#YES KAGOME SASS HIM!

[procrastinatorrexii]

"Oh, of course," She grumbled, with her cheek still pressed firmly to the lovely, motionless floor, "we wouldn't want to cut into your busy schedule of driving me insane."

[dancingbabya-notes]

Summer Windows 9

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Characters: Inuyasha, Diluc, Damian , Arataki Itto, Kaminari Denki, Kageyama Tobio, Midoriya Izuku

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Is this late? Yes. Do I have a reason? The vibes were off. I was probably having creative burnout and it happens. CW: The last one hints at nsfw actions but otherwise its fine

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57: Snorkeling

Inuyasha

Holding the pen steady you frown, the small study group was supposed to pick a summer activity to participate in. The list was damn near empty save for one suggestion: 'camping.’ You look at the small group and sigh.

“Honestly it doesn’t matter what we do or if we do anything, just make a list.” You were ready to throw the pen or just leave, every day for two weeks something needed to be suggested, not just one thing.

“Summer will be over before we get anything done, just make up stuff,” the quietest member of your group huffs. Inuyasha.

You give a slight nod. “I tried, but it was rejected. If only he hadn’t become the activity coordinator this would be easier.”

“It just has to be something related to our study group right?” Kagome asks while throwing something at Inuyasha.

“Yes.”

Koga thinks for a moment. “Snorkeling.”

Inuyasha scoffs. “You can’t even swim.”

“Neither can you.”

You slap a book on the table before the argument can escalate. “Shut up girls, you're both pretty. Snorkeling is added to the list, next.”

Kagome nods. “The aquarium.”

Inuyasha huffs. “Nature walk.”

“Oh, now you're participating?” You sass.

Koga frowns. “The thought of you actually forcing us to go camping sounded terrible.”

You roll your eyes. “It wasn’t even my idea. It was the sponsor’s, but instead we’re gonna do one of the suggestions.”

“Who died and made you leader?” Inuyasha sits up.

You point to Kagome. “She and I were the ones who set up the group, Kagome had shrine duties so I usually end up taking up most of the work. Not that I mind.”

Kagome nods. “They’re right, Y/N is technically the leader. The least we can do is supply some suggestions.”

“How about beach-combing?” “Or maybe we could go hiking.”

“There now we have a full list. Of everyone here what suggestion are we gonna take off?” You smile.

“Snorkeling, a certain number of members are not strong swimmers.” Kagome nods.

With the other two votes you nod. “Alright, I’m gonna cross off camping too, because a family situation came up and I can’t afford to leave for more than twenty four hours.”

Eventually through voting the Nature walk won. You would contact a place and get all the details ironed out with Inuyasha since he suggested. While you were gathering the things and taking a quick picture of the whiteboard you noticed the male approaching.

“What’s up?” You ask while positioning your phone.

Inuyasha sits next to you and watches. “You didn’t have to listen to Sesshomaru.”

“He’s your brother.”

“That shouldn’t matter, he doesn’t care.”

You settle for a bad picture and turn to him. “How long have you known me?”

“Why does it matter?”

Grabbing his hand you tug on the matching friendship bracelet that he and you share. “You wouldn’t have kept this otherwise. We may be connected because of our parents but I’m not gonna leave you alone Inuyasha.”

He scoffs. “I like someone else.”

You give a small smile. “I know. It doesn’t bother me but there’s nothing I can do about this.”

58: Family reunion

Diluc

“I fail to see the advantage to att-“ Diluc sends you a sharp glare when reviving a sharp jab to the ribs.

“It’s called personal relations, it’s a polite thing to do. You don’t have to be polite to everyone, only the people I care about.” You hiss.

Diluc gives you an amused glance before adjusting his coat.

“Y/N, you’re here and you brought your fiancé that I’ve heard so much about.” Your mom rushes over pulling you into a hug.

“Hello mother, yes you threatened bodily harm if I didn’t come,” you sass but reciprocate the hug.

It wasn’t often you saw your mother, being a captain at the knights of Favonius was rather time-consuming.

She pinched your cheek harshly. “Now I would never do that to my oldest baby.”

“Mama, seriously.” You pull away presenting Diluc. “This is my husband to be, Diluc Ragnvindr.”

Just the mention of husband was like a signal for everyone to tune into the conversation. As much as you felt bad for throwing Diluc to the wolves you would be able to help him if he would ask.

“Y/N, you came to the family reunion,” your cousin smiles as they crush you into a hug. “Why did you have to say that so loud?”

You ruffle her hair. “Crystal, if I didn’t do that your mom would have brought up the fact that you’re not getting married. I need my favorite mercenary to stay untethered.”

“Yes but if you leave him alone for too long it could spell disaster,” she urges.

Giving a slight shrug you happen to make eye contact with Diluc. A big smile spreads. “I’ll face the consequences later.”

59: “I can too swim” “not very well obviously”

Damian

Laying in the deck you groan, Damian clicks his tongue in disapproval.

“You said you can swim.” His words were biting into your already broken pride.

Maybe you should have kept the life vest on but you weren’t about to be the only one with it. The small time you spent with these other hero kids you knew they didn’t know the meaning of gentle jokes. Sitting up quickly you frown.

“I can too swim.”

His green eyes cut through anything else you could say. “Not very well obviously.”

“You got them out of the water?” Dick smiles looking over the second level.

“You idiots can swim well enough next time you save the rookie.” Damian scoffs before grabbing his towel and aggressively drying his hair.

You look up with a pout. “Why did we decide to go swimming in the first place?”

“It was Aqualad’s turn to pick a team building exercise.”

Slowly unrolling your own towel you slowly pat your body dry. Yeah this was possibly one of the worst ideas for a team building activity, at least pertaining to you. 

“Terraformer! You almost died, are you okay?” Starfire grabs your hands, invading your personal space.

But before you can answer Damian pulls you out of her grasp. Drying your hair with a towel.

“Crowding them after an event like that is unwise,” he hisses.

“I’m not glass, I’m just not used to being off land.” You grumble seating his hands away, if he rubbed it any harder you would have a bigger problem fixing your hair later.

“Can we rely on you to keep Terraformer company while we are in the water, little D?” Dick asks.

You give a pout. “No, I'll be fine on my own. All of you can go have fun in the water.”

“I’ll stay.”

With that you tried to get up and go inside the boat, but Damian held you down. Meaning the two of you were alone.

“You said you could swim.”

“Well America isn’t exactly known for having a good track record of teaching their children how to swim,” you hiss. “I didn’t want to be left at the tower.”

He forces you to face him. “That would have been better than almost drowning.”

Pushing away from his grip you wanted to scream but settle for tears. “Do you know how lonely it is? Being alone the only one who can’t do something? I’ve lived like that since the first time I threw a rock at someone, my parents locked me in a shed until your brother dragged me out.”

“Kent isn’t my brother.”

“Y’all are close enough might as well be. Just leave me alone Damian, I’m done playing the be nice to the sheltered child game. It would have been better if I had stayed at the tower,” you mumble finally able to get far enough away from him.

60: Night market

Itto

“Y/N, have you secured the funds?” Kuki asks as you walk around the corner.

Tossing her your coin pouch you roll your eyes. “You buy the supplies. Tomorrow the night market starts and that's when you’ll get the better deals.”

“Really then I’ll-

“No!” You and Kuki shout at the same time.

Arataki Itto is known for spending the gang’s money on things we definitely didn’t need. Luckily before your big brother left Inazuma he got you a job working at the tea house. Thankfully you appreciated the fact that he could use your vision, you’d received it during the early stages of the decree, you didn’t need a vision.

“Tomorrow, we have to build the stage. You’re lucky my brother was such good friends with the Kamisato maid, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to get all this stuff done.” You remind him.

“But I-

Kuki pushes you closer. “Come on, you two got to spend more time together, think of it as bonding.”

You squeak. “Kuki.”

Maybe you shouldn’t have relayed your feelings to Kuki. Maybe you had let the drink sit for too long, and honestly you wondered how the words came out so easily to your friend.

“Right bonding.” You finally say as her eyes tell you a different story.

“Should I just stay at your house to put the things together then?” Itto asks.

This question makes you tense.

“That’s a great idea, y/n you and Itto can start on things at your house today. Then easily get everything together tomorrow,” she claps her hands.

Itto nods. “Maybe if we finish early enough we can go to the night market and look around?”

Kuki nods. “That way if I need help moving anything you two can help me.”

“Uh Huh. Let’s go big guy, if we’re going to my house I gotta pick up extra food from gramps.” Turning around you sigh.

Yeah, walking around the night market with Itto would be an adventure indeed. It wasn’t like you hadn’t gone with him or Kuki before but the idea that one person knew your feelings besides you made it different. Even if it wasn’t the person the feelings were towards.

“Oh Y/N, I was expecting you.”

“How’s it going grandpa Shimura?” You smile.

He slides two boxes your way. “I carefully packed extra servings for you. I know how much you like the unagi so I gave you an extra helping. And the young lady across the way gave me some dango to give you.”

You peek back at the woman standing at the adventure post. “Thanks, Katheryne.”

“Of course, y/n.” She gives a small wave.

Picking up the boxes you look at Itto. “Well we should go then. You remember the way, right?”

“Of course I do. I’ve been to your place plenty of times, you’re a great host by the way. Not that I would think of you as a bad host. I'm not stalling just because I can’t remember if you wanted to walk there from here or use that fancy thing you do when you pop from one place to the other,” he prattles on.

“You wanna hold the food and I lead the way?”

“Yes.”

Rolling your eyes, you hand him the boxes and lead the way. Yeah, you were in for a long two days off.

61: Seashells

Denki

“Why exactly were we sent for beach patrol?” You gripe.

Kaminari smirks, he must have been reveling in the idea of spending the day at the beach while getting paid. “Loosen up Y/N, you seemed excited about it at first. It’s not so bad your quirk is perfect for this.”

“Right.” Dragging out the word in your sarcastic tone, you rolled your eyes for added emphasis.

“Come on, you're like the coolest person here.”

Frowning you ball your hand in a fist. “I’ll hit you, and I’ll enjoy it. Just because I got an ice quirk similar to my cousin doesn’t mean it’s perfect for the beach.”

He shrugs. “Hey, it's better than being quirkless.”

Your shoulders drop. “Guess you’re right.”

Technically you fell into an outlier of a quirk user. The doctors told your parents that you should have had a quirk, but when you got to high school it was like a switch. Suddenly you had a quirk and had frozen your entire school floor. From that moment there was a narrative that you hid your quirk and because of a bad cold it just popped out and you could contain it any longer. When actually you couldn’t control it.

“You okay, Y/N?” Kaminari asks as you look at him.

“Yeah, I’m fine just practicing.” You look down at the ice popsicle you created.

He nods. “Mhmm.”

As the day dragged on you had to walk away from Kaminari to respond to something only you could do. Only for him to catch up to you later and drop something in your hands.

“What?”

“Seashells.”

“I know but why would I want-

“Don’t start getting technical with me. They’re pretty I thought you would like them,” he shakes his head.

Taking a better look at them you shrug. “They’re not that bad.”

“Did I win points?” He asks.

“No, you got half a point. Let’s go back to the agency, I need to sit in a hot bath.”

62: Watermelon

Tobio

“Oh dear, Y/N, you didn’t tell me you were gonna have company,” oh how your mother’s gossip voice was grating on the ears. She only used that voice when she wanted the aunties in the neighborhood to hear her.

“I did tell you, Tobio was gonna come over because you wanted to give us some watermelon,” you whisper, trying to shield your face.

“Right, my child's national volleyball player boyfriend, maybe eventually you’ll get married. You two have been dating for over three years.” She says a little louder.

“Mom!” You gasp with all the energy of any embarrassed child in public, it couldn’t get any worse.

Tobio smirks. “I’ve really considered it recently.”

Oh, how you wished you could bury yourself in a hole right now.

Your mom claps her hands excitedly. “Oh really? I’ve never heard anything like that from my child. If you’re gonna get married I’ll look forward to when you two adopt your first kid.”

“Mom! Watermelon.” You remind her.

“Right, right. The watermelon, come in you two. Will you tell me if you get married?” She smiles.

Tobio nods. “Of course.”

You gave a weak smile. “I don’t have anyone else to tell but you mom.”

“Damn straight, those others were terrible. Saying that you wouldn’t make any money from that little project from high school, but look at you now my baby owns a business,” she smiles.

This made you smile. Your number one cheerleader. Tobio sat next to you at the counter while you both ate.

“Did you want to get married?”

“I don’t care one way or the other.” You shrug. “As long as everyone’s happy and healthy.” 

63: Bug bites

Midoriya

“Oh hey Y/N, those are some serious bug bites!” Kaminari, your childhood best friend, gasps. 

Your back was turned to him and you knew that you hadn’t gotten any bug bites recently. What could he be referring to?

“Bakubro, you need to see this!”

What? Now you were more worried about what you couldn’t see. You were just walking around in your swimsuit if you had a serious bug bite, maybe you shouldn’t go swimming today.

“What the hell is it extra?”

“Y/N, has some serious bug bites look.” Kaminari touched your back making you jump since his hands felt like ice. “Did I hurt you?”

Shaking your head you stop putting the sandwiches together. “Is it really that bad?”

Bakugo laughed. “Oh yeah, it’s bad it looks like you have a really bad bug problem.”

“What?!” You shriek about to go look in the mirror to check the damages.

“Mhmm, it’s a big green bug.”

This made you pause midstep. “Izuku!”

Popping out of his corner face redder than Kirishima’s sunburn. “Yes Y/N, the love of my life?”

“Run.”

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[ailuro-mania]

Always

Hey! I wrote another thing. This is a lot shorter than intended. I'm very bad at focusing on writing. But I really liked this whole idea, and my girlfriend really did too. So I had to write it, naturally. Can also read here  --- It was a bad day. Or at least, under Inuyasha’s opinion it was. Kagome was leaving the village with Sango together, alone, with next to know protection aside from their sass. Never mind Sango being a badass demon slayer, or Kagome’s ability to purify evil within seconds, she was leaving him behind. Him and Moroha. Their daughter who was barely pushing 6 months.  

“You can’t leave,” he simply stated, eyeing his wife though his face did not turn to meet hers.  

“I most certainly can,” the miko commented right back. She was folding some clothes she’d recently unclipped from their drying line directly into a wicker basket they acquired last season. Kagome actually seemed to enjoy doing such mundane tasks Inuyasha couldn’t even fathom about.  

He scoffed, tucking his arms into each sleeve. A sneer settled across his lips when he finally turned to look at her with all the confidence in the world. Oh, this will win the argument. “And what about Moroha?” he didn’t even bother trying to hide the smirk.  

Kagome tiled her head, a strand of her tresses swishing into her face, “What about Moroha? You’ll be watching her.”  

Inuyasha’s eyes widened, “Wh- what? Me? Watching Moroha?”

“Yes, you.” Kagome leaned down to heave the basket up onto her hip before a blur of red approached her side and took the basket into his own clawed hands. She faltered a solid second, a smile playing at her lips though she hid it within seconds, not daring to give him the satisfaction during a debate. “You’ll be fine. And aside from that, you haven’t so much as spent an hour alone with our daughter.”  

Inuyasha’s upper lip twitched a tad, “How am I supposed to spend an hour alone with her when you’re dying to hold her at every moment? Besides, can’t Kaede watch her and I go with you? You haven’t left once since Moroha was born. And I’m not... I don’t like the idea of you leaving. Not yet.”  

The miko smiled, tucking the hair that played in the wind behind her ears. Her Inuyasha, only in these moments is she blessed with such honesty. It was delectable.  

“It’s only the next village over. I should be back before the sun even sets,” she felt his tension even before the words filtered out. “I will be back before the sun sets.”  

Inuyasha pressed his lips together and set the basket down at the front entry of their hut, an ear turned to listen inside, the other focused on her. Their little one was fast asleep. Moroha always seemed to sleep an hour into sunrise, and the young parents were not ones to change that. She was up all night, Kagome and Inuyasha finding their alone time well within the meek hours of the morning. They loved every moment with their girl, but it was so much easier to just be alone at times.  

“You’ll be fine. Sango will be with me for extra protection though she honestly isn’t even terribly needed,” She gingerly reached up to cup his cheek within the palm of her hand.  

Inuyasha subconsciously leaned into her touch, golden eyes gazing directly into chocolate brown. His hair engulfed her wrist in a bracelet of silver whilst the breeze continued to dance through every strand. “I still don’t like it.”  

“I know,” she leaned up on her toes to press her lips against his in a passionate pursuit only to be moments away to hear their daughter, on cue, wailing.  

Though the interruption, the miko couldn’t help but smile. She leaned that smile into a quick peck on her husband's lips before turning on her heel and headed straight into their hut.  

“Well, hello little one,” she chirped, heading directly toward the bundle of attention seeking that was their daughter. She scooped Moroha up into her arms in one swift movement. The little girl let out a loud squeal of delight as she always did seeing her mother. Little hands turned into fists as the young one reached out toward Kagome’s cheeks. Kagome complied by putting her face directly into the path of her daughters, letting her pat her down.  

Inuyasha all but watched, his heart full of emotion for the most important people in his life. He watched as his wife smoothed out their daughter's bed head and smothered their happy girl in kisses, he watched as she wiped the bit of drool at the corner of Moroha’s lips. He wished he could watch every moment of this, possibly even freeze it. As selfish as it sounded, he didn’t want things to change. And he most certainly did not want his wife leaving the area where he couldn’t watch her, not with their pup this young.  

He made a grunting noise, catching both his girl's attention. Moroha offered an extremely gummy grin toward her father and reached her arms out in his direction next. It was his turn to get mauled by the beast. Kagome sauntered over, arms stretched out, Moroha at hand. He made a face at the miko as he gently took her into his arms next.  

Kagome stood up on her tippy toes once again to kiss their daughter's cheek and playfully ruffle Inuyasha’s hair, much to his distaste. The next move she made was toward her bow and arrows she’d been practicing with fairly frequently since the birth of Moroha.  

“What if she gets hungry?” He continued, holding their pup against his right side. The little one had taken to playing with his hair, strands of the silver already covered in drool. “She needs you if she gets hungry.”  

A soft laugh escaped through Kagome’s lips as she shook her head, “No, she’s already started to wean. We’re balancing, and today can be a day in which she stays off me. As much as I adore her, she can be... well...” the miko just shook her head, sparing her husband that bit of information he’d probably never shake. “You can take her down to Miroku’s for lunch.”  

He raised a brow, “Breakfast?”

“Already mashed some solid foods this morning. You watched me do it,” Kagome slung the bow around her shoulder, her quiver stead strong on the other side.  

“Kagome, really. I don’t know about this. I really don’t thin-”  

“You don’t know about what, Inuyasha? Watching our child?” Her hands were at her hips. Fuck. He’d treaded into a battlefield.  

“No! I- well-”  

“I carried her for nine solid months,” she took two steps forward, Inuyasha taking one back. “In my own body. I carried her daily afterward and have been with her for another 6 months after. Inuyasha, I just ask of you, just this once, ple-”

“Alright, woman!” His brows pulled together, straightening back up. “I’ll watch her today. I’ll watch her any day so long as you promise to keep safe, to come back.”  

Yet another smile grew across such soft pink lips. “Always.”

A familiar voice carried over to their hut. Sango, calling for Kagome. Inuyasha glanced toward the door. The moment Kagome started forward he’d gently caught her wrist with one hand, pulling her back into his available arm, Moroha still balanced in the other content with his hair. He placed a lasting kiss against Kagome’s lips, a small noise of relish slipping from her. They lasted for another few seconds before both their mutual friend knocked at the side of their door, eyebrows quirked.  

“You sure you want to go still?” Sango asked, a teasing smile displayed.  

Kagome rolled her eyes, “I’m coming.” She turned to kiss her daughter once more, squeezing Inuyasha’s hand. “Always,” she repeated one last time, a bit of emphasis laced through the word.  

He pursed his lip once her back was turned. “You watch out for her, Sango.”  

It was Sango’s turn to roll her eyes, “We’re mothers, Inuyasha. If anything, we’re the most threatening things on this side of the region.”  

He’d watch as they walked away, ignoring every instinct telling him to follow after. Sango was right. Their group protected one another. They’d kill for each other, or each other's family. Kagome was in good hands and he knew it well, he knew she could easily take care of herself. Though he faintly missed his clutzy crush, she’d turn into a graceful, powerful miko, and a mother. A mother of his child, something he’d never even dreamed of becoming a possibility in his cruel reality.  

And just as he begun to feel himself sink into such deep emotions; his daughter immediately pulled him out with a fit of wailing. “Fuck.”  

-------

The silver haired half-demon found himself at the monk's house fairly quickly. Moroha gave him an impossible try for food the moment Kagome’s scent was out of reach for both of them. She was entirely different without her mother as he begun to realize. She pushed every attempt of food away and kicked. His patience was thin to begin with, but with his daughter it stretched further than the horizon. He needed to be able to do this. So, he found himself here, surrounded by 3 human children and an extremely enthusiastic and well-sought monk.  

“So,” Miroku smirked, “came to me for child advice after all?”  

Inuyasha scoffed and gave him one of his famous glares, “I think your children could give better advice than you could. Sango does most of the childcare and we both know it.”  

“Touche.” Miroku and him both sat at a table within their larger hut. After Kagome’s disappearance, Sango and Miroku’s life went on. Not that Inuyasha could be upset about such a thing. He was happy to see them happy, to see their wishes coming true. Though he’d sulk, he still enjoyed watching as Miroku changed from less of a lecher to more of a father. He still had his moments though; moments Sango still seeks revenge on.  

Their hut was larger, but only because they planned such a large family that they may have overcompensated. But who knew, they still had many years to go, perhaps more were well within the near future.  

The children ran about the front of the hut, weaving between the door and front yard. A gate was spread across the face of their house which gated the young ones in. The twins were pushing four, Hisui almost two. Hisui was placed at the feet of the monk playing with some sort of rattle that rung in the half-demons' ears. Moroha was pressed well against his chest, leaking from her nose from an earlier sob.  

As soon as he’d walked up the twins were at his feet, clinging on for dear life as their favourite uncle carried them with ease. Miroku didn’t even so much as bother to tell them to stop, he knew Inuyasha secretly loved his daughter's trust. Moroha went from crying to fascination so fast it nearly gave Inuyasha whip-lash. Kin’u and Gyokuto both bouncing about, their heads hardly tall enough to reach up to his knee.   “Ooo, Moroha!” Kin’u called out. She’d made a silly attempt at pressing each palm of her hand against either side of her face directing the expression toward Moroha. The little girl within Inuyasha’s arms letting out a laugh that rung through his ears, but mostly shook his heart.   “Can we play with her, pleeeease?” Gyokuto begged, dragging the word out until her little lungs were airless.   Inuyasha pressed his lips together in silent contemplation. Had Kagome let them play with their girl? Surely, she had... Moroha seemed thrilled about it.   “Alright. But only inside the hut, where I can see.”   Both the twins hooted, reaching up for his treasured daughter. The half-demon complied, prying his daughter far too easily from his chest to the twin's enthusiastic arms. The little snake, of course she’d abandoned him for two loudmouth girls.   He watched silently as they each took a hand of his daughters and teetered Moroha up on her feet, walking her over toward their play corner surrounded by childrens toys.   Miroku let out a whistle, Inuyasha’s head jerking toward it, “What?” “Kagome’s never let them play with her,” he said, smug. “She hardly lets Moroha out of her arms when you’re all here.” Inuyasha’s eyes widened slightly.   “What? You hadn’t noticed?” The purple in his eye glinted. Surprisingly, Inuyasha never wanted to punch anyone more than his best friend. Even Naraku was less-punchable. He snorted and put his nose up in the air, “Of course I noticed.” Emphasis on ‘noticed’. “I can just watch out for them better with my keen senses. Besides, Kagome left me in charge. We’re doing things differently.”   “Uhhuh...” Miroku nodded, eyebrows raised. “Well, in that case. What are we having for lunch O Great Leader?” He’d made it a dramatic to put his hands out in front of himself, arms pushed in Inuyasha’s direction for exaggeration.   “You’re the one who's supposed to be in charge of that, lecher.”   “Harsh,” Miroku pulled his hands back in to cover his heart, “I was. Up until recent development. I’d love to see you take charge during the high sun over four children and your favourite friend.” The smirk planted on the monk's lips worsened the half-demons want, no, need to punch him. “Also, your kid is shoving a toy up her nose.” He nodded his head toward the three children in the corner while snagging his son off the ground.   Inuyasha immediately stood up and walked over to the three girls, the twins trying to pry Moroha’s hands away from her nose. The youngest girls grip being far too strong for two humans, even if she’d only developed half of her father's half-blood. “Moroha!”  

------

A few hours later Inuyasha found himself alone with his daughter in the confines of their hut. Moroha had been set down at the top of the hut’s layout, far from the ledge in which he’d tried to baby proof since her crawling development that started only within a few months of her birth. The girl felt as though she was aging rapidly, something that worried the parents but neither seemed to want to address. She looked her age, but the mentality and ability were maturing at an alarming rate. There was much to learn about this girl they’d created together.   He’d gotten up to start building a fire. Though fall had just started to show itself, he knew his wife got chilled almost any night of any season. It was inevitable, her cold feet would constantly press against his warm calves during the darkest hours in search of warmth. He complained, but secretly it was his on his list of Top Things Kagome Did. Right next to plucking his ears before leaving for her daily duties.   Nightfall was still an hour or so away. Inuyasha’s patience warring thinner. No sign of his wife’s scent had entered the permitter, and he’d sniffed the air several times. Much like what his daughter had started to do right that second. He begun to sniff just as fast, finding nothing but the scent of left-over stew balanced above the firepit.   He cocked a brow and walked toward his kid, “Hungry?”   The little one stopped sniffing the air momentarily, big brown eyes rimmed with stunning lashes turned and focused on him. Something akin to a growl rumbled at the base of her throat and up.   Inuyasha blinked a few times, taken back. “Did you... Did you just growl at me?”   Moroha repeated her adorable threat, taking a small bundled up fist move toward her father. Inuyasha sat on his arse a few feet away, still stunned by his daughter's animalistic nature. Sure, sniffing the air was one thing, but to growl?   Moroha was fast, trudging directly for Inuyasha’s lap. Once she reached him she put both hands on the foot that prodded out from under him. Inuyasha leaned forward so his face was directly in front of hers, letting out a growl far more ferocious than his daughter's cute attempt.   To his surprise, she giggled! She let out a loud, stomach deep laugh that made Inuyasha’s lips tug upward in the most genuine smile. The laugh stopped abruptly and she growled again. Inuyasha growling right back. And the laugh returning even louder.   But then she started to push herself up using his foot. His daughter stood up in front of him at a mere 6 months old, her chin held high and her tiny clawed hands caught in his not so tiny clawed hands.   “Hey, kid. Don’t you be doing that. Not yet. Your mother will kill me if you walk when she's not around.” He plucked the girl up from off her feet, folding his legs in front of himself so his knees touched in the air and placed Moroha in his lap, her back and head rested well against his thighs. She smiled all the while, bright brown eyes staring up at her hero.   “You think this is a joke? She really will kill me. You have no idea how scary she is. But you will, eventually. You have my blood, you’re gon’ be a lotta work.”   Moroha’s tiny fist wrapped around her father’s fingers, staring up at him in awe as he spoke.   “You’re gonna learn a lot of things. And I’m sorry for most of them. You’re gonna learn how this world... is harsh. How you and I are different from the rest, and even your mother. How our group is needed, yet so judged outside of this village. You’re gonna learn how to use these claws,” He’d lifted one index finger up, studying his daughters' hand, “how they can really hurt someone if you’re not careful. But I know you will be. I know you’re gonna be a damn good girl. You may have obtained some of my traits, but your mother's blood runs within those veins of yours too. And she's the best human to walk this dammed earth.”   He watched as his daughter's eyes fluttered shut. She was tired, probably exhausted from the twins earlier. He leaned forward to kiss his daughter's forehead, ears turned forward to listen intently to the small but even breathing.   Inuyasha waited a few minutes more before deciding she was out enough to move. He gently lifted her within his arms and walked her over toward her dedicated matt that had a few inches more around the surrounding area to keep her from rolling out. Though with this new standing thing she’d shown off, they may have to come up with a new plan.   After settling her into bed, he’d turned his head toward the doormat. The sun was just nearing itself from hiding away and his wife was just now approaching. Soft thuds planting into the ground that normal human ears would not pick up. He’d wait by the threshold but refused to meet her out there no matter the excitement. He was still petty, of course.   Kagome came trudging in, bow and quiver held over one shoulder, her sandals in the other. She’d ran barefoot. “I’m ba-” Inuyasha’s hand went right over her mouth before she could finish her shout, pointing toward their sleeping daughter. Kagome smiled sheepishly, prying his hand away, “I’m back,” she whispered.   Inuyasha rolled his eyes, “I see that, idiot.”   Kagome pretended to be hurt, smacking his shoulder with no real threat held in the hit. He smirked and leaned forward, taking her into an awaited kiss. Kagome smiled into it, dropping both her items to the ground so she could wrap her arms around his neck, her entire being pressed and hanging off of him. Inuyasha’s arms instinctively wrapped around his miko’s waist to hold her nearby. She pulled away with the same smile, “miss me?”   Inuyasha’s eyebrows knitted, “Not at all.”   The miko’s eyes narrowed, still extremely close to his face. “Oh yeah?” her arms went from draped around his shoulders, down toward the base of his shoulders.   He couldn’t help but let out a quiet snicker, “Yeah.”   “Hm...” His wife made a soft noise at the back of her throat, one corner of her lip tugged up. She pulled her arms in all the way and begun to try and escape his grasp, to which he responded by lifting her up entirely, Kagome letting out a hardly suppressed yet joyous laugh, “Inuyasha!”   He smirked again, still holding her well up in the air, “What are you gonna do about it, woman?”   Kagome continued to laugh as she hardly put in any effort to move, “Put me down, I’m gonna pee,” she laughed out.   Inuyasha scoffed and set her down, ���Ew.”   Kagome rolled her eyes and leaned up again to peck him on the lips, “Hey. You wanted to marry this ‘ew’.”   Inuyasha shrugged, “It has its perks.” A soft coo came from behind him, “I knew it was too good to be true. She’d never sleep through your arrival.”   “Unlike you, some people like me,” Kagome smiled playfully and shouldered past him toward their fully awake daughter. “Hello, my girl!” The miko bent down to scoop her up and pull her into her chest. And Inuyasha watched yet another moment he wished he could freeze. This was it. This was his always. He’d protect them at any cost. His girls.  

