Caught Up

CHAPTER 8- STARTING OVER

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“WHAT!” shouted Sango, spluttering ice cream all over the place.
“Sango, not so loud,” pleaded Kagome and threw her a napkin.
“Sorry. But it’s so shocking…”
“I’m kind of nervous, though. That Miroku person said he can’t stand anyone for that long.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll teach you everything you need to know. Besides, if you’re judging from Yura, she had it coming. I heard she tried to seduce him more than once. Hehe, what an idiot. No one’s ever seen Sesshoumaru with a girl. I wonder if he’s a eunuch….”

Kagome and Sango burst into laughter. They were presently sitting under a brightly colored umbrella at an ice cream parlor, looking out at the busy streets. There were at least 10 shopping bags crammed under their table, for they had spent most of the day shopping, as a certain ingenious demon had suggested. It turned out that Sango absolutely loved shopping, and they had went from store to store finding perfect clothes for Kagome until around 2, and then stopped for a late lunch. Then they strolled along looking for accessories and such, and had stopped for an ice cream break. They were both eating a double-cone; Sango had strawberry and peanut butter with chopped nuts and syrup, and Kagome had Cookies ‘n’ Cream and chocolate.

Before Kagome took the first step outside into the bright and sunny world, she had told herself that she would somehow find a way to pay Sesshoumaru back. It wasn’t just that he made sure she had everything she needed, like food and money (out of his own expense to boot). He had helped her with something far greater. He showed her goodness and kindness when everyone else, when the rest of the world turned their back on her and gave her nothing but cruelty and suffering. Her heart was sore and feverish; it was Sesshoumaru who gave her hope and strength when she needed it most. It was Sesshoumaru who caught her when she was falling, who let her cry in his arms when she was torn apart. It was Sesshoumaru who gave her a second chance, who saw her during her darkest moment..

“Thanks for going shopping with me, Sango.”
“You’re welcome. Thanks for letting me come along. I get to buy cool clothes for you and get the day off too!”
“Sango? Hey! Sango, over here!”

Kagome and Sango looked around to see a group of people making their way between the tables and chairs towards them. Sango smiled and waved cheerfully as the newcomers took up chairs on their table. Some of them were looking curiously at Kagome while others were talking to Sango.
“Oh, that’s right! This is Ka- I mean, Satomi. Kameyama Satomi. Satomi, these are my friends. You’ve already met Inu Yasha and Miroku, and I think you know Kikyo?”
Kagome nodded and bowed to everyone in turn. “This is Ayame,” she pointed to a feisty looking girl with brunette hair in high pigtails and bright green eyes. “…and this is Koga Wolf,” a burly youkai with black hair, tied up in a high ponytail with light blue eyes, flashed his fangs at her.

“We’ve met before,” he winked.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”
“How are you doing?” asked Kikyo.
“I’m fine, just a little sore from all the walking around I did today.”
“Say, what are you guys doing here?”
“Speak for yourself,” said Inu Yasha, not too nicely.
“I,” said Sango smugly, “have been given the day off by Sesshoumaru-sama.”
“My brother gave you the day off? Good God, the world is at an end! Is the sky falling?”

Few Weeks Later

More than a week or so after her first appearance and Kagome started getting used to all the stares she got wherever she went.

She ignored the annoying, prickling feeling she got at the back of her neck she knew came from being goggled at by the 5 other occupants in the elevator, and kept her eyes to the front. When the door opened with a soft ding she stepped off the elevator and walked down the hall, and sat down at her desk. The sun had already risen as she turned on her computer, took off her sweatshirt and hung it with her purse on the coat hanger in the corner of the room.

Kagome stretched her young body and stifled a yawn. ‘Lots to do today,’ she thought as she browsed through her new employer’s schedule for the day. ‘Board meeting at… 8am!’ she mused incredulously. ‘I guess he’s already been here and gone.’ No matter how hard she tried, how early she woke up, Sesshoumaru always managed to beat her to the office every single time. She waged a private, silent inner war to, one day, be sitting at her desk with a smug look on her face and watch Sesshoumaru walk through the door after her for once.

