A.N. Prepare for a very weird updating schedule until Saturday. It will most certainly blow your mind (not really). But I definitely hope all future readings will be totally enjoyable. I must say though, I love how Kouga is so loved and hated at the same time lol. Kouga based reviews always just make my day haha. Thanks for like the millionth time for sticking through this!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Inuyasha and never claimed ownership at any point during this story.
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(Tsuki)
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Simply Business
Chapter Thirty-Two
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(Tsuki)
November had become a middle child between two exceptional siblings. October held festivals honoring their beloved Kyoto, in addition to being the host month of Onigumo. It was thirty one days of anticipation, fun…and the occasional, yet certainly overlookable exam. December was undoubtedly unsurpassed in the copious activities that occurred within it. Christmas had long since become a product for corporate revenue regardless of one's religious background. And its lengthy breaks? Utterly unmatched.
Yes, November was certainly the middle child. One day shorter than its siblings, it didn't quite reach the level of October and November. Sure it made a case with kids age five to eighteen by being the month of school festivals. But once you stepped onto a college campus that was all null and void. Labor Thanksgiving Day also occurred in that month and so did the peeking of autumn, but amidst the sudden downpour of work that came with them…. November lost most of its appeal.
Besides… it had started off so horribly as well.
The first few days of the month, Kagome had spent them violently ill, meaning Sango had to do double time getting the girl copies of class notes and tape lectures, in addition to being worried sick and taking care of their brothers.
And once Kagome was finally well, she and Sango got in an argument…
Even though they in theory made up, the awkwardness was still there. Not only did both feel like they were walking on eggshells with each other, Sango also felt guilty now of the raven haired girl's decision to dote more energy and attention towards Kouga.
Their friendship just couldn't go back to normal.
Both secretly resolved to talk about it of course. But they always said they would do it later.
And between reading for classes, writing papers and other studying there never really was time for that later.
November was really just revving up to be a crappy month, wasn't it?
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(Tsuki)
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Halfway into the month, Sango and Kagome had perfected their awkward dance around one other. They would wake up, Sango would make some exceptional breakfast dish and after a couple of sentences, yet despite a half eaten plate, one of the two would wrap up their plate, claiming that they had something urgent that they needed to get to.
During the classes they had together, it was abruptly easy to find someone with whom they 'hadn't spoken in so long so it was absolutely imperative to catch up,' to sit with for the lesson. Since they were both business majors taking the same language and enrolled in the same school, that happened about several times a week and although the excuses varied, it had been awhile since they had sat next to each other.
Sango went to volleyball and since Kagome, for six years straight, had gone to every qualifying match the brunette had since high school, attended that. But when the brunette's team ended in victory, Kagome only mustered a polite smile before she attempted to depart and leave Mirouku to chairing a victory celebration. Said chairman of celebration though was a tad bit oblivious to the permanent damper of the girls' relationship and invited her and Kouga to head to a club.
Kagome had been attempting to douse her mental dishevelment by spending more time with whom she now believed to a more appropriate romantic choice. So rather than a few dates here and there, Kouga was a frequent in the dorm.
Whether it was a night in, watching movies, or the raven haired man graciously volunteering to help Kagome with the ever lasting catch up game she seemed to be playing with her school work.
It had its ups though. As Kagome was not born with many dexterous graces, juggling was something she could not do. So between running back and forth between the Taisho house and Sesshoumaru and everywhere else and Kouga, one of them could only get her full attention.
So that was where she was now on this particular Wednesday afternoon. She was taking a break from thoughts that would only frighten the crap out of her by sitting underneath a red and amber mass of autumn change for a picnic style, pre-work, brunch.
It was her forty fifth hour with Kouga—not that she was counting at all—and he was again talking about his seemingly never ending project with Jakotsu and Bankotsu.
Granted, anything with included Jakotsu usually ended up distracting her by either causing her to laugh or be starkly concerned. Nonetheless, Kagome felt as if her whole life had turned into a mechanical and scripted affair. She couldn't even remember what she'd had done in specifics anymore.
She could, though, outline everything, simply by saying, 'Woke up, ate food, went to class, saw Kouga, ate food, went to the Taisho's, came home, ate other half of breakfast, saw Kouga unless he was working late, finished homework, called Kouga.'
Everything suddenly fell into categories.