[yurawiththegoodhair]

A Kiss Because Time Has Run Out

“Pencils down, your time is up,” the professor announced from the front of the classroom, and Kagome groaned in frustration.

She heard Inuyasha chuckle next to her, and she shot him a glare that only seemed to make him laugh harder.

“I hate Calculus,” she pouted as they handed in their tests. The look the professor gave her was somehow sympathetic and judging at the same time, and she flushed in embarrassment. 

“Really? I had no idea,” her sarcastic bastard of a boyfriend said, taking her extremely heavy bag from her as she struggled under its weight and slinging over his free shoulder.

“I don’t need your sass, right now,” she shot back.

“What exactly do you need, besides a good tutoring session?” 

“Do you have to be an ass about absolutely everything?” 

“Yes,” he replied without hesitation. But when her anger turned genuine, which she knew he no doubt could smell, he backpedaled. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. What can I do?”

Kagome paused in the hallway, leaning against the wall as the rest of the class emptied out the doors leaving them alone. She appeared to be deep in thought, though she knew what she wanted. Knew full well the one thing that would make it all better.

After what felt like a sufficient amount of time to make him wait, she finally answered with a shrug, “A kiss would be a good place to start.”

Inuyasha smiled. The soft one where the right side of his mouth curled up and you could sometimes see one of his fangs poke through, and Kagome almost forgot the terror she had just survived with that one look.

Until he leaned down, gently molding his lips to hers, and the entire world slipped away. 

It still amazed her, even after three years together, how much he affected her. The butterflies that seemed to never leave during the early days were no longer there, but they had been replaced with something she preferred far more; an overwhelming sense that all was right with the world.

And it really was. Even in the midst of losing battles with immortal enemies like math. 

When he pulled back, he leaned his forehead against hers and placed a teasing kiss to her nose. “Better?”

“Exponentially,” she replied, a dreamy smile on her lips.

“Do you even know what an exponent is?” he asked with a raised eyebrow and a mocking smile, while he reached for her hand and they moved down the hall.

“Shut up,” she moaned, suddenly remembering she’d likely just failed her test, though his subsequent laugh sent warmth flooding through her body.

“How about we go get some of your favorite food?”

She wondered if he was thinking of oden or maybe some Italian. Any form of carb sounded heavenly. “And that would be?” 

“Ramen.”

The roll of her eyes was habitual. “That’s your favorite food.”

“Is it?” he asked, feigning innocence as he appeared to think about what she’d said. “Oh, yeah, I guess it is.” 

“You’re such an idiot.” Exasperation laced every word.

“Yeah, but who’s idiot am I?” he replied with a wink.

Kagome couldn’t stop the giggle that left her mouth, before she replied resolutely, “Mine.” 

[kermitbread]

this is also serves as a call out post to my irl friend who sent me a screenshot labeled "ay lmao check this out" and having a prompt that has something to do with two people and a goat wearing a poncho meeting. idk where he got it and I'm too afraid to ask, but I'm here to deliver, so, fanfic time!

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If anyone would have told her, "This is not your day," it would have been an understatement.

It wasn't enough of a sentence to even describe what was happening right now.

Rewind to a few moments earlier. Kagome woke up one morning, just as usual. She got up from bed, getting herself at least decent before stepping out of the apartment. It was a Saturday, so there were plenty of excuses to go out for a little walk, or something.

She walked past her living room, and her peripheral vision made contact with something that didn't just quite belong. Her foot took one step back, slowly inching right towards the living room.

What? What the hell?

There, casually sitting on her couch, was a guy. A guy with long silver hair with a straw hat perched on top. He had a black jacket on, and black jeans. Needless to say he also had some dirt patched around his clothes, and also, quoting from Kagome's mind, insultingly handsome face.

That wasn't even the weirdest part. What's the weirdest part you ask? That white goat that stood next to him wearing an orange poncho, also on the couch.

The goat did a weird sound before starting to chew at the guy's hat. He tugged on the hat and pulled it away from the animal and it bleated angrily at him. His golden eyes narrowed at the goat before falling upon her still frozen form in front of him.

"Oh hey. You're awake."

Kagome didn't even know how to answer to that. She had a million questions in her brain currently jumbling about like some kind of dysfunctional circus. Who is that guy? Is he a demon? How did he get in the apartment? What in the world is that goat here for?

"I know you're probably confused or scared, but hear me out first." He put both hands up and the goat bleated again. "First, to answer any possible questions you might have, yes, I am a demon. Half demon, more specifically."

She could only nod. He continued, "Second, your mom sent me here to tell you she won some kind of free trip to Mexico and now she's on a vacation."

"...why didn't she just call me for that?" She found herself asking. He shrugged, stroking the goat's coat.

"Told me that was too normal for her taste. Your mother's quirky in a good way." He shooed the goat off the couch and rubbed his hands together. Kagome didn't even know whether to laugh or cry, or a mix of both.

"Third, she also sent me to look after you. Told me you've been on your own in the place since last week. I don't really know the whole deal, but here I am anyway."

"And... who are you?"

He seemed stunned at this for a moment, before snapping his fingers and doing a surprised Pikachu face. "Oh, right. You don't remember me?"

"Am I supposed to?" Secretly she felt kind of flattered some handsome man would even have anything to do with her.

"Dude. I used to be your next door neighbor back when we were like, twelve or something." He replied in the most sass Kagome had ever heard from anyone ever. "Understandable that you'd forget, but I could never forget the girl who got stuck on a tree for two hours trying to get her shoe from a branch."

Some kind of memory clocked right back in her cranium. She remembered now! Her family had to move away though, and they hadn't seen each other since then.

"Inuyasha? Is that you?"

"In the flesh."

The goat bleated again, this time a little more louder than before. Kagome was honestly surprised. Last time they saw each other he looked like a cute little nerdy kid, and now...

She flushed red, remembering being embarrassingly thinking he was attractive. (Which still stood true to her, lol)

"But that still doesn't explain why there's a goat right here."

"Huh? Oh. This little guy's a souvenir your mom sent along with me. I named him Marcelito." At the sound of the name, the goat bleated and tried to stretch it's neck at the hat to chew on it. Inuyasha picked the hat up and moved it further away.

"We can't keep a goat here."

"Aww, why not? I'm starting to grow on the little guy." He jokingly pouted and Marcelito just started chewing on it's poncho.

"No animals allowed here. I'll get kicked out."

"Not with me around. I have my ways." He winked in such a way that would have made her tackle him and kiss him right there, right now. But she was a sensible lady, she could keep it in.

"So you're gonna be living here for a while, huh?"

"Seems like it. Why, you're not going to even wanna catch up with me?" He whined, but that teasing voice he had still clung around his words.

"I—well—"

He chuckled. "I'm kidding." He said in between laughs, and Kagome was pretty sure she would die and go to heaven just hearing his voice in such a way.

Yep. She could definitely keep it in.

[lavendertwilight89]

The Great Dog Demon War

Let's get this show on the road!

M rating (I jumped in quicker than I originally planned lol)

**Not trying to spoil my own writing but I know I give up on fics if they say something will or won't happen--I don't want anyone to get deterred to not read because they think/ I implied something; let's be clear-- KEEP READING!! I promise half of what's implied is more than likely false.**

Prologue was posted a week ago if you're tying to jump in now, I'd advise you go back and catch up.

In my defense about trying to pay multiple each week-- this was a super long chapter (I know, I'm bringing infamous for that) but, consider this you 2 for 1 deal this week!

Song inspiration for this chapter: Got Love by Tov Lo

Reminder: I do not own the referenced song or Inuyasha characters

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Chapter 1

Kagome walked out of Kaede's hut wearing her priestess robes. She was holding some nap sacks in front of her at waist level. Her hair down, having grown a little past her waist and blew slightly in the wind. She lifted her head to gaze at the trees before her and smiled at the bloom of the flowers. Cherry blossoms. Beautiful. Reminds me of my haori from our wedding...

Rin emerged from the hut behind her matching her height. She wore a new purple and orange swirled kimono Sesshomaru had brought to her about a month ago. She still wore her side pony tail at the top of her head, her hair extended to her waist. She had grown so much since Kagome's arrival a little more than two years ago. She was becoming a woman. Her sass was just as strong and even more irking than before now knowing what “adults do” to everyone's dismay. She had some nap sacks she was holding in her arms as she stood next to Kagome with a kind smile.

"Lady Kagome, Lady Sango may need some assistance. Would you be able to hold these and I can go help her? Oh---Lady Sango! There you are! Do you need any help??" Rin waved her left arm up high in the sky and a giant open mouth smile swallowed her face when she noticed Sango's approach with her children.

"Good afternoon Rin, hello Kagome!" Sango greeted as she approached. Her two twin girls were walking on each side of her coming up to her waist each also holding nap sacks. They wore short kimonos so their legs would be free to run with the warmer weather and hopefully be able to splash around in the creek they were heading to. Suzuki was in a faded teal and intricate white designs who favored Miroku's looks as she grew older wearing her hair in a short bob-cut with navy eyes while Ayumi was in a faded pink kimono with gold swirls who favored her mother and wore her hair long with a half-up do braided on the sides that connected down the back of her head. Komori, who was slightly bashful, a head shorter than his sisters, walked behind their mother. He had a navy kimono on and seemed to resemble a young Miroku.

Sango wore her Hiraikotsu on her back and wore her usual pink kimono and green tie skirt around her waist. Her carefree smile was breath taking. Many villagers still couldn't believe she married a monk before they could even try to court her.

"Sango! Are you and the kids ready? Inuyasha had said they should be finished before the evening with their job and should be able to meet us for our late lunch at the village's edge."

"Yes, we are ready to go. It'll be great to see everyone again. It's been quite awhile since we have seen them."

Once Sango reached them, they turned and started making their way to the village's edge.  They were meeting up with some of the older allies they had made during their fight with Naraku.  They had briefly seen some in passing like at Kagome and Inuyasha’s wedding but not enough to be able to converse with everyone. Especially with other things on their mind that evening. 

Kagome thought back on their walk to the valley to after Inuyasha’s proposal the night Kagome returned and got lost in her own memories blushing lightly...

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They married only a week after their reunion. Some of the villagers were stunned of how quickly she accepted or that she was willing to “dirty herself” with a half-demon.  She was asked if she was scared if she would lose her purification powers when she laid with him.  Inuyasha began to get more nervous about their union until Kagome had reassured him that their opinions did not matter and she wasn’t phased by them. Truthfully, she didn’t care.  She crossed over five-hundred years into the past to be with him. If they were thrown out of the village and had nothing, she would still remain by his side. Inuyasha took her reassurance to heart and tried to ignore the hateful phrases and implications some of the villagers threw their way. 

They had begun to work on building their own home outside of the village as Inuyasha preferred privacy (and to be away from the village gossip anyway).  Kagome didn’t mind and honestly, enjoyed the idea of being alone without interruptions as well. While Inuyasha and the other men from the village who had no issue with Inuyasha and adored Kagome worked on their future home, Kagome prepared for the wedding and also began her priestess training.  She was wiped out by the end of each day and fell into a deep slumber each night with Inuyasha not far from her reach. Kaede hadn’t objected to sleeping in the same hut as them, just as long as there was no bed sharing.  Not that Kagome would have been lively enough to try what she had implied anyway. Kaede and Miroku wore Kagome down each hour of every day since Inuyasha was preoccupied and when she finally had finished training, she had to work with old priestess, Rin, Sango, and the headman to organize the ceremony.  She already had begun to harness the ability of making barriers and simple demon purifications without her use of her bow and arrows by the time of their wedding.

Once it was the day of the ceremony, she was too busy getting ready to even see her guests they had decided to invite. Sango helped her get ready as her adopted sister and lack there of any other family, while Rin ran interference to keep everyone surprised and in wonder when she finally did appear for their union. Making various threats ranging from cutting off a male’s favorite “toy,” as she referred to it, to not allowing them to join the feast after the ceremony. Her threats were taken seriously as she promised her Lord Sesshomaru would hear about any disrespect towards her they would be sorry... most of the village had been still weary of the full demon visiting frequently as he was known as the cold silent ruler of the western lands.

Even though her methods were not condoned or even the least bit orthodox, no one had disturbed Sango and Kagome. 

Kagome was not nervous regarding the actual wedding. She knew what she was going to say and no fears of what Inuyasha would say to her in return... she was nervous for after the wedding.  She shared with Sango their couple of kisses but her lack of energy after training with the slayer’s husband and old priestess and how this would be the first for everything. 

“It’ll be okay, Kagome. I’m sure he’s just as nervous.  Miroku is with him now, and knowing that pervert,” her eyes narrowed and shifted to the side as she referred to her dirty husband, “he’s probably in there right now over-sharing our sex life.” Sango swears she could hear his sneeze from the other side of the village.

Kagome turned her head around to face Sango with hopeful pleading eyes as she bit her lower lip. 

“Don’t bite you lip! You’ll mess up the lipstick I applied!” Sango chastised standing and grabbing the shell and brush to smooth is back out evenly over her lip the blushing pink color that added a little more pink to her lips but not even to over power her natural beauty.  She had already applied light eye shower to bring out her caramel eyes with a thin line of eye liner and a hint of light blush on her cheeks.

“Okay, okay, I will tell you a little bit to calm you down so you don’t do that again... I mean I’ve had three children... I shouldn’t be that bashful right?” She cleared her throat and explained a little bit about their first time about how it was uncomfortable as it is for most women, but to make sure he takes it as slow as he can until she gets used to the feeling.  It’ll get better after that, but she just has to be prepared that it won’t be as magical as most other women make it out to be. They were filthy liars and clearly had out of wedlock sex she added rolling her eyes. She also added other things that feel good to be touched to help make it easier like nipples and the clitoris then also explained what feels good to the man. She made sure she told her not to grab too hard and be gentle almost like feathery touches as they were extremely sensitive.  

While she went through things he could do to her and vise versa, she finished brushing out her hair and pulled her hair up on the top creating a puff and then took part of the sides and twisted to keep it locked in place then added the slip Sango had received as a wedding present with rubies and diamonds shaped as cherry blossoms to keep the top knot locked in place. then pull the remaining bit of her hair down smoothing it out.

“Alright, I think you are ready, what do you think?” Sango inquired standing again and moving to her side to take in the full image of the bride.

Kagome had a plain white traditional white kimono on with a bright red obi around the center. She has had a loose red haori with small yellow/ gold flowers and larger ones of pink and white. Kagome looked away from Sango into the small mirror in front of her. She stared in curiousness as to if that was actually her... when had she become a woman? 

“Sango... you are amazing. I look like a different person!”

“Aw, Kagome, you are and have always been one of the most beautiful people I have ever met. Inuyasha would be happy even if you walked down in your old school clothes.”

“You think so? Haha, he may not even notice I changed.”

Sango smiled and rolled here eyes, “It’s sad how accurate that actually may be. Regardless though, every man out there will regret not getting a chance to try and win you over,” she added with a wink.

“Oh wow!!! Lady Kagome! You are so breath-taking!” Rin swooned finally entering the hut. “Lord Inuyasha sure is a lucky man!”

“Thank you, Rin. Is it time?” Kagome inquired about to bite down on her lip again until Sango lightly nudged her reminding her to keep it out of her mouth.

“Yes my lady! Everyone should be in place. I asked Master Jaken to go scare off anyone wandering around that wasn’t invited or who is trying to sneak a peak before we come out. I will be going out now to take my place by Kaede’s side.  I’ll see you in a few!” Rin cheered exiting the hut.

Kagome’s anxiety finally hit full force. She was getting married. At only eighteen (no in this time period it was old, but in her’s she would be considered a Yankee!). She was going to probably have to start a family. Tonight if they actually, oh who was she kidding, of course they were going to have sex. She wanted to do it since she came back since every time they did kiss butterflies flew around in her stomach demanding more. Her family wasn’t there to give her their blessings. She guessed they kind of did by wishing her well and allowing her to return but still--was she even going to be a good wife? It’s not like she had “wife training”. 

“Kagome--Kagome stay with me. It’s going to be okay. Miroku and I will be up there with you. We are in this together. I know this is a lot in a short time. But we also only knew each other a short period of time and look what we were capable of! Everything is going to be fine. You’re going to be an amazing wife. Inuyasha literally would never have taken anyone else to be his wife. You’re everything he’s always needed and wanted...Now, let’s go get you married,” Sango encouraged placing her hands on Kagome’s shoulders facing her fully speaking calmly.

Kagome embraced Sango fiercely, “Thank you, Sango... I’m ready.”

Sango placed a nontraditional head-dress over Kagome’s hair that was still solid white, but laid flatly on her head like a veil from her home-land rather than one that would cover a crown. She requested when they got to the aisle facing Kaede and Inuyasha that Sango to remove it. Kagome had insisted she didn’t want to part-take in all the traditions of a Shinto wedding as things in her era were different and her idea of a wedding had already been changed--the fact the whole village had to attend since she was to take over as head priestess was already a large argument,one she lost. She was marrying a half-demon anyway, who was more Buddhist than Shinto beliefs, tradition was already a out of the question at this point. But she wanted him to be surprised by her appearance along with everyone else. She was getting married only once; she was going to have some things that she could change to be her way.

They finally reached where the ceremony was being held and all went silent.  Flutes began playing and Sango removed the clip holding the veil which fell behind Kagome. Kagome had been holding her head down watching her feet as they had walked trying to remember to breathe steadily. Once the veil was removed, she lifted her head and a slight gust of wind pulled some of her unpinned hair flowing over her shoulder. Her eyes were bright but not overly excited, mouth slightly agape. She couldn’t look away from his wide staring eyes.

Inuyasha had never seen anyone more beautiful, including his princess of a mother in full dress and makeup, as his bride in front of him did on that day. Miroku put a hand on his shoulder giving a slight squeeze re-grounding him. He hadn’t even noticed he had slightly began to step towards her. He was wearing a traditional black kimono. He forgot how uncomfortable he was and all the nerves he had. She was so breath-taking he only saw her as she and Sango made their way to him. She had started to smile at him releasing a breath she probably didn’t realize she was holding until as they walked towards him.

When they reached Inuyasha and Kaede, Sango bowed and placed a took Kagomes hand and placed it in Inuyasha’s and hers on top. She bowed again and stepped behind Kagome similar to Miroku’s position behind Inuyasha.

Kagome still couldn’t remember anything Kaede had said.  She remembers nodding and speaking when she was supposed to but they were too absorbed in each other. His vow was to protect her with his life, that he would make her the happiest woman alive, he would give her everything he could attain, and finally reiterated how he was born to for her and doesn't regret a day of his life as after meeting her as he only learned what true strength and love from her. Her vows had been simple, that all she wanted was for him to be happy, she wanted him to smile, she wanted to him to be loved. She would do anything and everything in her power to keep him safe and make sure he felt like he belonged. Kaede took over preforming the remaining rituals, Rin standing by her side, aiding her in whatever she needed to preform the ceremony. She then pronounced them married which Inuyasha didn’t hesitate in grabbing Kagome and kissing her hard enough for her to see stars. 

They didn’t eat their feast; they were too busy having every guest congratulate them. Kagome also was too nervous to eat as she knew what was coming once everyone was done...

Inuyasha sat by Kagome, Sango and Miroku by her. Rin had made her way to see Sesshomaru and Jaken off thanking them for joining the occasion by her request. Kaede had been talking with the headman about Kagome and Inuyasha’s relationship and the plans they had in store for making her the high priestess of the village.

Sesshomaru had been the first to pay respects. If that’s what you would call them. Inuyasha was annoyed he even bothered coming let alone attending and nodding to them before leaving without another word. Rin, of course, translated he was happy to see them so happy and for the family they would be starting soon with a wink when she was summoned away by his annoyed sneer of her name. 

Koga, Ayame, and other members of the wolf demon tribe followed as they knew they made the villagers nervous by being there. Ayame gave Kagome a tight hug and promised they’d be in touch. Koga meerly nodded and stated his congratulations but did shake Inuyasha’s hand in blessing.

Jinenji and his mother came by, blushing per usual and congratulated them followed by the villagers. 

Kohaku, Shippo, Sango, and Miroku were the last to give them blessings which Inuyasha was thankful for because he was about to blow his top.

He looked at Kagome and motioned for them to leave. She stood without resistance and walked away from the feast shooting Sango a wink which she smiled at and turned back to the party in front of them. Miroku watched as they walked away wagging his eyebrows earning him an elbow to his gut by an exasperated Sango.

“Did you end up giving him some helpful advice?” She inquired eyes closed, elbow still out ready for another jab depending on his response.

“Oh Sango, that man was shaking like a leaf when we were getting ready. I gave him some... helpful suggestions and pointers that I know that have proved to be crowd pleasing. Speaking of... maybe I can demonstrate on you tonight?” He smiled mischievously. 

She rolled her eyes, “I can’t believe you are a monk. How do you even have purification powers?”

**xx**

Inuyasha picked Kagome up a few feet away from the others and carried her back to their new home bridal style. 

He set her down inside. This wasn’t the first time she had been in their home after it was built. She’d previously visited with him and helped set up the furniture and items they received as engagement presents during a break she was given for lunch one afternoon. She kicked off her shoes and released a deep breath. She was startled when Inuyasha placed a hand on her right shoulder causing her turn to look at him with big, doe like eyes.

“Nervous?” He asked, calm eyes boring into hers.

“S-sort of...” She swallowed trying to regain her confidence she had found earlier. “It’s not that I don’t want to--don’t get me wrong, there’s just been so much hype up to this and now I’m just over thinking everything and you know, I’ve never done this before, not that you have either, but you know, I don’t know what to expect and of course everyone has an opinion about it and how to do it, and what it should feel like and even getting down to the littlest details about what should and shouldn’t happen and I don’t want to mess up and make things weird and---” she was cut off by Inuyasha pulling her into a deep kiss which made her mind go blank of anything else she was going to ramble on about in her anxiety.

“It’s really cute when you ramble,” he said cutting her off breaking off their heated kiss and reengaging with hot passion, "but I think you're the one that told me not to let what people say to effect us."

"Mmmmm," Kagome moaned into his mouth. Her hand had already fallen to his black obi around his kimono to try and loosen it. What was she nervous about again? For three years she had only thought about him in that way. She thought maybe she wanted it more than him at first but he was just as hastily pulling off the clip in her hair followed close by her haori when she had to surrendered her arms from him after she released his obi. He cut her obi open as she gasped but didn't even allow her time to lecture him about how it was a gift, would she seriously ever wear that again, anyway?

Her then started to peal away her kimono when her lips against his froze and her eyes opened.

Oh right. That's why she was nervous. Sure, he had seen her naked at least five times but he wasn't actually looking...he was checking on her, trying to find her, there was no actual intimacy involved in him seeing until now.

He opened eyes his in confusion when she had tensed up and realized she was embarrassed when he was peeling off her kimono. God, she is adorable. He gazed down at her while he pushed her arms down and pushed the kimono off to the floor.

She hadn't put on her under garments in fear they would be torn off and she wouldn't have been able to continue to use them. She stood naked in front of him blushing like a deer who got caught in the garden. If his hands weren't on her biceps locking her in place she probably would have ran like a deer to cover herself as well.

While he admitted to himself he'd seen her before almost half a dozen of times before, this was like the first time. She didn't turn away (even though she looked scared, she remained in place not pushing away from his hold), eyes locked with his. His full of love and lusty desire and hers uncertainty; they were looking for affirmation, searching his for an answer to a known question. What do you think?

He removed his right hand from her arm  and shrugged off his out black kimono down his right arm and then replaced that hand hesitantly on her left breast using his outer fingers to caress it gently, then shrugged off the left arm and then place his left hand on the small off her back his white yukata still in place and started to pull her closer to him again.

Her nipple was hard and erect under his hand once her had fully grasped it whole. Her breasts had grown in their time apart a decent amount-- almost as big as Sango's while she was breastfeeding--and the nipple had darkened slightly from the light pink to a mauve color. Her stomach was still tight and trim and her hips had only widened an inch or two at most. She was the most breath-taking woman he had ever laid eyes on. He didn't deserve her for how mean and childish he had been insulting her and comparing her to Kikyo... that was the reason for her hesitation... because he had been so off-putting to her, trying to push her away by making her think she repulsed him. He almost started to pull away because of his self deprecating thoughts when she caught his hand and held it place on her breast and then leaned in upward to kiss him again tentatively.

She had captured the way he had taken her in with his amber wandering eyes with such heat behind them. She noticed his bulge under his plain yukata now with his black kimono removed. She could see the look on his eyes of remorse and pain... she had to reassure him this was what she wanted this too. That she didn’t believe anything he used to say because they were in such an odd place with Kikyo, Koga, and even Naraku.  They had always made their way back to only each other.  Why should he have these doubts now? Why should she?

When she captured his lips it re-sparked his heated desire to keep going. The hand on her breast came up to the back of her head and got tangled her black flowing locks. She felt his penis against her stomach now being smashed up against him. She started to get those butterflies again but they were moving to her lower region. She wanted more. She wanted it all. She wanted all of him.

She put her hands on his yukata and started to guiding him to the already rolled out sleeping mat. He laid her down gently while kneeling beside her never breaking their contact with their heated intricate kisses. She opened her legs welcoming him to move in closer and yanked on his yukata while their lips were still in a battle of their own soon evolving their tongues. He took the hint and put his hands on both sides of her head and moved his knee to be right beneath her vulva (which was radiating the most wild scent he had ever smelled coming off her and heat he couldn't get enough) which made her jolt and her lips freeze.

He smirked and pulled away and helped her get off his yukata. He stayed still while her now lustful eyes wandered over his body.

He no longer had a body of a teenager either. He was deliciously ripped. His muscles were more pronounced and he looked the part he played as the strongest man man she knew. Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own as the took up to going up his abs to his chest then down his his arms. Her eyes wandered lower to notice his happy trail was also silver like his hair and-- holy fuck he has a giant penis. Good God she was getting wet just looking at God-like body. She was definitely as red as a tomato seeing him smirk at the way she was hungrily taking in his features.

"See something you like?" He teased.

""Sh-shush you---" she cut herself off sitting up recapturing his lips, arms encircling his broad shoulders. Holy shit, I can't stop this feeling, she thought to herself.

He leaned down to let her resettle her back on the floor and leaned down on his forearms getting closer to her. He took his right hand and replaced it on her left breast and startled to knead her nipple. She gasped and tried to hold in an elongated moan and failed miserably detaching from his mouth again.

Smirking he kissed her chin, jaw, then down her neck to her collar bone then latched onto her right nipple.

"Oh my God," Kagome gasped continuing to breathe harder and withered under the intensity of his mouth. He was trying to remember everything Miroku had mentioned to try and make this the most pleasurable experience for her.  He was so embarrassed while Miroku had offered his advice on pleasing a woman... but clearly the man knew what he was doing. Two suggestions were already proving the pervert was right and wasn't actually screwing with him.

He switched his mouth to her right nipple and swirled his tongue around and slightly gripped it with his teeth, careful not to allow his fangs to mark her, causing a sucking motion what seemed to be driving her hips wild toward him as she was bucking underneath him while moaning in and out of his mouth. His left hand that was on her right breast before his mouth claimed the left and his now free hand moved down to spread her lips and found her aroused swollen clit and began to tease it.

He lost her lips as she moaned loudly pulling away and unable to control her body. So much was happening. He had her nipple in his mouth and his fingers were on her clit. More liquid gathered between her legs as she was basically humping him from below. He kept lighting this new desire in her for wanting more of him. She wasn't even aware that all these sensations, feelings, and being with each other was actually new; she could only think about him, them, intertwined, together and where she wanted to put that probably twelve inch dick.

"In-Inu----ahhhhh!" She could barely talk. She was losing herself fast in this heated encounter.

He was just getting harder and harder listening to her and feeling how slick she was becoming as he played with her clit. He released her nipples and kissed to her sternum down to her stomach when her breath hitched when his head ended up between her wet folds.

While Miroku had mentioned this position in their little "pep talk" he had already been dead set on finding out what Kagome tasted like. She could call him a dog for being determined to do so, unfortunately the stereo -type fit and he didn’t care one bit. He licked her vulva long, hard and slowly. 

Oh fuck... he thought to himself. He would have cum if he hadn't taken a moment to regain his control remembering all she gave up for him, what an ass he was and how he didn't deserve this beautiful woman, but by some grace, she had chosen to be with him, and that he was going to make this the best night of her life.

She quivered from his tongue and lost control of that area of her body. Her hands became intertwined in his hair and she started to make load moaning gasps and whines as he continued to get more acquainted with this area of her. She decided in a moment of being aware to lightly grace her fingers over his ears.

He groaned slightly in pleasure but kept pursuing her pleasure. He kept his fingers from his left hand on her clit while his tongue massaged her vulva. He had his other arm wrapped around her left thigh trying to hold her steady. He was determined hot to stop until she had her "release" as Miroku referred to it. He said he would know when she did.

She was close she thought. Her breathing was becoming more ragged and the sounds emitting from her mouth were definitely not hers and she had no idea how they were emerging from her.

He carefully dove two claws from his left hand to her opening and slide then in to press up into her vagina to find this "G-spot" while placing his mouth on her clit and sucking on it the way he had on her nipples.

