Chapter 2
Officially Initiated
A few weeks later. . .
"Sango, do you have those French cookies, yet?" Kagome yelled into the storage room. She heard a muffled, "Yes!" and went back to their work table.
"Mitsuko?" The girl looked up.
"Hai, Kagome-san?"
"Did you finish the birthday basket? The large one? It's supposed to be delivered by 10:00."
Mitsuko nodded. "Yes, I put it on the delivery rack. Kouga should be getting back from his last delivery. He can get it there."
"Okay, thanks!" Kagome sat down and resumed wrapping the basket she had been working on. She wrapped it in a clear plastic wrap that was tinted pink, and bunched the ends up at the top. She then tied a pink bow around it to hold it in place. She and Sango were assigned the orders for baby shower baskets today. She added one last sticker to the front that said, "It's A Girl!" and placed it to the side with some other baskets that weren't due to be delivered until the next day.
Sango returned with about twenty more cookie samples, and four baskets. She stopped at Julia's table to give her a basket. She then sat down by Kagome and gave her a basket, as well. It was still early, and there were still many baskets to go.
As Sango began placing a mixture of boxes and packages into her next basket, she smiled and said, "So, Kagome, how are you and Kouga?"
Kagome blushed. "We are good. We're still taking it slow. But he is great."
Just then, Kouga himself bustled in through the back door and yelled a "Hey!" to the working girls. He looked at his chart and grabbed four baskets that needed delivering. Kagome watched him rush back out the door and smiled. "He does look good in his work clothes."
Sango giggled, thinking the same thing about Miroku.
It had been about three weeks since Sango had started work with Kagome, and they had already become the best of friends. The two couples, Sango and Miroku, and Kagome and Kouga, had lately been spending a lot of time together. Kouga and Sango were regulars around the apartment, and the group seeing one another had become a normal, everyday thing.
Sango straightened up suddenly, and ran into the front display room where Kaede-san waited on customers. Kagome wondered about her abrupt exit, but continued to work, anyway.
About eight minutes later her friend returned with a satisfied expression on her face.
"What's up?" Kagome asked as Sango sat back down.
Sango sighed contentedly, "Just got my friend a job here!"
Kagome smiled. "Really?! Another delivery boy, right?"
Sango nodded.
"Who is he?"
"His name is InuYasha. He already delivers pizza's, but I hated seeing him doing that, so I told him about the job openings here-"
"Wait a minute!" Kagome interrupted, "his name is InuYasha?! But that means dog-demon! What is he, some kind of punk?'
"No!" Sango laughed. "Well, he can get pretty angry, but believe me, he is no demon! He's a little touchy when it comes to his name, though. Doesn't like to talk about it much. I just think his parents were really into ancient stuff."
Kagome raised her eyebrows. "He sounds like quite a character."
Sango sighed. "Trust me. He is."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next Saturday, another meeting was called. Kagome and Miroku arrived, and joined Kouga and Sango inside.
When Kagome walked in, she spotted a man with long white hair and golden eyes talking with Kaede-san.
This must be InuYasha.
Kagome decided right then that he was the most interesting person she had ever seen. His features were rugged and handsome, and he kept himself in rather good shape. He looked as if he was from another world altogether. . .
"Kagome?"
Oops.
Kouga had spotted her drooling at this strange new guy.
She looked at him innocently. "Yes, Kouga-chan?"
He just eyed her suspiciously, then gave in. "I got us tickets for that movie you wanted to see tonight."
"Great!" She kissed him on the cheek.
Kaede-san then got everyone's attention.
Kagome noticed InuYasha sit down apart from everyone else.
"We have a new co-worker with us today! This is Tokunawa InuYasha." She yanked him up out of his chair.
InuYasha gasped with surprise, then laughed nervously. He waved.
Kagome smiled. He was cute.
Kouga had not missed the way Kagome had looked at this InuYasha guy. He immediately did not like him. InuYasha was now a threat to him. . .but he would remain respectful. After all, he would be working with him. But something cramped in Kouga's heart; Kagome had never looked at him like that. . .
Kaede-san went on with what the group now nicknamed "the Initiation."
