Unexpected Little Things

Chapter 21

The next two days encompassed Kagome finely balancing her time between the huge project at work and her assignments with school.

Between meeting Inuyasha for finalizing plans and changing things that wouldn't work and typing up reports for her classes, Kagome had to resign from her job at Jade's Diner.

It was a bitter-sweet moment leaving the familiarity of the diner and people she'd worked with for so long. But she knew deep down it was the next step and fortunately the extra hours along with considerably higher pay at the firm, allotted her one job while keeping up with her bills.

Not only was her time more focused on the career path she wanted to pursue so badly, but also her rediscovered friendship with Inuyasha made life a lot less stressful. In her heart she knew that there would always be a soft spot for him, but she was still guarded regarding that matter.

Especially around him when she didn't even know how he felt towards her. Yes the lunches and meetings were a good balance between fun conversation and productive results in their work, but it was just that; work.

That was on her mind all week since restoring their fragile friendship and even now as she walked into work Friday afternoon after class.

She made her way to her office, prepared to get some work out of the way for Rin so she could then continue her project with Inuyasha. Rin had been exceptionally understanding about Kagome's workload and never stressed about all her time being consumed by the project.

"Well that could have a direct link to the fact that she's a huge part of this project as well," Kagome smirked inwardly as she made her way off the elevator.

She walked into her office a few seconds later only to be greeted by another colourful sight. A large bouquet of flowers sat atop her desk; a sweet-smelling mix between lilies, orchids, and a few pink roses. Her whole office smelled wonderful.

Just as she was eyeing the colourful feast Inuyasha bolted into the office. She smiled sweetly and shook her head, giving him an 'I-told-you-not-to' look.

"Woah," he looked at the bouquet with wonderment, "Who's that from?"

She furrowed her brows at his inquiry, "You mean you didn't-?"

She stopped mid-sentence slightly flustered over being so presumptuous as to expect it from him. After all, why would he send her flowers?

He smirked back, "Not this time, no. Especially after you demanded I not embarrass myself further."

Kagome raised an amused eyebrow at the comment and chuckled, "Okay, okay, sorry about being so harsh. But you did deserve that at the time."

He raised his hands in defeat in front of him and remained quiet as she walked over to inspect the flowers.

A small card rested in between some buds and she gently retrieved it.

"Well? Lover-boy got a name?" he asked walking in behind her.

She looked up after reading the card. He stood a few feet behind her waiting quietly for an answer or response.

"Everything okay?" he finally asked after her deafening silence got the best of him.

"Um-yea, fine," she quickly answered and turned to him, "They're from Hojo."

She saw a foreign expression quickly flash through his features and it was gone just as fast.

"Oh," he paused for thought, "well I guess you made an impression then huh?" he jovially added.

"Yea," she replied softly; she felt guilty for some strange reason.

"What's wrong with me? It's not like I asked to be sent the flowers by Hojo. And so what if he did send them? Why do I feel so awkward in front of Inuyasha?" she argued with herself.

"I guess he felt bad about leaving from lunch so early that day," she tried to reason. "H-he wants to make it up Tuesday afternoon."

Why was she explaining this to him? It wasn't any of his concern or his business. Even though they were just learning to be friends again, why did it still feel so necessary to try and make him understand?

"Of course," he replied quietly.

An awkward silence ensued for a few seconds between them where neither knew what to say.

He cleared his throat and she finally managed to meet his amber eyes, "I'll meet you in my office then?"

"Yes, I'll be up shortly," she replied. "Um, did you need something?"

"No, I just, ah, I thought I'd come down and say hello and stretch my legs you know?" he replied awkwardly while backing towards the door. "See you in a bit," and just like that, he was gone.

Kagome struggled to smile and nodded at him. After he was gone, she looked at the card again and again.

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Inuyasha walked into the elevator car as it shut him off from the outside world and began its ascent towards his floor.

What was this feeling he was having? It wasn't guilt again. Thankfully that had been taken care of ever since he reconciled with Kagome.

He'd spent all day making adjustments and fine-tuning the presentation due on Monday morning; checking his watch periodically since she'd stated that she would come in around 3 pm after her morning class.

It'd felt like a never-ending wait until she finally came in and he deliberately decided to go downstairs to rush her to his office.

"I'm out of my god-damn mind," he muttered to himself.

What was he thinking anyway? She'd barely forgiven him for the incident and now what did he expect from her? She was free to have lunch with and be friends with whoever she wanted right?