Her hips slammed down on to the floor and her thighs crushed his head saying another curse word under her breath. He slightly chuckled at her reaction to his touches.

"Inu-Inuyashaaaaaa!!!" She said throwing her head back in pleasure being totally consumed by him. The feeling in tummy was full force at this point and she couldn’t stop it from erupting even if she tried. "I-I'm-- oh G-God-- Inuyashaaaaa!" She wailed finally releasing onto his fingers. He pulled his digits out and licked some of her cum from her opening before he licked off all traces of her from his fingers.

She was pretty sure the world stopped moving as she tried to regain herself. She watched him clean her juices off himself in awe.

He leaned back down over her resting his forearms besides each side of her head and started to slowly kiss her which she hungrily took him in and her flame was relighting itself. He knew he wasn't going to last long. Not after that. He was dying. She was going to be the death of him. From smell, sound, taste, touch... he had no idea how he was still alive.

"Are-are you ready, Kagome?"

"Yes, Inuyasha," she affirmed spreading her legs back out for him to settle between them which he got into position then he slowly started to ease into her. Her hands gripped up on his biceps as she started to take him in.

She was so wet (thankfully he controlled himself from licking it all up to make this easier on her) he was sliding in without much resistance.

She felt pressure. She didn't know how else to describe the feeling of him entering her. He wasn't all the way in yet but she already felt how much he was already filling her and how it was stretching her (sadly, not as pleasantly as he had when his fingers were inside her). He was halfway in when her walls clamped down on him from going further. 

"Ohhhh, fuckkkk..." he said trying to keep it together. She had begun to clench her eyes and took in a sharp breath wincing.

"S-sorry," she said through a tight mouth.

"It's fine--- it’s okay Kagome, we can go slow. But, you need to try to relax a little bit. It’ll hurt more if you stay tense.”

She took a couple deep breaths and he pushed himself up a little bit and took her hands in his and they interlaced and he shushed her a little bit. She finally was able to relax and he felt her ease up and he was able to push the rest of the way in. It still stung a little bit but not as bad. It was more like the after effect of the being stretched. She moved her hips a little bit to egg him on to continue.

All he could think was how tight she was and how amazing this felt when she finally moved a little; he groaned and started to move slowly in and out of her.

It finally wasn’t as bad; she had forgotten her pain because the over abundance of stimulation set back in. He was hitting her core and it was bringing back that overwhelming sensation she felt in stomach. She tried to match his movements with her hips. Her hands left his as she pulled down on his shoulders to bring his mouth back to hers and he continued to drive into her. He lowered back onto his forearms and locked his lips around hers catching the moans and erotic wincing sounds she made. 

He lost her mouth when she lifted her head back and took in a deep breath and let out a load groan of pleasure rolling her hips to aid him. That’s when he about lost it. He lowered his head into the crock of her neck grounding his teeth trying to hang on until he could make her release one more time before letting himself get lost. He was fighting a losing battle. She was going to be the death of him. He lifted his head back up and moved his right arm from bracing himself and went back for her clit and started to massage it again. 

At that moment Kagome grabbed onto his ears weaving them through her fingers in what he could only think of was some fantasy she had and cried out his name loudly. While they were outside the village, he was fairly positive everyone within a five mile radius could hear them. She was definitely not quiet and he frankly didn’t care. Let them know what he was doing to their priestess. They should be jealous she chose him rather than them. At least this way he could prove he was doing something right. Her walls tightened around his penis rapidly, seizing and he lost all hope of holding on any longer and released his seed into her, calling out her name and then collapsed on top of her.

They both tried were exhausted; their breaths ragged and heart racing. He finally pulled out of her slowly and flopped over on his side beside her. She let of a slight whine of disappointment but not enough to make him think they should have another round later. They were both done and ready for sleep; they had a very long day and evening. They had years to come to enjoy that again. He pulled her close to him and took her lips in his again softly and gently and then kissed her forehead. 

Their eyes locked finally and they slightly chuckled relishing in what they just did with each other. He pulled over the blanket on top of them and wrapped his arms around her with a deep sigh.

“I love you, Inuyasha,” she said sleepily trying to stay awake.

“Go to sleep, Kagome...”he said with no venom in his voice, but with love, implying they were those words in return. 

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“Kagome! Earth to Kagome! Where’d you go?” Sango jested.

“She’s probably thinking about Uncle Inu,” Ayumi teased.

“About she can’t wait to smooch him again ,” Suzuki followed with a smirk.

“Hahahaha, oh Lady Kagome, they have you pegged. You’d think you had just married yesterday the way you two still act,” Rin laughed

Kagome stopped and blushed turning back looking at them. “Uhhhh--what now?”

They all erupted in laughter at Kagome expense who started blushing except for Komori who remained behind his mother’s back watching.

“Is this a good place to set up for our picnic?” Sango asked still chuckling.

“Haha, yes. Sorry! I swear I need a map sometimes in my own head,” Kagome reached up and scratched the back of her head in apology.

“Lady Kagome, Lady Sango, I’ll take the girls and Komori to the stream and keep them entertained while you guys get set up,” Rin offered handing off the other wrapped lunches she was holding to Kagome and then turning to take the kids to the stream. 

Sango started to close the distant between them and turned to take Rin in. “My... she’s grown into quite a beautiful woman, hasn’t she?”

“If only her mouth were cleaner. I blame Miroku and Inuyasha,” Kagome added shaking her head.

“Mmmmhmmmm... They are certainly to blame. However, I don’t think any men in our village want her even if her mouth were clean... and I think she already has her own eyes set on someone.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” Kagome smiled turning to Sango. Sango exchanged her own grin and then they began to unwrap the lunches and lay out a sheet for them to rest on. Sango lowered her weapon to have it resting behind her and Kagome sat to her right.

“How long do you think they’ll be, Kagome?”

“Well, Kohaku is with them right? I doubt seeing him goofing around and keeping them on a tight schedule, so I can only imagine they wouldn’t be too much longer.”

“KAGOME!!!!!!!”

Kagome and Sango looked up to see two whirlwinds heading towards where they were sitting. Koga appeared first with a giant smile on his face holding a small boy who resembled Ayame but wore his hair in pony-tail like his father, followed by Ayame who dropped a daughter who was Koga’s twin but wore her hair in pig tails and scooped Kagome up off her bottom in a tight embrace.

“A-Ayame, it’s good to s-see you,” Kagome said trying to loosen the demon hold she had on her.

“Oops, sorry! I forget humans are a little frailer than demons,”Ayame said placing Kagome back down on her feet. Koga gave her a quick squeeze on the shoulder but that was as intimate as he got with her since her wedding. He had moved on with his life hearing how she had returned to her home-land after the battle was over and finally owned up to his own promise and married Ayame. He was shocked to hear she had returned; but had decided not to visit in efforts to not upset Ayame and to keep boundaries that were implied after they had parted when Kikyo had passed.

"Alright my little cubbies--go play! Watch your teeth!!" Ayame called as the wolves giggled and ran to go play in the water with the other children calling their names in glee.

"Where's the dog-turd? Decided he didn't want to join?" Koga inquired sitting next to Ayame who planted herself to Kagome's left.

"No; he, my husband, Shippo, Kirara, and little brother had an extermination job a little further from here. They should be here shortly," Sango replied back.

Kagome looked to the sky to see where the sun was in regards to time. She bit her inner cheek nervously at his absence. They'd gone on multiple trips without her or Sango and have always come back... this time just felt different. He had reassured her multiple times yesterday it would be quick and he'd be back in time for lunch... she didn't know why she felt so apprehensive about him going and couldn't put it into words well enough for him to understand.  She had even pulled Miroku over and discussed her anxieties with him. Miroku assured her it would be okay and just to be on our guard for anything that felt strange. But she couldn’t let that be an answer enough.  She reopened the discussion with Inuyasha and let him convince her that the other village needed their help and they could use the money for new seeds for their garden.  He promised her he would be back for lunch even if they couldn’t finish the job.

Inuyasha...

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Song change: Genesis by: Ruelle

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Inuyasha had Tessaiga drew. It’s blade was black and it was thrown over his shoulder. His annoyance plastered on his face as he gazed down. He stood by Miroku who had sutras in his hands with Shippo perched on his shoulder looking confident while Shippo looked more nervous about the situation unfolding below. They stood on the cliff above a forest that was being rotted away with a giant stampeding scorpion below.

"Haven't we seen one of these before?" Inuyasha inquired annoyed.

"I think so-- five years ago when we were still collecting jewel shards." Miroku noted.

"It's a scorpion! They come from the main land! There's been an influx of them in the area recently; that’s why I was hoping you guys could help extenguish the last of them," Kohaku shouted from Kirara's back. The demon cat hovered above them ready to fight. While Kohaku was sitting on Kirara, it was clear he had matured and had grown older. He was taller and was more muscular from all the training and slaying he'd been doing alone for the past five years.

"I want to say we fought them with that demon that fed off the Tree of Ages... what was his name?" Miroku pondered.

"Who cares? He's dead anyway. Kagome and I finished him off along with his ancestry line. It can’t be him or someone related to him."

"We will just have to find the source of where they have been coming from after this one is neutralized," Kohaku added.

"Keh, whatever. You guys do what you want--Kagome wants us back for lunch. We can always track them tomorrow--"

Three more large purple miasma seeping scorpions appeared out of the ground howling and stomping the trees down further.

"Grrrrrr," Inuyasha was growing angry at the idea they probably wouldn't make it back to Kagome and the others in the time he originally told her now with multiple ones popping out of the ground heading back towards their village. He started to grip Tessaiga tighter.

"Calm down, Inuyasha. Kagome will understand. It's not like she'll 'sit' you or anything, " Shippo said trying to appease his anger.

"I don't think Inuyasha is scared of that, Shippo," Miroku defended. "Yesterday, Kagome was very anxious about Inuyasha leaving. She mentioned an ominous feeling and that she didn't want him away from everyone. My guess is she was on the verge of a premonition... but of what I'm not sure.  As it wasn’t clear, I told her everything should be fine until we came back. "

Kirara lowered to be more level with Miroku and Kohaku turned to them."That can't be a coincidence, can it? Do you think it was in regards to these scorpions?"

"More than likely they are related to whatever was giving Kagome such a bad feeling." Miroku threw the sutras down and started mumbling a prayer keeping his hand raised to his face, eyes closed, and a blue barrier erected around the scorpions trapping them from escaping further.

Inuyasha jumped and swung his sword yelling "Medio Zangestuha!"

Black blades emerged from the sword and cut the scorpions to pieces which were sucked into the meido making them unable to regenerate. Inuyasha landed back by Miroku who lowered his hand and opened his eyes.

"Shall we?" Miroku invited.

"Don't need my permission," Inuyasha grumbled jumping down the cliff.

"Man, he's grumpy today," Shippo commented and Miroku got on Kirara and they began following Inuyasha down the slope.

"Can you blame him? He doesn't enjoy leaving Kagome anyway, but now that she's concerned and fearful... I can't say I blame him. "

"Sister told me about their bad news when I arrived yesterday too... I can only imagine the toll it's taking on him as well."

"What bad news?" Shippo inquired.

"Uhm, HELLO?! Am I the only one who is going to do work around here?!?" Inuyasha shouted from the ground.

The three others on Kirara's back looked down at the half-demon stomping his feet in annoyance of their lagging.

"What do you see, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked trying to deflect his bad mood.

"A fucking butterfly, what do you think, you jackass! Tunnels!!! Come down here!!!"

"Now, now, no need to get so riled up because it's going to take longer to get back. My wife and children are with Kagome as well. You need to relax rather than getting yourself all worked up. It will accomplish nothing," Miroku said as Kirara landed letting them off and transforming back to her regular form and jumped up to perch herself on Kohaku’s shoulder.

"Keh. Easy for you to say. You wife wasn't the one crying to you all afternoon about leaving."

"Haha, true. She can't wait to get me out of the house. "

"Probably to get some peace and be away from your wandering hands," Shippo quipped.

"Sigh," Miroku smiled in defeat shrugging her arms out.

"I often wonder how I don't have more nephews and nieces."

"Let's get on with it. Hopefully we can make it back by the evening," Inuyasha said making his was to the tunnels that led down into the earth.

Shippo lit his fox fire and made floating orbs flow into the burrows so the others could see and the others followed Inuyasha's lead.

They walked in silence, looking around and taking in their surroundings for awhile before they noticed there were other tunnels that converged all going directly one way.

"The tunnels... they're..." Kohaku started.

"Leading back to the village..." Inuyasha growled and began running ahead.

Kohaku and Miroku exchanged looks and ran after him.

Inuyasha stopped suddenly sniffing the air in the cave-like area causing Miroku to stumble while Kohaku came around the side.

"What is it?" Shippo asked.

Kirara began to growl and jumped off of Kohaku's shoulder in front of him.

Inuyasha drew his sword, "I don't know... but this scent, I recognize it. A couple years ago I smelled it when Kagome returned...Be on your guard! Let's keep going!" He dashed forward as Kohaku and Miroku re-boarded Kirara.

This aura... it's similar to Sesshomaru... but darker...Miroku noticed.

They felt what felt like an earthquake and then saw bright light further ahead clearly that had been created by a hole and began to panic knowing the scorpions must've surfaced.

Shit, I can smell Kagome and the others!!! "KAGOME!!!!!"

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“So, Kagome, what gives? No kids? Haven’t you and the mutt-face--ugh--ow!--I mean, Inuyasha been married like two years now? What’s wrong? He can’t preform? Hahahahaha!! OW! Stop that! The first part was a real question!” Ayame elbowed Koga in the arm when the first insult was cast then the gut looking unamused of her husbands comments.

Sango also glared as Koga and cleared her throat bringing her arm to her mouth beginning to answer until Kagome put her arm out in front of her and shook her head with a smile.

“Please Kagome, don’t feel like you have to answer Koga’s questions,” Ayame offered shooting him a dirty look. “What happens in your home is none of our business...right, Koga?” 

“Right right, I’m sorry Kagome. I didn’t mean to offend dog-tuurr----I mean Inuyasha,” Koga stuttered seeing Ayame’s elbow ready to strike again.

“No, it’s okay. I don’t mind talking about it. Really... It...it isn’t that we haven’t been trying,” Kagome said a little flustered initially at the idea of talking about about her and Inuyasha’s relations. But they were married; there was nothing to be embarrassed of about what married people do...they actually didn’t know until recently the village could basically hear them every night... Inuyasha found it ego boosting... Kagome found it mortifying.  

“It wasn’t actually a conversation initially, or even really a thought; we were just doing what married couples did. We had been apart for so long we just wanted to be with each other in every shape and form we could to make up for the lost time. Before we realized it, had been a year and we discussed the idea of having children. He initially was hesitate as you know; he’s a half-demon and thought of what life would be like for our children. He got used to the idea though, as the villagers became more accepting and tolerate of our marriage and him.  We also had a lot of support from our friends as well...” Kagome looked to Sango with a longing smile and Sango returned it and placed a hand on her knee which Kagome placed her own on top.  

“But as time went on... we realized there was something amiss. No matter how often we tried... I never was able to get pregnant. We met with Kaede and she believes it is because I’m not technically from this world... I don’t belong here and so time runs differently around me. We knew that from a demon who actually could stop time and it had no effect on me or things from my world... We just never put two and two together. We think because of that, my body rejects nature and balance. That’s why my spiritual powers are so strong, why I was able to travel through time...and why I won’t be able to give Inuyasha a family.” Kagome took a deep breath hoping that was enough of an answer to suffice the question.  Others had begun to ask so it wasn’t a question she hadn’t heard or hadn’t answered yet... and these were her friends. She could be fully honest and open with them.

Inuyasha and her had already mourned the idea of having children. She was completely heartbroken. But, she had become determined to make sure any orphan children would be taken in, like Shippo, and they would be cared for by them. Inuyasha only happily complied. He remained supportive of her and made sure she knew she hadn’t let him down and that he was happy that she came back.  That’s all he ever wanted anyway. He never thought of having his own children and even though he would give her the world, maybe not having children was what was supposed to happen anyway.

“Wow... Kagome,” Ayame took her free hand that wasn’t on top of Sango’s and looked into her caramel eyes with her jade tears forming, “I am so sorry. What a sacrifice you made to be here... I know you’ve told me before a little of your world. I know whether you will admit it or not, how much you gave up to be with Inuyasha. That is so beautiful you love each other so much...I’m so happy that you both have each other. Please, if there is anything you ever want or need... you know where to find us.”

“Thank you Ayame, and it’s okay. Inuyasha and I are happy with it just the two of us. Also we get to babysit anytime we want,” Kagome laughed.

Sango smiled and patted Kagome’s hand. She felt terrible her best friend, her sister, that she would never know what it would be like to have and carry a child of her own. But she also knew that even if Kagome had known this before crossing the well to return, she would have still come. Her love for Inuyasha was unbreakable and nothing would ever keep them separated again. 

Beneath them they felt the earth shake. They all stood suddenly, Sango grabbing her Hiraikotsu ready to launch it. Kagome looked around and closed her eyes to concentrate. Ayame ran to the stream calling her children’s name and ushering the twins and Komori out as well with Rin. Koga put himself in the middle so he could be the first to jump and protect them if necessary. 

Kagome tried to block out the noise, her feelings of doubt and fear, she finally was able to put herself in a void of sound and saw the demonic flow of energy coming from her right.

"Koga! Ayame!" She yelled turning to them, "Please take the children and Rin back to the village!"

"What?!? I can't abandon you, Kagome!"

"He's right! We're your allies!"

Kagome smiled softly then turned to Sango who nodded looking determined. Kagome lifted her left hand towards the others and erected a purple barrier.

"No! Lady Kagome! Lady Sango!" Rin cried.

"Mama!" Sango's children echoed.

"Leave. We will handle this until the others arrive... Kagome and I can handle this and cannot risk the children or Rin's safety. Please Koga, I'm begging you, GO!"

"Koga--this is not about questioning your strength, this is about who can get our children and friends out of danger the fastest. You and Ayame are our best chance."

Ayame who wore a torn face now looked determined and swallowed and picked up Sango's twin girls, "Koga! Come on! We need to get them to safety!"

Koga still looked torn and upset, fists tight in conflict when he squeezed his eyes shut and turned to his children. "Climb on Rei and Kaze," he said bending down for them to anchor on his back and picked up a now hysterical Komori in his left and lifted Rin in his right. She looked at back at the women behind the barrier concerned.

"Please be careful!" She yelled as Koga and Ayame nodded to each other and took off back towards the village.

Kagome kept the barrier erected and turned back to Sango. "There's three very distinct auras approaching with three other minor demons, the scorpions maybe? I don't how else to describe these three more powerful demonic energies except they are similar to Sesshomaru."

Sango grabbed her mask and put it on. "The scorpions must've been a distraction to lure Inuyasha and the others away."

They finally saw the purple miasma seep towards them slowly, dirtying the ground to a more red color like death. The sky began to darken and the loud sounds of stomping feet along with the vibrations were growing.

Kagome took a sutra out of her pocket and knelt to the ground pushing it and emitted her pure purple purification which destroyed most of the miasma by them. Sango took the opportunity seeing the large bodies approaching to throw her giant boomerang; she twirled it behind her and flung it out in front of her angling it to go to her right, "Hiraikotsu!"

Three figures jumped up while the weapon cut through the multiple scorpions that were running their way causing their legs to stop moving; their body slide to a stop twenty feet in front of them.

“Who are you?” Sango demanded catching her weapon out of the air. Kagome moved closer to her, arm up her sleeve for another sutra is necessary. 

“Well, well, well.... you must be the famous time-priestess we were told about,” The demon with brown hair replied.

“And the demon slayer that accompanies her in the village,” Added the demon with silver locks. 

“We need you to lower the barrier you have so hastily erected.  We have business in your village priestess.”

“Whatever business you have can be settled here,” Sango replied harshly.

“Well, we were told to annihilate the village for Lord Sesshomaru’s lack of cooperation and the growing strength of the priestess now taking guard... We can at least knock out one thing off our list,” The Silver haired demon replied and then help his arms out with the other two and thread like material appeared in their fingers like a web and aimed all at Sango. They pushed their arms forward and Kagome tried to throw a sutra but it was burned immediately by the black thread, while Sango tried to cut with her hidden sword beneath her sleeve and use Hiraikotsu to destroy the thread but it moved past her weapons as it was only magical thread and wrapped around her to absorb into her skin.

Kagome gasped and tried to pull the string off but it was too late; Sango shoved her to the ground harshly.

She gasped and grunted a little bit as she had lost control of her own body. The three demons that stood before her moved their fingers in sequence like they were beginning to control a puppet. As their fingers moved, so did she.  Her eyes were not glazed over like Kagome thought they would be, but full of anger and desperation to try and regain herself. They want her to watch!

“Sango!”

“Ugh! Kagome! I’m sorry,” she said struggling to try and control herself but failing. 

“Lower the barrier time-priestess and we will let you friend go peacfeully, she is not who we are here for,” The demon with brown hair replied.

“Kagome---no!”

“That’s not going to happen,” Kagome said rising to her feet.

“Well then...” their fingers began to dance again making Sango lift her Hiraikotsu and swing for Kagome as she gasped. Kagome erected a barrier over her hand similar to miniature shield.

“Her weapon is made of demonic energy and parts... that wont work here. Release her!”

Sango then jumped and then swung again with her boomerang with Ksgome was able to block again using her right hand but then Sango came swinging with her left cutting Kagome’s left cheek.

She shrieked and dropped her shield from the Hiraikostu in error from the pain and was struck on her right side sending Kagome hard to the ground cringing in pain.

Sango was then forced to throw her weapon screaming for Kagome to get up as she was unable to stop herself. Kagome’s eyes shot open and she rolled out of the way barely in time to miss the strike only to have to stand quickly to jump away from Sango running toward her; she unfortunately was not as trained as Sango was for hand to hand combat and ended up with nicks from her sword and hits from her other open hand that was in a tight fist.  She faltered in step trying to dodge her attacks which Sango ended up extending her arm over Kagome’s left shoulder slicing into it deeply. Kagome cried out but took the opportunity of her being so close and grabbed her hand that was open without Hiraikostu having returned to her yet and pulled herself to Sango harshly embracing her and purified the controls she had placed on her. 

Sango grabbed hold of Kagome as once the controls were gone to hold her weakened body lowering her to her knees, “Kagome!! Hold on!!”

 Kagome looked to her right in time and erected another barrier around them to avoid the attack the dog demon who had yet to have spoken yet. He had swung his sword but luckily it had demonic energy which her barrier could repel.

“Damnit” he muttered and jumped back to the others.

“Kagome!”

Sango and Kagome looked to behind the demons, who also turned their concentration to the ever approaching Inuyasha and Kirara.

“This could complicate things... I thought those other scorpions were supposed to keep them occupied,” the demon with silver hair looked to the one with brown hair.

“We must've underestimated the half-demon...” He replied grimly.

“We must tell father,” the demon with black hair chimed in.

They disappeared with a quick jump like they were ninjas or never even really there...

[bunny-wk-fanfic]

Not Another Meme

“I’m not… I don’t know what you mean.” she stared at the man, utterly lost with what he began to say the moment things calmed down. She bet it had to do with both cultural differences and her lack of understanding what was ‘In’ with everyone else.

Since the end of the Shikon, which she and her friends had won the battle against Naraku, Kagome had returned home changed in more ways than she thought possible. Apparently, the prolonged exposure to Naraku’s miasma had been lethal enough to alter her. Giving her abilities a more spider-like qualities.

Much to her disgust.

After everything, she went through and survived, she didn’t take too kindly to learning via the powers that are, that she herself would be more spider-like.

So when she was returned home, and realized that there was no going back, it was then that some old friends approached her. And more or less turned her into a superhero. It made for keeping the more supernatural elements of Tokyo in line easier to understand for the public eye.

Only this time, she ended up in New York and crossing paths with the city’s own heroes. Including another spider based hero.

Turning to said hero, just a tad taller than herself, she attempted to communicate with them silently. She wasn’t sure if it was to get a definition of what the man was saying, or to get him to leave her alone.

The young man in question scratched at the back of his head, shrugging as he chuckled beneath his own mask. “Haha-ah… yeah.”

Turning to the armored man, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Can you repeat that please? This time use words I can understand.”

“Use words… Are you serious?” the suit landed with a heavy clunk, the face plate lifting and the entire helmet retracting to reveal the man beneath. “You’re how old, and don’t know what a meme is?”

Brows furrowing, Kagome shook her head. “Sorry. I don’t.”

“A meme.” when his brows furrowed, lips screwing at her continued lack of response, he narrowed his eyes. “A meme! An online movement that spreads like virus!”

Blanching, Kagome leaned back. “You should see a doctor for that!”

A few of the other heroes off to the side attempted to cover their amusement at her response. Snorting and coughing to outright hide their laughter, one whipping away when the man turned on them to level them with a glare. The others were far too interested in watching the proceedings.

“Not an STD!” the man all but exploded, cheeks uncharacteristically flushed in slight embarrassment. No thanks to a teenie bopper. “An online trend! Something that pretty much teens redo and remake to continue it on.”

“Oh.” she remembers Souta showing her some things he thought she might find funny on the internet. The ones where student were remaking a famous anime character’s signature battle move amused her. Kam-mama-something or other. “And what was the one you mentioned again?”

“Tide Pod Challenge!” he ran an armored hand over his face, sighing at having to explain the joke to a teen of all people. It was no longer funny. And he wasn’t enjoying how it was being turned against him.

“Never heard of such a challenge.” Kagome tapped at her chin, thankful that the mask she had been supplied with covered the upper half of her face and not her entire face. She wasn’t sure how the other teen did it, breathing and speaking through the tight material. “Is it anything like that ice bucket challenge?”

“No!” the other teen finally jumped in, arms waving about and drawing her attention. “Tide Pods are these little packets you put in a dishwasher, they contain soaps. Apparently some people thought their new design made them look… delicious? And then challenged themselves and others to eating one?”

Kagome reeled back once more. “What? Why?!” she spun about to face the man again, lips dipped down in a frown as the mask did hinder the use of facial expressions. “You think I did something stupid and dangerous to get these… these… these spider abilities?!” she waved her hands the teen next to her. “That he started something and I thought, ‘why not, seems fun’ and followed suit?!”

Brown eyes blinked widely down at her, obviously not ready for the outburst. “Well… you teens are crazy. I mean, her ran around in old sweaters and wrestling masks when he first started out. Like that hid his identity. Right, buddy?”

“Whoa! Hey, hey, hey!” the teen leaned in closer, raising a hand in an attempt to hinder her from hearing his words. “Don’t say that!”

“Kid, we already all know.” the man gave the red and blue clad teen a pointed look. With a shake of his head, he turned to look at her again. “Look, shouldn’t you be all… magical girl with glittery powers and as far away from spider for a teen hero from Tokyo?”

“Magical girls are for entertainment in the form of manga or anime. Last I checked this is real life.” arms curling in on herself as she eyed him from head to toe. “Unless you are into that sort of thing… and it is the reason you need to see a doctor…”

At this point the others stopped fighting in holding back their laughter. As for the teen next to her, he was now making a sound that was a cross between a cough and wheeze. Shaking her head, she began to turn when she felt the beginnings of magic gathering in the air. The cultural differences was too much on top of readjusting to all that she missed while time traveling.

“Miko. It’s a pleasure to see you again.” a tall man stepped through a spinning and sparking portal, smiling as he made his way to where they all stood.

Smiling in return, Kagome bowed to the man. “Doctor Strange. I do believe this one belongs to you.” she pulled a black pouch from the loose belt around her waist to give to him.

“Wait. You know this brat?” the man turned to the doctor in question. He thumbed towards her in disbelief.

“Stark.” he gave a slight nod in greeting. “And yes. We travel in the same circles.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Stark waved his hands as he made the short distance between him and the doctor. “You travel in the same circles with magical spider girl here?”

With a sigh, Doctor Strange shook his head as he tucked the black pouch securely beneath his cloak. “The rare few of use that take up the mantel to protect this world from the more mystical get to know one another rather quickly. The Miko here, is one such individual.” her attention returned to said young woman with a smile. “Again, thank you for the assistance on this one.”

“I’m glad I was of assistance.” she offered a respectful bow to the man. “Would it be too much to ask for some help back home?”

“Not at all.” he shook his head, turning to face the empty space he had appeared from just a few minutes ago. His hands were already in the familiar motions that was part of the spell he was casting. “Ready?”

“Yes!” she spun about to face the others she had crossed paths with on this latest… mission. She was still unsure what to call these superhero outings. “It was a pleasure meeting you all. Ja ne!” with a bow, she joined Doctor Strange to stepping through the portal back to Tokyo.

“So, how do it feel to be out-sassed by a teenie bopper magical girl, Tony?” Natasha smirked as she strolled over to the other man, leaning against the still suited man.

“Stuff it, Natasha.” Tony waved a hand as if to shoo her away.

Clint chuckled, leaning into Natasha’s side. “Look, he’s still embarrassed and blushing!” he was quick to whip out his cell phone and snapping a few pictures. “Gotta save these. It’s not every day that the great Tony Stark gets embarrassed by a teen.”

“Speaking of teens…” Natasha trailed off, lifting her chin in the direction of their own teen superhero. “You okay there, Spider-Man?”

Hearing the lilting and teasing tone, Spider-Man jumped back to attention, scanning the others as they all stared at him. “Yeah. Why?”

Tony, feeling back to his old self now that everyone’s attention was on the kid rather than him, began to smirk. “I think our baby spider has a little crush.”

Jumping at the heavy pointed looks and feeling the heat, he waved his arms about. “Well, would you look at the time!” he tapped his wrist as he began shuffling away from the group. “Gotta go!” stretching an arm out, he shot a web and pulled himself out of there as quickly as possible. He still got embarrassed at being reminded of all the times he hugged Tony by accident.

