Madame Masseuse

by princesspvmpernickel

Kagome Higurashi is a recently single massage therapist at "Madame's", a luxury spa in downtown Tokyo where client anonymity is the number one priority. Needing a distraction, Kagome picks up a shift the same night the spa is hosting a bachelor party. Just when Kagome wants nothing to do with men, there's a certain client she can't get out of her mind or keep her hands off.

31. Can't A Girl Catch A Break?

Madame Masseuse

"Can't A Girl Catch A Break?"

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Between the events of the brunch, making up with Inuyasha, meeting with the Grand Adviser, her doctor's appointment for the birth control shot, and practically moving in with Inuyasha, Kagome felt like she'd fit a month's worth of activity into a week. And not even one full week because it was only Thursday evening.

And she had to go through most of all that feeling off her game because of her period. Fucking typical.

Kagome was at the end of her workday and she essentially collapsed into Inuyasha's passenger seat, where he waited out front of Madame's to pick her up. She groaned loudly, slumping in the bucket seat until her knees met the dashboard. The moan that rumbled out of her was some kind of cross between relief, exhaustion, and irritation. Inuyasha snickered knowingly, giving her hand a quick kiss before navigating traffic to take them home. When getting into the Merc, Kagome sighted Inuyasha's packed bags on the back bench, which just further soured her mood. She desperately wished they'd be going home to spend the weekend together, instead of Inuyasha having to leave town for Right Hand things and Kagome deciding last minute to pick up a Friday shift to fill her time without him.

Three days. Kagome could survive three days without her mate.

Maybe.

There hadn't been anything particularly bad about her day, just not anything particularly great either. Knowing Inuyasha would be leaving once he dropped her off at the condo, Kagome would have much rathered spent the day with him. Pre-Inuyasha, Kagome rarely encountered a workday where she wished she'd instead played hooky. Kagome couldn't even remember the last time she had a client appointment she dreaded. Yet, every service today felt like one too many, and Kagome found her heart struggling to keep up this week, even if she only worked two shifts, three if she included Sango's Friday shift that Kagome agreed to cover. She was starting to check out from her job, she could feel it. Kagome was starting to emotionally distance herself from her workplace so that saying goodbye could hopefully be easier.

After all, it was only a matter of time before the Council came through on their threats to see Kagome performing the role of High Lord and Right Hand's mate.

Following a full day of discussions and assemblies, she and Inuyasha were voluntarily, albeit slowly, working their way through the Council's "List of Demands". Thinking it would be easier for Kagome to have a visual reference, Inuyasha had requested the Council present a literal list of their expectations for him and his mate. The half-demon had chuffed humourlessly when he found Kagome hanging said list on the fridge later that day with one of her magnets from the Shrine's gift shop. Written in dense legalese, the document was shockingly formal in how it embellished the Council's wants for Kagome to relinquish her human lifestyle, among many other things. Given the Grand Adviser's insinuated threats, Kagome couldn't risk missing a single detail, hence keeping the list front and centre on the fridge.

"It's an optimistic fool's list, Kagome, not a contract—relax," Inuyasha had said, apprising the document's new home on the refrigerator door. "Shit will be a lot easier for us if we compromise and meet some of these terms, but we don't gotta do it ASAP and we definitely don't gotta do all of this." After pressing a kiss to her forehead and folding her into his arms, his tone softened as he said, "Big picture, we might be givin' 'em what they want, but we'll do it on our terms and on our time, alright? I just got you, mate," he exclaimed around another kiss. "Like hell I'll allow any of those fuckers to make you regret bein' mine."

Step One—or what the two of them decided to tackle first on the list—was Article 4(f), Consolidating residences and livelihoods in demon territory. Because they both agreed that moving in together seemed like the lowest hanging fruit and least stressful of items on the list. It was also one of the more time sensitive demands issued by the Grand Adviser. That being said, Kagome still felt overwhelmed by how efficiently (read: quickly) Inuyasha had Myoga coordinating with a moving company to drop-off boxes at Kagome's apartment so the two of them could start packing up her things. She was to move into the condo, and to Kagome's surprise, that didn't leave her feeling as panicked as she thought it would. If anything, she was reluctant for nostalgic reasons to give up her place and was pleasantly surprised when Inuyasha suggested they keep it to use as storage since her rent controlled rates were pretty cheap.

They'd brought two carload's worth of her things to the condo the first night, her essentials, so she wouldn't feel like she was living in transit. Watching Inuyasha flatpack the empty boxes once her belongings were unpacked and rehomed, Kagome verbalized her regret that Inuyasha was letting her move in to humour the Council versus it being something he genuinely wanted. Inuyasha had immediately replied, "Kagome, I may tolerate a lotta shit, but there's nothin' I tolerate more than you. If I didn't wanna be with you, or live with you, or if I didn't want you as the mother of my kids, I wouldn't still be here, and your shit sure as hell wouldn't be here either." Kagome found herself replaying those words of his often throughout the week when nervousness started getting to her. It really was crazy how quickly she felt better when she ruminated over how much she loved him.

When Kagome tried to have a practical conversation with Inuyasha about the logistics of living together, like what she would owe him for mortgage payments or what her half of the utilities would work out to be, Inuyasha had simply laughed, kissed her, and walked away. She practically chased him from the bedroom, demanding an explanation for that reaction and for him to provide an actual answer.

"Kagome, I have no fuckin' clue about any of that. Myoga handles it. All residential expenses are managed by the family steward and covered by the royal treasury. You don't have to worry about all that."

It was the most entitled rich boy thing she'd ever heard from Inuyasha, which, for as surprising as it was, delighted her since it meant Inuyasha truly wasn't holding back any part of himself from her anymore.

"Alright then," she had responded, gesturing to the List of Demands on the fridge, "but how do you explain the 'demon territory' part? This condo building isn't on demon lands, last I checked."

Apparently, it was a frequent occurrence that Inuyasha was pressured to move to demon territory; however, unsurprisingly, he always refused to relocate from the condominium. The Grand Adviser regularly found opportunities to complain about the inappropriateness of Inuyasha living in a human community, to which Inuyasha would argue he didn't technically live in a human community since he lived in a building that exclusively housed half-demons.

From Kagome's point of view, it made sense. If Inuyasha never felt a sense of safety or belonging around full-blooded demons, why would he want permanent residency on their lands? Who knows, if he goes through with becoming a full demon, maybe that would change.

Of all the revelations Kagome had learned from Rin, the least surprising was discovering that Inuyasha was the one who refurbished his building into the fortress it is today. Given that Inuyasha was the head of security for the monarchy, it made sense he would reside somewhere he designed to be a literal stronghold. According to Shiori, a genuinely safe place for half-demons—outside of New Moon Hotels, which were safe houses that half-demons could rent at ridiculously high hourly rates—never existed before Inuyasha. Erecting buildings and affordable housing across the continent, with the same safety standards as his condo, reinforced why he had developed a reputation in the West as being the Prince of the Half-Demons. Apparently, Inuyasha's "waste of royal resources for an inconsequential offshoot of the demon population" was a frequent agenda topic during quarterly Council meetings.

Before paying for the reconstruction of his building (the first of its kind) using money from the royal treasury, Inuyasha secured the Lord General's approval for the High Lord and Right Hand's new residence, which meant Inuyasha didn't have to move onto demon-owned lands if he didn't want to.

"I guess I just don't understand how the Council can still have issues with something your brother has okayed," Kagome had mused when she brought it up with Inuyasha.

"Their job is literally to give advice, insight, or guidance on matters of state," he answered her. "As Sesshoumaru's sounding board, if they think the Lord General is makin' some kinda mistake, they have no issues bringin' it up. Repeatedly."

Kagome had made a face at that. "So they think his approving where you live is a mistake."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Among other things he's let slide, yeah. See, there's never been a half-demon in the monarchy before me, and that pisses them off. It's like they think if I live in demon territory they can keep me under their thumb better or some shit like that. Sesshoumaru doesn't expect much of me, which works out fine in my favour, but I'm still his half-brother; he doesn't have to like me, but he'll respect the fact that our old man's blood runs in both of us, and that often means he takes my side over the Council's. It's the one quality in that asshole I can actually respect. At the end of the day, I think the Council just hates the fact they're full demons who have to report to a half-demon and that Sesshoumaru lets me get my way more than they like."

When Kagome asked him why he didn't live in the penthouse since he basically owned the building, Inuyasha had rolled his eyes and said he received enough unwanted attention from residents who embraced their demon heritage and knew who he was; he didn't need to put himself more in the spotlight by claiming the penthouse suite. "The last thing I wanna do, Kagome, is advertise that the High Lord and Right Hand of the monarchy lives here," he had said. "It's the same reason why I won't move onto demon lands and live in a condo like this there. I don't want any full bloods, outside of the Sympathizers who work here, to have front row seats to where I live."

After Kagome's meeting at Nocturne Tower with the Grand Adviser earlier in the week, Inuyasha had been detained for several back-to-back meetings over the rest of the day. Despite feeling emotionally exhausted, Kagome didn't mind spending the afternoon with Rin at the Tower, waiting for Inuyasha's conferences to end. Seeing Rin in her element as the Lord General's mate had been eye-opening and not unenjoyable; it gave Kagome a preview of what her life would look like as one of the two human royals in demon territory.

Rin was the epitome of assertive grace in how she directed and delegated tasks to Sesshoumaru's staff as Lady Taisho—a title that would apparently become Kagome's once Rin became Lady Mikado after her mating ceremony, the title of the formally recognized mate of the Lord General). After completing her few empire-related tasks, Rin jumped into "fun mode", securing food and entertainment for the two women while they took over Sesshoumaru's floor outside of the boardrooms. Over pedicures from a mobile spa, Rin shared more with Kagome about her strained history with Kikyou and the friendship that had lasted mostly due to history than any real bond.

"She was my last human friend from before I started seeing Sesshoumaru," Rin had sighed. "I think that fact alone made me turn a blind eye to a lot of her crap. She was the one who gave me the idea about marrying Sesshoumaru in addition to mating him, which he didn't go for at first," she added with a laugh. "Her corporate position required her to travel a lot so we texted and spoke over the phone more than I saw her in person. It worked for us for years; it was easy being her friend until it wasn't.

