On the Outside by SunsetMiko

Locked In

Chapter 12 - Locked In

Inuyasha had decided that the best way to deal with this situation was to confront it head on. He wasn't happy about what he was about to do, but it had to be done. Kagome and Sesshoumaru were both in love and it was making them miserable. He expected that by the end of the day he would once again be alone, with no friends in the world, but Kagome deserved better than the misery she was in at the moment.

It was entirely his fault anyway. She'd given up the man she loved so that she could befriend a hanyou that didn't even deserve her friendship. He didn't deserve even the slightest courtesy, and while the knowledge hurt, it made what he was going to do easier. She'd done something, been something for him that he'd never had before and he would remember it for the rest of his life. The few weeks he'd had a friend would stay with him until the day he died, alone.

He knew this was on the both of them. Both felt betrayed by the actions of the other. Both longed to undo the damage caused in their relationship. Both secretly loved the other and neither was ever going to admit it without prompting. Hopefully this would do the trick.

Arranging this wasn't easy. It wasn't as if he could go to Sesshoumaru and ask him to cooperate. The taiyoukai would have kicked his ass just on principle. The level of frustration and despair his brother was suffering would probably have made the beating a million times worse. No, that option was out. Kagome he could work with. The sweet miko easily agreed to his requested meeting, more than willing to do anything that would keep her mind off her current situation.

And so there he was, waiting for the miko to arrive. Sesshoumaru was already inside, as he'd taken to spending all of his free time in the school library. He had stopped associating with his friends completely, instead wallowing in self-pity while isolating himself as much as possible. He always seemed to be online, on social media, watching what the miko posted through her few remaining online friends. She'd unfriended him weeks ago, a serious blow to the taiyoukai's mental health, but he could still see an occasional post once a mutual friend commented or liked it.

Kagome was late and Inuyasha was beginning to panic. He'd already secured all the other entrances, leaving only the one he knew she preferred open. If she didn't arrive soon, someone would come along to lock up and his plan would be ruined. The library officially closed in just ten minutes and then all his scheming would be for nothing.

"Sorry, Inuyasha," Kagome chimed in her fake happy voice he'd gotten used to hearing. "I had to ask a question and there were a bunch of other people too."

"You're here now. That's all that matters," the hanyou said, fighting to keep the sadness out of his voice. This might very well be the last time she looked at him without disgust. "Kagome, I... I just wanted to say thank you, for everything. I've never had a friend before and it really meant a lot to me."

"Meant? What are you talking about, Inuyasha?"

"Just... Go on inside. I'll be there in a second."

Kagome stepped inside the library and the door slammed behind her. The hanyou peeked through the window and said "It'll be better this way. Trust me. Just... give him another chance."

"What are you talking about, Inuyasha?" she asked while trying to open the door. "Let me out of here!"

Sesshoumaru heard Kagome's voice and instantly his head snapped up. She sounded distressed and even though she'd made it obvious that they were no longer friends, he still cared about her more than she would ever know. He was on his feet in seconds, rushing to where the sound was coming from. He found her glaring daggers at Inuyasha through the small window in the door while trying to open it.

"Kagome? What's going on?"

The miko whirled in shock. "Sesshoumaru?" Suddenly Inuyasha's words were making more sense. "He locked us in here!"

"Inuyasha, let us out of here this instant," the taiyoukai demanded.

"No. You'll both stay in here until you figure things out. You both know how you feel. Take me out of the equation and make things right!"

"What in the world does that mean?" Kagome hollered.

"You idiots love each other!"

The miko's cheeks flushed a brilliant red and she quickly turned away, not wanting to see Sesshoumaru's reaction to Inuyasha's words. Why would the hanyou say something like that? If Sesshoumaru loved her he would never have acted the way he had when she befriended his brother.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in shock. She loved him? Still loved him? She had hinted that she might have, but that any feelings like that were gone because of the way he behaved towards Inuyasha.

"What does he mean, Kagome?"

"Nothing!" She yelled, turning to face him again. "He doesn't have a clue what he's talking about. I told you, if you can't accept my friendship with Inuyasha then we can't be anything. I can't believe how you treat him!"

"And I can't believe that you would throw away our years of friendship for a perfect stranger," he exclaimed, feeling instant relief at finally being able to say that to her. She'd abandoned him, dropped him like a hot rock, for someone she didn't even know. She never even asked his side of things!

"He needed a friend!"

"So did I!"

"It wouldn't have hurt you to let me be friends with him. It wouldn't have killed you to treat him better. You were more worried about the damage to your reputation than our friendship, so don't give me that bullshit."

"Kagome," he said, trying to force himself to calm. This was his chance. Inuyasha was doing him a huge favor by forcing them together so they could talk. He wouldn't forget this. "Please, can we talk about this? We never have discussed what happened. Perhaps we can find a way to work things out."

"Can you stop treating your brother like he's an abomination?"

"Yes!" he practically yelled. "Yes, I will do anything to have you back, Kagome. Anything. I can't live without you in my life. I've tried and it's torture. I need you, at least as a friend."

"At least?"

"I want more. So much more."