"InuYasha, these are your new co-workers. . . "
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"So," Sango asked later back at the apartment, "what did you guys think of him?"
She had introduced InuYasha to everyone in the group, and they had all went out for lunch, but he had to go before they could get back to the apartment.
Miroku spoke up first. "I thought he was nice. A little quiet, but. . . I give him a. . . eight and a half."
Everyone laughed at this strange way of rating their new addition, but alas, agreed with Miroku.
Kagome came back from the kitchen with some tea for everyone. As she sat the tray down she asked Sango, "His hair. . . it's silver. Is it naturally that way?"
"Yeah. I asked him about it when we first met in high school, and he told me that it's always been in his family. His half brother also has the same hair and eyes. They look just alike." Sango sipped her tea.
"Oh, he has a brother?" Kagome snuggled next to Kouga.
"Yeah, he's got a tough name to remember. . . it's uh. . . Ses- hm. . . Sesshoumaru! That's it. I met him once. He's really handsome, but a little freaky. Like one wrong word, and he would kill you on the spot."
"Ooh," Kouga chimed, "I wouldn't want to run into him in a dark ally. . ."
"Exactly." Sango agreed. "And he never smiles. He and InuYasha hate each other with a passion. I think it has something to do with their not being from the same mother, or something."
"They sound really different." Sesshoumaru. . .
Kagome pondered these two mysterious brothers. Why did she feel like she would soon be getting to know them both better?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next Monday, InuYasha started work. He'd obviously delivered a lot before, because he was as quick as Miroku and Kouga at his new job.
The end of the day finally approached, and InuYasha noted that Kouga was not around. He was kind of happy about this. He could tell that the guy had something against him. He went inside and waited for Miroku to get back. They had decided at lunch to go out for a drink after work. InuYasha had decided around 3:00 that he sure could use one. He'd made twenty deliveries that day. And he had about twenty-six to make the next day.
He and Miroku had grown a to like one another. And there was another girl that InuYasha was growing an interest in, as well.
Kagome Higurashi.
He had figured out himself that she was with Kouga, but from the way things looked, he didn't expect them to stay together for long. Kagome had seemed disinterested in Kouga at times, and he acted way too into her. Yes, he decided to himself, it was a relationship that was doomed to failure. . .
He walked into the back room and spotted none other that Kagome herself. InuYasha guessed that the other girls had already left. She was alone, clearing her work table off and preparing things for the next day.
"Hey, Kagome."
She turned around, startled. "Oh, hi, InuYasha!"
He shoved his hands in his back pockets. "Is Sango around?"
"Yeah, she's in the storage room putting some boxes away."
She looked into his eyes then, and it gave him an uneasy, dizzy feeling. He smiled at her. "I noticed that Kouga's not around."
"Yeah, " she smiled back, "he had to go help out at his dad's restaurant. It was busier today than usual."
She quietly continued to pick up her things.
InuYasha wasn't sure what to say to her next, and he was relieved when Sango came into the room. She gave him her usual, bright, happy Sango Smile.
"Hey, InuYasha! How was your first day of being a delivery boy?"
"First day?!" he joked, laughing. "It was fine. Pretty busy, I don't think I've ever delivered that much in one day."
Sango was about to say something, but Miroku came in and greeted everyone with an "Oi! InuYasha, I'm ready for that drink, now!"
He kissed Sango on the cheek, and she playfully made a face.
"Ew, get away, you're all sweaty!" She giggled as he playfully hugged her and picked her up off the floor. He swung her around, and Sango squealed, wrapping her arms around him when he set her down, enjoying finally being able to be with him.
Kagome watched them and thought, they're going to be together forever. . .
But her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a pair of golden eyes on her. She looked back at InuYasha, and blushed. She shyly looked away. Any thoughts of Kouga had completely slipped her mind.
"Hey, InuYasha, "Sango yelled, playfully, snapping him out of whatever state he was in, "don't let my boyfriend get too drunk! I'm not sure how well he can hold his liquor!"
Miroku began to tickle her. "No- " she squealed, still trying to talk to InuYasha, "-no Sake! Just beer!"
"Will do!" InuYasha answered.