“So… another spider hero…” Clint chuckled as he shook his head, fingers quickly tapping away at his cell to send the pictures he took to the others, much to Tony’s chagrin. “One that can trip you up and not even on purpose.”

“Hopefully we’ll cross paths again. Seems like a sweet kid.” Natasha commented as the began to make their way back to the Avengers.

“You’re only saying that because she tripped Tony up.” Clint remarked, chuckling at the amused look the redheaded woman gave him.

“Either way, you know Fury’s gonna want to know all that we can on her.” they continued on until they reached their respective motorcycles. “That she can trip Tony is just a bonus.”

“And the kid?” Clint watched as his preferred partner started up her bike.

“Again, a bonus. Albeit an adorable one.” the flipped their sunglasses down and took off down the street. Hoping the next time they did meet the girl, it would prove just as entertaining.

[inuykago]

return to the place where we first. . .

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY (6/15) TO MY WONDERFUL FRIEND @l0st-amul3t 💕💖💝🌸 

please enjoy this decently-written drabble I attempted to write for you and everyone please greet this great person & talented artist a happy birthday (by pm-ing her or reply below bc her ask isn't working..???)!

ALSO, a BIG shoutout to my other amazing friend @stubbornhalfbreed​ for suggesting this idea to me in my time of crucial writer’s block ♡.

p.s. there’s a sappy hbd note after the story

{canon. inukag. 1524 words.}

“Ka-go-me!” Inuyasha shouted as he slid the kitchen door open.

He looked down at Sota, Mama, and Jiichan who were all at the kitchen table eating dinner. Their mouths were half-full, ready to take another bite, as Inuyasha’s mouth took shape of an “o.”

“INU NO NIICHAN!” Sota exclaimed as he rushed over to hug the pupper. “Wait a second,” the boy pulled back, still gripping Inuyasha, “Weren’t you here this morning?”

Inuyasha’s cheeks turned red as he noticed Kagome’s mom and grampa smirk at the boy’s question, “N-No!” He pulled away, “T-That wasn’t me.” He pouted and crossed his arms.

“Eh?” Sota pointed at him. “But who else wo-”

Inuyasha hurried to cover his mouth and laughed nervously, “D-Don’t listen to him.” He released Sota like nothing happened -- the boy catching his breath-- “Is Kagome home?”

“Sorry, Inuyasha,” she smiled sadly. “Kagome has been out all day at the library studying with her friends,” she said as she took another bite of her food. “But, if you really wanna see her-”

“W-What?!” he cleared his throat. “I j-just wanted some more ninja food… th-that’s all,” he lied terribly.

Gramps nodded sarcastically as he ate his noodles, “I see.”

Inuyasha wasn’t sure if it was his mind playing tricks or if they were all suggesting that he was dying to see her. See her? Kagome? Why the heck would I care?!: is what he thought; but I do kind of miss her… and her nagging… her annoying voice… her…: is how he knew he felt.

“Inu no niichan!” the boy shook him out of his daydream.

Inuyasha shook his head -- hoping no one noticed he zoned out -- and looked down, “You can wait with me if you want! We can play video games and watch TV!”

“You mean the magic box?” he seriously asked.

Sota nodded and grabbed his hand before he even had a chance to think.

It was already 9 p.m.; the sky was dark and the stars were already high in the sky. Jiichan had fallen asleep on the chair in the living room while Sota was passed out on the floor with the controller in his left hand and the TV on full-blast with a virtual fighting game on the screen.

Mama had her face flat on the kitchen table, snoozing away with a dish rag in one hand and a half-clean plate in the other. Buyo was making his way to sleep on Sota’s stomach as Kagome closed the front door and made her way upstairs.

“Jeez, why is everyone already asleep?” she mumbled to herself as she rolled her shoulders. “Have I really been gone that long?”

She sighed as she let her yellow stuffed backpack slide off her back and drop to the ground. She fluffed her hair before getting ready to unbutton her shirt as she turned to the mirror and exclaimed:

“INU-INUYASHA?!”

The exhausted pup immediately fell off the bed, making a long ‘thud’ noise. He rubbed his head and immediately ran over and smushed his forehead against Kagome’s in (fake) extreme rage, “Why would you do that?!”

“Why would I….?!” she yelled as she shoved her forehead back against his. “Why are you in my room?!”

“Wh-what I’m not --” he stopped and took a look around -- “...oh.” He nervously laughed, but refused to let her win, “W-Well, where have you been all day?! All week?!”

Kagome laughed sarcastically, “Oh, now you wanna get all uptight about where I am?”

Inuyasha lowered his ears in fear, “N-No…”

“Where were you all those times you randomly ran off??” she crossed her arms. “Hmmmm?”

At first, he got mad that she even brought it up -- yes, I was with Kikyo, but dammit, Kagome… it’s not what you think... : is what he thought, but:

“Look,” he eased up his tone. “I j-just… j-just… the gang misses you,” is what he said.

Kagome sighed because she thought he was gonna say something more meaningful, “Okay…,” she put her finger on her chin. “But what does that have to do with being here --” she waved her arms in a circle -- “in my room?”

Inuyasha panicked, “I-It’s not like I miss you or a-anything!”    

For some reason, something in Kagome broke, “... Stupid.”

“Stupid?”

“Yes…,” she lowered her head and closed her fists. “BAKA, BAKA, BAKA!” Inuyasha shuddered, not knowing what to do, “Leave….me alone…”

“W-What?” he reached out to her, but she turned away.

“GO,” she shouted as he crawled away, and out the window.

He stared back into the window before he shut it behind him. She threw herself onto her bed and covered her eyes, almost as if she were to cry. Inuyasha felt bad for what he said, but at least he knew that it worked.

FIVE DAYS LATER

“Inuyasha? Miroku?” Kagome called out into the forest. “Shippo-chan? Sango-chan?”

She looked from left to right as she pushed herself out of the well. The breeze was nice and the sun was hiding shyly behind the clouds; a butterfly followed her on the way out, just like when she had first arrived in the feudal era.

“G-Guys?” she muttered as she finally saw the gang in the distance.

Inuyasha was yelling at Miroku while he ignored the pup’s shouts. Sango was laughing with Kirara, enjoying the amusement, while Shippo was acting “innocent” helping Kaede with the crops -- so basically a normal day.

“Kagome!” Shippo exclaimed as he ran to her and jumped into her arms. “We missed you… Especially that one --” he whispered, pointing to Inuyasha-- “where have you been?”

She giggled, rubbing his head, “I’ve been busy with my studies.” She smiled, “I’m sorry I haven’t been around.” She looked over at Inuyasha, “At least, I’m finally free on this special day!!”

Shippo tilted his head, “special… day?”

“Very funny, Shippo…,” she giggled nervously as he jumped down. “I only talked about it every day for the last two weeks…”

Did they really forget it’s my birthday?

She walked over to Inuyasha, and his eyes lit up, but he shook his head trying to hide the fact that it did.

“Today’s a special day, isn’t??” she pouted and put her hands behind her back, sway back and front, waiting for someone to answer.

Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango all looked at each other -- left to right, right to left -- before shrugging and a complete blank look on their faces.

“Eh?” Inuyasha scratched his head. “What’s so special about today?” He turned to Miroku, “Did he not hit on anyone today?”

It was almost as if fumes began smoking out of Kagome for reasons, and Sango for, well, other reasons. The two girls tried to contain themselves while the boys continued to be clueless.

Inuyasha noticed the death stares on their faces, “W-What did I do?”

Miroku jabbed his staff onto Inuyasha’s head, following the rude remark -- Shippo dug his feet into the dirt trying to hold Inuyasha back.  

“Anyways…,” Miroku turned to Kagome. “Ahh, you’re right!” He put his hand on her shoulder, “It is a special day!”

“See!!” she jumped up and down. “Thank you, Miroku!”

He took a deep breath, “There’s a festival going on in the village over!”

Kagome fell straight to the floor. She rubbed her head as Inuyasha and Shippo exclaimed “FREE FOOD” and Miroku yelled “SINGLE LADIES.”

The two ladies sighed again, lowering their heads in unison.

Sango laid a hand on Kagome, reassuring her friend, “Don’t worry.” She smiled softly, “I know why it’s a special day.”

“Really?!” Kagome let herself get excited once again.

“Yes,” Sango slowly walked over to Miroku. “Today is when…,” she smirked at him, “Houshisama gets what’s coming to him.”

She leaned into the monk, closed her eyes, and threw a nice jab to the face.

Inuyasha and Shippo rolled around on the floor, laughing uncontrollably as they grabbed their stomachs while Sango was satisfied and walked away with sass.

“Sigh,” Kagome breathed. “Whatever, you guys can go.”

She walked away from the loud noises of Inuyasha’s laugher and Miroku’s complaining. She slid the door open to Kaede’s hut and quietly sat next to the pot, sulking in her thoughts.

“Kagome,” she turned around. “Why are you so sad? Isn’t it your birthday?”

The girl gave a weak smile, “Thanks for remembering, Kaede.” She sighed for the tenth time, “But the others don’t…”

“Oh,” the lady thought to herself. “Well, let me make you a special soup; it’ll make you feel better.”  

She nodded slowly and watched Kaede leave the hut.

“It worked,” Kaede whispered to the gang.

“Kaede… where… are … you,” she tried to feel around her, but it was nothing but air. “Taking… me… ?”

“SURPRISE!!!”

Kaede removed her blindfold and before her was a huge birthday banner hung across the well. Flowers of different colors were planted around it and tables with different foods and cakes were placed on two tables.

The gang wore party hats and yelled in excitement -- they all looked stupid, but it still made Kagome’s heart melt.

Inuyasha walked up to her, “I wanted to celebrate your birthday in the place where we first met.”

ok here’s the sappiness:

it is 2am as I write this. Me you and Jocelyn are on a call together and I couldn’t have asked for better friends. Sakura, I’m so glad you messaged me that one time when I was overreacting over nothing. Thank you for making me laugh even when I don’t even want to. I hate when you make fun of my autocorrect and you try to make me talk to boys. But I'm so grateful for having you as a friend and being part of this great little friend group that we have. #thonkforever 💕

[inukoibito]

Lightness and Darkness - 明暗(Part 1.)

Hey guys! Sakura speaking here. Today my dear friends @inuykago & @stubbornhalfbreed and I came up with a roleplay story idea. We each picked our favorite character and came up with this! There was no plot, so we just went along with it from the start.

If you want to see more of these, please let us know! 

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Inuyasha (Sakura / @l0st-amul3t): Hanyou. In love with a miko and would do anything to protect his beloved.

Kagome (Aj / @inuykago): Miko. In love with a hanyou, and enjoys annoying his onichan by calling him her ‘onichan.’ 

Sesshomaru (Jocelyn / @stubbornhalfbreed): Witty older half brother of the hanyou. Hates everyone and everything except for a little human girl, Rin.

It had been four months since Kagome's return. She and Inuyasha’s relationship had grown much strong than before the well closed, but, between the two of them, Inuyasha had changed the most. His confidence had risen, he now took responsibility in his work around the village with little to no complaining, and his attitude towards everyone in the village no longer made him seem bad. But, what Kagome noticed first was how his relationship with her had changed, and maybe not in the way that she hoped it would. 

Although Inuyasha and Kagome lived together in their own hut, everyone in the village was very confused to why the two haven't gotten married yet, yet alone the fact that they were not even engaged. This was rare for a couple in these times, so they were often looked down upon by their fellow neighbors and their village. Inuyasha didn't take notice of all of the strange stares they got, but, Kagome on the other hand was taking it much differently.

( After a long week of working, Inuyasha and Kagome both had a well deserved day to relax. )

― ENTER KAGOME AND INUYASHA  ―

Kagome: "Inuyasha-" I could see a crest between his eyes and his lips in an uncomfortable slouch- "What's the matter?" I tried to speak up a bit so he would be able to hear me over the chatter in the town. I felt like there were eyes on me, but maybe it was just me.

Inuyasha: Despite hearing Kagome's soft words, I didn't turn towards her and continued walking with a plain look on my face, as if I didn't hear her. I suddenly felt her energy change drastically right before we reached our hut.

Kagome: I knew he heard me, but he just didn't want to reply. That's what really got me--that's what made my hands begin to sweat and my heart start to beat a little faster. Maybe if I asked him one more time he'll answer me? "Inuyasha?" I took a hold of his hand, praying he'd even look at me. "Babe, what is wrong?"

Inuyasha: There were so many mixed emotions going on in my head right then. I had no idea how to tell her, so I tried my best to keep it to myself for as long as I can, but now that things are stirring up with the village people, I almost had no choice but to tell her soon.  "Hey, what do you want to have for dinner? I can meet you back at the hut if you want me to pick somethin' up at the market before it closes?" A sweat drop dripped down the side of my face as I cracked a very unrealistic smile in hopes she would help me change the subject.

Kagome: I saw the look on his face, and the way he spoke his words and carried himself, which made me feel almost terrible for trying to somewhat force it out of him; he just couldn't stop ripping his eye contact from mine and trying to avoid whatever subject it is he's trying to avoid. My poor boy, I'll just stop nudging him for now. "Surprise me," I said calmly with a smile, hoping it'd calm his nerves.

Inuyasha: Seeing her expression change made my heart race slow down. I knew that I was in a safe zone now. I grabbed hold of her hands held her small fingers in my hand and held them very tightly. Her face glistened in the moonlight, and that instantly made me feel calm again. "I'll be back soon, my dear." I gave her a small kiss on the lips and went off to the market. I walked off feeling a strong guilt deep in my chest. It hurt to keep something like this away from her. She has every right to know yet, I couldn't tell her.

Kagome: It soothed me hearing him still call me "dear," and give me sweet kisses like that. I couldn't help but smile at the lingering thoughts I had of him. I took a seat near the fire and just listened to the low crickets from outside. The chatter had went down a notch, and everything was much more calm--I didn't feel eyes on me anymore. Yet, I still felt uneasy remembering how uneasy Inuyasha was. Maybe I should talk to someone? Yes, I want to talk to someone--I need to talk to someone. I rubbed my hands against the warmth of the flame one last time before pushing my weight off the ground and headed back outside. There wasn't many people around; Sango and Miroku seemed to not be in their hut and I could see from her that Shippo is helping Kaede with something. I took a few steps to the left until I saw a big furry kimono, which could only be one person. "Onichan!!!" I exclaimed happily--because I loved annoying him with the word. "Onichan!" I yelped once again and I came in closer to him.

Stopping when I heard Inuyasha's miko yelling the absurd nickname she had for I, Sesshomaru. Though she was a interesting human, I'll keep her around for because I'm... curious, I looked in the miko's direction

He gave me such a cold stare, but that didn't phase me because I knew what kind of person he was deep down all of the sass and furry kimonos. "Hey onichan!!" I felt him mentally stab me in the face. "Err-" I took a sit next to him. "Is it cool if I sit here?" He didn't move a muscle. "Great thanks!" I plopped down beside him. I heard a low grunt, but I didn't pay any mind I know he loves me .... somewhere in his cruelness. "So, onichan-" he still didn't move a muscle. "I have a problem." He continued staring at me, "It's about your brother." Still nothing, "WELL," I took a deep breath. "So, like, today we were walking today in town like usual, right?" He didn't even blink. "Right okay, so we're walking it's all good and all, but then I notice him get all tense out of nowhere so I ask him 'What's wrong?' but he just ignores me, I guess, and doesn't say anything back until we got back to our hut." The only reaction I was getting from him was his hair flowing in the wind. "Also, today I felt like people were staring at me, crazy right?" Still no blinking. "Totally, okay anyways... what should I do?"

― ENTER SESSHOMARU ―

Sesshomaru: I blink. Staring at her, why is she coming to me with this problem? I, Sesshomaru have no use for pathetic human drama, I look at her hopeful face and sigh "humans are strange creatures they will shortly die, why care for their opinions?" Maybe she will leave me be now. 

Kagome: Wow, that hit me. That hit me deep. I took a moment to look away from onichan and take my mind off of it for a moment. But I really couldn't. I could push away the thought that me and Inuyasha are not of the same life. We do not come from the same place, the same time, not even the same world. Am I really what's best for Inuyasha? I'm not even sure what I could do for him; maybe what I'm doing here is wrong. Maybe being with him is.... wrong. "You're right, onichan-" I still gave him a gentle smile- "Thank you." He didn't respond, as expected, as I got up and began to walk away. I was only a step or two farther from Sesshomaru when tears began to fall down my face. I tried to erase them from my skin, but it just wouldn't cooperate. I stopped, a few inches from onichan, to take a breath, tears still down my face. I didn't know what to do or what to think. But what made everything even more difficult was the person who now stood before me. "Inu-" he dropped his bags onto the floor- "yasha....?" He took a gentle hold of my face and furrowed his brows, angrily, as he wiped the tears away. He looked at Sesshomaru from behind me, which made his hands grip me tighter. "Inuyasha he didn't-" he stomped furiously past me- "do...anything..."

Inuyasha: "What the fuck did you do to my woman Sesshomaru!?" I pulled Kagome away and stood in front of her as I clutched my fists ready for a fight. I turned back to the small figure behind me with tears running down her face. I kept a close eye on Sesshomaru before I turned around and looked down at her fragile face. "What the hell happened? Did he hurt you? Please tell me Kagome." After grabbing her hands I held them tight as I looked deep into her eyes. She looked so frightened, which ripped me apart inside.

Kagome: I didn't know what was happening; I didn't know what to think, to feel.... to believe? His eyes were piercing mine so roughly and aggressively like daggers that it made me shut my eyes and rip away from his hold in pain. "He... didn't do anything..," I sniffled. "He just... helped me think of something..." I wrapped my own arms around myself as I turned back around. I saw how torn apart Inuyasha looked and it broke my own heart. I looked down at the ground, trying to get myself together, but then I noticed Sesshomaru stand up from his seat.

Inuyasha: "Keh, the hell he didn't do anything to you." I pulled Kagome's arm carefully and brought her behind a tree. I continued holding her arm as we made it back to our hut, by then, the sun had finally set, so it was pitch dark out. On our walk back, I would quietly glance down to look at her face which was as white as snow. I knew something was up, and the two of us had to figure it out together. 

We finally made it back to the hut as I held the screen door open for her as she walked in first.

Kagome: "Look, Inuyasha-" I rubbed my eyes and sniffled- "Onichan didn't do anything to me, okay?" His crossed arms and the vein in his forehead told me he needed a little more convincing. "I went to him to talk about you...," I took a few steps away from him. "Not like, talking about you, like gossiping-" I chuckled but he didn't laugh- "Oh gosh, do you think I'd actually do that?!" I realized this wasn't anytime for jokes, I needed to stop hurting Inuyasha, which is the exact same reason maybe I should... leave. "Okay, babe. Look," I put a few strands of hair behind my ear. "What if... this is wrong? You and me? What if.... I'm wrong for you?"

Inuyasha: How could she be so loose about this? Thoughts raced through my mind, and too many at once to process what was going on.

"You actually went to HIM to talk about US?" I was mad now. "Are you kidding me Kagome? Why the hell would you seek opinions from him? This is our relationship, and I want him no part of it! You're my mate, which means we keep anything personal to us only." I dragged my feet across the wooden floor of our hut as I paced back and forth. I was really tensed up now.

"Wrong with us? What are you talking about?" I felt a strong tension between the two of us now.

Sesshomaru: I swing the ridiculous excuse for a door out of my way and walk into my brother looking like himself, an idiot. and the miko showing those human things.. emotions? "Look hanyou, I must speak to Rin."

Inuyasha: My eyes darted to him. "Who invited you in here scruffy?" I walked over to in front of him, holding my head high. "Rin isn't here. Now leave." I pointed towards the exit.

"What did you do to you mate?" I drag a hand through my hair, my curiosity got the best of me, and I glare down at the hanyou

"You mean, what did YOU do to my mate!? I left her in my home with no problems, but then I find her outside with YOU crying her eyes out." I started to breathe louder under my breath. Why is this thing in my hut at this hour? What does he want with us? I want him out of here, now!

Sesshomaru:  "Inuyasha. This Sesshomaru only stated the truth. Anything your mate might of read into it is on you, so stop blaming it on me like a pup and fix it." For some reason this Sesshomaru did not like the usually happy miko's tears, it angered me

I turned on my heels and walked out of the dwelling, I could smell Rin with her mentor the old woman in the distance. 

Inuyasha: "Finally he left!" I scuffed. I turned back to my mate who was standing behind me the whole time. My face calmed down, and I offered her my hand to follow me.

Kagome: I looked at his hand before me; those hands that show me his gentle affection, and for me it was in the most beautiful way anyone could ever show.  I grinned, and slowly nodded my head, as I placed my hand on his and melted at his touch.

Inuyasha: I softly took her hand in my own and brought her to a quiet place in the woods behind our home, and at this time of the year, they would be filled with glowing blue flowers that reflected on our own skin. I sat down on one of the rocks that was in a little open space, where we were surrounded by a beautiful iridescent blue glow. She sat next to me as I held her tight in my arms, never wanting to let go.

Kagome: I felt the butterflies fight against my stomach, trying to escape into the world, just like the ones I had when I first met Inuyasha. The flowers, the woods, the rocks--it all made out me in a state of serenity. Between the howl of the calm wind and the soft sounds of his breath, I was at peace. "If I may ask," I broke the silence. "What are we doing here?" On second thought, that might have come off a little rude. "I mean-" I looked down beneath us and rubbed his hand- "is there something you want to tell me?"

Inuyasha: I signed a sense of relieve. My body felt shaky, like I didn't know how to reply to her. I let her go and looked back into her eyes, but this time, I gave her my full attention. "I-I wanted us to talk about what happened earlier...

She looked at me with confusion. I had to think of a way to make myself more clear, for her. 

I'm sorry about jumping on you before. You just needed someone to talk to. I must have hurt you really badly, to the point where you had to ask Sesshomaru for help. I'm awful to you... You, you honestly deserve better than this..." These words, I never wanted to say them. I loved her, and I knew she wasn't happy here. I made her cry, I made her feel alone. How could I have made her so upset? Do I want her to suffer like this? Suffer all alone while I hide my feelings from her? I shook my head in disbelief. 

I continued before my mind got too off track. "Kagome, I want you to be happy, but even that sounds like a lie. I'm hurting you, because I wanted you to stay by my side. Listen, the reason why we aren't married is because..." I began to tear up. This made me turn completely away from her.

Kagome: I was frozen. I stared at the back of him nervously and anxiously. His words began to dig deeper inside of me, ripping me limb for limb, making me want to scream for help because of the pain but my voice was strained; almost as if I was trapped in a loop of my worst nightmare. "Babe.... W-What-" the tears flowed down to my chin but I didn't care to stop them this time- "are you saying?! What are you saying?!" I threw my head against his back. My sniffles and hiccups returned without my permission, making it more difficult for me to speak. "I-I was wrong before!" I threw my arms around him. "We were meant for each other... don't you think?!" I tried to even put my breaths, "Don't you know?" What was he going to say? Why aren't we married? I felt so scared, like my world was crashing down.

Inuyasha: Her arms around me felt cold. I couldn't embrace her like I would normally. “Kagome, please tell me the truth…” I shuttered. “Do you r-r-really want to live here with me? To give up your family, your home, your entire life? I’m nothing compared to them.” My heart race sped up faster than ever, and the tears continued to flow down my face. “I don’t want to tell you this, but I have no choice now, do I?” I lifted my head up, and not even bothering to clear my tears that were rapidly rolling down my face. “I don’t want you to be in a committed relationship with me. I’ve kept it like this up to now because it gives you the freedom to leave when you want.” I put my hand on top of hers. “You are free. Marriage with a half demon will take all of that away from you.” I stood up and walked a few feet away. “Kagome, be free. Live a happy life.” With that, I walked away into the darkness of the woods, where even the glow of the flowers around us no longer could reach hold of me.

End of part 1.

[akitokihojo]

Cruel Summer

A couple notes before you read:

Did I really just write a 33,805 word, 61 page fic and post it all in it’s entirety? Yes, I did.

Could I have broken it into parts? Probably. Should I have? No. I firmly believe this story is stronger in one. With that being said, take snack breaks if necessary. Don’t forget to stay hydrated.

This is a soulmate au.

While this fic has got it all, please heed the title. You're in for some fluff, smut, and a healthy dosage of angst. Because, would I really be me without my infamous flare for dramatics?

Alright, that’s all. See you on the flip side.

----------

She’d never been a fan of summer. Heat waves, sunburns, uncomfortable nights, sweat, bugs, and you could only strip so much before it was deemed inappropriate. If she had her way, Kagome would be sitting in front of the air conditioner of her apartment, marking off day five of August to continue the countdown to Autumn.

But, no.

Her best friend coerced her to take a trip - and by coerced, she literally emptied her underwear drawer and hid every pair of panties she owned while Kagome was in the shower, and the only way she’d give them back was if Kagome agreed to immediately go on this month-long outing to her family’s vacation home at the beach with a couple other friends. She’d been against it. She was about to start her final year of college, and she wanted to rest before the most stressful year of her life, but the promise of margaritas, the view of the ocean, a break from the norm, and the return of her undergarments was persuasive enough to get her to fold.

Three hours later, and here they were, the call of seagulls acting as their cliche welcome to, as Ayame deemed it, the summer of their dreams. 

“God dammit!” Sango bellowed, kicking her suitcase, and Kagome immediately beamed, hopping over the bed they’d agreed to share and running for cover. She’d been watching her best friend search her bag for a few solid minutes, waiting for her to blow her top. “Kagome, where the hell is my underwear!?”

“I told you, you were playing a dangerous game!” She laughed, using the island counter as a guard between them, Sango hot on her trail chasing after.

“Where are they!?”

“Don’t know!” She squealed, running to use their friend, Miroku, as a cover. “They’re definitely not in the cooler, though!”

“You -“ Sango stopped in her tracks, her jaw dropping wide. “You put -“ Her head swiftly turned to look at the cooler of drinks. “You put my - my panties in ice!?”

“Yeah, she did.” Miroku laughed, giving her a mock cheers with the beer he held in his hand.

“Kagome!” She guffawed, mostly of shock.

“You threatened to give a pair of mine to Hojo, even after I agreed to come! It was fair!” Kagome doubled over laughing, her best friend throwing the top of the cooler open and digging out the ziplock baggy of her underwear, sighing in relief when she realized they weren’t sopping wet in ice cold water.

“We’re even now, right?” She asked, hitting Kagome in the arm with her baggy.

“We’re even! We’re even!” Kagome laughed, holding her hands up defensively.

“Okay, then get ready!”

“Tonight, we party!” Their red-headed friend cheered, her cheeks already pink from the harsh rays of sun.

Kagome rolled her eyes humorously, dragging her feet back to their room to get dolled up for their planned night of barhopping - which usually meant Ayame was going to attempt to be ambitious, but they were all going to settle for the first place they landed at. She wasn’t the least bit surprised that they were itching to go out on the first day, and quite frankly, she’d grown to be excited, herself. It had been a long time since Kagome had let loose and allowed herself to just have fun.

She emptied the clothes from her suitcase, quickly following Sango’s lead and putting them away as neatly as possible before shifting through dresses to decide on one to wear for the night. It was between a dark blue one with straps across the back, or a glittery, black one that was low-cut in the front.

“Straps.” Sango chimed, waggling her brows.

“Oh my god, guys!” Ayame cried, running in their room with a teddy bear in her arms, squishing it tightly to her chest. “Look what Koga slipped into my bag! Isn’t he the cutest!?”

“Oh, no.” Sango groaned, looking at Kagome with the same, apprehensive grimace she wore. 

“What?”

“You guys are gonna have FaceTime sex, aren’t you?”

“And, miss the opportunity to pretend we’re in a long distance relationship?” Ayame scoffed.

“Ew!” Kagome wined.

“Are you in the furthest room!?” Sango asked, laughing. “You better be in the furthest room from us!”

“Listen, if you hear some moaning, mind ya business!” The red head teased, rolling her eyes with extra sass. 

“Awe, man! She’s in the room next to me!” Miroku complained, stomping through the common area noisily. Kagome and Sango both laughed loudly, showing no remorse for the only guy brave enough to go on a long trip with the three of them.

Sango kicked the door shut as Ayame left, stripping off her tank top and unbuttoning her shorts in preparation of changing into her chosen dress for the evening. A form-fitting, little cocktail that she usually saved for a third date with a guy - her third date dress, if you will. She smoothed it over her body, pulling it lower down her thighs and swiveling on the heels of her feet to get a full look at herself in the lengthy mirror on the wall. “Shit.” She hissed.

Kagome glanced over, her shirt already removed and hanging from her wrist, waiting for Sango to explain her vexation. 

“It’s been so long since I’ve been on a date, I forgot you can’t wear underwear with this dress.”

“Good thing they’re all frozen, anyway.” Kagome joked, throwing up a finger gun with a click of her tongue.

There was a loud, inarticulate groan from Miroku in the living room, just outside their wall, and Kagome stifled her laugh with her shirt when Sango turned bright red, not realizing how loud they’d spoken.

“In what world!? In what world would we ever happen!?” Sango shouted at him, giggling when all he did was groan loudly again.

“This world.” Kagome teased, keeping her voice hushed as she slipped her dress over her head.

“No, way.”

“Oh, please! You and I both know you’ve got the hots, and you’ve only been resisting because you’re mad at yourself for liking him.” Sango pursed her lips, fighting off the smile that would give her ruse away. “I’m willing to bet, by the end of this trip -“

“Don’t say it! You’ll jinx me!” Sango silenced her best friend, rummaging through her makeup bag in a feeble attempt to blow off the topic.

—

The music was loud, the dance floor was packed, and Ayame was lost in the crowd somewhere with Miroku. Kagome and Sango sat at a table they’d managed to snag, sipping their margaritas as a waitress walked over, smiling, placing two shots of tequila on the table. Sango laughed as Kagome shook her head, staring at her like she was crazy, but still, she took the little glass that Sango happily handed over to her, Sango holding her own up to say something to cheers to.