"Once Sesshoumaru proposed and we mated, things between her and Inuyasha became stagnant. I think because she saw what a mate or consort earned from the monarchy and she wasn't getting that kinda thing from Inuyasha, she started taking her frustrations out on me. She'd make scenes, embarrass me and Inuyasha at a bunch of parties or get-togethers...that kind of thing.

"I felt bad for the longest time, thinking I was part of the reason why she and Inuyasha split up, 'cause I called her out on her shit the day before the two of them broke up. I basically said she needed to get over her jealousy for my relationship and put the effort into fixing her own if she wasn't happy with how things were with Inuyasha." Rin had turned to bare her teeth at Kagome in an awkward grimace while taking their freshly-shellaced feet to their next destination: the library bar. "Then, I'm learning from Inuyasha that Kikyou basically flipped out that he wasn't proposing. She demanded to be made a consort, given their history, and Inuyasha said no. So she ended it with him and ghosted me, basically abandoning all things to do with the wedding and being my bridesmaid."

During what was his third "emergency meeting" of the day, Inuyasha had tracked down Kagome and Rin at the library bar making daiquiris with Shiori. When Kagome asked him if his meeting was done, he had caught his mate off-guard by enveloping her in a firm embrace, saying he just needed to escape for a few minutes to see her.

"I didn't realize the Demon Council started adding recesses to their assemblies," Rin said after a brain-freeze-inducing swig of her beverage.

"They don't," Inuyasha answered, emerging from his embrace with Kagome. "Suikotsu and the Treasurer were goin' at it over medical resources, and I just left 'cause that shit has nothin' to do with me and I was sick of bein' kept from Kagome." Which made Kagome's cheeks turn a shade rivaling that of her strawberry daiquiri.

Rin snort-laughed. "You didn't actually say that, did you?"

"Fuck no," Inuyasha had scoffed, grabbing Kagome's drink for a sampling sip of it. He came away smacking his lips and nodding his approval at a smirking Shiori. "I said nothin'. I just walked out in the same way I'll eventually just walk back in."

Rin laughed brightly. "You're the only person I know, Inuyasha, who would break decorum for a cuddle break," she giggled, casting an eye-squeezing and nose-wrinkling sneer at Kagome, making her blush again. "I don't think such a thing would ever occur to Sesshoumaru. Drop a hint for him next meeting, will you? I've only seen my mate for like...five minutes today."

After another lengthy hug, a couple of kisses that weren't nearly enough of a fix, and a second sip of Kagome's daiquiri that turned into half her glass, Inuyasha crankily returned to his Council meeting and Kagome happily accepted a refill.

It had been a full day and was well after midnight when Inuyasha found Kagome curled up with a book in the leather armchair from their date. She was all yawns as Inuyasha ushered her to the parking garage so they could head home. Kagome learned that, over the course of his day, Inuyasha had been forced to discuss plans for his matehood with Kagome (meeting one and the cause of their fridge list); meet with the stewards as well as the royal scholars and tutors to determine Kagome's 'education plan' (meeting two); and meet with the Council and Senior Treasurer (meeting three) to discuss financial things that Kagome honestly didn't really retain because she was so spent after a long and draining day.

His fourth and final meeting had been about a different kind of emergency entirely, or so Inuyasha explained on the car ride home in between Kagome's bouts of fighting off sleep. There were murmurings of dissent coming from the coast amongst a sea serpent clan, and Inuyasha needed to head out to investigate and obviate any damage. Even though he was expected to leave right away, Inuyasha refused because he previously told Kagome he'd drive her to her doctor's appointment over her lunch break the following day. Having made arrangements for his security team to monitor the situation in the meantime, Inuyasha prioritized spending the night at home with his mate.

Her appointment had been nothing too crazy: an intimidatingly large needle in the stomach followed by medical advice to give the medication a day or two to fully absorb into her system before she was considered protected. Then a repeat appointment was booked in six months' time and she was shipped back off to finish her workday.

Kagome had always been blessed with shortish cycles, with only two or three days of active bleeding. Unfortunately, after one rather messy, bed- and clothes-staining experience with Hojo (which Kagome didn't go into detail about with Inuyasha), she had sworn off period sex, so she and Inuyasha hadn't had intercourse since their vigorous bouts of makeup sex back at her apartment. She missed being intimate with him, despite finding it enjoyably juvenile to keep things strictly second and third base between them the past few days. The fact Kagome would have to wait three more days to be intimate with her mate was disappointing to say the least. But a prick in the gut twice a year for all the unprotected, child-free sex her little heart desired... Yep, it was a good deal.

Kagome silently stared out the car window as Inuyasha inched them closer to home in rush hour traffic. Her mind was heavily occupied with thoughts of the past week, musings about her work situation, as well as panicking about the future since 'panic mode' was her brain's default. It was bittersweet, giving up something she loved for someone she loved more. There would always be more jobs—maybe, if Kagome could swing some kind of employment situation like what Rin had arranged with Sesshoumaru—but Kagome would only ever have one mate, and when she compared those two things side by side, it truly wasn't a contest.

"When will you be back again?" Her head was slow to turn to her mate from the window, but once her sights landed on him she was marveling at the view. Four months "together" and still Kagome couldn't help but feel her body warm over his handsomeness, the statuesque sharp angles of his profile.

"Sunday. Monday at the latest."

"You think."

"I better," Inuyasha countered. He squeezed her hand before lacing their fingers together, his focus beyond the windshield. "I just wanted to make sure you got home okay before I took off."

She softened at that. "You didn't have to do that..."

"Yes I did." Another pulse of her fingers between his. "No one's safety is more important to me than yours."

Kagome flushed, squeezing his hand back. "I have to admit, it is nice being in the know that you're leaving and for roughly how long, even if I'm not allowed to know more than that." His eyes flashed to hers for a brief, smirky grin before darting back to the road. "You gonna come up to say goodbye?"

He sniffed a weak laugh. "Yes, but," he emphasized, "I'm not comin' in; I don't trust you not to try and lock me in with some kinda distraction."

"Who'd've thought the head of security could be helpless against a locked door?" Kagome chortled. "You really think I'd resort to seducing you to stay?"

"She's a sneaky one, my mate. I wouldn't put it past her to try and delay my trip." He laughed, adding under his breath, "It'd probably fuckin' work too. I'm so whipped, it ain't funny."

Kagome released his hand with a chirping laugh to toss her high ponytail over her shoulder. "Oh please, like you wouldn't like it if I laid on the charm."

Inuyasha guffawed, his gaze steadfast on navigating the condo's multi-level parking garage. "Trust me, darlin', I'd much rather be coddled between those legs of yours than beating some sense into some demon assholes. But the sooner I get outta here, the sooner I can be home to you. And then you can call in sick all next week to show me just how much you missed me."

"I wish," she chirped as a laugh, "I doubt we'd be left to our own devices for a whole week before the Council reminds us of the List of Demands we have to work through."

Inuyasha pulled into his reserved parking spot and turned to face her once he turned off the vehicle. He cupped the side of her head with a hardened expression. "Trust me, Kagome, when I say it's a lot easier to ignore them than it seems. I promise you there's no rush for us to jump through their hoops, alright? They've been on my case my whole life about mating and havin' kids and I'm only slightly closer to one of those two things." Obviously, he meant mating her, which made her heart gallop, even if they hadn't broached the subject of when they'd go through with it.

"I'm not against any of it, you know that," she admitted softly, cupping the Drop beneath her cream mock neck sweater. "I'll happily mate you and I'll compromise with whatever the Council wants as long as that means I get to keep you, Inuyasha. But I'm worried that once they find out about the birth control shot that—"

"It's none of their fuckin' business, Kagome. Yes, they want you to bear my kids, but you and me don't have to do that immediately or any time soon." Lowering his voice he said, "Once we're mated and I get access to my wish, that'll probably keep 'em happy for a while before they start up with the whole baby thing again." His thumb carved gentle sweeps across her cheek. "I know you're worried 'cause of that stupid meeting with the Grand Adviser, but they need you to officially be my mate before they can worry about legitimate heirs. We got time to just be us for a while still. And speakin' of the shot..." Kagome swallowed around a growing lump in her throat at the way Inuyasha's gaze darkened with lust. "Have I told you how pissed off I am that instead of gettin' to raw dog my mate all weekend, I gotta travel to the other side of the goddamn country?"

Kagome chuckled despite the slight pink on her cheeks. "It's just as well," she exhaled, leaning over the centre console to kiss his cheek. "My period will be cleared up by the time you're home and then we can take full advantage."

Ravenous lust looked so unfairly good on Inuyasha. "I'll say it again, mate, that I'm game for period sex." The hunger visible in his eyes made her stomach churn as she unfastened her seatbelt. "If it's mess you're worried about, I'm always up for a shower with you." Unbuckling his own seatbelt, Inuyasha leaned towards her predatorily until Kagome had no further room to retreat and her heart raced expectantly. "Just once, darlin', that's all I ask. Gimme one shot to prove you have no reason to avoid me fuckin' you on your cycle." How the hell did his freaking smile make her wetter? Oh right, because her mate was like friggin' Eros personified. "I know for a fact my cum will look good in you in any colour," he rasped.

Kagome sucked in a deep, hoarse breath and held onto the doorhandle without making a move to exit the cabin yet. "I don't think it's a good idea to talk about this when you have to leave in less than ten minutes..." To prove her point, her gaze lowered to the growing tent in his dark charcoal joggers.

"Feh!" he scoffed as a laugh, a hand automatically dropping to cup and shift his bulge. Kagome watched the gesture hungrily. "I blame you for reminding me what I'll be missin' this weekend." With that speed of his, Inuyasha exited the car and opened the door for her. Kagome was tugged into his expansive chest, her nose depressing against the tautened heather gray of his t-shirt between the teeth of his unzipped jacket. "Those couple of times at your place...goin' bareback...pullin' out...fuck, Kagome. You have no idea how fuckin' excited I am to come in you." The warmth of his breath on her face made her erupt in gooseflesh. "How fuckin' excited I am to watch my cum seep outta that pretty pussy."

