Six hours later, when Kagome is face to face with Naraku in the boardroom, she is first taken in by his hair. It really is remarkable, thick, dark waves that flow down his back, and he is handsome as well, standing tall and trim in an immaculate grey suit. Her job at this point is to observe, to see what role Naraku can play in the company and how she can present him to the general public. His looks are a bonus, handsome and human, and that may appeal more to the public than Sesshou's exotic, alien looks. He didn't come alone, just behind him when he entered the room was a woman, tall and so beautiful that Kagome felt her eyes trace over her form in equal parts envy and admiration. Her hair is forced into a tight bun and her sharply tailored skirt and blazer are black. Her makeup is flawless, but her expression is bored and her stance is stressed. This is softened, a bit, by a red blouse and a necklace of blue beads. Kagura's job seemed to be similar to her own, observation, and Kagome frequently noted the severe looks she sent towards her employer and the appraising glances she directed at Sesshoumaru.

Kagome's job is to observe, and maybe ask a few questions here and there to move things along, but mostly just to observe and plan. Naraku, however, seems determined to interrupt her with playful banter and unnecessary questions. She does not need to look at Sesshoumaru to know that his patience is rapidly unraveling, despite her attempts get the situation back on track. There would be many more of these meetings, she was certain of that, before anything was set in stone between the two companies.

"Your records are rather vague, Naraku," Sesshoumaru remarked, his calm voice covering any agitation.

"I could say the same about yours," he smirks in response, though the smile is directed at Kagome, who continues to make little doodles on her legal pad, pretending to make notes. The doodles, rather coincidentally, look like waves. "I thought you would understand, would be able to appreciate, the difficulties of having your fingers in so many pies and having to keep track of them all. Take Takahashi Enterprise for example. With one hand it gives medical aid to third world countries, with the other hand it gives weapons to the oppressors-"

Sesshoumaru's claws flick and Kagome thinks, not for the first time, that she misses Inutaisho. He was the one to handle interactions with potential partners and clients, and he did it well. But Inutaisho has been gone for ten months (gone, not dead, she reminds herself), and that duty has been left to his less than socially competent son.

I love you, she thinks, but you suck at this.

"Naraku, we simply want to be completely aware of what we would be getting into by going into business with you. And there seem to be some things missing from your reports."

"Well, I can't give you everything can I?" He laughs, as if it truly is some sort of joke. "As you said, nothing is set in stone." He leans closer to her. "Did you have any specific questions Ms. Ka-"

"Higurashi," Sesshoumaru interrupted. "And my secretary has compiled a lovely list of questions that we have concerning your affairs, questions that we hope you will be able to answer."

"I'll look them over," Naraku assured, giving Kagome one last lingering look before standing to shake his hand. "And provide you with all the answers you need to soothe your little worries. Until next time."

Kagome stands as well, preparing to bow politely, but Naraku moves to shake her hand as well. He maintains his hold on her longer than he did Sesshou, longer than she is comfortable with, but he releases her before she can voice her complaint. Another smile graces his lips, as if he did not notice her reaction, or perhaps it was her reaction that brought him amusement.

"It was a pleasure," he remarks before turning on his heels and exiting the room, leaving Kagura to fill the void he has left behind.

"Thank you for having us," she says, slipping a card into Kagome's hand, still warm with Naraku's touch. She knows that Kagura is only being polite, dispensing the perfunctory pleasantries, but something in the other woman's eyes seem apologetic. "Naraku is a bit eccentric, but he is a man who can be relied upon and makes for a good ally. Please, if you need anything, contact me."

She follows her boss and Kagome listens to the sound of her heels on the floor (maybe she wasn't as tall as she'd assumed) before turning to Sesshou. He is at the window now, staring out, and when Kagome goes to stand at his side she sees that Naraku is already outside the building. He is blurry, she only knows it is him because of his hair, but she watches as he turns, muttering some words to his driver before climbing into the car. Kagura is there a moment later and the black, expensive but nondescript car pulls away.

Sesshou does not speak and Kagome shifts on her feet, waiting. Finally, she breaks him from his reverie. "She was hot."

He does not jump, like another might at the sudden break in silence, simply turns to her with only the slightest turn of his brow to suggest confusion. "Excuse me?"

"Kagura. Come on, I know you noticed her. And she noticed you."

"She smelled like him."

"Oh. So they're, um" Kagome blushed, trying to find words.

"Related."

"Oh. Like brother and sister?" wouldn't they have mentioned that?

"More like father and daughter," he turns away from her, walking to the door and she follows. "You will not be at our next meeting."

"It's not my fault that he-"

"I did not say it was. However, I do not like him. I do not like the way he looked at you. And I do not like being distracted and, if I must watch him leer at you, wanting to teach him some manners will not allow me to focus."

"Then how will I be able to establish a relationship between him and the public?"

"I honestly do not see why it matters so much."

"Your father does. He valued public opinion, knew that it impacted our numbers."

He stiffens a bit at the mention of his father, but does not speak of him. "You have a contact in the company. She should be able to help you with any information you need. You did seem rather fond of her."

