? This is Kikyo. I need your help...

The last time Inuyasha had spoken to her about his ex was when he was standing in her living room, telling her the truth she had been resistant to hear for so long. He was naturally worried about Kikyo's wellbeing, considering she'd disappeared from his place without a trace while fighting her addiction, and though he seemed to be masking it all well - maybe for Kagome's own sake - it must have been eating away at him. But why would she message her and not Inuyasha? What could she possibly do for Kikyo that Inuyasha couldn't?

Her phone buzzed again in her palm.

I'm sorry for texting at this hour. I don't know what else to do...

She needed help. That's what she'd said, she needed help. She was last seen in an unhealthy state, what if she never fully got better? What if she relapsed?

Even worse, what if Naraku knew about her too?

It's okay, I'm up. What's wrong?

It was only a small moment before Kikyo replied. Kagome couldn't help the sturdy beat of her heart thumping against her ribcage as she waited.

I got into some trouble, I can explain later. I think I'm by your apartment, will you pls meet me?

Yes! Where, exactly? Are you okay?

It made sense that she didn't know Kagome was currently staying with Inuyasha.

Near the old cafe and pancake house. Idk if you're still in contact, but I don't want Inuyasha knowing. Don't tell him.

She swallowed thickly, glancing over to his sleeping form. A guilt instantly washed over her. How could she not tell him? He's probably been so worried, so afraid. If there was anyone that deserved to know, it was him. Why wouldn't Kikyo want Inuyasha knowing? He would do anything to make sure she was safe.

Nonetheless, it was her choice. She needed to respect that, didn't she? Maybe if she met with Kikyo, she could convince her to come back to Inuyasha's. Then it would be right on all accounts. Wouldn’t it?

The thought of the two of them together made it feel like a large, dense rock was dropped into her stomach, causing it to sink. It wasn't important, though. Her feelings weren't important right now. Kikyo was in trouble. Choosing not to help to spare her from the sting of jealousy was the worst thing she could ever consider. There was more than just herself involved in this. On top of it all, Kagome desperately needed to get to Kikyo before Naraku targeted her too.

Stay there.

She hit send. Stared at the virtual keypad beneath her hovering thumbs. Then began typing once more.

I’ll be there in ten.

As carefully as possible, she unfolded her legs from beside her, glad she was too comfortable to change from her leggings when they sat down to watch T.V. hours ago. As her bare feet met with the throw rug, she slowly rose, freezing as Inuyasha readjusted his position. Kagome stood in a semi-squat, her quads burning from the power pose as she waited him out, letting him settle, holding it until he gave that heavy sigh of deep sleep she’d been impatient to hear, then fully extended her legs in relief. She took every step with the intention of silence, clutching the notches of her shoes in her hands and deciding it’d be safer to slip them on in the hall. His car keys, thankfully, weren’t attached to an obnoxiously large set of keychains and rings like hers were, so folding her fingers around the three keys attached by a belt clip was easy to do while preventing a loud jingle that would no doubt wake Inuyasha. At a time like this, she legitimately didn’t know how to express how grateful she was that he kept his work set separate, as well.

Unlocking the door, though slow, was simple. The small scrape the chain gave hardly disturbed him, and the bolt was slid open right as a commercial flickered on the tv, so it masked the sound. Kagome twisted the knob, cracked the door enough for her to slide out, and pulled the door shut. She wouldn’t be gone for long - thirty minutes at the most. He’d, of course, be pissed when she got back, but seeing who she was with would hopefully provide some cushion. She had a legitimate reason for leaving.

As she got downstairs, Kagome dropped her canvas shoes to the ground without worry, sliding her feet in and adjusting the heels and tongues as necessary as she stumbled outside and to Inuyasha’s car. The vehicle came to life as soon as she twisted the key in the ignition, and she slid the seat forward and adjusted the mirrors as quickly as she could. She glanced at her cellphone one last time before driving off, checking to see if she had any other texts from Kikyo. Nothing. It wasn’t anything too abnormal for the woman, she was never very good at responding. Nonetheless, at a time like this, an “okay” or a “thank you” would have been nice.

The roads were dark as she stepped out of the car, sunlight still a couple of hours away. The street lamps were few and far between near her apartment, the neighborhoods slightly sketchy. She’d parked behind the coffee shop she used to frequent, venturing around the corner and to the front. The pancake house Kikyo mentioned was most likely the mom and pop shop a half a block down, but as she made her way closer, she realized there wasn’t a single sign of life around.

Kagome pulled up their texts, sending one saying she was here and waiting for a body to pop into her line of sight, but as the seconds ticked away, an uneasy and dreadful sensation made home in the pit of her abdomen. Something was wrong. Something was coming. She could physically feel the undoing taking place. It was getting increasingly difficult to swallow, to stand still, and her eyes were flickering over the streets around her until something told her it was time to go. Now.

Never in her life had she felt more like a sitting duck.

Kagome spun around, speed-walking her way up the street and back to the car, relieved when it was in view. Clicking the second button down on the remote, she unlocked the door so she could slide right in, but as she latched onto the handle and yanked it open, a powerful force slammed it shut, ripping the lever from her grip. The light from within had turned on from the initial open, bringing the face beside her into comprehensible view.

“Long time no see,” Onigumo grinned, the charming glimmer in his ruby eyes as evident as the day she’d first met him. “I’ve missed you so much, Kagome.”

“Shit!” She hissed, instantly running in the opposite direction. She’d made it three steps before a sharp yank to her hair stopped her in her hurried tracks, yelping more from fear than pain. He walked forward, holding her captive with the fist full of locks, pressing his torso flush against her back, curving his calloused, scratchy fingers around her throat, her head firmly tilted back to rest on his shoulder. His breath stank as he chuckled, the sound malevolent all on its own.

Naraku moaned, kissing the bruise on her cheek, his chapped lips lingering in place before the click of their separated moisture rang in the night. Kagome shuddered, gasping with every touch.

“Thanks for coming to my rescue.”

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maybe-gaybean · 8 years ago

Note

don't have me, but answer 1-200 :]

Oh boy here goes nothing!

All my answers are beneath the cut bc I’m sure y’all don’t wanna see all of that :P

200: My crush’s name is: My poly heart is so stressed by this question. Kalvin and Kat199: I was born in: 1998198: I am really: tired lol197: My cellphone company is: AT&T196: My eye color is: Blue195: My shoe size is: 9 1/2194: My ring size is: somewhere between a 7 and 8? 193: My height is: 5′7192: I am allergic to: just a couple of medicines 191: My 1st car was: A 2010 Nissan Altima that I bought from my mum 190: My 1st job was: I’ve been a soccer referee since I was 12, if that counts189: Last book you read: Ahhhh um I read most of Landry Park the other day188: My bed is: my favorite 187: My pet: My lovely cat 186: My best friend: @ebsharon185: My favorite shampoo is: I don’t care. Something that will protect my hair dye I guess 184: Xbox or ps3: Xbox183: Piggy banks are: Good for saving 182: In my pockets: Nothing currently 181: On my calendar: I’m leaving campus on Thursday at noon180: Marriage is: goals179: Spongebob can: fuck off 178: My mom: is stressful177: The last three songs I bought were? I bought two albums last. Both were Tonight Alive 176: Last YouTube video watched: I was watching jacksepticeye play Outlast175: How many cousins do you have? 5174: Do you have any siblings? One and I love her more than anything 173: Are your parents divorced? Nah172: Are you taller than your mom? Nope171: Do you play an instrument? Nah170: What did you do yesterday? Ummm I shopped for a while with my friends @ifyouonlyknewthehalfofit and @marcy665 and we ordered pizza and just chilled.[ I Believe In ]169: Love at first sight: To a degree 168: Luck: Sure167: Fate: Yes166: Yourself: No.165: Aliens: Yes164: Heaven: No163: Hell: No 162: God: Yes, actually 161: Horoscopes: To a degree 160: Soul mates: In a way 159: Ghosts: YES 158: Gay Marriage: Of course!157: War: In a way156: Orbs: Sure155: Magic: Sure [ This or That ]154: Hugs or Kisses: Hugs!153: Drunk or High: Drunk, I guess 152: Phone or Online: Online151: Red heads or Black haired: Black haired150: Blondes or Brunettes: Brunettes 149: Hot or cold: Hot 148: Summer or winter: Summer!147: Autumn or Spring: Either, they’re both amazing. I guess tho autumn bc the colors are nice. @justkeepdancingonmyown -- You asked this too!

146: Chocolate or vanilla: Vanilla145: Night or Day: Night!144: Oranges or Apples: Oranges 143: Curly or Straight hair: On me? Straight. Others? I don’t care142: McDonalds or Burger King: McD’s141: White Chocolate or Milk Chocolate: Neither 140: Mac or PC: depends on what I’m using it for 139: Flip flops or high heals: I hate them both138: Ugly and rich OR sweet and poor: Sweet and poor, I guess? 137: Coke or Pepsi: Coke136: Hillary or Obama: Obama135: Buried or cremated: Cremated 134: Singing or Dancing: Singing 133: Coach or Chanel: I don’t care at all

