InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Corporate Deception: Fate of Her Land ❯ First Gear ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Corporate Deception: Fate of Her Land
Chapter Three: First Gear
By: TruSuprise

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all affiliated characters belong to Takahashi Rumiko. The views expressed herein are solely those of TruSuprise.





‘Higurashi… Higurashi.’ Sesshomaru thought to himself as his long fingers trailed over the massive books containing scripts of youkai-human history.

The Lord of the Western Lands hefted a rather large volume from the shelf of the Youkai Library, a self contained wing of the same building in which they met for council meetings. Noticing smudged fingerprints in the layer of dust on the book’s bindings, he held the book up to his nose casually, sniffing its musty cover. His nose crinkled with disgust. The book had Naraku’s stench all over it. Sesshomaru was aware that Naraku was a step ahead of him in the in the game they played. The only question was just how far ahead Naraku was, and if the Inu clan had a chance to stop him before he found the Shikon no Tama.

Stepping into the next isle, the book secured under an arm, he noticed the other youkai that milled around the library, each of them giving the others a wide berth so as not to offend another and possibly start an unintended war between clans. Youkai were pretty touchy creatures needing much space and privacy. They were naturally very territorial, and their assimilation into human society severely crimped their style.

Luckily for Sesshomaru, he could overlook something so simple as a casual bump by another being in a cramped aisle way.

Until he saw who it was that had bumped against his person.

Leaning down to pick up the dust covered book he had dropped, he was met with a pair of high heels that lead up to a set of shapely legs he knew rather well. Disregarding the fallen book, he instead stood tall, towering over her small form as he pushed her back into the bookshelf behind her.

“It was an accident, now let me pass, Taisho-sama.” Kaze Kagura said heatedly.

“How can you call me by so formal a name when we’ve rutted together, Kagura?” Sesshomaru replied, his breath pooling hotly on the wind youkai’s neck.

“Rutted, but never mated. Or have you forgotten that it took me cheating on you before you finally realized I didn’t want you anymore?”

Sesshomaru’s beautiful amber eyes suddenly tinted red, a growl escaping his throat at the remembrance of her betrayal. “You led me on until that point, how was I supposed to know you didn’t want me? Besides, I never did see that bastard that marked you, and his mark no longer lingers on your body or your aura.”

“It’s none of your business. Now let me pass.” Kagura made to move to the side, but was suddenly blocked off by Sesshomaru’s arms, his hands pressed against the bookshelf on either side of her head, pinning her solidly.

“Not until you tell me what plot you are here to research for Naraku’s deeds. This book should be the starting point of research, and it stinks of him, not of you.”

Kagura smirked. “Right down to business. Work always was your first love, Sesshomaru.” She spat his name from her mouth.

Sesshomaru growled, his eyes squinting at the insult.

“It is entirely unfair, not to mention illegal, to hold me here against my will and interrogate me about my Lord’s plans. Do you wish me to inform the council, Taisho-sama?”

Sesshomaru growled deeper yet, ignoring her threat as he slowly ate up the space between their bodies as he leaned forward. No longer was this a conversation about the power struggle. “Two years ago, I realized that the higher you rose in that evil hanyou’s company, the worse you treated me. Don’t think I didn’t notice. I still haven’t given up on you, Kagura.”

As he gently raked his enlarged canines across the wind youkai’s neck, Kagura shivered despite herself. “I’ve already told you I don’t want you, Sesshomaru. What will it take for you to understand so simple a fact?”

Sesshomaru growled and forced himself away from her, pushing back against the bookshelf with his arms, the solid wood trembling from his strength. She was lying. He could see it in her eyes, and he could smell it on her body. Quieting his youki, he forced his youkai transformation to cease. Violence would get him nowhere in this battle of the heart. The color returning to his eyes, he picked the book off the floor and forced himself to walk out of the library.

He paused as he opened the door to the hallway, calling over his shoulder. “I’ve told you I haven’t given up, and I will stick to my word.”

As Sesshomaru slammed the door behind him, and the other youkai in the room pointedly ignored their loud quarrel, Kagura rested her back against the bookshelf. She still felt Sesshomaru’s hot breath and his promise to continue to pursue her, as indicated by the raking teeth marks that he left on her neck.

Kagura’s body began to shake as a tear ran down her face. She realized now that he must have known more than what she had intended him to, more than what she tried to hide from him when she spitefully ended their relationship more than a year ago. She’d had no choice.

‘How can he have forgiven me after all I’ve put him through?’ She asked herself.

* * *

Sesshomaru burst through the front doors of the Western Mansion, Jaken running along behind him, the limo still running under the portico outside. “Sesshomaru-sama, Sesshomaru-sama! You must calm down! The last time you were this upset we lost an entire wing of the mansion!”

The Lord of the Western Lands spun on his heel, pulling the Tenseiga three inches out of it’s hilt. Jaken choked on a scream and backpedaled furiously, hiding behind a marble statue of an Inu-Youkai ancestor.

