Forgotten Snow
Chapter twelve


Kagome hummed happily as she looked through the paperwork she was filing for Inu-yasha. It was only a few weeks ago that she had started working for Inu-yasha, and back then they had been so uneasy around each other. It seemed like they were finally warming up to one another, and this placed Kagome in very high spirits. She rocked her head from side to side as she listened to the music on her headphones. She tapped her foot happily and placed the rest of the papers in her drawer before leaning back in her chair. The good thing about being a secretary: you get paid a lot for doing almost nothing. At least, that was the way for her.

The door cracked open and Kagome glanced up from her paperwork, surprised to see Kouga. She knew that the wolf youkai worked in the building, but wasn't sure where or when he worked. She smiled her greeting and slipped off her headphones to let them hang around her neck. "Good morning, Kouga- Kun, can I help you?" Kagome said with a smile and stood up walking towards the wolf.

He gave her a sad smile, "I'm sorry Kagome, but no."

Kagome blinked. Kouga was usual over confident and a little scary, but now he seemed depressed and even scarier that way. "Is something wrong?"

Kouga snorted and sighed, shaking his head. Locks of black hair tumbled from behind his head, where it was positioned in a high ponytail. His blazing blue eyes looked dull and tired, like he hadn't gotten enough sleep last night. It was then that she noticed that he was holding a crate under his arm, filled with mementos and trinkets. She raised an eyebrow. "Kouga- Kun..."

"I'm being repositioned," Kouga said sadly, he looked as tired as his eyes and his voice was shaky and sad.

"What do you mean?"

"My mother's been sick recently, and she got worse last night..." Kouga sighed, "She lives in Nagasaki, and when I asked for a vacation from Inu- yasha...he agreed."

"That's horrible, Kouga-Kun," Kagome said with a frown, "How long are you going to be able to stay with your mother?"

"For a long time," Kouga said dismissively.

"What do you mean a long time? Did Inu-yasha give you a long vacation?" Kagome asked, surprised and very confused at the wolf's reaction to the conversation.

Kouga chuckled, but it was a weak and dry laugh. Like when you laugh to try and show that you really don't care but deep down you really wish the conversation would change subjects. His laugh was hollow and empty. "No, no he didn't give me a vacation." He ran his fingers through his hair.

"Then..." Kagome's eyes widened in realization, "He didn't!"

Kouga nodded sadly, "He fired me."


Inu-yasha fiddled helplessly with the mechanical pencil. What was the big deal about them? They were just like a pencil, if not more annoying. Pens were much better. The little container where you stored the lead was impossible to get open. The way to do it was to lift the eraser and a tiny hole would appear, but Inu-yasha's claws sliced through the soft rubber and made it nearly impossible for his claws to get rid of. Plus, every time he wrote to hard the lead would snap and hit him in the eye or roll off his desk only to be eaten by Rin's new kitten (who had insisted on bringing the poor creature into the office).

As his claws slipped over the tiny white eraser, Inu-yasha resisted the urge to shout profanities at the Sanrino Gift Gate (Rin had gotten him the pencil for his birthday). He cursed softly under his breath, praying that his young and impressionable nieces didn't hear their uncle using the colorful language that they shouldn't learn until they were at least thirteen.

After what seemed like hours of trying, the eraser slipped a little. Inu-yasha gave a yelp of happiness and was about to add the graphite when his office door slammed open. He jumped in surprise and the rods of lead fell to the floor, where the kitten quickly destroyed all hopes of his pencil working ever again. He cursed loudly this time, not caring that Rin gasped and Kirara looked entertained (as she whipped out a notepad and quickly wrote the profanity down).

"What the fucking hell is wrong with you?" he snapped, his afternoon of polite words was over. The dam that held in the vulgar language was destroyed and they began pouring out. Kirara had the sense to cover Rin's ears, while making a mental note to write down the words later.

"What is wrong with me?" she snapped angrily and pointed an accusing finger at the hanyou, "What is wrong with you?"

"My problem is this god damn pencil," he said picking up the blue plastic writing tool, "It's being a nuisance and won't allow me to write stuff down!"

"Not that, smart ass, I mean what is your problem?"" Inu yasha took in her appearance. Her hair wasn't up in that annoying bun for once, and was instead freely hanging along her shoulders. Her blue eyes were blazing with anger and malice. Her fists were clenched to the point that her knuckles were turning white...

Whatever he did was bad. He found himself gulping as she strode forward in two even steps and was staring nose to nose at him, her eyes even scarier this close.

"Kagome...is something wrong?" he asked softly, freaking out and deciding raising his voice to the vengeful Kagome was not a smart move.

Kagome's eyes bored into his and he gulped again, his hands gripping the back of the desk. She leaned forward and made his back bend back in an awkward and extremely uncomfortable position. "Don't act like you don't know!" she snapped/

"But I don't!" he glared back, realizing that he was being weak in the face of danger...very scary danger.

