Chapter 16: Inuyasha's Promise
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Inuyasha blinked down at her in confusion, "My turn?"
Brow furrowed, hand on her hip, she poked his chest with a lone finger like she had every right to do so, "Don't you think you have some explaining to do too?"
"Keh, I don't have to explain nothing to you!"
Turning around she fixed him with a look thrown over her shoulder, clearly displeased with him, as if he should care... "Fine, suit yourself, next time I won't be so forthcoming then."
His growl returned, not that it surprised her anymore, "Woman, you are pushing it."
Her fiery glare rose to match his, the thought of a battle of wills between himself and the girl was intriguing, he chose to save it for another day.
"Fine. Whatever... what do you want to know."
Excited, Kagome spun back towards him, "You're a demon?"
Her enthusiasm was odd, the way her eyes seemed to sparkle with banked curiosity was worse, folding his arms over his chest, Inuyasha scoffed down at her.
"I thought you knew this one already."
"Oh, just want to confirm it, for my own peace of mind. I knew you were something else, I could feel the difference whenever I looked at you, but demon had just been my first guess."
"Why do I get the feeling like I don't want to know what else you considered."
"Well, you're name kinda gave it away, if you're trying to hide the fact that you're a demon, why not name yourself something less- on the nose."
"Is this really what you want to talk about?"
"No. But you won't answer my initial question."
Inuyasha locked eyes with her, weighing the consequences in his mind, the less she knew the better. Not that it mattered either way, knowing what he knew now, there was no escaping her fate.
"Yeah. I'm a demon, half of one anyway, and no I'm not saying any more on the matter. So don't bother wasting your breath."
Kagome nodded, "And your boss, he's one too?"
"Yeah. He is."
"And that Shippo guy?" His tight nod was his only response "What about-"
"Look Bitch, if they work for us, chances are they're demons. Sesshomaru doesn't really keep humans around if they aren't useful to his cause."
"Wow... That's a lot of demons..."
"You don't know the half of it, humans think they're the top of the food chain, but if they knew how many sharks there were in the pool... Ha, the human race would fold itself over."
Kagome bit her lip in response to his rising irritation, "So there's no human/demon truce I'm guessing?"
"No. There isn't."
She decided to switch topics, "So, what do you do anyways? I mean, that building, it looked like an office of some sort, but then it's an apartment complex too. What gives?"
Huffing at her, Inuyasha moved to clear the space of her kitchen, needing to keep moving with the pent of energy she seemed to install in him.
"It's a bank, Sesshomaru started the business when we were both young. You'd be surprised at how much people are willing to pay just for a safe space to store their valuables."
"It's a bank? But what about the fancy bachelor pad and the sky-high offices?"
"Sesshomaru insisted we set up a- you could say, second floor plan; if the plan was layered on top of the bank."
"Kinda like your chain."
"Yeah, kinda. It's the safest place to be so why not live there as well?"
"Yeah but, who wants to live where they work? Honestly."
He chuckled her way, finding humor in her odd perception of things.
"Feh, that didn't really come up during the discussion."
Smiling, Kagome had succeeded in easing his mood, she knew then that she liked that sound very much and would be actively trying to draw it out more.
"It doesn't really look like a bank though, does it?"
"It ain't your run of the mills bank, Sesshomaru only deals with the top-of-the-crust type of people. Not just anyone can get in, the bottom floors serve the humans; storing money and bonds but that's it.
Top half you get more, and the higher the floor, the more valuable that client is. There are complete floors emptied just to house one item, or to appease one client.
Damn fools, paying for extra security even if what they put in there ain't worth the trouble."
"Well, that explains the whole- army for hire bit when you first brought me there."
"That ain't nothing, you should see— Mm, nothing, nevermnd."
Kagome edged closer, if only by a fraction, eyes sparkling with her interest.
"No. What? What should I see?"
His eyes hardened towards her, "Nothing. Let it go, Kagome."
She pouted but said nothing more, leading him to believe she was done with the conversation.
"Okay, last question then."
The tensing of the girl's shoulder told him this was no easy question, not that anything she asked could be easily explained, he still reacted to her stress with his own.
"Yeah? What is it?"
Inuyasha watched as the girl steadied herself, hands fiddling till they both tightened into balls, her gaze steady as she pulled her determination forward.
Kagome knew the answer already, but even if she did, she needed to hear it from him- like this, head on and eye to eye.
"What's going to happen to me, Inuyasha? That's really all I need to know..."
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He didn't scoff at her, didn't growl, didn't dismiss her. Instead, he turned to her, regarding Kagome with a tense thoughtfulness. And when his gaze studied her form, as if testing her resolve, Kagome put all her determination behind her eyes.
