InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kindergarten Flirting ❯ Dawn of Desire ( Chapter 17 )

Kindergarten Flirting

Back in kindergarten, your mother would tell you that if a boy pulls your pigtails he likes you, and if he dips them in paint he loves you. That goes for the rest of your life too. Moreover, when you're an adult and work for the Hottest Man of the Year.

.xx.

"Really Kagome, next thing you know, you'll be pulling on my ponytail." His ears twitched and Kagome wanted to smack him so hard, he'd end up back in the Feudal Era. Crossing her arms, she leaned back in her chair.

"Girls don't pull boys hair, boys pull girls pigtails to show them that they like her, idiot," she muttered. Inuyasha's eyes twinkled.

"Really? Care to have pigtails for dress down Friday this week?"

Kagome raised her eyebrows before quietly snickering. "I dare you to try to pull them, if I come into work with pigtails."

Inuyasha leaned forward slightly. "You should know, Kagome…" Her name, as always, slipped out like liquid velvet. "I never back down from dares."

Kagome leaned forward and matched his gaze with her own. "Good, because I intend to have you lose."

"Is that a bet?"

"It's a dare.”

Kagome stood in front of the mirror in her bathroom, staring at her pigtails with disdain. She didn’t know why she was doing it; her better judgement told her that their little dare would be null and void primarily because they weren’t on great talking terms. But something in Kagome told her to do it. Maybe it was the little moment they had the previous evening when he dropped her off? Perhaps it was her surfacing feelings that Kagome was finally beginning to accept…

Whatever it was, it made her wear pigtails.

It was a sweet Friday morning. The spring season was finally kicking in and flowers were beginning to bud. It was late April and the company party was scheduled to happen on June 3rd. Just after the party, as in the very same night, Kagome was flying to New York to present her thesis to a panel of professors. She had already handed in her leave request early the previous day.

Kagome sported a navy blue silk button up shirt with a brown blazer overtop. To match, she donned light blue skinny jeans and a pair of black ballet flats. Again, to hide the hickey that Inuyasha had given her, she wrapped a paisley pattern silk scarf around her neck and rested her pigtails in front of her shoulders.

Pocketing her cell phone and grabbing her files, Kagome ran down the steps to quickly grab a piece of toast before locking up the shrine and waiting for Inuyasha outside.

The previous night, on the phone, Kagome had informed Sango that she and Kohaku are taking hospital duty for the weekend, relieving Korari and her grandfather. Sango was confused at first, but as soon as Kagome mentioned Miroku, her best friend began yelling classy profanities at her – half of which Kagome needed to consult a thesaurus for.

“You two can have a genuine date,” Kagome had told Sango, but her friend wouldn’t hear of it.

“Genuine date? He’s a pervert who’s out to get between my legs. You’re a horrible friend for doing this to me, especially since he goes for married women. I – AM – NOT – MARRIED!”  Sango shrieked.

Kagome sighed, “I know you aren’t married, idiot. He seems actuallyreally interested in you and not for a one-night stand thing either. Give him a try, it won’t hurt unless you LET him sleep with you?”

“I need incentive. I refuse to do this from my own free will.”

“I’ll take you out to the spa next weekend.” Kagome offered, and Sango agreed.

Good thing Higurashi Kagome knew how to turn Miyagi Sango’s knobs.

Clenching her toast between her teeth, Kagome fumbled with her keys to lock the shrine. Her back pocket was vibrating and she knew Inuyasha was calling her to inform her that he was there. She cursed as she dropped her keys and awkwardly moved to pick it up, trying not to bite into her toast (otherwise it’ll fall) or drop her files. She gasped when she saw somebody reach over and grab her keys. Looking up, she saw Inuyasha.

“You weren’t answering my call,” he mumbled nonchalantly. She blinked as he locked up her shrine and grab half of her files. He pocketed her shrine keys and she pulled the toast out of her mouth and licked her lips.

Please behave today, Inuyasha willed his penis not to have an increase of blood flow to it.

“Thanks.” She whispered. Inuyasha noted her pigtails and resisted the urge to grin stupidly. Ohhhh how he loved this woman so much, she was feisty, independent, sarcastic, and evidently she did not back down from a dare, no matter how dire the situation may seem. She idly glanced at him but he trained his eyes to look forward and only forward. “I handed in my leave request yesterday, did you get it?”