132: Kat McPhee or Taylor Hicks: I don’t know D:131: Small town or Big city: Big City130: Wal-Mart or Target:Target129: Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler: Adam I guess 128: Manicure or Pedicure: Neither. Not about that life 127: East Coast or West Coast: East Coast (Florida, specifically)126: Your Birthday or Christmas: They’re like a week apart so I generally celebrate them both at the same time, tbh125: Chocolate or Flowers: Chocolate 124: Disney or Six Flags: DISNEY123: Yankees or Red Sox: Don’t care[ Here’s What I Think About ]122: War: I wish there was some way that it could be avoided, but the way that history has shaped us, it is inevitable 121: George Bush: Fuck you. 120: Gay Marriage: Thank god it’s legal now jesus christ 119: The presidential election: What kind of bullshit was that? Why is America like this? Electoral college? irrelevant 118: Abortion: Your body is your body and you have my unconditional support in whatever is best for you117: MySpace: I actually never used MySpace (1000% honesty)116: Reality TV: I like paranormal TV shows like Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters and all that. Anything else is okay, but I get annoyed with it quickly 115: Parents: We have a very very complex relationship. They don’t respect my gender and have a horrible habit of snooping through my things, both like things and my online life (lit). and they can be controlling and all that. But I really want to believe all of the things they’re doing is done with my best interest at heart. They could be so much worse, I suppose. Plus they gave me my sister so that’s great 114: Back stabbers: Why. Please don’t. 113: Ebay: My dude, if I’m desperate enough, I’ll go anywhere for a good price. Or if I need quick money for obscure items 112: Facebook: Annoying as fuck omg111: Work: I hate sonic!!!110: My Neighbors: I have never met them before in my life. If they were standing near me in a crowd, I’d never know109: Gas Prices: They’re very high, but honestly, I get gas as little as possible, so I save enough to make sure that I can get a full tank every time 108: Designer Clothes: If you got the money, go for it 107: College: Why did I do this to myself :/106: Sports: I love sports!!!!!105: My family: My sister is my everything. I love her more than life itself. Everyone else can fuck off tbh.104: The future: Everytime I think about the future I kinda want to die [ Last time I ]103: Hugged someone: Like an hour ago I hugged my friend Olive when I gave her a present 102: Last time you ate: I’m eating a brownie as I type this 101: Saw someone I haven’t seen in awhile: Ummmm I met an old friend for Mexican a few months ago. I hadn’t seen her in years 100: Cried in front of someone: I cried watching a phan video with Ash and Sarah the other day. A real cry? I have no idea 99: Went to a movie theater: I visited Sharon at work a couple weeks ago.98: Took a vacation: Ahhhh last summer 97: Swam in a pool: Last summer 96: Changed a diaper: Never 95: Got my nails done: Years ago. I have no concept of time94: Went to a wedding: When I was extremely young93: Broke a bone: A couple years ago92: Got a peircing: Ummm I only have my ears pierced but I started gauging my ears a few weeks ago!91: Broke the law: I got really fucking high Friday night 90: Texted: like 2 minutes ago[ MISC ]89: Who makes you laugh the most: Either Sharon or Sarah 88: Something I will really miss when I leave home is: @ebsharon @littlest-hellspawn ,my sister & my cat87: The last movie I saw: I saw Perks of Being a Wallflower a few days ago kinda 86: The thing that I’m looking forward to the most: I want to start T soon85: The thing im not looking forward to: Telling my parents that I’m going to start T and that they will either respect that or leave 84: People call me: Like nicknames? Trash, Meme Lord, Sammy83: The most difficult thing to do is: Exist82: I have gotten a speeding ticket: once 81: My zodiac sign is: Capricorn80: The first person i talked to today was: @littlest-hellspawn79: First time you had a crush: I have no idea at all. Elementary school I guess?78: The one person who i can’t hide things from: Mmmm I think I can fool anyone if I wanted to 77: Last time someone said something you were thinking: @ifyouonlyknewthehalfofit and I say the same joke at the same time constantly it’s horrifiying 76: Right now I am talking to: Sarah and Ash75: What are you going to do when you grow up: AHHHHHHHHHHHH I want to be a novelist!74: I have/will get a job: at sonic73: Tomorrow: So much shit to do!!!!72: Today: Sleep71: Next Summer: Definitely moving out 70: Next Weekend: Work69: I have these pets: I have a cat, my sister has a cat, and my parents have 2 dogs68: The worst sound in the world: Anything that’s loud and unexpected 67: The person that makes me cry the most is: Oh god. I’m don’t cry alot, so no one I guess? 66: People that make you happy: @ebsharon @eldershadow13 @littlest-hellspawn @ifyouonlyknewthehalfofit @marcy665 @prince-of-wind @buckeyewarr1or2 @serenitymasogni @insert-my-clever-url-here and so many other people :)65: Last time I cried: Oh god. Like a real cry? I don’t remember to be honest. Within the last few weeks 64: My friends are: wonderful63: My computer is: slow62: My School: is stressful61: My Car: is doing her best60: I lose all respect for people who: won’t own up to their mistakes. Try to ruin relationships. Use their mental illness to justify abuse or manipulation.59: The movie I cried at was: I cried like a child the first time I watched Big Hero Six 58: Your hair color is: black57: TV shows you watch: Gravity Falls, Hannibal, Dexter, Criminal Minds, SVU, Soul Eater, Inuyasha, Ghost Adventures, and so many more ahhhhhhh56: Favorite web site: probably ao355: Your dream vacation:Disney World, or the beach 54: The worst pain I was ever in was: When I was a sophomore I tore a muscle in my back. That was lit 53: How do you like your steak cooked: I’m a vegetarian :)52: My room is: depends on my state of mind tbh51: My favorite celebrity is: Dan and Phil currently 50: Where would you like to be: Disney World 49: Do you want children: Maybe idk48: Ever been in love: Yes47: Who’s your best friend: @ebsharon obviously46: More guy friends or girl friends: Girls I guess. 45: One thing that makes you feel great is: praise for my writing 44: One person that you wish you could see right now: @ebsharon43: Do you have a 5 year plan: I have vague goals. Nothing specific 42: Have you made a list of things to do before you die: Kinda of. Not officially41: Have you pre-named your children: Yes 40: Last person I got mad at: Probably an ex of mine 39: I would like to move to: Florida 38: I wish I was a professional: writer [ My Favorites ]37: Candy: Dark chocolate36: Vehicle: Don’t have one35: President: Obama 34: State visited: Florida 33: Cellphone provider: AT&T32: Athlete: Abby Womback31: Actor: I dunno maybe Mads Mikkelson?30: Actress: Jeez ummmm no answer 29: Singer: Brendan Urie28: Band: Twenty One Pilots27: Clothing store: Hot Topic or Forever 21 26: Grocery store: Target25: TV show: Gravity Falls!24: Movie: Lilo & Stitch23: Website: not tumblr 22: Animal: I love all animals 21: Theme park: Disney World lmao20: Holiday: New Years 19: Sport to watch: Football or Soccer 18: Sport to play: SOCCER 17: Magazine: None 16: Book: SO MANY WHY 15: Day of the week: Friday14: Beach: Tybee Island!13: Concert attended: Hannah Montana but I was extremely young and haven’t been to a concert in many years 12: Thing to cook: COOKIES FUCK YOU SARAH 11: Food: French fries 10: Restaurant: Olive Garden or Panera Bread 9: Radio station: None 8: Yankee candle scent: I have no idea at all7: Perfume: I use Old Spice Fiji cologne6: Flower: Dogwood flowers (I have a dogwood flower tattoo!)5: Color: PURPLE4: Talk show host: ????No clue????3: Comedian: Brandon Calvillo (does that count?)2: Dog breed: Pit Bull1: Did you answer all these truthfully? Yep

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phoenixfeatherquill · 8 years ago

Note

3, 4, 6, 15, 20, 22, 26, 27, 31, 36, 40, 43, 46, 50 (i'm sorry if that's a lot!!)

I LIKE THAT YOU ASKED ME A LOT.

3. The best fandom I’ve been involved in? That is such an unfair question. They are all so wonderful. I made so many amazing creative friends through the Rumbelle fandom. The Swanfire fandom connected me with salty former viewers–and I badly needed that after Neal died. Inuyasha was one of my first fandoms and I got to watch it evolve and mature. Klaroline is so passionate–their enthusiasm is so infections! I’m new to the Barson fandom but they are so chill and great. And there’s SO MUCH smut. I love it. Literally every fandom I’ve been a part of, I’ve made friends, I’ve read and written fic, and I could not possibly pick the best.

4. Do I regret getting involved in any fandoms? I don’t think so. I’ve loved every fandom I’ve been a part of, even if for a short time.

6. Most of my fandoms are shipper fandoms, which are smaller and more fun in my opinion. So…Swanfire, Rumbelle (from OUAT), Klaroline (TVD), Barson (SVU)…well, for Inuyasha it’s just the canon ships, InuKag, MirSan, etc.

15. Obscure ships…hm. I love Elijah and Elena on “The Vampire Diaries”. Is Barson obscure? I only follow Barson people. I’m guessing Stabler and Benson are the popular ship, right?

20. Barson. I started off saying “That is ridiculous.” And then it sucked me in.

22. *looks off into the sunset* So, so many things I regret writing.

26. I take a lot of pride in my titles. A lot of times, I’ll use song titles, like “Only if for a Night” or “Chop and Change”, if I feel a song fits with the theme. Sometimes they come from the sky–”Hell’s Heresies” came out of nowhere and it’s probably my favorite of the titles. (Fun fact, I was bugging Straggle for title ideas for HH and then I had to followup with NEVER MIND I FOUND ONE) 32 Seconds also came from the sky. “On the Shores of Loch Katrine” was a little play on “On the Shores of Silver Lake”, which I always thought was a gorgeous title. “Time Strangers” came from the manga “Time Stranger Kyoko”–I just love how evocative the phrase “Time Strangers” is. “To Catch A Swan” is another of my favorites–again, no idea where it came from, but I’m really proud of it.

27. Definitely writing summaries. I hate writing summaries–it feels like you’re forcing your story into 142 characters or something. Titles are a million times easier and more fun.

31. I have gotten a lot of really sweet and amazing comments on my fics–especially during dark times. Someone once told me that instead of doing their homework, they read “On the Shores of Loch Katrine” all night, which I got a kick out of. I had a recent reviewer call my Klaroline fic a work of art. I LOVE when someone will leave a review that says, “Your fanfic made me ship this”, that is a joy.

36. Rom com fluff is my favorite genre to write. Hands down. Ooh, and smut!

40. I struggle with action scenes a lot and descriptions of setting. I don’t find it interesting to write, I want to skip ahead to the dialogue and whatnot. But descriptions are key to good writing, so it’s something I try and work on with each new piece of writing.

43. It will come as no surprise that @thestraggletag is hugely inspirational to me. Her writing is sublime, she always has my back, and I do not deserve to be in her good graces. She is awesome and I heart her.

46. Well, it would depend on what they were interested in. If I have a salty Swanfire fan who misses Neal, I’ll point them towards “To Catch A Swan” or “Time Strangers”. If I have a Rumbelle fan who wants a sweeping romance, it will probably be “On the Shores of Loch Katrine” or “Brave”. I write for a few ships.

50. I’ve always written fanfiction in one sense–that is, I’ve been writing in journals sweeping romances between characters I was attached to or playing with my Barbies–making sure that Mulan and Captain Shang got together, of course. I started posting online I think in middle school–15 years ago–stopped briefly, and when I entered high school, started up again. I was watching Lost at the time and I hated Sawyer and Kate together. I couldn’t think of any other characters I wanted Sawyer with (aside from Claire, but I loved Charlie and Claire too much). So I invented a character and started writing Sawyer/OC fanfic. (I was fourteen, don’t judge me)

#phoenix personal

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akitokihojo · 6 years ago

Text

In Between

I watch too much Law & Order. That’s it. That’s my summary. Olivia Benson made me do this.

If you want a real summary though, check ff.net or AO3. I’m more serious on those platforms.

--------------------------

SVU Precinct

"Inuyasha!" The old captain shouted, half of his body peeking out from the doorway of his office. "I need you in here. Now."

The detective glanced up from the file he was reading to see his chief's hand in the air, beckoning him in, the hard expression on his face warning him that he may be about to get the ass chewing of a lifetime. His partner cocked an eyebrow, sitting at the desk directly across from him, as if to ask what he'd done this time, but Inuyasha ignored it, letting out a rugged sigh as he closed the light blue folder, shoved it in his desk drawer, and headed toward the dimly-lit office.

The door was shut behind him. Captain Totosai remained silent until he got to his side of the large, wooden desk, documents yet to be signed sprawled over every inch of the top. Inuyasha stood behind one the available seats, waiting. He hadn't been out on a case in a couple of weeks. Things had been a little slow; a blessing and a curse. Less crime for his department meant more desk duty for the detectives in the Special Victims Unit. How could he have fucked something up if he was practically sitting there at his desk like a secretary?

"Something was just delivered for you." He said flatly, handing him a large, unopened manilla envelope.

Inuyasha eyed it suspiciously, cautiously taking it from the captain's hands. It was light, the contents inside resembling a thick stack of paper. He analyzed his own name written across the front in thick, broken, red letters, looking something similar to lipstick.

"Who -uh... What is this? I don't understand." The half demon said, eyebrows furrowed in a deep crease as his eyes met the captain's once more. Totosai brought an opened Fedex envelope into view, the unofficial and unprofessional label addressing it to the SVU department with no return address, typed in comic sans font and taped to the front like they didn't even try to make it passable. It was a fucking joke, and he could suddenly understand the palpable tension in the captain's eyes. They'd seen things like this, usually delivered to victims and not police stations, but all the same, it never meant anything good.

