A/N: In case you started here, this is #2 of the 2 chapters I uploaded. #1 is Dealbreaker. Just didn't want you to miss any of the chapters, especially as we conclude.

Thanks.

The Lethality of a Manipulative Charm

He stared pensively at her closed door.

Between the three sleepless days of waiting for the Higurashis to return from Europe and trying to win his stubborn girl's affection back, he had never thought a woman smaller than him would subject him into such amount of torture.

This time, it was not the interventions of outside forces, her family was not in between them.

This time, she was deliberately ignoring him.

She blocked his number, mail back whatever gifts he would try to bribe her with… he even knelt outside her business suite for a whole day, just to make her talk to him.

But she was a crafty little fox… that he confirmed: when, after stepping out her door and saw him kneeling surrounded with a plethora of flowers and swooning employees, she played coy.

Her eyes grew wide and a beautiful blush bloomed on her perfect little cheeks.

"Taisho-sama!" She exclaimed, punctuating it with the most innocent gasp as she ran towards him and pulled him to stand, "Oh my, you didn't have to do this!" She dusted his knees as he stood. He roughly pulled her into a tight embrace.

The swooning employees melted and cheered.

"Hear me out," he pleaded, as he pulled away slightly to look at her adorable face, "Kagome. Please, stop this little game of yours and just listen to me,"

Her blue eyes deepened in hue as a contemplative look passed her expression, and a soft smile settled on her lips. Tears brimmed in her eyes, "Taisho-sama…" she whispered, and she buried her face on his shirt. Just as he was about to sigh in immense relief, she tugged at his sleeve and tiptoed, as he bent down in cue that she was about to whisper him something: "No."

The heir froze, dumbfounded.

She pulled away and flashed him the sweetest, most innocent smile- paired with an intentional blush that could have melted any poor sap that stood within a twenty-mile radius.

And that poor sap that stood within a twenty-mile radius included him.

"Take care of yourself, Taisho-sama!" She said as she waved goodbye.

Sesshomaru stepped back from her closed door, staring at the large gift box that he placed smack in the middle of the hallway. Today was the day that Naraku and Kagura would return from Europe, and a little later from now, he would make his way to the designated meeting room and reject the stupid deal.

"Just you wait, stubborn little woman." A curious little smirk crossed his handsome face. "After this meeting, I'll make sure you won't be able to ignore me…

I'll make sure your attentions are committed only to me-

And there will be nothing else you can do. "

With one last look at the offending barrier between them, Sesshomaru turned and walked away.

"You're rejecting the deal?" Naraku remained calm, not even perturbed as he swiveled on his chair and sipped his wine.

"It's one-sided," Sesshomaru answered, remaining as stoic and emotionless as ever. "The terms are ridiculous in my end. So yes, I have to reject it."

Naraku shrugged his shoulders and placed the wine on the large desk. He stood up. "Very well then, now it's all decided… no engagement between Inuyasha and my —"

"However, I propose a negotiation." Sesshomaru suddenly said, and Naraku paused.

"I'm listening."

"You can still bind her to the Taisho family, but not through Inuyasha." With a confident stance and chin haughtily up, Sesshomaru presented his terms: "Arrange her with me. You get the Taisho heir, and we get the Higurashi heiress. It's a win-win situation, and both parties will mutually benefit."

A smirk crossed the older businessman's face, "I like this… negotiation," Naraku turned to the other person who had been standing at the far end of the desk, "Kagura?"

She strode towards Naraku and settled a hand on his arm, nodding her quiet approval.

Sesshomaru was not done. "I have one more condition."

All eyes settled on the golden-eyed businessman.

"I don't want a mere engagement ceremony." Sesshomaru firmly said. "I need this deal to be cemented, as soon as possible. Tomorrow."

Kagura gave him a smirk. "The rumors are true. You are ruthless, Sesshomaru Taisho."

Naraku's own smirk turned into a full-blown grin. "A perfect addition to our family," he complimented, and reached out to offer his hand,

"Now…do we have a deal, Taisho-san?"

