Fanning The Flames
Family
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Welcome back folkies! I thought I’d write a chapter of this,
and so here you are, ready to hear more of the oh-so-fantastic story of Kagura and
Sango! Whose lives kind of suck…but you know...it…builds character? Anyways,
back to them. Or well, Sango. Not Kagura. Yeah. Organized thought processes
over here.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha.
Warnings: Mentions of under age drug using! Which is bad and
not endorsed by me so please don’t do drugs kids. And
other stuff. You know, read the goddamn story.
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Fanning the Flames
Chapter Four
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The
reactions of the others to the idea that I was pregnant were varying. Kagome
was trying to put a good face on it, as if someone who has to work at an IHOP
and goes to college really has the time to have a kid. Inuyasha, of course, had
to let the first thing that came to his head pop out of his mouth.
“You’re
fucking pregnant Sango?!” His mouth was half full of ramen and his eyes were
huge. I could have announced that I had slipped arsenic in his food and the
same reaction probably would have occurred.
“Thank you,
Inuyasha.” Kagome’s mouth set in a prim line. “If you could finish chewing your
food before you join the conversation…”
“Shit, what
are you, my mom?” Inuyasha managed to suck up the ramen hanging out of his
mouth and swalit ait all. “Are you getting an abortion Sango?”
“No I’m
not.” I sighed.
“You’re actually
gonna have it?” Inuyasha’s mouth was still hanging open, but this time with no
food. “Some guy knocked you up, and you’re actually gonna fucking
“I don’t
know; I just don’t want to get an abortion.” I shook my head.
do whatever she wants.” Kagome frowned at him. “It’s her body.”
“I fucking
know that.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the dark-haired girl. “What kind of a
dickhead do you think I am? I was just saying it ‘cause she’s got college and
shit still.”
“Actually,
do you think we could talk about something else?” I asked them, rubbing my
temples with my fingertips.
“Okay,”
Inuyasha took matters into his own hands before Kagome could protest with
something along the lines of, ‘We’re all friends so let’s discuss this
together.’ “Kagome, you’re out of ramen.”
“Inuyasha!”
Kagome hit him in the arm. “You ate it all?!”
“I do
hav
have any at my place.” Inuyasha argued stubbornly. “And don’t get that
chicken-flavored crap anymore. That stuff tastes like shit. Get the oriental
flavored ones.”
“I’ll get
right on that.” Kagome snapped at him. “Why can’t you buy your
if you weren’t mooching off someone than you’d probably starve to death!”
“What the
hell does that mean?” Inuyasha’s face
went slightly red in anger and embarrassment. A big part of the reason that
Inuyasha was going to college was so he could make his own money and therefore
people wouldn’t sit there and say he mooched off his brother for everything. He
hated to relyanyoanyone, let alone Sesshomaru, whom I’d only met a few times,
but I heard Inuyasha complain about him enough to know they were not on
pleasant speaking terms.
“What do
you think it means?” Kagome
countered, crossing her arms.
The funny
thing about the two, other than the fact that Inuyasha was never goingadmiadmit his feelings to Kagome, was that they had
these huge arguments that were part of their daily routine. If they weren’t
arguing, something was wrong. Kagome knew tly tly what to say to push
Inuyasha’s buttons and vice versa.
They were
probably arguing more for my benefit right at that moment than their own. It
showed normalcy among us, even though my world had been flipped upside down. It
was kind of nice to know that my friends would start arguments just to distract
me from my own problems. They had only had a few really serious arguments that
resulted in Inuyasha actually having to apologize. (This is a rare occurrence.
Apologies aren’t exactly Inuyasha’s thing.) It usually ended withher
her
Inuyasha stomping away for a few minutes or Kagome flouncing off. Or one would
finally end the argument and they would just sit there calmly, happy to have
gotten out some of their frustrations. In this way, they almost had no problems
communicating. I always predicted that Inuyasha would confess his feelings on
accident in an argument because something usually
slipped out that would make Kagome ask me what I thought he meant days
after it had been said.
I wish I had
someone that I could divulge all my fears to. I had been with boyfriends, but
none of them ever stuck around that long. I was a difficult woman, and it’s
hard to change the way I do things.
It was then
that I decided it was time to visit my little brother.
