Why I Wish I Didn't Love You

By: DemonSaya

Chapter 7: Playing Dead

Reporters were a terrible bother. They always had been. Now, as he peered at them through the dark tinted glass of his limo, he realized that they were worse than a terrible bother. They were parasites. Creatures he would have crushed five hundred years ago, like the leaches they were. He was tired. This mess with the accident a week ago, and the explosion the night before, he could now understand why Inuyasha suspected foul play. It was a little too convenient.

Ordinarily, he would have had the driver pull around back, but he suspected every entrance was swarmed just as badly as this one.

Sesshoumaru pulled out his shades, slipping them on and pushed open the door, stepping onto the pavement, straightening and looking around. Yes, every news person in town, every paparazzi, every gossip column writer. Vermin. He swept past them, ignoring their questions and stopping at the entrance. He turned when a particular question caught his ears. "Repeat that...?"

"Now that your brother is dead, you stand to control the rest of the company stock. Will you be getting a new partner to ease the load-"

Sesshoumaru felt amusement run through him. "I believe the first question is 'whoever said my brother is dead'..." He dusted some imaginary lint off his clothes and straightened. "And as for the 'partner' comment, no. This has always been a Kurokawa business. None other than a Kurokawa will have their name on the door." Then he swept inside, the door closing with finality behind him.

"Kurokawa-san."

The soft feminine voice caught his attention. He turned, finding a woman with dark hair swept up into a twist, wearing tasteful makeup, a dark green pantsuit, with black pumps, over a pale pink blouse. It took looking into blue-gray eyes for him to realize who he was looking at. "Higurashi-san..."

She bowed politely. "If I may have a word."

Proper speech, back straight, even in the presence of someone like him. Yes, she had pride that would rival his brothers. "He hasn't contacted me." He said evenly. "He'll likely contact you first if he's among the living."

"I'm aware. That's why I'm here." She noticed several people looking at her and had to swallow hard to gain control of herself. "Please."

Sesshoumaru noticed her discomfort and nodded. "Very well, Higurashi-san. Follow me." He swept towards an elevator and was mildly impressed to find that she could keep up with his gait, despite her heals. Oh, yes, he could see why his brother had chosen her. Brains, determination, pride, and that spark of unknown would have been an intoxicating mix for the hanyou.

Once the elevator doors opened, Kagome was mildly amused to watch those in it scramble out like roaches, and those waiting seemed to not notice as this one left. Once they were safe inside, she was about to start when Sesshoumaru lifted a hand, indicating silence. She frowned, noting several cameras.

"You request privacy. The only two rooms in the building not heavily monitored are my office and Inuyasha's. My employees, though loyal, are mainly human, and flawed. There are many who would like the information you wish to give me and would pay handsomly to get it."

"Money is the root of all evil." Kagome quipped, as the elevator doors opened once again, admitting them to the top floor, which was bustling furiously. She saw the grim expression on Sesshoumaru's face and blinked. Then, she heard murmurs following behind her, commenting on the cheep, polyester look of her suit, her homely appearance, and people wondering what on earth she had to do with someone like Sesshoumaru.

"Sir, Naraku's waiting in your office!" Jaken piped up, giving Kagome a sneer of disgust.

Sesshoumaru picked up Jaken and peered at him. "You let him...into my private office, with no one to monitor him?"

"Well, he's never done any harm before-"

Kagome watched the toad hit the wall with a sickening splat. Suddenly, the somewhat amused demon who reminded her faintly of Inuyasha was gone. Left in his place was a rutheless businessman. "Sango, I expect to see you in my office in five minutes. Myoga, go clean out the confrence room. I'll deal with this parasite myself..." He turned towards her. "Follow behind me, and keep that attitude you seem so fond of. If you're on the top floor of this building, you'll need it."

Then the man-turned beast swept into his office and she followed behind him, wincing when she noticed Naraku sitting in the big chair behind the desk, his eyes closed.