A young girl suddenly came running down the rounded oak staircase, short black hair tied into a high, somewhat off centered ponytail, her simple skirt and sweater ensemble bouncing with each step she took. “Sesshomaru-papa!” She exclaimed brightly.

Fifty percent of the anger that clouded the Lord’s face instantly disappeared upon seeing the happy expression of his adopted daughter. This young teen he had adopted six years ago was the catalyst that had begun to turn his life around even before his father had died.

“Rin.” He said quietly, placing the Tenseiga back into its sheath.

“What’s wrong, dad? You usually only look that upset after you’ve seen…oh. Did you fight with Kagura-san again?” Rin asked innocently.

Sesshomaru did his best to mask the growl in his throat at the mention of his intended mate’s name.

The girl’s eyes brightened up. “Tell me how it went, I want to hear all about it, and you better not have scared her away this time!”

Leading her father into the kitchen by his hand, Sesshomaru wondered at the amazing young girl before him. Was it that odd that this little girl could weasel private information out of the fearsome Lord of the Western Lands with just those big, brown puppy dog eyes and a ‘tell me all about it’ banana split sundae he knew was sure to come?

Sesshomaru sighed, awaiting the lecture he knew went hand and hand with Rin’s special sundae.

* * *

A deep growl grew inside of Inuyasha’s throat and he moved to stand defensively in front of his friends, finding himself peculiarly sliding in front of Kagome, the newest thorn in his side, as the figure of a man reached the top of the shrine stairs. Dressed in dark painter’s jeans and a tight fitting brown t-shirt, the Ookami-Youkai growled in return as he approached the man with the silver hair.

The two engaged each other in a staring match for dominance. “What are you doing here, dog breath?” The wolf asked.

“Keh, I could ask you the same question, you mangy wolf.” Inuyasha said menacingly as he flexed his claws while Kouga sunk into a defensive stance, a smirk pulling at his lips.

“I take it you two know each other already? How nice.” Kagome said flatly, a bemused expression on her face.

Instantly distracted, Kouga stepped around Inuyasha and spotted the small woman in the overalls and backwards baseball hat and found he suddenly wanted to gather her into his arms and hold her close. He settled instead with taking her hands into his own as he ran his thumbs over the tops of her fingers.

“Kagome-san, is this mutt bothering you? And here I thought it was going to be just you and I…” Kouga trailed off suggestively.

Inuyasha’s growl caught in his throat and he stepped towards them. How dare that wolf touch her like that! Not that he cared about Kagome herself, but her land and thus the Shikon no Tama were at stake here, and Kouga was wooing some little girl? Miroku grabbed Inuyasha by the collar of his shirt, pleading with his eyes that he not start a brawl.

“No, no, Kouga-kun. Inuyasha and his friends, Miroku-kun and Sango-san here offered their services to our shrine, so I figured, the more the merrier!” She slipped her hands out of Kouga’s grasp and smoothly slid a paint scraper into their place.

Kouga frowned at the metal object as Sango, Miroku and Kagome continued peeling the paint off the old, wooden structure.

“Thought you were so smooth, didn’t ya?” Inuyasha mumbled.

“What was that, dog-crap? Are you jealous?” Kouga called loudly.

“What, over that ugly tomboy?” Inuyasha barked.

A can of paint suddenly sailed through the air and nailed Inuyasha in the gut, causing him to double over and hold his stomach. Miroku and Sango held their foreheads in their hands as if a terrible headache had somehow managed to strike them both at the same time.

“You don’t have to be mean about it, you insensitive jerk!” Kagome yelled, fire raging in her eyes.

Inuyasha’s stomach sunk. It was instinct to sling insults, especially when he feared he was getting too close to a person too fast. It’s how he’d come up with the nickname of Inuyasha “I don’t need another friend” Taisho. But seeing the hurt in this lively woman’s normally happy eyes hurt him too, and now he was dealing with emotions he hadn’t had to deal with since he was last in a relationship. ‘What is it with this woman?’ He asked himself, not for the first time since he had met her only a day ago.

His mouth opened, but he couldn’t force the apology that was hanging on his tongue to fall off his lips. With a loud “Keh!” he climbed the ladder to work on the top of the well house.

Kagome got back to work, all the while discreetly stealing glances at the grumpy hanyou while she furiously scraped at the paint. ‘What’s with that guy? One minute we’re so talkative, even being friendly until Kouga showed up. Could he really be jealous?’

She looked up at the irate man above her who was muttering every curse word in the book under his breath. She shook her head. ‘Ain’t no way in hell.’

* * *

“Kanna! Kanna-chan, over here!” A young man with brown hair jumped high, his head popping over the crowd of people on the busy streets.

The young woman with hauntingly white hair smiled in recognition. She was leaned as far back into the wall of a building as she could be, her body language clearly telling those around her that she was shy. “Souta-kun!” She called out.

Catching up to her, Souta stood in front of the young woman, still catching his breath. “Thanks for meeting me on such short notice. I had to run an errand for my nee-san, and thought it would be a great chance to get to see you since I had the chance to get away from the shrine and I knew you were free too!”