“Final year of college is about to begin! We deserve this time, okay! I don’t want to hear a single word about buying books for the next twenty-eight days, do you hear me!?”

“To not buying books!” Kagome laughed, gently tapping her glass to her best friend’s and taking the shot, scrunching her face, but always proud of herself for never needing a chaser while Sango took a bite of the strawberry on the rim of her margarita glass to drown the harsh taste of her alcohol.

“So,” A guy crouched next to their small table, bracing his forearm on the edge of the fake wood to balance himself. The two girls looked over to the man, a little surprised but giggling when they stole a little peek at each other. He was handsome. Ungodly handsome. His hair was short, tousled, and a light shade of silver that had Kagome’s initial attention, transferring to the dog ears atop his head that seemed to fit him better than she suspected normal, human ears would have. He wore a charming, crooked grin that fit him too well, and his golden eyes glowed richly, the lights from the bar, or club, or whatever Ayame had dragged them to, bouncing off of his irises and only shading them slightly. “I usually start off with something corny, like a pickup line, to flatter the both of you before I make any sort of ballsy moves, but I have a feeling that wouldn’t work on two ladies that look the way you do.”

Kagome couldn’t resist her light laugh, turning her head away from him so he wouldn’t receive the satisfaction of making her smile. One sentence in, and she could already tell the guy was good at smooth talking.

“Depends,” Sango started, leaning forward with a flirtatious grin. “Which one of us are you here for?”

The man pointed his thumb at Kagome, keeping his eyes on Sango all the while. Kagome smiled, rolling her eyes and propping her chin in her palm, her elbow supported on the surface of the table. 

“But, I know when two friends, such as yourselves, are with each other, neglecting one will only dock you points. Nor, would I ever want to make a pretty girl like you feel put out.”

She smirked, colored impressed. “Yeah, see, you’re not wrong. On any account. My friend, Kagome,” Sango emphasized her best friend’s name so the handsome man would be sure to remember it. “Hates pickup lines. Thinks they’re the worst. Me, on the other hand? Boy, you could spend all night buttering me up and calling me pretty, and I’ll be putty in your hands.”

“Noted.” He grinned, rightfully shifting his attention back to the girl he favored. She was giving him an expecting and amused expression, tapping a finger along her cheek, and cocking a brow as she waited for him to say something. “I’m just gonna cut to the chase. That good with you?”

“Go for it.” She said, and it almost seemed like a challenge.

“I’m gonna buy you two a drink.”

“No, thanks. We’ve already got one.” Kagome couldn’t help but giggle.

“Well, the cool thing about drinks is if you drink them, they empty, and then you can drink another.”

“And, you’re hoping for…?” It was an open-ended question, meant to put him on the spot.

“For you to drink them.” His crooked smirk kept, amber eyes never leaving her face, though she half expected if she looked away, they’d travel down to the bold amount of leg she was showing.

“But, you haven’t told me what you get out of it.”

“Ah,” He chuckled, sparing her best friend a side glance as she watched them go back and forth, entertainment painted in the red on her lips. “Would it be difficult to believe that I literally just want to spend my money on you?”

“Yes.”

“Thought so.” He chuckled again. Even through the loud music, the people chatting, the generally boisterous atmosphere, Kagome enjoyed the deep sound of his voice. “Look, I’m not gonna ask if I can sit with you, I’m not gonna ask if I can see you later, and I’m not gonna ask for your number. I wasn’t even going to ask for your name, though I do have to thank your pretty friend here for that bit of knowledge.”  He gave a smile in Sango’s direction, and she sat back in her chair, fanning her face with her hand, her brows raised in surprise. “I just want to buy you a drink.”

Kagome debated, giving him the moment to relish in her contemplation. He was good. He knew he was good. But, good didn’t do it for her. “I’d say yes, but I’d only be giving you false hope. You’re wasting your time. We’re not from here.” 

“See, you missed the part where I told you I was happy leaving empty-handed.” He leaned a little closer, still minding her personal space but wanting her to hear the rumble in his tone. “I’m not here to bother you, and I don’t expect anything out of this.”

“Strawberry margarita!” Sango said, slapping her hand against the table as if she’d sold something.

He laughed, nodding, then turned back to Kagome. She was recovering from the audacious glare she gave her friend, looking back at him, her brown eyes challenging him all over again. “I’m not from around here either.” He added.

“So, you’re further proving my point.”

“No. Not at all. You stated an irrelevant fact, so I returned the gesture.”

Kagome’s jaw dropped, surprised but laughing from the jab. 

“Look, my friends and I are about to leave. I didn’t want to shut my tab until I offered to get you two something.” He said, politely waving his finger to an approaching waitress. “I’ll leave without saying another word if you let me buy you a shot on top of it, because it was pretty impressive watching you take that shit straight.”

“Well, aren’t you persistent?” Kagome teased, licking her bottom lip before taking it between her teeth.

“Yes.” He smirked.

“You’re also unbelievable.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“Fine. Not another word.”

The man sealed his lips, the crooked smile that he began with taking over and taunting Kagome better than his voice did. As the waitress came over, he silently pointed to both margarita glasses and both empty shot glasses, confirming that he wanted her to bring doubles on his tab when she asked. And, he got up, gave her best friend a wink, and walked away.

“I think I had an orgasm.” Sango said as soon as he’d left, straight-faced, slightly perplexed as she stared at Kagome. 

Kagome laughed, thankful the lights in the place would thoroughly hide her blush. He was insanely charming, good looking, and holy hell, she’d never met someone that left looking so satisfied when he literally got nothing out of a conversation but her name. Maybe it was the alcohol she’d already consumed, but just that increased his attraction factor exponentially.

The waitress returned just minutes later, two blended margaritas and two shots of tequila sitting on her wet tray, and she kindly set the drinks before the girls. Kagome looked around after thanking her, seeing if the guy had already left or if he was sitting somewhere nearby. At the far end of the bar, she spotted him leaning against the edging, his light hair a dead giveaway, and his attention swung from the friends talking in front of him to her, as if he felt her eyes on him. She cocked her shot glass an inch higher in his direction, taking the swig and turning away when her nose crinkled.

God, his smile was going to be her undoing.

His friends began to head out the door, and he gave her another glance before heading out with them. She didn’t know what had come over her. It had to be the alcohol; she didn’t exactly have the highest tolerance level. Truthfully, she felt like she was giving him something he’d wanted, but she couldn’t help herself. Kagome watched him as he walked out, and as she’d hoped, he spared her one last glance. And, when he did, she waved him back over. He didn’t hesitate, separating from his peers and walking back towards the two girls, skillfully dodging people like he knew his way around the joint. When he leaned against the side of the table, he didn’t say anything, keeping his earlier promise not to talk.

“I didn’t get your name. I can’t properly thank you without your name.” She said, her tone unintentionally on the sultry side.

“It’s Inuyasha.” He said, leaning a little closer.

Just his name shouldn’t have had any sort of sensations flooding through her stomach, or warmth spreading over the surface of her skin, but it did. It made her drag in a breath and hold it, it made her eyes shy down to the dip in his shirt where she could see the very edges of his collarbones, the hollow of his throat, the even tone of his flesh, it made her force herself to remember she was supposed to actually say something now. Kagome smiled, looking down at the placement of his hands on the table, the tips of the fingers of one very close to hers, then she glanced back up to him, meeting his amber eyes.

“Thank you for the drinks, Inuyasha.”

“Don’t mention it.” He grinned, leaning even closer. His tone was husky, thick and deep and heavenly to Kagome’s ears as he spoke once more. “By the way, I lied. I just got exactly what I wanted.”

“And, what was that?” She asked, furrowing her brows speculatively.

“For you to be so interested that you wanted to know something about me. We both know you didn’t need my name to say thank you. You just wanted the excuse to ask. Because, I bet you’ll be thinking of me tonight almost as much as I’ll be thinking of you. Isn’t that right, Kagome?”

She didn’t answer. He didn’t give her a moment to. He tapped his hand against the table in a simple gesture of goodbye, turning on his heel and heading out. Kagome met Sango’s wide, brown eyes, the straw hanging loosely from her lips, blinking away the tension.

“Oh, yeah. Bad day to not wear underwear.” Sango remarked, sighing heatedly before she sucked down a huge gulp of her fresh margarita.

“What just happened?” Kagome murmured, and she was surprised her best friend had even heard her in order to reply.

“I think you just fell under a spell.”

“Holy shit.” She breathed, taken aback by the way his intense gaze had burned into her immediate memory, golden eyes blinking at her behind thick lashes, telling her a story where words weren’t necessary for description. She was enticed. Curious. And, he was completely right. There was no way he wouldn’t be stuck in her head tonight.

“Need some water?” Her friend laughed. “Some fresh air? You gonna be okay?”

Kagome buried her fiery blush behind her hands, laughing at how ridiculous she must have appeared and then grabbed her gifted beverage, taking little sips in the hopes that she could wash her embarrassment away.

—

Kagome awoke abruptly. It took a moment, a solid, deafeningly quiet moment, for her to hone in on her surroundings, where she was, what day it was, what time of day it was. It was bright, unlike the room she’d just dreamt she was in. The strong aroma of the ocean wafted through the vacation house, soft voices fluttering through the walls, helping to ground Kagome in present time.

“Hey, good morning.” Sango greeted, entering their bedroom just as Kagome peeled herself from the sheets, sitting up and brushing the messy bangs from her head. “I was getting a little worried about you.”

“Why?” Kagome asked.

“Well, it’s passed eleven. You’re a pretty early riser. I even tried waking you up for breakfast earlier, but you wouldn’t budge.”

“It’s passed eleven?” She quirked, reaching for her cell phone on the nightstand to double check the claim. 

“You feeling okay? You hardly drank last night, so you’re not hungover or anything, are you?” Sango asked, closing the door as she walked further in, fishing through the top drawer of the dresser.

“No, I feel fine. Must have just been tired.” Kagome brushed off, clearing her social media notifications. That dream always did this to her. She was held captive by the reoccurring illusion, and lately, as the dreams had begun coming to her more and more frequently, only loud noises could startle her out of them or else she’d be stuck riding it out until the very end. They left her dazed, confused, lost, and slightly lonely. The person behind the blurred veil was someone she was supposed to know, or was supposed to find, she knew this, but she couldn’t see his face and the only identifiable feature was the birthmark that stood out more vividly than any other part of the vision. A faded spot on his chest. She could hear him speaking, but his words were muffled, like she was submerged in a bubble, the walls of which so unforgivably thick that even his voice couldn’t be recognizable. 

A notable dream, the meaning well-known to anyone who’s had them. Who’s heard of them, even.

That was her soulmate.

There was no telling when you’d meet, or where in the world they even were. Additionally, there were never guarantees that you’d find each other. It was just fate’s way of letting you know you’ve got an inexplicable bond shared with a person somewhere, and here’s an unclear indicator of who they are - an insignificant marking of some sort or another somewhere on their body, never the same for two people. It was cruel and unusual to most. Kagome did her best to dismiss it. If it was actually meant to be, as some insisted, then they’d appear before you someday. Until then, she wasn’t going to put her life on hold if the guy she was interested in at any point in time didn’t share the same mark. It wasn’t a healthy way to live. Not with the billions of people inhabiting this planet. It just didn’t make sense to wait, and wait, and wait, and wait for a moment that may never come. So, she never spoke of the dreams or got remotely excited whenever they happened. She didn’t want to focus on the tan, uneven circle on the man’s left pectoral, and otherwise unblemished skin of his toned torso. And, she tried so hard not to check on the partners she’d had in the past. But, she always did. She always, always, grazed her fingers over their clear chest, hoping one day it’d appear.

And, that was the harsh reality of the dream. You knew your person was out there, and every time you laid with someone and realized it wasn’t them, the most difficult part was pushing through the heavy disappointment to enjoy what you’ve, instead, found.

“Good. I made pancakes this morning, and saved a couple for you. Eat and get ready to go. We’re hitting the little shops today before the beach.”

“You cooked?” Kagome teased, climbing off the king-sized mattress.

“Ha-ha! Yes, I cooked! I figured after a few days of being here, I should do my share in the kitchen.”

“And, pancakes are Miroku’s favorite?”

Sango narrowed a playful glare at her best friend, punching into her open hand to wordlessly say she was gonna hit Kagome if she didn’t stop, and Kagome laughed, not threatened in the least as she picked out a bikini from her own drawer.

“Can we stop for coffee?” Kagome asked, heading to the master bathroom they shared to change. “I think I’ll keel over if we don’t.”

“All that sleep and you’re still tired?”

“There’s such a thing as too much sleep.”

“Not to college students.”

“Coffee!” “Okay! Coffee!”

Truthfully, no one would ever have an objection for stopping for coffee. They were all caffeine addicts, but somehow, their first morning there, Miroku had brewed the worst pot in existence, making the four of them swear off of home brew for a while. He swore it was a malfunction with the machine, which very well could have been true, but the girls were perfectly fine blaming him for the thick, murky concoction all of them refused to even sip after watching his own face go green.

The little shop was busy, chiming with the soft rumble of conversation mixed with the light jazz music coming from the speakers. Her friends had ordered first and were all sitting off to the side at a small table, waiting for their drinks to be called. Kagome ordered her usual drink she’d get while out and about, opting for iced instead of hot, given the weather.

“Add a medium black coffee to that, please.” He stood close, but still minded a respectable distance where Kagome didn’t feel it was necessary to back herself away in her subtle surprise. In his extended hand that hovered near her face, he held out his card for the barista to charge, his amber eyes focused on the woman at the register, but the smile on his face was for her, and Kagome knew it. The barista happily complied, swiping his debit card and kindly handing it back. 

“You.”

“You.” Inuyasha echoed, notching his head to the side so she’d follow him out of line and towards the end counter where they’d receive their drinks.

“Is this gonna be a normal thing; you randomly appearing to buy me a drink?” She chuckled, slightly teasingly.

“If I have my way.” He replied, shrugging his brows. “Unless you have any opposition.”

“A simple hello will do, you know.”

“What if I’m not just trying to say hello?”

“What else could you possibly be trying to say by paying for my coffee?” Kagome asked skeptically, crossing her arms over her chest.

“A multitude of things, like ‘you should always have your drinks paid for,’ ‘you look gorgeous in that dress,’ even though I’m pretty sure you’ll dismiss it as a loose summer one you’ve had in your closet for years - but you deserve to know it’s something special on you - ‘I’m happy I stumbled into the same coffee shop you just so happened to be in,” is another, and ‘for some reason, ‘hello’ seemed like a drab way to greet you but I needed an excuse to talk to you, and a two dollar coffee was well worth it.’ But, mostly I was going for the surprise factor here. I like your face when you’re taken off guard. It’s cute. If it makes you happy, though, hello. It’s nice to see you again, Kagome.” Inuyasha grinned crookedly.

Her face had heated considerably, and she hoped her skin was still rosy from their recent walk in the sun so that her flush was concealed beneath the one that hadn’t been caused by him. Kagome wasn’t the type that fell for flattery and flirtatious quips. For some reason, in this case, she honestly couldn’t tell if Inuyasha was being genuine or if he was just a professional sweet-talker. Either way, she surprisingly liked it. A lot.

It was crazy that she was entertaining any thoughts of flirting with a guy right now considering the circumstances. She was on vacation, she lived hours away in a shared apartment at her university, and this guy, this incredibly attractive guy, was a stranger. It wasn’t the safest scenario, but god, why did she want it so bad? 

It was as if an unnatural force was creating this aura around him, causing him to stand out warmly in a crowd of people. No one’s smile affected her like his did. No one’s. She could easily dismiss it as the summer heat playing with her head, but she wondered, if he kept showing up out of the blue, how much more would she have to make up an excuse for? It was unreal how she kept thinking that the longer they stood by each other, the tighter a knot began to form between them. Absolutely unreal. Illogical. She needed coffee to think straight, because clearly she wasn’t doing so well without. 

Because of this, because of the two interactions they’d had so far, she already felt like the moment he disappeared through those coffee shop doors, she’d begin to constantly search her surroundings to hope she’d spot his short, silver hair. She’d begin to hope he’d pop up and say hi, he’d grin at her, he’d say her name. 

Yikes, when Sango forced her to come out here, not a single part of her had prepared to have a Grease moment. Yet, here she was, knowing she should probably thank him and walk away, but not a single part of her body, heart, or brain intended on doing so. Suddenly, she felt adventurous. She wasn’t so weary about the obvious lack of rationality behind something so silly or potentially reckless. If he was into it, why couldn’t she be?

“That’s a lot to say with a coffee.” Kagome said, softly nibbling her bottom lip.

“Imagine what I could say with an entire meal.”

Yeah. There was no use even hoping her blush was hidden now. She had to look away at the suggestion, smiling.

“So, I recognize your friend over there, but who’s the guy next to her giving me a dirty look?” Inuyasha asked, inching his chin up in gesture of their direction. Kagome turned around, noticing her three current housemates watching she and Inuyasha intently, Sango and Ayame looking rather pleased.

“Oh, that’s Miroku. You should be careful, he’s very protective of us girls.”

“Ah. Is he your…?”

“Ew, oh god no. He’s into Sango.” Kagome grimaced sourly. 

“And, which one is Sango?” She couldn’t help but notice his expression seemed to relax a smidge.

“The one you met.” Kagome said, realizing he’d never gotten her name at the bar. “Here, come meet the others.” She turned on her heel, guiding the hanyou to her small table of friends. Kagome gestured to the red head on the left, the girl enthusiastically bouncing up to her feet to shake Inuyasha’s hand. “This is Ayame. That’s Miroku. And, you remember Sango.”

“That’s right. How’s it going, beautiful?” Inuyasha smiled, wanting to offer his hand in a polite shake but unable to as Ayame actively refused to let it go, still shaking as if her own greeting wasn’t yet over.

“Hey, choose a girl and stick with her, dude.” Miroku spread his hands in a what the fuck manner, giving a small gesture between Kagome and Sango.

“Sorry.” Inuyasha pinched his lips together, trying not to chuckle, especially as Sango’s face twisted in displeasure toward the man beside her.

Kagome locked eyes with her best friend, hoping she’d miraculously learned to read her mind by now. She even subtly flickered her eyes in Inuyasha’s direction to indirectly communicate, adding a tiny nod for assurance. Sango, understanding, gave an eager approval, and as Miroku got up to get the drinks that had been called for the girls, Kagome took her opportunity to ask without their “protectors” disdain glaring Inuyasha down.

“So, what are you doing tonight?” She started. His golden stare landed on her, completely and charmingly unbothered by the fact that her friend was still holding his hand.

“What should I be doing tonight?” Inuyasha countered.

“Well, we’re having a little party - if you can even call it that. There’s fireworks tonight, and Sango’s vacation home has a beachside view, so we don’t even have to go anywhere to see the show. It’s just gonna be the few of us, music, drinks, and we’ve got a jacuzzi. Oh, and Ayame’s boyfriend is coming into town to join in because apparently they have separation issues.” Kagome said, slapping the red head’s hand so she’d finally let him go. Her expression fell from adoring to bummed out, dropping her hand and plopping back down to her seat as she mumbled a “dammit” beneath her breath. “You’re more than welcome to come if you’d like.”

“I’d love to. What should I bring?”

“Just your pretty-little-self.” Sango chimed, pulling a receipt out of the chest pocket of her overall shorts to write on the back of, and fishing her pen out of her purse. “Here’s our address.”

Kagome bent over the table, taking the pen from Sango as she finished and quickly scribbled her phone number beneath. She folded up the receipt, standing tall and sliding it into the front pocket of his gray, button up shirt. “In case you get lost.”

Inuyasha smiled, his attention being stolen for a millisecond as his and Kagome’s drinks were called and Miroku rejoined the table with his, Ayame’s, and Sango’s. “What time?”

“Six or seven.”

“Or, whenever you’d like, let’s be real.” Ayame added, pursing her lips before taking her straw into her mouth to silence herself with a large gulp of coffee.

“I’ll see you later.” Inuyasha said to Kagome’s friends, chuckling. He gave Kagome a notch of his head as he headed back to the counter, and she followed, gratefully taking her drink as he handed it to her. “See, now I’m really glad I stumbled into the same coffee shop as you.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Tell me why I wouldn’t be after getting to see you again.”

Kagome smiled shyly, trying not to bite her lip. “Thank you for the drink. Again.”

“Anytime. I’ve gotta get going, gorgeous. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way.” He gave her the smallest, humblest smile, taking his own drink from the counter and heading out the door. 

And, so her madness began.

“Is that the guy you met at the bar?” Miroku asked as she rejoined the group.

“Yeah, that’s him. Inuyasha.” She confirmed, taking a deep breath as she tried to regain her bearings. 

“And, you invited him over?”

“You bet.” Sango answered.

“Are you stupid?” He questioned, crossing his arms as they all rose to leave and giving Kagome a stare of disapproval. “Do you know anything about him besides his first name?”

“Isn’t this how you get to know people?” She countered.

“Yeah, in public settings. You don’t give people your address. The guy probably just wants to get into your pants, Kagome.”

“I’d let him.” Sango plainly agreed.

“Oh, yeah, me too.” Ayame nodded. 

“I promise, I’ll learn his favorite color before I let him hump me. Happy?” She joked, sipping her iced coffee as they walked out.

“This. This is why I didn’t let you guys come alone.” He griped, rolling his eyes at how the girls completely disregarded him.

“You’re one to talk! You’re the guy who sleeps with any girl who will spread her legs. If anything, it’s you who we shouldn’t trust here.” Sango laughed, swerving around Kagome to hide from him as he threatened to flick her.

“Okay, but hear me out,” Ayame started, walking backward down the street as they headed to their first shop. "This is literally the safest environment for Kagome to get to know the guy in! We’re all gonna be there, watching -“

“Ogling.” Sango added.

“- and if anything bad goes down, you’ll have Koga here to help kick his ass.”

“God, now I feel like you guys are chaperoning me on a date.” Kagome grimace.

“It’s not a date.” Miroku rebutted.

“It’s kind of a date.” Sango said.

“No, it’s not a date!” Kagome agreed. “It’s definitely not a date. He’s just coming over to hang out. Therefore, don’t hover.” She directed that comment toward Miroku, narrowing her stare in warning. He rolled his eyes in return, the tiniest shakes of his head only noticeable when the ends of his shaggy hair wiggled back and forth, and she quickly pinched the back of his arm, causing him to jump away from her.

—

The sun was setting, and their little vacation spot was lively. The television was on with some sport or another playing, but the sound was muted - and would have been drowned out by the music and everyone talking, anyway. Even more so as a Taylor Swift song began and the three girls started dancing as dramatically as their favorite pop star, making the two guys groan from their spot on the couch, heads rolling back as they slumped further. Naturally, they weren’t a fan and always begged the girls to skip, but that only prodded them to annoy them further by turning it up louder and ignoring their complaining. In all fairness, it was a random playlist on a music streaming site. And, as Sango had said, they didn’t choose the music, the music chose them.

“I will give you each five dollars to at least turn it down.” Koga pleaded, fishing his wallet out of his pocket.

“Deal!” The three girls concurrently beamed, all of which holding their hands out to accept their bribe.

Ayame twisted the volume nob down a tad, the music now at a tolerable level, though Miroku still looked as miserable as ever. Kagome resumed her place in the kitchen, checking that the water was boiling before dumping two boxes of macaroni and cheese noodles into the pot, and Sango hopped in behind her to finish throwing the ingredients into the blender that she’d momentarily interrupted herself to dance for, popped on the lid, and pressed the button to run it. Just as she turned it off, they heard the doorbell ring, and Kagome looked over, shocked. She was still in the dress from earlier, but she was currently wearing it indecently. Much like with how Sango had unlatched her overalls and allowed the top portion to hang freely down her body, trusting the shorts to stick snuggly to her hips, Kagome had pulled the halter top strap of her dress over her neck to hang loose, the skirt portion bunched enough to not fall from her hips and her chest only covered with her bathing suit top. She hadn’t realized he’d get here so quickly after texting he was on his way.

“Not yet, not yet, not yet!” She called, sprinting from the kitchen, across the living room, and to the master bedroom she shared with Sango, slamming the door and trusting one of the others to let Inuyasha in.

Sango stifled her laugh, the noise coming out as more of a snort as she headed toward the front and opened the door. “Hi! Welcome to my parents’ humble abode!” She greeted, immediately allowing him entry. 

“Thanks.” Inuyasha grinned, walking in and presenting a bottle of Patron. “I know you told me not to bring anything, but I figured you guys might be low on the good stuff by now. And, if not, you’ve got extra.”

“Boy, you are an angel! We’ve been stuck using the cheap rum Koga brought because no one wants to go to the store!” Sango playfully directed her loud jab toward the living room where the guys were congregated, listening to the beautiful sound of their droned and synchronized groans again. “Come on in, Kagome will be right out. She had to take a phone call.”

Inuyasha followed the girl inside, taking note of the familiar red head sitting on the lap of, what was probably safe to assume was, her boyfriend. The guy who’d stared him down earlier sat on the far side of the couch from them, a beer in his right hand that was mostly empty, and he notched his chin up toward him in an informal hello. Honestly, Inuyasha understood his dissent completely; he’d be like that with any of his female friends, too. Probably even harsher; he wasn’t exactly known for being kind to anyone he didn’t necessarily like. It was good that Kagome had people looking out for her, but he meant no harm. She was interesting, she was stunning, he could already tell she was sassy, which he fucking loved in a woman, and he couldn’t help but want to see what, exactly, it was about her that called to him in the first place. And, who didn’t seek a little thrill when they were in an unfamiliar place for a limited amount of time? 

It was a really lax environment, and although it was awkward as the newcomer and stranger, he felt it wouldn’t take long to ease in, especially when Kagome would emerge. It was like his presence didn’t dampen anything or cause anyone to stiffen, the friend group continuing to bicker lightly as if that was the normal way they communicated. Which, very well could have been true.

Ayame stood to greet him, and Miroku immediately started laughing boisterously, swinging her attention back to him as she swiveled on her heel to see what his deal was.

“Ayame, how? We were on the beach for, like, an hour! How did you get a sunburn that bad!?” Miroku pointed, bringing Ayame to visibly pout, knowing he was referencing the redness of her back that showed through the rear of her cropped tank top. Even her boyfriend leaned to see the evidence, covering his mouth with his fist to prevent himself from laughing and embarrassing her. “You’re a demon, I thought shit like this never happened.”

“Yes, I am a demon, but I’m also -“ Ayame lifted her foot to sit on top of the coffee table before the couch, presenting her leg that was hardly covered by the pair of shorts she donned. Her voice held a mocking tone, and she cocked her head with attitude. “Pale.”

“It’ll fade by tomorrow.” Koga assured.

“Does it hurt?” Miroku asked.

“I don’t know, touch me and see.” She dared.

“Oh, do it! I want to see what happens.” Kagome encouraged, leaning her shoulder on the frame of the bedroom door she’d finally appeared from. She was now donned in jeans - her favorite jeans that worked wonders for her butt - and a loose top that hung off her shoulders; nothing too dressy that gave away that she was trying to impress, still looking casual while flattering her figure in a modest way. She turned her attention to Inuyasha who was already looking at her, amber eyes glowing with the hues of the sunset that shined through the glass that made up the back wall of the house.

“Hi, you.” She greeted, sauntering over to him.

“Hi.” He grinned.

“He brought tequila!” Sango announced, framing the bottle with her hands from the side of the island counter, next to the blender.

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that! Thank you so much!” Kagome smiled elatedly, gently grabbing his hand to lead him into the kitchen so he’d stick by her. She gave the macaroni noodles a stir so they wouldn’t stick, before heading to the fridge, leaving him by the stove. “Water, beer, or something blended?”

“Beer.” He said, accepting the bottle appreciatively after she popped the top for him.

Sango’s phone started ringing, and she snagged it, looking at the unknown number and then giving an apprehensive yet excited expression to Kagome before bolting from the room and locking herself in the bedroom. Stealing a peek, Kagome peered over the island, watching Miroku’s lips set disappointedly, his indigo eyes on the closed door before he hid it all behind the beer bottle he took a swig from.

“What’s wrong with him?” Inuyasha whispered, leaning closely next to her.

“He always assumes when she does that she’s on the phone with a guy. Really, she’s been waiting to hear back from a specific company for an internship. She’s gotten other offers, but she’s weighing her options first, and I don’t know how many times I have to explain that to him.” She replied, matching his low tone.

“Aren’t they together?”

“No, he wishes.” She shook her head, ducking down into the cupboards to fish out the colander. As she stood straight and set it up in the sink to strain her noodles, Koga appeared on the outer side of the island counter.

“Hey.” He said to Inuyasha.

“Hey.” Ayame smoothly curved over, propping her forearms on the counter, her voice taking a flirtatious hint.

“Hey!” Koga pushed her face away, causing the girl to stumble backward and giggle. He sighed, rolling his blue eyes before glancing back at the newcomer. “Nice to meet you. Apparently, you’re a god of some sort?”

“What?” Inuyasha blinked, chuckling out of surprise.

“Oh my god,” Kagome grieved, humiliated by every single one of her friends’ lack of tact. “Inuyasha, this is Koga. Koga, Inuyasha.”

They shook hands, and Koga once more playfully pushed his girlfriend away, even though she was only reaching to pour the drinks from the blender. Miroku joined them then, an even stare given to the hanyou as he propped his upper body on the counter, ignoring the abundance of steam that rose as Kagome poured the boiling pot of noodles into the colander.

“You a rapist?” Miroku carelessly asked.

“Miroku!” Kagome reacted, shocked.

“No.” Inuyasha answered, meeting her protective friend’s eyes as honestly as possible.

“A serial killer?”

“No.”

“You got a wife?”

“No.”

“Kids?”

“No.”

“A girlfriend?”

“No.”

“You think Kagome’s cute?”

“Very.”

