InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Til Death Do Us Part ❯ The Proposal ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I don't own that cute dog-eared hanyou or any of the other characters of Inuyasha.

 

 

AN: Thanks again to the my reviewers. And because I'm in such a good mood, and because I have no school tomorrow, I updated sooner.

 

 

The Proposal

 

 

 

Kagome turned her enraged gaze to her father. "Dad, what is going on here?"

"That's what I like to know," Inuyasha glared at his parents.

"Why don't you two have a seat," Kagome's mother suggested walking into the library. "Nothing will be accomplished with you two clawing at each other's throat," Hitomi added, directing her frown towards her daughter. "Kagome, I thought I taught you better this. You do realize that there are guests in our presence."

"And Inuyasha," Megumi said scowling at her son, "I know you have anger management problems because of your mixed blood, but that doesn't justify your ill mannered behavior.”

Inutaisho cleared his throat as the hanyou and girl sat down stiffly in the remaining two chairs that surrounded the oak desk, throwing an occasional glare at each other. "Now then, since everyone is present, we can begin." He ran a claw through his thick mane of snow white hair. "As you all know Takeda Industries and Higurashi Corporations have been competitors since they both started out 20 years ago. However our rivalry ends here today. We find that both of our companies would benefit more if we merged our companies to form one giant empire. But due to the fact that there are certain hostilities between our businesses, external and internal that we need to…" He trailed off and looked at Ryo to continue.

"We need to establish a strong foundation or rather a strong tie to solidify our companies. And due to the fact that most of our employees aren't too keen on transferring loyalty to a former rival corporation, we will need both Kagome and Inuyasha to rectify the problem by joining in holy matrimony. By this, the employees will accept on some level this new structural reformation and will eradicate some of the prejudice that will come with the merger."

Kagome and Inuyasha didn't say anything for a moment as the words processed in their minds.

Everyone else waited in silence. They knew what consequences would come from a failed merger. Both companies would end up losing a lot of money as well as consumers and employees with the possibility of going bankrupt.

"You're kidding right?" Kagome was the first to speak up. "This is one big practical joke. Haha, very funny. You really had me going there for a minute."

Ryo shook his head. "I'm afraid this isn't a joke Kagome. We've already talked this over with the board and the consensus is unanimous. All we need is you two to agree to the marriage and then we'll be ready to commence with the upbringing of the new corporation."

"You can't expect me to marry her!" Inuyasha exclaimed jumping to his feet in outrage, his golden eyes ablaze with fury. "I have a image to uphold! What about all of my women? I'm too damn young to get married! And to her of all people!" He glared at Kagome and pointed. "You seriously can't expect me to get married that ugly, uptight wench! Not after the hell she put me through."

"Who are you calling wench you arrogant two-faced bastard!" she screamed at him. It was like history was repeating itself and that was the last thing that she needed at this point in her life, especially when everything was beginning to come together so nicely. "I'd rather take a stake to the heart than be bound to you for the rest of my existence jerk! And you`re the one who made my life a living hell, not the other way around!"

"That's enough you two!" Hitomi snapped. "Would you please refrain from yelling at each other, or at least for the duration of this meeting." She lowered her voice. "If the merger is to be successful, both parties need to be in harmony and in accord with one another."

Everyone in the room seriously doubted that would be happening any time soon.

Inuyasha put a leash on the inner fury that threatened to bowl over within him. Once his breathing controlled and the steam was pouring out of his ears was reduced to a minimum, he asked in a barely restrained voice, "Why can't Sesshoumaru marry her?"

The stoic taiyoukai, who had been sitting silently in the furthest chair to the left and had yet to say anything about the matter at hand, snorted lightly. "This Sesshoumaru, already has a business that has branched out from the central company and is doing fine on its own. And," he glanced at his younger half sibling with distaste, "I believe that having more than one mate is absolutely absurd."

Kagome had to lift a brow at this. Sesshoumaru with a mate? She thought she would never see the day. `So that is who that young woman is.' What surprised her the most was the fact that she was human. When they were all younger and had been forced to attend little balls and summits to promote their industries, Sesshoumaru had always claimed that he would mate a female youkai that was the equivalent of himself and would never stoop so low as to take a human mate.

Kagome smirked. The woman had to have ball of steel to put up with a youkai like him, but then again, so did any woman who mated with one of the males in the inuyoukai clan.