Shyly, he leaned down to her slowly, giving her a soft kiss on the lips, which she eagerly returned.

Souta pulled back and regarded the girl with a soft smile, remembering when he had first met her at a mutual friend’s party just a few months ago. He had been instantly captivated by the quiet, mysterious girl and after finally building up the courage to speak with her, had been pursing her ever since, going out on dates and meeting up from time to time. Kanna was a busy girl, and so they rarely saw each other, especially with the responsibilities Souta had to help his sister.

“So what got you out of your shrine duties on a Saturday afternoon?” Kanna asked quietly.

“Well, my sis has some friends over helping with some renovations, and I was ordered to go pick up lunch for them.” Souta replied.

“You…need some help?” Kanna shyly asked.

Souta smiled broadly, an almost a carbon copy of his sister’s kind smile. “I’d like that.” He replied. Taking her by the hand, they entered the constant flow of people in the streets.

* * *

Kagome watched the hanyou balancing easily on the ladder, the chiseled muscles of his arms flexing with each powerful scrape of the tool he was using. It was hard not to admire him, even if he was a jerk. But for as cruel as he could be, Kagome knew he had a soft side, and although she had seen only bits and pieces of it in his interactions with his friends, she was determined to see more of it. She wanted to get to know the personality he hid behind his harsh exterior.

She had to admit, Kouga was almost attractive as Inuyasha, not to mention much nicer, but for some reason, Inuyasha was the one that she more attracted to. Kagome had known him all of one day, and already she felt so attracted to him that it didn’t make sense. She had to think that one over again. ‘It doesn’t make sense that I’m attracted to him, or it doesn’t make sense that I’m twenty four years old and I’ve only had one real boyfriend who didn’t even count for much?’ She asked herself.

Finally scraping off the last trace of paint from just below the roof, Inuyasha climbed down the ladder. “Finally! It’s fucking done!”

Turning around, he found Kagome standing directly behind him, a cup of that damned good coffee in her hands. He averted his eyes, still feeling bad that he even felt bad for calling her ugly. ‘Wait, did that even make sense?’ He asked himself. His mouth opened as though he wanted to say something.

“Kagome…” He started.

The woman in question smiled kindly at the hanyou and offered him the cup secured in between both her hands. As Inuyasha tentatively took it from her, being careful with his long, sharp claws, he couldn’t help but notice the soft blush on her cheeks and the spike in her infuriatingly delicious scent of vanilla. For the slightest of moments, he felt her heartbeat quicken through the pulse in her fingers.

Inuyasha’s stomach twisted into a knot, an uncomfortable twist of surprise, excitement and fear at her reaction. Admittedly, he knew his love and his hate for Kikyou still made it difficult for him to forge new relationships. But this Kagome…she was somehow starting to get under his skin. And he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Looking at her warm smile and bright, brown eyes, he wanted to damn the girl for being so like-able.

A big smile on her face, she quickly pulled a paintbrush from her front overall pocket. “When you’re done with that, it’s time to paint.”

“Son of a bitch.” Inuyasha grumbled.

“Lunch is here!” A voice suddenly shouted.

Inuyasha and Kouga looked up suddenly, both of their bodies alert and at attention, their noses both sniffing the air. Kagome at first mistook it for a canine-like act of sniffing out what kind of food was on it’s way up the steps. But when the youkai and the hanyou turned to look at each other, some kind of silent understanding was transmitted between their eyes. Kagome wondered if there was a meaning behind their actions.

Finally, Souta came ambling up the steps, boxes stacked high on top of each other and bags hanging from his wrists. At his side was a petite white haired girl, carrying one bag in each hand. It was this young woman that Kouga and Inuyasha’s slanted eyes were trained on.

The girl froze in her tracks. She didn’t know them personally, but she knew the Lord of the Northern Lands and the brother of the Lord of the Western Lands were watching her. It wasn’t their eyes she worried about, she knew they were smelling her, and through her scent, they knew where her loyalties lie. She realized it would be unwise to linger.

Following Souta, she placed her bags on the ground beneath one of the tallest and widest of trees she’d ever seen before helping Souta put down all the items he had insisted he carry.

“Thanks for getting the food, Souta! Who is your friend?” His sister asked cheerfully, trying to hide her interest as she wondered if the two were an item.

Souta blushed slightly as the attention of the five adults drifted towards him, knowing the shy Kanna would be uncomfortably with all the attention. “Um, this is a… friend of mine…”

“Please excuse me, I have to go, or I’ll be late.” Kanna interrupted, bowing politely to the group of people before jogging back to the steps and looking over her shoulder. “See you later, Souta-kun.” She called quietly before descending the stairs, all the while followed by the gaze of Inuyasha and Kouga.

“I’m sorry, Souta, I didn’t mean to-” Kagome began.

“It’s okay, nee-chan. She’s always real busy. She was just helping me carry all the food up here anyway.” Souta said as he began to take containers of food out of their bags, trying to direct the attention away from him. “Who ordered the extra large beef ramen bowl?”