"Hey," Miroku said, mocking hurt. "I'm not that bad. . . "
"Oi!" Sango cut in, "And no looking at other girls! I mean, you can, InuYasha, but keep an eye on him!" She laughed and pointed at Miroku, "He can be rather promiscuous!" Miroku tickled her ribs.
InuYasha said, playfully, "Alright, you two, knock it off!" He grabbed Miroku by the back of his shirt collar and pretended to drag him out the door. Miroku played along, grabbing at his neckline, and pretending to choke. He kept bracing his feet on the floor, "struggling."
"Sango, my love!" He yelled. "I shall return to you! And I'll have a terrible time at that bar getting drunk, I promise!"
Sango pouted her lip and waved just before InuYasha swung Miroku in front of him, then shoved him out the door. The girls heard one last "Saaaangooooo!" and burst into giggles.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
When the girls recovered from laughing, Kagome asked, "Sango, are you going straight home?"
Sango sighed, "Yeah. I want to go to bed earlier. Miroku kept me up on the phone last night."
"Oh, that's right," Kagome remembered. He had woken her up a couple of times, laughing too loud. It hadn't been too bad, though.
"Have him call me when he gets back!" Sango yelled as she walked out the back door. "That is, if he's not too drunk!"
"I will!" Kagome sighed. She supposed she should go see if Kaede-san needed help with anything.
She walked into the front room, her purse on her shoulder and her keys jingling in her hand.
"Kaede-san?"
The old woman looked up from the cash register. "Ah, Kagome-san! Come here, I have an errand for you to run."
Kagome looked at her questioningly. "What is it?"
Kaede handed her a retirement-theme basket, and said, "That new boy InuYasha is very fast, but he forgot to deliver this." She handed Kagome a slip of paper bearing the address it was to go to. "Can you drop it by here? I know it's late, but see if anyone is there, ne? Tell them it is free since it came late. And give them this discount on their next basket. That boy should be happy I don't fire him."
Kagome nodded her head as she took the three things from Kaede-san. She noticed the discount was for fifty percent off.
"By, Kaede-san!" Kagome walked out the door.
"Goodbye, Kagome-chan! Be careful!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kagome reached the building the basket belonged to. It was the book publishing company, of all places. She'd just sent her novel in last week. Everyone had left, but the front doors were still open. She went inside and looked around in the lobby.
"Hello?"
The lights were still on.
"Hello? I have a delivery!"
Someone had to be here.
She looked down a back hallway and saw an office door cracked open. She walked over to it and saw the name "Tokunawa: Chief Editor" engraved in a brass plate screwed on the door. Tokunawa. . . wasn't that?
It was.
It was InuYasha's last name. . .
She shrugged, and knocked on the doorframe instead of the door, so it wouldn't swing open. She then heard a beautiful, but agitated, male voice yell, "Come in."
She got an uneasy feeling as she peeked inside.
Nothing could have prepared her for the shock she received next.
A man sat in a brown leather chair, his body turned sideways from Kagome, so she couldn't see his face. He was reading something
A nice office. . . she thought as she entered.
The (young) man had long, beautiful, silver hair that reached the middle of his back.
No way. . .
He then turned to face her, his piercing, golden eyes looking up into hers.
This is too weird. . .
This man was the spitting image of InuYasha, only older by a few years.
Sesshoumaru.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Yes," he spat out, terribly agitated, "what do you want?"
"Uh. . . I. . . have a delivery that should have been made here today around 2:00. It is for a, " she looked at the card, 'Williams."
"Ah, yes, Williams. He left an hour ago." He said the last sentence flatly. "Would you mind telling me, miss. . ."
Kagome registered that he was asking for her name. "Oh! Higurashi. Higurashi Kagome."
"Yes, of course," he said tauntingly, "Higurashi, would you mind telling me why the package is so late?"
"Oh, our delivery boy forgot to deliver it. Today was his first day." She said, nervously.
Why did she find him so intimidating?
"Well," Sesshoumaru replied, flatly, "you'll make sure that doesn't happen again, ne?"
She nodded her head. "Un."