Shivers rode her spine in the wake of his hot, whispering breath as he nuzzled her temple with his nose. Exhaling a slow, labourious breath against the searing column of his throat, her next words sounded as unstable as her knees felt. "Scratch that, I've decided this is definitely a bad conversation to have when you're about to leave me."

He winked at her, his heat towering over her as he pulled on her chin until she was close enough to kiss. "Just gives you somethin' to think about when you're goin' to bed tonight."

"Yeah, alone." She pushed up onto her toes while wrapping her arms around his neck. Kagome snuck a quick kiss to his chin wearing a wily smirk. "If only I can remember which box I packed my vibrators in... Thanks to this charming conversation of ours, I might have to seek out an alternative to my mate tonight."

He growled into a kiss, the rumble in his chest tickling Kagome's breasts. "You have no idea how much I fuckin' hate that."

"What? The thought of me using a vibrator?"

"Yeah right," he cough-laughed, "that visual is sexy as fuck. Especially if you recall what I told you I wanna do to you." Like I could forget, her lust-rattled mind wheezed at the same time another voice in her head chanted, double penetration, double penetration! Inuyasha palmed her cheek. "No, I hate the idea that I'm leavin' my mate wanting."

"Do you though?" she teased. "Those were some pretty sexy words coming from a guy who doesn't mean to arouse me."

The cocky smirk that ripped up the side of his face had Kagome clenching her thighs together. "What? Don't tell me you don't like it when I talk to you like that? Is my mate sayin' she wants me to stop arousing her?"

"Never," she breathed, leading into another kiss. "And you're not leaving me wanting, Inuyasha, because I always want you; you just have to leave and I understand why. You don't need to feel badly about doing your job. C'mon." She tugged on his hand until his feet started to move. "Take me upstairs so I can maybe-maybe not try to seduce you before you leave."

Inuyasha chuffed, following Kagome towards the elevator after he grabbed her backpack and locked the car. "I thought she wasn't a fan of period sex?"

"It's not the sex I mind, it's the mess," she corrected, leaning into his side as her arm snaked around his middle, "but I miss having sex with you, and as much as I like giving blow jobs and getting fingered, maybe getting you naked in the shower is a good way to say goodbye."

Inuyasha snorted, stepping into the elevator car first and yanking Kagome into his chest, pinning her against him by cupping her ass. The solid ridge denting her stomach made Kagome very aware of the throb between her legs. "Why do I get the feelin' I'm not gonna be goin' on this little trip at all?"

Kagome grinned into their kiss. "Maybe my mate needs to learn how to say no to me better."

"Maybe my mate needs to stop bein' so goddamn enticing."

Kagome giggled, fingering locks of silver around his shoulders. "Maybe my mate needs to stop enjoying sex with me so much that it puts his job at risk."

Inuyasha chuckled darkly, nipping her earlobe. "Who knew my mate's greedy pussy would be the thing to bring about the fall of the Taisho empire."

"Oh my god, Inuyasha! Don't say that!" She sputtered and coughed a laugh, pushing him away. "That's not even funny!"

His smile was all teeth. "It's a little funny," he rasped, clawing at her hips to draw her back.

"No, you know what?" She picked at his fingers to contest his hold on her hips, her smile wide as she fought back a laugh. "That comment just cost you your seduction privileges. Now there's definitely no chance of goodbye sex."

"Fuck! No!" He groaned out a laugh, tugging on her wrists to bring her back into his embrace. "Alright, I take it back." When Kagome eyed him suspiciously, he gave in to another round of laughter, kissing the corner of her mouth. "I seriously thought you'd find it funny, Kagome." The breathiness of his snigger made Kagome smile against his mouth. He scoffed after she kissed him playfully. "And here I thought my mate not only tolerated my humour but enjoyed it."

Kagome giggled, not upset at all finding herself yo-yoing back into Inuyasha's embrace. She pushed up on her tiptoes, her palms on his cheeks as she kissed him. "I tolerate your humour, do I?"

"Different kinda tolerate," he clarified. "Y'know, 'cause you put up with me." Inuyasha's boyish grin made her stomach twist with love in addition to something hornier. "Although I'd much prefer you put out for me." His lips tickled against her neck. "What can I do to make you change your mind?"

Kagome's responding chuckle was breathy and a touch sheepish. "You like throwing that word out there a lot."

"What word? Tolerate?" His grin blossomed after she nodded.

"You still holding out for the next new moon?"

"To what? Clarify what I mean when I tell you I tolerate you a whole fuckin' lot?"

"Yes," Kagome grumbled, plummeting to her heels, her forearms snug around his neck. "Being patient for this is killing me."

"Look on the bright side. You'll get to be even more impatient for my cock while I'm gone."

Kagome rolled her eyes aggressively before she swatted him in the shoulder. "I'll miss more than just your penis, you big oaf."

"Oh yeah?" He beamed. "What else will you miss?"

"All of you, obviously."

"Lame," he razzed. "That answer's such a cop out. Pick somethin'. What about me will you miss most?"

Kagome's eyes tapered playfully. "Fine. Your smart mouth for one."

His crooked grin inched higher. "I thought yours is the smart mouth outta the two of us, Kagome?"

"Then what's your mouth, Inuyasha?"

"Dyin' to be on my mate's sweet cun—"

"God, I walked right into that!" she squealed with amused annoyance, making him laugh and constrict his hold around her waist. "You're incorrigible, you know that?" Kagome gasped a keening chortle before kissing him. "And maybe a little gross given the state of things for me right now."

Inuyasha's one eyebrow quirked. "I'm game to try if you let me," he cooed, his lips finding the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Goosebumps razed her skin. "I haven't done that before but I'd be willin' to try for you." His expression was pure boyish delinquency. "I bet we both end up likin' it."

"Oof, you're trouble," she breathed through a blushing smile, angling her head to give his lips better space to maneuver. Her fingertips massaged gentle circles on one of his ears. "You're just trying to make me miss you more, aren't you?"

Inuyasha rumbled out a chuckle, leading Kagome into the hallway of their floor. They paused in front of the elevator doors so Inuyasha could wrap himself around his mate, pulling her in, notching her soft curves on his hard lines as the doors closed behind them. Kagome was reluctant to let Inuyasha go, taking advantage of the moment to kiss him deeply, relishing the heat and brawn of him against her. Neither of them pushed the call button yet, too wrapped up in an unwilling goodbye. When Kagome whispered, for the second time, to "please be careful," the grin that blossomed over Inuyasha's features made her heart pound with love, a sensation that was worsened when he leapt at her mouth for their third final kiss, just for him to breathily utter, "Be good, mate. Don't miss me too much."

Any tears of worry or sadness at seeing him go were immediately replaced by a thick yet weak laugh. Her eyes crinkled with her smile, pushing the call button for him. When the elevator arrived to take him back down to the garage level, Kagome kissed him one final time. Her heart was about ready to burst when he walked into the elevator and they both waited for that moment when the doors would close and take him away from her.

Three days. He'd only be gone for three days.

He thought. She hoped.

In that moment, Kagome truly had no idea how Rin made it through six months without Sesshoumaru when Kagome could barely stomach the idea of zero contact with Inuyasha for three days.

Just as the doors began to shut, she cupped her mouth with her hands and said, "I tolerate you so, so much, Inuyasha! You better come home to me in one piece."

His responding laugh made her heart sing. "I'll come home to you, mate. I promise. And trust me, I tolerate you much, much more."

---

Once Inuyasha was gone, Kagome locked herself into the condo and had a quick shower to rinse off the day. Putting on pajamas and lingering in the bedroom, a ball of something thick and choking caught in her chest, eyeing his side of the bed. She cupped her shoulder, fingertips tracing the ridges of dark magenta scabs beneath her t-shirt. The reminder of his bites made her miss his mouth, and thinking about his mouth had her stomach feeling heavy with emptiness. It wasn't long before a hunger pang stole her attention away from the homesickness she felt without Inuyasha, and Kagome tore herself from the bedroom to go make herself a snack.

She had just sat down on the couch with her e-reader and a plate of veggies and crackers with hummus when her phone rang. Seeing who it was, she answered the call with a wet, bittersweet laugh in her voice. "Don't tell me you forgot something?"

Inuyasha laughed sharply. His voice was hollow and tinny from his car's Bluetooth. "Yeah, my dignity and balls; I think you have 'em with you."

"What does that mean?" she laughed after swallowing.

"How the fuck do I miss you already? What have you done to me?"

"Aww, Inuyasha."

"Don't. I already feel like such a sap, Kagome. Don't go and make it worse."

She giggled. "Don't worry. I probably miss you more."

"Yeah?"

"Likely. But I thought I wasn't going to hear from you once you left—something about not wanting to risk call tracing?"

"Once I'm closer to my destination, yeah. But I ran into some traffic leavin' the city and thought I'd call you. What're you up to? Lookin' for your box of vibrators?"

Kagome laughed, narrowly avoiding choking on a baby carrot. "I'm sitting around eating, actually. Had a shower. Was planning on starting a new book but talking to you is better."

His voice took on a sultry husk. "A shower, huh? A sexy one?"

Kagome snorted. "No, Inuyasha. A regular shower."

"Feh," he groaned, "you're no fun."

"You've been gone thirty minutes and you're already trying for phone sex. You're something else."

He chuffed. "Just tryin' to keep you happily distracted, mate. Don't want you missin' me too much."

"Too bad," she sighed dejectedly, moving some food around her plate, "I already do. A lot."

His tone softened, making Kagome's throat thicken with the threat of tears. "I'll be home before you know it, darlin'. I promise."

"I know." She exhaled before chewing on a pepper spear. "Between covering Sango's shift tomorrow and packing I'll be plenty distracted until you're home." She grinned. "Speaking of tomorrow, what're the chances our friends have a sleepover after their date? I was thinking I'd invite Sango over tomorrow night since I haven't properly seen her in ages, but I don't want to impose on their plans. You wouldn't mind if she came over, would you?"