Inuyasha snapped out of his concerned glare at the empty stairs. “Oi, that’s me, kid.”

“It’s Souta. So-u-ta!” He corrected the hanyou.

“You’re just like your sister, now give me the ramen.” He said before ruffling the boy’s hair with one hand, stealing the large plastic bowl with another. Kagome didn’t miss the adorable gentle smile that pulled at Inuyasha’s lips. She wagered that he didn’t even know he was smiling.

As Souta grabbed his meal and headed back to the shrine office to tend to any visitors, Kagome spread a large drop cloth underneath the generous canopy of the Goshinboku. Spreading out in the ancient tree’s shade, Inuyasha and Kouga chose the two farthest most corners to sit away from each other, the latter sitting as close to Kagome as possible. The Inu-Hanyou’s cold stares did not go unnoticed.

Swallowing the last of his ramen in record time, Inuyasha reached over next to the houshi, extending his hashi for a dumpling sitting on one of Miroku’s plates. “Don’t even think about it, Inuyasha.” Miroku said smugly before smacking the hanyou’s hands with his own set of hashi.

Inuyasha grumbled and gave up, laying back on the drop cloth as he examined the expansive boughs of the ancient tree. He remembered a time years ago, in the privacy of the dead of night, when he and Kikyou lay together under that very tree, pretending they were the lovers of the legend five hundred years past.

Of course, that ancient legend had ended almost as poorly as their relationship had.

At least in the story of his own, here in the present, the descendant of Naraku hadn’t taken the lives of the descendants of the Higurashi and Inu clans. He had only taken the love of Higurashi for his own. Admittedly, at the time, Inuyasha would have welcomed even death over the pain of losing her.

* * *

Walking through the halls of Naraku’s intricate office building, the lack of people pushing papers and typing on keyboards was eerie, even if it was a Saturday. Turning the corner sharply, Kagura’s breath caught in her throat as she almost ran into the only other person who would be working on a weekend.

“Kagura-san. Naraku is waiting for you.” A voice said calmly.

Kagura lifted her head to look the woman in the face. She already knew who the woman was from the lifeless tone of her voice. “Kikyou-san.” She nodded at the woman as she continued on her way to Naraku’s office.

It wasn’t that she disliked Kikyou, she just didn’t particularly care for the strangely aloof woman, and never had since her three years in Naraku’s so called ‘service’.

Standing outside the double doors to Naraku’s office, Kagura worried her lower lip with her teeth. She had been gone for hours already and she knew she couldn’t put off reporting to her Lord and master any longer.

“I know you’re out there, Kagura.” Naraku’s deep voice called her to him.

Closing her eyes for a brief moment to collect herself, she gathered the courage to open the doors and step inside the finely decorated office to meet with the man who no longer resembled her savior of three years past.

“You smell like that dog.” Naraku’s deep, authoritative voice resounded around his office as he paced back and forth along the windows lining two of the walls, granting a view of nothing but sky and clouds.

“I ran into The Lord of the Western Lands at the library, if that’s what you’re referring to.” Kagura retorted bitterly.

“I thought I told you never to see him again.” Naraku snapped.

Kagura bit her lip and bowed in apology. “I was there to do further research for your efforts. His presence there was purely coincidental.”

“It had better be, else I force you to act against your will yet again. Now, tell me what’ve learned.” The Southern Lord demanded.

Remembering what Kanna has hesitantly told her earlier, Kagura ground her teeth. “I’ve learned from my sister that both Inuyasha and two of his cronies as well as Kouga are currently at the Higurashi Shrine.”

“All of them, together?” Naraku asked.

“Yes.” Kagura replied.

Naraku’s brows crinkled, marring his smooth features. “There is no way the Inu Youkai and the Ookami Youkai would align themselves without killing each other first.”

A slight smile slowly tugged on Naraku’s lips as he paused to consider his own statement. “Without killing each other first…”

* * *

“Um, Kagome-chan, I don’t think we have enough paint to finish this.” Sango pointed out.

Kagome looked over at the taiji-ya, who held the last of the full paint cans with another quarter of the well house still unpainted. She sighed and looked up, the angle of the sun telling her it was already early afternoon.

“Well, let’s finish that can so we can go the hell home!” Inuyasha suggested, redoubling his efforts with his roller, a determined expression on his face at the prospect of going home.

“Kagome-san, why don’t you run out and get another can of paint while we finish up what’s left?” Miroku suggested, feeling Inuyasha’s angry glare at his idea.

“You guys wouldn’t mind?” Kagome asked, pulling her baseball hat off and squeezing the rim absent-mindedly.

“Of course not, in fact, I’ll go with you, Kagome-san.” Kouga suggested, casually sauntering through the grass to stand next to the girl and slipped his arm around her shoulders. He stared intently at her and then leaned in closer, his other hand reaching for her bangs.

A low growl came from who he knew to be Inuyasha as Kouga’s hand darted from her face to her thick, black tresses as he gently pulled out a paint chip.

“I don’t like that idea, knowing you, you’ll go with her and you’ll never bring her back, playboy.” Inuyasha grumbled.

