A/N: Hey guys! Sorry if this update is late, but I am telling you right now, updates will be coming slower. That's because school started, and there's a lot of work, guys! So, I'm very sorry if chapter come out late, but I won't be leaving this story anytime soon! If I take too long, feel free to come yell at me, slap me in the face, or whatever else it is you people do.
Disclaimer: As I said above, I go to school. Now, would I be doing that if I owned Inuyasha and friends?
Kagome found the store's productivity increased dramatically with Inuyasha's help. She didn't have to run back and forth from each customer and keep an eye on the cash register and door at the same time. Granted, there was next to none crime in the area, but one could never be so sure.
Inuyasha could have told her how many people were in the store at one time, she was almost positive. He always knew when someone would come in or leave, even if he was all the way on the second floor balcony, which he seemed to favor as opposed to the first floor. Not that Kagome minded. From the second floor, one could see the entirety of the store, giving them a birds eye view of people weaving between the high bookshelves.
From what she could tell, he seemed to be entirely content with what she had assigned him with, which was basically doing whatever she couldn't at a given moment. She was immensely glad he didn't ask too many question about his position. Kagome wasn't entirely sure that she could answer him— all she needed was a helping hand around the store, and that was exactly what she had received.
It had been a long and busy day. The two of them had come back from lunch to find people waiting outside the store, and an endless stream of customers seemed to follow.
Needless to say, by the end of the day, they were both exhausted. More so Kagome than Inuyasha, but exhausted nonetheless.
Kagome puffed out a tired breath and slumped against the counter. "Oh geez. What a day that was. I wonder why so many people were buying books today?"
She received only a shrug in response. "You're a pretty quiet person, aren't you? All those years at the library rub off on you?" She laughed a little at her own joke, but it quickly died down when she saw Inuyasha give no response.
"Well, it's nearing closing time, so I guess we should be going." She ducked behind the front counter, taking her purse and sweater out with her. Inuyasha's eyes watched her every move, and although she tried not to notice, it was rather hard not to.
"It's getting dark out." She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden sound of his voice. "You live far?"
"No, only about three blocks. You know the Higurashi Shrine?" Inuyasha nodded. "That's my family's place! So don't worry— but thank you for the offer!"
"Keh, no need." Kagome turned to find him staring off, that stubborn look back on his face.
"Do you live far?" Inuyasha shook his head.
"It's just about a quarter mile in the opposite direction of where you live."
"Good to know you're not traveling any crazy distances to get here. Wouldn't want to make you jump provinces or anything," Kagome said with a laugh.
Once she figured that he probably wouldn't be saying much for the rest of the night, she quickly donned her sweater to protect her from the chilly autumn winds. She opened the door and walked it, holding it behind her so Inuyasha could exit as well. Once they were both outside, she closed and locked the door. With a smile and wave, Kagome waved Inuyasha off.
He watched her until she disappeared from sight.
The first person to enter Shikon the next day was probably the last person on Earth Inuyasha would have guessed.
"What the hell are you doing here, asshole?" Inuyasha snarled at the man entering the store. He had scented him far before he came within proximity of the store, but was hoping he just happened to be passing by.
The man completely ignored Inuyasha, instead walking right up to Kagome. He tipped his head forward in the slightest. "Higurashi-san."
In response, Kagome smiled widely, bowing deeply before standing up straight again. "So nice to see you again, Sesshomaru-sama!" She stepped back from the counter, opening her mouth to speak, but stopped short. She glanced back and forth between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. "Are you two related or something?"
Inuyasha continued to glare his brother down. Or at least, attempted to do so. Sesshomaru answered her question after seeing Inuyasha was not about to do so.
"He is my half-brother."
"Ohhh." Kagome mentally slapped herself. She should have guessed, what with the same silver hair and golden eyes. Demon's with strange color features were very common, but similar colors tended to be of the same blood.
"Kagome," Inuyasha began. "How the hell do you guys know each other?"
Kagome looked mildly surprised. "Don't you know? Tokyo's part of Kanto's western region, which your brother owns. So technically, he kinda owns the land my store is on, too."
Inuyasha shrugged. "I knew that. But what the hell's he doing here?"
She smiled and quickly held up one finger, signaling her brief departure. She ran into the back room and came out with a large book, which she promptly handed to Inuyasha's brother.
"He comes in sometimes for books he needs. He orders them through this store since it's easier for us to find it." Sesshomaru nodded once.
"So, little brother. You have actually managed to find yourself a decent job."