Inuyasha shook his head. “No, where’d you put it?”

“Your mailbox.”

Inuyasha opened the passenger door for her and she quietly thanked him as she got in. She placed the files on her lap and buckled her seatbelt as Inuyasha walked around to the driver’s side and boarded his vehicle. “I didn’t check my mailbox yesterday; I was trying to get Rin settled in.”

Upon saying his sister-in-law’s name, Inuyasha cringed. That morning Sesshomaru had given him an earful, saying that ‘your woman better want you soon because if my woman has to show her cleavage to the world one more day, I will hang you from the ceiling fan.’

The scariest thing about the threat was that the Takahashi Mansion did not have a single ceiling fan in it. So the threat constituted the fact that Sesshomaru would install a ceiling fan somewhere in the household, and then hang Inuyasha from it. And the sad thing was Inuyasha knew Sesshomaru would actually go through all that trouble just to murder him.

“Oh,” Kagome murmured, “well, it’s for my week off for June.” Inuyasha glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.

“Your thesis?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’m leaving the night of the company party.”

The half-dog demon frowned. “You are? But aren’t you coming…?”

Kagome shrugged and looked out her window. “I don’t know… you can take Rin if you want.”

Inuyasha shuddered at the thought of escorting his sister to the party. “Why would I do that when I already wanted to go with you?”

Kagome was caught off guard. “Well… you know… she’s new?”

“So?”

That’s right… so what… Kagome smiled weakly at him, “My flight departs at one in the morning so I can come for the better half of the party.”

Inuyasha nodded. “Good. I can drop you off to the airport too; just make sure you bring your bags.”

“You don’t have to trouble yourself, Inuyasha.”

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t offer if I considered it a hassle.”

The tone of voice cut her like a knife, but the words he said mended her wound. This man, regardless of what she said or did, would always show that he cared about her. He was unlike any other man she had ever met in her life.

That did it. She was going to make a Pro and Cons list at work. Those never failed!!

.xx.

Inuyasha and Kagome walked into the office and saw that Yura wasn’t there yet. That could also be due to the fact that they had arrived ten minutes early. Inuyasha had instructed Jaken, their driver, to have Rin arrive at the building for exactly 8:30. That would be half an hour late, and that was the plan.

Day Two, of Operation: Turbospeed. He thought, wickedly.

“When do you need the Mistress Centipede files?” Kagome inquired as he walked to Yura’s computer to boot it up and unlock the system. He looked up at her and stared at her quizzically.

“Huhh?”

Kagome rolled her eyes. “The Mistress Centipede files…”

Inuyasha laughed nervously. “Umm… well… about that…”

Kagome narrowed her eyes. “What about them?”

“I found it?”

Kagome stared at him, stupefied. “You… found them?”

“Uhh, yeah… yesterday… in my car… at night… after I dropped you off?”

“You never lost them to begin with, did you?”

“… no, I didn’t.”

Kagome didn’t know if she wanted to yell at him or laugh in relief. She opted for none of the above and simply proceeded to go to her office. Inuyasha was stunned that she didn’t react to him—he was at least expecting a ‘YOU STUPID JERK! HOW COULD YOU!!’

Maybe this is hurting her more than I intended for it to. Inuyasha was now severely worried. That was very uncharacteristic of his Kagome; she put up fights, threw some insults, but he got nothing. All he got was a dirty look, nothing verbal, she didn’t threaten to castrate him, or to relieve him of the ability to produce heirs to his family name.

Inuyasha pushed himself up from Yura’s desk and walked over to her office. He saw her hang her blazer up on the hook and throw her files onto the loveseat before walking over to her computer desk.

“You alright?” He called.

She looked up at him, confused. “Of course I am… shouldn’t I be?”

“Well, I was expecting some form of retaliation to what I did.”

Kagome shrugged. “Well, what’s done is done, right?”

“… are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine!” Kagome snapped. She didn’t want to have to deal with him right then, not with her heart pounding hard against her ribs. However, the spark of worry that flickered in Inuyasha’s heart was beginning to fuel into a raging bonfire. Because of his concern, he was not aware of her heart beating fast, and hard. “Seriously,” she controlled her shaking voice, “I’m fine. I just didn’t expect you to do that, that’s all.”