He pointed to the floor at the doorway. "Leave it there. I'll make sure he gets it in the morning."
He went back to his reading.
Kagome stood there, looking at him. She wasn't finished, yet. She found this man's attitude toward her to be very annoying. Now she was irritated.
She cleared her throat, getting his attention once again.
"You're still here? What is it now?"
"I wasn't finished, yet. " Kagome said shortly.
"Well, by all means, please do."
"I wanted to tell you to make sure that Williams knows this basket is on us for arriving so late. So, he need not pay. And to make sure he gets this discount, as well."
Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome, sensing her own agitation. "Do not worry, Higurashi. He will get the message. Now please be on your way."
Kagome turned on her heel to leave. "You're not a thing like your brother!" she yelled behind her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Wait. . . surely this girl had not just mentioned his half- brother, InuYasha?
"Girl," he stood and yelled after her, "stop!"
She stopped and slowly turned around. "What?"
"You speak of my half-brother, InuYasha? I presume you know him?"
"Good presuming." the girl said, shortly.
He would overlook her attitude towards him. This girl did not realize that this was the way he treated everyone. "How do you know him? He wouldn't happen to be the boy who was supposed to make the delivery today, would he?"
The girl stopped short, and with a most entertaining look of bewilderment on her face replied, "Yes."
So, that's what his low, half-sibling was doing with his life. He was a delivery boy. How pathetic.
"Thank you, Higurashi. You may leave, now. Oh- and no. . ., " he remained standing, but leaned forward, placing his hands on his desk, ". . . you will find that InuYasha and I are not a thing alike. For, he is a much lower existence than myself."
The girl looked at him, baffled at his hateful words. She turned on her heel and strode away.
Good. She left. She was beginning to give him a headache.
He turned back to the latest book he was editing. He found it distasteful, and stupid, among other things, but that sad-excuse-for-an-Assistant-Editor Naraku Fujishima insisted on publishing the damned thing.
His headache grew stronger, and he knew he wouldn't have it if it hadn't been for that heinous girl, Higurashi.
He prayed to the gods never to see her again.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kagome stormed out of the building in total and complete disbelief.
How cruel he was!
He had no consideration or respect for a complete stranger.
What the hell had she ever done to him?!
She wondered how long poor InuYasha could stand to be around him. He had to see him sometime, obviously, for they were half-brothers.
But then she thought. . . she didn't know InuYasha all that well. Who said he couldn't be just as cruel as his brother? Or, to his brother? She doubted InuYasha was scared of him. Even she had grown tired of Sesshoumaru's arrogance and hadn't been afraid to be rude to him after a while.
She wondered if he would be her editor. Then she thanked the gods for pen names.
She began to calm down a little on the ride home and was okay by the time she reached the apartment.
She came home to a dark and empty place, and shuffled around, looking for the light switch.
When she found it, she flipped it on and set her purse in its usual place on the counter. She hung her keys on the hook on the side of the cabinet. A sharp pain slowly worked its way to the front of her head.
Now, all she wanted was a hot shower.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Later. . .
"Kagome? I'm back!"
No answer.
"Kagome?"
"Oi!" He heard her voice call from somewhere in the back of the apartment.
"Where are you?"
"My room!"
Miroku, shirt untucked and hair mussed up, made his way to Kagome's room and leaned against the doorframe. "Hey. You okay?"
She was on her bed, sprawled out on her back in her pajamas, with a washcloth over her eyes. "Un."
"You don't look it."
"Thanks," she joked. She took a look at him. "Well, you don't look so hot, either."
"What's bothering you?" He sat down beside her on her bed.
She told him about her encounter with InuYasha's older brother.
"Weird. He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"Uh-uh."
"And InuYasha's so nice. . . we had a great time at the bar. It's hard to believe they come from the same family." Miroku sighed. "He must have given you one hell of a headache."
"You bet."
He took the now cold washcloth from over her eyes and went into the bathroom to warm it back up for her. When he returned, she sat up. "But think about it, Miroku. We don't really know InuYasha, yet. Who says he can't be violent? After all, we've never seen him around his brother."
"Well," Miroku replied, placing the washcloth back on her forehead, "let's hope we never have to, ne?"
