Simply Business Chapter 16, an inuyasha fanfic

A.N. Thanks for the reviews and thank you in advance to the person who gives me my 600th review. You will truly mean the world to me because that's more reviews than I ever expected to get on this site. So I really thank you from the bottom of my heart even though I don't know who you are yet lol!

Dedication: To my recently deceased grandmother.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Simply Business

(Tsuki)

Chapter Sixteen

As Kagome sat on a futon Sango had set up on her floor, she let out a hearty sigh. Shippou and Rin had been given the bed while she and Sango took the floor.

Kagome whispered to her friend softly, "I think Sesshoumaru is going to fire me. I feel it. I gave him thongs, Sango! And saw him get pantsed while in a towel. Oh, and don't forget how I unexpectedly stole his kids. All in one day! And you know, in case you hadn't noticed, Sesshoumaru has some major anger issues!" Her voice rose slightly at the end to a squeak.

Sango reached her arm up and grabbed Kagome's shoulder and pulled her onto the futon. She fell to the cushiony surface with a muted thud. With a sleepy mumble the brunette commanded in a low tone, "Sleep. I'll take the blame when he comes to pick them up."

Kagome let out a slightly delayed 'ouch.' With a pout she muttered, "You're a wonderful friend there Sango…"

Sango snuggled further into her blankets, "Aw, thank you, Kags."

Kagome rolled her eyes and laid her arm over her eyes, "Good night, Sango."

Her brunette friend smiled and breathed out, "Good night!"

The green dominated room soon became silent and was soon filled with the gentle breathing of Rin and the light snoring of Shippou.

A clock posted on the ivy and grape wine designed wall paper ticked slowly but steadily and Kagome felt herself fall closer into a pleasant abyss with each move of the hand.

Kagome had almost drifted to sleep when Sango suddenly shot up on the futon. Kagome's eyes fluttered open faintly and she murmured. "What's wrong?"

Sango's brows were raised high, "You saw your boss naked?"

That was enough for Kagome to become wide awake and fall into a silent fit of coughing, "Huh?" She thought back to earlier rant and mumbled to herself. "Out of all the things I said, the only thing that could gain her attention was "pantsed in a towel". It was official…her best friend was a pervert.

The raven haired lent back down and waved a dismissive hand. "No…I didn't look down."

Sango groaned and sank back down, "And why in the hell not?"

Kagome's cheeks flamed up and she whispered fiercely, "You need help! There are at least fifty difference reasons why I didn't look down!"

Sango gave her a look, "And there are fifty-one reasons why you should have. It would have been like seeing a model naked."

Kagome furrowed her brows, "You're forgetting to add a key thing Sango… It's like a naked model with anger issues. I don't think he would have let me live."

Sango snorted, "Psh… excuses, excuses. It would have been a respectable death."

Kagome turned on her side to give Sango an incredulous look, "In whose book?!"

Sango stuck out her tongue. "Just go to sleep."

"That was the plan until you interrupted!"

"Don't turn this into a pillow fight, Higurashi."

Kagome dove into her blankets with a low squeak, "No way! Pillows become bricks in your hands."

Sango laughed. "And don't you forget that."

Kagome rolled her eyes, "You know, you always end up keeping the subject off yourself…Talk to me for once about that Mirouku guy. I bet he's a naked model on the inside too, huh?"

Sango feigned being asleep and Kagome laughed lightly, "I'll let you off for now Sango-chan."

(Tsuki)

Kagome grinned, "So should we meet up at my house after you get things together here or do you want to stop by the shrine with me?" They were currently in the dining room chatting with Sango's parents. The Takinama family all had the same kind and youthful look to them.

Sango's mother was graced with a sprinkle of freckles across her nose that she had passed down to Sango's younger brother, Kohaku. As she moved about the apple red painted kitchen with cherry wood cabinets, cleaning up after their meal she listened intently to what the girls had been doing that week as they spoke to her through the next room.

Mrs. Takinama had been the one who insisted that they have breakfast in the dining room since all seven of them would not fit at the small kitchen table. Now she had insisted on cleaning up by herself.