He hated the feeling of being unnerved by anyone; especially by Hojo and the fact that Kagome was involved made it even worse.

His ears were buzzing with the overwhelming emotions coursing through him. It left him feeling sick the way he was behaving; completely out of his own control.

Inuyasha headed towards the rest room as soon as the elevator stopped at his office floor. His heavy bangs covered enraged and confused eyes and he walked quietly without making any eye contact.

After rinsing his face with cold water, he felt somewhat calmer.

"I need to control myself. She'll be up here any second and I can't behave like an ass all over again. Whatever it is I'm feeling will just have to be set aside until this project is done and we can speak more comfortably," he coached himself.

As he walked through the offices, he decided to take his mind off of Kagome and pay his older brother a short visit.

"I wonder what Sesshomaru is up to? Annoying him always puts me in a better mood."

He walked up to the office door, completely bypassing Sesshormaru's secretary and prepared to barge in on him as usual. He went to discretely turn the doorknob but found it locked.

"What the hell?" he looked at the closed and locked door and after a few seconds pounded on it.

After receiving no immediate response, he knocked again and finally heard his brother's voice through the door.

"Who is it?"

Inuyasha decided to not answer that question and only banged on the door harder.

He heard some mumbling and cursing coming from within as he pressed his ears against the wooden material. Finally the door snapped open as a royally pissed off Sesshomaru glared at him.

"What's the meaning of this Inuyasha?" he glared daggers at his younger sibling.

Inuyasha was very aware that his older brother was purposely blocking the doorway to his office.

"Nothing," he grinned, "just wanted to pass by, see what you were working on, say good afternoon. You know the usual."

"I could've been having a very important meeting. Paula what did I say about disturbances?" he looked at his meek secretary.

"Sorry sir, but Mr. Inuyasha rushed past me without saying a word," she explained.

"Next time stop anyone, I don't care who it is and call me first," he ordered.

"Yes sir," she responded.

"As for you," he turned towards Inuyasha.

"So you're not in an important meeting?" Inuyasha interrupted, "Then what are you working on so hard in there?" he tried to look past Sesshomaru and into the office.

"Clearly none of your business," Sesshomaru quickly prevented him from looking inside.

"So what's with the secrecy?" Inuyasha was anxious to find out, "What're you doing in there?"

"Work, as you should be too," Sesshomaru reprimanded.

"Alright Dad," Inuyasha snickered and realized he was wasting time.

He began to walk away smiling and finally added over his shoulder, "And tell Rin I said good afternoon as well."

Sesshomaru glared at his younger brother's retreating form before finally disappearing inside his office again.

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Kagome sat back in her chair to stretch her cramped back after being hunched over the drafting table for hours.

She and Inuyasha were still in his office, getting the final preparations squared away for Monday's presentation.

"Tired?"

She looked over to where Inuyasha sat at his desk and smiled, "Yea. We've been here for hours it seems, but there are still so many little things to take care of."

"Kagome you can go home and rest. I'll take care of the details," he offered.

"No," she stretched and picked up her pencil again, "we're partners on this so I'm here as long as you're here."

"Hm," his gaze lingered over her working away on the designs and went back to the work in front of him.

Two hours later she finally rose from her seat and stretched her limbs, "Done!" she triumphantly announced.

He looked up at her and smiled, "Same here, just proofing a few things."

Her stomach protested to her long consumed lunch.

"Hungry much?" he smirked.

"Starving actually," she grinned.

"Dinner?"

Kagome grabbed her bag smirking, "I'm ready!"

He laughed and rose from his seat, "So the project itself is done. I can have it all sent out for print tomorrow morning even though it's Saturday. But I thought we'd go over the presentation."

Whilst he spoke, Kagome let out a small yawn from her weariness.

"But that seems like it's out of the question for tonight," he smiled.

"No," she protested as they walked towards the elevator. "I'm still good to go."

"Kagome you look tired, and people don't work too well when they're sleep deprived," he explained.

"Yea but-"

"Do you have plans for the weekend?" he suddenly asked.

"Um, n-no, not really," she replied stepping into the elevator as he followed.

"Good, we can have it finished and even practice it over the weekend then," he offered.

"Um-" she stammered.

"Unless you're not available, I mean I could finish it up and email it you-"

"No-no, I was just wondering how we would work in the office over the weekend?" she quickly asked.

"Well this place is closed, but we can work from home. I have the presentation overview pretty much set up. All we have to do is fill in the details and then practice what to say," he explained.