"Why in the seven hells did you fire Kouga!?" she snapped finally and retreated, standing uncomfortably on one foot, her arms crossed. "Well?" she snapped.

Inu-yasha's eyes narrowed. This was the reason she was being a bitch? He snorted and glared at her, his golden eyes igniting into a hidden fire fueled by passion. "What's it to you?"

"Maybe because I care about him?" she snapped back.

His eyes widened in anger before he clenched his fist. "I fired him because he wasn't doing his job!"

"Bull shit, he was probably working harder than you!" she glared. "He was probably sitting in his office all day filing paperwork and designing new games for your sorry ass nieces to play!"

In the corner Kirara scoffed and Rin remained oblivious, having taken Kirara's headphones.

"Kouga. Works. In. The. Mail. Room." Inu-yasha growled deeply and took a step towards Kagome, his figure towering above hers in annoyance and anger. "Now, I have a pencil that is being a bitch, I have a secretary that's being a bitch, I'm taking care of a kitten that is a bitch, and I am not in the mood to listen to you, got that?"

Kagome pounded against his chest, "No I don't 'got that'! I want to know the reason why he was fired!"

"Because he left on the job," Inu yasha snapped. He didn't understand why Kagome was being so touchy about this subject but wasn't about to back down.

"But so did I, and I'm still here!" Kagome glared.

"Do you want to be fired?" Inu yasha said fiercely, his frustration for the pencil forgotten as he multiplied all his anger into the one small woman below him. Was she an idiot? Did she truly want to get fired or was she just stupid!?

"NO!" Kagome snapped. Inu yasha was the best job she could find. She had thought of quitting just to get away from the turmoil of this tension, but he paid her the most of any jobs she could find in the newspaper, and didn't want to give that up. Her bills weren't cheap.

"Then what the fuck are you complaining about?" he growled.

"Inu yasha! Kouga needs to support his sick mother!" Kagome glared angrily, and huffed, her blue eyes staring up at him, "He was up all last night thinking about he's going to support her!"

"Bull shit! His mom's been dead since he was fifteen!" Inu yasha stated, "He only wants pity." He rolled his eyes. "He's a stupid little wolf who thrives on attention!"

"How do you know?" Kagome said softer, not sure who to believe. It didn't sound too unlikely, but then again, Inu yasha could be jealous.

"Maybe because he was moping about it last month when it was her birthday?" Inu yasha spoke to her as if she was stupid and couldn't possibly comprehend. "Yeah, Ayame from down the hall sent him a sympathy wreath."

"Why are you such a jerk?" Kagome screeched. Inu yasha's ears flattened against his head.

Now that he'd gone temporarily death, and some dogs that were waiting outside the building probably were too, he stared at her in shock. Him a jerk? He was only stating that Kouga was a deceiving bastard. Didn't she see that? "Why are you such a bitch?" He mentally cringed, ok, that sounded a lot harsher than he had meant it to be. But that was often the case when insulting someone…

Kagome pulled her hair in frustration. "Inu yasha...YOU ARE SO IMPOSSIBLE!"

She spun on her heel and began to march out, Inu yasha glared after her. "Me impossible? Then what the fuck are you, you're a goddamn bitch. Stay out of my office from now on!"

"Whatever, I wouldn't set foot in this office even if you paid me!" She scoffed and walked out of his office, grabbing her jacket from her chair. "I'm taking a break!"

"Oh no you don't, get your fat ass back here!" Inu yasha pointed to her desk as he walked out of his office. "You were 'sick' yesterday, you GET NO BREAKS today!"

"What did you just say?" Kagome said dangerously slow. Her voice small and calm.

"You heard me, wench!" Inu yasha barked, his eyes flashing red in his anger.

Kagome stormed up to him and slapped him across the cheek hard. "Bastard!" A moment of silence passed between them as the slap seemed to echo across the room. Her eyes widened in shock and he flinched at the impact of her hand against his cheek. He could feel the red welt rising on his tanned skin.

Inu yasha stared at her in stunned silence and gingerly touched his cheek. "Y-You slapped me!"

Kagome looked alarmed. She'd just slapped her boss. Oh shit. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

His nose twitched and he stared at her in shock. His ears were fully alert and perked towards her. He blinked in surprise and they both stared at each other for a long time.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and tentatively touched his cheek, her delicate fingers tracing his sensitive cheek. The simple touch sent a firm spark of electricity through them and their eyes locked again.

"I-It's ok...I deserved it," he said softly, his arm falling limply at his side. He felt ashamed of himself. This was Kagome; she didn't deserve his attitude, not her. Maybe the rest of the world, but not her. He sighed.

Kagome's fingers remained on his red cheek; red from the embarrassment and the stinging assault Kagome had dealt him.

He looked at Kagome and couldn't help but think that the girl still had her spunk. He'd always loved that about Kagome, she was spunky, carefree and sweet. His heart ached for her touch and for the first time in the weeks he'd been in her company he realized how much he truly needed her. His heart throbbed as her thumb self consciously started to stroke his cheek. Her blue eyes were staring intently at his golden orbs.

