InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A deal with a demon ❯ Chapter 3

“Your getting what?!” Sango asked skeptically, her eyes wide in disbelief.

“Married.” Kagome repeated dryly, as she shoved the obnoxious ring at Sango. Her jaw slacked at the size of the monster on her finger.

“But… but why? I didn't even know you were seeing anyone.”

“I'm not.”

“But, your getting married…”

“Its an arranged marriage. The groom gets an inheritance and my family is taken care of financially. Honestly Sango, it's a really long story and I don't feel like getting into it.” She asked with a dejected sigh. “So, you are cordially invited to the loveless union of Higurashi Kagome and Takahashi Inuyasha. Think you can make it?”

“Are you kidding? Of course I will. When is it?”

“Two weeks from today.” Kagome said as she winced.

“You're joking.”

“I wish I was. My husband to be seems really eager to tie the knot. But I guess its for the best. The sooner I start this sham of a marriage the sooner its over and done with.”

“Geez Kagome. You sure know how to bring the mood down.”

Kagome tried to smile apologetically. She was overwhelmed with apprehension and anxiety since the moment she agreed to Inuyashas terms. She pushed the food around on her plate. She had asked Sango to get together to unload her burdens on her. She desperately needed some girl talk. Kagome wanted to slow down time. Lunch was already over. She didn't want this date to end.

Sango looked at her best friend with pity. How in the world had she gotten herself into this situation? She knew the Higurashi's were an old traditional family, but an arranged marriage?

“So what I your husband to be like?” She asked hoping to raise her spirits.

“An absolute nightmare. He's a selfish jerk. Totally conceited. I actually met him before the announcement, so I was able to get an idea of the real him.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Worse. The next three years are going to be Hell.”

“Well, think of it like a job, Kagome.”

“A job?” She asked skeptically.

“Yeah. Your husband is your coworker that you cant stand. The marriage is your boss. Think of it like… like a contract or a lease! And you're just counting down the days until you can give your notice.” Sango said with a little laugh.

Kagome couldn't help but brighten. Only Sango would make that connection.

“So where are we off to after this?”

“House hunting.” Kagome said without any joy.

“…House hunting? Isn't that something you should do with, oh, I don't know, your fiancée?”

“He said he doesn't care. He's left it totally up to me.”

“Wow. That's impressive. So what's your budget?”

“I don't have one.”

“You're joking right?”

“No. I can purchase whatever house I want, so long as it's not somewhere too far away.”

“I can't believe were going to go house hunting.” Sango said in mild doubt.

“That makes two of us. All I have been saying since this entire mess happened was `I can't believe this is my life.'”

“Well, who knows? Maybe you will grow to like each other.”

“Ha! I think I'm more likely to time travel to feudal Japan than to get along with that guy.”

~.~

They had looked at several houses, multiple condos and even a few mansions, but the one Kagome currently stood in front of was her favorite.

It was an older home, packed with charm. When Kagome walked inside, she immediately felt as if the house had a soul. She knew right away it was what she wanted. And it was priced right too!

Granted, that was because it was out of date. The kitchen needed to be remodeled, the walls needed a fresh coat of paint. The washrooms needed new, well, everything, and the bedrooms were desperately in need of a touch up.

But it had an old fashioned staircase that curved to the side. It looked very western to Kagome. And it had a suprising number of bedrooms, 5 to be exact. But it was the library that she had fallen in love with.

The shelves touched the ceilings, there was dark wood everywhere. It looked as if it were a piece of history frozen in time. Kagome ran her finger over the fine shelves, already losing herself in the comforting peace of the room.

It was a little removed from the city, but she preferred it that way. Kagome had grown up in the peace and tranquility of a shrine. She loved to spend her days out on the busy streets of Tokyo, but at the end of the day she had always been thankful to go home to her silent haven.

One perk of the house, was that it had a spacious backyard. It was so rare, that that alone would have sealed the deal for Kagome.

She looked at Sango and smiled. “This is the one!”

“I knew you would say that the moment we drove up.”

Kagome picked up the phone to call Myouga to tell him of her decision. She handed her phone over to the real estate agent to go over the details.

Kagome wandered into the back yard, looking out at the space. “I think I'll start a garden over there.” She said pointing. Her friend nodded in response.

“And a hammock between those two trees.” Sango added. “I can just see you lazing around there in the summer.” She said with a glint in her eye.

“Hah, definitely.”

“And over there would be a good spot for-“

“This?” A gruff voice asked. “This is the house you think I'm going to live in?” He asked skeptically. He barked out a loud laugh.

“Seriously bitch, you have to be kidding me. This is a joke, right?”

“What did you-“ Sango started furiously.

“Watch it dog boy.” Kagome said in a clipped tone. She crossed her arms, giving him a stern look. “This is the house I want. What are you doing here anyway? I thought you said you didn't care what house I bought?”