“Why wouldn’t you?” He inquired, “I always do stuff like that.”

“Well… yeah,” Kagome bit her lower lip, “but not under the given circumstances.”

“What given circumstances?”

Kagome raised her eyebrow as if the answer was blatantly obvious. Inuyasha crossed his arms in front of him, finally understanding what she was saying. “You mean me being in love with you?”

Thud

Thud

Thud

Thud

Her heart race increased tenfold. She nodded, devoid of the ability to speak.

Inuyasha raised his eyebrow. “Why does my being in love with you have to change anything between us? Did you think that I’d stop the pranks?”

“No but it’s that…”

“Is it that you never said you love me, or how you feel about me?”

Thud

Thud

Thud

Thud

“It’s just… well… yes…” Kagome’s voice dropped. “Wait a second, why did this go from you pranking me to being a conversation of why things should change between us?”

Inuyasha snorted. “Don’t try to switch the topic, Kagome.”

“I am not.” She crossed her arms and matched his pose. “I think it’s unfair how you’re putting me on the spot like this. Just because I’m the object of your affection does not mean you can put me on the spot for not responding to your declaration of admiration immediately.”

“Stop spewing big-ass words out of your mouth, wench.” He barked. “It makes my brain hurt!”

“What brain?!”

Inuyasha paused and stared at her before cracking a goofy grin. “There you are; I knew you had the ability to insult me. Well then, have a good shift.” He turned and walked away leaving Kagome gaping like a fish out of water.

That man never ceases to amaze me. Kind of scary.

.xx.

“Satori,” Inuyasha tapped his foot impatiently in front of Yura’s desk, speaking authoritatively to Rin who had just stepped into the building. “Tardiness is not accepted under my roof, do I make myself clear?”

Rin batted her eyelashes at Inuyasha. She was wearing a low v-cut t-shirt with white flared pants. Her hair was tied into a bun and she had a thin gold chain rested peacefully around the base of her neck. Her entire outfit was disapproved by Sesshomaru, but Rin merely told him to suck it up and deal with it, because she was going to help Inuyasha whether Sesshomaru liked it or not.

Sesshomaru, then, proceeded to tell her that if she wanted to help Inuyasha so much, she might as well just mate with him.

Rin laughed in his face for that one and told him that she was an only child and Inuyasha was a baby brother to her. She wanted to help him in every which way possible and if she had to pretend to be a love struck fool, then so be it.

Sesshomaru mumbled incoherent profanities by this point.

“But Takahashi-kun,” Rin cooed. Inuyasha was ready to die of laughter.

“Do not try to weasel your way out of this, Satori.” Inuyasha tried to keep his voice as harsh as possible, but he knew he was going to crack any second. “You are newly hired and you need to learn the rules, and learn them fast. Do I make myself clear?”

“How can I ever make it up to you?”

“Don’t come late.”

Kagome stepped out of her office, hearing the commotion. “What is going on here?”

Inuyasha turned around and looked at her. “Satori was late.”

“By half a freakin’ hour, dear lord Inuyasha don’t scare the girl to tears.” Kagome approached Rin and missed the wink that Inuyasha sent to his sister-in-law. “You alright? Don’t mind him, he’s a jerk most of the time.”

“Try all of the time,” Yura’s input was declared. Inuyasha snorted.

“I don’t pay you to speak, Yura.”

“Yeah, yeah, I only work for you because you pay my bills.”

“I don’t pay your bills, idiot,” he muttered, “I pay you and you pay your bills.”

“Same shit, just one added step.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and looked back at Rin and Kagome. “I don’t want her coming in late, or else I will have to issue her a disciplinary notice. Make her understand that, Kagome.”

She glared at him but nodded. “I will. Now go to your office, click on this file called Ookami and review Kouga’s prospective business proposal okay? Mizu is also forwarding you the changes in policies regarding mergers and privacy policy.”

Inuyasha shoved his hands into his pockets. “Do not be late, ever.” With that being said, he turned and retrieved to his office. Yura rolled her eyes.

“Don’t mind him, Rin. He’s a jackass that needs to seriously find a pussy…” Yura winked at Kagome and she glared at her.

“Shut up, Yura.”

Yura laughed and resumed doing her work. Kagome had an arm wrapped around Rin’s shoulder. “Wanna go grab a coffee?”

