InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Destroyed Happiness ❯ Destroyed Happiness 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Destroyed happiness

 

~*~*~*~

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, and I do not make money off my stories.

 

~*~*~*~

 

A/N:I don't believe I mentioned this, but this story has won 2nd Place as Best Angst Fiction at Feudal Association, dec 2009. I'm so grateful for that, and want to thank those who nominated and voted it :D

 

Also, I'm sorry for taking so long in updating, but I've been busy :) I hope you'll enjoy the chapter. Read and please review :D

 

 

~*~*~*~

 

Kagome desperately tried to soothe her raging nerves by eating some peppermint ice cream, her favorite. This was an important day and the mere knowledge made her want to rummage through the bathroom cabinet in search of some really potent calming pills. Of course, Ayumi had made sure to take all of those away, so Kagome wouldn't be tempted, especially with all this stress she was constantly under.

 

If she didn't know better, Kagome would think that Ayumi had planned all this to torture her.

 

Still.

 

She didn't know what to make of Inuyasha's confession. Naturally, it wasn't right that she'd listened to it pretending she was asleep, but she had been truly curious of what he'd do when he'd entered her room. And his words had frozen her.

 

He still loved her, but she already knew that. He wanted her back and was willing to fight for that. He also wanted to be as close to Aiko as possible, and he believed in their love.

 

Inuyasha knew she loved him.

 

So what to do? The insecurities were less strong than before, but she still wasn't sure how she was supposed to react, how to let their relationship progress. Was there a relationship to begin with?

 

Her thoughts scrambled away hastily when she heard the door bell. It was ten thirty. Ayumi was supposed to come at eleven, but perhaps she was early. Sighing before quickly checking on Aiko, who was silently playing with her dolls, Kagome rushed to open the door, stiffening after doing so.

 

“Hi,” he said with a tense smile, scratching his nape nervously. “Umm… I suppose Aiko's home, isn't she?”

 

Kagome merely nodded dumbly, staring at her ex husband as if she were witnessing the death of a Viking ghost. Her eyes hazily traveled to his hand, where he had a big box - a toy. She squinted when it looked like there was a helicopter there - honestly, was Inuyasha that clueless when it came to what sort of toys little girls preferred?

 

“Can I come in?” he asked in a small voice, every unsure movement betraying his uneasiness. She didn't want to make things harder for him, so she stepped aside, looking at her bedroom, where Aiko was playing quietly. The little girl had pigtails and was wearing a colorful dress as her Barbie chased Ken around.

 

“Look,” he started with a sigh. “I know you probably don't want to have much to do with me right now, but I want to be there for Aiko, okay?” His eyes glinted suspiciously and she said nothing. She couldn't. His intentions were clear because she could read between the lines, so she was aware that he wanted them to go one step at a time, not to rush things, and to prove his worth. Today he was here for Aiko, and perhaps the next day he'd come for her.

 

Whatever happened, Kagome would not stand in the way of a father and his child.

 

“She's right there,” Kagome told him with a smile, pointing towards her bedroom. Inuyasha smiled in response and grabbed the box with his other hand, approaching the familiar room.

 

As soon as she saw him, Aiko was all smiles.

 

“Hey there, Aiko,” he greeted, crouching in front of her and watching her grip her Barbie by the long gown.

 

“Inuyasha!” she exclaimed happily. The kid was just so ecstatic when she knew who she was talking to. Though the disappointment was piercing. He wanted her to keep calling him daddy, but why should she? The first time had been a slip-up. She was probably merely more familiar with him, now that she'd shown him her toys and shared with him her secret.

 

“I've got something for you,” he told her, letting her discover the surprise for herself.

 

Without waiting for him to show her the box, Aiko grabbed it and started ripping it. When she couldn't, he gave her a hand. Soon, she was staring at her new helicopter.

 

“Look, it has a remote control, and you can fly it around the house,” Inuyasha told her, showing her how to control the flying object. She tried it herself a few times, knocking down a few vases her mother had in the process. Kagome glared at them while Aiko was elated.

 

“I can't believe you did that!” Kagome snapped at her husband - Ex husband; why do I keep thinking that? - and went to take the remote control out of Aiko's hands. She didn't know what to do to prevent the girl from crying, so she decided to make a pact.

 

“Look, sweetie. Mommy can't have you ruining my room, so you're going to have to play in the living room, okay?” Aiko nodded happily, holding the huge toy to her chest and struggling with carrying it, refusing to get help. “And you, mister,” Kagome said angrily, turning to Inuyasha, “what were you thinking when you bought her that? Girls like dolls. Aiko likes dolls,” she pointed out matter-of-factly with crossed arms.

 

“Well, she liked it,” Inuyasha said stubbornly, becoming increasingly irritated.

 

“She pretended to like it because she doesn't want you to feel bad,” Kagome lied to herself. She'd seen Aiko's happy look when she'd received the helicopter, which came as a shock.