The elevator opened to the garage level and they walked to his car.

"Oh, um, so where-" she began to ask.

"Wherever you're comfortable," he quickly answered.

She wasn't entirely ready for a long weekend's worth of work being done at Inuyasha's palatial apartment.

He sensed her hesitancy and offered, "You know what, um, what about your place? I'll bring the food and supplies we need, you save a spot at the table? Does that work?"

Kagome smiled as she sat in the car, "Yea, that works."

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Dinner had again been spent with periods of awkward silence, filled in only by talk of the project; how to approach the presentation, a general idea of what would be said, who would say it and so on.

Kagome let out a small sigh as he drove her home. It was past 10 pm.

"What's the sigh about?"

She turned to him and watched him drive, "Nothing, my belly is nice and full. I think I'm ready for bed now!"

He chuckled at her response, "I can't quite figure you out sometimes Kagome."

"What do you mean?" she asked inquisitively.

"Well," he looked at her and then the road, "sometimes you're dead serious about work and school and other times you're unexpectedly just relaxed and calm about everything."

She looked at him and smiled to herself, "So?"

"So," he explained, "I have to be completely honest when I say you can be scary sometimes. Like when you were pissed off at me for that while, I mean, I was, you know, hesitant to approach you."

Kagome chuckled, "Meaning you were scared of me?"

He raised a sceptical eyebrow at her insinuation, "Not scared, just hesitant."

"Riiiight," Kagome smiled.

Finally they arrived at the destination and she thanked him for dinner and the ride home.

"Anytime. Speaking of, what time tomorrow?" he asked.

"Hm, 9?" she replied.

He looked at her as if she were insane, "You expect me to wake up and be here at 9 am on a SATURDAY?"

She laughed heartily at his response, "Alright, alright, what about 11?"

"Hm," he thought, "not breakfast or lunch-"

"Just in time for brunch," she added.

"Yea, I'll be here. And I'll bring the food too!" he offered.

"Alright, night," she scooted out of the car and walked to her front door.

Upon instinctively looking back over her shoulder, she found him right there waiting for her to enter safely and waved to him.

He waved back and she walked in smiling like mad.

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"Stop it!" Sango yelled over the phone.

"I'm not joking, it's for work," Kagome explained.

"Sure!" Sango squealed.

"You know, you're really going to cause me to go deaf one of these days," Kagome replied.

"Don't get off topic! So he's coming over tomorrow?" Sango asked.

"Yes!" Kagome replied, "FOR WORK!" she stressed again.

"Sure, sure," she teased, "What are you two gonna' be working on?"

"Argh," Kagome grunted at her friends tone, "presentation for the project. Trust me, we'll be really busy."

"Just like you have been these past few nights?"

"Sango!" Kagome warned. "So how's Miroku," she quickly tried to change the subject.

"Fine, fine, we're in love blah blah blah," Sango replied, "So you'll let me know if he tries anything right? Then I'll break his legs!"

"You're entirely too violent!" Kagome laughed.

"Funny how Miroku says the same thing," Sango sighed.

"I wonder why," Kagome rolled her eyes.

"So anyway, what do you plan on doing?" Sango asked eagerly.

"Doing?" Kagome asked incredulously, "I plan on WORKING! This is a very serious project!"

"Uh huh, I have to ask you though Kagome, it sounds like this Hojo is very interested but you still have that soft spot for Inuyasha. What if Hojo asks you out now?"

"I-I don't know. I mean I don't know how Inuyasha feels, and besides we shouldn't rush anything between us. We're just now on speaking terms again."

"And Hojo?"

Kagome looked at the pile of mail she's retrieved from her mailbox and decided she'd sift through it tomorrow. Sango's question had her mind burning with a million different possibilities and raising questions not even she could answer.

"What about him?"

"How do you feel about him?"

How did she feel about him? He was handsome, smart, funny and charming in his own way. But memories of times enjoyed with him for brief moments were always overshadowed by the fact that she's been thinking about Inuyasha as he was right there in front of her; at the dinner, on the dance floor, in the garden and even walking home.

Yes, Hojo was a great guy, but was he the right guy?

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I think if I waited any longer to update 'UR # 1 FAN' would've died on me. So I hope its enough to tide you over till next time.

Kagome has some decisions to make coming up and maybe a few events will help her along. Hope you continue to enjoy it.

Shout out to Antica!


HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO EVERYONE!

HUGS AND KISSES!

dee