"If they don't spend the night together it won't be for Miroku's lack of trying." Inuyasha wheezed a laugh. "But that's why you're workin' tomorrow? 'Cause they're goin' out?"

"Yeah. A lunch date. Sango's humouring him with an outing to look at rings."

Inuyasha snickered. "Sounds like he's wearin' her down nicely."

"Oh shush. I'm happy for them. While I think Miroku is exactly what Sango needs, I think her slower pace is also good for Miroku." Silence fell between them while Kagome munched a cracker.

"Kagome, you know the condo is your home too now, right?"

His question surprised her, colouring her cheeks. "Ye...yeah. Why?"

His next words were painted with a smile. "You don't need to ask my permission to have your girlfriends over."

Kagome flushed, nodding her understanding. "Yeah, I know. And I wouldn't call it asking permission; I thought of it as more of a courtesy check." She huffed a laugh at herself. "It's just...weird. I've never lived with anyone before outside of my family." She mindlessly dipped a carrot in hummus. "Plus my life just feels like a disaster with my stuff in two places right now. Maybe once my things are here and we've organized the stuff staying in storage I'll feel less off about it." She chewed and swallowed a yellow pepper that was just a conduit for hummus. "It's not weird that I'm keeping the apartment for storage, is it?"

She could easily picture his one shoulder shrug. "Your rent is cheaper than purchasing a storage unit for our shit," he answered after a short pause. "Myoga's already on top of organizing the payments."

Kagome's cheeks mottled. This was a topic they'd bickered over a few times this week already. "I can pay for my own place, Inuyasha."

He sighed with irritation. "I'm still aware of that, Kagome. But the family treasury will cover it. Once we're on the other side of our mating ceremony, whenever we decide to have that, and you start earnin' your salary then—"

"I'm not earning anything, Inuyasha..." she muttered.

He exhaled loudly. "Trust me, once you're socially and politically recognized as my mate, you'll be workin' for your salary. But if you wanna pay back the treasury once we're mated, you can do that with your part of my stipend if you're gonna be stubborn about it. For now, though, Kagome, just let me look after this for you, okay? Besides, if you weren't okay usin' your place as storage, I don't really know how comfortable I'd be with you keepin' the space. I don't like the idea of you stayin' by yourself in human territory, especially once demons know what you mean to me."

Despite the pink on her cheeks she hummed a reluctant sound of understanding. Her next words were a hushed mope. "I still don't like that we're letting the Grand Adviser get his way about us moving in together. I love being here, you know that, Inuyasha, but why are we listening to him and that stupid list again? I thought the plan was that the Demon Council can stuff it."

Kagome couldn't make out the sound Inuyasha made but she assumed it was one of annoyance. "They're graspin' for control, Kagome. It's what they do. If we compromise and give the Grand Adviser this one thing he's askin' of us, shit will be a lot easier for us later. It makes us look agreeable, even if we don't plan on givin' him anything more than this for a while." He cursed under his breath. "That bastard's just lucky he's askin' something of me I'm actually happy to do. I could kill that asshole for cornering you in that meeting, thinkin' it'd be easier for him to get his way. I'm gonna have a few choice fuckin' words for him once I'm back."

Her interest in eating having dwindled, Kagome removed the plate from her lap. She tugged her favourite blanket over her legs, a chill raising goosebumps down her arms. With her eyes closed, listening to the road noise over speakerphone, she hated how readily she could recall the Grand Adviser's smarmy expression and how easily the nausea still came to her.

---

Earlier That Week...

Waking up in Inuyasha's arms would be one of Kagome's favourite luxuries until the day she died. Knowing what the day had in store for her—with whom she'd be meeting at Nocturne Tower—she felt restless and a little reserved despite the hum of happiness that radiated from her following her previous night of enthusiastic forgiveness with Inuyasha. Given she woke up to the start of her cycle, it was just as well they enjoyed themselves, even if pulling out was a reckless thing to have done...three times. Breakfast ordered in for the two of them, Inuyasha planned to prep Kagome as much as he could for her late morning appointment with the full Demon Council—which Kagome learned consisted of ten demons, including the Grand Adviser, plus Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, the two stewards, the Treasurer, and apparently Miroku and Rin when the occasion and agenda warranted, which surprisingly wasn't today. There was a lot of ground to cover over breakfast before they had to get going. Regardless Inuyasha's frequent reassurances that he'd be right there with her, it certainly wouldn't hurt for Kagome to be as prepared as Inuyasha could get her.

"The demons who actually matter and make up most of the Council include a group that Myoga and I jokingly call the Band of Seven 'cause they're thick as thieves: Bankotsu, Renkotsu, Suikotsu, Mukotsu, Jakotsu, Ginkotsu, and Kyokotsu. They all indirectly report to Bankotsu, who is the Council's biggest kiss ass to the Grand Adviser in addition to being his second. Suikotsu and Renkotsu are the only two I can really tolerate 'cause they're most likely to think for themselves. Jakotsu can be okay but he's a fuckin' weirdo and goes cryin' to Bankotsu at the drop of a hat, so I guess try not to offend him if you can help it."

Kagome blinked at Inuyasha over the rim of her coffee mug. Saying she felt overwhelmed would be an understatement.

"Then there's Byakuya, who is one of the original and oldest Council members from the East, but you'd never guess how ancient he is by his appearance. He might be the only one on the Council Sesshoumaru actually respects. And then Goshinki, who's the only non-humanoid on the Council. He's this bull-lookin' demon with huge horns, which he sharpens with honing steel when he's checked outta the meeting." Inuyasha added with a curt laugh, "That happens whenever the discussion moves away from anythin' with the promise of violence or aggression, which there better be none of today if I can help it. So expect him to be doin' it the whole time. It's loud and distracting as fuck, but do your best not to stare to avoid a confrontation. 'Cause if he gets riled up, I'll have to settle shit on your behalf, and I have no interest in getting punctured by those things again."

Kagome swallowed to avoid asking about that story. "And what about the Grand Adviser?"

"What about him?"

"Does he have a name or do we all just go around calling him the Grand Adviser?"

Inuyasha's mouth twitched. "Yeah, his name's Naraku. But anyone who knows him knows he'll put the pressure on you to use his title. He's a power-grabbin' opportunist and a devious bastard who I don't remotely fuckin' trust, but he's been around as a royal advisor since before the inception of the Council when my dad only ruled the West. He's a human-hating classist by any rate, who never struggles makin' recommendations to Sesshoumaru that are as anti-human as they are pro-demon. For a guy who's pretty uptight about respecting titles and power, he has never had an issue shitting all over me or disrepectin' me to my face. He's pretty vocal about my bein' a dirty half-breed, too, so when he goes off about that, just ignore him. It's just what he does, the asshole."

When the two of them arrived at Nocturne Tower later that morning, Kagome found herself inspecting the Tower and the forest within with a newfound appreciation and respect given what she'd recently learned about its true history and the Lady of the Forest. She held her breath when they passed the five large guards at the front entrance of the Tower, grateful no one batted an eye at the two of them as they entered. That made Kagome think the crocodile demon from their date had just been a bad egg—after all, there are assholes in every line of business. Just as Kagome muttered a small sigh of relief over their ease of entry, Inuyasha snorted and said he suspected the croc guard had been one of the Grand Adviser's. Kagome wasn't sure what to make of that comment, but she definitely didn't like the implication.

Inuyasha squeezed her hand as the elevator ascended, headed for Sesshoumaru's floor. The Council would be meeting them in one of Sesshoumaru's boardrooms. As soon as the bay doors opened, they were greeted in the wooden vintage hallway by Myoga and Jaken. Kagome could tell from the way the two stewards interacted with Inuyasha that something was off; however, it wasn't until their small grouping ran into Sesshoumaru and Rin in the hallway that Kagome's stomach clenched.

The Council wished to speak with Kagome alone, Sesshoumaru explained, which meant he and Inuyasha would use the free time as an opportunity to spar before they were called to counsel. For obvious reasons, the change in plans set off Inuyasha.

"Over my dead goddamn body!" had been his response. It took a few curt threats from Sesshoumaru and begging niceties from Myoga for Inuyasha to cast Kagome a weary expression before allowing himself to be led away. For a moment, it almost didn't seem like Inuyasha would wait until they reached the lower level gym before he made a move against Sesshoumaru. Once the males were gone, alongside their stewards, that left Rin alone with Kagome in front of the double doors to the boardroom.

Rin smiled as a means of breaking the tension. "I'm glad to see you here even though I know you're probably dreading it. Inuyasha looks happy," she added with a wider smile. "Or, he did before Sesshoumaru had to drag him away."

Kagome forced a smile, huffing a disingenuous laugh. "Saying I'm dreading this meeting is probably an understatement."

Rin laughed and patted Kagome's arm affectionately. "Don't be surprised if Inuyasha's kept busy for a while after this; the Council will probably wanna consult with him about meeting with you. If he's not free when you're done in there, though, I'll make sure to be here to meet you. I have a few consults lined up today since Sesshoumaru can't do them, but otherwise I'm free to hang out."

Kagome swallowed and lowered her voice. "Did you have to do this? A meeting with the Council? What do you think they want?"

"Honestly? Probably to intimidate you into doing what they want, into getting their way." She leaned in, lowering her voice. "The Grand Adviser can play nice when he wants something, but he only ever has his own selfish agenda in mind. He reminds me of those wasp traps—you know the ones I mean? The one's where liquid sugar's left out to lure wasps into this glass enclosure, but once they realize they've been tricked, it's already too late and the wasps can't get out." Rin's eyes widened and she held a hand to her mouth, failing to hold back a giggle at the look of horror on Kagome's face. "Oh, whoops, that was...probably the last thing you needed to hear, Kagome. Sorry... What I really mean to say is, whatever he says to you, just...take it with a grain of salt, alright? He may sound nice and thoughtful, but it's usually a trap. What he says and what he means are often very different things. He doesn't like humans," she said with a pinched expression, "so if he goes off about it, try not to take it personally.