"Quite a nice office you have for yourself, old friend..."

Sesshoumaru snarled. "Naraku, never, have I held our meetings in this room. Always have they been held in the confrence room. Now get out, before I call my biggest, meanest bull demon security guards to come and throw you out of my building."

Naraku paled and swallowed, standing and moving towards the door. He looked at her, frowned deeply. "Do you deepthroat?"

Kagome smiled slightly. "Do you?"

Sesshoumaru heard the return statement and pinched the bridge of his nose until he heard the door shut. Then he pressed a button, and suddenly all sound from outside the office cut off. Then he started shaking. He didn't turn towards her. Just kept one hand on the bridge of his nose and trembled furiously. When he finally got himself under control, he began thoroughly checking over his office, making sure nothing was missing or out of place. "I can see why my brother finds you so interesting." He said dryly, taking his seat when he was finally satisfied.

Kagome smiled faintly. "I'll take that as a compliment." She sat primly in on of the armchairs, knees together, breifcase in her lap.

"Where is my brother, Higurashi-san?"

She smiled faintly. "You mean your nose didn't pick him up in your lobby?" She flipped open the breifcase. "Last night, he arrived at my apartment door, hurt rather badly." She produced his leather jacket, spreading it out across the desk so he could see the damage. "I learned later, the media is assuming him to be dead, and for the time being, he would like it to stay that way."

Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow. "And why should I? He owes this company more than he knows. This is where his lawyer is-" The door opened, admitting Sango, who looked weary and her eyes were swollen. "Speaking of which...Sango, please sit..."

Sango took the other chair and looked towards the girl who sat opposite her, dressed prim and proper. It took staring at her for several moments, barely hearing Sesshoumaru speak before she jumped up and pointed. "KAGOME?!"

Kagome smiled faintly. "Hello, Sango."

"You are aquainted?" Sesshoumaru frowned.

The waitress smiled at them. "Seeing as I've waited on several of your business dinners and am friends with your son, isn't that a strange question to ask?"

"Friends?" Both Sesshoumaru and Sango arched an eyebrow. They were rewarded with a faint blush.

Kagome lowered her eyes. "It's complicated. Inuyasha and I haven't known each other very long. At the moment, he's staying on my couch. He's planning on staying until the calms down, barring any...changes." She said calmly, lifting her gaze. She saw a slight frown on Sango's face and smiled. "Miroku misses you." She teased lightly, rewarded with a blush from the girl, and a look of concealed interest on Sesshoumaru's face.

Sesshoumaru processed the information and frowned deeply. "So Inuyasha still believes someone is threatening his life..." The demon sighed, shaking his head. "The circumstances have begun to convince me of such as well. It's too coincidental, that immediately following his release from the hospital, he's in yet another accident. You saw these wounds?"

Kagome remembered the shape he'd been in initially and shuddered. She'd almost lost him the night before. Again. She took a deep breath before she started. "I lived at a shrine, prior to moving into the city. I recognized the wounds. No fire caused those. They were caused by jyaki or shouki. My powers...neutralized some of them." She saw that both were digesting this information and went silent.

Sesshoumaru slotted that information away and took a deep breath. A miko. Of course. Inuyasha, having had a miko for a mother would undoubtedly gravitate to a miko for a mate. And this poor naiive girl thought they were just going to stay friends. He examined her closely, and saw she was wearing a calm expression on her face, while her eyes were turbulent and bordering on panicked. As though everything she knew about the world was being turned end over end and she was having a tough time with it.

Idly, he wondered how long it had been since she'd been with a man that wasn't a friend, and found he had the answer before he finished the thought.

A very long time.

"Well, Higurashi-san..." Sesshoumaru pulled out a few papers, skimming them. "if my brother doesn't wish to be known as living, should I have him declared dead?"

"No." Kagome said quietly. "He doesn't want declared dead either. He was thinking about something more like witness protection. Just going underground for awhile. Honestly, I think he needs it." She wrung her hands out. "He's not comfortable in his own skin and he wants to find a bit of his own place in the world, rather than the mould his inheritance fit him in."

