My wife PureKagome inspired this with her prompt on tumblr. I'm quite proud how this turned out. Thanks babe!
-X-
Escape
Kagome pushed open the heavy double doors that led into the back stockroom with a heavy sigh, letting them swing closed behind her as she reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose. If she didn't escape the mayhem that had become the Save More grocery store in which she managed, somebody was going to get murdered, either one of her dimwitted, newbie employees, or one of the many snobby, demanding, "always right" customers. It wasn't even ten o'clock in the morning yet and already it was the day from hell. She needed a little time to compose herself and eliminate any murderous tendencies before venturing out again.
It was blessedly cool in the backroom, something Kagome idly noted as she wandered further in, pulling out her cell phone from her back pocket. It was a good time as any to check her messages, since she had a few moments to herself—
Kagome stopped dead and locked gazes with a pair of wide, horrified amber eyes that belonged to the figure currently attempting to climb out of the window.
"…Uh…"
"What the hell—who the hell—what—"
"I can explain!"
Balancing precariously on a stack of what looked to be the packaging boxes for the pasta that was supposed to be put on the shelves by noon today – it was no surprise they were still sitting back here, obviously not getting put on the shelves - the culprit had one leg out of the window that led out into the back of the store where they received deliveries and had frozen in the act when he spotted someone walking toward him. Unfortunately, his prayers for her to not notice him and keep on walking had not been answered so ergo, he found himself in quite the compromising position and judging by the quickly changing expression of suspicion dawning on the woman's face, he'd better explain and do it fast.
"Uh—just—shit—"
"You have ten seconds before I call the manager." Nevermind that I'm the manager…
A pause. "…Aren't you the manger?"
Shit. "Ten. Nine. Eight."
"Jesusfuck—okay, Christ, just lemme—" Withdrawing his leg and muttering curses under his breath, the silver-haired figure turned and leaped gracefully to the ground, landing a few feet away from the woman whom he figured managed the place given her sharp businesslike attire. Adjusting the ballcap on his head so it wasn't pinching his ears, the man scowled and folded his arms, annoyed his escape route, even if it was a bit unethical, had been thwarted.
Kagome stopped counting and eyed the figured before her. He was dressed in jeans and a plain white t-shirt, so he wasn't employed here. She didn't recognize him besides, so what the hell was he doing in an employee's only section and trying to climb through a damned window? She narrowed her eyes. Was he a thief, trying to steal out the back with his stolen goods so nobody would notice?
His scowl deepened and a low growl escaped him. "I didn't steal anything, if that's what you're thinking, so don't be callin' the cops on me, wench."
Kagome relaxed slightly, but she didn't ease up on her suspicious stare. He didn't have anything on him to store it anyway, so he must be telling the truth. "Fine. Now explain to me just what the hell you thought you were doing trying to climb through that window." Crossing her arms and jutting a hip out to the side, Kagome arched an eyebrow and regarded him coolly.
Grimacing, the golden-eyed man propped a hand on his hip and dragged his other hand down his face with a groan, shaking his head and wondering how it is he always managed to get himself into these kinds of messes. Lifting his head, he sighed and locked gazes with the (admittedly attractive) young woman before him. "Look—" He glanced at her nametag. "—Kagome, my name is Inuyasha, and I'm just trying to hide, alright? Damn nosy woman…" He muttered the last part to himself as he glared off to the side.
Not expecting that explanation, Kagome blinked and frowned slightly, the suspicion in her gaze fading away in her surprise. "Hiding from what?"
Inuyasha winced, stared over her shoulder warily at the double doors from whence they both came, and admitted, "…My ex-girlfriend." Kagome's eyebrows rose and the look she gave him prompted him to grudgingly explain, "She's fucking psycho, alright? She's convinced that she's some kind of powerful priestess from like the Feudal times or whatever, and there was this one time where she drugged me so I was weak and couldn't struggle, and she tried to 'purify' me and turn me fully human by using some twisted black magic shit."
Kagome opened her mouth, closed it, and cocked her head. "Er, 'fully human'…?"
He made a face, glanced at the doors, and took his hat off. "I'm a half-demon." Freed from the confines of the ballcap, his ears flicked to and fro.
Her eyes lit up in delight and she nodded. "Oh."
Inuyasha shrugged. "Yeah. Anyway, I was just shopping for some ramen, minding my own business, when suddenly I catch her sent and I see her coming into the aisle. Before she has a chance to see me, I fucking bolted and ran for the first place I didn't think she'd look. But—" He winced again and those adorable ears of his flattened against his head. "I'm like, 90% positive she got a glimpse of me because I could hear her running after me and I think I heard her say my name." Heaving a sigh, he thrust a hand through his silver hair and turned pleading eyes her way, catching her off guard. "Please don't make me go back out there. She's certifiably fucking crazy and I—"
He stopped abruptly and stiffened as his eyes darted to the doors behind her and the color drained from his face. "Shit," he hissed and then, offering one last apologetic look toward Kagome, Inuyasha darted to the left and dove behind a pallet piled high with packages of cereal just in time to avoid being seen as the double doors to the stock room suddenly flung wide open and someone came storming in.
"Inuyashaaaaa! I know you're in here! I searched throughout the whole store and couldn't find you, and I know you didn't leave out the front because your car's still in the parking lot! This is the only place left, so come on out already. I found a new spell, I'm positive it'll work this time!"