And her life's sudden monotony became all the more blaringly apparent when Sesshoumaru pointed it out later that evening.
"You've been rather passive lately Higurashi." He smirked slightly and added in a purposefully lofty tone, "And by 'lately' I do in fact mean the last three weeks." Sesshoumaru crossed over to her from the kitchen doorway.
He had peeked into the kitchen, upon his return from work and after checking in on a homework-finishing Rin and scolding a homework-procrastinating Shippou. He had gone out of his way to stand in the doorway for five minutes, despite the fact that he had work to do. The man had wanted to see what response, if any, staring continually at the back of her skull would bring. Clearly it had not brought any results, so instead he had spoken.
The petit girl simply murmured a, "Hello, Mr. Taisho," while never responding to his statement or breaking gaze from listlessly stirring a pot of something undoubtedly as bland as her new personality.
But that reminded him of a talk he meant to have with her. He abruptly cringed, "Your meals have been… lacking as well." The word was clearly an understatement by the sound of his tone, but the raven haired girl merely shrugged it off, still concentrating on the pot, "I've just run out of recipes—"
"That is neither true nor does it answer any of my inquiries."
Kagome still refused to turn around and look at him, "That's because you haven't actually asked a question, Mr. Taisho."
"Is there truly a need to? You know what I mean Higurashi." He frowned deeply, "I've come to relate your demure attitude with a sign of impending disaster."
Sesshoumaru gestured toward the pot, "You would know how bad your meals were if you did not seem to have an endless supply of excuses as to why you have to discontinue joining us for dinner." He shook his head, "But that is only one element on a list of countless oddities that have been becoming the norm. Not only have you reused to make eye contact with me for weeks straight, I've heard complaints from Rin and Shippou as well. You—"
Kagome threw down the wooden spoon she was using to stir onto the stovetop and snapped, "Then fire me why don't you!"
The girl instantly regretted the words that came out of her mouth, but she was too flustered to correct them.
Sesshoumaru felt a spark of anger as he approached the girl. She still refused to turn around so he grabbed her wrist and made her face him. With a cool tone, he said evenly, "Why don't you just quit?"
Kagome bit her bottom lip and weakly quipped, "I'd have to give you a two week notice. I'd maybe have to train a replacement…. Firing has fewer strings attached."
Sesshoumaru's face hardened abruptly, "Is that what this is all about? You wish for me to fire you so you've decided to start taken an immature approach to achieve what you want?"
The man looked completely serious and ready to utter the two words that could leave her unable to enter that house ever again.
All he'd have to say was, 'Then leave…'
Kagome's eyes widened, "No! I'd never…" She shook her head furiously, "I don't want that…."
He frowned, "You have not been acting as such."
Kagome closed her eyes and replied hoarsely, "I'm trying to get back to being myself, but it's been pretty hard lately. I can't seem to really feel like me…."
Sesshoumaru looked her over intently and said in a firm tone that commanded her attention, "I am visiting my brother this weekend for Thanksgiving. We will only be gone two days considering the amount of school work those two have already missed. That will give you until Monday then to get things together." He paused and Kagome opened her eyes. He caught her gaze, "The other you is missed, Higurashi." Without a look back the man left.
Kagome cradled her wrist gingerly to her chest desperately wishing that there could have been some secret message in the fact that he had held her wrist the entire time he had spoken to her.
Her heart raced and apprehension struck at just what his ultimatum meant.
She leaned against the counter and smiled wryly, "I have less than a week to fall out of love with that guy…"
She had to wonder how her life could do a complete one-eighty from one realization. She let go of her wrist and both appendages fell to the cool tiled surface.
Love was perhaps something new to her and right now it was something utterly frightening. A part of her worried that it had the power to change what she didn't want changed.
There was nothing she enjoyed more than this job, all bullshit complaints aside, it was perfect.
'How I'm acting now is probably making things worse, not that I like Sesshoumaru.' She smacked her forehead, "Stop being stupid, Kagome…"
The sad thing was that she didn't even feel any different around him. She felt the same flustered feelings and could feel her cheeks heating up at the sound of his voice. Nothing had changed there. Hell she was even certain that were she to count her heartbeats, she'd still be breaking medical history.
The only difference now was that there was an explanation for everything.
'Why can't I just act normal again…? Three weeks of this has been hell on my psyche no doubt.' She closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath.