Sesshoumaru saw sad understanding on Sango's face and knew the other woman agreed with this assessment. "Very well." He laced his fingers together. "Since he's made you his representative, he's your problem now, Higurashi-san. Sango." He turned towards his brother's best friend and felt a hint of wicked glee. "I'm appointing you to the job of bodyguard to my troublemaker of a brother. That said, you're going to live in that building with them."

Sango stared at Sesshoumaru and stood. "But, my job here-"

"Can wait. You were my brother's legal aide and secretary. Since my brother has...gone to ground, you're fired." He watched her jaw drop and smirked. "Unless you'd prefer remaining here...arrainging papers and sharpening pencils and filing documents."

It took several long minutes of consideration before she realized that she was being offered the opportunity to go to ground as well. "I'll do my best, Kurokawa-san." She stood, bowing deeply.

"Very well." He stood and watched as his brother's woman stood as well, bowing equally as deeply. "Get out of here. Sango, try to pretend you're distraught." He watched the woman grin and then leave and sat at his desk, looking at his brother's destroyed leather jacket. He would contact the person who made it and get a replacement for the hanyou. Then, a particularly wicked grin turned up the corners of his mouth. "Well, little brother, you want to find out how the other half lives, you will. With all the bells and whistles."

He picked up the phone and dialed a number quickly. "This is Sesshoumaru Kurokawa. Yes. I'd like you to freeze all of Inuyasha's assets. Just in case."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Inuyasha looked up as Sango and Kagome left the elevator, both giggling furiously. He blinked, moving towards them, the hood of the sweatshirt hiding his ears and hair. "Hey."

Sango looked at him, then looked around, without a word, she drug the two from the building. They made it past the reporters withouth them giving them more than a passing glance. When they were a block away from the company building, Sango stopped, turning towards him and proceded to check him over for wounds. "You scared the hell out of us, dog boy!" She hissed, when she verified that he was fine.

He saw Kagome standing off to the side, smiling faintly and grinned back. "Good to see you too. Why'd Fluffy let you off early?"

Kagome linked an arm through each of theirs. "He fired her from her current position, rehiring her as your personal bodyguard." She grinned towards him. "Which means she's going to be living with one of my neighbors."

Sango blinked. "Who are your neighbors?"

Inuyasha winced. "Ouch..." He shook his head. "Ask Kaede first."

"Wait, whose the other neighbor?!"

Kagome grinned wickedly at her. "Miroku."

"WHAT?!"

They talked all the way back to the apartments, where Kagome got Sango settled onto Kaede's couch. "Welcome to the apartment of the starving artists." Kagome whispered, smiling. She gave the girls shoulders a squeeze, and accepted the tea from Kaede, who was eyeing Inuyasha and Sango with interest.

"We didn't see you at that potluck..." Sango said, uneasily.

Kaede smiled. "I'm not young enough to party with the youngsters, but I have my uses around the building."

"Mainly, she makes the best menstrual teas I've ever had. Including anything that we ever had at my home." Kagome said, giving her a knowing look, ignoring Inuyasha's discomfort. She made herself comfortable on the floor, tucking her feet under her. "She makes lots of excelent brews, and is a great cook. When we need something more hearty than instant ramen or cold cereal, we know where to go."

They lapsed into a long silence as they drank their tea, until finally, Sango looked at Inuyasha. "Now what? You have disappeared from public eye, for now at least. Now what?"

Inuyasha leaned back against a wall, sighing. "Well, if I know my brother, he'll have some petty revenge, like seizing my assets, so that no one can use them. Which means I'll need a job." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "And if I want to stay out of the public eye, it has to be something discrete."