The petit girl sniffed timidly. “Will he get mad?”

“Yes,” Yura and Kagome said simultaneously but Yura continued to speak. “But Kagome has him on a leash.”

“Ironic, considering he’s a half-dog demon.” The three women laughed. “Alright,” Kagome ushered Rin, “let’s go.”

All the while Inuyasha was sitting in his office with a goofy grin plastered to his face. The purpose of that act was to let Kagome know that he was not interested in Rin; the brother-sister team was aiming to have Kagome realize her feelings for Inuyasha, not drive her to emotional suicide. Inuyasha was determined to have her understand that he loved her and only her; Kagome not realizing her feelings for Inuyasha will not sway him in any form.

His heart belonged to her.

And only her.

.xx.

The two girls were sitting at a corner table within the building cafeteria. It was still early, a quarter to nine, and a few of the execs from the different departments were grabbing their coffees. A few stopped to exchange a few words with Kagome and went on with their way; she was one of the few that physically spoke to Inuyasha and, more often than not, some of the execs would give her information to pass onto the head honcho.

“He’s so mean,” Rin sniffled, “I thought he was nicer.”

Kagome smiled. “He has his moments.”

“Is he PMSing?”

“He’s always PMSing.”

Rin sighed. “I cannot deal with such emotional distress. Alas, I have to settle from viewing his wondrous beauty from afar.”

Kagome rolled her eyes. “Rin, if you like the guy… then don’t let one argument stop you. He and I fight like cat and dog, no pun intended, but we’re still alive.”

“But you don’t want to be with him!”

“Don’t be so--….” Kagome stopped before she finished what she was going to say. Her heart was speeding out of control and Rin merely peered at her curiously.

“Don’t be so what? So sure? Do you want to be with him?!” Rin whispered in awe. Kagome coughed.

“Rin, you’re being silly.”

Rin grinned. “Come on Kagome, it won’t hurt.”

“It might!”

“Well it might not.”

“What if it does?”

Rin crossed her arms in front of her and leaned back in her seat. “So what if it does? You won’t know unless you try and if it does hurt… well then he just wasn’t the one for you.”

“And I’d have lost a boyfriend and gained a broken heart all in one.”

“Yeah well the greater things in life entail greater losses.”

Kagome was silent, her eyes peering into Rin. What struck was that Rin was right. Kagome was holding back because she was afraid Inuyasha might hurt her just like her ex-boyfriend did, but what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger and if Kagome wanted Inuyasha… she had nothing to lose but Inuyasha himself.

And then s he’d have learned that he wasn’t the one.

Right?

“I don’t know,” Kagome shrugged, “besides, you want him.”

Rin snorted. “He just met me, he’s known you for so much longer. If you know he has feelings for you and if you wanna proceed further, I say go for it!”

Kagome bit her bottom lip. “Should I?”

“Yes.”

“But…”

“But what if the world explodes in the next twenty four hours?” Rin raised her eyebrow. “Don’t think what if, just go for it. Would you rather regret not being with him or regret being with him? At least if you’re with him and he hurts you, you’ll know it’s his loss… if you were never with him to begin with, how would you know he would hurt you or not?”

“Why do you have to make so much sense, Rin?” Kagome groaned, burying her head in her hands. Rin laughed and pat Kagome’s head.

“Because when it comes to anybody else’s love life but one’s own, one always makes sense.”

“Deep.”

“Ain’t it? Now let’s head back upstairs before Mr. Takahashi chews my head off.”

Kagome grunted. “Let’s see the jerk try. Do you know what he did to me?”

Rin hid her smile. “What?”

“Pretended to lose files that took me two months to compile, made me stay overtime last night to recover them, and tells me today he didn’t actually lose it.”

Rin threw her head back and laughed heartily. “Oh my god! He didn’t!!”

“He did,” Kagome stood up with her coffee in her hand. “He’s mean.”

Rin nudged Kagome. “You know what they say?”

Kagome fought her smile; she had a feeling what Rin was going to say – her mother and Sango never fail to remind her. “If a boy pulls a girl’s pigtails, it means he likes her?”

Rin’s eyes twinkled. “And if he rubs paste in her hair, it means he’s marrying her.”

.xx.

Rin reported to Inuyasha most of what Kagome said at their little coffee date. Inuyasha smiled gleefully and hugged his sister-in-law tightly; she was better than he had expected. “You’re genius.”