 

“Dammit woman, stop talking shit. My head hurts,” Inuyasha scowled, his brows furrowing. He didn't realize how close he'd sounded to when they were still married, but she certainly did. Kagome was breathless. Inuyasha was so familiar around her that she couldn't help but let old times envelop her mind. Memories when Inuyasha would hold her all day long and make her feel treasured. Memories of their fights, of every time they made up, of their life together.

 

She missed it.

 

But she shrugged it off.

 

“Stop cursing around the child!” Kagome had always been sure that Inuyasha couldn't stop cuss words from flowing out of his mouth even with his children around. It seemed she had assumed right.

 

“She can't hear!” he snapped back, frowning in an annoyed fashion.

 

“Well if you didn't bring Aiko a helicopter that will surely destroy the whole apartment you wouldn't have me snapping at you,” she argued fiercely, her face slightly red.

 

“Yeah, yeah,” he flicked her off, “you always say things like that. Look, I wanna go play with my daughter.” Just like that, he joined Aiko in tearing-the-whole-place-apart process.

 

And Kagome was strangely happy.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Ayumi arrived at eleven o'clock just as promised, surprised to see Inuyasha was already there. Boy, was that man a morning person.

 

“Hi sweetheart,” she told Kagome with a warm smile, though her eyes were glued to Inuyasha interacting with his daughter even while hugging her best friend. “Want some honey?”

 

“Honey?” Kagome asked with a raised eyebrow. “I thought you hated it.”

 

“Yeah, well… changed my mind.” She winked suggestively. “Bankotsu surely knows how to use it to stir my appetite.”

 

Appalled, Kagome ran a hand down her face, unwilling to hear any more details of Ayumi's sex life. “Please, say no more,” she joked, enjoying her friend's amused smile. Inuyasha seemed oblivious to their chat, so she decided not to disturb them. It was truly a miracle that the little girl didn't dislike him - after all, he was a stranger. But Inuyasha had always had some sort of charm that attracted kids to him; his niece Rin was living proof.

 

“So, you let him come?” Ayumi asked uncomfortably, opening a subject that Kagome was not yet ready to discuss.

 

“Yes. Nothing will happen. He's Aiko's father - it's only fair.”

 

Ayumi wanted to retort, but shook her head instead; it wouldn't be worth it. Maybe Kagome would realize meanwhile that Inuyasha coming to visit his daughter could only mean one thing - their relationship was progressing. While it was not much of a relationship yet, Ayumi could clearly see both adults' desire to be with each other. It was so easy to know these things when you knew both sides of the story.

 

And suddenly, a wicked idea occurred to her. A weird glint captured her dark orbs, making Kagome gulp. The intensity of that look was famous, and Kagome didn't have to guess in order to know that Ayumi was planning something. Ayumi was obviously planning something that involved her. And by the quick glance that her best-friend-recently-turned-into-a-sex-kitten threw at the living room, Kagome could only assume it involved Inuyasha, as well. And potentially even Aiko. She hoped it involved Aiko, too.

 

No matter what, Kagome just couldn't say no to her friend.

 

“Bankotsu had an idea,” Ayumi lied slyly. “He wants to double date.”

 

Kagome's mouth went dry. She knew what this meant.

 

“No,” she interjected harshly. But Ayumi was having none of it.

 

Shaking her head, the woman smirked cockily. “And of course I told him I knew the perfect person for it. You're the only friend that would do something like this for me, aren't you?”

 

Again, Kagome clearly stated her intentions: “No, I am not.”

 

“And,” Ayumi kept ignoring her deliberately, “since you don't have anyone, we might as well ask Inuyasha to come.”

 

That was it. Kagome snapped.

 

“No, we will not!”

 

Both Inuyasha and Aiko turned their heads at the angry mother and Kagome blushed under their intense, inquisitive stares. “Err, don't mind me - carry on,” she said sweetly, rubbing her hands together nervously. Inuyasha didn't miss the familiar gesture, but decided not to interfere.

 

“Honey, you are so predictable,” Ayumi said, stifling a giggle. “You should have seen your face.”

 

“Hahaha, laugh it up, why don't you?” Kagome's anger was truly a palpable notion. “But I'm not double dating.”

 

Perhaps her voice was too loud, or perhaps Inuyasha had kept his attention focused on Kagome's words, but he heard what she said. Sudden anger towards his ex wife's best friend bubbled up in his chest, but he chose to remain silent. Who was Ayumi to force Kagome on a date? A double date, but still.

 

“I'm sure Inuyasha won't mind.”

 

Well, of course he would mind! Inuyasha couldn't believe his ears. Ayumi knew he was trying to slowly make a move on Kagome, and here she was suggesting to Kagome to go on a date and telling her he wouldn't mind!

 

“I'm sure he won't mind, either,” Kagome replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes, which Inuyasha didn't see because his back was facing her. But he certainly caught her sour tone, feeling male pride. His woman knew him well. He was aware she was technically no longer his woman, but as far as he was concerned, she'd soon be.