"The rest of the Council thinks the sun shines out of his ass, so he'll probably do most of the talking. My advice? Let him. Let him say whatever he wants to get off his chest and then you just walk away after saying you'll think about it. It's what I typically do and it makes those meetings way more bearable." Squeezing Kagome's hand and offering her one final, "You got this," Rin turned on her heel and left.

Kagome was alone in front of the closed doors for only a handful of minutes before they opened and she was let in. She was surprised to find only one man in the decadent wood-trimmed room, or at least, one demon who looked like a man, seated at the head of the dark wood table.

If he was a human, Kagome would have suspected him to be in his mid to late forties. Hair the colour of raven's wings was unruly around his shoulders like no amount of salve or spray could tame the waves or frizz. His robes were bedecked in purple; he wore more of the colour than Kagome had ever seen in an outfit, like he had read an old history textbook and learned the colour used to demarcate royalty. His lips curled up into a tight, small smile that instantly made Kagome's mouth go sour. The smile didn't reach his eyes, which were narrowed and a brown so dark they looked black. Every feature was pointy, his chin, his nose, his cheekbones, the arch of his thin eyebrows. He was avian and snakelike all in one. Walking into the large boardroom with a long, rectangular table large enough for at least forty, Kagome felt almost like a fly walking into a spider's home, about to greet her host while simultaneously feeling a lot like prey.

He placed his palms on the table like he made to rise to greet her; however, Kagome found herself stalling across the table from him when he remained seated. "Kagome Higurashi, I presume." His voice was like silk and nicotine, sweet and mellifluent yet treacherous. Matched with the smile he wore, definitely more treacherous.

"Naraku, I presume," she answered, pushing her palms against her thighs to avoid fidgeting.

The shock in his expression was evident until he covered it expertly with a dour blandness that made her feel uneasy. "I see Inuyasha ensured his mate came prepared to meet with me today. How...uncharacteristically composed of him." He cast her another tight, insincere smile. "I am the Grand Adviser of the Demon Council. Your first lesson in etiquette, Human: official ranks and salutations recognize positions of power and prestige within the royal court. Use them. You will call me Sir or refer to me by my title. If you cannot do that, you may not speak." He motioned at the chair across from him. "Now, sit. Please," he added when Kagome's eyes narrowed at the command. "I have no intention to take up much time together."

Kagome's fingers enclosed over the back of the seat, trying to evaluate if sitting or standing was the safer option. She hadn't needed Inuyasha or Rin's warnings not to trust the Grand Adviser. Everything about this male screamed nefarious, self-obsessed intentions and deceit in a thick layer of ingratiating pleasantries.

Wasp trap, indeed, Kagome thought with a mental roll of her eyes.

Myoga had taken her purse and coat once she exited the elevator, so Kagome merely sat herself in the large, black leather swivel chair opposite the Grand Adviser. She covered her hands with the large maroon cuffs of her sweater to occupy her fingers in the hopes that would help keep her expressions neutral.

"I thought I was meeting with the entire Council today."

That made him grin for some reason. "Yes, well, it didn't seem a prudent use of the full Council's time. While I'm certain my colleagues are eager to finally meet our High Lord and Right Hand's mate, it is my opinion that matters at the end of today's interview."

"Interview?" she echoed. "I wasn't aware there was an open application for the role of High Lord and Right Hand's mate. And here I thought I was a shoo in."

The Grand Adviser hissed a weak, bitter laugh and enfolded his hands over a pile of paper on the table in front of him. "Ah, I see the Universe had a sense of humour with Inuyasha's mate. Well, no need to get your back up, Human, I have no intentions to bite today."

"Good," she answered, narrowing her eyes. "Because I have no intentions of being bitten today, or in the immediate future, Naraku."

"Sir or Grand Adviser." His tone was clipped with warning and Kagome forced herself not to flinch. "I appreciate it may be daft of me to expect a level of propriety from a human such as yourself, but you'd do well to show respect here today, Girl. I could make your future very easy or very difficult, pending your choices."

"And you can call me by my name," she answered. "I'm not Human or Girl. I am Kagome, and if you want my respect, you'll show me some."

A biting laugh curled from between his teeth as his dark eyes lowered to watch his hands fiddle with the papers and cardstock before him. It drew Kagome's attention to the documents. There were obviously photographs in those piles. That made a lump develop in her throat.

"I see our High Lord and Right Hand has found his match in his mate."

"We keep each other humble," she answered with a sickly sweet smile. "Now, can you tell me why I'm here today? What you're here to interview me about?"

"Simple," he answered. "I'd like to make a bargain with you, Kagome, to ensure we both come away from this arrangement with our needs met."

She leaned back in her chair and rocked herself in a slow motion side to side, her eyes never leaving the Grand Adviser's. "My understanding is you want to see Inuyasha mated with a healthy amount of children."

His eyes became darkened slits in response to her tapering distrust. "The Council wishes to see the High Lord and Right Hand properly mated. Now that we've located you, we want to see you formally in that position, yes, and performing the duties the role requires. I'm here today to understand what we need to do to make that happen."

Kagome blinked at him, processing his words. "So, in other words, you're wanting to bribe me."

"A mutually beneficial transaction is not bribery, Ms. Higurashi. We want something of you. I am here to determine what kind of treat you require to cooperate."

"A treat?" she scoffed resentfully. "I may not be a businesswoman, Grand Adviser, but I know enough that a respectful businessman wishing to discuss terms wouldn't mock me by trying to offer me a treat to get his way."

"Forgive my diction," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "I often forget how sensitive you humans can be. I can't say I interact with your kind very often, your half-human mate notwithstanding." He grinned indecently at her. "But I'm getting the sense you and I have started off on the wrong foot. You seem uneasy, for which I apologize. I thought meeting just you and I today would make this conversation easier on you. Despite your mortal lifespan being a forgettable blip in my centuries of existence, you and I will have an intimate working relationship for the time you remain in our High Lord and Right Hand's life. I'd like for us to be cordial. It is not my intention to frighten you."

"You don't frighten me," she answered quickly and between clenched teeth. Kagome couldn't remember the last time she wanted to punch someone in the face so badly.

He flashed his teeth at that "Yes, well, suffice to say that would be incredibly foolish of you, were that true. But I digress. The Council wants to ensure the longevity of the Taisho dynasty, Ms. Higurashi. The High Lord and Right Hand has declined many a-time to utilize the family harem or seek out his own consorts or mistresses to provide suitable heirs for the empire. That leaves us to assume Inuyasha wishes to put all his eggs in one basket, so to speak. And in case my colloquialism goes misunderstood, you, Kagome, as his mate, are the basket. The Council, the empire, requires heirs, and Inuyasha will only have them with you. So therefore, we find ourselves in this predicament where we are obligated to work together."

Kagome took a deep breath to settle her growing ire. "At the end of the day, I want what's best for Inuyasha," she said calmly. "So anything that is in his best interests, I will support happily."

The Grand Adviser's nose rumpled in a grimace like Kagome just uttered the most distasteful vitriol. "Yes, well... I am not here to discuss or ponder what is best for one indolent individual when my responsibility is the greater good. And the greater good, Kagome, is the empire, which sorely needs heirs. I will ask you again: what do you require in order to proceed rather expeditiously with a formal mating to then bear the empire its heirs? The Council must first ensure that any brood you bear are legitimate in the eyes of our subjects. I trust I can count on you to be mated before the year is out?"

Kagome's eyes dipped to the papers and photos beneath the Grand Adviser's palms. "Why the rush?"

"My dear human girl... if only your ill-bred mate had properly educated you on the situation in which you find yourself." She frowned and fisted her hands over her lap in response to the infantilizing and disrespectful way he addressed her and spoke of Inuyasha. "Our stubborn half-blood has potential he's not willing to tap into. For the sake of the empire, we need your cooperation to ensure he reaches that potential, through whatever means necessary."

Kagome remembered Rin's previous warning that Kagome shouldn't admit to knowing about the Taisho wishes, so she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth to still her tongue. The Grand Adviser obviously meant Inuyasha's potential to use his mate-bonded wish to become a full demon; however, Kagome ensured her face didn't give away that she knew that. Let Naraku think her a dumb, ignorant human. "You mean Inuyasha's potential as a father, because he needs to sire heirs for Sesshoumaru."

"For Lord Sesshoumaru, yes, that's part of it. The unfortunate and highly inconvenient nature of the half-breed's mortal lifespan gives us a short timeline in which action must be taken."

Probably because you jerks want a relatively young and virile full demon Right Hand for your backup plan, she mused bitterly.

"So you're trying to convince me to start having his kids right away."

"I'd like to understand more about you, Kagome. What motivates you. What the Council could use to entice you to make haste with mating and child-bearing." He turned to the papers, flipping over a few sheets. "I understand you are one of the more reputable and esteemed massage therapists in your place of business. Few friends. Somewhat estranged from family, but legalities around death can make for ugly business." He smiled at her in that insincere way that made her feel sick. "You seem to have made your career your life, Kagome. Knowing we don't permit royal mates to maintain any of their former livelihood that must be a hard pill for you to swallow. Perhaps that is where I'll start our bargain."

"Meaning what, exactly?"

"Well, I can't exactly promise you can continue working for a silly little human salon." His flippant words made Kagome realize that perhaps the Council, and Grand Adviser, weren't aware of her employer's identity or Sesshoumaru's role in financing her business. Another thing for her to keep to herself. "My priority is ensuring a royal mate performs their duty to the empire. Therefore, should you fulfill your mately duties and conceive your first heir within a specified timeframe, I could provide an endorsement to the rest of the Council that you get to perform your services in demon territory. That is, if maintaining your occupation is so important to your human values.

"Although," he added with that crude smile, "I can't imagine your business would be too fruitful, given most demons don't foster any goodwill towards humans—I personally don't see the appeal in a human's touch and believe many will mirror my opinion. And given the questionable stock of your mate, well... There is already a vast amount of disdain and dislike towards our half-breed Right Hand, I'm afraid. I can't imagine that would bode well for you and your professional aspirations either, my dear."