The deep voice of Sango's father boomed, "Of course Sango should go over with you and say hi! Setsuna has been dying to see you both." Mr. Takinama, a bearded man with a mustache was not only trying to keep up with the girls' plans, but he was also undertaking reading his paper while fend off Shippou's attempts to pull said beard. He chuckled after parrying the fifth attempt. "Quite a handful that boy is."

Sango ended up pulling him from his chair and placing him on her lap, "Shippou! Behave for once."

Mr. Takinama suddenly addressed Kagome, "How do you manage looking after that one?" Sango had told her parents about Kagome's new job during introductions the night before.

Kagome laughed, "It helps that I went through all four years of Souta's Terrible Twos. But I'm just glad Rin is so behaved...Well…at least for the most part she is." The raven haired girl gave Rin a look. Rin returned it with a smile and Kagome giggled in after thought. "She's like a female version of Kohaku."

If anything, Kohaku resembled his mother the most. Sango was a mix of both her parents. Traits-wise, Sango took after her father's athleticism and yet kept her mother's lithe form and feminine graces. Kohaku took Mrs. Takinama's personality and his father's build.

Kohaku, who was a year older than Rin looked at Kagome with a frown, "I don't think I'm anything like that, Kagome-nee-chan. I'm really gregarious."

Sango blinked wondering when thirteen year olds started having bigger vocabularies than college students, "…Well if you say so, Kohaku."

Rin looked at Kohaku inquisitively with furrowed brows, not sure what he had just said, but feeling as if he did not like her.

Mrs. Takinama finished in the kitchen and returned to the table. "So how's, Ryuu, Sango? We haven't heard from him in awhile."

Sango smiled fondly, "He's still as laid back as ever. He had a company event this week, actually."

Mr. Takinama raised a brow, "And I wasn't invited? Well I'm hurt!"

Kagome laughed and said teasingly, "You missed one incredibly good party, Mr. Takinama! It was certainly one for the books."

Sango and her mother giggled as Mr. Takinama feigned being injured, "That truly wounds me!"

Shippou inched a hand closer to Mr. Takinama's facial hair.

Kohaku smiled, "You should really have a word with him, dad!"

Kagome reached over and ruffled his hair, "Instigator!"

Kohaku stuck out his tongue, "You're the one to talk!"

Mrs. Takinama raised up a hand, "Alright, alright, put the tongues away. It's getting late and I'm sure Kagome's mother probably thinks we're hogging the girls."

Kagome laughed at how like her mother that would be, and Sango moved to hug her parents. "It's been great seeing you guys!"

Her father chuckled, "If you act like you're going back to school already, I wonder what you'll say tomorrow."

Sango retracted the farewell and replaced it with a wink and a, "See you later!" and Kagome gave her own good byes.

After she gave Sango's parents hugs, she prodded Rin and Shippou to say their good byes.

Mrs. Takinama bent over and hugged Rin, "Have fun, sweetie!" Mr. Takinama patted her on the head and Rin waved shyly, "Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Takinama."

Shippou grinningly gestured for a hug and Mrs. Takinama obligingly picked him up, before her husband could get a word out for her not to.

With a triumphant, "I touched it!" Shippou had firmly grasped Sango's father's beard in his chubby fingers. Mrs. Takinama let out a small laugh as her husband groaned, "I think I just might shave tonight."

Sango took Shippou from her mother and placed him on her shoulder, "You need a time out, kid."

Sango waved as she exited the house through the kitchen exit. Kagome laughed sheepishly at Shippou's behavior and turned to Kohaku, "Are you going too Kohaku? I'm sure Souta would love to see you."

Kohaku smiled, "When would I ever pass up a change to school him in video games?"

Kagome sweat dropped as Kohaku ran to the car, with rushed good byes. Kagome followed shortly him saying, "We'll stop by later! Bye!"

Mr. Takinama rubbed his chin and called after her as she left, "Oh by all means, take your time!"

His wife smacked him in the chest lightly, "Oh, he wasn't that bad! Stop being such a baby, Aroshi."

Mr. Takinama pouted, "How cruel!"

His wife hugged his waist, "Cruel? I'm barely getting started…You have a lot of chores to do today, slacker, have you seen the garage? And the gutters!"