“Tone down the jealousy, will ya, mutt?” Kouga replied cockily.

Inuyasha barked at him. “I told you before, I’m not jealous!”

“Actually, Kouga-kun, we could really use you here…” Miroku began.

Am upset look on his face, Kouga turned to Miroku. “What the hell for?”

“For…um…” Miroku stalled, scratching the back of his neck as he furiously thought of a reason. “Well, you’ve got speed on Inuyasha. Not that Inuyasha’s slow, of course.” He backpedaled as he felt the Inu-Hanyou’s cold stare on his back. “But with you helping out Sango and I, we’ll definitely be done with this last can before they get back.”

“Well, I am faster than him, I do admit.” Kouga said smugly.

“Keh, doing it faster doesn’t mean you do it as good as I do, wolf.” Inuyasha retorted.

Kouga snapped his attention back to Inuyasha. “What’s that supposed to mean, dog-crap?”

Inuyasha snorted. “That speed is no substitute for experience.”

The two stared at each other, neither willing to back down.

“Well then, looks like Inuyasha will go with Kagome!” Miroku exclaimed, trying to cover the enormous innuendoes thrown by the two. Besides, innuendoes were his department. He was met by Inuyasha’s unamused glare.

“Really, I can go by myself.” Kagome insisted, fishing in her pocket for her car keys.

“No, I’ll go with you. If Kouga is your track record, who knows what kind of loser you’ll pick up next?” Inuyasha grumbled.

“Well, I never knew you cared.” Kagome replied, rolling her eyes.

“You have a car?” Inuyasha asked as he snatched the car keys from Kagome’s hand before heading towards the house. Leading the way silently, he mentally reassured himself that the only reason he was going with her was due to any plots that Naraku might have to lure Kagome into his proposal, or a plot that Kouga might have to lure her into his bed. Suddenly, he realized he didn’t know which one would be worse. And besides, how can someone be so trusting in this day and age? The naïve woman definitely needed protection.

“Yes, I have a car.” Kagome said, walking towards the street behind her house. She did admit that it was odd for a family in the center of Tokyo to have a car, but it was one of the few things she had left that had belonged to her parents. Her father had been an avid car enthusiast, and had scraped money together for years before he could finally buy one. The car had sentimental value and she just couldn’t get rid of it. Besides, it was fun to drive and she took every chance she could to take it out.

Inuyasha snapped himself back to the here and now, looking at what had to be at least fifteen year old Honda Accord in front of him. He wrinkled his nose at the peeling, rusty brown paint, a broken antenna hanging sideways, and a front bumper that was being held on by what looked like wood screws and duct tape. ‘Doesn’t that foolish girl know she’s probably paying more on the ridiculous taxes imposed by the government for owning a car more than three years old than she would on a brand new vehicle?’ He asked himself.

“Sorry it doesn’t meet your standards.” Kagome said dryly.

“Keh.” Inuyasha replied, sticking the key in the driver’s side door and sliding into the seat, blanching at the manual controls and lack of power anything. When Kagome started knocking on the passenger side window, he looked at her with an annoyed expression. She pointed at the door lock. Finally understanding, Inuyasha began searching the archaic control panels for the unlock button.

‘If you want something done right, do it yourself.’ Kagome sighed and said to herself as she walked around the car to open Inuyasha’s door. She leaned over his body, supporting herself with her legs across Inuyasha’s thighs as she manually lifted the lock on the passenger side door.

Trying not to be distracted by the slim girl’s figure in his lap, he let out a loud “Keh!” As she slid off him, much to his disappointment, and went back around the car to open her door and finally sit in the passenger seat. “Are we going, or what?” She asked smartly.

The hanyou snapped out of it and pressed in the brake and turned the key. When nothing happened, his brow crinkled. “Damn thing is so old the engine doesn’t even turn.”

Kagome sighed loudly. “Try pressing in the clutch, genius.”

“Clutch?” Inuyasha asked distractedly, finally looking to his left, staring at the manual transmission.

Kagome blanched. “Don’t tell me you can’t drive stick, Inuyasha.”

Truth be told, Inuyasha had tried to operate a clutch when he had first learned to drive. Never really excelling at it, he gave up in favor for something easier. “Of…of course I can, wench!” He barked at her.

“It’s Kagome!” She snapped.

“Wench!” He retorted.

“Ka-Go-Me!” She repeated.

“Whatever!” Inuyasha shouted, staring at the stick shift, as though he could will the damn thing to somehow become an automatic.

Pressing in the clutch, he turned the key, the old engine roaring to life. Then, he stepped on the gas and let go of the clutch.

With a violent lurch, the car stalled.

“Okay. Get out. I’m driving.” Kagome said flatly.

* * *

Throwing the can of paint into the back, Inuyasha slammed the tinny metal trunk shut. Reacting quickly, he suddenly flinched and raised his right hand to catch a glint of metal thrown in his direction.

Opening his palm, he saw Kagome’s keys there. He looked at her questioningly.