Sesshou, I said she was hot for your benefit. You know, so maybe you'll go out, for once."

"I have no interest."

"Of course you don't," she smirks up at him, "you know this is why people still spread rumors about us around the office."

"Really. I thought it was because you insist on wearing my shirts to the office."

"HA!"

She is about to come back with another comment, something about the day he slapped an intern for asking for her number, when her assistant comes rushing down the corridor waving at her. "Kagome… Kagome!"

"Jin, I'm right here, you can stop yelling."

Sesshoumaru pats her back and begins to make his exit when Jin stumbles to a stop before her. "You're brother just called. He says that you've been robbed."

"What?"

"He said that he's at your apartment now and that everything is gone, the furniture, your clothes, everything!"

"What is he doing there, he should be at school?"

Jin frowns, a bit confused by Kagome's lack of alarm. "He wanted to surprise you- Kagome should I call the police?"

"Oh, no, don't!" She places a hand on her assistants arm. "Everything is fine. Just a bit of a misunderstanding, don't worry. I'll call Souta right away and clear it up."

Of course, Sesshou is still standing there as the confused woman walks away. "You haven't told your parents have you? That you moved?"

"Shut up."

Inuyasha stands out more than he would like. He wishes he could say it's the ears, but he knows that it's the hair and the eyes and the teeth and his build and everything that is him. Still, he keeps his helmet on when he stops at the gas station to fill up his bike.

He decides that the attention isn't always bad when a girl leans onto his bike, pushing forward her chest and leering at him with round eyes and soft lips.

"Where you headed?" she asks, smiling flirtatiously. Her hair is red, loose around her shoulders, and her eyes are hazel, but he isn't really interested in those things right now, more taken in by her shapely form and inviting expression.

"Home," he responds, somewhat tentatively because the word is kind of foreign on his tongue and doesn't quite seem it fit. "Why, you need a ride?"

She bites her lip and nods. "Well, if you're offering. You sure this thing is safe?"

He smiles, remembering to at least try to cover his fangs. "Depends on whose riding her."

"And if you are?"

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

She gives him another once over, appraising his face and his body and deciding that she likes what she sees. "I'll bet."

When he moves his hand her gaze goes to his fingertips and he sees her lips turn down at the sight of his claws. Shit, he thinks to himself, wishing it wasn't so warm or he would've kept his gloves on.

"On second thought," she smiled again, not so inviting now, "I don't think we're headed in the same direction."

He sighs, because it really doesn't matter, she's just some girl who probably picks up whoever looks good in the moment, but sometimes he really gets tired. "Listen, I'm not gonna hu-"

"Hey honey, this guy messing with you?"

He decides, when he smells the sweat and testosterone of another man, that most of the attention he gets is bad and always will be bad. "I don't want any trouble."

"Then leave the lady alone."

"Lady?" He turns to the man behind him and lets out a laugh. "Taking the knight in shining armor thing a little far, aren't you pal? I mean, there's a lot of names for a girl ready to hop on some guy she just met. I don't think lady is one of 'em."

"HEY!" She shrieked, offended, and this time Inuyasha laughed in earnest.

The man grips him up by the collar. "Maybe it's time someone taught you some manners, boy."

"Yeah, like I'd let you touch me when, when, when you're not even human!"

The man stinks, he is so close that Inuyasha can smell the sweat on his skin, unclean, and the food he ate on his breath. He can hear his pulse elevating, practically the veins in his forehead twitching with anticipation, wanting to teach him a lesson, wanting to prove his strength and virility, show off for the girl by besting the monster.

He doesn't put much effort into it, a simple push is all it takes to pry the man's fingers from his shirt and send him to the concrete beneath them. The girl screams again, she really isn't worth all this, no matter how much fun she had the potential to be in bed. He watches the man for a second (he's alive) before pulling the pump from his motor cycle and returning to the road.

He was already old, when they tied the red string around his pinky and tethered him to some kid. She is a scrawny little thing, all gangly limbs and wide eyes, and the dress she wears makes her look even more ridiculous, but he goes along with it because there really seems to be no other option.

And he really pays no attention to her in the years that follow because she is just some kid and he is a man, no matter what his brother or his father says, so he doesn't really have time for her and her silly games.

And one day he falls in love and one day that love shatters and he leaves and now he is coming back, because the nightmares are still there, years later, and he needs something to make him feel real again. And it made the most sense, to start from the beginning. So he is going back home, to face it again.

A/N: Sorry about the confusion in the first chapter! The general gist of the story is that Inuyasha and Kagome where put in an arranged marriage as children by their parents, who are business partners. The beginning was supposed to be a really vague description of Kagome's life so far (which will be detailed throughout later chapters). The stuff in italics was supposed to be a series of flashbacks about Kagome and Sessoumaru's relationship. I'll try to work on the transitiony stuff as I go!

I know this chapter was probably boring but I think I'm just excited to get to other points in the story so I'm trying to breeze through the beginning.

Thanks for the review! I'm kind of doing this to get over my anxiety about writing, so any criticisms or questions or plot/writing suggestions are awesome!