“How many questions can I ask until you get annoyed?”

“Probably three more.”

“Alright, he’s chill.” Miroku held out his fist to bump with Inuyasha’s, then finished off the beer he had in his hand before making his way around to the fridge to grab another. “So, I’ve gotta ask, man. What’s your secret?”

“What do you mean?” Inuyasha asked in return, flinching out of the way as Kagome chucked a Hawaiian roll at Miroku.

“Hey, I was done!” He defended, holding his wounded side before picking up the small roll of bread from the floor and carelessly taking a bite. “Watch out for her, she’s got a hell of an arm. Anyway, I mean what’s your trick? What’s the line you use to get a girl interested in you so quickly?”

Kagome blushed furiously, ducking her face as she dumped the strained noodles back into the pot.

“I don’t have a line.” Inuyasha smirked, trying to hide his amusement.

“Bull.” Koga attested from the side. “Even I had to use a line to get this chick.”

“Ew, don’t say it like that!” Ayame smacked his arm, pushing Miroku aside from the island counter so she could pour the blended drinks into three cups, meant for the girls who didn’t even like beer.

“I really don’t have a line.”

“Kagome?” Miroku called, wanting her side of it.

“He didn’t use a line on me. In fact, he said he could have but he didn’t want to.”

Miroku and Koga both looked at each other, dumbstruck, their jaws dropping dramatically as Inuyasha took a huge swig of his beer to stifle his laugh.

“That’s the line, you idiot!” They both shouted. “Oh my god!”

“It’s not a line, I swear!” Inuyasha said to her. “It’s an anti-line!”

“An anti-line is still a line, and holy fuck, that’s genius!” Miroku applauded, ignoring Kagome’s worsening blush as she stirred the butter into the noodles.

“You guys are making me look really bad.” Inuyasha grumbled.

“You look like a hero to us.” Koga raised his beer in praise.

“I hate you all.” Kagome stated simply, pursing her lips and going back to the food.

“Drink up, Kagome, you’ll get over it in a second.” Ayame slid a glass for Kagome to catch, reaching far over the bar and the guys to clink her cup to Kagome’s before backing up to tuck herself into her boyfriend’s arms.

“Tell us more. Enlighten us with your ways.” Miroku urged with a wave of his hand, as if beckoning him forward.

Inuyasha chuckled, slightly embarrassed. “In case you guys haven’t noticed, I don’t technically have the girl yet. And, my chances are lessening the more we talk about it. If you’re asking for specific advice for yourself, though…” He trailed off his sentence, glancing over to Kagome to see if she was okay with it.

She swallowed the large sip of the blended drink she had sitting in her mouth, her nose wrinkling at the over abundance of alcohol Sango had mixed in. “Oh, go for it. Miroku needs all the help he can get.”

“Um, rude.” Her friend said, laughing. “I’m not that bad.”

“Right.” She stated sarcastically. “And, Sango is talking to who?”

“Alright, yeah, help me.” He grimaced, swiftly changing his mind, turning back to Inuyasha.

“Does she know you want her?” Inuyasha asked.

“Oh, yeah!” Everyone boasted, a little too earnestly.

“Ah, so you come off too strong.”

“I wouldn’t say too strong. I mean, I’d sooner say you came off too strong on Kagome in order to get her to invite you over after only meeting two times.”

“Actually, I let her call the shots. Women don’t like having shit shoved in their face. Nobody likes that. I was a bit persistent in buying her a drink at the bar, sure, but I never forced her. The option was always hers. If she gave me an adamant no, then I would have left her alone.”

“It’s true.” Kagome nodded. “He was mild at best.”

“I’m going to assume you’ve known Sango for a while and that you’ve wanted her for a while. She knows. So, don’t repeat yourself. What you need to focus on is making her want what you have to offer in return. First way to do that is to intrigue her. Don’t put it all on the table at once, it’s overwhelming. Subtly do something genuine or sweet, then give her space. Walk away. Leave her curious for more. And, most importantly, do not touch her unless she invites you to. It’s the quickest way to deter her.”

“You mean to tell me you haven’t once touched Kagome?” Miroku asked skeptically, cocking a brow as he took a sip of his cold beer.

Inuyasha shook his head with a prideful, little smirk.

“Oh my god.” Kagome murmured, her brows furrowing in realization. “He hasn’t; I touched him.”

“You grade A slut.” Koga joked, chuckling. 

“Were you, like, a woman in a past life? How do you know what we like so well?” Ayame inquired.

“I was raised by a single mom. And, I listen.” He chuckled.

“That’s hot.” She nodded, sipping her drink.

“What are we talking about?” Sango asked, emerging from the bedroom. 

“Just learning a little about Kagome’s new friend here.” Ayame covered. “He’s very respectful of women.”

Sango nodded approvingly, even a little impressed, holding up the okay sign with her fingers as she rejoined the group. 

Kagome began to mix the little packages of cheese into the macaroni, noticing Inuyasha’s nonchalant nod toward Miroku to try something out, and Kagome had to bite her lip to remain appearing as nonchalant as possible. As Sango approached the counter, Miroku scooted her awaiting beverage toward her, sparing her a small glance. She gave him the smallest of smiles, more in thanks for handing her the glass and shifted her attention to Kagome and the almost-done food.

Miroku stood from the island, walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, sauntering back her way and gently placing it before her.

“You’re looking a little flushed from the sun. Drink some water before the alcohol, okay? I don’t want you dehydrating.”

And, then he walked away, taking his beer and sitting on the couch to watch the muted sports program.

Sango’s brown eyes stayed glued to his back as he walked, then flashed to the water bottle in front of her, then back to him in the most inconspicuous of manners before she tapped her fingernail along the countertop. She opened the bottle of water and took a small sip while she pretended to listen to the small talk between Koga and Ayame for a meager moment until it seemed suitable to get up, following Miroku over to the couch and sitting a foot or two away.

Both Kagome and Ayame had to cover their mouths to prevent themselves from laughing, Ayame tucking her face into Koga’s chest to play it off. Kagome looked at Inuyasha who was only grinning crookedly at her, shrugging his brows.

“I’m not sure if I should actually be impressed that you’re so good with women.” Kagome mentioned, reaching up to grab six bowls from the cupboard.

“Don’t think of it that way.” He said, helping her. “I meant what I said back at the bar. I expected nothing then, and I expect nothing now. I didn’t buy you a drink and bank on it helping me to score or anything like that. I just wanted to buy you a drink.”

“And, make me want to know something about you.” She giggled.

“Where’s the harm in that?”

There was none. Kagome could do nothing in response but grab a bowl and scoop a serving into it, offering it to him with a smile. 

Night had set in and Koga, Sango, and Ayame made home in the jacuzzi - despite her sunburn and the discomfort she initially hissed from upon entering - waiting for the fireworks to begin. Miroku leaned on the fence railing that separated the back patio from their private pathway to the beach, and Kagome, having just shrugged on a sweater, pulled Inuyasha to the side.

“Want to go for a walk?” She whispered, trying to keep the others out of her business, because she just knew some of them would hoot and howl inappropriately. 

“Absolutely.” He grinned, quietly following her out the side gate and down the path to the sand.

They kicked off their shoes as they reached the beach, peacefully walking side-by-side close to where the waves rode up, the night tide following the pull of the moon.

“What’s your favorite color?” Kagome innocently asked.

“Black, I guess.” He answered with a one-sided shrug.

“That’s a shade.”

He laughed lightly. “Red, then. No, blue. Blue’s better.”

“Blue is better.” She agreed, nodding.

“Is that yours?”

“Mhm. How old are you?”

“Twenty-five.”

“Ah. I’m twenty-two.”

“Is this the question game?” Inuyasha chuckled, his smile growing larger as she nodded again, grinning sheepishly. “Got it. Carry on.”

“Are you out here on vacation, too?”

“Nah, work. I’m stuck here for a couple months to monitor the transition of one of the new firms we acquired.” He answered, tugging her shirt his way to pull her out of the path of a wave that rode up higher than expected.

“That makes sense; you were a little dressed up this morning.”

“Eh. I’m supposed to do more than that to set an example, but I fucking hate putting on a suit. Since my brother’s not here to micromanage me while I micromanage others, I can get away with dressing down a bit.”

“So, you work with your brother?” She glanced at him, watching the small grimace he gave while facing forward.

“I work for my brother.” He politely corrected. “For now, at least. Still relatively new to the field. How long are you here for?”

“About three and a half more weeks.”

Inuyasha stopped walking, turning to her. The moonlight shined on her dark, wavy hair, emphasizing the mysterious, blue shading no one would ever be able to notice in the sun. The wind tousled her long locks, blowing strands she’d already tucked behind her ear around her jaw and the front of her neck. She was positively beautiful, radiant in this element, and he wondered if she knew. He wondered, if he told her, would she believe him? Kagome was something dangerous, her thick lashes hiding the brown shade of her eyes, her plush lips curved upward in curiosity, and he didn’t even bother to further question what had been coming over him since the moment he spotted her sitting at a table with her best friend. 

“Would it be okay if I wanted to see you again?” The hanyou asked, his voice taking on a husky note.

“You still want to see me?” She inquired honestly.

“Why the hell wouldn’t I?”

“Because, we have a time limit.”

“Maybe.” He bobbed his head to the side, agreeing. “But, personally, I’d like to use that time wisely. There’s something about you that has my undivided attention.”

“You don’t think it’s crazy?” Kagome asked, her tone dwindling slightly as her eyes dropped to his lips.

“I do, actually. It’s pretty crazy. But, is crazy always bad?”

Why was it, the first answer that popped into her mind was, not when it comes to you? Why was it, her inhale was shaky and tentative, and her chest filled with fluttering warmth instead of the nippy, ocean air? Why? Why was she so pulled to him, entranced by his eyes, willing to trust this man so easily after such an insignificant amount of time together? Maybe she was growing naive, because she wasn’t drunk nor was it hot anymore. Through it all, despite the lack of an answer to the riddle dancing in her mind, she shook her head in reply to him.

“If you say no, I’ll understand completely. You know that, right?” Inuyasha continued. 

And, for some reason, she did.

“But, if there’s a chance that you’re interested, I’d love to take you out one of these nights. Anywhere you want. That, or, if you’re feeling gutsy, you can come to my place and I’ll cook you dinner.”

“You can cook?” She asked, stepping in closer.

“Hell yeah, I can cook.” He smiled.

“I think I’m feeling gutsy.” Kagome said after a moment of consideration.

“Good. Friday night?”

“Friday night.” Her grin gleamed brightly, her skin glowing with the radiant colors that flashed overhead from the firework show beginning.

As she turned to face the booming explosions, her smile only seemed to grow larger, happier, delighted, and Inuyasha felt a hard and thunderous thump in his chest that threatened to bring him groveling to his knees. It could have been the fireworks, but he knew it was something else. Something inexplicable. Which was insane for him, because he wasn’t this type of guy. He didn’t do this shit. He didn’t believe in love at first sight, and he didn’t get wobbly on his feet just from seeing a beautiful woman. But, when he first spotted her, heard her laugh over the music and chatter, he was captivated, and for something mystical and powerful like that to take over him, he didn’t really want to put energy behind discovering the science of it. His energy belonged to figuring out who this girl was as quickly as he possibly could so he could evaluate just what he’d be missing when she left.

—

Despite the rampant butterflies in her stomach, Kagome managed to make it to her front door without crumbling. She took a moment to smooth her short, summer dress over her hips, hoping the light cardigan she donned over it made it look suitable for a first date. She’d packed for a vacation, not for wooing men, so she’d been stressing over what to wear for the last hour and a half. A good portion of her clothes smelled like sunblock already, the few skirts and dresses she packed for nights out with her friends were a little too skimpy for comfort, and the others were too casual for the evening. The happy medium was this white, flowy dress that dipped a little low in the front. The pink cardigan tied it together, and she spritzed a little body spray over herself to try and mask the scent of sunscreen.

Opening the door, she found Inuyasha standing on the other side, a charming grin appearing when their eyes met. He was donned in a black button up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the top couple of buttons sitting open and the hem remaining untucked from his jeans.

“Ready?” He asked, holding his hand out, and she quickly double checked that she had a spare key to the place, her wallet, and her cell phone in her purse before nodding eagerly and taking his hand.

“You look beautiful.” He mentioned as he opened the car door for her, and it took all of Kagome’s willpower not to stand there in utter bafflement at his gentleman-like behavior. He wasn’t a stranger to compliments, she was aware of that by now, but coming to the front door to get her instead of texting that he’d arrived? Opening the car door for her? Was he also the type of guy who asked a woman how her day was and stuck around for the detail? Because, if he was, she was damn near ready to offer him her body on the spot.

“Thank you.” Kagome smiled, blinking away her admiration as she smoothed her dress to cover her butt in the leather seat. When her legs were out of the way, Inuyasha shut the door for her, making his way around the front and into the driver’s side.

“Before we go anywhere,” He began, starting the engine of the vehicle. “You should share your location with your friends. That way they know where you are and don’t worry too much.”

There was no biting back the shock in her expression as her lips parted and her jaw hung slightly agape. Holy shit. She was fucking done for. 

Recovering as he glanced over at her, Kagome pulled her phone from her purse, opening her text messages with Sango. “My location’s already on, actually.” She said, showing him the proof.

“Good. Keep it that way.” He smiled, shifting the stick into gear as he drove off down the neighborhood.

Kagome wasn’t sure she’d ever been this attracted to a person. It was one thing to look the way he did, which was unfair on its own, but it was another to have a good personality to back it up. And, he could cook. Inuyasha was a living, breathing triple threat. Suddenly, she felt like anything she could say to spark conversation was stupid, or would come out stupid because there was no way she wouldn’t stammer thanks to how nervous she now was. All she could do was try to appear normal while literally chewing on her bottom lip, and hope he didn’t catch onto her current disposition.

“You know how to drive stick?” He spoke, peeking over at her after adjusting the gear shift.

Timidly, Kagome shook her head in answer. “I never learned.”

Inuyasha shifted it, then quickly reached for her hand, placing it on top of the stick.

“Wait, no, I don’t -“

“I got you.” He promised, resting his hand on top of hers and moving the stick to switch gears. He kept his palm there, doing all the necessary work but letting her feel the effects of it, the vibration, the heat from his hand, involvement. It was such a small act, but she smiled gleefully and he was struck by the comforting sound of her giggle.

“My turn for the question game.” He said, giving a little squeeze to her hand. He saw her look at him expectantly in his peripherals, keeping his eyes on the road. “What do you do for work?”

“I’m a full-time student in college. I’m going into my last year as soon as we get back, with an internship to balance out to boot.” Kagome answered, still a little nervous for the months ahead of her.

“Are you fucking kidding me? That’s awesome! You’re so close!” His tone, his expression, the way his grip tightened on her hand for a moment before he shifted gears again all seemed so genuine. He didn’t even know her, and his excitement for her was real. “I remember having to do that shit. Didn’t have time for anything outside of it.”

“Yeah, pretty much. And, I thought this last year was hectic. I know I’m in for a shock this coming year for sure. No extra time for anything fun; which is why it only took a little leg twisting to get me to agree to come out here.”

“I’m surprised it took any at all.” He remarked, chuckling.

“Keeping up with Ayame and Sango, and sometimes even Miroku, can be exhausting. I was planning on kicking back and binge watching Netflix series after Netflix series this summer, but then Sango said the magic words, so here I am.”

“Lucky me.” He said sincerely. “What were the magic words?”

“‘I’ll give you your underwear back.’”

Inuyasha blinked at her, safe to remove his sights from the road at the stop light they sat at. 

“She took them all. Hid them from me. Threatened to even give some away.”

“Ah, the leg-twister. Remind me to thank her later.” He laughed, getting back up to speed quickly once the light turned green. “Alright, what’s your favorite food?”

“Bread.” Kagome said, grinning.

“Bread?”

“Bread.”

“What’s your favorite food that’s not a carb?”

“Nonexistent.” Kagome finally answered, having to have thought it through.

“You’re that easy? I could just give you a loaf of garlic bread and you’d be happy?” Kagome groaned in ecstasy at the thought, slumping back into her seat, and Inuyasha laughed again. “So, yes.”

They pulled up to the curb, and the hanyou finally released her hand, shutting off the engine and unlatching his seatbelt. He’d noticed her brows furrow inquisitively while looking at the cottage-like home he currently resided in, but instead of responding to it, he chuckled and exited his car, meeting Kagome on her side as she’d just opened her door to get out.

“I thought you were only here for a small amount of time.” She said, stepping out of the way so he could shut the door and lock it.

“Yeah, two months. Less than that now, but still.” He replied, leading her through the small gate and up the two porch steps to the front door.

“Did you Airbnb this place?”

“Kind of. Something like that, I guess.” Inuyasha answered mindlessly, unlocking the door and letting her enter first. “Were you expecting a hotel room?”

“Not gonna lie, that’s exactly what I expected.” Kagome remarked, surprise etched into the expression of her face. 

“And, how am I supposed to even try to impress you in a hotel, Kagome?” He asked, shutting and locking the bolt. He guided her through the little entrance area, welcoming her into the comfortable and furnished living room, then to the open kitchen area.

“Impress me? After all this, you’re still trying to impress me?”

“What do you mean? I haven’t even done anything yet.”

“That’s a joke, right?” He didn’t answer, instead leaning forward on the opposite side of the counter, cocking a brow. “Oh my god, you’re not joking?”

“I literally have no clue what you’re talking about. All I did was pick you up, you dork. I can’t cook in a hotel room. In fact, I’m convinced you’d only be uncomfortable there.”

“So, did you get this place specifically so you could impress ladies?” She countered playfully, leaning toward him along the counter just as he was.

“My brother’s assistant booked it, so no.” Inuyasha smirked. “I would just never dream of trying to bring a girl back to a shoddy hotel. Especially, a girl like you.”

“A girl like me, huh? And, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Red or white?” He softly asked as he turned around and pulled two bottles of wine from the fridge, not disregarding her in the least.

“White, please.” Kagome answered happily.

“It means, you’re someone worth putting effort into.” Inuyasha answered, uncorking the bottle and pouring her wine into a glass he’d pulled from the cupboard. “You’re someone a guy should have to sweat to try and impress.”

“Why should I believe these aren’t just lines you’re serving?” Again, her tone was playful, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth as she smiled.

“Technically, they are.” He said, sliding her glass toward her as he finished pouring his own. “But, it’s also the truth. And, whether you believe that or not is all up to you, but the blush on your face tells me you already do.”

Quickly, Kagome ducked her face to the side, shielding herself with her palm. “You’re not supposed to point something like that out, you butt.”

He laughed, “Sorry.”

“Besides, you speak pretty boldly for someone who hardly knows me!” 

“Ah, and that’s what the question game is for, isn’t it?” Inuyasha pointed, sauntering back to the fridge to pull some vegetables out to chop. “You know how I know you’re worth the effort? This is part of the game, so don’t think I’m still flirting.”

“How?” She giggled.

“Because, when we first met, instead of giving in for the drink without thought, instead of just taking the courtesy, or even blowing me off, you challenged me. You looked me dead in the eye and made me work just to convince you to say yes. You basically told me right then and there that if I wanted any sort of response from you, I had to rise to the occasion. And, fuck, I loved it.”

“First of all -“

“How could you possibly have a counter for that!?” Inuyasha’s jaw dropped, clenching his laugh behind feigned shock.

“I’m argumentative, you’ll get used to it.” Kagome dismissed with a wave. “First of all, I don’t understand how me giving you a hard time made you see that there was more to me. Usually, I’m told I’m just being a little shit.”

“Maybe I’m into that kind of attitude.” The hanyou shrugged, pulling out a cutting board and a knife.

“Remember you said that if I ever frustrate you.”

“If we have enough time for you to piss me off, I’ll consider myself lucky.” He grinned, absentmindedly rinsing the bell peppers beneath the running faucet in the sink.

Kagome didn’t expect to be so taken aback by a single comment. Hearing him say that, seeing his smile, knowing he wanted whatever time he could get with her was flutter-inducing. All over, she felt warm, the budding sensation originating in her abdomen and expanding to cover every inch of her body. It was like he knew all the right things to say, and she dropped any ounce of skepticism she had remaining in her head. Because, doubting anything from this point on would only prevent her from enjoying this time that was proving to be valuable and already the best summer of her life. She’d met plenty of smooth talkers in her adult life, and while a couple may have scored, none of them ever made sure she felt safe and comfortable, seemed to put her first, and successfully made her feel some type of wonderful way. 

Skillfully, she hid her expression behind her wine glass, taking a small sip before continuing on. “Second of all, has any girl actually blown you off?”

“Oh, yeah!” He confirmed, bringing the now-clean vegetables back to the cutting board and laughing. “Plenty of times.”

“What!? No way! You!?”

“Don’t make me relive it, beautiful. I’m not everyone’s cup of tea.”

“Boy, you are iced tea coated in sugar. Yes, you are!” Kagome passionately and unthinkingly protested, brows pinching together and lips sealing shut as she realized what she’d spurted out. Inuyasha glanced up from the vegetable he’d just begun to cut, surprise, bewilderment, and amusement all painted onto his growing smile. Ducking behind her glass, Kagome took a large gulp to wash her embarrassment away. “Good wine.”

“Glad to know you feel that way.” Inuyasha said, tongue slowly sliding out to lick his bottom lip, his teeth lightly dragging over the moistened area as his tongue glided back inside.

“Next question.” Kagome urged.

“What are you majoring in?” He asked, the smug grin still on his face while he went back to chopping the veggies.

“Interior design with a minor in communication. Can I help?”

“Nope. What are your hobbies?”

“Binge watching shows and sleeping past six a.m.. Give me a bell pepper.”

“You can’t help me. It defeats the purpose of me cooking for you.”

“Don’t you think it would be better if we cooked together, though?” Kagome playfully argued.

“I don’t trust your cooking. You’re a college student. Your expertise lies in instant ramen.” Inuyasha joked.

“That’s not true; my expertise is in cereal, but that’s irrelevant. I think I can manage helping you out.”

“You literally just convinced me otherwise.” He laughed, moving the cutting board away from her as she reached across the counter. “I’ll let you help next time, so back off.”

“Oh, next time? Are you already asking me out on a second date, Inuyasha?” Her tone held the hint of flirtatiousness, and she propped her chin in her palm, her elbow braced on the counter.

Inuyasha couldn’t describe what he felt when he was with her. It was trivial. It was fucking thrilling. The glimmer in her brown eyes set him on edge and the natural pink of her lips had his undivided attention. Her voice was soothing, her hands fit perfectly in his, her scent was almost enough to hypnotize him, and what made it all so much sweeter was how natural everything seemed to flow between them. Sure, he was a bit nervous and she seemed shy at certain points, but that didn’t hinder anything. That didn’t turn off any switches or stiffen the atmosphere. It, instead, made it so much more pleasant; like, the air in the room became warm and comfortable as they talked and got to know one another with organic reactions, their muscles relaxing as they quickly grew more in tune.

With all that in mind, he couldn’t begin to explain what had suddenly come over him. It was like the answer to her question had to be an action. Like, he wanted to prove how crazy he already was for her. The way her lips shifted from a soft smile to a relaxed shape as she took a sip of her wine had him captivated. Inuyasha gently set his knife down, sauntering over to the sink to rinse his hands and dry them on the small rag on the counter. Then, he walked her way, slowly, stopping just inches from her body, and she turned to fully face him, receive him. Her cheeks flushed lightly, and he couldn’t resist the pull to touch her, tenderly brushing rogue strands of hair behind her ear.

“One last question,” Inuyasha said, his voice low. “May I kiss you?”

When her lips parted ever so slightly, and her lashes seemed to flutter from how she looked from his eyes to his mouth, he took his cue, leaning down to softly kiss her.

In that moment, there was a grip on her soul that tugged her closer to him. It was powerful yet calming, not the least bit unsettling, her mind blanking as she breathed him in. The kiss grew more heated, more curious, Inuyasha’s hands gliding into her hair as her own gripped at the sides of his shirt, her fists furling and bunching the fabric as she was completely enraptured by the moment. Lost in his kiss. Held hostage by his taste. A sensation climbed through her, something she’d never experienced before, her sigh coming out as unsteady as his. The hanyou backed her up, their bodies never breaking away from each other, nor their craving lips,  trapping her between himself and the counter.

With a wavering breath, Inuyasha continued to kiss her, his body firmly against hers, and still, Kagome found herself wishing he was closer. She was completely taken over by whatever unearthly power was at play, entranced by this force, by him, by everything. Her fingers trembled against him as they uncurled along his shirt, gliding up his sides to clutch again just to satiate her restless hands. When his mouth slowly pulled away, Kagome blinked her eyes open, focusing on the awe expression on Inuyasha’s face. Had he felt it, too?

And then, he took three steps back, almost seeming to try to appear composed, though his eyes spoke his truth. Maybe she should have done the same, but she was still held tight by what had just happened, and like a greedy devil, she wanted more. She never wanted it to end in the first place. What she felt was pure bliss. Invigoration blended fervently with a fierce desire to connect and stay connected, remain touching, never let go, never turn away. So, why had he? What was he thinking? What a stupid, stupid, stupid man. If he felt exactly what she had, he must contain the strongest willpower she’d ever encountered, because she was shaken to the core by the minor separation.

There was a bout of silence, the space filled by the soft sound of their slightly heavy exhales. For once, even he didn’t appear to have anything smooth to say. Good. If he spoke, Kagome would only shut him up. She wanted more. She needed it. That sensation hadn’t yet completely captivated her, made home in the center of her chest, and she wanted it to. Imagining this was the one time in her life that she’d be able to feel something so intense, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to soak every ounce of it up. And, she was fully convinced she’d only experience this with Inuyasha.

Rectifying the mistake he’d made, Kagome pushed off of the counter she leaned upon, stepping toward him without a trace of apprehension to reclaim his kiss. That seemed to be all the encouragement Inuyasha needed, as his hands, once more, were on her, in her hair, cradling her jaw, gliding down the sides of her neck to hold her solidly to him. Again, he backed her against the counter, but his fingers swiftly slid down to grasp her waist, bouncing her up to seat her against the counter’s surface. She felt so hot, that exciting sensation filling once more, like a hose left in a kiddy pool to fill to the brim, rocking her with shudders and trembling as the levels grew higher and higher, centimeter-by-centimeter, more and more. She’d spread her legs so Inuyasha could stand between them, his hands gripping her hips to pull her closer to the edge and solidly against him. His kiss was heated and hungry, a small reverberation rumbling through his chest and bringing Kagome’s uncontrollable fingers to grip the collar of his shirt to bring him impossibly closer, finding the noise utterly irresistible. 

One of his hands flew to the nape of her neck, gripping there as his hips gave a small grind between her thighs, and as she released the tiniest whimper, Inuyasha raked his fingers up through her hair, furling, clutching but not yet yanking, only asserting enough pressure that caused her to release the real heat of that noise while her hips gave a little roll of their own. He would have probably muttered a curse if he remembered how to speak, but no such luck. It was all he had not to have his way with her right then and there, especially as her fingers began fumbling against the buttons of his shirt, undoing them one-by-one, only pausing when he tightened his grip in her hair just an inkling and created the smallest of spaces between their mouths as he lightly dragged his lips over hers in a teasing motion. As if already well-versed with his ways, Kagome seemed to smile, waiting him out, letting him do as he pleased, and when he released his grip on her dark, thick locks, she closed the scant distance with a whispered but most melodic moan he’d ever had the pleasure of hearing, continuing her venture down the alley of buttons as if there was no inconvenience in the first place.

Just as she unlatched the final loop, Inuyasha pushed her hands away, refusing to let her immediately remove the garment as he clutched her thighs and picked her up, her legs instinctively hooking behind his back as he shifted an arm around her waist for further support. Carefully, he made his trek out of the kitchen and down the hall, pinning her against the wall along the way when she daringly stroked one of his ears. He’d never found himself weak for the sensation, but here he was damn near crumbling away when she did it, and her joyful giggle didn’t help any. Inuyasha ground against her, gripping into the plush skin of her thigh as he tasted her tongue, and when she gave a breathy gasp in response, her hands fell so her arms could circle around his neck, pulling herself closer to him.

He continued down the hall, his growing erection painful against his jeans, but simultaneously hot and wonderful. Not once had he ever been this turned on, this ready to make a woman his own, and no matter how badly he would no doubt end up aching from the anticipation, he was going to take his damn time with her.

As soon as they reached the doorway of the bedroom, he set her down, his hand gripping behind the back of her neck again to prevent her from separating from his kiss. Inuyasha tried to get the light switch but only ended up smacking the wall a few times before giving up, the room darkened by the blackout curtains that prevented the rays of setting sunlight from entering through. Fuck it, it didn’t even matter at this point. Their eyes would adjust, and he planned on feeling every inch of her to do all the seeing necessary, anyway.

Guiding their way toward the mattress, he utilized the space between to push the cardigan from her shoulders, allowing her to drop it to the floor as he reached for the hem of her dress and pulled it over her head, discarding the article of clothing entirely before reclaiming her soft lips with his own. Kagome finally pushed the opened shirt from his arms, her hands scaling over the toned ridges of his torso before landing on the button of his jeans.

She wasn’t quick enough to get the job done, though. They’d reached the side of the frame of the bed and Inuyasha pushed her down on top of it, taking off her strapped sandals and then quickly climbing over her as they both crawled further toward the center of the mattress. Kagome arched her back as his hand snaked beneath, his lips hovering over hers as she felt the smallest amount of pressure before her bra was snapped loose. She’d have shown her shock at his level of skill - or lack of a struggle, really - if she’d had it in her, but she was so enraptured by this man that his bewitching movements, his body weight, and the way he pulled the straps of her bra down her arms to throw to the floor only aroused her more. 