“You’re driving.” She said simply, hopping into the passenger seat and securing her seat belt. On the uncomfortably silent trip to the paint shop, she had noticed him watching her shifting technique out of the corner of his eyes. He was obviously frustrated that he couldn’t do it, and she decided to be the bigger person, wanting to give him the opportunity to recover some pride.

Inuyasha opened his mouth, but before he could get any words out, Kagome silenced him. “I’ll teach you.”

The hanyou suddenly realized that the Kagome in front of him was not the same as the Kagome in his mind. Inuyasha was type of person who created his own first impression of a person and stuck by it. The more threatened he felt that he might be wrong, he would try that much harder to force that person into the mold he had created for them.

Much to his disappointment, he suddenly realized that perhaps, due to her physical appearance and family ties, he had initially thought her to be so like Kikyou that he had since been pushing the exact buttons that he knew would cause her to display the behavior he had expected from his years lost lover. To be exact, he did what would cause her to display the snippy, bitter remarks that were all that was left of the shell that Kikyou’s hate had turned her into.

That realization setting in, he came to the reluctant conclusion that not unlike himself, Kagome was strong, witty and sarcastic. It was rather the opposite of the cold and angry attitude that he had grown to hate as much as he reluctantly still loved in Kikyou herself. Yes, this woman was night and day compared to Kikyou.

Inuyasha couldn’t help but at least smirk, if not grin at Kagome’s own broad smile as he got into the driver’s seat for the second time. Sometimes, there was just no arguing with her. He started the engine and felt the wobbly, unsure motions of the mechanics beneath him.

“Okay, I want you to feel the clutch there in your left leg. As you let it out, you’ll begin to feel the engine want to cut out. That’s the exact moment you want to start pressing the gas. You do both at the same time, until you feel the clutch grab, which is when you’ll let go of the clutch and give it more gas.”

Such a simple explanation worked wonders for the hanyou. Putting the car in first gear, he began letting go of the clutch and pressing the gas at the same time, waiting for that magic moment for the clutch to engage the gear. He felt it, and applied more pressure to the gas, and suddenly the car was moving jerkily along in first gear through the expansive parking lot.

“All right, Inuyasha, you did it!” Kagome exclaimed.

Preparing for second gear, Inuyasha pushed the clutch in and applied the gas again, only this time, although he was waiting for the next gear to help him go faster, he was jerked back into first. The bunny hop the car produced startled him, and he lost control as it lurched forward violently and stalled yet again.

“Fuck!” He yelled out. “Now what did I do wrong?”

Kagome chuckled, and Inuyasha looked at her crossly. “You pressed in the clutch, but you didn’t use your hand to shift to second.”

She reached out with her right hand and grabbed the emergency brake, securely clicking it into place before taking his left hand off the steering wheel and guiding it to the shift knob.

Placing her right hand gently on top of his above the knob, she began her instructions. “You need to shift to a higher gear each time your revolutions per minute gauge reaches about thirty five hundred.” She indicated, pointing at the RPM gauge next to the one for MPH. “Now, put your foot down on the clutch.” Helping him to run through the paces, she spoke the number of each gear as the stick clicked into each position.

Inuyasha swallowed audibly. Kagome was so passionate about teaching him that she didn’t notice she was all over him. Or, maybe, she just didn’t mind. He forced himself to stop thinking about her as she walked him through the gears once more. “One, two, three, four, five, reverse.” He said along with her.

Kagome looked up as Inuyasha’s voice joined her own. His voice had lost the state of constant annoyance it seemed to hold every time he spoke. It was deep and gentle, and such a drastic change from what she had known of him. To her chagrin, it only made him that much more irresistible.

“Okay, I think I’ve got it, can I try again?” Inuyasha asked, feeling that he understood.

Taken back by his kindly phrased question, Kagome could only nod her approval. She gently removed her hand from his.

“No, wait, that helps.” Inuyasha said, turning his head to look at Kagome. He noticed the blush across her cheeks as she gently placed her hand back atop his. Had it not been for his determination, his pride would never have allowed for half of the requests he’d made in the span of the past minute.

A look of determination on his face, Inuyasha again started the car. Concentrating as he felt the clutch engage, he rolled into first. Eyeing the RPM gauge, he shakily, but successfully shifted into second, and then as he picked up speed, into third.

Coming to a stop sign, he started to worry. “Now what, now what?”

“Press the clutch in all the way while you brake and come to a stop.” Once Inuyasha had stopped the car, he looked to Kagome again for instruction. “Now, put it in first, and start all over again.”

Making a few circles around the parking lot, Inuyasha had finally become more comfortable. Each loop he managed to make his transitions between gears smoother, until eventually, he even eliminated the bunny hops from first gear.

“Okay, let’s get back, the others will be wondering where we are.” Kagome suggested. Inuyasha nodded and pulled into a parking spot and stopped the car. “What did you stop for?” Kagome asked.

Inuyasha looked at her, puzzled. “You mean you want me to-”

“Take us back. What are you waiting for?” Kagome prodded him.

