InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kindergarten Flirting ❯ A Pasty Situation ( Chapter 47 )

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.

Only three days remained until the annual corporate party and the department was in an uproar. Many of the staff was struggling to meet deadlines and the Puppy Trails team was the most under stress. Jennifer had to make sure that everything was perfect for the debut and, from the grapevine; Kagome was put under a lot of stress as well. She and Inuyasha had hardly seen each other after dinner with Souta and, to be frank, neither of them even noticed. Inuyasha was in a frenzy to get his list of promotions ready, and Kagome was in a frenzy period.

Inuyasha had a secret little project, however. He was getting ready to paste Kagome. Well, he wasn't actually going to put paste in her hair (that was just plain mean), and he did consider watering down the glue like Souta suggested. But Inuyasha figured that Souta was being a typical younger brother; any way to sabotage his sister made him happy. Heck, that's how Inuyasha thought as he grew up with Sesshomaru.

And he was pretty sure Sesshomaru's pup would think that way in regards to Shippo.

Inuyasha decided on putting glue in a clean and washed out paste container. The illusion of paste would be there but Kagome wouldn't have to go through hell and back to get it out. In his head, the paste in the hair thing was a prelude to the actual proposal—which he wasn't planning for a few more days. He hoped that Kagome would remember when he pulled her pigtails oh so long ago…

Their bet had certainly come in handy.

Because Higurashi Kagome was getting promoted, and if memory served correct, she couldn't refuse it. Oh, how Inuyasha wanted to laugh manically… but he wasn't doing anything evil, so laughing would be counterproductive.

Inuyasha was going over where he would be sending his plethora of limousines; he had to send one to get Souta and Kagome, another one would be going to Sango's to pick her and her brother up before dropping by Miroku's place. Another limousine would be getting Sesshomaru, Rin, and his mother. Naraku had yet to confirm a limousine reservation with Inuyasha—he was probably going to do it too, a free limousine ride was too good to pass up.

As Inuyasha was going over product details for a new proposal, his attention was diverted when he smelt Kagome before she even knocked on the door. Instructing her to come in, Inuyasha's eyes widened when he saw her stumble in with a huge stack of papers in her hands. Within moments, he was at her side, helping her.

"What the hell is all this?"

Kagome panted, trying to get over the trek. Who knew paper could be so heavy?

"Everything you have to sign before the party." Kagome cracked her neck. "It's amazing how quickly people work when they have a deadline just around the corner."

Inuyasha snorted and rolled his eyes, "Because their jobs are on the line otherwise." Swiftly, Inuyasha kicked his door shut and strode over to his desk, Kagome directly behind him, to deposit the papers onto his desk. Before the stacks even hit his desk, he whirled around and gathered Kagome into his arms, showering her with kisses.

She giggled but wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing his lips to dominate her. Trailing down to the column of her neck, Inuyasha flicked his tongue over the bite marks. "I missed you," he mumbled like a cute puppy against her. Kagome, who began rubbing his left ear, laughed softly.

"I missed you too," she murmured, "after three days; everything'll be back to normal."

"Yeah right," Inuyasha sighed, pulling away. "I'm losing four guys to Cepheus… the department refuses to pay for transportation, so they're going to have to relocate."

Kagome's eyes widened. That's right! She still had to decide whether she was taking her promotion or not… she had totally forgotten about that in between trying to save Inuyasha's reputation and bringing Kaoru Morimoto down. Inuyasha seemed to figure out what she was thinking and he pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"They're four promotions other than yours. These guys have accepted their promotions and I'm just announcing it in three days. You still have a week after the party to get back to Cepheus on whether you want to join them or not." Immediately, a wave or relief washed over Kagome's face.

"Oh thank God," she exhaled, "was not looking forward to making phone calls explaining why I'm rejecting the offer after they've finalized everything."

Playfully, Inuyasha cocked his head to the left. "Rejecting it? So, you've made up your mind?"

Kagome threw him a sucker punch. "I mean, granted I don't get an amazing promotion here. You know I have a family at home, kids to feed, bills to pay, dogs to neuter."

"Dog part not funny." Inuyasha muttered dryly. Giggling, Kagome placed a soft kiss on his chin.

"Joking, you know that." She, then, nudged him playfully. "So, have I gotten a promotion?"

Inuyasha flicked her nose in good humour. "You just have to wait and see, now don't you?"

"No fair—" Kagome was going to try to convince him to tell her, but Yura and Jennifer's simultaneous scream prevented her from doing so.

"KAGOME!"

Sighing, she hugged Inuyasha before making a mad dash out of his office. Training his ears to listen to what the girls were saying, he heard something about a period and a tampon and immediately tried to zone them out. He did not need to know when one of the ladies was on her period. It was bad enough he sometimes smelt blood, but it was another thing altogether when he knew who was on it.

Mother Nature, you suck ass.

.xx.