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I arrived
at my dad’s place the next day at noon, intending to take my little brother
Kohaku out for lunch and then maybe a movie. My dad answered the door, asked me
to come inside, and then asked me about class and work and all those other
mundane things.
I didn’t
know how to tell him I had gotten drunk and accidentally wound up pregnant, but
I figured it would have to come out sometime soon. I wouldn’t mention the
drunken part. I would just say I was upset about my last boyfriend and that I
had stupidly had sex with some guy.
Maybe
something a little more pleasant than that for my dad’s benefit.
“Actually,
before Kohaku and I leave…there’s something I have to tell you.” I told him
right after he called for Kohaku to hurry up.
“What is
it, Sango?” My dad looked at me in concern. Even though there was no way I was
going to tell him I had gotten piss drunk at a party because I knew he would
blow up, he really did care about me. That’s why he was so strict about Kohaku,
he wanted to protect us.
“Um…well,
maybe we should sit down.” I suggested, gesturing towards the kitchen table. We
sat down together, and it felt like old times. I half expected to hear my
mother humming to herself in the kitchen.
“Do you
need more money for college?” My dad brought up the first thing that came to
mind. “You know I can’t really give any more than I have…but maybe we can find
some more money somewhere else if that is the case.”
“No, dad,
it’s not money.” I smiled weakly. How did I tell him that his little girl might
possibly avinaving a little girl? How did I tell him there was a little person
inside me? “I’m…I’m pregnant.”
There, that
was the way to do it. Just say it and get it over with.
“Oh…oh
Sango…” My dad was clearly not expecting this. I knew why. I was responsible
and had always gotten good grades throughout my school years. I had, for the
most part, obeyed the rules of the house. (Okay, I snuck out a few times, what
teenager hasn’t?)
'> “It’s not
really that bad.” I saw the look on his face was sad and almost,
well…disappointed. “I decided to have the baby, and well…”
“Who’s the
father?” My dad asked promptly. There was the question that I had been
dreading.
“Um…see…” I
needed to make this as nice sounding as possible. “I found out my boyfriend was
cheating on me, and well, my friends wanted to cheer me up, so we went to a
party…and I guess…I was really, really upset.” I didn’t look at his face.
“You don’t
know who the father is?” My dad’s voice was heavy and grim.
“Who’s the
father of what?” Kohaku came in. He took one look at my ashamed face and his
jaw dropped open. “You’re pregnant?!” I almost laughed out loud at how similar
he looked to Inuyasha at that moment.
“Kohaku,
please.” My dad’s brow furrowed. A strange scent filled my nostrils, one that I
swore I knew from somewhere…but where? It was coming from Kohaku, which made me
even more suspicious.
'> “What’s
that smell?” I asked suddenly, knowing it wasn’t exactly relevant to the
serious conversation we were having.
“Incense.”
Kohaku’s eyes darted away and I knew he was lying. And then I realized why. I
knew that strange, almost piney smell. I had been to enough parties that I
could recognize it.
Kohaku smelled
like pot.
Threalrealization shocked me. If my dad figured it out, Kohaku would be in so much
trouble. I couldn’t turn him in. Maybe I could talk some sense into him. I
turned back towards my dad as though I found nothing lacking in my brother’s answer.
“Sango,
you’re an adult now, and I want you to know that if you want to have a kid,
that’s entirely up to you. I think it’s very brave of you.” My father said
firmly. now now that this won’t be easy for you. I’ll check with my insurance
to see what they’ll cover you for.”
“Thanks,
dad.” My face lit up in a smile. It was nice to have my dad’s support. At least
this wasn’t like some cheesy movie where my dad disowns me for it. “Come on,
Kohaku.” I got up and before leaving, gave my dad a big hug.
Kohaku
followed me out to the car and as soon as we were both inside and I had started
the engine, I turned on him.
“Okay, why
do you smell like pot?” I asked him straight out as I pulled out of the
driveway and into the street.
“I-I do?”
Kohaku asked me, still trying to play innocent.
“Yes, you
Kohaku.”
“All my
friends do it.” Kohaku blurted out immediately. I bit my lip to stop myself from
instantly replying with the cliché of ‘If all your friends jumped off a bridge,
would you?’ It was such a parental thing to say. It occurred to me that I’d
soon be aent ent myself.