"What's that supposed to mean, asshole?"
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at Kagome. "You hired him?" She responded with a dumbfounded look. "Well, why wouldn't I?"
"I can think of several reasons." He quickly dodged a blow intended for him by his younger brother. "Inuyasha. To think you would fight in front of your new boss."
He froze and quickly glanced at Kagome, who looked more amused than angry. "It's alright, as long as you two don't actually start something." She flashed a smile at her landlord. "Was that all, Sesshomaru-sama? No orders to place?"
Sesshomaru shook his head. "That will be all." He turned to leave. "I will see you around then, little brother."
"Ain't ya gonna pay her, idiot?" Inuyasha shouted after the retreating form of his brother. Sesshomaru said nothing and briskly left the store. Inuyasha turned to Kagome. "Aren't you going to make him—"
Kagome cut him off with a laugh. "Of course not! He technically owns the store, or at the least the land it's on. It's because of him this place is so safe; he scares everybody off. Plus I've known him since I was little. The least I could do is give him the books he needs free of charge."
"You went near that monster when you were a kid?!"
"Oh, he's not a monster. Don't hate on your brother so much, Inuyasha." Kagome walked around the counter to close the storage room door. "And yeah, he would stop by the shrine a lot. Mostly to talk to my mother and grandfather. Now he comes by to get books for himself and Rin."
Inuyasha tilted his head to the side in confusion. Rin? Who the hell was that?
"Who's Rin? Sesshomaru doesn't date."
Kagome looked surprised. "He hasn't told you? Or rather, you haven't seen her?"
"I don't think so?"
"Oh." Kagome said, frowning. "I don't know much about her, but a year or two ago he adopted this little girl named Rin. Never did get the details, but I gather she's very sweet and likes flowers. He's always getting flower books for her."
"Wait a second..." Inuyasha looked somewhere between confused and horrified. "So my brother— that self-righteous jerk with a sword shoved up his ass—"
"Inuyasha!"
"Feh! Anyways, that same guy adopted a little girl? What, is she crazy powerful or got some magical heirloom he wants to inherit?"
"Well actually, she's just an orphaned human girl."
"Human?!" Inuyasha bared his fangs. "Sesshomaru took in a human girl... willingly?" Inuyasha gritted his teeth. So, his brother would sooner call a stray human child his family than his own brother.
Not like he cared or anything.
"Keh. Guess I've got something to hold over his head now. He's always hated humans— how's he gonna explain this?"
Kagome pouted. "Hey, he doesn't hate me. I think..."
Inuyasha was doing his best to not laugh out loud at their latest arrival. A young human man with a short ponytail was currently saving himself from tripping over the store's threshold after he had slipped on who-knows-what on the way in.
He hopped towards the counter, keeping most of his weight off of his left leg which he had obviously hurt on his way in. "Ah, hello."
He received a kind smile in return from the store's owner. "Hello, sir. Are you alright? Would you like something for your ankle? We have bandages and ice here."
"Oh no, no," the man said, waving his hands. "I'll be perfectly fine. Say, do you take special orders for books here? I'd like to place one."
"Of course we do!" Ducking under the counter where Kagome seemed to have an endless supply of random items, she emerged with a yellow notepad and a pen. "Here, just write your name and for what book, and any special requests."
"Can you get autographed books?" The man sounded rather desperate.
"Well of the author isn't far nor dead, we sure can try." Inuyasha almost guffawed at Kagome's response.
"Oh thank you!" Nobunaga Amari, it seemed his name was as he scribbled it down, almost melted in obvious relief. "Here, it's this book—" He proceeded to lavish Kagome with details that she probably couldn't care less about. Inuyasha had another few customers in the store he was keeping an eye on, but one of his ears stayed tilted towards the first floor counter as he mentally laughed at the man's words and Kagome's expression.
"—and Tsuyu absolutely adores animals! And this author! So I found a book he wrote about animals. It's about a criminal couple who run an animal fighting ring underground, and—"
Would an animal lover want to read about fighting animals? Kagome mused.
Nobunaga Amari proceeded to talk Kagome's ears off for only the next few seconds until she noticed a customer approach the counter. "Sorry, sir, but I'll have to cut our conversation short. I'll call when your book is here, okay? Okay!" Without giving him time to answer, Kagome shooed him off in the direction of the door, calling out a quick "goodbye!" before closing the door behind him.
Kagome returned to her spot behind the counter, giving her next customer a tired smile. "Good afternoon, miss..."