…And began to gag. Kagome clamped a hand over her nose, "Oh my God… What is that smell?!"
She whirled around and finally took a good look at what she was cooking. The raven haired girl hurriedly shut off the fire and took a step back, "That's disgusting!"
She grimaced at the bubbling puke colored concoction and quickly covered it, with a disdainful 'ew'. The girl threw open every in the kitchen and plopped back onto the floor. She laughed a bit until it turned into breathless giggles. She reclined down so that she was laying prone on the floor. "I am a mess!"
"Talking to yourself now, Higurashi?" Kagome looked up to see Sesshoumaru walk back into the kitchen cell phone in hand. He looked up from the device only to have to look back down at her. He raised a brow at her and drawled, "And sleeping on my kitchen floor nonetheless?"
Kagome smiled slightly, "I basically just realized that I was cooking up a pot of something kind of….repulsive. Is that what I've been feeding you three all this time? I honestly could have sworn I was actually making food."
Sesshoumaru crouched down so that he was at a closer level. In a low tone, he question, "What happened with Sango, Kagome? You began acting differently after what happened with her correct?"
Chocolate eyes met his gingerly, "It's less what happened with her than what I happened to realize after our fight."
"And that is?"
Kagome truly wondered if she should tell him. If anyone could make her fall out in love with Sesshoumaru, surely it could infallibly be Sesshoumaru himself…
He would probably relate it to something like Stockholm syndrome… only it'd just be for an employee who was very misguidedly crushing on her boss.
It happened all the time so there was bound to be some sort of syndrome and or logical explanation for it!
Kagome opened her mouth and after a few mental words of encouragement, she said, "I realized that I am madly and unreasonably—"
"I changed my mind old man!" Shippou's voice rang loudly through the living room, in addition to the sound of his running to Sesshoumaru's location. When he arrived, he repeated, still in a loud, hold-everything, tone, "I changed my mind! I just want desserts tonight. I want to the cake thing andthe shuure-bet thing, but not the hamburger."
Sesshoumaru scowled as Kagome seemed to take that as a sign and clam up. The raven haired girl moved into a sitting position and grinned, "Hey, kiddo!"
Shippou abruptly held his nose, "Ugh! Who let you cook again?"
Kagome grimaced, "This is the last bad meal ever. I promise!" Shippou crossed his arms dubiously but merely addressed Sesshoumaru, "When will the food be here anyways old man?"
Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru, "Food?"
"Since you've become aware of your possibly lethal cooking, I suppose it would not hurt your feelings to admit to ordering out most nights that you have been cooking. Would you like something?"
Kagome blanched, "Please tell me you're docking my pay for that.—I'd feel horrible otherwise!"
Shippou looked appalled, "You paid her to feed me hot ass?"
Sesshoumaru raised a brow at the wording, but decided against voicing that, for based on the look on Kagome's face she was revving up to scold him.
"Shippou!" The raven haired girl frowned, "I don't want to hear you saying that again!" She turned to Sesshoumaru, "He's right though; tell me you're not paying me to serve him hot ass!"
Sesshoumaru rubbed his temples.
She was either sedated but cooked like a drunk money lacking olfactory organs, or she was borderline crazy but made the damnedest meals.
He couldn't win.
The man breathed out of a puff of air. "Incidentally, your dog rather enjoys your concoctions. I've saved a sizeable sum of money on dog food for that trash compactor thanks to you. I brought it to numerous vets, however, to make sure there was no actual damage being done. It's somewhat miraculous, but the dog is completely fine…"
Kagome wasn't sure how to respond to that. She blinked, "That's good I guess…"
Shippou sighed, "I'll kind of miss your bad cooking though. I've had fries and dessert on the same night, this many," he held up five fingers, "times, since you've fallen for that weird guy you told me about."
Kagome's jaw dropped and Shippou planted a kiss on her cheek, "You're definitely my favorite adult." He ruffled her hair and said almost in caveat, "Mommy's my favoritest though, but she's not an adult though 'cause she's my mom." Shippou skipped away leaving Kagome still slack jawed and after instigating the makings of a very awkward conversation.
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(Tsuki)
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Sango slipped into a black modest dress that was formal, sophisticated….and Kagome's. Despite their friendship currently being MIA, they were basically going through the mechanics. And what was a formal event without borrowing one another's clothes?