Kagome had just started to get the hang of everything. Sango had given up an entire weekend just to teach her how to use the computer and to explain her work to her, such as filing, organizing, scheduling, note taking, using a palm pilot, and whatever else that Sesshoumaru required for her to do. Kagome loved to call her tasks “slave’s errands,” which annoyed Sesshoumaru to no end.

Just as Kagome was finished sorting through the mail that she had picked up earlier that day, Sesshoumaru stepped through the doors, briefcase in hand.

“Ohayo gozaimasu, Sesshoumaru-sama! I mean, Sesshoumaru.” Kagome greeted cheerily.
He looked oddly pleased with himself that day. “Ohayo, Kagome.” He placed his briefcase on her desk, and Kagome walked around to help him take his outer coat off. He turned his head and raised an eyebrow at her when he felt her hands on his shoulders behind him. Kagome seemed to blush, so Sesshoumaru decided to let it pass this time. While she hung up his coat and retook her seat, he extracted a white paper bag.

“Did you eat?” he asked.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Good. I picked up something for you.” He placed the bag in front of her, along with a steaming cup of Starbucks coffee.

“Oh, I love Krispy Kreme! You…?”

“Well, I ordered these picked up for you.”

Kagome snorted and Sesshoumaru smirked at the inside joke. She took a sip of the hot brew. “Mmm… caramel macchiato, my favorite.”

“I know”
“Thank you”
“Don’t mention it”

She took a peek inside the bag as he left and spotted six donuts.

Cracking his neck, Sesshoumaru opened the door to his office and closed it behind him, but not before hearing Kagome murmur, “I swear, he’s trying to fatten me so he can eat me…”

“I heard that, Kagome.”
“Oops… did I say that out loud?”

Sesshoumaru sighed and shook his head. When she wanted to, Kagome had a way of tiring him out in such a way that he was exhausted.

At such a short notice Kagome had adapted well to her surroundings. He was pleased to see that she had made new friends and seemed to be getting well along with everyone, especially Sango and her group of friends.

Kagome was a good secretary; she never complained, and was very responsible and enthusiastic, going out of her way to be helpful both to Sesshoumaru and other higher-ups, and did what she was told. But she was horribly clumsy and unorganized. Twice Sesshoumaru had snapped at her to clean her desk, once for catching her sleeping not to mention drooling when she was at a conference meeting (she had the nerve to whine that it was boring afterwards), and it would be a long time before Kagome forgot the time when she knocked over a two-feet high stack of paper that she had to reorder at the end of an especially tiring day. She had stayed up, teary eyed, until three in the morning, and had ended up with numerous paper cuts and a sore tongue.


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It was 10:20 in the morning. The meeting had been going on for over 2 hours, and showed no signs of ending any time soon. Sesshoumaru sighed. Next to him, Kagome looked like she was having the time of her life. She resembled a zombie as she sat there, with half-closed eyes and slightly parted lips. The early morning note-taking appointment had not agreed with her at all. She looked over at Sesshoumaru, who had been watching her doze with amusement. He smirked and jerked his head to the front, where at the end of the long wooden tables arranged in a U, with Sesshoumaru sitting at the head and Kagome to the side and slightly behind him, an old man was droning on and on with his speech. When he was done another man stood up and began to drawl about something else. Kagome shook herself awake and straightened up, although her fingers over the keyboard began to slow down. She inwardly groaned and rubbed her eyes, trying to be discreet as possible. Sesshoumaru gave her the thumbs up, and she grinned.

Sesshoumaru received an instant message and opened the window.

Fluffy’s Girl: Who’s the old fart talking about God-knows-what now?

He smirked before typing back.

Western Lord: That would be Mr. Masahiro Takahashi

Fluffy’s Girl: Oooooh, is he related to the infamous Rumiko Takahashi, who created that famous and incredibly amazing manga, Inu Yasha?

Western Lord: No relation.

