DICSCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha.
A/N: Thanks to the people that reviewed! I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter. I love writing the banter in this fic. The four main characters are just a blast to write. Anyway, I got a few questions about the repost thing...er...heh heh....just blame it on me being really really stupid really really late at night. Wanted to replace my chapter with an uploaded document, and, with one click of a button, I accidentally deleted the entire story. I'm such a genius....
Please read and review!
"A Match Made in Heaven"
CHAPTER 2: No Thank You, and Good Night!
Stupid Miroku. Stupid Miroku. Stupid Miroku...
Inuyasha chanted to himself under his breath. He was finding that it was fast becoming a mantra of his....a kind of saying for all occasions.
He supposed he had denied the fact long enough- his best friend was an idiot. Inuyasha glowered at the blank computer screen in front of him, vaguely considering that he would look insane, had any of the other partners walked in on him at that precise moment. It had been a day since Miroku had submitted the application to the dating service, and Inuyasha had been simmering at his desk for almost a half an hour, conjuring up new and creative ways of inflicting bodily harm upon his friend.
He had had just about enough of Miroku trying to "help out." His face reddened deeply as he recalled the last woman Miroku had thrown him at. In fact, she....well....it....hadn't actually been a woman. Miroku had conveniently blamed it on the poor lighting in the smoky bar, but Inuyasha had from then on sworn off trusting his friend's intuition about matters of the heart.
Besides, Inuyasha knew exactly what he wanted- and it definitely wasn't something that a cheap, senseless and computerized dating service could offer. He wanted someone with fire, spunk, intelligence, beauty- all qualities that a machine wouldn't be able to read through an application. He scowled darkly.
He hoped that Miroku had contacted this dating place and straightened out the mess. Otherwise, they'd both be in trouble.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
A floor above, Kagome was settling down industriously to begin her work for the day. Every day they received brand new, fascinating applicants- and today was no exception. She moved her eyes over the latest files, her quick mind automatically snatching up bits of basic information about each to store in her brain. This was precisely why their company had been so successful. The two women at the head of operations knew what qualities meshed well with each other, and usually came out with high success. They were also both very observant about the tiny details imbedded within applications.
Having finished reviewing them, Kagome decided to choose one at random as a starting ground. Weeding her fingers into the pile, she came up with the most unlikely suspect.
My mystery client... she thought, wryly to herself. Though all the applicants were protected under privacy rules of the company and therefore were technically also enigmas, the fact that his name or description had not even been provided made him all the more intriguing. OK, mystery man....let's see what you've got for me. Leaning back in her chair, she began working over the details of the application.
He was successful and intelligent- that was apparent from his salary and his education. He was tall. He liked animals. Favorite music- jazz and classic rock. Hobbies- martial arts, sports, reading. Age- twenty seven. Previous marriage- none. All in all, the stats were adding up to be a normal applicant. Could be any desk jockey you passed on the street. Wanted a girlfriend to make him feel validated and less lonely. Possibly feeling at a loss, and inadequate next to his married friends.
All pretty obvious in a twenty or thirty-something man's profile. Bordering on desperation, usually.
Feeling as if the masked man was already disappointing her with his dull profile, she moved lazily to the last page, where the applicant (or in this case, the friend) had the opportunity to describe exactly who they were, what they desired of the services, and what they were looking for in a potential mate.
Though she understood that the man himself had not written the words on the paper, she felt a kind of surprise at the ideas presented on the five by five, pre-lined space of the back page of the application:
He's the best man I have ever met. Though flawed, he's observant, thoughtful, loyal and one of the sharpest minds around. He does not seem to be lonely, but yet he seems to have a constant mission. He needs a woman that can really match his intelligence and be his equal. Not a trophy wife, but a true ally. He has difficulty sharing his true meaning and desires with others, and therefore, is never able to find what he needs most. I believe he could very well live his entire life without a true love- but I hope that he may find it. A real woman with wit and patience could let him settle down, soften up, and become truly happy.
Kagome read the paragraph over again, marveling at how beautifully the man had described his friend. Perhaps he wasn't so normal, after all. It sounded as if he had no desperation, no feelings of inadequacy....just a constant desire for his soul mate. She noted it as something out of a romance novel- sincere but almost sickeningly sweet in its idealism. She wondered to herself if this man really knew his friend this well, or if he had over-thought the description a bit too much.
"Having fun with the International Man of Mystery?" Sango had sauntered into her office.
"I'm glad we've finally learned his name." Kagome responded, dryly.
Sango giggled, slumping into the chair across from Kagome. "Well- how does the application look? Anything juicy? A murderous past perhaps? A Mafia boss?"