A few weeks later. . .
"Sango, do you have those French cookies, yet?" Kagome yelled into the storage room. She heard a muffled, "Yes!" and went back to their work table.
"Mitsuko?" The girl looked up.
"Hai, Kagome-san?"
"Did you finish the birthday basket? The large one? It's supposed to be delivered by 10:00."
Mitsuko nodded. "Yes, I put it on the delivery rack. Kouga should be getting back from his last delivery. He can get it there."
"Okay, thanks!" Kagome sat down and resumed wrapping the basket she had been working on. She wrapped it in a clear plastic wrap that was tinted pink, and bunched the ends up at the top. She then tied a pink bow around it to hold it in place. She and Sango were assigned the orders for baby shower baskets today. She added one last sticker to the front that said, "It's A Girl!" and placed it to the side with some other baskets that weren't due to be delivered until the next day.
Sango returned with about twenty more cookie samples, and four baskets. She stopped at Julia's table to give her a basket. She then sat down by Kagome and gave her a basket, as well. It was still early, and there were still many baskets to go.
As Sango began placing a mixture of boxes and packages into her next basket, she smiled and said, "So, Kagome, how are you and Kouga?"
Kagome blushed. "We are good. We're still taking it slow. But he is great."
Just then, Kouga himself bustled in through the back door and yelled a "Hey!" to the working girls. He looked at his chart and grabbed four baskets that needed delivering. Kagome watched him rush back out the door and smiled. "He does look good in his work clothes."
Sango giggled, thinking the same thing about Miroku.
It had been about three weeks since Sango had started work with Kagome, and they had already become the best of friends. The two couples, Sango and Miroku, and Kagome and Kouga, had lately been spending a lot of time together. Kouga and Sango were regulars around the apartment, and the group seeing one another had become a normal, everyday thing.
Sango straightened up suddenly, and ran into the front display room where Kaede-san waited on customers. Kagome wondered about her abrupt exit, but continued to work, anyway.
About eight minutes later her friend returned with a satisfied expression on her face.
"What's up?" Kagome asked as Sango sat back down.
Sango sighed contentedly, "Just got my friend a job here!"
Kagome smiled. "Really?! Another delivery boy, right?"
Sango nodded.
"Who is he?"
"His name is InuYasha. He already delivers pizza's, but I hated seeing him doing that, so I told him about the job openings here-"
"Wait a minute!" Kagome interrupted, "his name is InuYasha?! But that means dog-demon! What is he, some kind of punk?'
"No!" Sango laughed. "Well, he can get pretty angry, but believe me, he is no demon! He's a little touchy when it comes to his name, though. Doesn't like to talk about it much. I just think his parents were really into ancient stuff."
Kagome raised her eyebrows. "He sounds like quite a character."
Sango sighed. "Trust me. He is."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next Saturday, another meeting was called. Kagome and Miroku arrived, and joined Kouga and Sango inside.
When Kagome walked in, she spotted a man with long white hair and golden eyes talking with Kaede-san.
This must be InuYasha.
Kagome decided right then that he was the most interesting person she had ever seen. His features were rugged and handsome, and he kept himself in rather good shape. He looked as if he was from another world altogether. . .
"Kagome?"
Oops.
Kouga had spotted her drooling at this strange new guy.
She looked at him innocently. "Yes, Kouga-chan?"
He just eyed her suspiciously, then gave in. "I got us tickets for that movie you wanted to see tonight."
"Great!" She kissed him on the cheek.
Kaede-san then got everyone's attention.
Kagome noticed InuYasha sit down apart from everyone else.
"We have a new co-worker with us today! This is Tokunawa InuYasha." She yanked him up out of his chair.
InuYasha gasped with surprise, then laughed nervously. He waved.
Kagome smiled. He was cute.
Kouga had not missed the way Kagome had looked at this InuYasha guy. He immediately did not like him. InuYasha was now a threat to him. . .but he would remain respectful. After all, he would be working with him. But something cramped in Kouga's heart; Kagome had never looked at him like that. . .
Kaede-san went on with what the group now nicknamed "the Initiation."