Mr. Takinama closed his eyes, "You know what…? I think I prefer the munchkin."

(Tsuki)

Kagome basically sprinted up the fifty steps that led to her shrine, leaving Sango and the rest lag behind, because they had chosen to travel at more relaxed paces.

She reached the grounds within minutes and quickly trotted to the front door, yelling. "Momma! I'm home!"

The small white painted house looked so small compared to her living quarters and campus as she looked it over with one grinning sweep.

Kagome rang the front door, excitement blossoming in her chest as she waiting with barely constrained enthusiasm, "It's so good to be hooo—OH MY GOD!!"

What greeted her, instead of her kind faced mother with very brown and short brunette locks was a robe wearing, anger issue having, braided haired employer of hers with very silver and enviable silver locks.

Kagome grew cold at the sight of Sesshoumaru adorned in a pair of black silk pants and a black wife beater barely concealed by the red robe he was wearing.

He stifled a yawn, "Good morning, Kagome."

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell backwards with a mumbled, "Can't breathe…"

(Tsuki)

Kagome came to on the living room couch only to wish she had stayed out of it when her mother scolded, "Good, you're awake! I just finished speaking with Sango. I sent her to your room to think about what she did!" She wagged her finger at her daughter. "I can't believe how rude you've been to Mr. Taisho here!" She placed a motherly hand on his shoulder and he stared at her smugly from a couch across from hers.

"You took his kids and brought them almost two hours away from their home! Did you every think how worried sick he was looking for them?"

Sesshoumaru sighed, "Yes…I was incredibly worried I just had to drive here, in the wee hours of night once I knew where they were."

Kagome's brow twitched and she frowned and whispered. "You bastard…!"

But Mrs. Higurashi was unrelenting in her reprimanding. "I also heard you were playing mean pranks on him too! Replacing his underwear with thongs! I didn't know I raised such a delinquent!"

Kagome had the strangest desire to sing the song she had concocted yesterday…

Until of course, Sesshoumaru spoke.

Sesshoumaru turned his head to the side and covered his eyes with the side of his hand, "It's really been an ordeal. And with the added stress of being a single father…"

Mrs. Higurashi hugged his head in a motherly fashion, "Aww, you poor child!"

Kagome narrowed her eyes and mouthed, "You conniving bastard!"

Sesshoumaru only gave her an arrogant grin and Kagome sat up clenching her fist. "But he insinuated that I looked like a troll!"

Mrs. Higurashi crossed her arms, "Now, young lady, you shouldn't go making things up like that!"

Kagome sputtered and collapsed onto the couch with after a moment of mentally screaming she gave a sigh of resignation, "I'll go up to my room and think about what I did…"

Mrs. Higurashi smiled, "Good!"

As Kagome dragged her feet to the stairway, her mother called out, "By the way, Kagome, welcome home!"

(Tsuki)

Sango pouted, "Your mom just went Nazi on our asses, Kagome-chan! She sent me to your room and I'm not even her daughter."

Sango looked nostalgically about her friend's room. It was small and simple.

The walls had been painted purple and the floors were composed of green tiles, on top of which was a rug. She had a place where she kept important letters and extra pens and such on her wall and large purple curtains covered her rectangular windows.

Sango was currently seated on a twin sized bed with pink and white bedding, and her foot was currently tapping a nearby waste basket. Kagome was sitting on a nightstand in between her Winnie the Pooh lamp and an alarm clock. There was a wooden working desk parallel to her bed.

The desk top was covered in scattered papers, pencil, rulers, books, a lamp, and her fat cat named Buyo. In the middle of her room sat a blue office chair that had a plush pink chair pillow on it, with her cleaned laundry Mrs. Takinama had washed the night before. Sango had brought them in for her from the car neatly folded in a pale yellow whicker basket on top before Mrs. Higurashi remembered to scold her.

Kagome's brow twitched, "She called him a 'poor child'. He couldn't be poor in any sense of the word!"

The brunette sighed, "And Rin and Shippou get to goof off with our brothers—even though they're the reason why we're in this room in the first place! Not that I want them to get un trouble, but we're victims too!"

Kagome laughed, "Well it could have worse. We could have had shrine duty with jii-chan."

