Chapter Three
"What the fuck was that all about!" Naraku groaned out loud when he stepped out of the elevator. Both of his hands flew to grip his hair and then he pulled. A bit too hard. He regretted it.
People around him gave him weird looks and a pretty reception girl asked if he was okay. He ignored all that and walked outside, still pulling his hair. Then of course he remembered that he had dropped his briefcase by the elevator when he started the battle with his hair, so he had to go in again.
"You look deranged", Kagura's sharp voice interrupted his agonizing when he flew out of the building once again. She was waiting for him next to the firm's car, looking a little worried.
"I feel deranged", Naraku muttered and practically threw himself into the car.
Kagura followed close behind with graceful movements. "What was that back there?"
"I have no idea…"
"I mean, I know you like to put on a show but that back there was just weird. Wasn't it supposed to be easy-in-easy-out sort of situation and instead you go and put on a full dance show with ostrich feathers and flashing lights."
"Yeah, yeah, I know, would you please just leave it!" Naraku snapped more than a little irritated. He was mad at himself and he wasn't entirely sure why.
Kagura was right, after all. Everything he'd done in that meeting room had been completely pointless, serving no particular cause. Sure he liked to scheme and play people as he wanted but he always had to have a reason. Something to gain from it all. A purpose. He knew he must've had one this time around as well. He just didn't know what it was. That had never happened before.
Everything about that man made him just angry and confused and his head feel like a bag of cat hairs. Kagura's nagging didn't really help to sort it out.
"Are you still in love with him?" she suddenly asked.
Nor did that. That helped even less.
Naraku opened his closed eyes and fixed his burning glare on Kagura. "I was never in love with him. One would have to care about the other person to be in love with him. No I am not in love with that annoying, coldblooded goddamn frigid sociopathic sorry excuse of a man!"
Kagura stared at him eyes wide. "Okay then. No more mentioning that."
"Good." Naraku took a deep breath and settled better on his seat. The car with its driver was trying to get through the midtown traffic. For a minute he wonder what was the point to use such big cars in the city but that thought went quickly past as he stretched out his legs and took full advantage of the space offered.
"I'm still going to ask you to tell me what he said to you after we left."
The content feeling that had been fighting through the morning's discomforts was soon gone and Naraku felt his shoulders stiffen.
"I hate you sometimes."
"No you don't. Just spill and we can be done whit it."
Naraku was more than a little pissed off at the moment but Kagura didn't seem to care. That somehow managed to piss him off even more. "Why should I tell you anything? It's none of your business!"
And yes, he knew exactly how childish that outburst had been. He just didn't care.
Kagura didn't lose her cool. She just smirked, flashing her white teeth between blood red lips. "You idiot. It's my business because I'm your friend. Your only friend, if I might add. It's good to talk about this stuff to someone and let it all out. You're just going to brew it in your head until you do something stupid and destructive if you don't. That's just how it goes. As your friend, I'm here, willing to listen to your bitching and moaning, even if I had something better to do, and trust me, I do. So if I were you, I'd accept my generous and awesome kindness and start blabbing. Get your head out of your arse and just do what I say!"
Naraku stared out of the window for a while. Buildings and people were passing by in the slow traffic of the city. Everyone seemed to be in such a great hurry. It was cloudy today but the sun made an appearance every once in a while, making the snow on the ground glitter. Then a car would pass by and the once white snow turned grey and wet.
They had met when the winter's first snow fell. It had been beautiful. Everything covered in pure white. It had suited him so well.
"He remembered me", he said after a moment of silence that was only filled with the impatient sound of Kagura tapping her red nails on the car door. "I didn't think he would. I didn't think he'd cared enough to remember."
"And how does that make you feel?"
"What are you, my freaking therapist?" Naraku shot her a mean look.
"Well I don't know, this whole sympathetic crap is not really my thing but I'm trying, so just go with it!"