"So? How about it you two? Are you willing to give it a go?" Inutaisho asked hopefully.

"No!" they screamed in unison.

Megumi sighed. About the only thing they seemed to agree on was not getting married. "It's a shame that you two can't get along together. Both of you made such a cute little couple."

Hope sparked in Kagome's eyes. "So we don't have to go through with this?"

"Actually you don't get a choice in the matter," Ryo responded, wincing slightly at the fire building within his daughter's eyes. "It has been decided for you. The wedding date has already been planned for two weeks from now. I know its short notice but we need to get this new company on its feet as soon as possible."

"Dad, you do realize that Kouga is my boyfriend and that he plans on marrying me in the near future."

"Oh, Kagome." Hitomi stood and put a comforting arm around her daughter's shoulder. "I'm sure Kouga will be complete understanding."

"You're not marrying dog crap! " Kouga practically screamed after Kagome told him over the phone later that night about the events that had transpired.

Kagome sighed. "It appears I don't have a say in the matter. My parents and his parents have already made up their minds. They've got the wedding date planned two weeks from now."

She flinched as he began yelling obscenities in her ear. "I'm going to kill that lousy bastard! Who the hell does he think he is trying to steal my woman away from me! And you can't seriously consider marrying that idiot after all that shit he put you through!"

Kagome bit the inside of her cheek, his words summoning the events that took place in what seemed like a lifetime ago. She had long ago shoved those painful memories of pain and betrayal to the back of her mind and locked them away under lock and key. She had hoped the day would never come when she would have to face the demons of her past, or more particularly a certain half demon whose name grated on her nerves even now after all that time had passed. "If its any consolation to you, I hate this arrangement as much as you do. Probably more."

"Wait until the next time we meet," he growled darkly, "I'm gonna rip his damn jaw out."

"I don't think that's going to solve anything."

"I know but it'll make me feel better."

"It probably will."

"Kagome," Kouga began, the hardness in his voice melting away, "I love you, and I don't want to lose you to some that won't appreciate you for who you are. I wanted to be the one to mark you as mine. I wanted you to bare my pups. I wanted you to be by my side forever."

She felt tears prick her eyes. He was so sweet. "Kouga, I want us to be all of those things together as well." Anything would be better than spending the rest of her life with a hanyou she despised and hated for all she was worth.

"Then convince your parents that this is a bad idea. Do something. Don't sit back and let them control your life," he murmured, his voice laced with forlornness and misery.

"I'll try, but they have their minds set on this arrangement."

"Do what you can. If they still say no, my pack and I will drop by the mutt's place and pay him a little visit."

"Kouga don't do anything stupid."

"I wouldn't dream of it," he lied, the wheels in his mind already turning with different ways to decapitate the hanyou's head. "Goodbye love."

"Kouga I'm serious-" Kagome stopped once noticing that she was talking to the dial tone. "Men," she muttered and put the phone back in its cradle. Now all she had to do was seek out her mother and father and beg them to reconsider.

"Kagome?" She glanced at the door at the sound of her mother's voice. "Can we talk?"

"What is there to talk about?" Kagome questioned bitterly. "It seems that I have no say in what goes on in my life."

Hitomi grimaced and entered her daughter's sanctuary. "I know how you feel Kagome-"

"No, you have no idea how it feels!" Kagome screamed jumping to her feet. "You don't know what it feels like to have parents who are always controlling your actions and telling you what you can and cannot do! I have a life Mom! I had planned on going to college in another country and marrying my high school sweetheart. But thanks to you, I can do none of the above."

"Sit down, Kagome," Hitomi ordered softly albeit firmly as she took a seat on her bed.

"I'd rather stand," she growled angrily and began to pace.

"Don't be angry with us. This marriage and merger will bring profit to the company and will end the long-standing rivalry between our families. Can't you see that?"

"But I believe a good, solid marriage is based upon love and trust Mom. Inuyasha and I have used to have it, but those days are over and done with. We hate each other whereas Kouga and I...have strong feelings about each other," she explained, discreetly excluding the 'L' word since things were already complicated as it were.

"You're young Kagome and you need to realize that this puppy love you and Kouga have for each other will fade." Hitomi exhaled. "Did you know that your father and I were married through an arrangement by our parents as well?"

Kagome blinked in surprise. This she hadn't known. "You did? You never told me before."