"InuYasha, these are your new co-workers. . . "
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"So," Sango asked later back at the apartment, "what did you guys think of him?"
She had introduced InuYasha to everyone in the group, and they had all went out for lunch, but he had to go before they could get back to the apartment.
Miroku spoke up first. "I thought he was nice. A little quiet, but. . . I give him a. . . eight and a half."
Everyone laughed at this strange way of rating their new addition, but alas, agreed with Miroku.
Kagome came back from the kitchen with some tea for everyone. As she sat the tray down she asked Sango, "His hair. . . it's silver. Is it naturally that way?"
"Yeah. I asked him about it when we first met in high school, and he told me that it's always been in his family. His half brother also has the same hair and eyes. They look just alike." Sango sipped her tea.
"Oh, he has a brother?" Kagome snuggled next to Kouga.
"Yeah, he's got a tough name to remember. . . it's uh. . . Ses- hm. . . Sesshoumaru! That's it. I met him once. He's really handsome, but a little freaky. Like one wrong word, and he would kill you on the spot."
"Ooh," Kouga chimed, "I wouldn't want to run into him in a dark ally. . ."
"Exactly." Sango agreed. "And he never smiles. He and InuYasha hate each other with a passion. I think it has something to do with their not being from the same mother, or something."
"They sound really different." Sesshoumaru. . .
Kagome pondered these two mysterious brothers. Why did she feel like she would soon be getting to know them both better?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next Monday, InuYasha started work. He'd obviously delivered a lot before, because he was as quick as Miroku and Kouga at his new job.
The end of the day finally approached, and InuYasha noted that Kouga was not around. He was kind of happy about this. He could tell that the guy had something against him. He went inside and waited for Miroku to get back. They had decided at lunch to go out for a drink after work. InuYasha had decided around 3:00 that he sure could use one. He'd made twenty deliveries that day. And he had about twenty-six to make the next day.
He and Miroku had grown a to like one another. And there was another girl that InuYasha was growing an interest in, as well.
Kagome Higurashi.
He had figured out himself that she was with Kouga, but from the way things looked, he didn't expect them to stay together for long. Kagome had seemed disinterested in Kouga at times, and he acted way too into her. Yes, he decided to himself, it was a relationship that was doomed to failure. . .
He walked into the back room and spotted none other that Kagome herself. InuYasha guessed that the other girls had already left. She was alone, clearing her work table off and preparing things for the next day.
"Hey, Kagome."
She turned around, startled. "Oh, hi, InuYasha!"
He shoved his hands in his back pockets. "Is Sango around?"
"Yeah, she's in the storage room putting some boxes away."
She looked into his eyes then, and it gave him an uneasy, dizzy feeling. He smiled at her. "I noticed that Kouga's not around."
"Yeah, " she smiled back, "he had to go help out at his dad's restaurant. It was busier today than usual."
She quietly continued to pick up her things.
InuYasha wasn't sure what to say to her next, and he was relieved when Sango came into the room. She gave him her usual, bright, happy Sango Smile.
"Hey, InuYasha! How was your first day of being a delivery boy?"
"First day?!" he joked, laughing. "It was fine. Pretty busy, I don't think I've ever delivered that much in one day."
Sango was about to say something, but Miroku came in and greeted everyone with an "Oi! InuYasha, I'm ready for that drink, now!"
He kissed Sango on the cheek, and she playfully made a face.
"Ew, get away, you're all sweaty!" She giggled as he playfully hugged her and picked her up off the floor. He swung her around, and Sango squealed, wrapping her arms around him when he set her down, enjoying finally being able to be with him.
Kagome watched them and thought, they're going to be together forever. . .
But her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a pair of golden eyes on her. She looked back at InuYasha, and blushed. She shyly looked away. Any thoughts of Kouga had completely slipped her mind.
"Hey, InuYasha, "Sango yelled, playfully, snapping him out of whatever state he was in, "don't let my boyfriend get too drunk! I'm not sure how well he can hold his liquor!"
Miroku began to tickle her. "No- " she squealed, still trying to talk to InuYasha, "-no Sake! Just beer!"
"Will do!" InuYasha answered.