Sango cringed, "When you put it that way I'm a bit thankful…"

Suddenly, Kagome gasped, "What's on my clothes?" She groaned and picked off several leaves. She walked to her closet, "I need to change my clothes…I think I fell into the shrubs."

Sango snorted with laughter, "That would explain the twigs in your hair."

Her friend let out another groan and pulled off her blue cotton sweater. She tossed her sweater at Sango's head, "That's for letting me run around with a forest on my person."

Sango fell backwards onto the bed, somewhat tangled in the sweater, "Hey!"

And of course as luck would have it, her room door swung open and Sesshoumaru poked his head into the room.

Kagome both let out a piercing scream which caused Sango to scream in response and Sesshoumaru brow twitched. He gingerly touched an ear as he said, "Your mother said you can come down now."

He clearly had changed from his pajamas into a sleeveless black button up shirt and tan corduroys. And he clearly had just seen her in just a bra on…

Sango threw off the sweater and with a loud shriek, "Sesshoumaru!?"

Kagome shrieked and grabbed a shirt to cover herself with, "You could at least have the decency to apologize—or knock!"

Sesshoumaru snorted and waved his hand nonchalantly, "Of course…. My apologies for the intrusion and I'll make a note of the latter. However, I do believe we are even." Before another word could be uttered he closed the door. Sango tossed a pillow at the door a split second afterwards, "That ass!"

Kagome cheeks flamed up, "The second mom leaves, he's dead!"

Sango nodded in agreement.

(Tsuki)

Mrs. Higurashi hugged both girls as soon as they were in sight, "I know earlier you didn't get the impression of it, but I've really missed you two! Phone calls don't always let you say what you need to say. So! How was your week?"

They were back downstairs at the foot of the staircase that led into the dining room.

The dining room was considerably spacious. Two couches stood at opposing sides of the room and both were deep beige two-seaters.

In the center of the room was a low square table surrounded on four sides by sitting cushions. The floor was composed of tatami mats and well placed green knit rugs.

Sango smiled, "It's been great, Mrs. Higurashi." Kagome cast a look at Sesshoumaru who was working on his laptop on the couch and responded cheefully, "Save for a few unsavory incidents that seem common with my new line of work, and my deep seeded urge to shave a certain perverted, anger prone man's eyebrows, it was good."

Sango stifled a laugh as Sesshoumaru looked up with his trademark but oh so damnable raised brow.

Her mother smiled uncertainly. "I see… Well that's good, I suppose." She suddenly looked at the grandfather clock in their living room. "Oh! It's eleven already? Would you two mind taking the kids out and doing some shopping for tonight? I invited your parents, Sango, for dinner and want to make something special."

Kagome and Sango both grinned. Almost in unison they said, "We'd love to."

Mrs. Higurashi suddenly looked at Sesshoumaru, "You go with them too, Sesshoumaru-chan."

Kagome stifled a laughed, "—Pftt!"

Sesshoumaru brow quivered slightly in annoyance but that was the only sign of any aggravation. He pasted on a small smile, "I shall pass, Mrs. Higurashi, I have work I need to attend to. Thank you, however for the offer."

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head, "Nonsense! The girls need a big strong man looking out for them! People are so crazy these days and I'd feel better if you were there looking after them."

Sesshoumaru gave her a look that clearly stated, 'I doubt any person, sane or not would want to get near those two.'

Kagome put on a pleading face, "It's fine! We're only going into town, momma."

Sango snorted, "And never mind the fact that I earned my black belt in high school."

Mrs. Higurashi sighed and started for the kitchen, "Alright girls, leave when you're ready." She suddenly paused and turned to the silver haired man coyly, "Sesshoumaru, I suppose it's admirable that you so easily entrust your daughter's safety in the hands of two girls. Good for you!" With that she resumed her trek and was out of sight in moments.

Sesshoumaru snapped his laptop close. "When do we leave?"

(Tsuki)

After Kagome had completely rid herself of stray plant life, she and Sango paid a visit to Souta's room. They had found Shippou, Kohaku, Souta, and Rin engrossed in a four on four car race on Souta's game system. Souta had thrown the pillows in front of the seizure causing spectacle of lights and noises that was the television screen and they were all laying belly down on them.