"Open it, Inuyasha." He commanded, his voice level but stern. The detective did as he was told, pinching the small, metal tabs together and opening the top. He reached in, gripping the stack and pulling it out, his stomach dropping violently to the floor as his eyes fell on the black and white portrait of a girl smiling in the window of a coffee shop. He dropped the envelope on the desk, quickly flipping the top photo to the back of the stack and studying the next. It was the same girl, washing her dishes, the photo zoomed in and taken at a higher angle through her window. He flipped to the next. The girl looked sad, distracted, staring at her cellphone at a crosswalk. Inuyasha's fingers began to shake, fumbling over the corner as he tried to flip to the next. She was sitting with some friends at a restaurant, drink in hand, a small smile highlighting her features. His heart was pounding in his ears as he flipped, dropping that one on the face of the desk, too distracted to care. She was laughing with her little brother. The next she was saying goodbye to someone. The next she was petting her neighbor's cat that had traveled over to the edge of the balcony of her place. The next she was grocery shopping. At a yoga class. Leaving a store with a smoothie. Watching TV on her living room couch, shot through another opened window, dressed down in a large, black shirt and her underwear. Kneeling to speak to a couple of little girls on the playground, the image blurred slightly by the chainlink fence. The final photo caused a sickening feeling to creep up his esophagus, the taste of bile lingering in the back of his throat. She was asleep in her bed, the comforter only covering half of her body as she slept on her side, one of her legs resting on top. She wasn't wearing pants, a t-shirt he'd been missing for a long time riding up her body to reveal most of her waist. There was writing at the bottom of the matte-printed picture, scrawled in the same, red, lipstick as the envelope saying, SHE'S NEXT!

"What the fuck!?" Inuyasha barked, dropping the pile onto Totosai's desk as if holding it any longer would burn the calloused pads of his fingers. They were in her apartment, watching her sleep and god knows what the fuck else. What if something had happened to her?

"Who is this, Inuyasha?" The captain asked, interrupting his thoughts, spreading each picture out in front of him to properly analyze.

"She's -Jesus Christ- She's an old friend! Who the fuck sent these!?" Inuyasha snatched up the Fedex envelope, inhaling the lingering scents of its many recent handlers, nothing coming off as familiar in the least, aside from the officer who delivered it. He studied the thing closely, hoping some sort of clue would jump out into plain view. "Who delivered this?" He asked again.

"I'm having the security cameras examined already. It was left at the front and officer Ginta brought it to me just a few minutes ago. What's the girl's name?"

Inuyasha hesitated, every nerve ending in his body engulfed in flames. His ember eyes looked down at the photos, staring intently at the one of her with her friends, dark hair spilling over her shoulders and out of view from the camera shot. Fear crept over and absorbed his mind for the first time in so long. He wasn't the type that scared easily. In his line of work, and as long as he'd been in it, he'd seen some shit. It took a lot to jostle him, yet here he was, bouncing from foot-to-foot, itching to run out of here and catch up with whomever dropped off the package, stuck staring down at a face he never thought he'd see again. "Kagome Higurashi."

Kagome's Residence

She sat at her small, circular table, the photos laid out in front of her, terrorizing her every thought. She couldn't look away, but continuing to stare at them had her entire body riddled with anxiety. She knew almost every date stamp of the pictures. She'd last seen her family about a month and a half ago; the picture where she was laughing with her brother was when he was telling her about some of his ongoing high school experiences. She'd gone out with her friends this last weekend. She'd just gotten those new yoga pants she was pictured in, and she wore them to Wednesday's class. And the image where she was staring at her phone, about ready to cry on the sidewalk across the street from the preschool she worked for... that was when she was dealing with a broken heart. Three months ago.

The knock on her door caused her to jump in her seat, the wooden legs rocking back and forth under the shift in her weight, snapping her out of her reverie, a chill running down her spine as her chest restricted.

"Kagome, open the door." A deep, muffled voice spoke. Slowly, she stood from her chair, stopping a few feet from the entrance, crossing her arms in a meager attempt to shield herself.

"Who is it?"

"It's me."

Kagome grimaced, trying to decipher the voice. Normally, people gave a name to work with. Who had she had over enough to think she'd recognize their... A searing rush coursed through her as the realization came forward, causing a thick lump to form in her throat, the weight of lead sinking into her abdomen. Quickly, she put her eye to the peephole, spotting the silver bangs and twitching, white ear atop his head, and that was all she needed to undo the chain, unlock the bolt and knob, and crack the door open, an entirely different emotion overturning her facial features.

"You've got a lot of nerve, Inuyasha." She fired, her scowl piercing him through. He flinched, lips pressed in a tight line and eyebrows raised high, not expecting that sort of welcome. In truth, he hadn't known what, exactly, to expect. Surely, not a gleeful hello after not speaking for as long as they'd gone, but definitely not what he'd just received. "I'm busy. What do you want?"

"Can we come in? We need to talk. Believe me, I wouldn't have come if it wasn't important." That was a lie. He'd have shown up at the drop of a random come here text, no prior context needed.

Kagome noticed the man at Inuyasha's side, an amused smirk on his face. He held his badge out for her to see, letting her know he was an officer; presumably in the same precinct as the half demon before her. She stepped back, opening the door wider for them to enter her living room. Inuyasha took the liberty of shutting the door for her, his eyes darting from one end of her apartment to the other.

Immediately, he caught the very faint scent of something dangerous. Unfamiliar, but unsettling. His partner must have caught it too, his blue eyes colliding with Inuyasha's, nodding minutely enough that Kagome wouldn't notice. He fought the urge to search through her apartment to see if the offending smell was stronger in any other room, glancing back at the girl not five feet away, arms tucked beneath the other as she held onto the sides of her old, baggy sweater. Her dark hair was tied up in a messy bun, loose waves springing free from the hair band and curving around her jaw bone. Her brown eyes shifted between the two guys, the discomfort evident on her face as she worried her bottom lip with her teeth. Every corner of the living area was dark, shadowed; all curtains and blinds closed tight. Stepping in further, he noted the normally curtain-less window above her sink draped in a dark sheet, wrapped around as many times as necessary to fit the small window properly.

"Miss Higurashi, was it?" His partner asked, stepping in with his hand held out. He was pretty good at easing any tension, especially when it came to women- one of the many reasons he made a valuable teammate to the ever-abrasive Inuyasha. "My name's Koga. I hope you don't mind us stopping by unannounced. There's no other way to put this, really, but we think you may be in some danger. Have you happened to notice anything strange taking place recently?"

"How did you know?" She asked skeptically, hugging herself tighter and not looking away from Koga. "I just got the pictures this morning."

"You got pictures?" It made sense to Inuyasha now; why Kagome was looking so sloppy compared to her normal, cleaned-up look, and why her apartment was as dark as possible in the middle of a bright day. It was a common way for victims to respond when their privacy was infringed upon. It was their own way of sheltering themselves.

Kagome turned her attention to the small dining table near the wall, black and white photos decorating the table top, a manilla envelope thrown carelessly to the floor beneath it. Inuyasha didn't waste any time, crossing the room to look through the photos spread out before him. They were all the same as the chunk he'd received. Aside from one. One that he desperately wished she didn't have to know about.

"Seriously, though, how did you know?" She repeated. He turned around, ignoring the ache in his stomach as he slowly reached into his inner coat pocket, pulling out his own gifted manilla envelope. He watched her jaw flex as she clenched her teeth together, her lips twitching downward in an immediate, disapproving response. Her arms drooped to wrap around her belly, eyeing the envelope in his hands like it was the most repugnant and vile object she'd ever seen. He hadn't even opened it to reveal its contents. It wasn't necessary for her to understand what was inside.

"Give it to me." Her voice was small, fragile. Kagome held her trembling hand out to Inuyasha, waiting for him to pass his envelope over. He hesitated, almost withdrawing, having to take a moment to swallow his blinding need to protect her. She needed to see these, that's why he'd brought them. Finally, he slipped the package into her open palm, hearing the paper slide against her fingers as clearly as nails on a chalkboard.

Kagome stared at the front, her face paling as she read the half demon's name in big, red letters. "Wh-what is this? Lipstick?"

Inuyasha clenched his fists at his side, his sharp nails biting into the thick flesh. For as long as he'd known Kagome he'd never once seen her so scared or anxious. This wasn't the first time, by a long shot, that he'd witnessed someone addressing the idea of having a stalker, abuser, or assailant of any degree, but it was the first time he'd ever seen that look on Kagome's face, and god did he wish he had the power to wipe it off. It was the first time someone he'd known was on the other end of this sort of ordeal, and as shitty as it was for him to think this way, he wished it was anyone but her.

She opened the tab, reaching in to pull out the stack of photos, and as she gazed at the one on top, the shift in her shoulders and the sigh she released from her nose told him she was slightly relieved it wasn't any different than what she'd already received. "But why were these sent to you?"

Inuyasha didn't have an answer for her. He had no fucking idea and had been trying to figure that out since the moment the damned thing was placed in his hands. Why would a stalker want his presence to be known? Sure, maybe the culprit got their rocks off on their victim's fear, but why in hell would they turn their photos into the authorities? More concerning, why would they specifically want him involved in this wild goose chase?

Kagome was getting ready to put the pictures back into the envelope, having not bothered to flip through them. It was perfectly understandable that she'd assume they were all the same, and they were. But she was missing one. Even Koga's discomfort seemed to noticeably skyrocket, awkwardly looking down at the floor as Inuyasha opened his mouth to stop her. As terrified as he knew she'd be, she needed to see it. She had the right to know.

"Kagome..." He stepped closer, holding his hands out cautiously in a way to stop her. "There's uh... at the back. Look at it."

Just holding the pictures had her stomach feeling weak, like she could throw up any second. The look on the half demon's face now had an unnerving sensation spilling throughout her neck and chest, making it difficult to swallow back the sickening feeling. It was hard to look away from his deep, worried, honey eyes to gaze back down to the pictures she'd already decided she never wanted to see again. It was even harder to glide her nail between the very last picture in the stack, clasp it between two fingers, and pull it to the front, knowing just from the expression on Inuyasha's face that things were about to get so much worse.

Kagome dropped the entire stack to the floor, the image of her sleeping, exposed, vulnerable, and victimized burning her hands like the acidic chemicals on the matte sheet weren't properly cleaned off. She gasped so hard she nearly choked, covering her mouth as she coughed with one hand while holding her churning stomach with the other, backing away, unable to tear her eyes from the red words. Inuyasha was at her side in an instant, hands on her shoulders to flip her around where it was impossible to turn her head to stare at the threat, demanding all of her focus.

"What does that mean, Inuyasha?" She asked, doing exactly as he expected, twisting in his hold to try and see the photo. He wouldn't let her go, his grasp on her firm, silently signaling for his partner to clean the mess up. "I'm next? I'm next for what?! Who the hell says something like that?!"

"You need to calm down, Kagome!"

"Calm down?!" Kagome echoed incredulously, a small laugh at the tale end of it. "How the hell am I supposed to be calm right now?"