"I'm in such good hands…"
"So he recognized you, huh? What then?"
"Nothing then. I left. There wasn't much said. But I did remember something."
"What?"
"I so fucking hate that guy!"
Something flashing in her friends eyes mad Kagura flinch, and she wasn't the type to flinch easily. Not for the first time she wondered what had happened back then, when that anger had taken over Naraku and left him burning slowly. She did know part of it but she couldn't understand why after all these years Naraku hadn't been able to let go but instead festered in his anger. She decided it was better to drop it for now. It's not wise to poke an angry animal with sticks.
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Naraku sighed relieved when he heard the lock of his office door click shut behind him. He was exhausted and it was only lunchtime.
He wasn't even hungry.
Refusing food was unusual for him.
He didn't feel like working either. That wasn't so unusual.
He sat down in his chair and closed his eyes, enjoying the quiet.
Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed before him. He cursed heavily and used at least two languages to do so.
He was over him! That was the mantra he now would have to keep repeating to himself until it was true. Why was this confusion even part of his life anymore? He had been fine for a long time now.
/Hands grabbed fistfuls of hair and lips seek to touch anywhere, everywhere…
Not enough.
Hands roamed over sweaty and flushed skin, trying to find new places to touch, discovering so much.
They kissed.
It was always and never the same. Heaven and hell. So good but never enough.
Hips were drawn closer and they could feel how painfully hard the other one was. So close. The friction and heat created a blissful sensation that made their breaths that much heavier and lips part with quiet moans. Breathing in. The smell of it, the taste, that sound…
All that passion.
It felt like so long ago…/
Naraku opened his eyes and stared into nowhere in particular. Sometimes, just sometimes, when he was tired and safe and alone in the privacy of his own bedroom he allowed himself to remember and wished for a fleeting moment that he could have that all back.
Then he remembered the pain and utter humiliation that had followed and the moment was over as the all too familiar hate took over. Now that he had allowed himself to think about it in the broad daylight and in his freaking office of all places right after actually meeting the bastard, he could feel the feeling inside him crawling away in his gut and turning into raging red hot fury.
He quickly pulled himself together and as soon as that was done, pressed the intercom. "Kagura, I need you."
He didn't wait to hear an answer. He just stood up and unlocked the door. Kagura flew in almost as soon as he did so.
"What is it?" she asked, sitting on his desk.
Naraku didn't bother telling her to sit on a chair like normal people. He knew she wouldn't budge either way.
"I need you to dig some dirt for me."
"Uh huh. What for?"
"Don't try to look suspicious. You know you love it."
Kagura shrugged. "Sure I do. Beats my day job. You just need to tell me who's the target and how deep do you want me to dig."
"Shiro-corporation and the great big boss. I want to know everything. Every little thing. I want to know how they operate. I especially want to know about him. Dig up everything you can about his personal life. I need to know."
Kagura just stared at him for couple of seconds but when she had confirmed that he really was serious, she just nodded and let out a heavy sigh, not questioning him any further. Naraku was pretty sure, though, that on her way out he could hear her mutter something along the lines of: "This is so not healthy."
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Sesshoumaru stood outside the door for ages before he decided whether he really should knock or not. By the time he actually did knock, he was already freezing and covered with powder snow. His knuckles were so numb from the cold that he couldn't feel the hard wooden door as his hand hit it.
There was commotion behind the door and he had to wait for a moment before it opened. Kagome stood there with a small girl in her arms, trying to balance her and a cup of coffee at the same time.
"Sesshoumaru! What are you doing here? You look like you're freezing! Oh my, you're all wet! Come inside so we can dry you up."
Sesshoumaru stepped in dutifully. He had learned during Kagome's pregnancy that when her mothering instincts kicked in, the smartest thing to do was to just shut up and let her fuss. Otherwise she was completely intolerable. She could preach nonstop without repetition for hours.