Kagome hadn't spoken to Sango in ages so she took it upon herself to do her paperwork and talk to her best friend on the phone. A girl could only work and entertain her boss slash boyfriend for so long before wanting some she-time. With her cell phone propped up against her ear and her shoulder, Kagome concentrated on the computer as Sango jabbered on.

"Miroku is dropping hints," Sango informed Kagome. There was a week left in school, even for the kindergarteners, and Sango had decided to let them take it easy. They had, after all, learned their ABCs and 123s.

"To tie the proverbial knot?"

"Bingo."

Kagome had to smile. Looking away from the monitor, she leaned back in her chair and stared at a picture of her and Inuyasha positioned nicely to the left of her desk. It was a memento he had gotten her not too long ago and she loved it. "And what makes you say that?"

"Well he's been asking me about my ring size a lot these days – not such a subtle hint on that one. He even asked where I'd like to live if I was about to have a family, which is also not subtle. I told him a garbage can and he gave me the stupidest look going 'Where the hell am I going to find a garbage can big enough for the both of us plus one?'"

Kagome chocked. "He didn't!"

"He so freakin' did."

"How tactless."

"You're telling me," Sango sipped from a juice box. "He wouldn't know tact if it bit him in the ass, granted I do find his lack of insight to be very endearing."

"I fail to see how it can be so endearing, but I'll trust your judgement on that one," Kagome laughed. "Are you still on for our spa date the night before the party? I'm thinking I might cut my hair… pixie do's are in, you know."

"If you pixie your do, I'll pixie your do."

Kagome snorted. "Thanks, Miyagi, I'll keep that in mind when I do my pixie."

"Keep it long. Colour it for all I care but no pixie cuts."

Kagome loved berating her best friend. "But they're so cute, Sango."

"Birds of Paradises are cute, but you don't see me keeping one locked up in a cage in my place." As soon as the words left her mouth, Sango realized how stupid she sounded and promptly muttered a soft never mind. Kagome threw her head back and laughed.

"Fine, no pixie cut, but I would love a fresh set of hi-lites."

"I can agree to that," Sango mused. "Didn't you say you're charging it to the company?"

"Yes," Kagome laughed. "Two sets of spa treatments can get very pricy and I don't make that kind of money here. Maybe I should pick up an evening job to help pay for luxury costs."

"Stripping is not permitted when you're half engaged to somebody," Sango snorted, referring to Kagome's Mark of Intent.

"An evening job does not equate to stripping—holy fuck, I found the contracts we all signed when we first started working here!" Kagome squealed, totally forgetting what she and Sango were talking about. Snickering, Sango told Kagome to gush over her newfound docs and that she'd talk to her later.

Hanging up, Kagome proceeded to print the contracts. A review was necessary before Inuyasha established salaries and payrolls for those who had been promoted. Engrossed in her work, Kagome wasn't aware that her intercom rang. Four times…

Finally, a completely annoyed Yura stormed into her office, a look of bloody murder on her face. Kagome almost jumped out of her skin, seeing her friend. "When'd the boogey man get you?"

"I had to deal with the whiniest woman I have ever met!"

Kagome raised both eyebrows and ushered for Yura to take a seat. Without needing to be told twice, the Mistress of the Hair did exactly as she was instructed. Taking a few moments to compose herself, Yura began… "I rang your intercom four times!"

"I was into my work?" Kagome admitted, rather sheepishly. Rolling her eyes, Yura slouched lower into the sofa.

"Well, this brat of a woman comes in, demanding to speak to Inuyasha. I tell her he's busy. She, then, says her name is Kagome Higurashi and she demanded to see her boyfriend," Yura saw Kagome's expression change from shock to pure amusement, "so I then tell her that Kagome Higurashi is in her office at the present moment doing some work, so then she goes –in a high pitch bitchy voice, mind you. I don't know how you didn't hear her- I NEED TO SEE INUYASHA NOW!" Yura dramatically threw her hands into the air.

"By then Inuyasha heard her, ran out, told her he'd call security, and gave her five seconds to run for her life. Crazy psycho bitches, I tell you!" Yura groaned and buried her hands in her face. "I can't deal with creepers like that. Can we please assign key cards?"

"Technically," Kagome grinned, highly amused, "we all have key cards and the fiftieth floor can only be accessed by those who have them."

"But the other elevators that go straight to the rooftop don't need key cards and our special elevator doesn't require a key card from the roof DOWN to our floor." Yura muttered. "How else do you think weirdo's like the blond bitch and Kikyo get in here?"

Kagome's shoulders shook. "You're a very hormonal pregnant woman."

"I am not hormonal!" Yura roared before bursting into laughter. "Okay! Maybe a little bit…"

Kagome raised both eyebrows. "A little bit?"

"Okay, a lot."

"That's more like it," Kagome winked and Yura snorted. "Wanna grab a coffee?"

Yura perked up. "Yes please!"

Without needing to be told twice, Yura got up and merrily hopped out of Kagome's office. The young secretary was stunned. Wow… she really is a hormonal pregnant woman.

