InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Enlightenment ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter Two

"How could you do this?" he winced as his father tightly closed the door to the study. He had gone to work this morning and when he got there, he found all his things waiting for him at the lobby. The guards wouldn't let him through and he had to beat them senseless to get them to leave him alone. Once he got to his office, everything had been cleared away. His desk was free of the clutter that once inhabited it and his red walls were now being painted over.

"What the hell is going on here?" he screamed at the painters who continued to ignore him. He was furious. Didn't these men know who he was? And where were his secretaries? "Hey you! What's going on here?" he demanded as he spotted one of his secretaries.

"Well . . . Your father just fired you . . . and Kikyou," she stuttered. She was holding a large box with her things in it too. "I'm being moved to another department. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news Mr. Takahashi."

He watched in shock as the girl left. So his father had fired him. He started from the very bottom of the company during his high school years because his father insisted that he first needed discipline. He started as a janitor and worked his way up to vice president of the company. He could not believe this was happening. Couldn't his father understand that he just wasn't cut out to be in a marriage? He no longer loved his wife and he barely knew his son.

He and Kagome had known each other since high school. He loved her . . . But now . . . He knew for sure that he didn't love her enough to preserve what they had. At first he neglected her because he was always busy in the office. Ever since he was young his father always told him that someday the Takahashi business empire would belong to him and Sesshomaru. Now as a grown man, he became obsessed with his work and stayed later hours to finish it. Eventually, he was promoted. He had finally become the son his father always wanted him to be. And he thought that he was finally the person he was destined to be. No one expected him to rise to the top the way he did. He sure showed them.

Then after all these years... she had come back… Kikyou. She was identical to Kagome except for her eyes and hair. But everything was the same. They were high school sweethearts before he had met Kagome. Kikyou had moved away and they soon lost touch. He never really got over her because there wasn't a sense of closure in their relationship. He always knew that he would see her again someday, he just didn't anticipate that time to be during his marriage with Kagome.

Kikyou was the only other woman he had fallen for before Kagome. She was just like him. An outsider looking in and never being able to completely fit in. Kikyou understood him like no other. She was an only child and was always neglected by her parents just like him. Surprisingly she understood him when he mentioned his feelings about his father and needing to prove his worth to everyone. His estranged relationship with his father only drove him to get his attention one way or another. His older brother Sesshomaru was clearly favoured because he was smarter and more likely to succeed, as others put it. He was going to show them. He would show all of them that someone like him should not be underestimated.

Inuyasha and Kikyou bothlearned to fend for themselvesemotionally and even though they had become close, they never fully placed their trust in one another. It wasn't personal, it was juts how they were, a defence mechanism that was simply too hard to change for either of them. What could he say? Kikyou was his first love. His relationship with her may not have been perfect but it was enough to quench the loneliness he had often felt and a degree of acceptance. Then one day Kikyou told him that she was moving. To say that he was devastated was putting it lightly. He knew that there was no changing her mind. They promised each other that one day they would meet again. Whether as friends or as lovers, they would somehow find their way back to each other.

He had never told Kagome about Kikyou. Ever. Firstly because he didn't think it was worth mentioning his past relationships to his current love interest and secondly, as he felt himself falling for Kagome he didn't think his past was of any importance because he was no longer bound to it. He had never felt the security and acceptance that Kagome offered from Kikyou. It felt like Kagome was the one. But it seems that an old flame was something he couldn't completely extinguish.

Kikyou intrigued him to the point that he lusted after her. He wouldleave home early and work late just to be able to spend time with her, that is when work didn't get in the way. The more he spent time with her catching up,the morehe realized that she hadn't changed. But he hadbecause of what little positive experiences he did have and what he accomplished over the years. Nonetheless, he was still drawn to her. It wasn't love, no, he knew it wasn't that. Maybe it was because he still felt a slight attachment to Kikyou since she was the first person he connected with.