“That’s not
a reason Kohaku.” I said flatly. “What are you thinking?! If dad catches you—“
“I know.”
Kohaku cut in sullenly. “You just don’t get it, Sango.” I was somewhat stunned
byse wse words. Kohaku and I had always been close siblings, maybe not joined
at the hip, but a far cry from Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.
“Then
explain it to me.” I turned the corner.
“No, it’s
none of your business, Sango. I dt ast ask you about getting knocked up by some
guy.” Kohaku countered, and I had every urge to just reach over and smack him.
“Kohaku,
that’s really not what we’re discussing right now.” I hissed through my teeth.
“Now, stop doing drugs immediately before you get caught! Do you think colleges
want to accept potheads? No.” Of course, anyone who had been to college knew
there were plenty of potheads, but I didn’t want him to know that. It was
better to try and scare him. “And then you won’t be able to get a good job, and
you’ll screw up your whole life. Do you want that to happen?”
“My
friend’s older brother smokes pot all the time and he’s in college.” Kohaku argued. Not going to be easily scared, I
saw.
'> “Well, he’s
probably failing.” I said lamely. “How about this: Stop doing drugs or I’ll
tell dad.”
“What?”
Kohaku turned towards me. “That’s so unfair Sango! I know you go drinking with
your friends.”
“We’re
not illegal to consume alcohol. I’m serious Kohaku; I will tell dad exactly
what’s going on if you don’t promise to stop using pot.”
/spa/span>“Okay, I
won’t smoke pot anymore.” Kohaku swore dejectedly, kicking the dash. “You just
don’t understand, Sango.”
I could
just chalk that up on the big list of things I didn’t understand or was still
trying to fathom. Kohaku had always been a good kid. He wasn’t so good in
school, but he tried hard. He needed all his concentration; didn’t he see that
drugs would get him nowhere fast?
I decided
to seek advice elsewhere for this situation. I needed to talk to someone else
who did drugs once upon a time.
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“Well, I think
when fucking Sesshomaru found the pot in my room and then prded ded to beat the
shit out of me; I pretty much got the point.” Inuyasha reminisced in a slightly
irritated manner. “Want me to beat the shit out of him?”
“Gee,
thanks Inuyasha, but no.” I had a raging headache by that time and I really
needed to get up to go grocery shopping and then head to work.
“Okay, you
canit iit if you want.” Inuyasha nodded, as though that made perfect sense in
his head. I should have known what his answer to my problems would be.
“Why did
you start in the first place?” I asked him.
“Oh fuck,
it was a bunch of stuff. My parents were both fucking dead, Sesshomaru’s an
asshole, nobody gave a shit about me, so when someone told me I’d feel better
after a joint, I figured ‘what the fuck?’ and went for
it.” Inuyasha explained.
“Thanks
Inuyasha, you’ve been really helpful.” At least I had some inkling about what
was going on in the mind of Kohaku. Our mother had died not too long ago, and
my dad had become rather strict. Maybe Kohaku just didn’t know where to go for
comfort. I was out of the house and was way too busy most of the time.
I thought
about these things as I made my way to the grocery store later. I desperately
needed groceries, but had felt too moody to get up and go get some. The mood
swings sure did kick in early, it seemed. I grabbed an ugly, green plastic
basket and walked around the store, picking up items without much enthusiasm or
interest. With milk and several other heavy food items loaded into my basket,
it was kind of tiring to walk around.
Turning
around a corner while looking down to see the price of some discounted juices,
I completely didn’t see the person I ran into. My basket fell from my hands as
I hit them, and groceries rolled out of it and across the cold linoleum. I
groaned. Great, exactly what I needed right this second.
“Oh, excuse
me miss.” A strangely familiar and very polite voice said. Suddenly, my hands
were being taken into his own and I was kind of dazed,
staring at my hands and wondering what was going on. “Will you bear my child?”
I looked up
to tell him off, tell him to take a hike, tell him to fuck off, but none of
these words came. As soon as my eyes focused on his face, I was shocked to corecore.
bitterly. I had found the father of my child.
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Dun, dun
(Like you didn’t suspect it before…) What will happen next time? Oh wouldn’t
you like to know…