"Do you want me to warm you some dinner? Take that coat off this instant! How on earth did you get yourself this wet? Of course you haven't eaten, I'll make you something, ah no, the dinner, yes, you'll have some of that. Rin, you need to get down now, mummy need her hands."
Rin put her feet on the ground and instantly put her hand into Sesshoumaru's, who was about to cut off Kagome's rant to ask her to kindly shut the fuck up and let him speak. Rin tugged his hand a little and shook her head. They looked at each other for a brief moment before Sesshoumaru gave her a little sigh and a shrug. She nodded happily and they both waited patiently for Kagome to rush off to warm up some dinner all the while coming up with new ways to describe Sesshoumaru's irresponsibility.
When she had finally stormed off, Sesshoumaru turned to look at the little girl, who still had his forefinger in her tight and almost possessive grip. "Where's your father?"
Rin gave him a radiant smile that always managed to warm him just a little bit. She tugged his finger and pulled him towards her father's study. They walked slowly together, he adjusting to her child's footsteps. He didn't know why, but he found himself to be immensely attached to the girl. Apparently she had inherited both her parents' better qualities. She was a smart little thing, unusually observant and always curious, which is a great trait in children, they learn better. She also had taken a liking to him, which he thought was strange but oddly nice at the same time, not that he'd admit that out loud to anyone.
Rin led him to a massive oak door and knocked. Sesshoumaru, however, was not about to wait behind another door, again, so he just opened it and stepped inside, Rin still attached to his finger.
The girl let out a sigh when she saw her father. He was leaning back in his chair behind the desk, snoring with his mouth hanging open, a little bit of drool fighting the gravity at the side of his mouth.
"That is not the prettiest sight on earth…." Sesshoumaru muttered.
"Daddy!" Rin said with as much disapproval as a four-year-old possibly can. "No sleepy when you work!"
"Huh –wha -" Inuyasha jumped awake and looked bewildered at the pair that had just ruined his perfectly enjoyable naptime. "Oh, it's you", he then huffed a little sourly when he saw his brother.
"Daddy! Why are you sleepy?"
"Sleeping, puppy, sleeping. I'm a little tired, that's all. Come here." Inuyasha held out his hands and the little girl ran happily to him. He lifted her in his lap with one smooth movement and planted a big wet kiss on her cheek. Then he hugged her tightly.
Rin giggled. "Daaa-ad! Your hair tickles!"
Inuyasha pouted. "Considering how many braids you've made, I thought you liked my hair", he teased, pretending to be hurt with an overly sad expression.
"I do!" Rin assured him very earnestly. "But I think uncle's hair is nicest", she added to the surprise of both men, and then continued to look at her uncle with a very calculative look.
Inuyasha sensed the signs of danger. "Okay, okay, we're not going to start braiding uncle Sesshoumaru's hair."
"But – "
"No. Now go look for your mother. She's probably in the kitchen and she might need your help. Your uncle and I have some business to attend to."
"Okay dad", Rin sighed. She gave him a kiss and then climbed off his lap, gave a hug to a slightly confused uncle Sesshoumaru's leg on the way and ran out of the room.
Inuyasha yawned and stretched his arms out, dropping a pile of papers on the floor as he did so.
Sesshoumaru smirked. "Working hard I see", he said as he closed the door behind Rin.
Inuyasha yawned again magnificently and leaned against his desk, not bothering to pick up the fallen papers. "Shut up, bro. What the hell are you doing here?"
"Am I not welcome?" He sat down on one of the armchairs in the room and fixed his hard stare to his little brother.
Inuyasha glared at him and huffed. "Of course you are. You just don't tend to drop by whenever. Kagome has to drag you here in chains."
"Hmm… I suppose. But I need to talk to you."
"A day full of surprises, I see", Inuyasha said sourly. "Want a drink?"
"Most definitely", Sesshoumaru answered immediately. He suddenly felt very exhausted.
"Hard day?"