God, she wanted him so bad. She was nearly breathless just from the tantalizing way he kissed her, and now he was paying special attention to the curve of her neck, a palm of his skimming over her breast as the other supported the majority of his position on top of her. It was hard to speak, to make any noise, really, unless he, himself, brought it out of her. His body heat felt so comforting, yet teased her all the same as he pulled away to stand on his knees, placed perfectly between her thighs to unbutton his pants and pull them down a smidge so that it was cotton grinding on cotton, masterfully preventing the chaffing from his jeans when he leaned back over her to give her more. 

Inuyasha’s mouth was currently devoted to her clavicle, and Kagome felt as if she would melt, a whimpered sigh leaving her lips as he rolled his hips against her. Everything he was doing was so perfect. It was everything she’d discovered she loved and more. Like, he had a window into her cravings and was expertly utilizing all the information he had at his disposal, amping it up a little just to soften things back so the sensations didn’t become too much too fast.

“Condom?” Kagome finally forced out, her tone feeble and whispered.

“Don’t worry, baby.” He murmured against her skin, his own voice deep and vibrational. Just that, alone, made her moan, but he begrudgingly stopped.

Inuyasha breathed out slowly, bringing himself back up to hover above her lips. He dragged them over, not allowing her to kiss him as he traveled to her cheek, planting a sweet kiss there. One to her nose, her other cheek, then her jaw. It was like he was taking his time, his lips lingering against her skin as he skimmed downward, his hot tongue coming to play when he reached sensitive spots along her neck. Her collarbones were tended to delicately, then her chest was kissed before he made his way to her breasts, one hand taking residence over the right as his mouth made home on the left.

She was beginning to ache with how slow he was going, taunting her with languid kisses, avoiding her nipple as he gave the soft plush of her tits special attention that no one had ever taken the time to give before. He switched over to the right, his warm hand now squeezing the left, and once his lips landed on her nipple, kissing softly, Kagome reactively arched her back to feel more from him. Inuyasha chuckled, the sound damn near sending her reeling, and then took the perked bud into his mouth, sucking slightly before flicking it with his tongue. She shuddered, biting her lip to attempt to silence the whine that escaped, but as if he was determined to make her fold, he sucked a little harder, teasing her opposite nipple with the pad of his finger.

Inuyasha was diligent to make sure both breasts were treated equally, driving Kagome mad, and she especially found it insanely sexy when he could no longer bring himself to play with the tit in his hand, having to drive it between them to massage his hard cock for a moment, his knuckles rocking up and down along her pelvis. Still, despite his own grunts from the attention, he didn’t seem to be in any sort of hurry, his lips focused on her sternum, little parts of her ribcage, her stomach, the underside of her navel, then the hemline of her panties. As soon as his fingers curled within the garment at the sides of her hips, Kagome was swift to comply, lifting upward so he could drag the cotton down her legs to completely forget about once dropped.

He kissed along the front of her hips, his hands traveling up and down the outside of her thighs as he made himself comfortable between them. Kagome thought she couldn’t think straight before, but now she was completely captivated by him, her thought process muddled, useless, and debilitated. Hell, whatever this man wanted from her, he could have. He could take. He could have his way with her, and she’d fucking thank him at this point.

Inuyasha kissed her inner thighs, watching the way her chest heaved slightly. Something told him she’d never been worshipped before. It added fuel to his fire. He was dead set on personally showing her the treatment she deserved. Providing it was the true pleasure here. Her inner thighs seemed to be a sweet spot for her; he could tell by the way she clutched the blankets above her head in anticipation of each nip, kiss, and lick he served, switching from one leg to the other so she wouldn’t get too comfortable. Tempting her to make one of those gorgeous mewls, Inuyasha gently bit into the plush, witnessing the way her body contorted slightly, clearly out of her control, her chest rising higher, her hips leveraging away from him, the breathy sound from her mouth taunting him to reach for more. He held onto the outer sides of her thighs, making it impossible for her to squirm away as he did it again, sucking to apply the perfect amount of pressure, the keen she released in response music to his ears. Each time he bit into her, sucked on her inner thighs, squeezed his hands against her tensed legs, he inched his way toward her core, noticing how breathless she seemed to be. He debated slowing down even more, but figured that would only be cruel. He was king at teasing, but she was the queen that deserved all of the deliberate attention he could give. 

Tenderly, he kissed her lips, not wanting to shock her by diving right in, though he’d been dying to taste her. Another scant kiss and then he lightly dragged his tongue within her pussy, his hands shifting to hold her hips still instead of her thighs as she curved her spine for more. She tasted like a decadent desert, forcefully shoving him further into his trance. God, he wanted to hear her voice, hear how mad he was driving her, and he flattened his tongue, licking up to her clit in a way to beg her for the pleasure her satisfaction provided. Kagome’s hands flew into his silver hair, gently combing her nails through as she panted, her fingers slightly quaking along his scalp. He was working his way to build her up, lapping her up like the delicious treat she fucking was, his mind running absolutely wild, a groan leaving his own throat when he finally gave in to gift a mild suck on the bundle of nerves. Her hips bucked and Inuyasha tightened his grip, pinning her there, and she gave a shuddering moan, clutching his hair. He followed the cues from the noises she’d make, switching between licking her up to sucking her off, so fucking pleased by her stammering breaths, the way she’d inadvertently pull him closer by her grip on his hair, and the absolutely erotic way part of his name fell from her lips before she audaciously stroked his ear. As if she hadn’t learned her lesson from before. He fucking loved it; how she still attempted to give him attention while he ate her out like the goddess she was, how, even though she had a wonderful grip on his tousled hair, she was delicate with the appendage atop his head, how she managed to laugh a little while he moaned from how good it all felt, the reverberation no doubt tickling her pussy while she was simultaneously proud of herself for getting that reaction from him. The little, fucking vixen. Her giggle had been half joyful, half titillating, and like adding charcoal to a fire, he was fueled to drive her wild. Inuyasha dragged his tongue from her entrance to her clit multiple times, noticing how much she shook from his tedious and heavy attention. Then, he began to avoid her nerves at all costs, even exploring back to her thighs, biting, sucking, holding her still as she wriggled and whined. He went back to her pussy, evading her clit as he slowly lapped her up, then transferred his affection to her thigh, intent on giving her a hickey from how hard her couldn’t help but suck. Inuyasha trapped her wrists against her hips, multitasking in the way he made it impossible for her to do anything but accept what he gave. Kagome couldn’t beg from how her breath kept hitching, her whimpers clenched and strained as she obviously was close to climaxing. Eagerly, he gave her what she needed, licking the swollen bud and then finally sucking it into his mouth, listening intently to the way her breaths became short, shallow, laced with keens as her thighs tensed along the sides of his head. Inuyasha never stopped, and he would have fucking smiled from how heavenly this entire thing was if his mouth wasn’t preoccupied, focused entirely on her. He shifted his hold on her wrists to grasp her hands, entwining their fingers so she could shakily clutch him, her body progressively growing more and more taught. Only a little more and she quaked, squeezing his hands, her lungs hitching completely as she came.

Inuyasha slackened the intensity of his attention, little-by-little, not immediately pulling away so he could ride out her orgasm until her body decided it was done. When she began to breathe again, heavily at that, the hanyou released her, kissing her lips in finality and letting go of her hands. She was spent, her eyes closed as she regained some form of composure, her arms limp on her stomach, and if he hadn’t begun to crawl over her, he was sure her legs would have closed and fallen to the side. He gave her a moment, stroking her hair at the sides of her temples and behind her ears, treating her with the utmost amount of care until she came to.

Kagome fluttered her eyes open, landing on Inuyasha’s patient expression. His features were shadowed from the darkness, but still, with her adjusted sight she could appreciate how handsome he appeared in the low hues. Like, any form of lighting complimented him gorgeously. She licked her bottom lip, raking her teeth over the moistened area in the hopes that he’d catch the hint and kiss her, but instead he gifted her with one of his crooked grins, his fingers softly raking down the side of her neck to gently curl around her throat. There was no preventing her obvious joy from the motion, her sigh pleasurable as she notched her chin upward to give his large hand room to claim her, her heart like a force of thunder beneath her ribcage that she was positive he felt.

“Stay here.” He said huskily, and she had no choice but to oblige.

She missed his body heat as soon as he removed himself from the bed, and she noticed, as her knees fell together, no longer separated by his hips, that her thighs still shook minutely from her previous orgasm. She could hear the rustle of clothing as he removed his pants and boxers, hear a drawer opening, a tiny crinkle of a packet, then his weight administering back onto the mattress as he gently situated himself over her once more, guiding her knees open to welcome him back in. Kagome was quick to find him with her hands, his weight braced on his elbows as he laid over her, and she stroked up the sides of his waist, feeling each curve and edge of the sculpted muscles beneath his skin. She could feel the warmth radiating off of him, soaking into her, his chest pressed to hers as he gave a soft grind of his hips, no longer hindered by his clothing. Just wonderful, blissful, searing sensations as his cock glided along her core. Finally, he kissed her, his lips so sweet and tender, and she wanted him closer, arching her back to feel the way his chest hitched when he breathed her in, her hands roaming over his sides, his defined back that flexed as he rolled his hips again, up to his shoulders and then his arms, massaging the biceps that supported him. 

One of his arms slipped away from her as he slid it between them, positioning himself perfectly, and he broke apart from the kiss, just enough to hover an inch or two above her face while he pushed inside of her. Slowly. Kagome felt his abdominals tense as he glided deeper, his sigh hot as her body happily accepted him, but when he released a clenched groan, almost sounding like a meager whimper of his own making, her mind blanked and a flush trickled through each vein of her body, threatening to cause her to melt on the spot. It was the sexiest sound she’d heard from him yet, so small and so genuine, so pleased and erotic, more rewarding than anything she’d experienced up until then. 

There was no stopping her loss of control, because frankly, she wanted him to take it. Kagome whined for more, her hands fumbling as he barely bucked against her, gripping, releasing, and gripping his biceps again as they were both now back where they needed to be. Inuyasha shushed her sweetly, chuckling as he ducked close to her ear, applying more fervency into his thrusts.

“Calm down, baby, you’ll get it.” He whispered before dipping to kiss her neck, exploring until she pinched her nails into his skin, clearly locating the key spot and sucking tenderly. He retaliated against her eager fingers, laughing breathily against her flesh when he pulled from her grasp one arm at a time, capturing her wrists to pin above her head in the clutch of one of his hands. Her wrists were so small compared to his palm, it wasn’t even a chore to keep her captive, taking his time as he built his rhythm to drive her mad. He gave the reddened mark on her neck a little nip, loving the vibrations that came through her throat as she moaned. 

Steadily, he fucked her a little harder, the sound of skin slapping against skin filling the room, and it seemed to be almost exactly what she wanted as he watched her eyes flutter closed and her teeth drag along her bottom lip. Begrudgingly, he released her hands, opting for a grip over her throat, never hindering airflow. Inuyasha kissed her jaw, not failing to notice the way she opened herself up for him, how she kept her hands above her head for him, how she mewled seductively when he took a moment to push as deep as he could inside of her, rubbing his pelvis against her pussy to change up his rhythm, to tease her clit, to see just how much this woman could handle. Fuck, she was so alluring. He wanted more of her. He wanted all of her.

Kagome clenched her fists, enjoying the delightful sound of his heated breath in her ear, the way his pace slowed to an uneven grind. His fingers held her neck in such a perfect manner - not too tight but not too soft; enough to let her know he was there and could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. He grunted, muffling the sound as he ducked his face into her shoulder, his breath so hot and blissful. Wanting more, wanting to do something for him, wanting to please Inuyasha, she gave the edge of one of his shoulders a small shove, lifting her hips into him as he hastily complied, wrapped one of his arms behind her waist and rolled over, never separating from her.

The hanyou seemed almost breathless beneath her, especially as she pushed herself up to hover over his lips just as he’d done to her before. She smiled, taking a moment to stroke aside the silver strands of hair that stuck to his face, clinging from beads of sweat she also took the liberty of wiping away, taking particular care of the area around his eyes. His golden irises were so bright, they almost glowed in the darkness, bewitching her fully. Inuyasha reached for a kiss, and she would never refuse him, breathing him in as she deepened the motion. Her hips tediously rocked, and she couldn’t believe that the softest movement still brought a clenched groan out of him, one he’d intentionally tried to subdue, one that made her sigh in response. Kagome rose to sit straight, dragging her fingers down the center of his chest to his abdomen where she lightly braced her hands - more for balance than to utilize his frame to increase her tempo. She could do that all on her own. Inuyasha’s hands gripped the plush of her hips, squeezing slightly as he followed her grind, his head falling back into the comforter as his eyes closed in utter enjoyment. She increased her pace into a mild bounce, eating up the way he clutched her hips tighter, the way his own hips seemed to leverage higher so he’d hit deeper, the way he breathed and tensed beneath her. 

Inuyasha looked back at her, completely enthralled by the woman on top of him. He glided his hands to her thighs, feeling the way they flexed as they worked, then up to her waist to give attention to the beautiful curves, then to her bouncing breasts as he claimed them as his, massaging, needing, and observing how a sinful, little pout formed on her face when he tended to her nipples. That look, alone, could have potentially been his downfall, but instead it amped him further, determined to never forget the way she looked as she rode him perfectly.

She started going a little harder, his mind once more growing muddled as the sensations built. Kagome was so goddamn irresistible like this, but he wasn’t going to let her finish this on top. He let her have her fun. He let her have her way for a moment. Now, he was going to send her into the best sleep of her life.

Inuyasha reached behind her neck, pulling her to his chest so he could hold behind her back, quickly rolling her over and never ceasing the rhythm. He took over immediately, thrusting against her, harder and harder, her little body bouncing beneath him as he watched it all on his hands and knees. His pelvis slapped against hers, the sound so fucking erotic, mixed with her moans and whimpers that pushed him to a ledge. He knew she was spiraling closer, he could tell, he could read her language easily - as if he’d already had it memorized like the back of his hand. His own grunts and groans were growing louder, almost growls as he fucked her even harder, faster, and when he noticed her pussy clench against his cock when he actually did let out an accidental growl, and the way she made the most delightful mewl and practically rolled her eyes into the back of her head in absolute gratification, he was just about done in. Inuyasha  braced himself on an elbow, never faltered in his bucking, utilizing his free hand to tenderly stroke her neck, her cheek, and push the hair out of her face while growling lowly in her ear, coaxing her with gentle words in between to get her to cum for him. Oh god, her body grew incredibly taut, her voice muffled as he kissed her, riding her out harder than he should have as he tumbled into his own orgasm.

The afterglow was peaceful, and he was welcomed to lay on top of her for a sweet moment when, despite her shaking fingers, she softly stroked his sides, then his back, giggling as she had to wiggle one arm free so that she could rake the hair out of his face again, massaging his scalp with her nails as he came down. He got to listen to the sound of her heart pounding, focusing on the melody as it steadily calmed, soothing him.

Worried he was crushing her, Inuyasha rolled off, taking residence on his back next to her. He found her hand, manipulating his way beneath it so he could entwine their fingers, feeling the desire, no, the necessity to touch her in some meager manner.

“Still think it’s silly if I ask you out on a second date now?” Inuyasha asked. The two of them fell into a fit of laughter, happy and content and amused all the same.

It took almost too much effort to maneuver off of the bed, and maybe it shouldn’t have boosted his pride so, but seeing how much more she seemed to struggle than he, it was nothing short of a compliment. Kagome appeared almost groggy, hardly speaking aside from the soft, little thanks she gave when he helped her climb down from the mattress, and the tiny sound she made when she turned about aimlessly in search of the bathroom. He hastily disposed of the condom in the small trash bin by the nightstand, then took her hand, personally walking her to the bathroom to make sure her legs weren’t too unsteady. 

“If you touch that dress, I’m throwing it away.” He said jokingly as she reached for it after emerging from the bathroom, though it was also genuinely easy to take him seriously in that moment. She glanced up at him, perplexed but smiling, and he sauntered over to her from the dresser, now donned in a pair of sweats. Delicately, he leaned down and kissed her, simultaneously kicking the white summer dress away, swallowing her giggle. “Text Sango. Let her know you’re staying the night.”

Kagome blushed. After all that, she blushed. She didn’t want to argue, but even if she did, she purely didn’t have the energy for even a feigned attitude. To stay over with him, sleep with him, wake up to him, she didn’t know why but the idea made her happy. In a silent response, she waltzed over to his old, discarded shirt from before, picking it up from the floor and shoving her arms through the sleeves, so much looser on her than it appeared while it was on him. 

The hanyou gifted her with that crooked smile she loved so much, looking her up and down as she buttoned it up to her mid chest. “Good girl.” He whispered, and holy hell, that was just playing dirty. That, alone, made her knees damn near wobble, and she blinked at him, enchanted and in awe.

“Get back in bed, babe. I’ll be right back. The tv remotes are on the nightstand.” Inuyasha said, leaving the room.

She searched the floor for her panties, finally finding them in the dark before slipping them on and dropping her body facedown on the mattress, exhausted, ready to fall asleep right then and there before her favored hanyou came walking back in, chuckling at her lifeless form. She heard him set something on the surface of the bedside table before he sat next to her, leaning over to stroke her messy hair.

“What do you want on your pizza?” He asked softly.

“Cheese.” Kagome mumbled.

“Nothing else?”

“More cheese.”

“Got it. I brought you water. Drink it, okay?”

“There’s a twenty in my wallet in my purse. Put it towards the food.”

Inuyasha gave her butt a small spank. “Shut the fuck up.” He laughed, leaving the room again. “Where’s your phone?” He shouted from the kitchen.

“Purse.” She replied lazily, hoping he’d magically catch what she said because she sincerely didn’t have it in her to talk any louder. Surprisingly, he came back a brief moment later, playfully sliding her cell next to her face, picking her hand up, and planting it on top. 

With a forfeiting sigh, she clutched the device and rolled over to her back, sending her best friend a quick message saying she was staying over before pushing herself to a sitting position. Inuyasha sat next to her, handing over the bottle of water he’d brought her before gently stroking her leg.

“You okay?” He asked, warmheartedly.

“I’m perfect.” Kagome responded honestly, leaning in to give him a small kiss.

—

Kagome awoke the next morning, embraced in comfort and wonderful body heat. After eating pizza and getting three-quarters of the way through a movie, Kagome had cuddled up to Inuyasha, the both of them indulging in lazy conversation and affection throughout the night before they finally drifted off. Not once in her afterglow stupor did he tease her or complain. Inuyasha, in fact, was incredibly affectionate and caring. He massaged her scalp and combed her hair with his fingers, he stroked the skin of her thighs and her waist, he placed kisses to her forehead. She was on cloud nine, really. There was a point where, though exhausted, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other, and he’d unbuttoned her shirt, never stripping it off of her, but opening it up so he could touch and taste her at his leisure. She’d never experienced something so beautiful, where there were zero obligations, just two people in a trance, exploring slowly, sedately, soaking up the way muscles flinched when touched in certain manners, the way breathing increased in the peace of the night, the way it was so remarkably comfortable kissing someone, learning about someone until sleep overtook you.

He’d parted the blackout curtains a bit before crawling into bed with her to let the moonlight in, rays of sunshine filtering through now, painting the white walls in dull shades of yellow and orange. It was early. She could tell by the chill in the air and the way the colors weren’t blinding. Inuyasha’s breathing was deep and rhythmic, his arm draped over her as he was snuggled to the curve of her back. 

As if sensing she’d awoken, the man kissed the nape of her neck, pulling her a little closer to his chest as he littered the area with slow, sleepy kisses. His hand pushed within her shirt, parting the two sides so he could softly rub her tummy, grumbling a husky, “Good morning,” in her ear. Kagome hummed contentedly in response, feeling the shift as he began to adjust his position, pulling her to lay on her back as he lazily rolled over her, pushing the blankets off of them as he went. She was almost too pleased to comply, welcoming him in between her legs as his sweatpants lightly chaffed against her inner thighs. She could tell he still wasn’t completely awake, his lips dragging and lethargic, but his intention remained.

Inuyasha serenely sighed against her neck, sluggishly making his trek down her body and peppering her in kisses along the way. Kagome’s eyes were closed, savoring the affection he so willingly bequeathed. He made his way over her sternum, then traveled to her ribcage, kissing to her waist, then her stomach, then the opposite side of her ribs for evenness. He kissed above her bellybutton, below it, then again on each side of it before coming back up to take her lips as his, evidently a little more awake now. 

As he propped himself above her on one hand and further pushed her shirt open with the other, Kagome took an opportunity to soak in the visual of him, the way his short, messy hair fell downward with gravity, the way certain muscles in his arms were flexed from supporting his weight, the way the early rays of light complimented his skin tone. For a brief moment, as she usually allotted, she focused on his chest, her fingers painting over his toned muscles to fully appreciate him until her heart stilled. His chest. His left pec. There it was. The faded and tan, uneven and circular birthmark she’d envisioned. She was so focused on it, she’d hardly remembered to breathe, the pads of her fingers tracing the small blemish that linked her. Then, her attention shifted to Inuyasha’s stunned expression, and he looked almost fearful as he seemed to process what was going through her mind.

“No.” He spoke lowly. “No. No, no. Have you had the dream?” Inuyasha sat back on the mattress, staring at her with indiscernible concern as she rose to sit, as well.

“The… it’s you.” Kagome breathed. The small smile he gave, though still riddled with some sort of disturbance, was laced with a modest percentage of anguished relief as he tilted his head and reached to tenderly caress her cheek.

“Yeah. It’s me, Kagome.”

“Wait, did - did you know?”

“Since last night. I opened your shirt to see if what I’d dreamt was there. The small arrow tattoo on your ribs. And, the freckle beneath it.” Inuyasha admitted.

It was taking a moment to sink in. All of it. Kagome was in a state of stiffened shock and confusion. He’d known since last night, but she didn’t remember any sort of significant reaction coming from him; not a typical one you’d expect at least, much like the one she was giving now - though, now that she thought about it, she realized he had been paying fine attention to her tattoo. Truthfully, she’d gotten it for her eighteenth birthday and forgot it was there the majority of the time. It was a tiny and basic design. But, yet, it had been his indicator to find her. With the freckle beneath. Still, while he kissed it over and over in the moonlight of their romantic evening, nothing particularly tipped her off. Not a gasp, not a jolt of any sort, not a sign of hesitation. In fact, she’d never felt more adored in her life.

So, why did he not seem happy? This was supposed to be exciting, wasn’t it? A good thing? Wasn’t it?

“I-I don’t get it.”

“Kagome -“ He dropped his hand.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t know if you knew.” Inuyasha said.

“It doesn’t really seem like you wanted me to know, either.” She wasn’t defensive, she was just bemused.

“I didn’t. I didn’t want you to know. Not yet.” When she didn’t say anything, her brows furrowing further, and brown eyes unable to confidently stay on him, flickering away unsteadily, Inuyasha continued on. “Kagome, listen. It’s bad timing. Really fucking bad timing. We both knew this thing between you and I had an expiration date. I figured if I was the only one that knew, I could handle the weight of it on my own. I didn’t want you to have to deal with the pressure. I didn’t want you to have to deal with any of this. Not until we stood a chance.”

“But -“ Kagome felt a little tongue tied, having a difficult time trying to wrap her head around anything. She closed her shirt, fastening two buttons in the middle to keep her body remotely covered, scooting herself off the bed so she could pace the room in a meager attempt to process and focus. She pushed her disorderly, wavy hair away from her face at the sides, discovering the uneasy, prickling sensation expanding in the pit of her stomach was anxiety. Her heart was beginning to pound erratically, and she felt a diluted series of jitters coming over her. “You’re my soulmate?”

“Yes.” Inuyasha answered, turning his position on the mattress to face her, his expression still ringing of concern, but most likely due to her incapability to rationalize as quickly as he seemed to.

“I thought - I thought finding each other was supposed to be romantic and happy. So, why is this not?”

“Because, you have a full agenda, and it’s not fair to be forced to balance out a new relationship on top of it. You know that.”

“Yeah, I know, but -“

“No, Kagome, I’ve been there. Going into your final year of college is hard enough, let alone maintaining an internship schedule, finding a moment to eat something and do laundry, and managing to get all of your homework done while attempting to get more than four hours of sleep a night - if that! And, it’s not just as simple as throwing a new relationship you weren’t prepared for in the mix. It’s a long distance relationship. Once I’m done here, I’m going to Europe for god knows how long.”

“Europe!?” Kagome’s face twisted, surprised, completely unsuspecting of how much worse this could get.

Inuyasha heaved a tedious sigh, propping his elbows on his thighs and ducking his head into his hands to gain his bearings. She’d stopped pacing, but he could fully sense her apprehension and unsteadiness while she waited for him to respond. When he was ready, he dropped his hands, still leaning on his legs, looking at her with as much mercy as he could manage in the moment. “Yeah. My dad passed when I was a kid and left his company to my brother and I. And, as much as I hate working for my brother at the moment, I can’t find it in me to walk away from what my father created. It’s a good corporation. We help kids in the system, and little-by-little, we’re taking over shit places and turning them around completely to better care for children in foster homes. Europe’s the big step for me in becoming a partner, and believe you me, despite my attitude at times, I’m the one with the heart necessary to balance out my dad’s legacy. Sesshomaru’s the brains.”

“Oh.” Kagome breathed. There was nothing more to question; that was as solid a reason to not be able to commit to anything as her senior year was. In fact, to her, his situation carried greater validity.

Inuyasha stood from his seat, carefully crossing the room to her. “Look at me.” He quietly said, cradling her jaw in his palms and tilting her head back so she’d comply. “Be honest, okay? Logically thinking, did you ever expect anything from this after you went home?”

Kagome shook her head in his hands. “No. I was the one to say we had a time limit.”

“And, is there even a sane part of you that thinks you’d be able to find a healthy way to manage your schedule and a long distance relationship?”

“No.” She admitted, chuckling disbelievingly. She pulled herself out of his hold, having a better grasp on the situation, but still a question weighed on her. “What were your plans? If I hadn’t had the dream yet, and you were the only one aware that we were soulmates like you wanted, what was your next step?”

“I was just gonna take what I could in the time allotted.”

“And, then what?”

“Business, as usual.”

“That’s it?”

“What else could I do?” He inquired, perplexed.

“I don’t know.” Kagome slightly stammered. “Ghost me? Wouldn’t that be easier on you?”

“Wait, excuse me? You want me to ghost you?” His tone piqued skeptically, his expression twisting.

“No! Nobody wants that! But, given the situation, it’d be more than understandable! You’d be saving yourself a lot of stress!”

“Stress isn’t what I’d label it.” He remarked.

“Okay, whatever! But, why would you willingly put yourself through this? It doesn’t make sense!”

“Well, what would you do, Kagome!?” Inuyasha snapped, raising his voice. “Honestly! Tell me! What would you do if you knew a person was your soulmate and you were only given an insignificant amount of time with them!? Would you take it or run!?”

Her eyes widened, her cheeks flushing dully, bottom lip trembling from the unforgiving truthfulness before them before she pinched her lips together in a measly attempt to keep her emotions grounded. 

It was his turn to incredulously chuckle as he cocked a brow at her. “You’d run?”

“I - no! I don’t know! This is a lot!”

There was a moment of silence between them where Kagome’s eyes uncontrollably shifted from the floor to his birthmark and Inuyasha stared out the open part in the curtain. She heard him drag in a deep breath, his chest noticeably expanding before he gave in and looked back at her.

“I was scared. When I saw the tattoo on you, I was fucking terrified.” Inuyasha spoke, his tone surprisingly level. “Everything seemed to click, though. It all made sense; why I was so attracted to you, why I understood you, why I felt so connected to you, why I wanted to see you as much as possible no matter what came of it. Maybe I’m impulsive in quickly deciding to live it up, but can you blame me? It’s you. I fucking found you. I was up most of the night thinking it through, and the thought of ignoring the opportunity for something made me want to puke.”

Kagome’s heart sank deeper, unable to monitor her expression as she huffed, her fingers shaking from her spiking anxiety levels. “How cruel is this?” She cynically asked. “This is the biggest ‘fuck you’ fate’s ever served.”

“I know.” Inuyasha agreed. “I stand by it, though; what I said. I still want to be able to say I took the chance with you than say I missed it.”

Kagome nodded, not quite sure what she was acknowledging but still giving him the acknowledgment, nonetheless. She scoured the ground, searching for her clothes and found them on the arm of the corner chair where Inuyasha had neatly placed them, tracking over to them and scooping it all into her arms. “I’m - I’m gonna get dressed and call an Uber, okay?”

“What? No. If you want to go, I’ll take you.” He said, brows pinching together.

“No. Thank you, but no. I don’t think I can handle the awkward and silent car ride back to my place on top of all this.”

“Kagome, I brought you here. It’s my responsibility to get you home.” Inuyasha stated with steady resolve.

“Can you just - I need to digest this, Inuyasha. On my own.” Kagome argued, swiveling on her heel and heading straight to the bathroom to change.

When she came out, donned in her dress and cardigan from the night before, the bedroom was empty. The air in the place, though, was tense and heavy. She felt horrible. For the way she imagined Inuyasha was feeling right now, for the way everything was turning out, and for the way she figured she was only making everything worse by not spontaneously jumping into his arms to accept the terms and conditions of destiny’s bullshit. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand, and her sandals by the chair, slipping them on her feet and reaching behind to hook the strap around her ankle before leaving the room to seek out her purse. She’d prefer to call and wait for her ride home at the corner, anyway. That way, she could remove herself from the discomfort and begin to breathe somewhat easier again as she allowed the situation to sink through her skin.

Inuyasha was standing by the counter in the kitchen, a shirt now covering his torso. She could see the tribulation written on his face, but when he noticed her, he still attempted a small smile.

“I ordered you an Uber that’ll take you home.” He said, gesturing to the cellphone illuminated directly in front of him on the counter. “That way, I know you’ll get there safely since I can watch the trip, and you won’t have to text me or anything.”

The guilt felt like a dense liquid in her abdomen, overwhelming each organ one at a time. “Can I give you money for it?”