Her confidence in him made his heart soar as he tentatively pulled out of the parking lot. Merging into the wave of cars, and shifting into second, he stalled the car violently in the middle of the intersection. Only two seconds had passed, and already the other drivers were honking at him.

Seeing his panicked look, Kagome reassured him. “It’s okay, Inuyasha. Just restart the car and try it again.”

Her soft voice helped Inuyasha to concentrate back on shifting, and in no time, he was out of the intersection on the way back to the shrine.

* * *

Pulling back into the driveway, Inuyasha turned the idling car off. Bursting with pride, part of him wanted to thank Kagome, but another part was too scared. After all, it wasn’t often that he thanked a person.

“You did really well, Inuyasha. You’re a quick learner.” Kagome exclaimed.

Inuyasha snorted. “Keh, it’s not like it’s that difficult.”

“Coulda fooled me.” Kagome said flatly.

“Well…you’re a much better teacher than my brother, okay?” Inuyasha started, trying to both defend himself and be open enough to start a conversation with this young woman who was for some reason taking the time and having the patience to show and teach him so much.

“Did he try to teach you to drive stick?” Kagome asked.

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest at the memory. “Try being the operative word, yes. He wasn’t half as good at explaining as you, I mean, you made it make sense, you didn’t yell, you didn’t threaten to kill me, you were just…really nice.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Kagome began, a far away look to her eyes. “See, before I became the miko of this shrine, I wanted to be an elementary school teacher, but, that’s not an option for me anymore.”

The passionate look in Kagome’s eyes made Inuyasha desperately want Kagome’s wish to come true for her. “Why not?” He quietly asked.

She looked down at her clasped hands. “Well, since my grandfather died recently, I had to quit college so I could support my little brother and keep after the shrine. There’s just no time for me to think of myself.”

Inuyasha was floored at the selflessness of this woman sitting next to him. He wanted to say something, he wanted to make everything right for her, tell her to quit worrying about the shrine, he’d put her through school, he’d take care of her little brother. Anything! But what could he do when his goal, his mission was to find the Shikon no Tama first and foremost?

Not wanting Inuyasha’s pity, Kagome plastered a confident smile on her face. “Makes you feel bad about all that stuff you’ve said about me, huh?”

Inuyasha sighed, forcing his strangely intense emotions to the back of his mind. Between all the friendly bickering, Kagome’s patience with him, and the meaningful alone time they had just shared and begun to open up to each other, he was beginning to feel like he’d known her his entire life. And he was pretty sure he was liking it.

His heart skipped a beat. What was it that was drawing him to her so quickly? ‘All those things I just described, they sound so familiar, but why?’ He asked himself as he suddenly felt himself being physically drawn closer to this amazing woman.

He detachedly realized his body was beginning to close the distance between them in the small car. He sensed Kagome’s breath catch in her throat, and he could smell her excitement, but most of all, he could sense her desire for him to kiss her, and found he simply couldn’t resist.

Tilting his head slowly closer to Kagome, he felt her respond by leaning towards him. He could feel her warm breath on his face, almost even taste her sweet lips. Their bangs brushed against each other as Kagome tilted her head…

Abruptly, the moment was ruined as Buyo, as the fat Higurashi feline jumped onto the hood of the car and curled up, making himself comfortable on the metal atop the warm engine.

Inuyasha and Kagome broke away from each other rather shyly, each unable to meet the embarrassed gaze of the other. “That was um… unprofessional of me… I’m sorry.” Inuyasha stuttered.

Kagome chuckled, silently cursing her cat. It wasn’t like she didn’t want to kiss him, not that she could tell him that. ‘Play it off, Higurashi.’ She told herself.

“What about you is professional?” She retorted.

Inuyasha couldn’t help but chuckle with her. His laughter was music to Kagome’s ears. Somehow they had managed to reverse the awkwardness. “Oh, well, by the way, I take it back. You’re not ugly.”

“Oh, thanks, Inuyasha! I’m so happy to hear that.” Kagome said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“But, you’re still a tomboy.” He said flatly.

“I don’t believe you!” Kagome exclaimed, punching him in the arm lightly as they both got out of the car and walked back to the well house.

“Well it took you two long enough!” Sango exclaimed as Kagome returned, Inuyasha at her side with the last paint can.

Kouga growled and glared threateningly at Inuyasha. “If you so much as laid one of your filthy paws on my woman-”

Kagome’s head snapped in Kouga’s direction, did he really just say that?

“Who said she was your woman, asshole?” Inuyasha retorted. He was beginning to get angry at the cocky wolf simply laying claim on Kagome like that.

“She belongs to no one else, so I am claiming her as my own.” Kouga stated mater-of-factly.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply, but was silenced first by Kagome’s voice. “Kouga’s right, I don’t belong to anyone.” Her words were sharp, but her smile bright. No one missed the point she was trying to make as she walked past the arguing men proudly.

Inuyasha and Kouga reluctantly ended their staring battle, feeling mildly ashamed for fighting over the woman.

Miroku sidled up to Inuyasha, throwing an elbow into his side. “Check out some new produce in the grocery store?” He asked.