"Kagome-"

"No, Inuyasha, I can't -I don't... What am I next for?" Her voice broke as her will to argue died away, cheeks becoming uncomfortably moist for how cold she felt.

"We don't know." Koga spoke, coming into view with two thick manilla envelopes in his hand. Kagome turned around, Inuyasha's grip on her easing, noticing her dining table and carpeted floor cleaned of all pictures. He tucked both envelopes into the deep pockets within his jacket, the gesture, alone, making Kagome feel a bit better. "That's why we came. We need to know if you've noticed any sort of suspicious activity."

It wasn't the first time she'd thought of that. The moment she saw her own set of photos taped to her door this morning, the same question popped into her mind. The thing was, she hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary, and it was bugging her that she must not have been paying close enough attention. It could have been happening right before her eyes, and she never noticed. With how close some of those pictures were taken, that's exactly what was happening. Kagome shook her head, shrugging out of whatever was left of Inuyasha's grip to give Koga her attention. "No, nothing."

"Anyone following you?"

"Not that I've seen."

"Is this the first abnormal occurrence?"

She hesitated that time. Inuyasha heard the hitch in her breath perfectly. Kagome's brows were furrowed together as she thought of something, dark eyes staring at the floor beneath Koga's feet, lips parted and pursed like she was preparing to say something. Color was finally returning to her cheeks, a rush of pink spilling over like her fever had finally broken. Her brown eyes traveled up his partner's body, finally meeting his stare and shaking her head. "No."

"What?" Inuyasha asked.

"I mean, it's probably entirely unrelated, but I've been getting strange calls from unknown numbers for a little over a month now. I ignore most of them, but when I answer all I hear is breathing and maybe... I don't know, mumbling? They never say anything comprehensible." Kagome said, walking over to the coffee table stationed in front of the couch and grabbing her cellphone. She opened up her recent calls and handed her phone to the dark-haired detective. "They don't call very often, but I've still learned to recognize the three numbers to ignore. Sometimes I don't catch myself and answer by accident, but it's always the same thing. Like I said, though, it could be nothing."

"What are the numbers?" Koga asked, handing the cell to Inuyasha and pulling out a small notepad and pen from his pocket.

"The most recent numbers in red. All three of them called yesterday, which doesn't usually happen, but the most frequently used phone number is the one ending in two-two-seven-nine." She watched Koga scribble the three sets of numbers on his paper, nodding when he'd gotten the last one so Inuyasha could hand the phone back to Kagome.

"Have there been any signs of forced entry, like a busted window or broken-in door?"Koga asked.

"No, not at all." She shook her head.

"Okay, does anyone have a key to your apartment?"

"No."

"No one?"

"No one."

"By chance, do you sleep with your windows open?"

"No, she never does that." Inuyasha answered for her, looking a little too casual for Kagome's liking. She couldn't help the skeptical look she shot him in reaction, rolling her eyes as she turned her attention back to Koga. She appreciated that he seemed to ignore the tension that suddenly stiffened the air. Instead, he gave her a knowing smile, shrugging his brows.

"So, what happens now?" Kagome asked, moving passed it.

"We continue to investigate. He claims you're next, and no matter what that pertains to, it means there was a prior victim. We need to figure out just how dangerous this guy is, and the best way to do that is to find out who he's targeted before you. One last question: have you made any enemies recently?"

"I don't think so?" She asked more than stated. "I've never really had an enemy before. I mean, I'm not perfect, but I don't actively try to get on a person's bad side."

"I can believe that."

"Okay, but what about work? I can still go to work, right?"

"Continue on with your day-to-day life, Kagome." Inuyasha answered, crossing his arms over his chest. "Just make sure you're as safe as possible. Lock your windows and door, and carry a key between your fingers. If you can, note anything weird around you that could help us figure out who the guy is. I'm pretty sure he want's to play this game like he's The Riddler and make himself and his goal as hard as possible for us to figure out, but my guess is he's arrogant and sloppy."

"Here's my contact information if you need anything." Koga said, slipping a small business card from his front coat pocket and handing it over. "And I'm sure you've got Inuyasha's. If anything happens at all, don't hesitate to contact either of us."

"Oh, uh..." Kagome's expression twisted in an unpleasant manner, her eyebrows raising as she pressed her lips into a tight line. "I must have lost that somewhere."

"Are you- are you kidding me?" Inuyasha tensed from the punch he just took to the gut. "How do you lose a number that was saved in your phone?"

Kagome shrugged in response, small traces of discomfort disappearing as the corners of her lips curved upward in the smallest smile.

"How fucking rude!" He ripped a card of his own out of his coat pocket, snatched Koga's pen from his hand, and scribbled his personal cellphone number below his work cell, holding the finished product out for her to take. "Here! Keep it this time, Kagome. I'm serious."

"Okay. Alright." She responded, plucking the card from Inuyasha's outstretched hand. "How long do you think it's gonna take to catch this guy?"

"It's hard to say." Inuyasha replied, his tone changing dramatically. "Stalkers are something else, Kagome. First, we have to get a lead, so it's impossible to give you a timeframe. Look, if it makes you feel any better, I'll park my car outside tonight and keep watch."

"Oh, no thats not necessary." Kagome shook her head, trying to brush his offer away as politely as possible. The last think she needed at a time like this was Inuyasha hanging around all night. Or Inuyasha hanging around at all.

"It's fine, I don't mind."

"No, really. Don't worry about it." She said more sternly that time.

"Kagome, more often than not, victims of this sort of thing end up sleeping better knowing there's an officer outside minding the front doors. While it's just an offer, it's an offer I highly recommend you take up." Koga added.

"Okay, well then can you do it?" Kagome cocked a brow, sensing Inuyasha's immediate change in body language, the protective nature he carried about him dwindling away and becoming an air of shock and muffled betrayal. Kagome didn't falter though. She held her ground, her lips pursed in defiance as she gave Koga a hard look, waiting for a response.

"Me?"

"Or literally anybody else?"

"I'm sure we can arrange something." Koga said stiffly, clearing his throat. "No matter what, someone will be parked downstairs tonight."

Inuyasha could sense the ugly smile on his partner's face as they drove back to the precinct in silence. It had grown wider and wider since the moment they'd left Kagome's place, little puffs of air leaving his nose in what sounded like bit-back laughing, and he was damn near ready to snap. While his partner was great on the field, he seemed to balance that out by being an asshat in private, and Inuyasha wished the wolf had a better sense of casualty and dropping shit.

"Dude..." Here we go. "What'd you do?"

"Don't fucking start with me." Inuyasha groaned, rolling his eyes and getting over to the left turn lane, the quick click of the blinker not nearly sufficient enough to drown out the douchebag next to him.

"I mean, I knew you had history with the chick, and even if I wasn't briefed beforehand, man was it obvious enough to piece together, but-"

"Shut up."

"She deleted your number!" He snorted, slapping his hand against his thigh like he'd just said the punchline of a joke. "She deleted your number! What the hell did you do?"

"Will you fucking drop it?"

"Alright, alright. Don't get mad at me, I'm not the one that blocked you. Anyway, do you think this will actually turn into a case?" The wolf demon asked.

"As far as I'm concerned, it already is one."

"Look, I know you feel personally involved in the matter, but if we can't figure out who the guy is, who the previous victim or victims are, and don't have any actual way to tie it to the SVU department, it's not our problem."

"The pictures were sent to me. He wanted my attention for a reason, and whether the captain takes the case or not, I'm figuring this shit out. Before Kagome gets hurt."

"I don't know why you're so concerned. From what I gathered, that girl's more than capable of taking care of herself. It's easy to see why you like her so much." Inuyasha gave a warning snarl in response, the message to end his talk of her coming off perfectly clear. Koga chuckled, never once taking Inuyasha's threats seriously, continuing on. "Anyway, in case you've forgotten, you're a part of this department. If chief says no, you can't touch it. Especially since it's so close to being a conflict of interest. I'm surprised he even let you come down here today. Second, that scent could have belonged to literally anyone."

"You know, as well as I do, that it was a demon."

"And Kagome doesn't associate with demons?"

"Bad demon, dumb ass. It's like milk. When you first buy milk it smells fine, but when it's passed its expiration date it smells rancid. That's not the scent of someone that you invite into your place; that's the scent of someone that invited themselves in."

"Demons compared to sour milk... Hm, good one. Too bad our supernatural senses have never been enough to prove shit to a jury. I'm sure Kagura will happily remind you of that."

"Nonetheless, I'm involved in this puzzle one way or another. I can't be pulled." Inuyasha remarked, turning into the parking garage.

"Look, I don't want to burst your bubble, but you can easily be pulled. The best way to prevent that is to work as quickly as possible in finding out what kind of damage this guy's done."

The two of them marched inside, met by the mildly busy office of their department. Totosai was briefing the other two lead detectives on something in front of the whiteboard at the head of their clumps of desks as Koga pulled the two thick, manilla envelopes from his jacket and dropped them aggressively on his tabletop, catching everyone's undivided attention.

"Yo. We've got a sick and horribly confusing pervert on our hands. What are you guys up to?" He asked all-too casually, a smile plastered on his face.

"Actually, we were just discussing your pervert before you unnecessarily interrupted." Sango gestured up to the board, very few notes jotted down the left side in black marker. "What'd the girl give you?"

"Not much." Koga answered. "She got the same packet of pictures this morning, so she's only been aware of her stalker for about as long as we have. But she has been receiving strange calls for the last, what did she say, month and a half?"

"Yeah."

"So, we jotted the numbers down and we can see about tracing them back to an owner."

"Numbers? Multiple? Those could just be solicitors." Sango said.

"She said they never talk; all she's ever heard on the other line is a mouth breather and talking she can never make out."

"So, clarify something for us, Inuyasha." Hojo spoke, half-sitting on his own desk. "How are you mixed up in this mess? This girl's your ex, right?"

"No." Inuyasha said defensively. "She's an old friend."

"That deleted his number."

"That was no longer my friend for a while, so what?" The half demon shot his partner a look of warning.

"Okay, but what kind of relationship did you and Miss Higurashi have?" Hojo asked, cocking a brow.

"A friendly one?" Inuyasha asked more than stated.

"Doubtful." Koga remarked.

"Seriously, Inuyasha, we're trying to figure out if he's possibly targeting you too. I mean, why would he deliberately send you, a detective, evidence of stalking? And if you are the target, why would he specifically choose to go after a friend of yours? If he's trying to get you where it hurts, why not go after a family member?" Sango added.

"Inuyasha, answer the question. Unless we get something substantial to work with, the case could slip from our hands and wash out. Even the security footage of the drop off this morning was a dud. This guy managed to wear the most suspicious clothing, a ski mask and a hoodie, to a police station and walked away without being noticed. So, what's your relationship with Kagome, and have you made any recent enemies that you know of?" The captain chimed in, his unreadable expression drifting to the nearly-blank list written next to him.

Inuyasha could feel the myriad of expressions flow on his own face, ranging from perplexed, to shocked, and landing on what the fuck? He groaned loudly, finding that to be the only suitable, verbal response to the fact that a walking red flag wasn't noticed at a fucking police station, moving forward to answer Totosai's questions. "I'm gonna be honest, none of the people I arrest usually want to be my friend when I'm done with them. And, if you must know, Kagome and I have a... complicated history."

"Oh, do tell." Koga smirked, leaning on the side of his desk as he got comfortable.