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Don't get your hopes up. But, he is more interesting then I expected. Check this out...." She slid the open packet to Sango, watching her friend skim over the lines.
Sango looked impressed, handing the application back to Kagome. "Miroku didn't lie when he said he knew his friend- beautiful writer, too. He definitely sounds different than your run-of-the-mill blind date, I guess....Did you find any potential matches?"
Kagome shook her head, yawning widely. "I haven't really looked yet. Do you have any good ones?"
Sango thought for a moment, her lips pursed in thought, as her mind scanned over the stats and names she had covered in the past couple hours. With a start, an idea popped into her brain. "Actually....I think there may be one girl.." Without an explanation, she moved out of the office, and Kagome heard her banging around the file cabinets, digging out an application.
A minute or two later, she had rejoined Kagome in the office, a sole packet clutched in her hands. "This one," she said, simply, handing the application to her friend. "She seems to be one of the smartest female applicants I've seen in a long time. She's well-educated, sounds worldly, and she says that above of all, she's looking for someone who is 'more mature.' She's 'in between relationships,' and she's only two years older than him."
Kagome looked appraisingly at the survey and then at the paragraph. "I think this may be our best try. Why don't I see if these two match up, and, if so, I'll contact them both to let them know there's been a match!"
Sango looked pleased. It was always a relief when they found two people who even seemed to fit into the same walk of life, let alone corresponding age group or range of desires. She nodded smartly, satisfied that she had helped Kagome's progress, and turned to leave.
"Oh, Sango- before I forget. I have to leave a little bit earlier than normal today- can you finish filing everything on your own?"
Sango raised her eyebrows in a steep arch. "Early? What for? Got a hot date with some steamy hunk?"
"Yeah...don't I wish...No, I'm having dinner at the shrine tonight. It's Souta's eighteenth birthday tonight, and my mother is making a special dinner. Of course, it's a command appearance," she said, tiredly.
Sango smiled widely. "Of course it's OK....though, you don't sound too thrilled about going..."
Kagome sighed low. "It would be great if EVERY time I visited, my grandpa and mother didn't pester me about getting married. They think I'm going to become an old maid if I wait a second longer."
"You're already a spinster. You might as well give up."
"Point taken. Now, if you want to leave my office before we start discussing your non-existent love life..."
And Sango had disappeared with the door shut neatly behind her before you could say "Old Maid."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Kagome stepped onto the elevator, somewhat comforted by the fact that the compartment was empty. It was hard to relax and gather her thoughts if she had to keep her professional face on around the staunch businessmen in her building. Instead, she slumped tiredly against the cool panels of the wall. Heels were painful.
The ride down was faster than normal, making very few stops. Once she reached the lobby, Kagome made her way to the parking garage through the heavy metal door at the far right. She glanced at her watch, and, noticing that she was running late for Souta's birthday dinner, she began to jog through the hall to get to her car faster. The clack of her heels bounced off the white-washed walls, as she shoved through the adjacent door, around a corner- and straight into a person.
The collision caused an immediate chain reaction of flying papers and muffled curses, as Kagome skidded to a stop. She was now reminded of why she should never run blindly around corners, and she scolded herself.
"I'm so sorry.....I really should have been paying more attention..."
"Yeah, you're right- you should have." The softly scathing voice cut through her apology like a blade.
Kagome jolted, and looked up indignantly into an all-too-familiar face. She colored bright red, recognition dawning on her. "You-!" She fixed her finger at him. It was the Mean Guy from the elevator!
He looked at her with a bored, sardonic smile. "Me! Yeah...so? Do you always run into people and then point at them accusingly?" His taunting, smooth voice ripped back at her.
She blew out frustration, ignoring the papers strewn at her feet- the ones she had knocked out of his hands. "No! Only assholes!"
He stared at her quizzically, arms folded tightly across his broad chest. He snorted. "Have we met before, little girl?"
Kagome sucked in a sharp breath, her temper boiling up. She didn't know why he was making her so riled up- she usually was so controlled. After all, she had been used to opposition from male coworkers, bosses, businessmen, every day of running her own business. She hadn't even spoken to this man before now, but the overwhelming arrogance and dismissal with which he regarded her made her want to slap him.
"I was there in the elevator yesterday when you were cussing at your poor friend...or do YOU always treat your friends like that?" she returned, pointedly.
Inuyasha looked confused for a moment, then yesterday's elevator ride came back to him. "Him?!" he exploded. "God, you should meet the prick before you start making assumptions about how I treat him! Anyway....anybody who lies and deceives their best friend like that deserves to get....wait! Why in the hell am I telling you all this?" This girl was nuts.
