Human Compensation

“Kagome come in here!” Inuyasha yelled after seeing his last client.

Kagome quickly jumped up and walked into his office. She knew it was time to go. Shippou had told her that she would be getting her first check from him. They hadn’t put her in their computer system, yet.

“Yes, Inuyasha?”

He waved a piece of paper in his hand back and forwards, teasingly.

Kagome stared at the check with wide eyes. ‘Money, money, money,’ she thought.

“Well, don’t you want it?” Inuyasha asked seeing the way her eyes were sparkling at the check.

She reached for it. He snatched it back with a mischievous smirk.

Kagome held back an annoyed growl. ‘Why is he playing around with me? This is no time to act like the obnoxious, jerk you are!’ She thought.

Inuyasha chuckled softly. ‘She looks ready to spit fire at me. I guess I should stop teasing her. She probably needs the money.’ He handed over the check to her noticing the way she eagerly snatched it out of his hand.

Kagome took one look at the check, blinked and looked again. Five thousand dollars!? For one day?! Her hands trembled.

“Now don’t go losing that, ya hear,” Inuyasha said standing up.

“Inuyasha, I don’t understand...Do I get paid this much every week?” Kagome asked.

“Of course not, that’s just a three thousand dollar bonus we throw in the first day of work. Sesshoumaru way of thanking everyone who joins us, I mean his new employees.”

Kagome didn’t know it, but she’d just sign her life to them by taking that check. That strange feeling came back to him again, this time it settled in the pit of his stomach. Oh great, was he feeling *guilty* again? This had to stop, it was ruining his day.

‘An innocent, angel, unknowingly signing her soul to the devil,’ his conscience said.

‘Not you again,’ Inuyasha groaned.

‘You can still get her out of this. She hasn’t cashed the check, yet. Just take it back and fire her!’

‘If it was only that easy. She’s repayment for a debt. Sesshoumaru will never let her go.”

He watched her put the check in her wallet and smile at him, that sweet, innocent, smile.

Inuyasha couldn’t look at her. He crossed his arms and walked passed her, while he stared down at the carpet.

“So Kagome, what are you going to do with all that money
Ka
Kagome followed him out the office and watched as he locked the door.

“Well, first, I’m going to find myself a really nice apartment,” Kagome said thoughtfully.

“Feh,old old you. You can live in my apartment complex.”

“What if I don’t like it?” Kagome asked.

“It’s the best in town,” Inuyasha said. “You’ll like it.”

“What if I just don’t want to live near you,” Kagome argued as she locked her office door.

“You’ll be safer in my apartment complex. You know nothing about this city. Besides, it’s not good for a girl like you to live alone.”

Kagome looked at him in surprise. He almost sounded like he cared...Wait a sec... what did he mean by ‘a girl like me?’ She forgot what she was thinking when they approached the glass elevator. ‘I don’t think I can get use to this everyday,’ she thought.

“Inuyasha, can we take the stairs this time?”

Inuyasha knew she was afraid of heights. He could smell her fear when the elevator zipped down when they went out for lunch. She’d almost lost her lunch when they came back up in it.

“We’re on the tenth floor. Do you know how many stairs we’ll have to walk down? It’s quicker on the elevator.” He pushed the button to open the door. “Just close your eyes.”

“I’ve tried, it doesn’t help,” Kagome said.

Inuyasha let out an annoyed growled and pulled her in the elevator with him before the door closed.

Kagome stumbled against his chest. He wrapped both arms around her to steady her. The elevator shot down. She whimpered and held him tightly. Her face was buried in his shirt, and her eyes closed tightly.

“She smell so nice,’ Inuyasha thought. ‘She’s so small and delicate. I could crush her with one finger if I wanted too.’ He doubt she realized how they looked in the elevator as it went down, passing the other floors. They looked like lovers embracing each other in a passionate hug. He snorted. ‘Yeah right, as if I could ever love anyone.’ The thought was hilarious. ‘Especially her,’ he laughed out loud.

Kagome heard him. She thought he was laughing at her fear.’ Well let him laugh, I don’t care, at least I have something to hold on to.’

The elevator came to a stop and the door opened. Kagome still had a death grip on Inuyasha.

“You can let go of me, now, we’re on the ground,” he said gently prying her arms from around him.

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha who was looking down at her and noticed how close their faces were. They stared into each other’s eyes for a few minutes before quickly pulling away from each other. Both sporting red faces.

“Thanks, Inuyasha, for not pushing me away,” Kagome said blushing furiously.

“Do you always grab guys like that in the elevator? Or is that your way of coming on to me?” Inuyasha asked giving her with a sly look, so she wouldn’t see how much she affected him. The only human he’d been attracted to was Kikyo, his ex-girlfriend, and she hadn’t been a normal human with her priestess powers. But Kagome was different, she didn’t have any powers, there was nothing special about her, she was just a plain, ordinary, weak, human girl. And yet, he found himself strangely attracted to her.

“I was not coming on to you. You arrogant jerk!” Kagome shouted. Then covered her hands over her mouth. She’d done it again. She waited for Inuyasha to yell she was fired. He didn’t to her surprise. She sighed with relief. She had to stop letting him get to her. She didn’t even know she had a temper until she met him. She followed behind him silently to the parking lot.

“Where’s your car?” He asked not bothering to look at her.

“It’s over there,” she pointed.

“I don’t see anything,” Inuyasha said.

She led him to it.

Inuyasha frowned. “That fucked up thing is a car?” He stared in at it in distaste.

Kagome tried to stop the anger rising in her again. “My father gave me this car when I went to college. It’s a 1980 Honda Civic, a classic!” She said coldly.

“It’s a piece of junk. Are your parents that poor?” Inuyasha asked. He circled around it as if it was some new fascinating discovery he’d just made. “I can’t believe you drove all the way here in it, without it falling to pieces. You should save your money to buy an up to date car.”

That’s it! Boss or not, he had no business insulting her family’s car! “Why you....!”

“Hey you two!” Miroku said yelling at them from across the parking lot. “Kagome! Come over here! I want you to meet my personal assistant. Maybe she can show you around the building on your break.”

Kagome glared at Miroku for cutting her off. She saw a girl standing beside him with her back turned to him and her arms folded. From what Kagome could see, she was tall, dressed in a black skirt and jacket, and wore her, long, black hair up in a high ponytail.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Go meet her,” Inuyasha said.