Though dinner with Ryuu and Mirouku wasn't really formal formal, she secretly loved going through Kagome's closet. It always seemed to have everything and anything she needed.
They were pretty close in build, minus height and Kagome had some very cute, though sometimes odd, clothes.
She laughed as she slid close the closet door, "I used to love how she'd always say the same thing to me…"
Going through the girl's clothes most certainly made her feel as if the two had never suffered a snag in their friendship.
Sango sadly sat down on the other girl's bed and mused in a low tone, "You really fucked things up, Takinama." As she sat loosely cradling her arms, she had to wonder if things would ever be the same again.
She absentmindedly played with the spaghetti straps and tugged restlessly at mid-thigh high ruffled hem.
The girl closed her eyes. She needed to suggest that the two of them do something together…and without the presence of men. They hadn't had time to head home since before their fight and in retrospect those drives into Kyoto were their closest bonding times.
Sango sighed for the umpteenth time that evening.
Her eyes lit up.
"Maybe a day trip into Kyoto for a Labor Thanksgiving Day family dinner would be perfect! Kagome hadn't said anything about planning to go home for tomorrow," she ignored the voice in the back of her head that muttered, 'Kagome's barely said anything about anything,' and continued musing, "And since it's such short notice, it'd be the perfect surprise!"
And this time it would be a good one, not one of those, 'Surprise! Hereeee's Kouga!' surprises.
It would be something that she was sure the raven haired girl would be sure to genuinely and without unconscious obligation, enjoy.
She hopped off the bed and her bare feet scurried towards her room to make a few calls.
Hopefully she wouldn't be working on too short of a notice.
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(Tsuki)
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Kagome expected a very mortifying discussion to follow as she made countless, note after mental note, to never tell Shippou anything of any consequence. She now had visions of that little red headed liar telling his school mates every single juicy detail about her during recess that would not go away any time soon.
'I promise I won't tell, my ass!' She thought indignantly.
It was times like this that she could actually believe that he really was hiding horns and hooves.
She gingerly looked over at Sesshoumaru to gauge his reaction and instantly looked away seeing his own eyes on her.
They continued to stay there, regardless of Kagome trying to wish his eyes off of her, as Sesshoumaru simply studied her for a moment before rising. Rather than address her, he immediately merely on the phone with whatever fast food place he had on speed dial and walked out of the kitchen as if they hadn't been conversing.
Kagome suddenly felt like she had the first night she had been in his home. It was that feeling a kid gets where they know they're in trouble, but they're not quite sure what the hell they in trouble for.
That's exactly how she felt now.
Like a kid who perhaps had done something wrong, like eat a cookie before dinner, but had not yet known that sweets before dinner were a no-no.
Kagome sat there for a lengthy span of time trying to surmise as to what possibly awaited her when Sesshoumaru returned. The same instinct to bolt was oddly on vacation this time around, so seated she stayed, in quiet wait.
But minutes continued to pass and the only one to greet her was Gome. The girl gave a very brusque bark of a greeting and went straight to the stove. The pup pawed for the pot above, but was far, far away from her reaching goal.
Kagome pouted and huffed bitterly, "Well hello to you too, Gome."
Gome made a whimpering noise and sheepishly went over to nuzzle Kagome's cheek in form of an apology.
Kagome rubbed the girl's and patted her on the head and giggled, "Yeah, yeah, you're forgiven…. Now get you're bowl and I'll give you what you really want."
As Gome quickly left in a burst of excited barks, Kagome murmured with distaste, "Though I honestly don't see why you'd want it."
The golden pup was soon back with her brightly colored plastic food bowl and Kagome took it from her mouth. "You'd love my cat Buyo, Gome. You two apparently have a lot in common when it comes to eating. You just happen to keep in better shape."
As she uncovered the pot she could not help but cough a bit. Her eyes even begun to water. Clearly time was not a friend of whatever she concocted. Kagome looked at the pup. "Are you serious, Gome? This is actually really disgusting!"
Gome pawed her leg and Kagome rolled her eyes and spooned the thick, chunky, and still steaming contents out of the pot and into the bowl, "Whatever. Fine. Enjoy." Kagome was about to place the bowl down, but instead put in the freezer.