“Myouga texted me, saying you picked out something. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't some piece of crap.” He motioned to the house. “Clearly, my instincts were right. You have no taste, wench.”

“Would you stop calling her those disgusting names?” Sango shouted, a murderous look in her eyes.

“Who the Hell is this?” He asked, arching a brow.

“Sango, this is my arrogant jerk fiancée Inuyasha. Inuyasha, this is my amazing best friend Sango.”

“Oi, whats with that intro!”

“Its just an honest one.” Kagome said with a bitter smile.

“Anyway, I aint living in this shack. Come on.” He said grabbing her arm, leading her to the agent.

“What the hell gives? Why would you take my fiancée to a dump like this?” He barked. “Do you know who you're working for? The Takahashi's. You expect me to live in this crap? The only way I would buy this piece of junk is if I was going to tear it down!”

“Inuyasha!”

“I apologize! Please, I had no idea. Please let… let me show you are more… upscale listings…”

~.~

Kagome had seen numerous mansions. They all looked the same. Brand new. Cold. Made for anyone. Inuyasha was currently going over the specs of the latest listing.

“Oi, whats your problem?” He asked.

“Nothing.” She replied.

“Feh. You're a terrible liar.”

“I just… I just don't like any of these houses. They all feel so… cold…”

“They can adjust the temperature in here you know.”

She shot his a pointed look.

“Not like that, dog boy. More like, they have no personality. Not like that other house. You can tell that house was made with someone in mind.”

“Ah yes,” the agent cut in. “That house has a history. It belonged to a rich man who married an English bride. He wanted her to feel more at home in his country, so he modeled many of the features from her estate back home.”

Kagome nodded. “And this… this was made for anyone. Mass produced with no soul.”

“Whats with you? Why does everything have to be so damn complicated with you” Inuyasha said, running his claws through silver locks. “You can't get married because you don't like me. You don't want to accept the engagement ring because it wasn't picked out for you. You don't want to buy a fucking mansion because its not a run down piece of crap.”

“But we can fix it up! We can remodel it and still keep its charm!”

Inuyasha looked at her. She was so determined. Would living in that hovel really make her that happy? It wasn't worth fighting over. Let her have the damned shack.

“Feh. Whatever. If you want that piece of garbage that bad, its fine with me.” He said crossing his arms.

“Really! Thank you!” She jumped up happily. Before she could stop herself, she had wrapped her arms around him, squeezing slightly. She immediately retracted her arms, as if she touched something off limits.

“S-Sorry.” She muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. “I got excited.” A small blush spread across her face.

The hanyou was sorry too; sorry she moved away so damn quickly. As much as she annoyed him, he couldn't deny her beauty. She was stunning. Even today, in a simple pair of jeans and a cotton shirt, she looked delicious.

And when she jumped up to hug him… it didn't feel as bad as he wished. He had had many woman shower him with affection because he had given them something, but their way of reciprocation was always sly, sensual. Kagome… was giddy. She wasn't trying to seduce him into buying her more things. She was just happy that he gave in.

He idly thought that he wanted to see her smile more often, before he shook his head to clear away those dangerous thoughts. She was gorgeous, but that's where he would draw the line. Inuyasha didn't deal with emotions. Myouga had been right about him- he liked his woman fast and nameless. If he got too involved, they always became troublesome. They always wanted him for his status, for his wealth. Hell, even his girlfriend Kikyo looked at his as a stepping stool on the social ladder. He didn't care; he was using her too.

Inuyasha quickly changed the subject.

“Uh, where did your friend go?”

“I think shes lost in here. Just another reason not to get a mansion.” Kagome said with a smile. “I have a horrible sense of direction. I would probably die before I found the kitchen.”

Inuyasha couldn't help the small smile that tugged on his lips.

~.~

Kagome ran up the stairs, calling her friends name. She found Sango on the balcony, admiring the view.

“It really is beautiful over here.” She said, aiming to get her friends attention.

Inuyasha had not meant to eavesdrop. Really, he hadn't. He was just trying to find that damned wench to tell her about the renovations. It wasn't his fault that he had demon ears and superior hearing.

“Kagome... are you sure about this? That guy… he seems like a nightmare. He's a brute and he's just-“

“Don't worry about it Sango, I can handle myself.” She said. “Besides, hes not all bad.”

The dog demons ears perked up.

“No one can be all bad. I'm sure I'll figure out his good points.” Inuyasha frowned.

“You…you didn't tell me he was a demon…” she started.

“I didn't? Oh. Well, my fiancée is a half demon Sango.” She said evenly.

“Ha ha, very funny. But seriously-“

“I guess its just not a big deal to me. That's probably why I didn't think to mention it. Don't frown like that Sango! Everything is going to be okay!”