Fluffy’s Girl: aww… I wanted an autograph

Western Lord: from the old fart?

Fluffy’s Girl: Haha, not him, Rumiko Takahashi, smart one!

Western Lord: She’s just a writer

Fluffy’s Girl: Just a writer? They call her the manga queen! Haven’t you ever read any of her work?

Western Lord: Not really. I’m too busy to engage in reading worthless manga, and you cannot even call it a book. It only rots your brains out

Fluffy’s Girl: Psh, it’s not worthless. I happen to loooooove Inu Yasha, the Feudal Fairytale

Western Lord: I

Western Lord: Don’t

Western Lord: Care

Fluffy’s Girl: T.T
Fluffy’s Girl: you’re so mean

Western Lord: Am not

Fluffy’s Girl: Am too!

Western Lord: Am not

Fluffy’s Girl: Am too! XP

Western Lord: At least I’m not a whiny baby

Fluffy’s Girl: Whaaaaat did you call me?

Western Lord: A whiny baby. Scroll up.

Fluffy’s Girl: I so am not! I happen to be a very mature woman

Western Lord: Ha ha, that’s funny

Fluffy’s Girl: Urusai

Western Lord: Want to get fired?

Fluffy’s Girl: no… you wouldn’t…

Western Lord: all it takes on my part is one word

Fluffy’s Girl: Don’t! You’re so mean!

Western Lord: You know I wouldn’t

Fluffy’s Girl: v peace, Sesshoumaru!

Western Lord: ……

Fluffy’s Girl: Look! Ooooh, I just spotted that bald dude over there picking his nose! Eww… gross…

Western Lord: Haha

Fluffy’s Girl: Hehe

Western Lord: shouldn’t you be working instead of chatting online?

Fluffy’s Girl: I’m bored. I can’t keep my eyes open.

Western Lord: Is talking to me online helping you stay awake?

Fluffy’s Girl: yea

Western Lord: Alright, then.

Western Lord has signed off.

Kagome glared at the side of Sesshoumaru’s face.

“That’s cheap,” she whispered.

“Ask me if I care,” he whispered back. She huffed and went back to taking notes.

“Tashio-sama?”

“What?” Everyone in the room had turned their heads to look at him. The man standing up cleared his throat.

“I asked you if we should begin with our web presentation now.”

“Yes,” he waved his hand in a dismissing manner.

“Keke.”

Sesshoumaru ignored the stifled laughter coming from Kagome’s direction as the lights in the room dimmed and a projector showed complicated looking graphs and data on the wall.

Half of an hour later, when Sesshoumaru turned his eyes to an unusually silent Kagome, he saw her head drooping to the side, her eyes closed, and her mouth slightly parted open. Uncapping his pen, he threw the cap at her open mouth. It bounced off and landed in her lap. Smirking, he looked back at the screen. Oh, she so had it coming now.

Some time later, the lights were turned back on the room was finally emptied, as the last of the stragglers exited with a handshake or a respectful bow to Sesshoumaru. It was just him and Kagome now. He gathered his things and put his laptop inside the carrying case, and turned his chair around before leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and staring intently at Kagome’s awaking form. He blew cool air into her face.

She slowly opened her eyes to see Sesshoumaru looking more gleeful than she had ever seen him. His face was close to hers, his golden eyes humorous, and his smile lopsided so that one of his fangs poked over his lips.

“Did we have a nice nap?”

“Ah!” Kagome blushed and sat up, looking around. They were alone in the fluorescently lit meeting room. She blinked and wiped drool off her face. Sesshoumaru gave her a disgusted look.

“Gomen nasai…” she whispered, and rubbed her eyes. There was a dark ring around them.

Sesshoumaru frowned. When was the last time she had gotten a decent night’s sleep? Was she still having nightmares? He reached out a hand and placed it on top of her head. “Don’t let it happen again.”

Kagome fervently nodded and hung her head. “Gomen…”

“It’s alright. Let’s go.”

Few Hours Later

Slam!

Kagome looked up to see a mountain load of paper placed in front of her.