"You've no idea…"
"Kagome said something about closing a big deal."
"We're always closing big deals."
"Yeah, but this was handled by that asshole Naraku."
Sesshoumaru almost chocked to the drink Inuyasha had just given him. He looked at his brother with wide eyes, every muscle frozen in place.
Inuyasha scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. "Oh come on, bro. I knew about it. You're not as good at hiding things as you'd like to think. Besides, I'm in the same business as he is. I'm bound to hear things."
"You knew he was a lawyer?"
"You're too surprised", Inuyasha said, sitting in his chair. "He's one of the best in town and on his way to become the best there is. Made partner in his current firm in two years, he handles the biggest cases they have. I can't believe you don't know any of this."
"I'm good at blocking out everything concerning him", Sesshoumaru muttered, gulping down rest of his drink. "I don't care to remember him."
"I'd like to ask why but you sure as hell aren't gonna tell so I won't even bother. But what're you gonna do now?"
For a split of a second Sesshoumaru was about to say something very snappy, but he changed his mind and just said quietly: "I don't know."
He pushed his hair back again. "I mean it's not like we have to deal with each other face to face anymore, at least not in the near future. I feel bothered, though."
"Wow. I'm shocked", Inuyasha stated with a straight face. "I suppose that now we come to the reason why you came to see me. Don't get me wrong but I seriously doubt that you'd come to see me voluntarily just for a small chitchat."
"To be completely honest, I don't know why I came. Oh don't look at me like that you dimwit! I'm allowed to be confused at least once every ten years."
"Sure", Inuyasha nodded, "as long as it's only once every ten years 'cos this is starting to creep me out."
"Very funny."
"Go ahead then. How can I help you my most beloved and confused brother?"
Sesshoumaru shot him a cold stare to shut him up. It worked, but he was convinced that Inuyasha was secretly amused by the situation. However, against all odds, he decided to ignore it just this once.
"He didn't seem too happy to see me", Sesshoumaru said after a moment of silence.
"That's to be expected. You were kind of a jerk to him."
"Oh wow, thanks for not sugarcoating it."
"That was sugarcoating it."
"Well it's not like he's the nicest person on Earth either!"
"No", Inuyasha said with a patient tone, "but he is proud. Not as proud as you are, you freak of nature, but enough so to not let himself easily forgive and forget."
"I suppose", Sesshoumaru sighed and slumped a little in his chair.
"Besides", Inuyasha continued with a careful tone creeping into his voice, "he was serious about you, you know."
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "You're awfully informed about this, aren't you?"
Inuyasha shrugged. "Not really. Any information about you is purely accidental or sprung from the deep brotherly love I feel for you. Miroku was trying to dig dirt about Naraku and he stumbled upon some interesting details he wanted to share with me. He has good recourses and he knows how to trick information out of people."
"I always thought there was something fishy about him. Are you sure he's appropriate business partner for you?"
"We have a law firm, bro. Being sleazy is part of the deal and he does it so well that I don't really have to."
"How's it going with you two, by the way?"
"Hmm… Not bad. We've been way too busy, I'm sleep deprived and I'm waiting anxiously when we'll get the first lawsuit because of sexual harassment but other than that, no problem."
"Miroku still hasn't gotten rid of that bad habit of his, huh?"
"No. Case lost with that one, I'm afraid."
"Hmph."
"Don't judge so easily! He's really smart."
"Oh I know. I wouldn't have let him start a business with you if he wasn't."
"You have that gangster look in your eyes again."
"Sorry."
Inuyasha groaned and slumped in his chair. "Please don't use that word in front of me. I'm seriously starting to doubt you have some sort of mental illness."
"I'm a little off my game today", Sesshoumaru admitted with a stony face.
"Yeah, you sure are, but it's okay. I promise I won't remind you of this later."
"You better not."
