Hey guys! Sorry about the absence. Life hit me really hard in March and didn't let up till... ever, actually. It's still a lot of a roller coaster. They might come a little slower, so I'm really sorry about that. You guys are the most amazing fans in the world and I love you all so much ^^
On a happier note, I'm going to Anime North this weekend and I wouldn't be opposed to saying hi to any of you; in fact, I'd love to meet you guys if you'd want! But it's busy there so if not, I won't take any offence.
So here's a new story for you guys! Hope it ain't too choppy :P
The sun over the darkened landscape was hot enough to scorch the earth; waves of heat rolled off the earth only serving to further warm the occupants who tread across the surface. People milled about with a mass of vehicles, animals, and other oddities that were not uncommon in the Indian landscape. From a high loft in the richer districts with air conditioning, the sight would not have warranted a moment's thought for a demon that considered himself beyond the trails of others. His luck, however, was not so great as he sat in a café in the blazing heat, waiting for a woman he had never met before.
Teeth gnashed as the demon tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear, his fingers quickly turning to his brow as he rubbed his temples, despising this accursed land and his father for landing him here until the man originally appointed to head the India sector of their company could be fully trained by Sesshomaru himself. He knew the man was intelligent enough to catch on what the demon was teaching him in broken English, but every passing day he spent caused him more stress and hate for the hot weather and raging sun, the demon craving the cooler Japanese weather and the native tongue of his homeland.
He was well-versed in languages, a skill he proudly boasted, but he'd trade his knowledge for his home in a moment. A hand came to hold his chin as he tapped the phone in his hand, wondering just who the person was that dared kept a demon like him waiting. His fingers trailed the glass of beer beside him, one of the only things he could stomach in the land where the food rivalled the weather in terms of heat.
Again he silently cursed his father, the demon the one who sent his eldest son to the barren landscapes of India as they expanded their company, his company as he constantly reminded Sesshomaru. The younger demon felt it was his time to run the business; he was more than capable of handling the day-to-day operations as he had learned everything from the man who built the company from the ground up. He was more educated and skilled then his younger half-brother.
So why couldn't his father see it?
Since his youth he'd worked hard to achieve whatever he desired, and rarely found difficulties in doing so. Any parent would have been impressed; yet his father, for all the demon's ability to judge character, seemed to enjoy the mediocrity his younger half-brother provided over the superiority of his eldest son.
His phone slipped to his ear as the other end rang and rang, the demon's teeth gnashing until he heard his father's voice answer the other end.
"No."
"Hello to you too father," Sesshomaru muttered, "I didn't even-"
"You are not coming back until I am satisfied with the company's performance and the man that's making it happen," the elder demon repeated for what must've been for the hundredth time, ignoring the groan from his eldest.
"I wasn't asking about that," the demon murmured angrily, "I was about to ask you about this new hire of yours-"
"Ah! Have you met her yet? I've heard she's-"
"I haven't," Sesshomaru interrupted his father, "that's why I'm calling, she's late."
"Oh… well I'm sure there's-"
"She's almost half an hour late now," the demon muttered, "I'm calling to tell you to cancel-"
"Sesshomaru," the elder started, "be a little patient; this photographer is apparently amazing at what she does-"
"So just order some prints online," Sesshomaru snapped, "why am I even here!?"
"Because, like I told you," his elder was speaking through gritted teeth, "I like to know the personality of the people that I'm hiring. And since you're in India and so is she-"
"Father if this is you setting me up-"
"She's also a Japanese native, so you can talk to someone who knows your language, as you've been complaining for the past week," InuTaisho interrupted, "which could be rectified if I send your brother out there with you-"
"Don't even think about that," the younger cut him off.
"Well… it would be good for him," his father commented, "he'd get to see the world like he wanted too, you could bond like I want too-"
"Can I float him down the Ganges River like I want too," Sesshomaru muttered, his father's disgruntled sigh floating over the phone.