"Hey," Miroku said, mocking hurt. "I'm not that bad. . . "
"Oi!" Sango cut in, "And no looking at other girls! I mean, you can, InuYasha, but keep an eye on him!" She laughed and pointed at Miroku, "He can be rather promiscuous!" Miroku tickled her ribs.
InuYasha said, playfully, "Alright, you two, knock it off!" He grabbed Miroku by the back of his shirt collar and pretended to drag him out the door. Miroku played along, grabbing at his neckline, and pretending to choke. He kept bracing his feet on the floor, "struggling."
"Sango, my love!" He yelled. "I shall return to you! And I'll have a terrible time at that bar getting drunk, I promise!"
Sango pouted her lip and waved just before InuYasha swung Miroku in front of him, then shoved him out the door. The girls heard one last "Saaaangooooo!" and burst into giggles.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
When the girls recovered from laughing, Kagome asked, "Sango, are you going straight home?"
Sango sighed, "Yeah. I want to go to bed earlier. Miroku kept me up on the phone last night."
"Oh, that's right," Kagome remembered. He had woken her up a couple of times, laughing too loud. It hadn't been too bad, though.
"Have him call me when he gets back!" Sango yelled as she walked out the back door. "That is, if he's not too drunk!"
"I will!" Kagome sighed. She supposed she should go see if Kaede-san needed help with anything.
She walked into the front room, her purse on her shoulder and her keys jingling in her hand.
"Kaede-san?"
The old woman looked up from the cash register. "Ah, Kagome-san! Come here, I have an errand for you to run."
Kagome looked at her questioningly. "What is it?"
Kaede handed her a retirement-theme basket, and said, "That new boy InuYasha is very fast, but he forgot to deliver this." She handed Kagome a slip of paper bearing the address it was to go to. "Can you drop it by here? I know it's late, but see if anyone is there, ne? Tell them it is free since it came late. And give them this discount on their next basket. That boy should be happy I don't fire him."
Kagome nodded her head as she took the three things from Kaede-san. She noticed the discount was for fifty percent off.
"By, Kaede-san!" Kagome walked out the door.
"Goodbye, Kagome-chan! Be careful!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kagome reached the building the basket belonged to. It was the book publishing company, of all places. She'd just sent her novel in last week. Everyone had left, but the front doors were still open. She went inside and looked around in the lobby.
"Hello?"
The lights were still on.
"Hello? I have a delivery!"
Someone had to be here.
She looked down a back hallway and saw an office door cracked open. She walked over to it and saw the name "Tokunawa: Chief Editor" engraved in a brass plate screwed on the door. Tokunawa. . . wasn't that?
It was.
It was InuYasha's last name. . .
She shrugged, and knocked on the doorframe instead of the door, so it wouldn't swing open. She then heard a beautiful, but agitated, male voice yell, "Come in."
She got an uneasy feeling as she peeked inside.
Nothing could have prepared her for the shock she received next.
A man sat in a brown leather chair, his body turned sideways from Kagome, so she couldn't see his face. He was reading something
A nice office. . . she thought as she entered.
The (young) man had long, beautiful, silver hair that reached the middle of his back.
No way. . .
He then turned to face her, his piercing, golden eyes looking up into hers.
This is too weird. . .
This man was the spitting image of InuYasha, only older by a few years.
Sesshoumaru.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Yes," he spat out, terribly agitated, "what do you want?"
"Uh. . . I. . . have a delivery that should have been made here today around 2:00. It is for a, " she looked at the card, 'Williams."
"Ah, yes, Williams. He left an hour ago." He said the last sentence flatly. "Would you mind telling me, miss. . ."
Kagome registered that he was asking for her name. "Oh! Higurashi. Higurashi Kagome."
"Yes, of course," he said tauntingly, "Higurashi, would you mind telling me why the package is so late?"
"Oh, our delivery boy forgot to deliver it. Today was his first day." She said, nervously.
Why did she find him so intimidating?
"Well," Sesshoumaru replied, flatly, "you'll make sure that doesn't happen again, ne?"
She nodded her head. "Un."
He pointed to the floor at the doorway. "Leave it there. I'll make sure he gets it in the morning."