Quickly schooling her features and taking a deep breath, Kagome spun around to face what was obviously Inuyasha's ex-girlfriend and found herself staring into a face that was remarkably similar to her own. With bone straight black hair, striking brown eyes, and a pale complexion, they could be passed off as sisters and nobody would question it. She was beautiful, and looked normal enough, but deciding to trust Inuyasha's word on this issue judging by his rather desperate behavior and by what this woman just said – a spell? Really? – Kagome knew looks can be deceiving.
Crossing her arms and appearing every bit the businesslike manager that she was, Kagome leveled a cool stare at her and quipped, "Excuse me, but can I help you?"
In the process of looking around the spacious room for her elusive silver-haired ex-lover, Kikyou turned her gaze to the woman – what, some kind of manager or something? – and sniffed. "Not that it's any of your business, but I'm looking for my boyfriend. He's—ah, you see, he's got the mentality of a child and likes to play hide and seek."
Behind the pallet of cereal, Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched in irritation.
Kagome gave her a deadpan look. Riiiiiight. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but there's nobody back here and this area is off limits to customers. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She gestured to the doors behind her and was somehow not at all surprised when the girl huffed and folded her arms stubbornly.
"Look, lady, I have to find my boyfriend. He's dependent on me, and if I leave without him he'll be terrified because he won't be able to find me and—just let me look for him and then we'll be out of your hair." She made to brush by her but Kagome stepped in her path and gave her a stern look.
Does she actually think she's being clever and I believe that garbage? "As I've said before, the only ones back here at present are you and I, and if there truly was a fully grown man with the mentality of a child running about trying to hide, I can assure you I would have noticed since I've been back here for the past half hour," Kagome smoothly lied, straight-faced. "Now, if you'll please follow me back out into the store, and if you still refuse, I'll have you escorted from the store's premises." And with that, Kagome briskly walked past her and pushed one of the doors, holding it open with her back and staring expectantly at the "certifiably crazy ex-girlfriend."
Clearly annoyed at having been diverted from finding the elusive half-demon, Kikyou huffed, stomped her foot childishly, then stalked past woman that looked a little like herself back out into the store. She was much prettier than that stuffy, cold businesswoman who calls herself a manager. Sticking her nose in the air, she dismissed her lookalike and stomped away with as much dignity as she could muster, ignoring the strange looks she received as she made her back to the aisle she left her cart in.
Kagome watched her go with no small amount of satisfaction, and just before she closed the door, she looked back toward the cereal pallet and muttered, "You owe me, dog-boy," then stepped out onto the floor and let the door swing closed behind her.
-X-
Nine and a half hours later at about 7:00 pm, Kagome exited the store where she spent five days a week trying to put into some semblance of order with homicidal tendencies no less tempting than what they had been nine grueling hours ago. She was tired, cranky, hungry, and God, did she need a drink after the day from hell she'd had.
Her heels clicked against the pavement as she rooted around in her purse for her car keys and upon fishing them out, she looked up, only to stop in her tracks and blink in surprise at what she saw in the nearly empty parking lot.
Leaning against a sleek red Chevy Camaro with his hands in his pockets and that same ballcap shoved down over his ears, Inuyasha directed a smirk at her as she approached and he had to admit, she was looking fine. She'd taken off her suit jacket in deference to the balmy heat of mid July, revealing a pale pink tank top that was untucked from her flowy black skirt and her black pumps completed the sophisticated yet chic look. It was perfect for what he had in mind.
"Kagome," he greeted, pushing from his car and turning her face her fully. "Fancy meetin' you here." His smirk widened and his amber eyes flashed mischievously.
"Inuyasha," Kagome turned with a grin, emitting a soft chuckle and shaking her head. She halted before him and crossed her arms, arching a delicate brow at him. "To what do I owe this honor?" Her day had just gotten much better; Kagome was a little surprised at how happy she was to see him again. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about the half-demon ever since meeting him in the stock room earlier that morning.
In response, Inuyasha tossed her a grin and gave a one-shouldered shrug. "You did say I owed you, right?" he asked and his grin widened at the look of surprise that flashed across her face. "Well, I'm here to deliver, and I'm thinkin' dinner and maybe a drink or two should just about do it. And after putting up with that psycho demon spawn from Hell, you probably need it." He opened his passenger door and held out his hand. "So, Miss Manger? How's about it?" His grin turned a tad bit devilish with just a hint of longing, suddenly needing her to say yes.
Kagome stared at the clawed hand offered to her then turned her gaze to the half-demon it belonged to. She studied him for a moment, and then finally she returned his grin with one of her own and placed her smaller hand within his large one. Instantly his fingers wrapped around hers and she allowed him to pull her closer. "You had me at 'a drink or two,'" she confessed and lifted her face to receive his light kiss to her cheek. She blushed even as her smile broadened. "Take me away, dog-boy."
The smirk he bestowed her had her heart galloping in her chest. "Your wish is my command," Inuyasha growled then with another kiss to her forehead, he squeezed her hand, settled her into his car, then raced around to hop into the driver's side before she even had her seatbelt fastened.
Feeling lighter than she had all day, forgetting about work and crazy ex-girlfriends, Kagome couldn't keep the smile off her face as Inuyasha revved the engine, shifted into drive, and tore out of the parking lot, the sound of feminine laughter echoing in the night.