Kagome wrung her sweater cuff between clenched fingers. "Are you implying the majority of your subjects would willingly mistreat a royal mate or their human empress?"

His eyes narrowed at her implication of Rin. "A Lady of the Taisho residence will be granted the respect and honour of her position despite the worthless station from which she came. A Lady Masseuse doe not garner such respect."

Kagome chuffed. "So you're saying you'd let me do my job for demons but doing so is beneath my position." She further scoffed a breathy sneer. "You'd try to bargain with me using a job that would undermine any credibility I could hope to have as the Lord General's sister-in-law? You can't blame me for not being tempted by that, Sir."

He scowled at her use of the formal address. "Then perhaps, Kagome, you'd be more inclined to rectify the unfortunate position your family finds themselves in." One of the pages from the table was extended towards her. She couldn't read the font, but the photographs of her mom and brother were very clear from where she sat. "How is Souta enjoying Kyoto?" he asked with a tight-lipped look of derision. "Lonely? And how does your mother feel about the condominium townhouse that must seem so puny compared to the property once in the family for generations, hm? Her commute to work is now what? Triple that from the Shrine?"

Nausea rippled out from her stomach. "How do you know about my family?" she asked around that gross lump in her throat.

"My dear," Naraku chided, "human affairs are so simple. You significantly underestimate the effectiveness of a good incentive."

Kagome harrumphed. "So what? Bribing me with my job didn't work so you're gonna use my family as a bargaining chip to get what you want?"

The Grand Adviser leaned forward onto his forearms. "I find my patience trying with your tone, so let me be blunt. If you complete the mating ceremony with Inuyasha before the end of the year, the Council will see to it that the Shrine is returned to your family as if that nasty business with your second cousins never happened." Kagome's eyes widened in such a way the Grand Adviser seemed to brighten with encouragement. "Ah, so perhaps matters of the heart will prove effective for a weak-willed human after all," he sneered. "Can I assume that facial expression means we have your consent?"

Kagome frowned, her heart racing at how her expression undermined her position. "It means I'll talk to Inuyasha about it and we'll think about it."

The Grand Adviser manipulated his features into that smarmy grin of his and reached for another document. "You seem like a compliant sort of woman, Kagome, and obedience is certainly my favourite quality in a human. I'll inform my colleagues we can look forward to celebrating your matehood before the year's end. A joint celebration with the Lord General and his mate, perhaps? Wonderful. Now—" He shifted in his seat, the gesture making him look like a predator readying his pounce— "let's move on to a more eventful topic: your upcoming pregnancies." He flicked the page in his hands before skimming it. "For every healthy, fully-abled child you carry to term, the Council will grant a generous lump sum to your mom and brother, and to you, of course."

Kagome's stomach clenched. "I can't believe you're serious about this..."

"We are willing to negotiate how much for the stipend, of course," he continued, as if Kagome hadn't said anything. "My proposal is that we'd ensure a nice early retirement fund for your single mother. An amount to ensure your brother is looked after for the rest of his life, perhaps even a promotion? Building him a home to return to Tokyo?" The Grand Adviser smiled to the point his canines dimpled his bottom lip. "To retain your motivation to bear Inuyasha's offspring, after the birth of your fourth child, the Council agrees to increase the negotiated stipend by fifty thousand. Each."

Kagome tried to lick moisture back into her lips. "And how many kids are you hoping for exactly?"

Naraku grinned at her. "How many good breeding years does an almost thirty-year-old human woman have left? You have a nine-month gestational period, give yourself let's say a two to three month recovery, which means arguably one child per year. We would cover all medical expenses, of course. If it's determined that you cannot conceive naturally then we will pay for your fertility treatments. Adoption would be inappropriate; however, surrogacy would be welcomed, should you be unable of conceiving and birthing your mate's spawn."

"You don't want a mate for your Right Hand, you want a breeder." Kagome could barely swallow past the nausea.

The Grand Adviser bowed his head, his lips twitching like he withheld a wide grin. "A brood bitch for our royal dog. Fitting, in my opinion. Yet, still, how much will it take to agree to my terms, Kagome? Fifty thousand per child? One-hundred thousand per child? That would be each of course, for you, your sibling, and mother." At Kagome's speechlessness, he resumed. "Continuing with this train of thought, let's say you are able to have your own children until age forty-four or forty-five, which I understand tends to be all your feeble human organs can manage. Ten to fifteen children would be a good target, I think." His smirk turned malicious. "Perhaps, in the future, when your womb is no longer effective, we could revisit the topic of lending your mate's services to females still capable of bearing offspring. I'll earmark that for us, shall I?"

Kagome gulped past tears. "Y-you're sick. This is sick. I won't do this. You can't possibly—"

"Oh I'm quite serious with my proposition, the Council's proposition, Kagome. Would you bear children for your mate knowing it would grant your human family back their home and leave them with a hefty sum each? That you'd be guaranteeing your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren a royal life, never having to fret about finances, safety, or security? Let's also sweeten the deal and throw in a bonus for meeting your target. An additional five-hundred thousand, minimum. Each. And that's not including any bastard children you could permit your mate in the future. Then, perhaps, we could even include your quarter-blood offspring as beneficiaries of our monetary agreement, earning them a substantial trust—"

"I don't want to hear anymore!" The curt interruption grated from her dry throat, her voice giving out as she pushed away from the table. "I've heard enough. You're twisted if you think I'd willingly enter this arrangement. It's a no—I would never agree to those terms." Kagome rose from her seat on shaky legs. She sucked in a deep breath, forbidding herself from shedding even a single tear that loomed behind her burning eyes. Tucking the chair in behind her, her fingers shook with rage. "I will happily be Inuyasha's mate, and I understand he has siring obligations because of his position; however, any children that are a production of our relationship will not be because of your bribery or greed. My children will be a product of my love for them and their father." Kagome spun away from the Grand Adviser just as resentful tears lined her eyes. "You can take your bribery and shove it up your ass for all I care. How dare you!"

"A crassness I should have expected from the half-breed's mate." Naraku huffed a dry laugh, pushing up on his palms to rise. "Should money not be a motivating factor for you, Kagome, don't blind yourself to the fact the Council can find other means to motivate you to adhere to our wishes. We will have our heirs, Human."

She paused her exit to whip around to face him. "Not beneath you to resort to threats when bribery doesn't pan out?"

"You may not want wealth for your family," he hissed over a tight breath, "but perhaps their safety and well-being shall be the motivating factor you require." She scowled at him with all the hate she could muster, and Naraku chuffed at how plainly she wore fear in her expression. "Lesson number two for today, Human. Weakness has no place amongst demons, and human lives are inconsequential in this world of power. You don't want your weaknesses compromised or exploited? Then don't come onto my lands flaunting your mortal whims and vulnerabilities. You, and your family, won't last very long otherwise. I want a show of good faith, Ms. Higurashi, that you mean to serve our empire and Lord General as an obedient royal mate. Perhaps then I would be willing to dissuade the Council from any rash actions to motivate you into understanding our predicament."

Half-moons from her fingernails dented her palms from the intensity of her clutched fists. "What kind of show of faith?"

"You have one week to fully consolidate your residences and present yourself in court to our Lord General as his humble servant. That should be enough proof for me that you are, indeed, sensitive to the plight of the empire and wish to do your part to ensure a plentiful future for the Taisho dynasty. Should you fail to complete these two tasks in time, well..." The peaks of his shoulders rose in a gesture of insouciance.

Kagome's knuckles blanched from her grip on the door handle to leave the room. "So what? You're saying I have to move in with Inuyasha, pledge myself to Sesshoumaru, and then what? Start popping out your heirs pronto...or else?"

With a flick of the Grand Adviser's wrist and a flare of his demon power, the double doors slammed open, the handle ripping painfully from Kagome's grip, startling her as she hissed a breath. The snarling smirk Naraku wore made his eyes crinkle. "It was an enlightening discussion today, Kagome. I thank you for not being a waste of my time. In farewell, consider these words until the next time we meet. There are no two words more promising or powerful than 'or else'."

---

"Kagome? Hello? I didn't lose you, did I?"

Kagome shook the fog of recollection from her head, forcing herself to focus on her mate's voice. "Crap, sorry, Inuyasha."

He laughed, exhaling with what sounded like relief. "You okay? Do you need to call me back?"

"No, sorry," she said with a blush, "I just got distracted. I was thinking about my meeting with the Grand Adviser."

She could practically feel Inuyasha's frown, the rage that burned beneath his tone. "If Naraku thinks he can threaten my mate or her family, that he could do anything to undermine my authority, he has another fuckin' thing coming." Inuyasha had already said as much when Kagome first told him about her meeting.

"I know," Kagome sighed, not surprised her tone sounded like breathy defeat. "It just wasn't the way I hoped to start things off as your royal mate."

"I know, darlin'. The Grand Adviser's a shit, but I promise you don't gotta worry, okay? I'll take care of you. I'll take care of your family, too. Don't forget I'm the head of security—if somebody needs protection, I'm the best guy for the job."

Kagome huffed an embarrassed laugh. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. Everything's gonna be fine. The Grand Adviser is used to flaunting his title and makin' his demands and gettin' his way, but he can't force us to have kids any sooner than we wanna have 'em, alright? Tell me you get that."

"I do. I do get that, Inuyasha. It's just shitty having threats hanging over us when we're supposed to be enjoying our child-free, newly sort of mated lifestyle right now." Kagome chewed the inside of her cheek. "With all the meetings you had with Council members after mine, there were really no bribes or threats thrown your way? The Grand Adviser didn't bring up anything with you about the terms he shared with me or insinuating he'd hurt my family?"

"Nothin'," Inuyasha ground out. "I was given the same timelines, movin' in together ASAP, makin' sure I presented you next week when Sesshoumaru holds court. At one point, the Council seemed to think we'd be mated in the same ceremony as Rin and Sesshoumaru at the end of December." His tone carried an indifference to it. "Apparently group ceremonies were a big thing back in the day and Byakuya thought Sesshoumaru's traditional sensibilities would be up for that."