He went back to his reading.
Kagome stood there, looking at him. She wasn't finished, yet. She found this man's attitude toward her to be very annoying. Now she was irritated.
She cleared her throat, getting his attention once again.
"You're still here? What is it now?"
"I wasn't finished, yet. " Kagome said shortly.
"Well, by all means, please do."
"I wanted to tell you to make sure that Williams knows this basket is on us for arriving so late. So, he need not pay. And to make sure he gets this discount, as well."
Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome, sensing her own agitation. "Do not worry, Higurashi. He will get the message. Now please be on your way."
Kagome turned on her heel to leave. "You're not a thing like your brother!" she yelled behind her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Wait. . . surely this girl had not just mentioned his half- brother, InuYasha?
"Girl," he stood and yelled after her, "stop!"
She stopped and slowly turned around. "What?"
"You speak of my half-brother, InuYasha? I presume you know him?"
"Good presuming." the girl said, shortly.
He would overlook her attitude towards him. This girl did not realize that this was the way he treated everyone. "How do you know him? He wouldn't happen to be the boy who was supposed to make the delivery today, would he?"
The girl stopped short, and with a most entertaining look of bewilderment on her face replied, "Yes."
So, that's what his low, half-sibling was doing with his life. He was a delivery boy. How pathetic.
"Thank you, Higurashi. You may leave, now. Oh- and no. . ., " he remained standing, but leaned forward, placing his hands on his desk, ". . . you will find that InuYasha and I are not a thing alike. For, he is a much lower existence than myself."
The girl looked at him, baffled at his hateful words. She turned on her heel and strode away.
Good. She left. She was beginning to give him a headache.
He turned back to the latest book he was editing. He found it distasteful, and stupid, among other things, but that sad-excuse-for-an-Assistant-Editor Naraku Fujishima insisted on publishing the damned thing.
His headache grew stronger, and he knew he wouldn't have it if it hadn't been for that heinous girl, Higurashi.
He prayed to the gods never to see her again.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kagome stormed out of the building in total and complete disbelief.
How cruel he was!
He had no consideration or respect for a complete stranger.
What the hell had she ever done to him?!
She wondered how long poor InuYasha could stand to be around him. He had to see him sometime, obviously, for they were half-brothers.
But then she thought. . . she didn't know InuYasha all that well. Who said he couldn't be just as cruel as his brother? Or, to his brother? She doubted InuYasha was scared of him. Even she had grown tired of Sesshoumaru's arrogance and hadn't been afraid to be rude to him after a while.
She wondered if he would be her editor. Then she thanked the gods for pen names.
She began to calm down a little on the ride home and was okay by the time she reached the apartment.
She came home to a dark and empty place, and shuffled around, looking for the light switch.
When she found it, she flipped it on and set her purse in its usual place on the counter. She hung her keys on the hook on the side of the cabinet. A sharp pain slowly worked its way to the front of her head.
Now, all she wanted was a hot shower.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Later. . .
"Kagome? I'm back!"
No answer.
"Kagome?"
"Oi!" He heard her voice call from somewhere in the back of the apartment.
"Where are you?"
"My room!"
Miroku, shirt untucked and hair mussed up, made his way to Kagome's room and leaned against the doorframe. "Hey. You okay?"
She was on her bed, sprawled out on her back in her pajamas, with a washcloth over her eyes. "Un."
"You don't look it."
"Thanks," she joked. She took a look at him. "Well, you don't look so hot, either."
"What's bothering you?" He sat down beside her on her bed.
She told him about her encounter with InuYasha's older brother.
"Weird. He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"Uh-uh."
"And InuYasha's so nice. . . we had a great time at the bar. It's hard to believe they come from the same family." Miroku sighed. "He must have given you one hell of a headache."
"You bet."
He took the now cold washcloth from over her eyes and went into the bathroom to warm it back up for her. When he returned, she sat up. "But think about it, Miroku. We don't really know InuYasha, yet. Who says he can't be violent? After all, we've never seen him around his brother."
"Well," Miroku replied, placing the washcloth back on her forehead, "let's hope we never have to, ne?"