Shippou suddenly pouted, "This game cheats!"

Souta laughed, "AKA, you're not ready yet to burn rubber with the adults."

Kagome stifled a laugh and whispered, "I love how he thinks being twelve, thirteen, and ten qualify someone as an 'adult…' With that mentality, that would make us very old women… "

Sango laughed and affected her voice to sound years older and feeble, "I bet we must sound like this to those young whippersnappers."

Kagome quietly giggled.

But after a moment she sobered.

Sango and Kagome friendship probably ran deeper, because they could relate to each other when it came to one specific fact. That was that even though their parents were in their mid forties, they had daughters in their earlier twenties. Both Mrs. Higurashi and Mrs. Takinama had accidentally had their first children at early ages. It had been a somewhat crushing idea that both had inadvertently found out while in their fragile teens, but a short lived notion, when they realized that even though at the time they were technically unplanned—accidents even, they never were unloved.

Kagome and Sango looked at each other and somehow knew that they were thinking about the same thing. Without a second moment dwelling on the subject, they moved to lie with the kids and watch their game.

Sango moved in between Shippou and Kohaku while Kagome wiggled in in the middle of Souta, and Rin.

And as they checked the stats both were shocked.

Kagome broke out in laughter, "Rin's in second place, boys! She's kicking your butt little bro!"

Rin looked over to Kagome and gave her the victory sign.

Souta pushed his snickering sister all the while keeping his gaze on the screen and his fingers moving on the controller. He grimaced, "She may be a girl, but she plays better than a guy."

Kohaku grinned, "Speak for yourself, Souta, I'm still in first place!"

Shippou sniffed and looked at Sango, who he was closest too, "Sango-chan, can you play for me? I'm losing."

Sango leaned over and guided his hands over the controllers, "Not with my help you are!"

Kagome looked over across the ocean of pillows, "That's an unfair advantage!" Kagome grinningly moved over to help Souta. "So let me even the playing field."

Sango moved Shippou into the lead only to have it usurped by Kohaku, who lost the spot to Rin who was shortly put into second by Souta, who kept lead for half a lap before Kohaku took it back, however it was not a permanent accomplish because Shippou—no…Rin…wait…Kohaku? Souta?

It was dizzying work trying to keep track of who was in first place, but soon they were on the last lap.

Rin bit her bottom lip and scrunched her brows and almost in unison six pairs of hands moved the knobs on the controller and adjusted their play to the different slops, dips, ditches, obstructions, and turns in the road.

The door suddenly swung open and Sesshoumaru entered the room…

Without reason Kagome and Sango screamed and successfully caused a head on collision between Shippou and Souta's respective cars.

The two boys sat open mouthed at they looked at their flaming cars on the screen. Kagome and Sango turned to the screen and mirrored their expressions.

Sesshoumaru raised his brow.

But anything he would have said was cut off by Kohaku's triumphant cheer, "First place!"

Kagome, Souta, Rin, and Shippou said nothing…they merely stared at the flaming wreckage that used to be their cars.

Rin snapped her fingers with a pout, "And Rin was so close too…"

Kohaku grinned and stood extending his hand, "It was close! Maybe next time you'll have me beat."

Rin nodded shaking it, "Yeah!"

Sesshoumaru crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway. "How is it that two grown women were sent in here ten minutes ago to relay a message and yet not only ended up causing my ears to bleed, but did nothing in relation to their original goal?"

That snapped Sango out of whatever state she had previously been in, "How come you always turn everything into our fault? You clearly were at the root of everything…"

"I hardly—"

Kagome lifted her motionless brother and ran towards the door and grabbing Rin's hand, "Hurry, before he gets another word out, so we can say that this was his fault!"

Sango lifted Shippou and firmly grasped Kohaku's, "I like the sound of that, Kag-chan! Run!"

Sesshoumaru's brow twitched as Kagome head butted his chest so that she could get past him.

And he had decided to leave this girl in care of his daughter why?

Perhaps he had been drinking that day….

(Tsuki)

A.N. I made this chapter very special because not only is sixteen my favorite number, it's my birth date, and age!

So R&R with some love!