He had no idea how Kagome found out, but to be truthful, he was somewhat relieved that she finally did so he wouldn't have to live with the constant guilt in his mind. He did feel guilty at first. And then gradually the guilt he felt became a kind of numbness until he could careless. It was heartless to say that he didn't care but it was the truth. He didn't know how it happened but he had hardened into a cold business man overnight. He couldn't explain it. Being with Kikyou reminded him so much of what his younger self had strove for and he felt nothing short of needing to accomplish it at any cost. He began to feel that what he had already accomplished was not enough and if jeopardizing his family was what it took…

Having an affair with Kikyou was of course the next step. It wasn't something he had planned but he knew from the moment he began spending most of his free time with her was that they were heading in that direction. He had thought about his family of course, but… temptation in the form of Kikyou made him forget all about them. The only reason he started this whole fiasco with Kikyou was because of his family. He had no time for them so she was the next convenient thing around him. He hated to admit it but he felt that familiar loneliness he often felt growing up. It only made matters worse when he felt the distance and growing detachment form his family each day he submerged himself in work. Maybe he was a horrible husband for cheating on Kagome and for using Kikyou that way. But he didn't need either of them. He didn't even have time for relationships so he might as well snip it in the bud, right?

Kikyou understood that there wasn't anything serious or permanent about their relationship. She didn't love him nor did he love her. They were only there for each other to satiate the other's lustful needs and chase away the loneliness. They fed off of each other's personality simply because they were so much alike that they understood what the other was feeling so well.

“Are you even listening to what I'm saying? I've never been so ashamed of you!” he just continued to sit there, slouched on one of the chairs in the study. “Do you even know what you did? You just cheated on your wife with a common whore! And your son! He's going to grow up without a father! Is that what you want?”

That's right . . .His son. He barely spent anytime with Tai at all this past year. He was turning three this year. Well one thing he was sorry for was that he was caught in the middle of this whole thing. Inuyasha remembered how Tai had clung onto Kagome begging her not to leave. It had taken a while for him to calm down and even then he still wasn't done crying. Wow. A year that he hadn't spent at least fifteen minutes with his son created such awkwardness between them. But Tai was the reason why he busted his ass at work in the first place. He wanted to give Tai a good future and leave him with more than enough money. But then again... that's where that whole road to hell being paved with good intentions quote comes in.

“He isn't going to grow up without a father!” he screamed back.

“News flash Inuyasha! He has been for the last year! He barely knows how you look like except that when he looks in the mirror he is reminded that he looks exactly like you! That's his only reminder of you.” Inutaisho reached inside one of his desk drawers and pulled out a cigar and a lighter. “You don't know what you've missed.”

“I've been busting my ass at work for him and Kagome and now you're telling me I'm a bad father?” he stood up from his chair and slammed both his hands down on the desk. “What about you? Where were you all those times when I needed you? You were working on getting up your business empire to even care!”

Inutaisho looked up at him with a threatening gaze. He blew out a puff of smoke and put out his cigar. “Don't you dare turn this around on me. I admit I wasn't always there for you because I was busy with my job. But I was never unfaithful to either my wives or children. You on the other hand choose to believe that you had a good reason as to why you're in this mess. There is no excuse.”

Inuyasha gritted his teeth. Why did this man pretend that he knew him like the back of his hand? The same man who never had the time of day for his sons and treated them as if their whole being was only dedicated as heirs to his business. When Tai was born, he felt envious when his father seemed to pay a lot more attention to his son more that he did with either him and his brother ever did. He treated Tai differently. Maybe it was because Tai was his namesake or maybe because Tai was his first grandson.

His head hurt. He didn't have the strength to deal with this right now. Being fired and then lectured by your father in one day. That didn't sit too well with him. Not to mention, that his father fired him exactly a week from the divorce. How ironic. At least he still got to keep the house and tonight he would be taking Tai home away from the estate.

“Keh! I'm leaving. I've had enough of this.” Inuyasha pushed himself away from the desk and walked towards the door. He heard his sigh and slump down on a chair.