Inuyasha groaned, massaging his forehead as all eyes bore into him. He hated unnecessary attention, and he definitely hated having his laundry aired out to dry. He knew it was for the case, and therefore necessary, but he never expected to be on this end of the interrogation. It was Kagome that was in danger, not him. He was most likely sent the pictures because the stalker probably saw them together months ago. Bring in the knowledge that he's a detective, because surely a stalker could figure that much out, and the suspect was probably dumb enough to think he's just the right amount of cunning that can get away with anything. No other possible explanation made sense. Inuyasha had an eighty-percent success rate when it came to getting culprits off the streets. Any sort of enemy he'd made was behind bars, or somehow related to someone he'd put behind bars. While it was perfectly plausible for someone to specifically target him, the chances of that happening were very slim because by putting the bastards in prison, he'd made a clear point that he wasn't the one to fuck with. Inuyasha wasn't the victim type. He was the formidable protector, thus the reason he'd become a cop in the first place. He hated admitting Kagome had gotten the short end of the stick, but it was more reasonable to admit that his relation was more on the sidelines than in the spotlight. "I've known her for about six years now. She was one of my closest friends for the longest time. Our relationship... I don't know, changed I guess after my ex-girlfriend left."

"Care to elaborate?" Totosai asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't understand how this is fucking relevant!"

"Because if we can tie down your relationship, maybe we can understand why the stalker wanted to include you on his invitation list." Hojo answered matter-of-factly.

"Fine, we grew closer. We started sleeping together. Happy? Have you figured out the mystery yet?"

"Ah, so when you said she was your friend, you meant a friend with benefits?" Koga implored, the amusement heard perfectly in his tone.

"If that's the term for it, then yes. It was nothing more than that, though. We had a big fallout and haven't spoken in months." Inuyasha confirmed, plopping down in his seat.

"Still, maybe the culprit saw you two together while it was going on and figured you were a little more. You said you were friends first, partners later. It's easy to misread a relationship like that. If you've got an enemy, he's got outdated information but he's still going for it." Hojo said, rising from his makeshift seat and moving to the whiteboard to grab a dry erase marker.

"Something's still not adding up." Sango mentioned, sighing out as she pushed some hair behind her ears. "Stalkers, at least diligent ones, don't have outdated information."

"So maybe it's not Inuyasha he's targeting." Koga spoke, sounding serious for the first time since this morning.

"Thank you!"

Tree of Young Ages Preschool Academy

Inuyasha leaned against the side of his squad car, his hands buried in the sides of his coat and shoulders shrugged upward to utilize the thick collar and cover his exposed neck better. During the winter, he almost felt he was better off leaving his hair down for any sort of added warmth, but too often than not, the long, silver mess got in his way, so he relented to dressing it up in a ponytail to keep as much of it out of his face as possible. He also felt a ten dollar scarf would have paid for itself seventy times over by now, but he just couldn't bring himself to swallow his pride and purchase one. If his own head of hair got in his damn way, a frilly ass scarf definitely would.

He felt restless where he stood, especially as he caught her nearby scent, growing stronger by the second. He shouldn't be here, and he knew it. It was perfectly clear. His pride may be hurt, but still, there was no swallowing the urge to make sure she was alright. It had been three days since the pictures showed up and they were no closer to figuring out a thing. All the questions pointed his way were driving him insane. He needed a break. He needed to see her.

"Kagome." He breathed as she approached the twisted, thin-wired gate in front of the sidewalk he stood on, the name coming out as a visible puff in front of his mouth, dissipating upwards. She turned around, hair whipping over her shoulders at the speed. He hadn't meant to startle her, especially when it was easy to understand she was on edge. As her eyes landed on him, the corners of her lips curved downward, a notable twitch in her brow.

"What are you doing here?" She huffed, walking over to him.

"Here." Inuyasha grabbed the small, disposable coffee cup from the hood of his car, careful to make sure she could grab it by the sleeve.

"What is this, some kind of peace offering?"

"It's a coffee." He answered flatly, rolling his golden eyes. "Would you just take the damn thing?"

Kagome took it, a small thank you brushing from her lips as she held the hot cup between both of her hands. She knew full and well that Inuyasha hated going into any sort of coffee shop, and reminded herself that if anyone else had brought her a coffee, she would have appreciated the gesture to no end. Just because it was him didn't mean she should suddenly be the kind of person to refuse the generosity, especially when it came to a cappuccino in the dead of winter.

"So, what are you doing here?" She repeated after taking a small sip. "Did you figure something out?"

"No. Everything's a dead end so far. No luck with the phone numbers. Chances are, they're burn phones, so the numbers are hard to trace unless they're making calls. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Oh."

"Has anything happened since we last saw you?"

"No. You don't have to check on me, Inuyasha. I would have called you or your partner if I'd noticed anything." Kagome said, shrugging deeper into her coat, her wavy, black hair curving messily about the thick scarf wrapped around her neck.

"Call me. Don't worry about calling Koga. I can get to you a lot faster than he can, and take care of everything else."

"Geez, it's not a pissing contest, Inuyasha." She made sure to keep her voice down with the amount of parents and children walking through the open gates behind her. "What happens if you don't answer your phone? Am I allowed to call Koga then?"

"Don't worry about that, I'll answer." He argued, following her lead to control their tones in front of the little kids.

"Well, you're notorious for it."

"Will you let that go?"

"Miss Kagome?" A small voice behind them spoke, his tiny fingers wrapping through the holes in the chain-link fence. "Who's that?"

"He's a police officer, honey. He was just saying hi." Kagome responded, smiling at the little boy as if she wasn't currently bothered in the least. "Why don't you go inside, Shippo? It's freezing out here. I'll be there in a second."

"Can we do arts and crafts today?"

"We can do extra arts and crafts since it's too cold to play outside."

"Okay!"

Kagome watched as the small kit ran to the entry door to her class, his thick windbreaker making it difficult for his arms to rest at his side, making him look something similar to a blue marshmallow running for warmth. As soon as she saw him rush past her teaching assistant, she turned her heated attention back to the half demon.

"Just because I've got someone following me around now doesn't mean you can just show up whenever you want and pretend like nothing happened, Inuyasha. Nothing's changed between you and I, so you don't need to pretend like you care all of a sudden."

"Who's pretending?" He barked, unable to bite back the anger as he was once again wounded by the jab she took. Never once had he stopped caring for her. A lifespan could pass, and he'd still drop everything for Kagome.

She took a deep breath to wane her swelling temper, her brown eyes immediately bouncing away from him to look at literally anything else. She was itching to get away, simultaneously drawn to Inuyasha while equally uncomfortable being near him. She absolutely hated the larger part of her that welcomed the pull. A rush of heat ran through her face, her bottom lip dropping to say a quick and snide remark that could easily drop him down a peg, but resealing against her top lip to swallow. "Thank you for the coffee. I'm fine. I'll let you know if something changes. Have a good day. Goodbye."

He watched her turn on her heel and head through the gate, giving warm hello's to the parents dropping off their children as she got closer to the door of her class. He always found it interesting how Kagome was capable of hiding her feelings in the presence of others. If she didn't want anyone to know she was upset, they never would. When it came to him, though, she was an open book. They'd been close for so long, an immediate connection attracting them to the other; they'd seen the ugly and the beautiful sides of one another. He knew it'd be damn near impossible to cut it off. She was brave enough to embrace things on her own, and more often than she ever should, she would. With him, and very few others, there was no wall. When she'd formed a connection with someone, it was a long-term and subconscious thing. Whether she liked it or not. Money down, she wasn't too fond of this one in particular. He understood her better than she did, herself; that's the truth of what happened between them. They connected on indescribable levels. He knew just how scared she was, how angry she felt, and the anxiety that was keeping her up at night. Inuyasha wanted to step in and ease all of that for her, but it wasn't his place. He fucked his place up months ago, and Kagome was making it next to impossible to rectify anything now that the opportunity had presented itself. Up until a few days ago, he never thought she'd speak to him again, and although the first words from her mouth were damn close to an insult, her voice had revitalized a heat in his chest that he hadn't felt since the moment she blocked him out.

How masochistic was that?

Nothing she said would prevent him from doing his job, though. Nothing would ever stop him from making sure she was safe.

#In Between #chapter 1 #inuyasha #kagome #Kagome Higurashi #inukag #inuyasha fic #inuyasha fanfiction #inuyasha fanfic #inukag fic #inukag fanfiction #akitokihojo #my writing

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akitokihojo · 6 years ago

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In Between: Chapter 3

Hello! Life’s still a mess, but thankfully I’m still on track!

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SVU Precinct

"What the hell do you mean I'm off the case?" Inuyasha barked, slamming his fist on the captain's desk, the nearby container of pens, markers, and highlighters spilling over onto the paper-littered, mahogany surface.

"Just what it sounds like, Inuyasha." Their assistant district attorney stated, arms crossed over her chest in a demeanor that said she wouldn't be budging from their decision.

"You can't be assigned a case that you're involved in. Things don't work that way, detective." Totosai added, hardly phased by the temper of the half demon.

"That's exactly why I should be working it! I've obviously met this guy, so don't you think I'd be the best one to track his ass down?"

"What if you're wrong? What if this is your Average Joe stalker?"

"Look at the damn evidence, Kagura!"

"Believe me, I have. There's hardly enough to prove that you've met this perp."

"Good thing you're not a detective." He sneered.

"All I see is a case that doesn't even belong to this department." She trudged on, gritting her teeth and rubbing her temples toward the end of her sentence.

"A case I'm fighting like hell to keep because you're involved, Inuyasha. It's a huge conflict of interest and if you get in the way, we could lose it." Inuyasha flinched, clenching his jaw. If SVU lost the case, the only way it'd fall back into their hands- if the Internal Affairs Board wasn't already involved- was if a sexual crime of any nature occurred. That was the downfall of the Special Victim's Unit; they worked with the extremes: sexual assault, rape, and child abuse of all forms. "It belongs to Sango and Hojo now. I expect you to stay out of it, and when necessary, your full cooperation. For instance, right now. Miroku's been called in. Go help them evaluate the situation and then butt out when they're done. And before you ask, yes I'm serious. I.A.B. catches wind, you can kiss whatever chances we have goodbye."

"This is fucking bullshit." He huffed as he headed out, the silver hair tied at the crown of his head whipping around with the velocity of his turn, slamming the door shut behind him. Sango and Hojo were staring at a large whiteboard they'd wheeled over to their area, pictures taped up and notes scrawled in chunks, not even filling half of the surface. The detectives casually leaned against a desk as they quietly spoke with the on-call team psychiatrist, appearing more interested than the half demon felt they should. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, not looking forward to the prodding the psych was no doubt about to do. As much as he should be willing to answer all of his questions, he also wanted a new case to suddenly pull him away, making it impossible for Miroku to intrude on his personal life. He was annoying as all hell. You'd give the guy a little, and he'd be able to see the exact traumas that fucked you up when you were thirteen. It was freaky, and no human should hold that sort of power.

Inuyasha approached slowly, sighing defeatedly when their eyes fell on him, Hojo's annoying smile causing the half demon to fight back a cringe.

"It's kind of hard to get into a stalker's mind when you don't even know who the guy is, don't you think?" Inuyasha asked, fully implying that the psychiatrist was brought in prematurely.