Kagome almost didn't recognize the look that Inu yasha was giving her. She hadn't seen that look on his face for so long. The way that his face was free of his scowl, his lips slightly turned upward, his eyes shinning down at her. It almost seemed surreal the position they were standing in. Could it really be that she was standing alone in her office with the man she loved looking down at her with soft eyes?

Her heart started to pound as his eyes became half lidded and she could tell that hers were soon closing as well. The world seemed to drift away from her, and she was floating on air. Her delicate hands gripped his face and pulled him closer to her while his own slinked around her waist and rested idly on her back.

Their faces were inches apart, their breaths caressing the other's skin, their lips moments away from crushing against one another.

Kagome's feet rose to her tip toes and was about to touch Inu yasha's velvety soft lips, she wondered if they were as soft as she remembered, when...the door opened.

"Inu yasha I have those papers you----HELLO!" Miroku grinned wickedly when he saw the two locked in an almost embrace. "Why, I didn't know I was interrupting something, I'll just leave-"

"Miroku, my office. Now." Inu yasha said crossly and pulled away from Kagome so fast she was almost given whiplash. She watched in confusion as Inu yasha strode across the room, grabbed Miroku's shirt collar and retreated into the confides of his office space, the door slamming shock and the unmistaken click of the lock resounded across the deathly silent room.


Inu yasha leaned against the door; his ears swiveled to listen to the girl outside the door. His heart pounded in his chest and his hands shook with adrenaline. The feeling...that feeling...

He gulped and ran a shaky hand over his face before standing upright and moving away from the door. Miroku stood with a perverted smile on his face and his eyebrows so high they disappeared at his hairline.

"Congratulations," He said with a huge grin and held his hand up for a high five.

Inu yasha stared at it for a long time, his golden eyes glazed over and his face ghostly white. Miroku, noticing the hanyou's obvious distress, lowered his hand and stared at his friend. Inu yasha's hands were shaking and his knees were buckled. His silver hair seemed dull and his golden eyes looked like a child's who'd been caught in the cookie jar.

"Is something wrong?" Miroku asked slowly.

Inu yasha collapsed to the floor but continued to stare at the same spot where Miroku's hand once was. "Is something wrong?" Inu yasha whispered in disbelief. "Is something wrong?" his voice rose in volume but still kept the same tone of an abandoned puppy that'd just been kicked.

"Of course there's something wrong!" Inu yasha stood up so fast, Miroku had to back up a bit in surprise, his hand clutching his beating heart.

"Damn Inu yasha, relax!" Miroku said, his voice shaking in surprise, "You act like you didn't want to kiss her!"

Inu yasha started pacing around, his hands running irritably through his hair and his feet kicking anything that got in his path. Kirara and Rin both watched amused and the kitten stared only briefly from her position on Inu yasha's desk.

"What have I done?" Inu yasha questioned him. "I wasn't supposed to do that! Damn damn damn damn it! Baka baka baka!"

He started pounding his head against the wall and Miroku had to fight from laughing his head off at the comical sight. But his concern soon overrode his amusement and he walked briskly towards his boss. Gently touching his friend's shoulder, Miroku pulled the inu hanyou away and lead him to his chair behind his desk.

Miroku shooed the kitten and sat Inu yasha down, staring firmly at him. "You can't deny it any longer, you love Kagome."

Inu yasha blushed and looked away.

Miroku continued, "There hasn't been a single day where you haven't thought of her. Ever since the breakup you've felt so alone and empty. You told me what you did ten years ago, and what you were going to do, and yet, you weren't fast enough and ultimately lead yourself to heartbreak and pain for ten years."

Inu yasha looked at his clasped hands, which were gripping a piece of paper like a stress ball. His ears were drooped and his eyes were hidden under his bangs. He gulped softly and clutched the paper tighter.

"So, why, Inu yasha, when Kagome is willing to come back to you, why do you push her away?" Miroku said, this confused him. Inu yasha was moping and moping and when he could get what he wanted, he pushed it away. But why?

"Because," Inu yasha said softly, his voice low and pathetic. "I can't...allow myself..."

"To give yourself more pain?" Miroku's features dawned with realization and he knelt by his tragically fallen friend. "Inu yasha, you need to give her another chance. Kagome...she loves you, I'm sure of it."

Inu yasha didn't meet Miroku's eyes. "I can't."

"Yes you can, all you have to do is walk out there-"

"I can't," Inu yasha said more firmly, his golden eyes finally raising and glaring at Miroku. "Get out."

"Inu yasha-"

"Get. Out."

Miroku sighed in defeat and began to walk towards the door. As his fingers touched the doorknob he turned back towards the hanyou. "Inu yasha, you may try, but you can't run away from everything."

With that he creaked the door open and walked out the office door, leaving Inu yasha to his thoughts and feelings.