Kagome inclined her head. "Kouga is getting married next week..." She said easily. "He's planning on taking quite a bit of time off for the honeymoon as well." She saw Inuyasha looking at her speculatively. "Marc's been meaning to hire another bartender for nights, because that's when the majority of alcohol is ordered, and Kouga's fast, but sometimes, we get complaints that people had to wait too long." She chewed on her lip. "Marc wouldn't advertise. He values his employees too much. And everytime there's a business dinner, it's held in the VIP lounge."

Sango blinked. "That's not a bad idea, Inuyasha..."

The demon sighed. "I don't know. I kinda stand out..." He tugged on his long silver hair and dog ears.

Kaede smiled. "There's always hair dye, Inuyasha."

Everyone in the room whipped around, staring at her. Kagome giggled a little bit, then shook her hair. "No...I don't know what that would do on a demon. And it smells bad. But a wig and contacts could cover all the big issues during work." She saw that he still looked uncertain and glanced away. "Kaede, Sango, I'm going to excuse myself. I need to get ready for work." She stood, walking towards the door.

Sango glared at the hanyou, while Kaede gave Kagome a peck on both cheeks and whispered a blessing to her before she left. When only the three of them remained, Kaede sat back down and poured herself another cup of tea. "I've known Kagome for a long time. She was a mess when she first got here. The only straight man she let into her life at all was Miroku. He was her big brother, her counselor, and her only oasis. Since then, you are the only other man she's ever been close to aside from her birth brother. It took a great deal of courage on her part to get to know you." She saw Inuyasha had lowered his head and wasn't meeting either of their gazes. Ah, shame and humility. She'd give him quite a dose. "So have a little of your own. Running away from your responsibilities is easy. Everyone does it once. Those who have the courage to build their new lives and fulfill their dreams are the ones who succeed forever."

Inuyasha bit his lip, then stood. He set the cup down and headed towards the door. "Excuse me." He said, and left Sango and Kaede by themselves.

"Will he be okay or will she scalp him?"

"Time will tell, my dear."

Inuyasha walked into her apartment and heard the shower running. Quietly, he moved to the bathroom and opened the door. She was good at crying silently. It was part of her pride. She probably had a lot of experience at it. He took a deep breath and took the proverbial plunge. "I'll do it." He said quietly.

Kagome looked at the curtain, seeing his shadow cast by the light. His head was lowered, his hair hanging around him. She took several deep, soothing breaths to control herself. "You want to?"

He laughed. "Not really. But if I'm going to live here, I have to pull my weight, right?" He saw a tiny hand reach out and wrapped his own around it. It was minimal contact, but it felt good. He took a deep breath and after a moment, released her. "Tonight isn't good, but I'll go in with you next work day, alright?"

He heard her hum her agreement and wanted to touch her again. "I'll make you up something quick for dinner, alright?" He hesitated when she hummed her next response and finally left, feeling like he was walking on eggshells. Damn he felt like an ungrateful bastard. He closed the bathroom door and went into the kitchen, where he found a young man with a few pyrex dishes, fiddling with her oven, and bopping to something that was blaring from his headphones as he worked.

The boy turned and found Inuyasha staring at him and stared for a full minute before carefully setting down the dish so he wouldn't drop it. "Who the hell are you?" There was a pause and pieces went together in his head. "WAITADAMNMINUTE! You're that dead guy!!"

The water in the bathroom cut off and there was a scramble and within minutes, a dishevelled Kagome was in the kitchen as well, staring across the kitchen at none other than her dear, darling little brother. She tightened her bathrobe and looked from one to the other and saw they were about to come to blows. "Inuyasha, this is Souta, my little brother. Souta, I've told you about Inuyasha. He's not dead."

"Obviously..."

"He's sort of in..." She zeroed in on the food and moved. "Hiding...is that mama's cooking?"

"She's requesting a peace treaty. At least come wish Grandpa happy birthday, tell Hojo he's a pathetic looser, and call it a day." Souta opened the dishes and set about heating the warm ones. "Miso soup, grilled mackerel, rice, pickles, and mom's secret onigiri." He looked back at the hanyou. "Why you hiding?"