The dog whimpered and Kagome rolled her eyes, "Sorry I got your hopes up there, but it's just two minutes! You'll burn your tongue otherwise and I'm not in the mood to say, 'I told you so.'"
Gome lay pitifully down in front of the freezer door.
Kagome picked up the dog and huffed, "Don't you get mad at me too, Kagome Higurashi Taisho!"
Yes, she had spent nights wondering what she would call Gome if she ever had to scold her. That name was the end product of two consecutive all-nighter's abilities to produce random thought.
Gome looked put out… or at least that's what Kagome interpreted, seeing as how personifying a dog got tough at times.
Kagome rolled her eyes, "One more minute, girl! Stop that!"
The dog barked and looked away.
Kagome let out a sigh. November truly just sucked.
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(Tsuki)
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"Look, I know this is really, really short notice, but I really, really need your help." Sango added a generous helping of pleading to her tone, "If not for my sake, please do it for Kagome's!" She tried to use her finest beseeching powers as she one handedly put in a silver teardrop hoop in her earlobe and held her cell phone in the other hand.
The brunette waited patiently for a response as she placed in the second slender hoop.
The answer from the other line made her clench her jaw, though. Her eyes narrowed, "What do you mean how did I get your number? Stop asking that! Just answer yes or no damn it because you're not the only one I need to call tonight and I have to leave in like ten minutes!" She winced as her tone turned a bit whiny at the end, but she was undoubtedly in a rush.
She had no time to deal with obstinacy.
Sango listened for a moment as the other party spoke before she commenced putting on lip gloss. Her brows suddenly furrowed together in confusion and she pursed her lips together, "Y-you want me to help you what?"
Sango tossed the tube of gloss down onto her desk, ignoring the fact that she didn't screw the lid back on. She waved her now empty hand about frantically. "Fine, fine. I'll do anything. Just say you'll be there tomorrow night!"
After a moment she breathed genuine relief, "Thank you…"
She clicked off her phone, and sighed, "It's going to take me awhile to start acting civil to that guy, huh?"
She shrugged and started dialing again, "Everything takes time, I suppose."
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(Tsuki)
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"I ordered you dinner, so I expect you to stay for it," Sesshoumaru said tersely as he returned to the kitchen.
Kagome shrieked in surprise at the sound of his voice. She had been in the middle of mixing Gome's now considerably cooler dinner. Kagome put the container down before she dropped it and incited any more of the dog's wrath. After all that two minutes had almost been enough to get her mauled. Putting Gome through that again would surely be the end of the original Kagome Higurashi.
The raven haired girl then fully processed what Sesshoumaru had said, "Wait—you ordered me dinner?"
Sesshoumaru smirked, though it held less of an amused undertone than usual, "As I said, Higurashi when I entered."
Kagome rubbed her temples, "But I've been such a pain—"
"That I have noticed Higurashi," Sesshoumaru interrupted in chillingly clipped tones, "and it is these occasions that make it seem not even worth it to tolerate you to be honest."
The raven haired girl blanched and her mouth opened slightly in surprise at his words. She felt her heart clench painfully, and as he set to continue speaking, she could not help but wonder if he would finally get rid of her…
It killed her that he could even want to.
"I have been far more than lenient with the fact that you continuously allow your personal life to get in the way of your time here. But this will be the last time." She closed her eyes and waited for him to utter the words to fire her. Instead, though he scowled, "Whatever happens with your boyfriend stays home. Make sure of that."
Kagome was shocked to hear an undertone of something indecipherable.
She blinked, this time in uncertainty, "You think this is because of Kouga?"
Sesshoumaru rolled his amber eyes and challenged. "Isn't it?"
And then Kagome was struck with bewilderment. Could it be that Sesshoumaru Taisho was, probably for the first time since his spawning, jealous of another person?
She looked him over and couldn't help but giggle at the thought. When she noticed that she was giggling out loud and most certainly pissing him off, she quickly murmured, trying to bring her giggling under control, "This has absolutely nothing to do with Kouga." The girl brushed past him, barely able to constrain her laughter.
Really… how could Sesshoumaru be jealous?
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(Tsuki)
A.N. Another fun chapter in the Taisho household. I kinda really like this one. It was enjoyable to write and who knows maybe Sesshoumaru was a bit jealous, teehee.
Tell me if you guys liked this!