"Sesshomaru-"
"Sesshomar…. Takahashi?"
Amber eyes looked up from his phone to the young woman who stood doubled over, her hands on her knees and her voice quite out of breath.
"Father I have to go," the demon interrupted his elder, his jaw muscle twitching in response to the sight of the young woman, "I think your photographer is here."
"Sorry I'm late," the young woman huffed, her cargo shorts and the olive green vest and shawl hybrid floating behind her, gold and brown bangles on her wrists matching with her large hoop earrings, "traffic was a nightmare, well; here it's never anything but."
The demon grimaced slightly at her attempt at a joke, his cellphone stored away in his pocket, his attention turned fully to her, his eyes taking in her appearance, his amber orbs narrowing at the sight of her. Her skin was abnormally pale for her occupation in the Indian sun and her figure slim, her black hair was messy from running through the streets and her feet were adorned with hiking boots, the varying sizes of bracelets and bangles on her slim wrists making noise however she moved while her smile simultaneously kind and joyous.
"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Takahashi," she continued, her tote bag adjusted to hang over the chair she now occupied, her hand extended for him to shake, Sesshomaru taking it almost reluctantly, "I'm sorry about my appearance, I know this isn't what you expected to work with but I was out in the desert when my manager called and I had to grab a cab but we had to wait for this cow so I had to start running so as not to be too late and-"
"I care not for excuses, Ms. Oshiro," the demon told her curtly, his amber eyes narrowing as her words faltered from her lips, nervousness seemed to overtake her eyes as she seemed to shrink away from him.
"Right, my apologies," the young woman murmured, "I-I just ramble when I get nervous."
"Are you nervous Ms. Oshiro?" Sesshomaru pressed as he raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, the young woman turning from the waiter after ordering her iced coffee.
"Call me Rin, please," she insisted politely, "and… a little. I-It's not every day I have an audience with one of the richest men in the world who-who's actually interested in my work."
"My father seems interested in your work," the demon corrected her, his lips taking a sip of his coffee, "it's because I'm in India as you are that he asked me to make the business deal with you."
"Of course," Rin seemed to deflate under his gaze, a swift thank you administered to their waiter before she took a sip of her iced coffee, "so… what is it your father is interested in?"
"Pictures of the Indian landscape predominately," Sesshomaru informed her, "something that can be hung in a showroom without being overly ostentatious while simultaneously soothing to the other partners, something respectable and representing India."
"I see," she nodded, "for what event, might I ask?"
"It's a charity ball coupled with an auction," the demon explained, "as a celebration of our company's 25th anniversary, my father is inviting all our investors and partners for a dinner and a dance followed by an auction of several new jewellery pieces from famous jewellers, all proceeds going to the cause of their choice."
"So… picture-wise," Rin started, the ice cubes rattling in her glass, "what do you want? Wildlife, cityscapes, people-"
"That we'll leave to you," Sesshomaru interrupted, his eyes squeezing shut as he groaned.
"How long have you been here?" the young woman asked timidly, the amber eyes glancing up at her briefly.
"Almost a week," the demon told her, "why?"
"Here," she handed him a small package after ruffling though the bag for a moment, "it's just tea," Rin assured him, "it helps with adjusting to the climate of India, really helps me."
The amber eyes looked to the package in her hand, his brows narrowing suspiciously.
"I don't need your charity," the demon pressed, his eyes looking to his phone, "if that's all-"
"Well… it's kinda not," the demon looked towards the young woman that seemed nervous to interrupt him. "See… if you want originals, and you dad said he did, I need to know what you want. I can't go wasting film and time out in the jungle when you actually wanted the city and I could spend time during the day but night would go better with the colour scheme or-"
"Alright!"
The young woman jolted at the volume of his voice, her lips folding and her hands held up in her defence.
"Give me a moment," the demon muttered, his fingers tapping on the phone in his hand, "this is why I would have preferred to do this call in the office; it would have been easier to get my father in on it."