"You're going to die, Kagome."
Her breath hitched, her eyes attempted to drop in acceptance, but he was quicker than that. Lifting her gaze with his hand under her chin, Inuyasha kept her gaze still as he let his next words brand themselves in her brain.
"Even if Sesshomaru decided not to be the one to kill you, if for some merciful act of kami, Sesshomaru woke up and decided to let you go back home.
Within the hour Naraku would be here, he wouldn't hesitate as I have, and he would not stop there. Your family would never be safe, Naraku would surely kill them to get to you, they are only safe as long as they stay in New York.
You understand what I'm saying, right?"
Kagome gave a weak struggle against his hold, wanting to turn away from his intense stare, but he wouldn't let her. With a light growl, Inuyasha pinched her chin between the pad of his thumb and the side of his index finger.
He gave her chin a light squeeze, smirking when her eyes grew angry, he gave her head a quick shake that earned her make-shift weak growl.
"However, if Sesshomaru grew interested in your sensibilities" his words stopped her fit "a deal could be struck."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, something like- a life for a life type deal."
Kagome grew excited, her eyes shining as she took in what he was saying, he let go of her but she hardly noticed.
"That's right! I did save your butt after all!"
Inuyasha's smirk grew, now that he told her, there was no way the girl would back down. He had decided on this course, by the first beat with his beast, when the demon demanded her safety, he knew then it would come to this. She would play her card, call in his life debt, and bargain for her freedom.
He may not be able to guarantee her life, but at the very least, he could give her a few years of living freely.
"I can do my best to get you another meeting, see what can be done. With any luck we can strike a plea with Sesshomaru, but not from here, we'll leave as soon as you get ready."
She turned to leave but paused, a question at the tip of her tongue, "Say, Inuyasha?"
He turned with a huff, phone out; clearly, she had interrupted him mid call. "What is it now?"
"How did you know where my family was?"
Inuyasha gave a long-drawn-out sigh before rolling his eyes at her, "We've got plenty of information on you and your family."
"Oh, like what?"
Once more he huffed at her, as if her questions were unnecessary, as if that small detail shouldn't have come up as a topic of concern.
"Their whereabouts, bank details, medical records, online history. The standard stuff any dope can get his hands on, but we also have ancestry reports and blood line; now that's what really tells you things."
Kagome swallowed hard, she knew this, already suspected as much, this shouldn't be so upsetting to her. Yet she felt- probed, like he had her on some type of microscope and here she was, clueless on who he was and what life he led.
"Soooo, you know like, everything about me?"
His slow nod was her answer.
"Like my birthday and stuff?"
"Yes, Kagome. I know your birthdate, among other things.
I know where you've gone to school, your scores, the names of your friends and classmates."
"But... why?"
"Let's just say Sesshomaru runs a tight ship, and if he wants information on you, then you get it, and you be thorough about it."
"So... Mr. Takahashi was the one that wanted that information?" Kagome took a cautious step forward, trying to look closer into his eyes without having to be near him, she was still chasing away the last of her chills.
"Yes, and god please stop calling Sesshomaru- , that's just sounds weird."
"...And you just, did what he told you?"
Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha met the girl half way, having noticed she was inching towards him. "Let's get this one straight, girly. I don't do nothing that I don't want to do, got it?"
She nodded, eyes widening when he stepped right up to her.
"And for the record I wasn't the one tasked with that, that fun little expedition went to someone else, I was just the one that vetted through that crap, and pulled out the real important bits."
He remembered the downloaded file, the images of her face; smiling, serious, focused at school, laughing with other girls her age. The stream of information underneath his fingertips had been short, he had scrolled through her life as if she meant nothing, everything she was could so easily be erased like this file.
"What's the real important bits then?"
Shaking off the upsetting thoughts, he focused instead on the girl. Her head was tilting in that way of hers, as if she couldn't get the right angle on him.
Perseptive little thing...
"Who your family is, what ties they have, and most importantly, who do they owe money to. A shrine like this isn't easy to maintain, although I was surprised to find that your family doesn't owe any money, and aside from other shrines, you guys don't appear to do business with anyone."
Kagome scratched at her temple, "Wouldn't know about that, Gramps handled all the stuff, now and days the shrine is here for those who need it; but we don't do any special events anymore."
Inuyasha nodded, no need to tell her he already knew that, he had pulled files on their earnings for the past three years and compared them to recent numbers. The difference was astronomical, they'd be lucky to keep the shrine open for even another year.
"The old man really took good care of this place."
"Yeah... he sure did."
Scratching the back of his neck, Inuyasha felt like he was meant to say something comforting, but never being one to know just what to say. Instead, he just said, "Sucks he died; place's gone to shit since then."
