InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Special delivery ❯ Tempting propositions ( Chapter 16 )

Chapter 16: Tempting propositions

 

A/N: A specially early update to thank everyone for the amazing support I've been getting for this story. To show my appreciation I'll be posting another chapter either Friday or this weekend :)

 

Thank you all for the reviews:

 

On Fanfic.net

 

Killersupergirl (What will Kagura decide? We will see.)

 

Sychotic

Sesshkagufan13

Psycho-pyro-shrink

 

ALLheartsOnFraya (I didn't even realize it, you're right another proposal lol.)

 

Klv (Congrats on leaving the 200threview!!!) (Lol. Here's an update I'm sure you're happy. Don't be too hard on Kagura, she just got her heart broken after all)

 

Kaze Tsukai No Kagura

Krad

The freak locked in ur closet

Bibliophile Nincompoop

DeathAngel69

Kiari13

Hellina-Bertinelli

AOP

 

Sesshkagluv (Once more very good observations. How evil am I? We'll have to see.)

 

Little Green Purse (LMFAO What a lapsus; Sesshy would be so proud!)

 

On MM.org

 

Sovereignty (Lol! Who said there would even be a death? Geez aren't you blood thirsty?)

 

Zetsuii (I'm so glad you thought the scene was cute and adorable!)

 

 

Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, Sesshy and Kagura would be happily mated and working on silver haired baby number three by now…

 

 

“Talking”

`Thoughts'

 

 

After taking enough time to recollect herself, Kagura walked out of Sesshoumaru's bedroom and headed towards the guest bedroom to check on her daughter. To the wind sorceress's shock, the silver haired demon as sprawled on the bed deeply asleep with Kanna snuggled against him. Despite how bleak her future seemed to her, or the fact that she just had her heart shattered, the display brought a genuine smile to Kagura's lips

 

As if she had felt her mother's presence, Kanna raised her head and looked straight at Kagura. After flashing her mom a smile, the pale demoness closed her eyes and once more rested her head on the dog demon's chest.

 

Not wanting to disturb the twosome, with a warm yet sad smile on her lips Kagura silently reached over to the bedside table to turn the small lamp off and covered the two with the light covers. She then walked over to the door of the bedroom.

 

'Maybe I shouldn't let Kanna get too close to Sessh... who knows how things may turn out between us once he wakes up...' The wind sorceress thought sadly as she headed towards the dog demon's bedroom to take some rest.

 

Despite her realization, seeing the unusually contended look displayed on her daughter's face made Kagura decide to let her stay next to Sesshoumaru, if only for the night. 'Kanna better stock up on good memories for now, who knows what will happen to us or if she will get another reason to smile like that...'

 

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000

 

 

As soon as he opened his eyes, Sesshoumaru looked around himself in surprise. It took him some time to remember how he had ended up sleeping in the guest bedroom of his penthouse, with Kanna snuggled up against him. Once he remembered what had happened the night before between Kagura and him, he cursed under his breath.

 

'I better go and apologize to the witch; I wouldn't put it past her to try to leave because of... our encounter of last night.' He thought thinking back to their kiss, as he sat up in bed. His movement also awakened Kanna who opened her eyes with a small yawn.

 

“Wake up sleepyhead” The dog demon said as he ruffled the toddler's pale blond locks. He quickly shut his mouth as he realized what he had just said; the playful words his father used to tell Inuyasha and him when he would wake them up every morning.

 

Kanna started chuckling at Sesshoumaru's teasing, and to his surprise Sesshoumaru found he quite enjoyed the sound.

 

“My my what a pleasant sight!” Kagura said cheerfully as she walked inside the guest bedroom. She picked up her daughter and hugged her close before tickling her sides. Kanna's small chuckle turned to a full blown laugh to her mother's delight. The wind sorceress could not remember when was the last time she had been treated to her little girl's laugh.

 

'It seems the witch is going to pretend nothing happened yesterday... fine with me' Sesshoumaru thought as he looked at Kagura who with a carefree appearance tossed her daughter in the air a few times to make her laugh some more.

 

“I'll go wash up Kanna... after that I think... we need to talk” Kagura said as she balanced her toddler on her hip.

 

“Yes.” Sesshoumaru agreed. The deep look he gave her suddenly made Kagura's knees feel weak.