“Its just that everything is happening so fast for you. I know that this is not what you want Kagome. You're not the type to marry just because-

“Oi, if you girls are done chit chatting, we have to go back to the shack. Theres a contractor waiting for us.”

Kagome smiled. “Alright!” She said, grabbing Sangos hand. “Lead the way dog boy, or else we might ever get out of here.”

~.~

He had heard her right. She didn't care that he was a demon? Didn't care?

Who the hell didn't care about that!

He had met many people in his life. He was wealthy and good looking. It was his job to meet people.

And they always fucking cared about his lineage.

They wanted it for their own use. Demons were powerful, and respected. Feared.

Most were very well off. Of course, there were those who brought down their line, the delinquents and scum bags. But even humans had that too.

But Inuyasha was a hanyou. True, things were much easier now than they ever had been for demons. They had found a way to peacefully coexist with humans. But for the older generations, it was still taboo for a demon to mate with a human. In the old days, he would have simply been killed on the spot, his very existence was not one to be tolerated. But, thankfully, that was not the case now. He would just be passive aggressively looked down on. In the demon elite, the mind set was changing, but the old ways and traditions still had a nasty habit of clinging on.

So, he stayed away from demon bitches. He preferred the human ones anyhow.

Humans looked at him differently. Because he was a half demon, they figured he was more approachable. They never saw him or who he was; they saw his claws as a way to get ahead, his ears as a status symbol. They would throw themselves all over him to gain his approval, hoping to make a mark on him, to stake a claim.

He had no qualms with letting them try. Nothing those shallow woman could do would make him think twice. It was only Kikyo he kept around, and that was because she could be quiet talented with that tongue of hers.

In all his years of dating, fucking or whatever you called it, he had come to one conclusion: Woman were the same whether demon or otherwise. They all simply disgusted him.

But this wench, his fiancée, didn't fucking care? Didn't fucking notice? What the hell was with this girl!

He watched her as she told the contractor her vision for their house. He could practically see her aura of joy surrounding her. She was deep in discussion when she turned to look at him, a huge grin spread across her face. He felt awe stuck. He didn't know what to do when confronted with such genuine happiness.

“Uh, what did you say?”

“I asked if you think it's a good idea.” She repeated, urging him hopefully.

“Keh, do whatever you want. This is your damn project.”

Was it him, or did she look a little disappointed? Did she actually want his input?

“Im sure whatever you have in mind will be fine.” He tried again.

Why was he going out of his way to be nice to her?

She gave a smile that reflected in her eyes.

Oh. That's why.

“So how long do you think this will take?” Inuyasha asked in a gruff voice.

“A few months, 5 at the most. But if you hire enough crew men, maybe 3.”

“Wow, that's it?!” She asked.

“Just leave it to me.” The man said with a smile. He seemed awfully close to Kagome. A little too friendly.

“I suppose until the house is ready we can just-“

“Live in my condo.” Inuyasha finished. He couldn't help but notice the contractors face fell a bit. And he couldn't help the feeling of pleasure that bubbled inside of him at that.

He quickly squashed that annoying feeling down. He wasn't one to get jealous. Ever. No need for that crap.

“Uh, excuse me?”

“You heard me. You will move into my condo.

“Yeah, but-“

“You know the contract said we have to live together.” He ground out. “If it didn't, don't you think I would have bought my own fucking place instead of living in this dump with you?” He spat.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. Gone was the mirth from earlier, the excitement and joy she was radiating. He hadn't realized until it left that he wanted her that way, wanted to see her smile. For the first time in longer than he could remember, he cared about a woman's mood.

Now, she was pissed.

“You don't have to remind me of the contract, dog boy. Its not like I'm particularly looking forward to living with an ass like yourself.”

The contractor was caught in the tense battle. He looked from one to the other, immediately understanding the situation. This was no love match. He still had a shot with this creative beauty!

“Ms Kagome, perhaps we should discuss what you have planned for the back yard.” He said holding out his arm. “Be careful over here, the floor needs to be replaced. You might fall through.”

Kagome linked her arm in his and began to walk away.

“Oi bitch! I wasn't done yet!” He called after her. “Don't fucking walk away from me!”

Kagome turned and walked over to the hanyou. She grabbed him by the arm, leading him to the stairs. She grabbed his shoulders, pushing him down, shouting `sit' so loudly he winced. The abrupt action and volume cause him to stumble backwards, granting her request.

“What the fuck!?” He said, rubbing his ears.

“Sit.”

“Excuse me?” He said baring his fangs. This look had made grown men wet themselves. She didn't bat a damn lash!

“I said sit. You have a nasty mouth and a bad temper. You need to calm down. I'm going into the back yard. When you have something constructive to say, please come and join us.”

The dog demon watched in awe as the raven haired woman walked away from him, only to link arms with the contractor once more.

He, the dog demon, of the great house of Takahshi, heir to a fortune and desired by every woman he met, had just been put in time out.