"Not at all," Miroku began, raising his eyebrows at the question. "You don't have to have the person present to gather their motif. Maybe finding the pattern beneath all of this will help us track him down."

"What pattern? He's hit her house twice."

"I think he's been to her house more than that, actually." He stated, pointing to the printed pictures of Kagome's bedroom taped to the board. Inuyasha stiffened at the thought, his eyes shooting to the perfectly made mattress that Miroku referenced. "Everything but the bed was destroyed. In fact, he made sure to put the bed together. It all seems very detail oriented. That, alone, tells us he's got an M.O.. One that involves watching and observing from the sidelines."

"Watching and observ- are you kidding me? Miroku, he's a stalker!"

"Oh contraire, my friend. He knew what he was doing. This guy is patient. He's been taking photos for months now out of view, and he wasn't just doing that as a hobby. He was gathering the information he needed."

"Where, exactly, are you going with this?" Sango questioned.

"From what we can see of the state of Kagome's apartment, he wasn't exploring like someone who was purely interested in only her and her lifestyle; he wasn't trying to slowly crawl his way under her skin to quote-unquote connect with her. This was someone who was trying to make a statement. Yes, stalking is a major factor in all of this, but it's too superficial. This guy isn't a stalker at all. He's a master manipulator who likes the hunt."

The team was quiet, their mouths sealed shut as all of them stared back at Miroku with different levels of bemusement. It was a sign, albeit not a clear one but one he's learned to recognize, that they were just about on board with him. They just needed an extra push.

"Inuyasha, how many times has he been to your apartment?" Miroku continued, feeling confident in his theory.

"He hasn't. There's no way I could have missed a stench like his."

"Exactly. He knows you can smell him out. He knows you're a half demon and the more time he spends around you, the closer you'll come to finding him, so the drive isn't there. Yet. For the meantime, he can get away with targeting someone you care about. You'll catch his faint trail, but it won't lead you far because you'll be too busy taking care of Kagome. My guess is, this is bringing him a level of satisfaction no one can even begin to describe. I think he's been getting dangerously closer and closer to Kagome for a while now, and he's only allowing you to know now that he's got his method down and he's about to strike. He's ready to play this game because he recognizes that there's a very slim chance you'll be able to stop him in time."

"I hate to say it, but that makes a lot of sense." Sango looked from side-to-side at the two male detectives, exploring their expressions. Hojo was pondering, his blue eyes aimed at the floor while he tapped his knuckle to his lips. She knew her partner, and she knew her partner well. He wasn't convinced. Inuyasha didn't look the least bit pleased, as per usual. She couldn't tell if he agreed with Miroku's theory, or if he was just plain pissed that this was all happening in the first place. Most likely the latter.

"What about the bed? Something about it was a little too disconcerting, don't you think? What was the point of it?" Hojo asked.

"It's hard to say." Miroku's air of confidence slightly wilted away as his gaze drifted back to the board of pictures. "It most likely falls back within the lines of manipulation. When you see your house completely destroyed, what are the first feelings you get?"

"Fear, discomfort, unfamiliarity, anxiety, maybe anger." Sango listed, scooting her bottom over the ledge of her desk to sit, crossing her legs and bracing her hands on the edge of the wood.

"Lets go with the most common; fear and anxiety. He may be the kind of guy that enjoys inflating these emotions in his victims. By creating this scene, he's intensifying all of that. It's a bed she'll no longer feel comfortable sleeping in. He's touched it- tainted it, so to say. Made it appear welcoming while destroying every other aspect of her home. I think it'd be obvious that she'd rather lay in the mess than come close to her bed."

"All-in-all, discomfort, which is a simplified word for what she's feeling, is at an all time high." Hojo added as he caught on, rubbing the curve of his chin with his forefinger and thumb.

"Yes, exactly. He's violated every inch of her apartment, and he's essentially rubbing her nose in it. Not even her blankets can provide a sense of solace. If you think about it, this could be his way to get at Inuyasha, as well."

"How so?" Koga asked, walking up behind Inuyasha. He gave the half demon's shoulder a heavy pat, taking up his post beside him as if he'd been a part of the discussion the entire time.

"No one feels a bigger sense of helplessness than him." Miroku answered carefully, glancing at the hanyou. The muscles in his jaw were adamant, flaring his temples as he cocked and bit his jaw down. He seemed to be holding himself in place, his entire body rigid, ember eyes flickering around in annoyance, heavily avoiding all eye contact. It was difficult to determine if he had checked out, or if everything had processed perfectly clear. Still, he'd fully expected the half demon to blow up by now with loud proclamations of how nothing would ever happen to his friend with him around and how he'll catch whomever this is before he can get to her. The heated expression he was wearing was something Miroku had come to know very well from his years of helping the team solve detailed and riveting crimes, but everything else was slightly out of character for Inuyasha. Even if he was just holding himself together to follow orders, he couldn't help but be at least a little surprised the Inuyasha hadn't stormed away from his recent comment.

"So the creep knows how to fuck with their victims' head." Koga nodded, successfully increasing the undeniable tension swelling around the group.

"I'm not a victim." Inuyasha stated through gritted teeth.

"Now's not the time to be prideful." Hojo chided.

"I may be getting ahead of myself," Miroku spoke, redirecting the conversation back to where it belonged. "But given the circumstances, I highly believe, and agree, you've come face-to-face with our perp before. We can look back into old cases similar to this to discover his underlying M.O.. If we find him quick enough, we may be able to figure out his next move."

"What if he's not in the system?" Sango asked skeptically.

"Then we may be wasting time, but we have to start somewhere."

"According to you, we don't have time to waste!" Inuyasha shot, glaring incredulously at the know-it-all in front of them, his temper teetering dangerously on the edge. "He's getting closer and closer, and we're running on guesses!"

"You, yourself, suggested he knows you. We have nowhere else to begin, Inuyasha, so why don't we go with our gut?" Miroku responded sternly. The half demon preferred to be in charge and, at this point, just about everything was out of his hands. The more time they spent talking, the more frustrated and antsy he was bound to get. It didn't take a psychiatrist to figure that much out. Inuyasha wasn't the stoic, mysterious person that he tried so hard to be. He was as easy to read as a children's book. He was a hot-tempered, fast-paced, stubborn guy that too often bit off more than he could chew.

"Anything ringing a bell that can give us an idea where to dive in?" Hojo asked from his corner of the group. Inuyasha shook his head, inhaling deeply to quell the building flames in his abdomen.

"Nothing recent, that's for sure."

"Alright, well we'll get to it. Try to keep yourself busy in the mean time." Sango hopped down from the desk, leading her partner down the hall to Totosai's office to discuss their current plan of action.

It was hard to tear his eyes away from the photos taped to the whiteboard, and even harder not to rip them down. It pissed him off that someone brought Kagome into the mix just to get to him. There were too many pre-existing, conflicting emotions involving her in the first place, and the fact that this bastard decided to reopen that door just to antagonize him had him rightfully furious. Looking at the evidence, feeling powerless when it came to her wellbeing, and annoyingly dumbstruck as to who could possibly be behind all of this made the anger so much fucking worse.

Just who the hell had he managed to tick off this time around?

"Have you considered taking some time off?" Miroku asked, stepping in Inuyasha's line of sight, intentionally blocking him from the snapshots. Koga moved closer, as if silently suggesting he supported the thought.

"No. What the hell would that solve?" He crossed his arms to harden his stature, regretting the motion. Surely, the doc would read that as him guarding himself or some other equally pathetic evaluation.

"Maybe there's something you'd be better off doing at home as opposed to sitting here growing frustrated with a case you can't touch."

"I'm better off here." Inuyasha said resolutely, giving a final, deadpan stare and walking away, semi-effectively ending the conversation. Miroku, being smart with his fancy, expensive degree, got the hint. He'd caught the slight shrug from Miroku's shoulders in his peripheral vision before he headed to Totosai's office, joining Sango and Hojo. Unfortunately, it took stronger hints to get through to Koga, the wolf demon following close behind Inuyasha on his way to his station.

"Yeah? On desk duty?"

"I need to be here in case anything happens. Psych boy can't probe my brain if I'm sitting on my ass at home. The more accessible I am, the higher chances we have at getting this shit handled as quick as possible."

"Alright, I can get that. That's actually pretty smart of you, but I know that's not the real reason behind it."

"Oh, yeah? You gain some mind reading powers recently?"

"Please," Koga grunted, rolling his blue eyes over dramatically. "I've been your partner for too long not to know the basics about you. If you were at home, there'd be nothing to keep you busy and you'd end up obsessing over the case. You'd grow restless and then begin to conduct your own investigation, which would not fly under the radar because you don't know the definition of subtlety. Thankfully, and surprisingly, you're intelligent enough not to risk the consequences given the circumstances of involvement."

"Hey, you'd be in the same fucking position if Ayame was in danger!" Inuyasha growled, infuriated by Koga's nonchalance.

"You're not wrong. I'd want answers just as much as you do and it would piss me off when I couldn't play a hand in getting them, but I'm at least bright enough to see the blessing in disguise here."

Inuyasha groaned, pushing papers and files around his desk to make it look like he was suddenly busy, hoping it would be enough incentive to send is partner away. "Not everyone can be as infuriatingly optimistic as you, wolf."

"Jesus Chris, has anyone told you how stupid you are, dog breath?"

"What-"

"You can actually protect Kagome now! If this were your assignment, you'd constantly be up shit creek for ignoring protocol and personally seeing to Kagome's safety! Kagura and Totosai are trying to prevent Internal Affairs from getting involved, which is a pretty big fucking deal!" His partner slammed the drawer shut, nearly catching Inuyasha's fingers and grabbing the attention of the entire office. "At the same time, they're doing you a favor. Now you can legally step in; you don't need backup with you twenty four-seven to cock block. You can do whatever the fuck you want that doesn't involve touching your case. It's obvious you'll be kept up to speed on it. You'll know one way or the other what's going on at all times. No one here is against you! Why the hell is this so hard for you to understand?"

"Shut up! You don't see the bind I'm in right now! I can't help my own investigation unless called on, and I can't play bodyguard to someone who doesn't want anything to do with me. It's a fucking lose-lose. Don't act like you haven't noticed." Inuyasha seethed, reeling his voice in but keeping the growl evident.

"Oh, I've noticed." Koga's voice came off rough, deep, hardly hiding the hint of amusement behind it. "How about you use this new-found free time to handle your shit?"

"How about you learn how to mind your fucking business? She told me the other night she doesn't want my help!"

"First of all, when has that ever stopped you? You're the most persistent guy I know. Second, here's an idea, and it's wild so bear with me: fix it!"

Inuyasha groaned, rolling his eyes. He makes it sound so fucking easy.

"Say you're sorry."

"Butt out. Don't act like you know what happened."

"Alright, so tell me."

"No."

"Seriously, own up. What did you do?"

"Back off!"

"What'd you do, mutt face?"

"What the fuck is your-"

"What'd you..." Koga paused, his mouth still agape, his eyes slowly widening as some sort of belated epiphany hit him. Finally, an exasperated laugh left his lips, making him come off more crazy than annoying for once. "Wait, woah, wait. I knew I remembered her name from somewhere. A few months ago you were stressed and angry and all kinds of mopey. You kept checking your phone, and I remember seeing her name one time when I peeked over. I can't believe I'm just piecing this together now!"

"Koga!" Inuyasha growled dangerously.