“These need to be put in individual envelopes, sealed, and addressed.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Demo, there has to be at least a thousand pages in there!”
“Two thousand five hundred,” stated Sesshoumaru coolly. “And consider yourself lucky, more unfortunate souls had to sort and alphabetize these.” Next to it he put another huge box filled with first class envelopes stamped with the Tashio Corporation seal and address. “Have fun, Kagome.”

“Argh, how am I supposed to do it all by myself! It’s gonna take me hours.”

“Then I suggest you get started. I need them done by tomorrow.”

Grumbling unhappily to herself, she reached for the first paper. Paperwork was part of her job, but this was pushing it! Smirking at the pouting expression on Kagome’s face, he left her to her work.

When he emerged from his room later, she was still wearily licking at an envelope. When Kagome saw Sesshoumaru she threw him a look that clearly said, had she her way, he’d be the one in her place. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you…?” He walked over and looked through the pile of finished work.

“All this time, and you’re not even a third way done.”
“I’m sorry, but you try licking these disgusting papers sometime! There’s so many of them and now I’m getting thirsty- ouch!” Kagome dropped the envelope she had been holding as a drop of blood fell on its creamy paper. “Ow, mah mawth…” She held a finger to her lips, where it and her tongue had been cut. She glared at Sesshoumaru, as if it was his fault.

“Let me see.” Sesshoumaru leaned over her desk to gently pry her fingers away. His face was inches away from hers. He extracted a black handkerchief adorned with a silver crescent moon at a corner from his pocket and pressed it against her mouth. He was close enough that Kagome could feel his warm breath on her face.

“Ano…”

As if just realizing their closeness, Sesshoumaru pulled away. “You’re alright.” He placed his large hand on a confused looking Kagome’s head affectionately for a brief moment, before letting go.

“Waet, Imagonnanidhelb-”

Kagome let out a gasp that came out muffled due to the silky cloth covering her mouth. Her hand had just gone flying as she stood up, and the hundreds of pieces of paper went fluttering onto the ground. “Nwooooooo!” She dropped to her knees and scurried around, desperately picking up everything within her reach. She tucked the handkerchief in her pocket; her bruised mouth wasn’t the most urgent thing at the moment. “Oh no, oh no, what do I do?” Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru with wide eyes.

He, however, had no intention of getting on his knees and cleaning up the mess. He bestowed a cold look upon her, and when Kagome saw that he would leave her here all night if need be, she gave him the best puppy dog eyes she could manage.

“Sesshou-”

“No.”

“Please!” she whimpered.

“Oyasumi, Kagome. That is, if you can even get any sleep tonight.”

To Kagome’s disbelief, he walked out the door, leaving her behind squatting amongst littered paper. “Sesshoumaru, you arrogant, selfish jerk! Would it break a finger to help a little? How am I supposed to redo all this by myself? It won’t hurt to lend me a hand!” She threw a paperweight at the door, even though he was long gone.

Sighing, Kagome resumed collecting the documents. “Come on, Kagome. You can do it. You have to finish by tomorrow…”

Several hours later, however, it became apparent that she would have to stay up all night to finish. She managed to reorganize most of it, but she was getting very, very tired. “So… sleepy…” Her eyelids got heavier and heavier by the second, and she kept dozing off in her chair. Kagome felt so weak and exhausted, and when she checked the time it was half past 2 am. She shivered and pulled her sweater tighter around her; it was getting cold. Kagome wiped her eyes, because being so frustrated and fatigued made her teary-eyed. All night long she scolded herself, for making the mess in the first place, for not being able to finish quickly enough, for the pressuring deadline, for Sesshoumaru not offering to help her, for feeling so stupid, and for lack of sleep.