"But don't you want to experience the culture of the real India?" Rin pressed, "I mean, it's so unique and the people are very nice and the food is fabulous and-"
"The weather is much too hot to be doing anything enjoyable and the food gives many people, including myself, indigestion," Sesshomaru stepped on her excitement, her face faltering slightly while the demon waited for his father to pick up, thankful that he wouldn't need to converse with woman much longer.
"Sesshomaru if you're going to complain one more time-"
"This is about your photographer," Sesshomaru cut in, sighing as he heard his father catch his breath.
"Oh… is… there a problem?" InuTaisho pressed cautiously, the demon glancing towards the young woman.
"You could say that," the demon murmured, putting his father on speaker phone, "Ms. Oshiro has a few question for you herself."
"O-Oh! H-Hello Mr. Takahashi," Rin started stammering, suddenly even more nervous than before.
"Ah! Hello again Ms. Oshiro!" InuTaisho seemed to lighten up at the sound of her voice, "how are you?"
"I-I'm well thank you," she smiled, "um… y-your son and I have been talking a-and we have some questions that he-um-"
"Is he being difficult?" the elder commented, "Sesshomaru-"
"I am not a child, father, do not treat me like one," the demon commented, his lips curling in anger while his father sighed.
"At any rate, what is it you wanted to ask me?" InuTaisho continued.
"Well… for starters… what kind of budget do I have and what sort of theme are you going for… that sort of thing."
"As far as budget, don't worry about travel expenses, we'll cover all that," the elder demon told her, "give Sesshomaru a list of your commission rates and as far as theme… Sesshomaru!"
At this the demon lifted his head, his attention turned back to his phone.
"Why don't you take charge of the event!"
The demon stilled at the words, his eyes widening at his father's request.
"Father," the demon murmured slowly, "you assigned me to lead this division and train the workers to take over when I've left. Party planning is not my job-"
"But the ball is in India and you've already secured the venue-"
"And it's your job-"
"I think you can be trusted to run this; you've run events like this before," InuTaisho seemed to grow more excited with each passing moment, "that way, Rin can keep you informed of what she's doing and you don't need to act like an interpreter between us!"
"Um… sir?"
Both demons paused at the timid interruption, Rin seemingly forgotten in their bickering.
"So… what's going on?" the brown eyes flickering to and from the phone to the demon, "um… I-I'm a little-"
"Well," the demon on the phone cleared his throat, "I'm going to let Sesshomaru run the event like I should have done in the beginning-"
"So why didn't you?" Sesshomaru muttered, the feeling of appreciation slipping back in.
"And you, Ms. Rin, can now report directly to him; this'll help keep him updated and all that and you don't need to wait for my approval!" InuTaisho pressed, ignoring his son's comment, "how does that sound?"
"O-Okay… I guess?" Rin murmured, glancing nervously to the demon she knew hated her very being.
"Oh, and if he gives you any trouble, you can always call me and I'll straighten it out," InuTaisho finished, "and Sesshomaru?"
Again the amber eyes looked to the phone again.
"You cannot fire her. You might be planning the party, but all final decisions are made by me."
Teeth gnashing in response, the demon contained his anger while the young woman said her goodbyes, her eyes looking nervously up at him.
"S-So-"
"I need a night to myself to process this," Sesshomaru told her, the heat nearly unbearable for him as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Why? Is it rare of your-"
"No because I'm now stuck working with someone I can't fire in a place I hate and I'm now stuck here for a time I'd rather be at home," the demon snapped, the young woman taken aback at his words while the demon stood tall.
"Bring samples of your work in two days and be on time this time."
Rin remained still in her chair as the demon strode away, loathing the hot sun and the bubbly photographer. His father was restraining him from his true potential; shackling him to a country he hated with a woman he couldn't stand. His jaw twitched as he slipped into his car, wondering just how long it would take for her to quit, giving him one less headache under the Indian sun.