"Man, I remember that like it was yesterday! I've never seen you come so close to puppy eyes in my damn life! You were the epitome of pathetic! There's no way you were only friends with benefits!"

Inuyasha stood up straight, facing Koga and stepping in to size up, his shoulders squaring as he hardened his stance while the wolf demon made no moves away, their height only separated by an inch, though Koga's demeanor made him seem a whole foot taller. The cocky fucker even wore a sly grin on his face.

Then the curve of his lips faded away, landing in a placid, flat line, all traces of amusement vanishing just as quickly as they'd arisen. Koga mirrored the half demon's determined glare, speaking in a low, gruff tone that would only bite at Inuyasha's sensitive ears. "You want to protect her, then do it. You want to be with her, then fix it. You want to get this guy, cooperate. Don't act like the sky is falling and you're the only one the pieces are landing on. You're a fucking detective. You solve problems for a living. If you're going to be high-strung in the office, expect everyone to give you a hard time. All it's telling us is you can't handle the stress, and you've got no business here. If you don't want to be with Kagome, hey, that's cool too. There's one less thing you've gotta do. You've got options. You've got a brain. Utilize it and trust us for once."

The Coffee Shop

Kagome stared down at the letter envelope placed nicely before her on the small, square table, following the path of the pale, calloused fingers that pushed it her way, over the thin-skinned, veiny hand hovering just above it, up the sleeved arm and over the broad shoulder, her perturbed gaze connecting with the slanted, violet eyes of a man. He smiled as if they were old friends meeting up in the cafe after arranging the plans weeks in advanced. As Kagome opened her mouth to say something, he raised his brows and cocked his head, cutting her off before her voice could slip.

"Let's not cause a scene." The man pulled out the chair opposite Kagome, sitting down and scooting forward, propping his chin up as he slid the envelope closer with his free hand. "That's for you. I suggest a smile. Don't want to tip anyone off, do we?"

Kagome had stiffened, justifiably both confused and uncomfortable, her brown eyes shifting to the side to see if anyone was looking. Not a single soul in the cafe was paying them any mind, bodies bustling around in the busy rush of the morning. Still, Kagome complied, giving a wane smile as she revisited the man's fierce stare.

"Do I know you?" She asked, taking the envelope from his fingers and picking it up, palpating the paper to feel the contents within. It was hard to determine exactly what she held, but it definitely wasn't a love letter.

"No, but I know you." His smile never faltered, his pale cheeks turning a dull shade of pink from his pinching smile, amusement shining through.

"I'm gonna take a wild stab in the dark and guess that you're not about to tell me who you are." Kagome grimaced, unable to keep up the facade. Her heart was pounding with the amount of nerves building up in her chest at an alarming rate. Obviously he was a threat with the way he told her not to "tip" anyone off by looking anything other than pleased, which was enough to instantaneously spike her fight or flight, the latter looking to be more satisfying. Kagome willed herself to calm as much as possible, telling herself that reacting negatively would only make matters worse. This had something to do with her stalker case, she was positive about that much. What she wasn't sure about was whether she was sitting a mere foot away from the culprit, himself, or if this was his errand boy.

"You're good at this." He chuckled. "He didn't tell me you were so smart."

Errand boy.

"That's probably because he doesn't know anything about me other than what he's seen in the pictures he takes. And these are..." Kagome waved the envelope around by the side, the weight of its contents bending the paper back and forth.

"Your guess is as good as mine." He shrugged, seemingly even more amused than before. He leaned back a bit, too comfortable for her liking, his stark black ponytail resting over his shoulder before he flicked it behind. "I also wouldn't get too confident with that theory. From what I've heard, he knows you pretty well, and your friend even better."

Kagome swallowed hard, looking from the envelope to the man before her and back down to the envelope, decidedly sliding it back his way along the table. "I don't want it."

"Not my problem." He said, sliding them back to her. "I did my job."

"You know, you're pretty ballsy to approach me this way in public."

"Yeah, yeah." His lips actually twitched downward for the first time since he'd invited himself over, rolling his violet eyes as he leaned forward and propped his forearms on the table, his shoulders sinking minutely. "You gotta do what you gotta do. I don't think you're dumb enough to make a scene right now, because who knows what'll happen if you do, and by the time you tell the police I'll be long gone. What harm will some over-pixelated security camera footage do compared to the lunatic watching my every move?"

"You don't have to do his bidding. You could turn him into the police right now and-"

"What? Your little detective friend will keep me safe?" The smile returned. "Because you're so safe right now?" The man laughed, intensifying the sickening feeling in the pit of Kagome's abdomen.

"I'm not afraid of him, Kagome. I'm not the one that needs saving." He continued, cocking a brow at her as he studied her pinning expression, leaning further over the small table. She was trying to make it illegible, stone cold, hoping her eyes would somehow fog over so he couldn't get anything off of her, but by the taunting grin he wore, she could tell it wasn't holding up. "You're afraid, though. Aren't you? The dark circles beneath your eyes tell me you haven't been sleeping very well. I don't think it's all that fair that you're suffering alone like this. You know who I think should be even more afraid than you are?"

The man rose from his seat, readjusting the hoody over his shoulders just as a barista called Kagome's name to let her know her coffee was finally ready. He looked to the counter where the sleeved, to-go cup waited, then back to her, flashing one last unwelcome, thin-lipped smile. "Inuyasha."

Before she could gather her wits, before she could find her voice and ask what he meant, the man walked away, the slightest hint of flamboyancy in his step. The notion yanked at Kagome's insides, twisting and pulling, a clammy sweat dotting her hairline as she processed everything. While it was recently discovered that he was more involved than she'd initially presumed, she still didn't know to what degree. Was it a game, or was this guy solely out to destroy Inuyasha's life?

And here she was making matters worse by acting out, being selfish, only concerned about herself and what she was going through, making sure to push the ill feelings toward the photos of Inuyasha to the back of her mind while she tried over and over to justify the way she reacted the last time she saw him- no matter how awful she felt for it. How could she claim she hated seeing him on the receiving end of this and then actively shut him out? Where had her compassion gone? No matter what took place between she and Inuyasha in the past, it didn't change the fact that they were being hunted down by someone. The both of them. Together. Yet, when it came down to it, when the opportunity was presented for them to help each other, she turned him away without a second thought. She wanted nothing to do with him when all he wanted to do was ensure her wellbeing.

Inuyasha wasn't just the victim of this ongoing, slow burn attack. He was the victim of her stupid, wounded pride and the onslaught of malicious feelings she refused to control.

Even after the events that ended whatever unspoken relationship they had, Kagome could admit Inuyasha deserved better.

She sat and waited, watching the man make his way through the unknowing crowd and exit the double glass doors without looking back at her, taking most of the dense air he'd suffocated her with along with him. Then she forced herself to move, her muscles feeling as unsteady as they would after a rigorous workout. She stood from the wooden chair, hesitantly taking the envelope with her, gently pushing through the crowd around the pickup counter and snagging the large cup with her name on it. To be honest, she didn't even want it anymore, but she knew that if this was the way her day was starting off, it was best to get as much caffeine in her system as soon as possible.

Even though she'd shoved the envelope deep into the confinements of her purse, she could practically feel it burning a hole through the cheap material, heat seeping through her jeans and irritating the skin beneath. Her fingers itched to get it opened and over with, to see what sort of snapshots she'd been rewarded this time around, but there hadn't been a good opportunity just yet. Kagome was standing at the entry of her classroom, holding the door open as her students filed in, having barely made it to work on time. Her purse still dangled over her shoulder, coffee in one hand while the other hand was held out to give high-fives to the children on their way inside.

"Hey, are you okay? You seem a little out of it." Her teaching assistant asked as Kagome shut the door.

"Yeah." She quickly dismissed, waving to push the notion aside. "I've just had a hectic morning. Would you mind leading their warmups while I get a few things situated?"

Ayumi agreed with a happy nod, pulling the talkative kids' attention her way to gather around the circular area rug as they finished shoving their belongings into their respective cubbies at the back of the room. Kagome left her to it, parking in the seat behind her desk and fishing the envelope out of her purse, using her nail to peel up the corner of the glued flap before shoving her finger through to rip the top open. She was eager to get this done, eager to see how much messier things were about to get, and then baffled when she saw the contents weren't even remotely close to what she was expecting. She flicked through the multi-colored polaroids without fully taking them out of the envelope. None of the pictured women and children looked familiar in the least. The photos seemed aged, naturally discolored, and the people in the images dressed in out-dated fashions. Every single one of them were candid and taken from a close distance, an occasional shoulder getting in the path of a clear shot. She guessed these were from the late eighties to mid nineties by the way the women presented feathered or crimped their hair, flared out the ends of their bob cuts, or purposely kept thin strands free to frame the sides of their face from the tiny butterfly clips decorating the tops of their head.

But why did she receive these? Was it a coded message of some sort? She flipped through the photos again, checking the backs of each one to see if anything was written. Nothing.

Great.

It had to be a clue. A clue meant for the police, because obviously she was going to hand it over. This guy was having so much fun playing his sick, maniacal game that he was even willingly giving information to S.V.U. to help them out, using as many messengers as necessary in between. It seemed Kagome was officially a messenger.

Although it was only a theory, it was the only thing that made sense. Why else would she be handed pictures of total strangers from over a decade ago? It could be a sign that they'd gone through the same thing she and Inuyasha are currently dealing with. Maybe even worse considering children were involved. Or, it could be something to completely derail them. Either way, she needed to show these to Inuyasha and the others. She needed to tell them she was approached by a lackey and give them the description she'd been repeating in her head to make sure no details were forgotten. She needed to get through the day with the best smile she could conjure up, get her work done, then make her way down to the police department, animosity with the half demon be damned.

No one would be able to tell where her head was if she had it her way. She could handle this. This was the hand she'd been dealt, so she had no other choice. Her life may have been turned upside down, but Kagome wasn't about to allow it to fall apart.

She waved to the few students that shouted goodbye as the last of the parents showed up to retrieve their children, traveling out of the open gate after locking up her classroom, and heading the exact opposite direction from where she lived. She kept her head down, hoping her thick, wavy hair was enough to hide her face from any curious photographers, camera clicks practically echoing in her ears. Kagome had to remind herself it was all in her head. She was being paranoid. She was under a ton of stress, so feeling this way was to be expected. She'd seen enough Law & Order to learn a thing or two, and no matter what kind of level head she attempted to maintain, she was no exception to the side affects of victimization.

The front of the building was busy as she walked up the front steps, slowly hopping up a few before standing aside and waiting for a policeman escorting a handcuffed, half-dressed woman by the arm to pass through the doors before following through, herself, quickly scouting out the directory to find which floor the Special Victim's Unit was on.

Third.

She jumped in an elevator, squeezing in with four more people and pressing the button to her destination, politely ducking out as the ding indicated they'd arrived. She wasn't nervous about reporting what had happened; she was eager to do anything that could help end the madness sooner rather than later. Yet, being in the hallway just outside their propped, double doors, getting closer and closer to entering with each step made her feel unbelievably anxious. Suddenly she wasn't so sure she could go inside or not. It was only a few days ago that she'd told Inuyasha to leave; that she didn't want, nor need, any help from him. Now, here she was, dragging her cheap boots through the halls of his domain, semi-ready to give a brief, in-person statement so that he would help her. It was that annoying pull talking again, the one that always wanted to see Inuyasha, creating an arena for her conflicting emotions to battle it out in.