Inuyasha looked perplexed, clearly not understanding the reference as Miroku suddenly got smacked with a paintbrush via Sango.

“Sango, my love, that was uncalled for.” Miroku whined as he touched his cheek with his fingers. Pulling them away, he found that they were covered in paint.

Enjoying herself way too much, Sango slapped the other side of Miroku’s face, leaving a long paintbrush stroke along his cheek.

Miroku couldn’t resist the sound of the woman’s giggling, even if it was at his expense, but this was too much. He suddenly lunged at her, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her body to his own. He pressed his face against hers, smearing the paint across her skin.

In all her squirming and sputtering as she tried to wiggle out of his embrace, she didn’t even notice Miroku cop a feel. ‘Score!’ Miroku thought to himself.

One of Sango’s hands managed to free herself of Miroku’s hold and she signaled to Inuyasha. Unable to resist the temptation, Inuyasha picked up a paint roller, rolled it in its tray to soak it and handed it to Sango.

“No, you wouldn’t dare, Sango!” Miroku screamed as Sango shoved it in his face and began rolling it, effectively causing him to release her. But she didn’t stop there, she began to chase him around the well house, spreading the paint all over him, laughing so hard she could barely run.

Kouga stood off to the side, watching the sheer weirdness of it all until one of Miroku’s flailing hands lost control of his paintbrush, which just happened to land in Kouga’s lap. At that point, it was over for both the taiji-ya and the houshi, as Kouga began to chase after the two of them.

A large grin on his face, Kouga found that it was good to loosen up and play a little.

“Are they always this nuts?” Kagome asked Inuyasha, looking up at him.

“Always. Miroku’s been after Sango ever since they met, and Kouga? There’s just no excuse for that guy.” The hanyou replied.

“Hmmm.” Kagome responded, covertly reaching to her right as Inuyasha was distracted with watching the would-be couple and the wolf as they ran around the well house.

“Its pretty foolish-” Inuyasha began, but as he turned to Kagome, he felt a thick, sticky substance press against his cheek. He couldn’t believe it. Kagome had actually stuck a paintbrush in his face. She was going to regret ever doing that.

With a lightening fast pounce, Inuyasha had knocked the girl over, pinning both her wrists to the ground with one hand as he pulled the paintbrush out of her grasp with the other.

“I’m going to make you wish you’d never done that, little girl.” He threatened, a huge smile on his face. He moved the brush tauntingly closer and closer to Kagome’s face, the girl trying hard to contain her laughter as she bucked and squealed underneath him, trying to avoid the dripping paintbrush, fat drops of paint splattering on her cheeks.

“Inuyasha!” Kouga’s voice called out. When the hanyou looked up, he saw the wolf youkai running towards him, being pursued by the paint-stained Sango and Miroku. “What did the five fingers say to the face?”

A perplexed expression graced the hanyou’s angular face. The woman he held below his body couldn’t help but marvel at its beauty. “Huh?” She heard him ask.

“Slap!” Kouga yelled as he smacked the Inu-Hanyou across the face with a sopping paintbrush.

An irate hanyou, his face now completely covered in paint stared back at Kouga’s retreating form. The girl pinned underneath him couldn’t hold it in any longer and she released her laughter, gasping for air.

* * *

Covered in splotches of dried paint from head to toe, the five adults collapsed on the ground, the painting of the well house finally completed as the last traces of light faded away in the spring sunset. Kagome shivered as the warmth began to retreat with the sun.

Miroku sighed. “What a job!”

“Well, you asked for it.” Kagome said smugly.

“This isn’t exactly what I had in mind.” Kouga complained.

“Keh. For once, I agree.” Inuyasha chimed in.

Sango stretched and rolled over, laughing tiredly.

Kagome yawned loudly. “Past your bedtime, little girl?” Inuyasha teased.

Kagome smiled faintly. That seemed to be his nickname for her. She may not be the tallest woman around, but she had to admit, she kinda liked it. “Someone has to be up bright and early for her shrine duties tomorrow morning, you know.”

She slowly stood up, her muscles aching from a long day of hard work. She looked at her new paint covered companions and regarded them all with a bright smile. “You guys have a long ride back to Kyoto and Sendai. Why don’t you all go inside and clean up? The bathroom is on the first floor. I’ll put the drop cloths and brushes away and meet you inside in a few.”

The four visitors slowly rose and walked to the house, talking amongst themselves. The night was still young and they weren’t ready to leave quite yet.

* * *


Author’s notes:

I know it’s pretty unlikely that Kagome would have a car, let alone a very old car. Most people in Japan don’t have cars, and beyond that, to keep a car older than three years in that country, you’ll get taxed up the wazzoo. But, I liked the idea of Kagome teaching Inuyasha to drive stick, and I couldn’t give her a nice, new car, now could I? Hmmm.

Oh and by the way, keep in mind that in Japan, they operate the reverse from the way we do here. (Actually, it’s us who are backwards) The driver sits on the left side of the car, so they accordingly shift with their left hand instead of their right. (I can’t imagine that!)