It was eight-thirty, and store closing time. Inuyasha watched the last customers as the young woman and her child left the store after briefly browsing. Aside from him, the store looked completely empty, but only because Kagome had disappeared about ten minutes ago.
Where was she?
Inuyasha sniffed the air, easily deducing she was in the storage room. Frowning, he glanced at the front door to make sure it was locked before heading into the back room where Kagome's scent was the strongest.
Opening the door, he stared a little at Kagome.
She was on the floor. Asleep. She was leaning against a few boxes, her hand poised over the flap of one that was half opened. Inuyasha scoffed. Did she do this before he had started working here, too?
"Oi." Inuyasha walked over and squatted down next to the girl. "Oi, Kagome." He prodded her ribs, watching her jerk her elbows in towards herself and falling off the box part of her body had been on. He winced when he heard her body smack the floor harshly.
"Uh, I'm sorry..." Inuyasha awkwardly watched her look around a little in confusion before grabbing her under the arms to pull her upright.
"Oh, thanks," she mumbled, still half-asleep.
"Didn't mean to make 'ya fall like that." Kagome brushed herself off and smiled at him. "Don't worry about; it's kind of my fault for falling asleep on the job." She looked sheepishly down at her toes. "Please tell me it's time to go home. I am so tired..."
Inuyasha smirked at her. "Yeah, it's time. Go home before you fall asleep on your feet."
Kagome grinned up half-heartedly at him before exiting the storage room with an audible yawn. She snatched her keys and purse from the counter, as she always did. Inuyasha was beginning to see a very strong relationship between Kagome and her precious front counter. After locked the door an shutting the lights off, the two of them stepped outside.
The moon seemed to shine brighter that night. It was a quiet night.
Kagome shivered visibly. Had she guessed it was going to be this cold at night she would have brought a heavy coat with her. Her light cardigan provided next to no warmth for her fragile human skin.
Suddenly she felt a heavy, and very warm, weight over her shoulder and back. "Huh?" She looked up and behind her to see him draping his strange large red jacket that resembled a haori over her. Though it had no buttons, it reached her knees and had over sized sleeves, but was almost unnaturally radiating warmth over her.
"Just give it back to me tomorrow. I won't need it, and you'll catch a cold in this weather." Inuyasha looked off to the side as he said this, not looking at her face. Would she be disgusted at the thought of wearing his clothes?
"No, Inuyasha, I can't take this. You'll freeze, and I don't live that far anyways," Kagome protested, making a move to take the jacket off of her. His heart warmed a little at her concern, but he didn't take the jacket back. Instead, he leapt backward, creating a few yards of distance between them.
Kagome sighed over dramatically. "Oh, fine. But I hope you know your random act of kindness won't earn you some raise or bonus," she said, winking at him.
"Yeah, sure." He looked up at the sky before turning around. "Get home. I'll see you tomorrow." With that, he evanesced, moving out of her line of view at a dizzying speed. She raised a hand to the sky in a half-wave.
Kagome slipped her arms through the enormous sleeves, wrapping the jacket around her body and reveling in its warmth.
A/N: [Edited] As it turns out, Sesshomaru, canonically, is in fact, not the Lord of the Western Lands.. Feel free to look it up yourself, but as it turns out, it was never directly stated in the manga that he was. The part in here about him owning the region of Kanto, well, it's minor enough for me to leave in here, because it's not going with the common fanon idea, bu it seems practical enough that the almighty Sesshomaru owns a huge chunk of land.
And I'm telling you all right now— I don't have EVERYTHING planned out yet for this story— so remember that I'm open to any and all suggestions and comments!
So I basically got two votes each for either of the relationships between Sesshomaru and Rin, but I decided to go with Sesshomaru and Rin as a father/daughter type relationship since an idea popped into my head for the two of them, and I feel like it'd just work better for this story. Thank you though, for voting and reviewing anyways in the first place! Maybe I'll write a Sessh/Rin someday, because I do ship it.
Also, my computer and keyboard have been going insanely slow, so please excuse any grammar and spelling errors; please correct me on them!
Thanks to all my guest reviewers (Guest, Veena, Heartluv) for your continued support, it really means a lot, and your reviews are much appreciated!
I've been meaning to mention that in my previous chapter, the book that Yura purchased was an actual book that does exist, called 'The World of Traditional Japanese Hairstyles', which I do NOT own!
Thanks guys! You all ROCK! I hope you enjoyed this (short, I'm so sorry!) chapter!