The worst part of it all was she didn't know what to expect once she made it through the doorway. Was he going to blow her off? Jump up to see if she was okay? Light up like he always used to? Touch her like she found herself craving so badly in the middle of her sleepless nights? Good lord, she was being ridiculous. Eye-roll worthy, even for herself. What right did she have to feel this way? What right did she have to hold a grudge on him in the first place, and then throw it all in his face when he was trying to help? This wasn't her. She had the prerogative to be upset about everything taking place, even what he'd done to her all those months ago, but she was usually capable of handling things in a more mature manner; "usually" being the keyword.

To say she was a mess was an understatement. Kagome was a walking drawing done by a toddler, lines and scribbles decorating a page, dancing all over the place but the ends never meet to join.

This wasn't the ideal predicament to reconnect with someone, anyone would agree. Nor did she particularly want to reconnect. At first. The more she regretted her blow out, which increased by the hour since that night, the more she found herself wanting to work on things. Maybe it was just the sense of vulnerability that was getting to her. Maybe she felt isolated, and it was wilting her defenses. Or maybe she'd just come to her senses and understood that they didn't have to be friends, but they could reasonably work with one another until they got this pervert off the streets and behind bars. Whatever the case, she acted like an ass and she'd have to make it right. Or as right as possible at this point in time.

Her chocolate eyes wandered over the large, busy room, searching for the familiar head of silver hair that always gave him away, disappointed when he wasn't in plain sight. Her stomach was doing baby flips inside of her abdomen, light but still enough to make her feel unsettled. She thought maybe if she saw his reaction to her showing up, any reaction at all, she'd be able to gauge the damage she'd done.

She'd been having a long, dramatic, troubling battle with herself over the past few days about whether he actually deserved an apology or not. She was stressed beyond belief, but she never found that to be a good excuse to treat someone poorly. He'd hurt her, yes, but that still doesn't make it acceptable to react the way she had been. They were best friends before she'd kissed him. They were inseparable before Kagome fell hopelessly in love. Then things went to hell and it was over. Even though she'd cut off contact with him, he never used it against her or budged from her case. He did more than he was required to do; checking in one time with a coffee, rushing over when she called in the middle of the night, offering to help her get her home back together or even guard her as she slept. As unnecessary as it all was, it was still nice and mildly comforting.

He deserved it. He deserved better. She was being a brat.

"Hi, excuse me." Kagome stopped a young man in uniform, holding her hand out to gently touch his upper arm and grab his attention, but changed her mind last minute and flinched her fingers back just as he faced her. He gave a small smile, the dimples in his cheeks sinking inward. "I'm looking for Inuyasha. He's a detective here, I think."

"He's out at the moment. Is there something I can help you with, ma'am?"

"Oh. I just needed to talk to-"

"Miss Higurashi? Is something the matter?" Kagome couldn't help the slight jump her muscles gave, turning to see Hojo walking over to join at the officer's side. He wore a kind smile, almost charming enough to be reassuring, his blue eyes dulled by shadow and coming off as a calming grey.

"Not really. Well yes, but it's not all that urgent."

"What happened?" Hojo reached out, giving a firm squeeze to the edge of her shoulder. The entire time she'd had it in her head that Inuyasha would be the one handling whatever information she had, given the circumstances and their connection. As pathetic as it felt, she wasn't mentally prepared to speak to anyone else. If he wasn't even in the building, though, it wouldn't be practical to sit on it. She had pictures in her bag, a possible piece to the puzzle if she were thinking positively, and just a small moment ago she thought she was perfectly fine speaking about it. Of course, that was under the pretense that she knew who she was speaking to. Now all she felt was hot and nauseous and discombobulated.

"I, uh..." Kagome paused, willing the words to the surface of her tongue. "I met someone working for my stalker this morning. Our stalker. When do you think Inuyasha will be back?"

Hojo's eyes grew a little darker with the slight shift his head gave, his lips sinking downward into a serious mode she didn't imagine he had.

"I'm not sure. Come on over to my desk, Miss Higurashi. Let's talk."

"B-but shouldn't we wait for him? He needs to know this too, doesn't he?" She was nervous. More than nervous, but she didn't quite know what the emotion was called. Her palms were beginning to sweat, and she was trying to distract herself from the uprising, tingling agitation in her chest by chewing on her bottom lip. She thought she'd be in her comfort zone with someone she knew. Now she was about to give this information to someone she'd only spoken to on one occasion, and this entire situation was too foreign to make sense anymore. She just wanted one source of familiarity so that she could gather herself. Even if he was mad at her, it didn't matter. She just needed Inuyasha in the room. He could sit on the far side and mope for all she cared. So long as he was there, she'd be okay.

"I'm sorry, I thought he would have told you... he's not on the case anymore."

"Oh." Kagome hoped the surprise wasn't evident on her face. "Why not?"

Hojo hesitated, his mouth opening to respond, the corners twitching upward as he thought of something to say. "I probably shouldn't be the one to say. What I can tell you, though, is it's been reassigned to Detective Sango and I. We'll take care of you, Kagome. I promise."

He left the case. It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on her, shocking her heated nervous system. Inuyasha up and left her case. Apparently, when she said she didn't want his help he took it to heart. He'd taken himself out of the equation entirely, leaving her, their, situation to his coworkers. Maybe this was what she deserved, but she couldn't stifle how abandoned she was left feeling.

"Would you like something to drink? Coffee? Hot cocoa? Water?" Hojo led her to his desk at the far end of the large office, rolling a free chair over for her to sit in at the side.

"N-no thanks." Kagome shook her head, slowly squatting into the padded seat he offered, trying to fend off the emotions that, as of right now, were completely irrelevant.

"Miss Higurashi, I don't want you to be afraid to talk to me. I'm here to help just as much as Inuyasha would be. Even more so, considering the circumstances." He said, taking his own seat and scooting an inch closer, pen and notepad already at his fingertips. He may have been trying to make her feel better, but wow, salt in the wound. Kagome ignored the jab, knowing that the detective meant well, and willed herself to work with Hojo just as she'd decided to do with Inuyasha. "So you think you met someone in acquaintance with your stalker? What do you mean by that?"

"Someone approached me while I was waiting for my coffee this morning. The way he talked made it pretty clear he was an employee."

"How so?" He asked, looking over as Sango silently joined them. She smiled at Kagome, gesturing for her to go on as she leaned against the desk on the other side of Hojo.

"He kept referring to another man, saying things like, "He never told me you were so smart." and, "...He knows you pretty well, and your friend even better." He said his job was to deliver an envelope, and that was it."

"Okay," Hojo scribbled some words on the small paper of his notepad. "Start from the beginning. What happened?"

"I was sitting off to the side while I waited for my coffee, and he comes over, slides me an envelope, and tells me to smile so no one would grow suspicious."

"Where do you get your coffee from?"

"A place called The Coffee Shop. Unoriginal but close to home."

"I've heard of it. He never gave you a name?"

"No. Nothing. Not his name or his boss's."

"What was in the envelope?"

"Oh!" Kagome reached for the small pouch still slung over her shoulder, shifting it to sit on her thighs as she opened the zipper and pulled out the creased paper, handing it to the detectives before her. "Here. There's pictures inside. At this point, I really didn't expect anything different."

Hojo opened the top of the torn flap, pulling out the small polaroids and sifting through, his brows twitching together, but not deep enough to create any wrinkles. Sango leaned in, taking the pictures Hojo was finished with and looking them over, her brown eyes scouting over the photos in the same manner Kagome imagined she looked when she'd received them.

"Do you know these people?" Sango asked, struggling to peel her sight away from the photographs.

Kagome shook her head in response, her shoulders raising in a small shrug but never lowering as the tension held her still. "My only hope is it's a hint of some sort?" The unsurety of her words rang through.

"You let us worry about that." Hojo said reassuringly, handing the remainder of the pictures over to his partner and grabbing his pen once more. "Would you mind telling me what he looked like?"

"He was... pale." She breathed, willing her body to relax a little. This was what she'd rehearsed all morning and afternoon. "Violet eyes. Pointed ears. Long, black hair pulled back in a ponytail. He smiled a lot, like he thought the whole thing was funny."

"What was he wearing?"

"Jeans. Black jeans, I think. He had on a plain, grey shirt with a navy hoodie over it."

"And have you ever seen this man before?" Sango asked, cocking her head to the side, the bangs that framed her temples shifting off her skin but keeping their blowdried curve.

"No. At least, I didn't recognize him."

"Did anything he say stand out?"

"It all stood out to me." Kagome admitted. "I remember our entire conversation. He called whoever he's working for a lunatic, taunted me a little, and said Inuyasha should be even more afraid than I am."

Both of the detectives' faces contorted in dismay, but before they could say anything, Kagome continued. She could feel herself slowly beginning to crumble under the weight that had been piling on over the weeks, her chin quivering from trying to keep the evident frown on her face under control. "I don't know what he meant, and he left before I could ask. You know, things were bad enough when there was one guy following us around, but now he's got people running his errands for him. I'm constantly looking over my shoulder, but for who? I know this guy's face, but he could always employ someone completely different next time around. Or maybe even do some of the work, himself, and I wouldn't even know." She paused, trying to gather herself, looking back and forth between Sango and Hojo, trying to find an ounce of the strength she would have seen had she been looking in the hanyou's ember eyes. When she couldn't, when she realized she was reaching for something unfeasible to attain, she felt her aggravation flair. "I don't understand what's going on, and I'm sick of not knowing! Do you have anything new to tell me? Anything at all? Have I done something to attract someone's attention? Is Inuyasha involved because of me? What reason does he have to be more afraid? What did I do!?" There it was. Her breaking point was in her line of vision, not too much further ahead. For so long she'd been trying to rationalize with herself, and she finally realized that was impossible to do when nothing made sense; when the puzzle had too many pieces and everything was quickly becoming more and more complex.

"No, Kagome," Sango was quick to cross from the other side of Hojo, kneeling in front of her as if to meet her at eye-level, her warm hands firmly grasping her arms just above the elbows. "Listen, it is normal for victims to blame themselves, but the reality of it is this is no one's fault but the perp's. He's targeting you and Inuyasha for reasons that are his own and his own alone. While we don't have answers yet, we're gonna figure this out? The both of you will be just fine."

Reluctantly, Kagome nodded in acknowledgment, not fully convinced but still unexpectedly comforted by how much Sango seemed to believe her own words.

"You think Inuyasha would allow anyone to come at him without giving it back ten fold?" Hojo half-joked, leaning against his desk, one shoulder raising higher than the other with his posture. He had a point. She shook her head in response.

"Is there anything else we should know?"

"No." Kagome said, grabbing her bag and gently letting it hang as she rose to a stand so that the weight of it wouldn't jerk down on her shoulder. Sango followed her lead, releasing her hold as they grew taller. "Thank you, guys. Sorry about- uh... that."

"Don't worry about it." Sango disregarded with a wave. "We've seen worse. Can we give you a ride home?"

"Oh, no thanks." She declined, reeling herself back in and smiling delicately. "I don't live too far."

#inuyasha #kagome #Kagome Higurashi #inukag #Inuyasha fanfiction #Inuyasha fic #inukag fanfiction #inukag fic #in between #akitokihojo #my writing #chapter 3

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