"Father," Sesshomaru said through the video chat, as he sat on the back seat of their luxury sedan and the chauffeur drove through the rural roads to his rented house, "I need you to fly here immediately, I struck a deal with Naraku-san.

I'm getting married tomorrow morning."

"Oh, good, good. Izayoi! Inuyasha! Did you hear that? " His father answered, and the nonchalance in Touga's voice struck the heir as odd. It was when his father tilted the camera and he saw Inuyasha on the table, munching away, and Izayoi waving at him pleasantly — that he realized.

Why did the room look so oddly familiar?

"Keh," Inuyasha said with a mouth stuffed with food, "He cheated! She was supposed to be mine!" He finally swallowed the lump, "Well there's no helping it. Congratulations, Onii-san. And I'm saying it with a heavy heart!"

Sesshomaru almost balked. "What are you all doing in my house?" He did recognize the room. It was the same dining area where he and Kagome had dinner together, the same area where he asked her for a drink,

And Touga spun the camera back to himself, smiling.

He was sitting on the very elevation where Kagome confessed to him and they kissed.

"You didn't have to call us, we're already here." Touga informed. "That girl of yours… she is one scary woman."

"Father, just what are you talking about-"

"Seriously, Sesshomaru… she is the daughter of the two most cunning people on planet Earth. She shouldn't be all rainbows and butterflies, as much as she really is, though…" he pondered.

Sesshomaru sat stiff, as Touga continued his explanation.

"She called me. After she explained everything to you, she heard you murmur about canceling the deal. So she called me… and I told her all about the deal."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened. "She knows?" The heir's brows met in confusion, as he recalled her reaction after she found out. The tears, the yelling-

The three-day torture afterward.

"Then what was this torment all about?" He said in disbelief.

Touga only laughed, "Well for starters, let me tell you about everything in that phone call."

Kagome expressed her happiness as he assured her: the feeling was mutual between Sesshomaru and her.

"I'm glad that you both feel the same way. But Kagome-chan… I just have this one concern. I know your father, and I know that he has a Plan B, just in case his original plan doesn't fall through."

"Taisho-sama," Kagome answered, "You might be right…"

"I don't know what it is, but I have strong suspicions. And if my suspicions are correct, that is where my fear starts to grow. I know Sesshomaru, and he can be one traditional idiot. He'll take his time to court you, make sure you're comfortable with him… lay you on a velvet pillow… but you don't need that.

Not if your father is hellbent on marrying you off before you turn twenty. And I've heard of your loyal tendencies- you'd do anything to keep your parent's favor,"

Kagome fell silent.

"That's what's scaring me right now. He'll reject the deal, and you'll fall into the hands of another family." Touga let out an exhausted breath. "That slowpoke. He needs a stronger kick in the balls right now…

Maybe I should go there myself and negotiate for him-"

"Don't." Kagome said, "Don't do that. I want him to fight for me… I want him to do the negotiation."

"Kagome-chan, I understand where you're coming from, but-"

"I'll make him negotiate," she suddenly said, and Touga frowned.

"We can't lose any precious time."

"Ah, Taisho-sama…" she pressed, and he could almost see the grin in her angelic little face. Touga dropped silent as she continued. "Did I have to repeat myself? I said I'll make him negotiate. I might have to yank some heartstrings and twist his guts a little, but I guarantee you.

Not an engagement…

But a marriage proposal. At the end of the week."

His hackles stood at the laced mischievousness… and hidden poison… of her pleasant voice. It was then that he realized, he was talking to Kagome, the Higurashi couple's most lethal weapon, their"big gun" when it came to negotiations.

"If he is as hesitant as you say, then I might just add in a few heartbroken hysterics and several tears to kick up the pace," she said in the sweetest voice. "So don't worry. I've got it in the bag, Taisho-sama. He'll realize what he's losing, and he'll be so fired up he won't be willing to go another day without me."