"Someone's trying to kill me."

Souta blinked, then grinned. "Cool."

"Not really." Kagome retorted, picking at a few things, then cursing when she saw that she was nearly late. "I've gotta go..." She took a few bites from each dish, ignoring the amused expression on her companions face, then sprinted from the room.

Five minutes later, Kagome stumbled in, wearing her black work pants and crisp white shirt as she pinned her hair up. She stuck the last few pins in, checked her watch, pecked her brother on the cheek, and Inuyasha on the lips before disappearing out the front door.

Inuyasha and Souta stood there stunned, until finally the younger brother recovered. "So...you play Halo?"

Inuyasha coughed to cover the fact that he was, quite frankly, stunned. "Who doesn't?" As the boy set up the game system, the hanyou finally processed what had happened and grinning slightly, decided that was definitely something he was going to look forward to from now on.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Today was hell.

Kagome had decided that an hour into her shift and that hadn't changed when her shift ended, five hours later. She groaned, rubbing her neck as she slammed her locker closed and shouldered her bag, heading towards the door. She reached it and found her brother and new housemate leaning against a light pole, backs to each other, as though they were watching out for people who might be coming after Inuyasha. She glanced around, walking towards them.

Inuyasha looked up and his expression brightened, as though he might have been looking forward to being able to walk her home. Which was crazy, of course.

She refused to set herself up to get hurt. She gave them a small smile, feeling tired, so tired. "I can walk home on my own, you know..."

The hanyou frowned, noticing that dim, haunted look in her eyes. He glanced towards Souta, who looked concerned as well. The boy moved to one side of his sister while Inuyasha stood on her other side. Inuyasha tried several times to start their usual question and answer session, but she wasn't having it and he found himself grossly disappointed. That short peck on the lips had put him in a great mood all day, but she obviously didn't feel the same way.

He finally resigned himself to silence until Kagome finally spoke.

"I thought you'd go home, Souta." She said quietly.

The boy grinned. "You're kidding right? Hojou still comes over to dinner. Tonight was one of those nights. I told her I'd ask you if it was okay, but I packed a bag before she ever gave me the food. Hell, if you'll let me, I'd move in, but I think your new boyfriend might have a problem with that-"

"He's not my boyfriend..." Kagome said quietly.

Inuyasha ground his teeth toghether, deciding he and Kagome were going to have a long talk when they got back to her place. Unfortunately for him, as soon as they walked in, he was attacked by Sango for going out without telling her, and by the time he got up to the apartment, she had all but collapsed into her bed. Souta was up, playing Halo again. Inuyasha ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily as he sat down on the couch.

The couch he'd fallen asleep on the night before, cuddled up to the woman that had just denied having a relationship with him. His demon blood was racing, he felt angry, hurt, betrayed. Why the hell had she said that? She didn't have to say it so readily.

Was she still angry about earlier, or was it because of his money again?

Souta eyed him from the corner of his eye, noting that the hanyou had been extremely subdued since Kagome's comment about them not dating. "Are you in love with my sister?"

The hanyou's head whipped around, stunned that the boy had bluntly asked something like that. The boy was looking at the screen, navigating through the world, blowing up aliens, but wasn't focused on it. Inuyasha sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know." He finally said. "I think she's interesting, attractive, and not a vapid twit like a lot of women I meet at social functions." He leaned back against the couch. "I...I trust her a lot more than people in my own social circle. She's the first person who didn't treat me like I was a god, despite my money, power..."

"Yeah, she's like that with everyone. I'm assuming everyone else has already given you the 'if you hurt her' song and dance." Souta paused the game and put down the controller. "I'm gonna tell you something that Kagome would skin me for."

Inuyasha looked at the boy, seeing a serious look on his face. "Maybe you shouldn't then..."