She blushed again, remembering again that they were in the middle of an echoing parking garage, and that she had the one to cause him trouble. She regretfully gritted out another apology to him, her eyes burning into his gold ones. "I'm sorry to have caused you trouble, sir," the words did not even pretend to be sincere. "Now let me help you with this....." ....So I never have to see you again.
He glared at her, watching smugly as she crouched down to gather up the fallen papers. What a pig! She thought, fuming. He's not even pretending to help!
Once she had grudgingly gathered the papers in a haphazard stack, she stood up grandly, and unceremoniously shoved the papers into Inuyasha's hands. "There!" She nearly shouted fiercely in his face. Turning on her heel, she stalked off to her car.
He stared after her, his face a mottled mix of anger and surprise. "Weirdo..." he muttered.
"I heard that!" She didn't even bother to turn around, though her fingers clenched harder over her briefcase handle.
For some reason, Inuyasha felt like he wanted to stick his tongue out at her back.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Kagome had spent the better half of her drive down the highway on the outskirts of town thinking very angry thoughts, her blood becoming hot at the thought of the way the man had treated her. Where does he get off acting that way- I mean, really?! But, as the drive had lengthened, the engine purred beneath her, and the sunlight on the horizon had waned into the pinks and oranges of sunset, she gradually began to calm down. She had decided that she wouldn't let his impoliteness ruin the night for both her and her family.
Now, sitting around the crowded kitchen table in the warmly-lit room, she felt the coziness of home ease her nerves like always. Nothing like a home-cooked meal and weird family members to distract you, she thought
Upon arrival, she had immediately seized her younger brother in a playful hug, teasing him about finally becoming a man. The two were close, in both their relationship and their physical likeness. They both were slender, handsome, with the same shining dark hair and eyes.
Her mother offered her another helping of her special-cooked fish, and Kagome accepted, knowing that her well-meaning mother would not take no for an answer. Her grandfather scrabbled at the food in front of him with his chopsticks, somberly shoving the rice around in a circle. Kagome rolled her eyes at her grandpa, not worried at all that he had taken to dramatics....because she knew what was coming next.
Mrs. Higurashi smiled brightly, as she fixed her father-in-law with a concerned stare. "Are you alright, Grandpa?"
He muttered something creakily, as he cleared his throat. Kagome sighed as she pushed a piece of the sweet fish past her lips. He was starting up again, like a broken old motor. "I may not be around very much longer..." He wheezed purposefully. Kagome knew that there was enough life in those old bones to last another lifetime. "And I think that it is high time you were married, Kagome!"
Kagome nodded blankly, knew she had guessed correctly. This was exactly the reason why she had dreaded coming. She tried desperately to pass up the subject, by turning to her younger brother. "So, what do you want for your birthday, Souta?" Her brother looked confused, hated being caught in the middle of the dangerous discussion of his sister and boys.
Her mother ahem-ed quietly, bringing the attention of the three to herself. "Now, I think that you should listen to your grandfather, Kagome dear."
Kagome stared at her widely, her mouth opening like a fish's. "But Mama- I can't just...GET married....I'm not exactly old, you know....only twenty-five! And, why is it any of your business in the first place!" She pouted.
Her grandfather sighed loudly, edging on. "Yes, but who will I pass on the burden of Higurashi Shrine to once I am gone?"
"Souta can do it!"
"I'm not doing it!"
Her mother looked primly ahead for a moment, seemingly shutting out the din around her. Then, with the swift and practiced conflict resolution of a mother, she shoved a plateful of pickled vegetables at her father-in-law. "Won't you taste it?" The question begged action, and he reluctantly accepted a piece of the bitter vegetable.
Smiling sweetly, Kagome's mother turned to her daughter. "You know, there's a really sweet boy that I think would be just perfect for you- I'm very close with his mother. The family name is Hojo."
"I don't want you to set me up with anyone! If I needed that, I would do it myself- I own a dating service, for goodness sake!" She scowled again. "I can find a man on my own." She didn't like how, when she spoke those words, the image of the man in the parking garage had flashed into her mind. Why had he popped into her brain, and not someone else from the elevator? Who cared if he was handsome, anyway....he was exactly the opposite of what she wanted!
Souta snickered, finally venturing to join in the heated conversation. "Want me to hook you up with one of my friends?"
Kagome almost growled at him, but instead turned to her mother, holding out her empty plate with a deceptive smile. "May I have seconds?" She was asking for more food, which signified that the conversation was over.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
A/N: So who's this mystery woman that they're gonna pair Inuyasha up with? (No, really, if you don't get this, I'll be worried.) Well, I hope you liked that. Inuyasha is really mean, isn't he? Hehe he's fun to write that way. Have no fear- this IS and InuKag fic....
Please let me know what you think so far! Chapter 3 will be up soon!