"There's no way I could go through with that," Kagome exclaimed, cupping her throat.

Inuyasha seemed to pause and flounder over his next words. "Because that's, uh, too soon to do it? Were you thinkin' you and me'd wait longer, or—?"

"No," she said quickly on a breathy laugh, "no, it's not a timing thing, Inuyasha. It's just...this wedding and mating ceremony has been years in the making for Rin and your brother. I'm not stealing her thunder and making them share their special day."

"Oh, okay," he said, seeming to blow out a heavy breath. "That's actually good, 'cause while a mating ceremony is necessary to formally recognize you as my mate, I didn't want anythin' flashy. I thought private, small, just the minimum witnesses to make it official."

Kagome flushed. "Have you been thinking about this a lot or something, Inuyasha?"

"What? No." He huffed an insecure-sounding laugh. "I'm just sayin' I don't mind what Rin's doing, combining their wedding and mating ceremony for one big ass party. I like the efficiency of it, minus the part where I'm the centre of attention for hundreds of people and demons."

Kagome smirked, her words taking on a sing-song lilt. "Sounds like someone's been thinking about our wedding-slash-mating ceremony."

"No," he teased indignantly, "I'm considering our mating ceremony. It's different."

"So different."

"Oh shut up," he laughed, making her chortle. "Why don't you go lay in our bed, mate, and put those fingers to good use to the sound of my voice?"

"Inuyasha!"

He guffawed loudly. "What? You sayin' you're not gonna miss me like that?"

Kagome's face warmed. "I already miss you like that."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she answered quickly, breathily. "Do you miss me?"

"Like that?" She could hear the smile in his words. "I guess just a little, yeah."

"Oh yeah? Just a little?"

"Yeah—maybe when I check into my hotel later I'll send you a picture of just how much."

Kagome whispered a laugh. "I'd rather the real thing in my bed."

He laughed. "Your bed, huh?"

"Mmhmm. But my California King won't feel the same without my mate with me."

He exhaled a soft, happy sigh. "Fuck, I love hearing you say that."

"What? Calling you my mate?"

"Yeah."

Kagome's heart thundered at the question burning her tongue. "Inuyasha...have you, um, given any thought to when you wanna do it?"

Inuyasha took a few seconds to ponder her whispered question. "Do what? Complete our mating bond?"

"You didn't seem against the idea of doing it before the end of the year." Which is seriously only a month and a half away, how? she thought.

The open static between them felt heavy with discomfort. She heard him shift in his bucket seat. "I wanna do it whenever you wanna do it."

Kagome spat out a braying laugh. "That's such a cop out answer, Inuyasha!"

He chuckled. "It's the truth, though. Whenever you feel ready to mate me, I'm game for it, Kagome. If that's when I get home. Or if you like the idea of doin' it as a holiday thing or to ring in the New Year. Or if you wanna wait and do it to celebrate your thirtieth next year. Or even if you wanna wait a couple years and wear the Drop in the meantime. I'd go through with anythin' for you, darlin'."

"Inuyasha," she grieved with a pout, her heart thudding in response to his sweetness. "Your wants and opinions matter too, you know. We shouldn't just be going through with this when I want to."

His silence rang out loudly for a few seconds. "Have you given any thought to when you wanna do it?" he asked.

"A little," she breathed, playing with the tassels on the blanket.

"...And?"

A dense pause took over their call for a few more labouring seconds before Kagome's sigh broke it. "Is it sloppy of your position to do the bare minimum so you can come home to me sooner?"

Inuyasha laughed, seemingly okay with letting the topic veer away from their mating timeline. "I used to do the bare minimum before you were even in the picture, Kagome. I'll be damn near negligent to get home to you sooner."

Her chuckle was enfeebled. "As long as you promise me you'll still be safe."

"Kagome," he sighed, "darlin', it's just a threat of an uprising. I've dealt with far more in less time before. I'll be fine, seriously, don't worry."

"It's my job to worry about you, though."

"Oh yeah? Don't remember readin' that in the job description I sent you when you agreed to be my mate."

She huffed a laugh, continuing to finger the blanket in her unease. "You know I worry because I care, Inuyasha."

"Yeah? How much? You tryin' to tell me you tolerate me, Kagome?"

Her obvious blushing silence made Inuyasha sniff a laugh. "You know I do," she mumbled in reply.

The stubborn half-demon clearly refused to let up even though he could sense her embarrassment. "What does she mean, I wonder?" He sniggered. "What're you really sayin'?"

Kagome snorted through the heat of her face. "Nice try, Inuyasha. You're the one who started this tolerate nonsense. You get the honours of explaining yourself first."

"Can't blame me for tryin'," he crooned huskily. The sound of his smile made Kagome fist the blanket to her face like the plushness could slow her love-soaked, racing heart. "I know my girl's got shitty patience, but I believe in you to hang in there until the end of next week."

Kagome shriveled her nose and tucked her chin into her knees. "Why can't you just say it?" she insisted. "You're like...eighty percent of the way there, Inuyasha."

He chuckled gently. "She sounds like she knows what I'm really tryin' to say."

"Yeah, of course I do! You're not remotely subtle about it." Her cheeks reddened, her words muffling into her knees. "I'm mirroring your language too, don't forget."

She could hear his grin. "Then you don't need me to clarify or rephrase."

"Inuyasha..." she grumbled, wishing she didn't have to work for this. "It's not the same, and you know it."

How did those breathy little laughs of his make her miss him even more? "We'll get there, Kagome. Don't forget, we're lettin' shit settle after my explanation, remember? You didn't wanna complete our bond in the shadow of my fuck up, and I don't want us breezin' through important shit right after, either. Doin' this part right means a lot to—Fuck, Kagome, I gotta go. I'm getting another call I gotta take."

Her chest hollowed out with disappointment but she tried not to let that show in her voice. "Yeah, of course. Thank you for calling." She cleared her throat to remove the thick film of tears brewing. "Take care of my mate for me, okay?"

"I'll be countin' down the days 'til I see you, darlin'. Don't stress about shit, okay?"

"I won't. And I'll be counting down the hours."

"You're the worst with that one-up shit, y'know?" He laughed. "See ya later, sweetheart."

"Inuyasha, I—"

And then he was gone before she could utter her own farewell, leaving Kagome with words stuck in her mouth, scalding her tongue. It was only in the silence of Inuyasha's living room, their living room, that Kagome realized if Inuyasha hadn't been so quick to end the call, she would have gone back on her promise to herself and told him she loved him.

---

If the California King bed felt big with Inuyasha, it was virtually cavernous without him. Waking up after almost every sleep cycle, Kagome found it was a combination of worry but also remorse that kept her awake. Her pride prevented her from telling Inuyasha she loved him, but seeing him in a situation where he could be in danger, it felt childish and dumb that she hadn't been honest because of her hubris.

Going into the workday ahead of her, Kagome just wished she had been better rested.

When Suki handed Kagome her client schedule for Sango's Friday shift, Kagome felt a regretful stab in the gut for accepting the shift when she saw the full day of back-to-backs ahead of her. But nothing, however, made her feel more precarious than triple-taking the first name on her sheet in the last timeslot of the day: Kouga.

It couldn't be that Kouga, right? Certainly not. Not that Kagome had ever met another Kouga in her entire life, but surely there were at least a few other people in the entirety of Tokyo with that name. The chances of it being Security Guard Kouga...Breakfast Flirt Kouga...Guy Who Was Kind Of An Asshole To Inuyasha Kouga had to be slim.

Dread slowly wound into a constricting hold in her chest as the day went on.

For every service before Mystery Kouga's, when Kagome acknowledged her stack of files to review a client chart, her eyes autonomously hopped to the bottom of her schedule summary. The dread she felt snapped its teeth and dove into her belly as her gaze devoured and circled the name sitting there. Every service felt like one more crossed off the list to get her closer to the end of the day.

Why was she dreading this appointment? What was the big deal if Mystery Kouga was in fact that Kouga? Because she knew it would obviously upset Inuyasha? Because she was worried to see Kouga again when the last time she saw him he had tried to get her phone number and Kagome hadn't known whether or not to give it to him? But it would be fine. Of course it would. Because Kagome was claimed now and rules of demon society would require Kouga to accept that. She wore Inuyasha's Drop, after all; she was his mate and had zero reservations sharing that information freely.

Over her lunch break, Kagome asked Ayame to check his reservation in the database—because of course, Kagome had to know—to discover that Mystery Kouga had selected he was agreeable with any available RMT, meaning he was randomly assigned to Sango for his initial assessment visit. He hadn't requested Kagome and was denied, and he hadn't specifically signed up with Sango. It was just the luck of the draw that this client would be Kagome's in Sango's absence. That should have made Kagome feel better, that she had zero reason to feel like she was doing something to upset Inuyasha. She would be fulfilling a client service, just like the other five services squeezed into her day. Yet, that didn't stop this whole arrangement from feeling like a test from the universe.

Kagome stepped through the French doors to reception in between her penultimate and last appointment to collect her 'New Client' paper from Ayame. Kagome had intentionally not obtained the document sooner for worry it would be another vague clue she would have tried to obsess over to determine if Mystery Kouga was Kouga Kouga.

Kagome skimmed the document three times. Four for good measure to make sure she didn't miss anything—not that there was a considerable amount of information to chew over.

First name: Kouga.

Health concerns: None.

Sensitivities: None.

Please Circle Any Areas of Discomfort—Kagome took note he had circled the stock image's abdomen.

If it's that Kouga, I wonder if it's his obliques. A security guard for a living? Yeah, I could imagine a security guard experiencing tears or strains from some pretty intense bending or twisting or lifting, Kagome thought, reviewing the document while waiting for Ayame to finish her rebooking phone call.

This was good. This was normal. This was business. Nothing Kagome was thinking was the least bit unprofessional or worrisome. She felt her spirits lift, thinking she should give herself more credit. She could totally get through this appointment professionally even if it was that Kouga.