 

'Damn it keep it together girl!' The crimson eyed demoness thought as she did her best to avert her eyes from Sesshoumaru's appealing looking lips. 'This is all because of what happened last night. I guess getting a close look at him made me realize how incredibly hot Sesshoumaru really is. And his soft lips… No I'm not even going to go there!' She then added mentally before cursing under her breath. To her anger, she could vividly recall the feel of Sesshoumaru's warm lips and skin against hers.

 

Not wanting Sesshoumaru to notice the strong attraction she felt for him, Kagura quickly walked out of the guest bedroom her daughter in arms.

 

 

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000

 

 

The dog demon's golden eyes once more rested on the piece of paper he was holding in his hand. Just for good measure he again quickly surveyed it and the calculator resting on his desk before a small satisfied smirk reached his lips.

 

'This will be sure to get to the witch' He thought satisfied and smug as how quickly he had managed to formulate a fail proof plan.

 

“So I finished cleaning up the kitchen, and Kanna's playing in the bedroom. It's pretty damn amazing how strong the medication that doc prescribed her is. I mean she's doing so great” Kagura said attempting small talk to distract her nervousness.

 

“It is a good thing you mentioned Kanna's treatment. Here” Sesshoumaru said as he stood up from behind his desk to hand to Kagura the piece of paper he was scribbling on earlier.

 

The wind sorceress studied the paper in silence for a full minute before being able to find her voice.

 

“What is this... is this what I think it is?” She asked dumbfounded.

 

“A rough estimate of the money you owe me.” The dog demon answered with a deceptively carefree shrug. “I took into account your daughter's quite expensive medical bills, your part of the rent, and other expenditures.” He added a small smile revealing his sharp fangs tugging at his lips.

 

“Wow... but there's no fucking way in hell I can give you that much money!” Kagura cried out in shock outrage and incomprehension. 'I thought he said he would help me for free?! Did he change his mind because of what I foolishly did yesterday?' She thought to herself. Her crimson eyes then once more lowered to the paper. In her opinion it showcased an insane number of zeros following the one on the piece of paper.

 

“Indeed, this Sesshoumaru doubt you would.” He remarked nodding in agreement.

 

“Then what the fuck's wrong with you?” Kagura exclaimed. “You promised you'd help me for free.”

 

“Only for the duration of your stay, which, if I remember your promise correctly was supposed not to last... Besides, you were the one who did say you would pay me back eventually…” At his words Kagura sent him a sharp glare, but knowing he was right refrained from making any comments on the situation.

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes lit up in glee. 'Better she be mad at me than thinking about that waste of skin ex boyfriend of hers.'

 

“Yeah well you've got some nerve. You did say money didn't matter to you.” Kagura reminded him.

 

“I changed my mind.” He answered with a shrug.

 

“Bastard of a jerk, how can you do that!” She snapped her crimson eyes becoming darker as her anger rose. 'Is he trying to get rid of me?! That would make sense. I was after all not supposed to stay here too long, but now that Shin is gone and that I can't even rely on Yura I don't know how long I will be needing Sessh's help. He can't throw me out now, what am I going to do?!' She wondered as she grew afraid.

 

“Insults again? How tedious to see we have reverted to your bad language as at our first meeting. I was under the impression you had told me all you needed to tell me at the time.”

 

“Seems like it needed to be retold” Kagura muttered under her breath, but not low enough for the dog demon's sharp ears not to hear it.

 

Sesshoumaru smirked at her antics, clearly enjoying himself.

 

“I am a businessman, but I too am a charitable man. It may seem to you as if I presented you with a problem, but I can also provide the solution.” The dog demon retorted his smug smile slightly growing as he noticed the irritation on Kagura's face reaching new heights.

 

“You will work for me.” He stated on a stern tone, not even leaving room for argumentation or protestation.

 

“What?!” The wind sorceress screamed not sure to have grasped what he had said.

 

“I did not know you suffered from hearing problems as well as an insufferable personality.” He off handedly remarked.

 

“You bastard. My ears work just fine. It's your mouth that has issues. What the fuck are you talking about?” She asked crossing her arms over her chest in a clear display of anger.

 

“Lower your voice. I am sure you agree Kanna had to see enough distress yesterday” Sesshoumaru instructed. The sudden look of sadness that overcame Kagura's face made him regret his light reference to Shinichi's betrayal.