 

“Honestly, Kagome. Do you think that if we ask Inuyasha to come on a double date he won't? Especially since it'll be you that he'll go out with? Don't tell me you're that ignorant,” Ayumi commented with a roll of her eyes.

 

Unexpectedly, the whole situation changed. Inuyasha dazedly showed Aiko which buttons to push as he pondered on the circumstances. So Kagome didn't want to go on a date with him. Did she not want things to go smoothly between them again?

 

“It's too soon,” he heard her say and suddenly understood. In a way, he agreed with her. He'd made the same decision, too.

 

Ayumi scowled. “Oh, you cannot mean that!” Grabbing her purse, she rose from the couch and went to the bathroom to pick up some things she'd left a few weeks before. “Girl, if I hear you cry one more time because of your love issue with Inuyasha, I'm out.”

 

Apparently, her voice had been too loud, because Kagome shushed her angrily for fear of having Inuyasha overhear. Ayumi shrugged it off, trying on the new mascara Kagome had purchased before snapping her bag shut.

 

“So, I suppose we won't be going to the park today, will we?” It was quite obvious, but Kagome nodded anyway.

 

“I don't know how long Inuyasha will stay, but it's obvious he'll be playing with Aiko for a while longer. Drop by if you need anything,” the content mother said with a shrug, rounding the kitchen counter. Ayumi was putting on her shoes when she spotted Kagome tilting her head to the side as she called out to Inuyasha and Aiko, asking them what they wanted for brunch. Inuyasha casually replied that he'd already had breakfast, so she might as well go ahead and cook lunch. In response, Kagome smiled and told him she'd make his favorite, nodding when he thanked her.

 

It was such a happy family picture that Ayumi was amazed. They weren't even a couple yet and they were already so comfortable with each other.

 

Maybe it wouldn't take that long to heal.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Sesshomaru was amazed. Inuyasha was late for two hours. He felt like growling and throwing something at his younger brother, but unfortunately he wasn't there. His cell phone was dead, he didn't answer his phone at home, so he was certainly out. But where?

 

His questions showed great possibility of being answered when Inuyasha suddenly appeared at his office door. He seemed tired with dark bags under his eyes, but an easy smile was splayed across his lips, leaving the businessman wondering what had brought such a change.

 

“Why are you so late? We had a meeting two hours ago.”

 

“I was dead tired,” the younger brother complained, throwing himself on the armchair in front of Sesshomaru's desk. “You wouldn't believe how much energy Aiko has.”

 

Raising an inquisitive eyebrow, Sesshomaru let Inuyasha know he was curious.

 

Smiling, the younger man crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back comfortably. “Kagome had to go to work late in the evening and Ayumi was with her new boyfriend having fun, so she called me to come look after Aiko. Well I went and that little monster kept me up almost until Kagome came back,” he complained affectionately. “I tried to get her to sleep, but she simply wouldn't. She slept at noon, she kept saying.”

 

Sesshomaru was quite intrigued. The little girl seemed attached to Inuyasha for some reason and it was absolutely astonishing.

 

“Oh, and yesterday morning I went to Kagome to play with Aiko, too. So basically I spent my whole day with my daughter. How the Hell wouldn't I be tired?”

 

Well, it certainly explained things, and Sesshomaru was going to let him go with it this once. But only because he was not in the mood for arguments.

 

Then someone knocked at the door and Inuyasha sat up straight.

 

“Come in,” Sesshomaru said sternly as the trembling figure of a too kind-looking Akitoki Houjo appeared in the doorway.

 

“You might as well turn around and leave, Mr. Akitoki, if you value your well-being,” Sesshomaru threatened, glaring daggers at the obviously terrified man.

 

“Please Mr. Taisho, I was forced to do it.”

 

“That's too bad. You should have told me about it, but you didn't. Therefore, you will lose your job and be prosecuted.”

 

The man started trembling even harder if it was possible - Inuyasha felt sorry for him.

 

“I didn't want to do it, I swear,” he pleaded.

 

“You're going to have to tell the judge about that,” Sesshomaru said nonchalantly, picking up a few papers and making a show out of reading them attentively, intent on partially ignoring the soon-to-be ex employee.

 

“It was this company, and they told me that-” The man stopped when Sesshomaru tilted his head to watch him.

 

“Mr. Akitoki,” he said coldly, “do I look like I care?”

 

Houjo swallowed and shook his head, rubbing his thigh with a sweaty palm.

 

“I suggest you leave now,” Inuyasha said soothingly, trying to calm the raging waters.

 

“Y-Yes,” the man said with a nod and dashed out of the room.

 

“What a cretin,” Sesshomaru commented as Inuyasha sighed.

 

“The guy's scared - who knows what they did to him? I never believed him capable of doing such a thing.”

 

“Well, it is not my business. If he is truly innocent, then he will be able to prove it.”

 

Inuyasha smiled, knowing that is brother was right. Maybe their lives were changing now. “You're right. So… how's Rin?”