.xx.

Inuyasha took the opportunity of Kagome being out of her office to put his plan into action. He had his bottle of paste (which was actually water in a paste bottle, he wasn't about to actually put paste in her hair) in the pocket of his blazer and decided to lounge in Kagome's office until her return. Twirling in her chair, he stopped when he saw a picture of them on her desk.

He smiled.

God, he loved her.

Picking up the frame, he studied their faces for a moment and saw how happy they looked. It made his stomach do flips and his heart race a mile a minute.

It was true; he'd do anything for Kagome Higurashi.

Anything.

Hearing Kagome and Yura's voices, he put the picture down and continued to twirl in her chair. He heard her door open and shut and then…

"Inuyasha?"

Stopping his spinning motion, he stood up and shot her his ever so sinfully sexy smirk. Kagome felt herself melting into a puddle of lovesick goo. Keeping herself composed, she pushed her door shut and crossed her arms out in front of her.

"Are you here to keep me unpaid overtime?"

Laughing, he shook his head. "Lord no, everybody is already staying overtime with the party coming up. Do you know how high my FTE is right now?"

"Yeah, because I review our timesheets too, you know." Kagome winked at him playfully. "But you aren't here to tell me how high your FTE is, are you?"

"Nope," Inuyasha grinned, loving how well she knew him. Getting up off her chair, he strolled over to her, his body oozing with utter masculine sexiness. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he placed his lips gently on hers and began coaxing. Kagome immediately melted—his lips had that kind of effect on her. Her arms went around his shoulders and she pulled him in closer…

But Inuyasha's other hand was reaching into the pocket of his blazer. Kagome was too engrossed in the kiss to even realize what he was doing. In a matter of seconds, he had the bottle out and broke free from their lip lock.

"You know what they say," he whispered, "when a boy pulls your pigtails, he likes you."

Kagome smiled. "And when he dips them in paint, he loves you…"

"But when he puts paste in your hair…"

Kagome's eyes widened when she finally registered what his other hand was holding. A bottle of industrial paste. "Inuyasha…" She squeaked. "You wouldn't…"

"Of course not," he smirked before squeezing the bottle of water into her hair. "But it's the projection of the idea that counts, hmm?" Kissing her cheek, he stepped back and Kagome stood there, soaking in water, dumbstruck. "When he puts paste in your hair, he wants to marry you."

Winking at her, he hurriedly left her office before she could explode. He dashed to his office and counted: "One… two…"

"TAKAHASHI, DID YOU JUST PUT WATER ALLA PASTE IN MY HAIR?"

And then a pause…

"WAIT… DID YOU JUST PROPOSE TO ME?"

Inuyasha grinned. Bingo.

.xx.

Inuyasha and Kagome left the office last that night, after everybody clocked out, and made their way to his car. Nodding at Hanate, Kagome gave him a hug before following Inuyasha to Rin's Hummer in the parking lot. They hadn't said a single word since the water/paste incident until then…

"So…"

Inuyasha grinned over at her as he reversed out of his spot expertly. "So?"

"How was your day?"

"Great, looks like you managed to dry your hair nicely."

Kagome stared at him, her eyes searching his profile. "Was that what I think it was?"

"What do you think it was?"

"I think it was what you thought it was supposed to be."

"And what did I think it was supposed to be that you think I thought it was?"

Kagome paused. "… huh?"

Inuyasha laughed and reached over, holding Kagome's hand. "That was me putting paste in your hair, Kagome." And he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Kagome looked at their hands and then back at Inuyasha.

"So was that a proposal?"

Inuyasha glanced at her and winked. "Nope, that was preparing you for what's coming next…"

Kagome's heart began racing. "And that would be?"

"Now I shouldn't ruin the surprise, now should I?" Taking advantage of a red light, Inuyasha leaned over and stole a kiss.

Kagome could not help her heart racing and Inuyasha heard it. He smiled, and her heart raced even faster.

Oh my god, she inwardly shrieked. I have to call Sango… then Rin… then Yura!

.xx.

A few things:

1. There is ONE chapter left! Almost done!

2. An FTE (which I mentioned earlier) means full-time equivalent. It's a measure of cost for companies regarding their workers. Each staff is equivalent to an FTE. For instance, a full timer is 1.0 FTE and a part timer could range between 0.5 to 0.8 FTE. A company has a projected FTE goal that they need to stay under and if they go over (for instance, paid overtime instead of leave), their FTE goes up which increases cost. (That's my business major speaking *twitch*)

3. This story has been nominated for TWO categories in the Feudal Association Fanguild (Kindergarten Flirting already WON two awards for the December 2011 term, but it has been nominated for TWO more for the June 2012 term). It has been nominated for Best Humerous fic and Best Inuyasha/Kagome fic.

I wanted to say thank you all SOOOOOO much for all the love and support you've given me! The journey has been long but enjoyable…

But it ain't over yet. There's one more chapter left of Kindergarten Flirting!