 

The dog demon loudly cleared his throat to dispel the suddenly heavy and sad atmosphere that had settled between them.

 

“I am in need of a secretary, and you will fill this position. You will be paid 100,000 dollars a year. My company offers childcare services, so there will not be any problems on his end. You and your daughter will also benefit from the company's health insurance policies. The two of you are of course welcome to stay in my penthouse until you manage to settle yourselves better.” The dog demon said as fast as possible, he was sure he was presenting Kagura with an offer she would never be able to refuse, but a part of him still feared she would turn him down.

 

“I'm speechless.” Kagura murmured, her mind still spinning by the figures the dog demon had presented her: More money than she had even imagined earning and complete health care for her daughter.

 

'This sounds too good to be true.' Kagura thought in amazement. 'Even if there's something not quite right with that scenario, it's not like I have a choice to turn him down. Kanna and I are left with nothing anyway and I don't want to stay in this position.'

 

She was about to take Sesshoumaru up on his offer when something occurred to her. “Didn't you tell me you had a secretary?”

 

“Yes, I did. But not anymore. I am now in need of someone new.” Sesshoumaru answered feeling slightly uncomfortable. The reason for his slight discomfort was due to his recollection of the conversation he had with Inuyasha earlier when Kagura was cleaning the kitchen from the breakfast he, the wind sorceress and Kanna had shared.

 

 

*Flashback*

 

“Well well, well, look who's checking in.” Inuyasha said as he settled himself more comfortably against the red wooden headboard of his bed. The hanyou pressed a silencing clawed finger on the pouting lips of the dark haired woman lying next to him, who was not taking very happily the interruption of their “fun” by her lover's brother.

 

“The sole reason this Sesshoumaru is calling you is that I have found a fitting way to have you and Miroku pay for the tasteless prank you played on me on Valentine's Day.” The silver haired demon told his younger half sibling.

 

“Oh really? Boo I'm shaking in my boots.” Inuyasha retorted persuaded that nothing Sesshoumaru could cook up would be painful or annoying, or so he hoped.

 

“Do not mock me!” The older brother growled before adding with a happy smile “You and Miroku are in charge of ridding me of that incompetent fool of a secretary I have been stuck with for far too long.”

 

“Keh! Ain't nothing we can do. Remember Mika is a temp who was hired for six months and she still has eight more weeks to go on her contract. Sorry bastard but you're still stuck with her.” Inuyasha said glad to have evaded his brother's punishment.

 

“That may be, but she will spend the remainder of her contract dividing her time working for both Miroku and you.” Sesshoumaru informed his brother, taking the authoritative voice he usually used in his work setting, letting his brother know he did not have the option to refuse.

 

“Oh come on! Mika sucks at everything she does! Besides I already have a secretary I'm satisfied, very satisfied with” Inuyasha said with a snicker as he ran a gentle hand over the long dark mane of the woman in his bed. Not taking well to her boyfriend's teasing she smacked his hand away, to which Inuyasha responded with a pout.

 

“Not my problem” The inu youkai remarked not aware of the sexual innuendo in his brother's statement.

 

“Feh! And how are you going to work without a secretary? Remember you're already running late with the whole B-bags business.” The young brother said unhappily.

 

“None of your concern. I will see you tomorrow at the office.” Without another word Sesshoumaru hung up the phone and went back to computing his estimate of the money Kagura owed him.

 

*End of Flashback*

 

 

“Sesshoumaru, as you just showed you already spent so much money on me... Getting a job would be great, but I owe you too much already. And I hate being indebted to someone...” Kagura said the promise she had made to herself the previous day coming back to her mind. `I said I would make it on my own without relying on a man. I can't afford being fooled once again, even if I doubt Sessh would ever treat me the way Shinichi. Then again I never could have imagined Shin would cast me and Kanna away like trash.'

 

“By working for me you would be paying me back.” He reminded her.

 

“Still... I don't know if it's a good idea.” 'I don't want to depend on him this much. What happened with Shin served me as a lesson. Even then I should have known better, after all Naraku taught me all about how trustworthy people can be' Kagura thought with a snort.