Touga couldn't suppress the smirk that was forming in his face, as he recalled a portion of her rumors- one of the nicer ones- "Her charm is so strong, she'll make you want to jump off a skyscraper— willingly— if she told you to."

Of course, he thought. As expected of the Higurashi heiress, who was well known for her infamous cunning, and notoriously manipulative charm.

- The following day :) -

Camera flashes and eager reporters rushed to the Taisho heir as he stepped out of his car. Sesshomaru threaded his way through the crowd, shielded by bodyguards as they led him to the guarded Torii gates of the closed-off shrine.

He entered and climbed the stone steps with ease, his footsteps light and deliberate. When he reached the end, he paused to dust off some fallen leaves that had settled on his black-and-gray traditional kimono, and he swiped his high ponytail off his shoulder.

"About time you'd arrive, cheater."

He lifted his gaze. Inuyasha was standing before him, his arms crossed and holding a disappointed look on his face. "This was supposed to be my wedding." He pouted, and Sesshomaru reached out and messed his hair.

"You'll get your chance soon," he promised, "But Kagome, she's mine."

"I know, I know. Congratulations, Onii-san." He gave him a lopsided grin, and Sesshomaru chuckled.

"Son," His father wrapped him in a fond hug, followed by his stepmother Izayoi, as she tugged him into the considerably large, but familiar crowd. "Greet your guests," she dragged him into the grounds, "That's the least you can do for their efforts in coming here with such a short notice."

As Sesshomaru delivered a thousand thank you's and apologies, his eyes kept wandering in the direction of the shrine steps. He was starting to get nervous…

Then a stirring from the tail end of the crowd caught his attention.

"She's here," was the single uttered phrase, and he strode with hurried steps towards the stairs. He stopped and caught his breath.

Sesshomaru ran down, meeting her halfway.

"Ah, hello, Sesshomaru," she greeted as she looked up, stopping her ascent. His black-clad figure did not shadow the all-white wedding kimono she was wearing, "Good to see you again."

Without any words, he reached out for her wrist and dragged her roughly towards him, the girl almost stumbling from the steps under her feet. But she found herself engulfed in his familiar tall figure, and she blushed. "Eh?"

"You sly little fox," he whispered in her ear, "Manipulating me with your tears and smiles- you've already ensnared me, you didn't have to torture me, you know."

Kagome wiggled her hands out and embraced him back, "I just wanted to make sure you knew how miserable you'd be without me," she said, ever so innocently, " And I also wanted to make sure I got that proposal. I found out about papa's Plan B: I called him after I talked to your father. If the deal would fall and no negotiations were made on your part, he would have me marry off Doctor Hojo of the Akitoki Family-"

She stopped when he squeezed her small frame harder to him. He nuzzled his face in the curve of her delicate neck, "No. You're mine."

Kagome giggled, pulling away. "Oh?"

"And I'll make sure you're aware of that," He grinned, "Until the day we die."

Sesshomaru dipped down to capture her sweet, smiling lips when someone from behind Kagome cleared his throat. The couple paused and they turned around-

The whole Higurashi family was five steps behind them, they had been there all along.

"Don't you think that should be saved for the last part of the ceremony?" Kouga teased, as his wife Ayame giggled from his side.

"Let's go," Naraku said in all his cold glory, dragging an elegantly poised Kagura with him.

"You wouldn't want to delay the wedding any further." the matriarch said, "I heard the priest is as old as father time," they brushed past Kagome, her mother giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

Sango winked at her and Shippo gave her the thumbs up.

Kagome laughed, tugging Sesshomaru with her as they followed them to the shrine.

Sesshomaru permitted her to lead him with her warm hand enclosing his. He was allowing her to lead the way, and he so easily bent to her will. He smirked- he will have to tame his sly little fox starting tonight, and every night from now on.

But when they finally reached the altar, she turned to him, and she smiled.

Sesshomaru smiled back, as he realized-

He was at her mercy... and he did not mind at all.

End