“May be I can just call in sleepy tomorrow, and Sesshoumaru might let me sleep in? Psh, better not get my hopes up. You’ve got to do it, Kagome. Think of all the times you stayed up for midterms, and those all-nighters you pulled in school…”

Her tired hand accidentally brushed off a few letters to the floor; groaning, Kagome stiffly leaned down and squatted to lazily pick them up, sucking on her thumb that had yet again acquired another paper cut. She let her body come to stretch out on the floor, but her mind was screaming at her to get back up. ‘Must… not… sleep… Sesshoumaru’s… counting… on… Can’t let… him… down…’ were her last thoughts before Kagome drifted off to sleep.

It was about 3:15 am when Sesshoumaru silently opened the door to the waiting room to secretly peek on Kagome. He had not heard her go to bed, and he knew she must still be working. He refused to let his instinct and inner youkai go back and help the girl out. After all, it was Kagome’s own fault for messing up so badly. He smirked as he thought of how she must be struggling to get everything done before morning. But guilt and worry quickly pressed down upon him, so much that twice he traced his steps to look in on the poor girl. He saw her sniff and pull a sweater over her head, and then saw her sleepy eyes close then jerk open again. On his second trip he saw her trying to stay awake by being as uncomfortable as possible.

But when he opened the door at the crack of dawn, the moon still hanging in the night sky, Kagome was nowhere to be seen. “Kagome?” he whispered. There was no movement. Closing the door softly behind him, he walked towards where he could see her feet sticking out behind her desk and found her slumbering form on the ground. There were few papers stuck under her body and he assumed she had not meant to fall asleep, especially in such an undignified way.

Sesshoumaru considered waking her up for a split second, just for his amusement, but when he gazed at Kagome’s face, he saw that her puffed up eyes had a dark ring around them, and her skin looked pale and ashen. She was even snoring a little, so deep was her much needed rest.

All spiteful thoughts gone from his head, Sesshoumaru sighed exasperatedly and picked her up bridle style. “What am I going to do with you?” he asked, more to himself than anything else.

He laid her down on one of the comfortable couches in the room, and seeing that she was still shivering a little, took off his sweater (he had been wearing a shirt under it and old baggy jeans) and placed it on Kagome. Sesshoumaru brushed off her dark bangs from her face, smiling a little.

Shaking his head, he wearily turned towards what waited for him at his secretary’s desk.

Next morning, Kagome woke up to bright sunlight shining through her closed eyelids.

She woke up once during the night and saw Sesshoumaru at her seat, pouring over a pile of envelopes. The moon beam gave him an unearthly glow, making him light up and looking like a celestial being. “Sesshoumaru?” she groggily said before falling asleep once again, thinking it all a dream.

Now, desperately wanting to not wake up, Kagome turned over to block the sun behind her, catching a glimpse of her workstation at the same time. Letting out a horrified gasp, she bolted and sat up. She was confused for a moment; when did she get to the couch? And she could have sworn she heard Sesshoumaru’s voice in her dream. Or was it when she dreamt he was sitting on her desk? She couldn’t remember crawling over. And whose big sweater was it that was keeping her oh so very warm? Kagome got up and walked towards her large desk, on which everything was piled neatly upon it. She scratched her head. Perhaps she had sleep-worked? Kagome couldn’t even remember falling asleep, let alone falling asleep on the couch, or even finishing her work.

“Nani… May be a work angel came down from heaven and finished it for me. Oh thank you!”

Sesshoumaru entered just in time to hear the nonsense Kagome was babbling.

“Why, you’re welcome Kagome.”

“Sesshoumaru!” Kagome whipped around. “Can’t you make more noise when you walk in?”

Sesshoumaru, however, cleared his throat and gestured to her body.

“Nandayo- Eek! Don’t look at me!” On the previous day, Kagome had been wearing a beige colored work suit, with a skirt that went to her knees with small slit on the sides and a pink blouse, with a matching beige jacket. In her state of sleep, however, the skirt had risen to indecent heights and the blouse had been unbuttoned.

“Believe me when I tell you there’s nothing to look at.”

“I said don’t look, hentai!”

“This Sesshoumaru is not a hentai.”

“Then why are you still staring at me like that?” Kagome quickly pulled her skirt down and covered her chest, as if protecting herself.