"He's here," Ayame said by way of greeting, redocking the handset. She swiveled to face Kagome. "Your next one just went through to the men's section to change. He should be your way in a few minutes, I suspect."

Kagome regretted wanting to ask but found herself helpless to stop it. "Were you at the desk when he checked in? What did he look like?"

Ayame squared her shoulders and batted her eyes at Kagome in a look of playful surprise. "He looked like my future husband, that's who. Did you know he's a wolf demon like me? An alpha too...I wonder if he's in the market for a beta..."

A wolf? Oh crap, this isn't looking good...

Kagome swallowed tightly then groaned. "I'm serious, Ayame. I'm worried about a potential conflict of interest here. I might know this guy."

"Oof, I'm super jealous in that case. You need to show me where you hang out outside of work, Kagome, to attract all these hotties who keep dropping by the salon. No offense, but Mr. Alpha would be better off adding a female wolf to his pack than a human woman. Besides, you're actually with Mr. Silver Hair now, yeah?" She gasped shrilly. "Could you introduce us?"

"Ayame...focus. My client. What did he look like?"

She sighed dreamily, her eyes glazing over with a far-away look as her cheek landed in her palm. "Tanned. Ripped. Long brown hair and eyes like a steaming pot of Earl Gray tea I could just melt into."

Kagome could be wilfully ignorant and evasive all she wanted but there was no denying it.

It is that Kouga.

Fuck.

Kagome's stomach dropped. "Okay, crap, yeah, it is who I thought it might be. I haven't run into this situation before. What should I do about a conflict? I actually know this client from outside work." Which is a big no-no in Madame's Code of Conduct.

Ayame leaned into her elbow on the desk and looked up with a wide-eyed look of bewilderment as if Kagome had bees on her face. She lowered her voice. "You're seriously going to turn down an opportunity to get your hands on that?" Ayame waggled her eyebrows, her red-painted lips grinning broadly. "It's Friday and the end of the day, Kagome. My vote is don't worry about it."

Kagome pulled an unimpressed face. How had she ever been convinced Ayame took professionalism seriously? "What does the day of the week have to do with it?"

Ayame keened a quiet whining sound. "A conflict means more paperwork for me. Have you ever seen one of Madame's incident reports? Those things are unfairly long, and it's almost the weekend..." Ah, there it is, Kagome thought with a mental roll of her eyes. Ayame huffed. "If you get to massage a friend or a really hot acquaintance, I say just roll with it. Your secret's safe with me. Wait—he's not an ex is he? 'Cause if it's that kinda conflict I have no problems helping you get out of it. I could take him aside and flirt, maybe give him my number. Oh, or I could pull the fire alarm or—"

"Oh god, no." Kagome waved her hands. "I'd be running from the building if my next client was my ex—" No fuckin' thank you!— "But the appointment could be awkward."

Ayame tossed her long auburn hair over her shoulder. "Awkward? You? It'll be fine, Kagome. You don't let your appointments get awkward. The epitome of professional behaviour, you are." Pfft, if only you were working the shift when I covered my breasts with dog demon lube... "I'm sure you won't let some hot guy undermine your ability to do the job." Ha-ha! If only you knew... "Now get back there—you don't want him showin' up to an empty room, do ya?"

Shit. This is so...shit.

Kagome's heart was pounding with nervousness and her stomach bottomed out with dread.

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, I guess."

"Good luck!" Ayame called, offering Kagome two thumbs up as Kagome disappeared through the frosted French doors.

She could do this. She could totally do this. This reaction of hers was unnecessary drama. It was just an appointment. Kagome was just filling in a shift for Sango. Kouga is technically Sango's client and Kagome was an interim buffer in her absence. Long before Inuyasha showed up, a client would never have rattled Kagome like this before. That reminder had her taking a deep breath to channel Past Professional Kagome.

Kagome made a quick stop at the restroom—because seriously, fuck these running water playlists that Kagome will actually be relieved to never hear again—and then did a quick run-through of her room, ensuring the sheets were pristine, heating pads on, lights dimmed, and her cart items and stool organized and at the ready.

She decided she'd start things off by addressing the elephant in the room: acknowledge their weird, sort of history; remind Kouga he signed a waiver agreeing to the spa's Code of Conduct. Yeah, and then forty-five minutes later he'll be out of her hair and Kagome can head home to her apartment where Sango will not be coming over because she actually agreed to her first night's stay at Miroku's. A huge deal that Kagome couldn't wait to hear about when Sango met up with Kagome on Sunday for brunch.

He's gonna smell the Drop, Kagome told herself. He might even sense Inuyasha's bites on my shoulders. He'll behave. Kouga's a security guard. Security guards behave, right?

Where Kagome was expecting a knock on the pocket door, she startled when the door was flung open with a bang then slammed shut immediately. Kouga was a blur of tanned skin, chestnut hair, and the off-white monogramed robe he wore as he practically lunged at Kagome, pinning her to his chest in a restrictive embrace. She collided against the wall of his chest with an, "Oof!"

"Kagome! Holy shit, Elevator Girl, I can't believe it's seriously you! I swore I caught your scent when I entered the place but hot damn! I can't believe you're actually mine for the next forty-five minutes. I can't believe you work here! This is fuckin' awesome. Shit, you use your hands for a living? This appointment just got so much fuckin' better!"

Kagome's face burned with mortification as she climbed out of Kouga's embrace. The breadth of his chest and width of his arms swallowed her whole, encasing her in a brawny furnace of maleness that felt vastly inferior to Inuyasha. "Hi Kouga," she began, prying his fingers from around her waist, "it's nice to see you, but this isn't appropriate behaviour. I need you to let me go, okay?"

Kouga chuckled boisterously as he stepped away from Kagome, the heat of his large palms crashing onto her shoulders instead. Kagome desperately wished he wouldn't look at her like that. "Shit, I forgot how pretty you are. Tell me you missed me. How's Dogface?" he asked, his eyes pitching to the pendent around her neck. "I wouldn't've pegged you as the kinda gal to like shiny things."

Kagome exhaled heavily through her nose. Professional behaviour. Be the professional in this situation, Kagome. "Kouga, we're not going to do this. I'm filling in a shift today for my colleague and just happened to be your RMT today. If you want me to complete the service, I need you to stop touching me and we're not going to discuss any personal information."

"Fiesty," he grunted through his smug grin. "Alright, alright, I'll behave. For now."

"For the entire service, Kouga. I'm serious."

He leaned towards her, his blue-gray eyes flicking over her face like he was taking in every detail. His smile grew as his gaze dropped to super brazenly ogle her breasts. Fangs were flashed when he saw her shift her body to avoid his leer. "I think I like Serious Kagome," he said with a wink, hopping up onto the table. Kagome turned away fitfully from the sight of him: how his robe billowed open at the chest; how he perched on the edge of the table with his legs shamelessly wide. When she met his eye, his smirk grew into an expression like he knew what he was doing, trying to taunt her into checking him out. "But you don't gotta tell me twice, Elevator Girl. I paid good money to get rubbed down today and I'm stoked that it'll be by you."

Kagome bit her lip at the way he said rubbed down but decided it would be better to just ignore him. "I'm going to step out to give you privacy to disrobe and position yourself facedown on the table. I understand from your client card that you identified pain in your abdomen. Before I step out, can you clarify where you need me—?"

"So formal," he purred out as a cheerful laugh, gripping the table on either side of his thighs to lean towards her. "Lighten up, Elevator Girl. It's right here, I'll show ya." Without giving Kagome a word more of warning, Kouga untied his robe and let it drop around his hips where he sat on the table in nothing but the company-provided cloth thong.

Kagome's cheeks ignited with red hot embarrassment and she spun around, the image of his nakedness seared beneath her eyelids. "K-Kouga! You shouldn't be—I mean, this really isn't okay behaviour to—"

"Aww, Kagome, you don't gotta be flustered, sweetheart. I have zero issues with you checkin' out the goods. You're gonna be gettin' your hands all over this anyway, right?"

Kagome pinched her eyes shut and took a steadying deep breath. She was going to get her escalating heart rate under control and then she was going to give Kouga one more warning. Then, if he couldn't restrain himself to allow some semblance of professional behaviour between them, Kagome was going to end the service and tell him to leave. Just as she opened her eyes with a heavy exhale, and was readying to turn back around to address her client, she jumped when she felt a hand grip her wrist. She hadn't heard him leave the table.

"You good?" A chuckle snaked between his teeth when she turned to frown at him. Her skin looked so pale beneath his bronzed grasp. "Damn, look at that blush. Kagome, that colour looks so damn good on you... You turn red all over when you get this worked up?"

Kagome tried to shake off his grip. "Kouga, I'm serious. You need to stop touching me."

His grin was downright cocky and playful as he let her go, standing far too close for comfort despite his hands being up in the air beside his head, his palms facing her. This confrontation was made especially worse considering how dangerously close to naked he was. "Sorry, Kagome. I can't seem to help myself. You're a-fuckin'-dorable, and those scrubs are—" He paused to groan and dip his head, taking her in— "Mm, you're a cutie."

Kagome steeled her expression finding her patience trying. She wished her face wasn't burning with embarrassment. "I'm going to leave the room now, Kouga. When I come back in five minutes, if you seriously want this massage, you'll be facedown on the table beneath the bedsheet, understand?" Kagome took a few steps away from him, focusing her attention on her cart of oils and towels so she didn't have to look at how cut and chiseled his chest was, or peek at anything else on him for that matter. "If you can't do that, and don't behave yourself, I'm not going through with the service."

"I'm so good for that, Elevator Girl. I promise I'll do anythin' you want to get your hands on me. But I just gotta know one thing first." When Kouga didn't immediately continue that thought, Kagome turned to look at him over her shoulder. A squeak of mortification flew from her lips at the sight before her. Kouga smiled at her racily, his hands on his hips while brandishing at her a rather large erection that was pitifully contained within the borrowed cotton thong. "I know it's called a happy ending, but you think you and me can get started with this?"