Souta shook his head and waved it away. "Hojou, that guy I was talking about? He's her ex-boyfriend. They had a pretty nasty break-up not long after she left Tokyo U. He isn't just her ex, everyone thought he was 'the one', including Kagome. I never liked him for her, but there's not much I could do until after the break up." He glanced towards the hall, making sure Kagome wasn't there.

Inuyasha frowned deeply. "So, if everyone thought he was so perfect, why did they break up?"

"At first, he acted the part of prince charming, bringing her gifts, showering attention on her. After they had sex once, he started acting like it was his due, and gradually became more and more rough with her. While she was in school, I came to her room one time and she had a black eye. She tried to shrug it off, but that's when things started going down hill. She was working in a legal office as an intern, and I think she saw a few too many people like her come through the doors, until she finally decided that she couldn't defend people like him anymore. She packed up and left school that week, came home, told her parents she was leaving, and left without even saying good bye to Hojou."

Inuyasha was stunned. "So...you're saying Kagome is...reluctant to try again, after going through that once?"

"I don't know the whole story. Mom, Hojou, and Kagome all tell very different accounts, but my money's on Kagome's. She hasn't even told me all of it." Souta gave him a serious look. "So, what I'm saying is, if you don't or can't really love her, don't get her hopes up. She's been hurt enough..." With that, the boy turned back to his game.

Inuyasha sat there, contemplating that story for awhile, then got off the couch, moving to the kitchen, where he began mechanically putting away the food that was left out. He kept turning the information he'd just learned over in his head again and again. He'd had no idea. He'd been told repeatedly that Kagome wasn't usually as close with men as she was with him. He had never thought to ask why she might feel that way, why she held men at arms length.

He moved towards the girl's bedroom and found her sprawled on her bed, face buried into the comforter, still dressed in her work clothes, fast asleep, if he was gauging properly, from her slow, even breathing, and motionless form. His face softened from it's normal scowl and he moved towards her, pulling the blanket from the foot of her bed and pulling it over her gently.

The girl stirred and opened one bleary eye up at him. "'Nuyasha...?" That one eye turned wary.

He just brushed her hair back and tucked the blanket around her. "Sleep well." He said quietly. As he pulled back, he found her hand wrapped tightly around his. He looked down at her and saw her eyes closed. "Kagome?"

She squeezed his hand tighter and felt herself drifting to sleep again. She should get out of her work clothes and get in her pajama's, but she was so tired. She felt the hand slip out of hers and heard her hanyou friend digging around her room. She'd chastize him later. It was rude to invade someone's privacy...

He returned to her side and gently shifted her into his arms. He'd found an oversized t-shirt and pulled it over her work clothes. Making sure he couldn't peep, he began unfastening the buttons on her shirt, removing it under the t-shirt, leaving her top half covered the entire time. Then, he removed her pants, trying not to notice the pale blue butterfly lace boy-short cut underwear that peaked beneath the shirt. He flipped her blankets down and tucked her beneath them. As he pulled back, he found sleepy eyes looking up at him in confusion.

"What 're you doin'?"

Her sleep slurred speech brought a smile to his face, even though it was a sad one. He tucked a hair behind her ear and stood. "I'll get a bowl of water so you can wash your face..."

"'Nuyasha...?"

He walked away, biting his lip hard. He was doing the only thing he could. He didn't understand why, but he needed to take care of her. He had felt this urge for awhile but had only been able to do it a few times. The urge was nearly too strong to resist, and he wanted to prove to her that he could take care of her. That if she let him, he would.

When he returned, with a washrag and bowl in hand, she'd dozed off again. He wet the cloth and began gently wiping her face clean of make-up.

Souta watched the hanyou tend to his sister from the door way. He grinned a bit, nodding. He'd heard lots from his sister about the hanyou, and the main reason he'd come was to see what the hanyou thought of her as well. He watched for a few more moments before finally walking away.

He approved.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

AN: So, did it take me long enough? Don't answer that. Sorry about the wait, my life's been really crazy, and I decided to rewrite what I had so far at 6 pages, which is what's here now. Anyways, tell me what you think