Her hair was puffed up and tangled, her eyes were half closed in drowsiness, her clothes were wrinkled, and overall she looked quite comical.

He turned around to give her some privacy to pull herself together. He was wearing pin-striped black slacks with a black leather belt, a navy blue dress shirt, and tie of the same color striped with silver that brought out his marks, which he had not yet bothered to conceal. His coat was slung over one arm. “You’re quite the sight in the mornings, Kagome.”

She could hear the mockery in his voice. “Yamete! I’m not a morning person, ok! Now close your eyes, I’m going to go around you…”

Sesshoumaru sighed inwardly."Do not assume me to sink as low as that to attack a helpless girl. I do not hurt the innocent-"
"What innocence?” Kagome snapped. They both froze. Kagome clapped a hand over her mouth, looking stunned at herself. She didn’t mean to say that out loud, or say it in such a way, using the tone she did. Sesshoumaru slowly turned around in his spot. Kagome avoided his gaze. She shuffled uncomfortably to the left, trying to leave the tense scene.

‘I can’t…’ failing to hold it in, Kagome lowered her head, hoping that her bangs covered her quickly forming tears. She scurried past Sesshoumaru only to be stopped by a hand on her wrist.

He pulled her back, and looked at her straight in the eyes. When she tried to look away he turned her around to face him.

“Kagome, you are not dirty.”

“……”
“Kagome”

“……” She clenched her eyes shut to block out his golden gaze. “I’m not untouched.” She left, leaving behind an unmoving Sesshoumaru.


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Kagome slowly walked out of the bathroom wearing a robe with her damp hair up in a loose bun. She changed, with an occupied mind, into black tapered pants with thin white pinstripe lines, a wine red blouse with ¾ sleeves, and 2-inch peep-toes.

She stared at herself in the mirror. ‘How long has it been since…? Three weeks. It’s been nearly three weeks since I met Sesshoumaru.’ They had both grown extremely hopeful. Three weeks and no sign of Naraku? It had to be a record. Plus, he didn’t seem to have a clue about Kagome’s whereabouts, and what she was doing. Not that she was complaining. She was starting to feel more at ease now, and had even finally made friends at the company. Although she still wouldn’t get too close to a guy, unless it was Sesshoumaru; that was out of the question. ‘I guess Miroku won the bet, this time.’

She reached into her clothing from yesterday before throwing it in the hamper and found his handkerchief there. Kagome sniffed it, taking in Sesshoumaru’s clean, masculine smell, and tucked it inside her pocket.

Kagome returned to the office. It seemed like they had both reached a silent agreement to not mention their earlier conversation

“Kagome,” Sesshoumaru called. His voice came through the speaker on her phone.
Kagome pressed the button to reply back. “Hai, Sesshoumaru?”
“Are you hungry?”
“Eh?”

20 minutes later Kagome was sitting in a beautifully furnished café at a hotel across the street with Sesshoumaru. Both were silent. Kagome looked up from her menu to steal a peek at the inuyoukai. He was leaning back in his chair with his legs crossed.

Kagome cleared her throat. “Ano… Sesshoumaru?”

Sesshoumaru looked up at her. “Yes?”

“About the… erm, letters I got yesterday…”

“What about it?”

“Did you… did you… come by sometime during the night and… finish it for me?”

“Are you telling me you didn’t complete it in time and went to sleep instead?”

“Well, I don’t really remember actually falling asleep. I just closed my eyes and the next thing I know I’ve walked over to the couch and all my work is done.”

“So desu ka?”

“Yeah, so, did you do it for me while I was sleeping?”

“This Sesshoumaru would never lower myself to do a thing like that.”

“Really? May be it was an angel after all, then…” But her smile told Sesshoumaru she knew the truth and appreciated it. “Thank you, work angel!”

He grunted. “Quit your foolishness. Are you ready to order?”

“Sure am! I’m starved. Although it’d be kind of hard to eat with these hands…” She held up her hands, which had looked like she had gotten in a fight with a stapler.

Sesshoumaru smirked. “You should ask the angel to help you more often.”