“Make sure you don't neglect my grandson. Just call or bring him over if you need anything.” Inutaisho said before Inuyasha disappeared out the door.

“Tai! Tai we're leaving!” screamed Inuyasha directing it up wards to the staircase. He sighed. His patience was really running thin and he really wanted to get home. “Tai!”

“I'm coming daddy,” came his little voice as he appeared from one of the upstairs hallways and carefully made his descent.

“Do you have everything?” he asked and Tai nodded meekly as he lifted him into his arms. Tai clutched his teddy bear close to him and tensed up as soon as he started walking towards the door. He looked down at Tai and saw that he was looking down at his bear. This was exactly that awkward relationship that had built up during this past year. As much as he hated to admit it he was just as bad as his dad.

His father hadn't been around much when he was growing up. And whenever he was around, he always seemed irritated of him though less of Sesshomaru. His father seemed like he was never able to tolerate his very presence and it only got worse as he got older. His feelings of rejection and utter failure at something he didn't quite no what ate him up inside. His father had always been domineering when he was around and short-tempered. He felt no familial bonds towards his father for as long as he could remember. The only one who had ever treated him with unconditional love was his mother. His mother had died when he was still very young so he basically grew up without his parents. Sesshomaru seemed to be fine since he was a lot older but even he had shunned his younger brother. Sesshomaru and he had been locked in competition and often fought for their father's favour but Sesshomaru always seemed to have the upperhand.

The drive home had been a quiet one. He occasionally took glances back at Tai to see why he was so quiet. And whenever he did, he'd catch Tai playing with his bear but once he noticed his looks, he'd quickly stop. They finally reached their house and he couldn't be any happier. Today was just so stressful.

“Daddy?” came Tai's voice as well as a little tug at his pant leg. He looked down and met Tai's amber eyes for the first time that night. “Can we go visit mommy tomorrow?”

Inuyasha rubbed his temples unaware that Tai was still closely watching him waiting for his answer. “No.” And with that he picked Tai up in his arms again and headed up the stairs to Tai's bedroom.

“But . . .I haven't seen mommy in . . .so long,” cried Tai with tears flowing down his face.

He really didn't have the patience to deal with this. As much as he wanted to bring Tai over to Kagome's or his father's, he couldn't. It would just prove to them that he was actually the worst father in the universe and couldn't take care of his own son. “I said no. Now it's time for bed and stop crying.”

“Please daddy? Pretty please? Can't I just and see mommy really quick?” begged Tai while Inuyasha tiredly tried to dress him in his pajamas.

“No. We've talked about this. You'll see your mommy after two weeks. You spent a week at grandpa's remember?” He was quite grateful to his father for taking in Tai for that whole week while him and Kagome worked some things out. “You'll see your mommy soon enough. You get to spend two weeks with me and then two weeks with her remember?” he said very tired of this whole day. “Now get to bed and go to sleep.” Inuyasha lifted Tai onto his bed and under his covers. He tucked him in and turned off the lights.

“Daddy?” squeaked Tai.

“What now?” he asked, as all excitement of getting into his own bed went down the drain.

“Can you stay with me until I fall asleep? Mommy always stayed here to scare the monsters away,” said Tai as he clutched his bear tightly.

“Fine,” sighed Inuyasha.

“Goodnight daddy . . .”whispered Tai before he closed his eyes.

Inuyasha had pulled up a chair beside his bed and rested his chin on his arms propped on Tai's bed.

“Goodnight Tai,” he whispered back. Inuyasha brushed away a lock of silver hair on Tai's face. They really do look alike. Now looking over his son's body he couldn't believe just how much he had grown. When was the last time he tucked him in? Or came to check on him when he got home from work? Once he was sure that Tai was asleep, he slowly got up and made sure that Tai was tucked in his covers before strolling quietly to the door. He stopped as suddenly when a soft murmur reached his ears.

“Goodnight mommy . . .”