"Well we were. And in the beginning we hated each other, just as you and Inuyasha do now. But as our marriage progressed and our bond began to grow, I realized just how much I loved him."

Kagome stopped her pacing and sat down beside her. It was hard to believe that her mother and father, who had more love for each other than anyone she knew, at one point in their lives detested each others very presence. "That doesn't mean that Inuyasha and I will have the same outcome," she muttered crossing her arms, still partially ticked off.

Hitomi chuckled. "Believe me Kagome, you two will come to your senses soon enough and perhaps will be able to rekindle what was once lost."

With teeth clenched, Kagome averted her gaze to the headboard of her bed, unable to meet the hopeful gaze of her mother. Her parents, or his, didn't know what transpired back then, the things that he did to her to humiliate her and betray the trust it took so long for her to build up to him. It wasn't fair for her to have to go through all of that drama again, not after it took so long for her to forget it all.

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Inuyasha howled in rage as he picked up a nearby lamp and hurled it at the wall.

Miroku winced at the sound of the three thousand dollar Versace lamp shattering into a million pieces. "Inuyasha, will you please calm down. No good will come from your wild ranting and uncouth behavior."

"Well it makes me feel a hell of a lot better." The pissed hanyou continued to vandalize the objects of his domain in an effort to rid himself of the inner turmoil that bubbled within. "How dare they do this to me!" He picked up and threw the 54 inch flat screen TV out of the window. "They can't tell me what I can and cannot do! I'm an adult!"

"An adult that still lives with his parents," Miroku pointed out, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps this marriage won't be so bad. A sound relationship would do numbers to your character and moral standing."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!" His fist connected with the mirror, sending shards of glass flying in every direction.

"It means, Inuyasha, that your temperament and loathsome ways could be deterred with the help of a suitable mate," Miroku responded sidestepping the pieces of glass that lay all over the place.

"I don't need a mate, especially not that bitch! She continuously manages to make my life a living hell! I want nothing to do with her!" The hanyou began ripping at his sheets and pillows. “And why would I want a mate at 19! Fucking 19! These are supposed to good years of my life!”

"Come on Inuyasha. You know as well as I do that it would be best to leave the past in the past and move on with life. You two were young and stupid and things happen, sometimes not always for the best. But now, fate has presented you two with a second chance; something that will rectify the mistakes that were made in the past. Don't give up that chance just because of a simple grudge that you stubbornly refuse to put behind you.”

“Its more than some simple grudge,” he mumbled, his destructive state beginning to wear down at the monk`s words.

“Tell me Inuyasha, why is it so hard for you to find a girl that you've been willing to stay with for more than a few days? And when was the last time you've enjoyed being in the presence of a girl that wasn't trying to get into your pants or trying to get their hands on your inheritance money?"

Inuyasha stopped tearing his pillow to shreds to ponder this. Come to think of it he had never had an innocent girlfriend who desired him for who he was and not what he had. All of his relationships had solely been based upon him fondling the girl's goodies or just having a good time or them trying to suck up to him in order to acquire his money and expensive gifts. He never trusted the women he dated and vowed never to fall in love again, not after what happened with her. Growling in frustration, the hanyou plopped down on what was left of his bed, and crossed his arms and legs. "So what's your point?"

"My point is that I think you should give this marriage a second thought. Maybe it won't be as bad as it seems. Just think about it. Forget about what happened in the past and just think about the possibilities of the future. Who knows, maybe you two will end up at least trusting each other again." `And maybe you'll actually end up falling in love with her again,' Miroku finished in his mind, inwardly grinning at his cunninngness.

"I seriously doubt that," he replied while his ears twitched in contemplation as he considered the possibilities. If he did take her as his wife, not mate, he could still be able see his other women since the human terminology as far as mates were concerned wasn't in the same league as youkai. With youkai mates, the couple would be linked together mentally and emotionally. Trust had to be the foundation of the relationship. Love had to be present. He could say none of the above for their nonexistent relationship.

"Just think about it," Miroku said exiting the war zone and closed the door behind him.

"Well?"

Miroku grinned. "No problem Takeda-sama. He's taking the proposal into serious consideration as of now."

Inutaisho chuckled and gave him an envelope containing what the boy had requested in exchange for the pep talk with his son. "Here you are Miroku. Spend it well."

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End.

Review ppl! Wedding ceremony is next!