It took him a moment to realize what he said, expecting her to pull, kick, punch, or worse- cry. Inuyasha readied himself for her reaction, the soft laugh that rang in her small kitchen was not something he prepped for.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Kagome chuckled some more, his bluntness was so new, something she'd never experienced before, and the young woman found it a tad endearing.
Kagome knew she should've been insulted but he was right after all, it did suck. In his very own, 'Inuyasha' kind of way, that had been as close to a comforting word she would get. Oddly enough, it made her feel better than the pitiful eyes, and somber apologies.
"It didn't get like that overnight you know, things just started to fall apart after my 15th birthday; that's when Gramps and I started spending our weekends on a different project, rather than the shrine upkeep.
But he was a big part in keeping up with the place, now Mom's off in the states with Sota, and I've been kidnapped, so no help from this side either."
His chuckle joined hers, and soon the two were off in a fit, when they both calmed, so did the atmosphere around them.
"Okay, so you've got a folder with all my information. Don't I get the same for you?"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, as if they'd be sloppy enough to leave a paper trail. "No, you don't."
"Ah come on, I just want to know the basics. Like when's your birthday, and what do you like to do for fun, that kinda stuff."
"Sorry to break it to you kid, but that stuff is classified."
"Really? Classified? Even your birthday?"
When he merely crossed his arms and straighten his pose, she had her answer. Huffing, she tried to at least get something out of the stubborn man. Honestly, why hide your birthday?
"At least answer me one more question"
Inuyasha stared into big curious eyes, she was annoying, but he didn't see the harm in humoring her.
"Ugh, fine, whatever. Just one more question."
Kagome nearly squeaked in excitement, her mind reeling for what to ask him, knowing chances like this, when he was relaxed and willing to answer, would not come often.
She wanted to ask him about Naraku, who he was and what he had wanted with Inuyasha. But somehow, she felt as if she asked, she would only receive a half answer.
"Well? ...What's it gonna be wench?"
She stared into his chocolate eyes when it hit her, "Oh! I know, okay. My question is, why do you hide your gold eyes and silver hair?"
Inuyasha blinked at her, momentarily confused by her question; as she had stood there, focused inward on what to ask. He had expected the question to be big, something in which he needed to answer carefully, but this...
"Kagome..." Inuyasha lifted a hand to cover his mouth, hiding his twitching lips.
"Yes?" Kagome blinked up at him in all seriousness, it made it that much harder to hold back.
"That's a really stupid question."
Kagome huffed, her cheeks puffing out as she did, "It's a perfectly valid question, I'll have you know."
His trickled laugh slipped out, a wonderful sound that filled her small kitchen and had a mysterious thump of her heart within her, her entire being reacted at such a sound.
Shaking his head to clear it, he smirked down at her pouty face.
"You really can't go walking around all yellowed eyed-demon, ya know." His voice had a humor in it she did not understand, "Plus the silver hair just draws attention where none should be, this is better, this is- acceptable."
Her childish pout dropped, she gazed at him as if she could see into his soul, he hated it when she looked at him like that. His smirk fell as she simply peered into his eyes, those pools of blue expressing so much, as if she were inviting him to peer back into her soul.
Before he could snap at her for it, she shook her head, giving him a sweet smile instead.
"Sure, I guess it's more common, but for the record- I like the original model better."
"You..." The words died on his lips as he stared at her, dumbfounded and momentarily speechless, the genuine ring of her voice taking him by surprise. "You can't possibly mean that."
His tone was harsh, confusing her further as she stared into narrowed eyes, his nose was doing the thing- slightly twitching like he was trying to sniff out her lie. It hit her then that he most likely could, it would explain the confrontation with . Straightening her spine, she focused instead on the earnest feeling she experienced when first seeing those fussy triangles.
"Of course, I mean it..." Risking herself a bit, she added, "Especially those ears"
His eyes rounded with her confession, barely masking an emotion she couldn't quite place. He opened his mouth, as if he were going to say something important. But just as quickly as that fleeing emotion crossed his eyes, he changed his mind, shaking his head and taking a step back.
Inuyasha poised himself, fixing his loose cuffs, he spared her a fleeting glance.
"Get ready to leave Kagome."
"Uh... right"
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He watched her go, aware that he had confused her with his cold act. Shaking his head, he convinced himself it was just another one of her lies, it had to be. How she could lie without a trace of the scent, he didn't know, but it had to be a lie just like her other ones.
Why she would lie about something like that, he couldn't say, couldn't make sense of it. His gaze dropped to his hands; big but soft, as if he had never done hard labor in his life... as if his life was never what it once had been.