"By the way, how came Kagome isn't here fussing all over you like she usually is? I swear to god if I didn't know you were gay I'd be worried…"
Sesshoumaru grimaced. "She's probably in the kitchen. She's convinced that I don't eat so she plans to feed me like there'd be a whole village living inside me."
Inuyasha laughed. "She really does like to take care of others. Don't you overwork her though! We're both so busy that I feel guilty for Rin. Poor daughter of mine has to be without her parents far too often."
"Are you and that Miroku person really that busy?"
"Yeah… Miroku is way too picky about whom he wants to work with and it's not like I'm the friendliest person on the planet either. We could really use some help, though."
"I could probably lend you a hand."
"No offence, bro, but I doubt you know enough about international business law so you could work as a lawyer."
"Not my hand you idiot! Someone else's hand! I have a firm full of useless and occasionally useful people. I can lend you one of those."
"I just love it how you speak about people like they were furniture", Inuyasha said sarcastically as he finally picked up the papers that had fallen on the floor before.
"There's this one woman that I think could be of some use to you."
"Some fickle minded young bimbo you're dying to get rid of?"
Sesshoumaru frowned and glared at his brother. "No. Besides that would be suicide for your firm considering your partner's nasty ways. Actually this woman is quite good. Young and still a bit wet round the ears but promising. She's been interning at our law department. And she is, I believe, a martial artist, so she can defend herself against that person. Kagome knows her."
"What's her name, I might've heard about her."
"… Like I said, Kagome knows her…"
"Uh-huh, so you don't remember. Right... So back to this Naraku person…"
"Great…"
"How much do you think it's going to bother you?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that if it's going to make you act like this for a long period of time, I think you should go see him."
"Are you completely insane?" Sesshoumaru shouted and jumped up from his chair. "I can't do that!"
"Why not?"
"Because there is absolutely no reason whatsoever for me to do so. He's nothing to me!"
"So he was pretty mad at you, huh?"
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he stared at his brother who was casually leafing through the fallen papers. "It sometimes amazes me how perceptive you can be. Especially considering what an idiot you used to be."
Inuyasha shrugged. "I think it's the fatherhood. Gives things a certain perspective."
"Or your wife is a very good trainer."
Inuyasha grinned widely. "That just might have something to do with it. And don't for a second think I didn't notice you changing the subject."
"I don't really want to talk about this anymore. I suddenly feel exhausted."
"Hah! Just wait until the whirlwind that is my wife bursts in here. Then you're allowed to feel exhausted."
"Why is she so insistent on taking care of me? It doesn't make any sense."
Inuyasha huffed and glared at his brother. "Beats me, I told her she should just leave a lost cause bastard like you alone but people tell me she has a kind heart and is therefore incapable of doing that. Personally I just think she's stubborn. Besides, isn't taking care of you exactly what you hired her to do?"
"I hired her to manage my schedule."
"Yeah, well, I warned you what would happen. One of these days you'll just have to start listening what I say to you. Which brings me back to the subject, what are you going to do?"
Sesshoumaru buried his face in his hands and sighed. "Wow, you're like a dog with a bone."
"Your fault for coming to me."
"Right…" The tired businessman lifted is head and looked at his brother who barely fitted the image from his memory long ago. This responsible family man was not what he had pictured his brother to be. He had been so wrong on so many things.
"I really don't know", he finally mumbled. "I guess I came here just to get away from it all for a while. I've been thinking about useless stuff too much lately. It's getting exhausting."
"Hah! I can't believe I just heard those words come out of our mouth!" Inuyasha laughed. "Well, then, we can continue this, apparently very useless, chat later. Right now we should go and stop Kagome before she decides that you need to eat everything in our refrigerator."
"I've seen the insides of your fridge. The thought still terrifies me."
Inuyasha smiled widely as he got up. "Ah, the days when I was still a single man…"
"Yeah," Sesshoumaru harrumphed and followed Inuyasha out the door, "you sucked."