“I know. Now can I go home? Shippo misses me.” Rin pouted. Inuyasha coughed and gave her an incredulous look.

“You’re kidding?”

Rin frowned. “No! My son misses me and I’ve done my part for the day. She’s considering being with you so I suggest you don’t fuck up for the rest of today and we can continue this shenanigan on Monday.”

Inuyasha sighed. “Fine. Call Jaken to pick you up.”

Placing a kiss on his cheek, Rin squealed and ran out of his office. She told everybody a family emergency came up and that she was going home immediately. Kagome hugged her and wished her all the best and Rin suddenly felt very guilty for doing what she was doing to her.

As soon as she admits her feelings to Inuyasha, I’ll tell her who I am. Rin declared firmly to herself.

.xx.

Most of the day went by smoothly. Inuyasha had a couple of meetings with the Board, Kagome was running in and out of the office trying to finalize the plans for their baby line, and Miroku constantly harassed her about Sango. She reassured him that she and Sango’s brother were going to stay at the hospital for the weekend, and he could go woe Sango all he wanted.

Miroku fought the urge to squeal like a woman.

It was almost close to clock out time, and Kagome was finishing up the last few words of the proposal she was going to put on Inuyasha’s desk about the baby line. He had to present that proposal to the managers; if the plan goes well, they would open up a parent company for the baby line and call it Puppy Trail.

Kagome hardly saw Inuyasha that day which was good and bad. Good because she was winning the bet so far (she was still unsure if it was still on, but it never hurt to be careful) and bad because she, although she didn’t want to admit it, missed him. She was kind of looking forward to getting a ride home from him, but Sango had called her on her break and told her that she’d pick Kagome up that evening from work and swing by the hospital to see Souta. Kohaku would be with her so he could disembark at Kagome’s shrine for the weekend.

Made sense, so Kagome agreed.

Inuyasha knocked on Kagome’s door.

“Hey,” she smiled at him. He had butterflies in his stomach.

“Hey yourself, almost done?”

Kagome nodded. “Yeah, it’ll be on your desk by Monday noon. I have Jakotsu and Suikotsu editing it so you don’t look like an idiot for silly typos in front of the managers.” Inuyasha snorted but Kagome kept speaking. “Bankotsu is making the presentation.”

“What the heck would I do without you?” He asked, playfully.

Kagome shrugged. “Assume fetal position and suck on your thumb?”

“Sound’s about accurate.” Kagome laughed at his response. “Ready to head home?”

Kagome bit her lip. “Well… Sango’s picking me up today. She wanted to see Souta and Kohaku is staying at my place for the weekend so we figured it’d be the most efficient thing to do.”

“Kohaku her brother right?”

Kagome nodded and glanced at the time. It was five minutes to clock out time and Sango should be waiting for her at the turnabout in front of the building. Quickly saving her file and logging off, Kagome got up off of her seat. “Is everything okay with Rin?”

Inuyasha was stumped. She’s asking about Rin…? “Uhh yeah, family issues. I didn’t really press it… I don’t know what it is about my staff but you all decide to leave work due to family emergencies a lot.”

Kagome glared at him. “It’s only me.”

Inuyasha grinned at her. “So?”

She rolled her eyes and breezed past him to grab her jacket off of the hook. Kagome gasped when she felt Inuyasha grip her upper arm and pull her into his chest. Her heart was racing when she felt him pull her into an embrace. Oh my god!!

“Damn you, Kagome.” He croaked. She didn’t so much as breathe; afraid she’d ruin the moment. She was longing for him to hold her for two days and she was not going to be the one to ruin it…

So why am I fighting him? She asked herself.

His left hand was on the small of her back and slowly trailed up. Before she realized it, he gripped her left pigtail and gave it a gentle tug. At the same time he whispered in her ear, “I win.”

Stunned.

Kagome was nothing short of being stunned. He pulled her out of the embrace and kissed her forehead, a smile playing on his lips. “Let’s go, I’ll walk you downstairs.”

“… uhh… okay…”

She knew nothing else to say.

He did it.

He actually did it.

But what really shocked her, more than him pulling her pigtail, was that she knew what she wanted. What was the point of guarding her heart if she wasn’t going to let the one person who cared about her close to her?

I know what I want…

.xx.