The nails there, so perfectly manicured, masked the talons just below the surface. Just one of the many features that marked him as the demon he truly was, no matter how much glamor you put on it, a beast is still a beast.
Too engrossed in his own self-evaluation, he nearly missed when she had re-entered the room, only noticing her when she stood a few steps away.
He lifted brown eyes to gaze at her.
"You okay?" she asked softly, her bright blue eyes searching his.
"Of course I am." Inuyasha waved off her concern, unwilling to accept she would care for him so quickly... after everything he'd done to her.
Nodding her understanding, the girl shifted the yellow bag on her shoulder, bringing his attention to her form. She was wearing a blue school uniform, A-line skirt paired with knee-high socks, white shirt with a blue and white neckerchief tied in a small bow and a matching blue jacket.
He blinked down at her, "What the hell are you wearing Woman?"
Kagome had to turn away so he wouldn't see the smirk tugging at her lips. When she came back, and found him there, in her kitchen staring down at his hands. He looked so lost, a million miles away in a place she couldn't get to.
When she had asked him if he was alright, and he had brushed her off, his face set in that cold mask that belonged to the business tycoon instead of him. She had felt her heart lurch within her, sad to see him so unlike himself, restraining what? She wasn't sure.
But then he had looked at her, and his face had shed the cold edge, going back to the annoyed gruff look he normally sported. There was no denying the feeling of relief that washed over her.
Feeling childish, she twirled for him, holding the edge of her skirt so that it fluttered with her movements.
"Why? Don't you like it?"
Inuyasha arched his brows her way, the red rising to his face made her giggle, in turn he glared at her for it.
"Feh! You look dumb, why are you dressed that way? Ain't like I'm taking you to school or nothing..."
Kagome walked past him, retrieving a glass for water from the cupboard behind him, "Yeah, well. Whoever was sent to get my things, took everything but my school clothes. So, unless you want me to continue looking like a homeless person, this is what I've got"
"Okay... what's with the bag?"
Kagome finished her water, smiling brightly at him before stepping right up to his person "Glad you asked, you see-" He was unprepared when she thrusted her bag into his arms, he grunted with the unexpected weight. "I've got finals in a few weeks, and seeing as you're not letting me go to school to prep-"
"God damn woman, just what's in this bag anyways?" Giving himself permission, Inuyasha opened the bag, peering into the mountain of books she somehow packed into every inch of the bulging bag.
"I told you, you're not letting me go to school, so this is all the cram material they gave us, along with textbooks and notes so I can at least get a passing grade. I haven't given up attending my finals after all."
She pursed her lips when he started taking things out, "And just what do you think you're doing?"
Picking up a romance novel, Inuyasha arched a brow her way "Not sure what they're teaching in schools now and days, but I'm pretty sure it ain't-" Peering at the tittle, he smirked down at it, "Waves of destined love? What kinda crap is this?"
Kagome felt her cheeks heat, moving quickly for a human, she snatched the book from his hand glaring at the teasing smile on his lips. "I wouldn't need all this if you just let me go to school!"
He sighed, plucking the book from her hands he tossed it back inside, tying the bag before securing it over his shoulder, "I told you already, that's not my call to make."
Changing tactics, Kagome walked around him, cutting him off before he walked out of the room, "Okay, so talk to him, convince him I need to go back to school!"
"Woman, I have my hands busy enough trying to convince him Not to kill you, you want me to bargain for a school trip too?"
Inuyasha made to walk past her, shaking his head at her ignorance for how his world worked, but she moved herself to block him.
"At least talk to him about finals! Please, Inuyasha. I worked too hard to just- not take the test!"
"Feh, you should be thanking us girl, as I recall those final exams before college applications go out are no walk in the park. Count yourself lucky, you've attracted plenty of attention to yourself, in anyone else's hands you wouldn't find yourself able to negotiate terms."
Kagome huffed, stomping a little as she did, and earning herself a raise of a single brow from him. "I know that already!"
Inuyasha looked at her as if she was crazy, at the moment, in this strange circumstance, she felt a little crazy. Begging to go back to a place that hosted many nightmares for her, it made little to no sense.
But in the mist of all that was new and unavoidable, a day in school sounded like a vacation at this point.
"Please, Inuyasha. I've worked too hard for this, it' what my Mom wants, I can't just let her down like that."
The image of her mother's face twisted with that disappointed glare... she chewed on her bottom lip as tears welded in her eyes from the memory.
"Fine. Whatever"
The smile that bloomed in her face was radiant, she skipped right up to him, hands coming up to clasp over her beating heart. "Really!? You mean it?"
He turned fully away from her, "Yeah. I said it, didn't I? So, let's go already!"
Kagome skipped out the door, feeling lighter than she had in days.
Her hope fueled by his promise.