 

“Well this Sesshoumaru believes it would be. On the one hand you will pay your debt back, and on the other hand I will gain the secretary I need.” He tried explaining his view. He was slightly unnerved because after all, the dog demon had not anticipated for Kagura not to take his offer... `Why is she fighting me on this? She should know staying by my side is the best for both her and her child!' He thought feeling a growl of annoyance form in his throat.

 

“Okay, so anyway why would you even want to hire me? I'm pretty sure people must be lining themselves at your door to work for a big shot like you.” Kagura said trying to weigh the seriousness of Sesshoumaru's proposal.

 

“That may be true, but these people are not you. I need you Kagura” The dog demon said with a shrug. Despite his light tone, the admission made Kagura's heart flutter and her knees buckle.

 

'You have no idea how much.' The dog demon thought to himself as he looked at Kagura's appealing red lips, remembering the taste of them on his own lips.

 

“You need me?” Kagura asked feeling a crimson tinge rise to her cheeks as she once more recalled her heated kiss with the dog demon of the previous night.

 

“I know I can trust you to do a good job. After all I have seen your organizational skills firsthand.” He said pointing to his spic and span apartment courtesy of Kagura. “If you can also type and use a phone that is all I need.” He said nonchalantly not daring to reveal the fact that his main concern was to make sure Kagura and Kanna would be okay and provided for.

 

'Of course he's thinking about my abilities.' Kagura thought wanting to smack herself for her foolishness.

 

“Sesshoumaru, I know what you're doing.” Kagura said with a small sour smile.

 

“Oh? Enlighten me then.” He said cocking his head to the side.

 

“You're worried about Kanna and me aren't you? Don't even try your 'this Sesshoumaru has no feelings routine' with me.” She said mirroring his voice before adding “You're my friend and you want what's best for me, but I don't want charity.”

 

“This is why I offered to hire you instead of signing you a check.” He informed her amazed that Kagura had been able to see through him. 'It isn't so much that I worry for the witch. It would just be unfortunate that Kanna would have to suffer for her mother's poor choice of a sperm donor...'

 

“But still that's what I mean, you're giving me a job, and allowing me to live at your place. Not to mention all this money you already spent on me” She exclaimed waving in front of his face the piece of paper he had given him before.

 

“Witch I understood your concerns the first time around. Fine. If you want so badly not to owe this Sesshoumaru anything, we can make an arrangement. Every month I will deduct some money from your paycheck until you are done paying me back. I give you three months to find an independent living situation for your daughter and you, but in the meantime you will stay here. Of course you will have to work for me until you have at least paid your debt in full.” The dog demon said with a smirk thinking 'There the witch won't be able to get away this time.'

 

“I don't like long time contracts.” Kagura shot back out of habit, even if she was more satisfied with this agreement.

 

“You don't really have a choice. It is a take it or leave it proposition.” The dog demon said with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Okay. Looks like you're stuck with me for now. As grateful as I am for your help I promise I'll eventually find a way to make it out on my own.” She told him a little voice inside her berating her for not being as cautious with Shinichi a few years ago. 'I will never base my whole future on a man anymore.' She swore to herself.

 

“Without doubt” The dog demon agreed with her decision thinking `I knew it would turn like this; it is after all not the kind of offer people can turn down. The fact that the witch desires to be so independent does impress me however.'

 

“Starting tomorrow I'll get a desk job, lucky lucky me.” Kagura said attempting to be as cheerful as possible.

 

Acknowledging that the conversation was over, Sesshoumaru settled on the couch and turned on the TV. Kagura knew that there was another order of business they had to discuss as awkward as it might be for the both of them. She sat next to him and crossed her legs in a nervous gesture. The two of them stayed in silence for a long time until Kagura licked her lower lip before speaking.

 

“About what happened yesterday night between us...” She trailed off not knowing exactly how to breach the subject.

 

“No need to speak of it. I know how you truly feel and why this... mistake happened...” Sesshoumaru trailed off interrupting her. 'It was a moment of weakness and you regret it, even if I don't, at least not entirely...' He thought to himself.

 

“Yeah... okay... it's all good I guess... I better go check on Kanna.” Kagura said quickly feeling embarrassed before getting to her feet and heading towards the guest bedroom where her daughter was playing. 'I just hope everything will go well between us.'

 

 

 

To be continued...

 

A/N: How will these two collaborate at work? And how will their relationship evolve? Let's see in the next chapter named A fresh start.