“No.” Inuyasha shook his head. “I don’t want your money. I just want you to think about what I said. Deal?”

“Deal.” She agreed, giving a meager nod. Like an invisible force pulling her forward, Kagome closed the space between him, hugging him and burying her face in his chest, and Inuyasha didn’t hesitate to hold her, kissing the top of her head. This wasn’t his fault, and she was scared the next words out of his mouth were going to be an apology. She could see it clearly in his ember eyes. And, all she wanted was to make it go away.

Being held by him was soothing, and it almost felt like he was soaking up as much of the disconcertment she was muddled with as he could. He really was willing to cope with this on his own, wasn’t he?

The app on his phone dinged with the common notification that the driver had arrived, and Inuyasha arched back slightly, cradling her jaw once more as comfortingly as possible, then leaned down to place a sweet kiss on her lips.

“It’s gonna be okay, alright? No matter what.” He stated confidently, pushing some hair behind her ear before releasing her and reaching for her purse to hand over. She nodded appreciatively, resting the strap over her shoulder and heading to the door as he walked her out to the car.

Kagome sighed heavily as she reentered her best friend’s vacation house. The living area was empty. Silent. The clock on the wall ticking away seconds as she, for the first time that morning, realized just how early it was. It was barely seven-thirty, still a little chilly from the ocean breeze as the summer sun steadily rose higher in the sky. Not wanting to wake Sango by entering the bedroom they shared, she decided to think things through on the back patio until people rose.

With how jumbled her mind was, Kagome only managed to make it to the kitchen counter, a glass of water in hand to sip, listening to the never ending ticks of the moving clock hands while everything she learned this morning replayed in her head. While she felt less jittery now, she was still disturbed, unable to determine what the right thing to do was. Her soulmate. It was him. It was Inuyasha. He was within reach, yet soon would be so far. Was all this worth it? Or should she protect herself?

Lethargic, shuffling feet came from down the hall, growing louder as her best friend appeared in a large shirt that didn’t belong to her. Kagome and Sango locked eyes, Sango looking like a deer in the headlights, probably not actually having heard Kagome come home. Her long, brown hair was a mess - normally pretty straight but wavy and unruly at the moment. The most peculiar part of it was, Sango had stumbled from the hallway that led to Miroku’s and Ayame’s rooms. Given Koga was here, it wasn’t hard to determine which room she’d settled in for the night.

“When did you get home?” Sango inquired as innocently as possible, her voice small. 

“Two minutes ago.” Kagome couldn’t stop the slow-spreading smile on her face. With a small notch of her head, she silently asked her best friend if she’d come from Miroku’s room.

Sango followed the motion of her gesture, grimacing slightly before answering with a bashful. “Yeah. Let’s go get coffee and talk about it there.”

Kagome laughed, following her into their bedroom so they could both change into fresh clothing before heading to a nearby coffee shop. 

“So, what’s up? You’re not the cheery, I-got-laid version of Kagome I expected to see this morning.” Sango mentioned, taking a seat at a round, empty table at the cafe as they waited for their iced coffees.

“Oh, um, you first. I want to hear your story before I tell mine.” Kagome deterred, not even bothering to put too much effort into a feigned, joyful tone, knowing her best friend would see right through it.

“Kagome, what happened?” There was a little more concern that time, Sango’s head cocking to the side.

“Nothing bad, I promise! It was a good night! But, more importantly, you came out of Miroku’s bedroom this morning wearing Miroku’s shirt. Care to explain?” She giggled, teasing her embarrassed friend. Her cheeks were a vibrant red, and she hid the side of her face behind a hand so passerby’s wouldn’t see.

“Take a wild guess.”

“Did you have sex!?” Kagome hissed, laughing.

“Oh, like you didn’t already know!” Sango reached over and slapped Kagome’s forearm, laughing from her own humiliation. “I don’t know what came over me, dude! Or, him! He’s been acting kind of different with me for the past few days, and I don’t know, I like it! So, we all went to a bar last night, okay?” She said, prepared to get into the story. They weren’t far from the counter at all, so when the barista called their names, she got up to retrieve their coffees, only pausing her retelling to thank the girl that prepared them, and waltzing back over to rejoin Kagome at the table. “It was a good time, we all had fun and got a little buzzed. Ayame and Koga went straight back to their room as soon as we got home, and Miroku and I stayed up talking for a little. Maybe it was the alcohol, which is a cheap excuse on my behalf, but he seemed so sweet and mindful. And, girl, I was weak. Seriously. I was the one that kissed him.”

“What?” Kagome inched forward, absolutely dumbfounded.

“Yup.” She shrugged her brows, nodding. “I made the move. Then, one thing led to another and here we are. I did not hear you come in this morning, and you caught me on my walk of shame back to our room.”

“Sorry.” Kagome laughed. “Your secret’s safe with me. Promise.”

“Alright, your turn. Spill. You were home way too early, so what gives?”

In preparation, Kagome took three large gulps of her iced coffee, hoping the caffeine would make her bolder in the admittance she was about to give. “Okay, look, um, just try to keep an open mind to what I’m about to say. It’s a bit extreme.”

“What, did you do anal or something?”

“Sango!”

“So, no. Sorry! Go on! Open minded!” Sango raised her hands at her sides defensively, her expression humorless and sincere.

“Promise?”

“Of course. It’s me.” Sango assured.

“Alright, so for a few years now, I’ve been having that dream.” Kagome emphasized the words in the hopes that Sango would immediately catch on to what she was talking about. While it was typically well-known, it wasn’t altogether common. Not everyone experienced this sort of connection, so when Sango didn’t clue in, Kagome wasn’t offended. “The soulmate dream.”

“Woah, what?” She seemed sort of astonished, leaning forward minutely. “You’ve got a soulmate? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because, what were the chances of me even meeting him?” Kagome answered with a disappointed shrug.

“Right. That’s right. It’s sort of a fickle thing, huh? Not really something people boast about nowadays.” Sango bit her lip unsurely, her shoulders sagging. “But, so, is he…” She trailed off, apprehensive about potentially pouring salt in Kagome’s evident wound, but all the while hoping Kagome would pick up on where she was going with her question.

“Yeah.” Kagome confirmed, with one steady nod. “He’s got a birthmark right here,” She grazed the general area on her chest with the pads of her fingers. “And, he dreamt of the arrow on my side.”

“Wait, okay, back up. Start from the beginning. I need some perspective, because you are far from happy. This isn’t what I pictured happening when someone found their person.”

“Right?” She giggled disbelievingly. “The date was nothing short of perfect. Thinking about it now, it’s kind of embarrassing, because we weren’t even together for an hour before he kissed me. Don’t laugh, but when he did it, it really felt like the whole cliche fireworks sort of thing. Which then turned into the best sex I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve never felt the way I did when I was with him. I was a bit preoccupied to notice his birthmark, though, so I didn’t see it until this morning. Cue the freakout.”

“Oh, no. Did he know?”

“Yeah, he knew before me. He saw my tattoo last night. He just didn’t say anything in case I wasn’t aware.”

“Wait. He was chill and you were the one that freaked? It wasn’t a mutual thing?”

Kagome groaned, taking another drink from her coffee. “Pretty much.”

“Why?” Sango pressed, completely invested in Kagome’s situation.

“Because, it’s complicated. This wasn’t supposed to be anything passed a fling.”

“And, you’re mad that it is?” She slowly asked, trying to gain an understanding on her point of view.

“No. Not at all. The circumstances are what get me. At first, I felt pretty safe when I realized who he was. Honestly, as crazy as it sounds, if there was someone that was going to be labeled my soulmate, I’m kind of happy it’s him. He’s a really good guy. But, then I saw how afraid he was at discovering I’d had the dream, too. He didn’t want me to know. Because, we can’t be together.”

“Why not?” Sango’s voice was small, like she, herself, felt the weight of the sadness.

“He’s out here for work, and once he’s done, he’s going to Europe. He doesn’t know when he’ll be back, but this is his father’s company, so I understand the importance of it and how busy he’ll be. With both of our workloads and the distance, it’s not fair or realistic for us to try to commit to anything or anyone else. And, neither of us should drop our lives and what we’ve worked for.”

“So, that’s it? It’s done?” She asked, her shoulders somehow managed to droop further. She wore a sympathetic frown, her brows raised as she reached across the table to gently stroke her best friend’s arm.

“I don’t know. That’s where it get’s dangerous. Inuyasha wants to take advantage of the time we have left so that we get something out of this, but don’t you think that’d be risky? I mean, I’ve already grown fond of him, imagine the attachment that’ll develop by the end of our stay.”

“So, what? Go for it.” Sango insisted supportively.

“Like it’s that easy.”

“Isn’t it?” She countered. “He’s your soulmate.”

“It’s only going to hurt him and I.” Kagome grieved. “I’m not sure it’s worth it.”

“I’m actually surprised that you don’t. He doesn’t seem to have a problem with it. Honestly, I think you’ll end up more heartbroken if you left it as it is. Imagine you didn’t see him again after today, and this was it. You’re so fucking close to each other, but you didn’t go after him. The moment we get home and the time is lost, how will you feel? How will you feel when you’re knee deep in homework and course information you’ll never use after this year, and your mind wanders back to the chance you didn’t take? And, when you graduate and you’re wondering if he’d still take you if you met again? Because, you’re out of your mind if you think it’ll be possible to never think about him after this. Come on, Kagome. Don’t do this to yourself. It’s bad enough life and fate are standing in your way. Are you going to let fear hold you back, too?”

It was as if clarity punched Kagome in the gut. She pictured a scale before her, the chance to experience a small window of time with her soulmate on one side, and hiding from it all on the other. By a long shot, the former won. Because, not only would Kagome be running from pain, which had a tendency to mute all other aspects of the scenario, but she’d be running from Inuyasha. Talking to Inuyasha. Kissing Inuyasha. Touching Inuyasha. Laying with Inuyasha. Anything with Inuyasha would be gone, and if she turned away from him now, she’d also be turning her back on fate. If she turned her back on fate just because the opportunity was inconvenient, how could she expect kindness from it in the future?

How could she expect to potentially find him again one day?

“You’re right.” Kagome gently admitted, worrying her bottom lip.

“Spend as much time with him as you can.” Sango said. “Don’t let him go until you absolutely have to.”

“But,” Kagome sighed, bowing her head in minor defeat. “You guys… the trip…”

“Babe, we’re the people you have to deal with until graduation - if not longer. Forget about it. If he tells you to come over, drop what you’re doing and go.”

“Miroku.” Kagome’s tone was uncomfortably stiff, nervous for the shit she’d get from her close  friend that was a little too protective for his own good. He was a skeptical one, so bringing up soulmates might only make him scoff and ridicule, and she didn’t need that right now.

“I’ll handle him.” Sango shook her head dismissively, as if she would take him down in an instant if he talked even a little crap. “I’ll explain it to them, and I can guarantee you won’t hear a thing. You’ve got enough to worry about, so let me deal with them, okay?”

—

She really should have texted or called him before showing up out of the blue, but Kagome had been so focused on maintaining her courage to do this in the first place that she’d completely forgotten about the entire, necessary communication aspect. 

It had been over twenty-four hours since it all happened, and soon after returning from coffee with Sango, she began to visualize what it would be like if she didn’t take her shot. Much like Inuyasha, she felt like she was going to vomit. She also felt like she could have broken down into an irrational fit of tears. Though she’d already decided to chase after him before it was too late, the envisioned, negative scenario solidified her move.

Getting back to his place wasn’t difficult in the least, but as she approached, she noticed his car wasn’t there. Despite that, her stomach was still in shambles. Not for a single moment had she stopped thinking about Inuyasha. All she wanted was to see him.

In case his car was in the shop, Kagome forced herself forward, entering through the gate and heading to the front door. With a deep breath, she gave two raps to the surface, waiting a moment until it was clear he really wasn’t home. Texting him earlier would have avoided this mess. He would have given her a time to come over, and she wouldn’t look like a doofus standing on his front porch.

She debated going for a walk and coming back later, but a pull in her gut made her not want to go far. The pull was so dominating, in fact, that it took less than sixty seconds to get her to resign the idea to leave at all, bringing her to remove her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and take a seat on the top step. Mindlessly, she scrolled through social media, trying to keep herself distracted while she waited. It was Sunday. Realistically, he was most likely out with some friends - like the ones he was with when she met him. Given he wasn’t from here, his friends were most likely coworkers or management he found cool. It was almost five, so it was too early to party. Most likely, he went out to dinner with them. Though, he could have started partying early. In a town like this, it’s anyone’s prerogative. 

Kagome decided she’d wait thirty minutes. An hour, tops. Any longer than that, and it’d officially be considered weird and desperate.

Lucky for her, it was only another ten minutes before the rumble of his car pulled up to the curb in front of the gate. Unlucky for her, a nearly-debilitating flurry ruptured in the center of her abdomen, inadvertently sending a series of goosebumps over her entire body. Her moment was now. Through the semi-tinted window, she saw him notice her before even shutting off the engine, though it wasn’t until he stepped out - sort of hurriedly, she observed - that she noticed his overtly concerned expression. Kagome stood as Inuyasha slammed his door in his haste to cross around the car to her, pushing through the gate and meeting her halfway up the small walkway.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” He asked before she could get a word out. The hanyou was dressed about as professionally as he was the day she ran into him at the coffee shop, the white button up tucked into his slacks and hugging his body comfortably.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I promise. I should have called first, I’m sorry.” Kagome said, slightly embarrassed for worrying him. For everything, really. “I just - I wanted to see you.” To her surprise, his cheeks tinted with a subtle pink.

“Were you waiting out here long?” Inuyasha inquired, attempting to seem as composed as usual.

“Not really.” Kagome shook her head, taking another slow, deep breath to back up her courage. “Look, it was important for me to tell you this in person. I want it, too. So, if you still feel the same, I’m all yours.”

Those words rooted into his heart quicker than a sponge absorbing water. Still, Inuyasha let them hang in the air for a moment until he physically felt the weight-decreasing effects of them before replying with, “I still feel the same.”

With a sigh of relief, Kagome smiled lightly. “I know you’ve got a pretty busy work schedule. Just let me know when you’re free or want me to come over, and I will.”

“I’m not going to keep you all to myself. It’s a two-way street; just like anything. You’re on vacation, so we can -”

“I want you to. To keep me all to yourself. I can see them whenever I want, but I can only see you…” Kagome’s sentence remained incomplete, the notion of where it was going obvious. “This is about you and I now.”

“Your friends are okay with that?” He had to physically keep himself from smiling, forcing his compassion to come forward before he showed how pleased he was.

“Yeah. They’re supportive.” She said, loving the way his grin steadily appeared. As if his happiness triggered her own, she smiled, biting her lip as an ounce of shyness fluttered in her chest, replacing the nerves that had her stomach a mess just mere moments ago. “So, yeah. That’s all I came to say. I’ll let you actually get inside now. I’ll see you later.” Kagome said, turning on her heel to head out the gate.

Before she could get far, Inuyasha snagged her wrist, gently yanking her back over to him. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“Home.” She giggled, stumbling into his chest. “I came over uninvited, and you might have had plans.”

“I don’t. I just came from work. Which means, I’m free, I want you, and because I got suckered into going today, I don’t have to go in tomorrow. So, you’re all mine. That’s how it goes, right?”

“Well, yeah, but I didn’t bring anything with me.” She laughed a little harder, seeing the cocky amusement in his golden eyes. “No toothbrush, no clothes -“

“Bold of you to assume you’ll need clothes, but come on.” He playfully grumbled, leading her by the hand to his car.

“Where are we going?”

“To get your shit. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

—

Kagome sighed out contentedly, re-syncing her breathing to the deep rhythm of Inuyasha’s. He laid on his side next to her, his eyes closed and expression lax, the most peaceful he’d ever appeared in the short time she’d known him. Placidly, the hanyou stroked his fingers up and down her bare back while she rested comfortably on her stomach, incorporating his nails here and there, and soothing away any tension she may carry. Their hips and below stayed covered by a light sheet, the warmth of the day still tarrying in the evening air.

They’d briefly discussed the minor terms of their arrangement on the car ride to and from her place. Inuyasha’s schedule was decided on by the way the prior day went. If there were issues, he’d head in early the next day to make sure management beneath his guidance properly followed instruction to rectify them. Sometimes, that involved late shifts, too. Rarely, he’d have to work late and then come in early the next day, but it has happened. On days such as those, he wouldn’t be able to steal time with Kagome. Which she more than understood. Additionally, since he wasn’t able to set his time as one would with basic employees, he promised to keep her updated as days went along. She didn’t ask him to make that commitment, nor had she expected it in the least. It was him. He’d said he didn’t want to keep her waiting, or leave her hanging. He’d said he was going to do his part to make sure their time together counted toward something.

Truthfully, it helped her forget the dull ache in her chest. The little throb that came whenever she reminded herself that this was temporary. That she couldn’t keep him. When he smiled, when he laughed, expressed joy in any manner, when he touched her - which he seemed to never stop doing, it was impossible to focus on the reality that was to come in a day over two weeks. And then what? That was her biggest question that he didn’t want to concentrate on just yet. Would they become penpals? Text buddies? Send emails every now and again until they slowed and dwindled to a stop because the romance died off? It scared her. All of this scared her, and while Inuyasha was good at concealing his feelings, she felt it was safe to assume he was scared, as well. If they kept up some sort of virtual communication, considering the circumstances and their irrevocable connection, it was almost as good as keeping up a relationship. Which would apply pressure for them to find moments in their incredibly busy days to come to respond, update, show the other that they’re still thinking of them. While the aspect of it all seemed so simple, realistically it held the potential to increase stress and tensions. Something they needed to avoid. So, then, what? What would happen to them? How would they find each other again? Was this really it? Come the day she headed back to her university, did all things Inuyasha and Kagome cease? It was hard to believe. Then again, so was the entire situation. Almost laughably so. How could she have a person she shared such an astounding bond with presented before her too soon? What was fate’s message? It was one thing to never find your person, but it was another to find them and have them ripped away because it wasn’t the right time. Yes, they had resources, but how could they responsibly use them without crossing boundaries or instigating expectations from the other? That was one way to demolish things before they really had a chance to start.

Kagome was up so late the night prior thinking about every little thing standing in their way. The fact of the matter was, a relationship just wasn’t doable. It just wasn’t. That was easy to accept; relatively speaking. If it was her own schedule that caused the conflict, there would be no question about it. Kagome would do whatever necessary to make things work with him. But, that wasn’t the case. He had a goal of his own. A very important, passionate goal. One she grew to respect on the spot, just as he had her own. What became the hard pill to swallow was that everything would just stop once they separated. That couldn’t be the case. It was impossible to believe that she couldn’t be with her soulmate one way or the other. With Inuyasha. There had to be a way. A way to support him from afar. They were already tied by a red knot before they even knew each other; proclaiming themselves as the other’s significant other was irrelevant in retrospect. No matter how stressful and terrifying it would no doubt end up to be without him for a large bout of time, even if they stuck to bi-weekly emails, she’d do it. No question about it, she’d do it. She’d do anything for him.

How insane. Maybe it was the romanticization of their particular and special predicament, but the moment she kissed him, she swore she fell harder than she’d ever had before. Was it just the idea of having him? Was she just on an out-of-her-mind level of smitten? Or was this part of having a soulmate? Did the moment you physically connect make you fall hopelessly in love? That was something a Google search definitely couldn’t tell you.

But, she was, wasn’t she? She was already in love with Inuyasha.

“I’m glad it’s you.” Kagome whispered ever so softly. His roaming fingers never stopped, and he didn’t even bother to open his eyes, though his brows scrunched just the slightest.

“You’re glad I’m what?” His tone was groggy, deep and gruff, and she loved it so much she giggled.

“You’re so sleepy. Why are you still awake?” Kagome kept her voice as a sweet whisper, not wanting to offend his sensitive ears or alert him to come out of his sedated reverie.

“I’m not sleepy.”

“Oh, yeah?” She teased.

“Shut up. I could do this all night.” He feebly argued, the gruffness still hanging heavily in his words.

“And, what if I do it to you? How fast do you think you’d fall asleep?”

“Touch me and die.”

“I’m so scared.” Kagome mocked, giggling again when amber eyes parted, looking at her with feigned annoyance. It didn’t last long, his lazy grin taking over as he scooted himself a little closer to make it impossible for her to proceed with her plan.

Inuyasha kissed her shoulder, one intentional kiss unintentionally turning into multiple, slow ones that made him never want to stop. It didn’t matter how tired he was, he never wanted to stop worshipping her in whatever matter he could manage in any moment he was lucky enough to have. Having her so close was a gift from the universe. It livened his nerve endings and made even the tiniest touches sensational. His heart would calm, and even he, a half demon, a supernatural creature with the born ability to protect, felt safe.

This was a side to himself that even he had never known before. One filled with overwhelming adoration. Hope, even. Hope that he could eventually love her forever.

Leveraging himself up, Inuyasha rolled over to prop his hands and knees on either side of Kagome, lowering himself as necessary to spread deliberate, lingering kisses over her back in sporadic places. Though her hair had already been pushed over her shoulder from his recent attention, he swept his fingers through rogue strands that dared to impede his path over her beautifully soft skin, pushing them away only to unconditionally be unable to resist the temptation to rake his fingers all the way through to her scalp, her black waves bunching in his hold as he gently gripped until he heard that smooth sigh he’d expected leave her lips, then released.

“What were you so glad about?” He rumbled, kissing down her spine. She hummed questioningly in response, clearly distracted. Forgivingly, he repeated the question, physically feeling the shudder that traveled through her body at the way the reverberation in his chest pleased her. “You said you were glad about something a minute ago. What was it?” 

Kagome smiled, enjoying the tickle of his lips as they skimmed over her low back so he could plant kisses over the little dimples there. His mouth was so warm, so wonderful on her naked flesh, organic and sweet, and more than deserving for her to echo her honest statement. “I’m glad it’s you. I’m glad you’re the one I dreamt about.”

He stopped, golden eyes flickering up to peer over the curves of her back, her expression hidden by the angle. But, he knew. He could hear it in her voice, laced with exquisite honey. Such an easy statement for her, and it was going to be the death of him.

Inuyasha made his trek back up her spine, a little more haste in his movements, but he continued to pepper kisses to her flesh. As he reached her head, he gave the softest of kisses to her cheek, her already-there grin growing wider while her brown eyes remained closed, absorbed in his affection.

“I’m glad too, baby.” He whispered blithely.

Every worry was gone after that, forced away by such ardency. They spent hours over coursing days learning about the other, completely enthralled in stories and reminiscence, joking and playing, touching, feeling, laughing and sighing tranquilly. Kagome was captivated by his smile, his history, his touch and how he didn’t only have one mode; how just a little motivation in subtle ways could make him go from tender to rough.

The best part of all of it, that absolutely topped the calming effects he brought whenever he was near, was how natural everything just continued to flow between them. Neither felt the imperative need to impress. Yes, they still worked toward each other, but their energies ultimately went toward just being. With their limited allowances, it was silently, yet unanimously decided that neither party needed to bother with such trivial advances. Their hill to climb came when they’d separate. Until then, the two’s efforts went toward making things as easy as possible.

After days, he finally let her cook for him - mostly because she brought the ingredients, herself, and refused to let him help. It was one of her mom’s recipes that had always stuck with her; pretty simple, but delicious. All the while, he tried to play around the kitchen to make it hard for her to get anything done; flicking water her way, gently shoving her aside while she stirred the food in the skillet, kissing her neck and nibbling the tickle spot at the curve of her shoulder to make her laugh. She’d fight back, of course. It wasn’t hard to locate his own spot that made him gasp and flinch away in retreat. But, after she served their plates and he poured their wine, and they sat down on the couch to eat and watch a movie, he took a bite, smiling as he swallowed, leaning over and giving her a kiss to thank her for the meal, and unpredictably, she fell deeper in love.

She awoke one afternoon, comfortable on the mattress but chilled by the lack of body heat she’d grown accustomed to. It was an extremely hot day, so Inuyasha had lowered the air conditioner, making it blissfully snug in the little home he rented. He was first to fall asleep for a nap, curled into her chest while she serenely stroked his ears, and after a while of feeling the rhythmic way his breathing filled his lungs, she succumbed to the pull of slumber. So, where the heck was he now?

It didn’t feel like she was out for too long, she wasn’t in that panicked state of confusion that normal happened after napping for two or more hours, and reaching for her phone to check the time, she discovered that it had barely been an hour since they’d initially laid down. Kagome pushed herself to sit up, blinking away her drowsiness in the darkened room, the blackout curtains really doing their part. The door was cracked, but she could still hear muffled voices coming from the living room, one of which belonging to her Inuyasha. Still in a vague stupor, she scooted herself off the bed, silently leaving the room to scout him out. She found him on the couch, his phone in hand and set to speaker as a deeper voice came through, relaying information that was easy to deduce was business related.

Ember eyes landed on her and his disgruntled expression shifted into a soft smile as he mouthed the word, “Sorry.” Kagome cocked her head to the side with a grin of her own, not at all bothered. She was seconds away from heading back to the room to give him privacy when he beckoned her over with three curls of his finger. Happily, she sauntered from the hallway to the far couch he resided on, following his cue to straddle his lap when he muted the mic of his phone and opened his arms for her.

“It’s my brother. Last minute conference call. Be quiet, okay? It shouldn’t be much longer.” He said as she adjusted the skirt of her dress so it wouldn’t get uncomfortably caught between them. 

She nodded compliantly, snuggling into his chest and tucking her face in the curve of his neck, and he unmuted himself at the perfect time to answer Sesshomaru’s question. With a mind of its own, Inuyasha’s free hand roamed over her back soothingly, paying close attention to the skin above the top hem of her dress. He mindlessly pushed the spaghetti straps off her shoulders so his palm had nothing standing in its way to massage the area, his girl taking the liberty to shift her hair aside. He knew she would, and he had to stifle his chuckle.

“No, I don’t think he’s fit for the job. We’ve gotta replace him.” Inuyasha said, and his brother hummed in obvious contemplation. Kagome hoped the meeting went on a little longer. She loved the absentminded attention and the rumble from Inuyasha’s chest as he spoke. In an effort to give him some attention of her own, she gave a tiny kiss to the area of his neck immediately before her, and like a trigger, he rested his phone on a cushion beside him so he could fully devote both hands to her. He stroked her lower back a little, shifting down to pull her closer by the ass. She was sure it was innocent. She was sure he was just being completely attentive to her. But, the devious side of her liked it.

“Your reasonings?”

“He’s a piece of shit.” Inuyasha replied, continuing his massage.

“Inuyasha.” His brother held a stern tone, almost coming off as a reprimand.

He rolled his eyes, not even bothering to hide his gruff sigh. “He’s got sloppy work ethics, he’s always reluctant to implement our changes, his management skills are worse than subpar - do I need to go on?”

“No. That’s enough. Is there someone at that location you think would be a better fit? Or should we bring someone in?”

“Not sure yet. Things are just starting to turn around in our favor. In the meantime, I’d say things would go smoother without him.”

Playfully, Kagome scooted her butt back to her original position, and she practically felt his smirk when he played along and pulled her back, his hands slipping beneath her sundress to caress her skin and keep her where he wanted. The conversation kept going between he and his brother, and Kagome pressed languid kiss after languid kiss to the length of his neck, silencing her giggle when he tensed. Honestly, she was waiting for her cue to stop, waiting to see how far he’d really allow her to go, but he elongated the area for her, giving her free rein.

She continued her venture, nipping his sensitive spots, sighing out hot breath over areas she was kind enough to suck and feeling his fingers flex over her ass in response. While this was enjoyable to him, she could tell he wanted to laugh, not at all blind to her little ruse. Which then, in turn, made her almost laugh, because she loved the feel of his abdomen clenching from having to stop himself.

In an attempt to let him know she was serious, Kagome traveled up to the crook of his jaw, a sweet spot for him, waiting for the perfect opportunity in the brothers’ conversation to sensually nip in the exact way he liked it. Carefully, she covered his mouth with her palm to reinforce his rule to remain quiet just as he tensed rigidly. And, when he was clear, she leaned back, smiling proudly when he glanced at her with adamant surprise on his face. She stuck out her tongue teasingly, allowing her hands to roam to the bottom hem of his shirt and drift beneath, returning to her ministrations along his neck. Her fingers playfully skimmed along his warm skin, pushing his shirt up as she pleased, but when she heard his brother ask a question and Inuyasha, too distracted, didn’t answer, she pulled a hand away and waved it in front of his face, pointing down to his phone. Inuyasha was quick to excuse himself, asking Sesshomaru to repeat the question because the line broke out momentarily, to which the guy huffed in annoyance.

It was so hard to prevent herself from giggling, especially as he gave a tiny swat to her butt for getting him in trouble. But, she knew he didn’t want her to stop. She knew she could do whatever she wanted to him.

Kagome pulled back, winking and holding a finger to her lips to tell him to keep silent. His shocked expression grew to one of humored disbelief as she crawled off his lap to kneel between his legs, pushing his shirt out of the way of his belt buckle while he adjusted himself for a better position. Slowly, she slid the end of the belt free, careful not to make the metal clink as she unlatched it and pulled it all the way out of the pant loops so it wouldn’t be in her way. Inuyasha had to arch his back to help, highly amused, his smile painted with his quiet laugh as he pressed the side of his fist to his mouth to make sure he didn’t make a sound, then skillfully answered Sesshomaru without a single hitch in his tone. When the belt was finally out and placed on the floor, Kagome took to undoing his button, pulling down the zipper, then Inuyasha muted his mic so the sound of rustling clothes wouldn’t be received as he leveraged himself up so she could pull his pants and boxers down as far as necessary.

She bit her bottom lip as she was presented with his erection, peeking up at him after he unmuted his mic with a short answer, clearly trying to wrap things up on that end. Having too much fun, Kagome wasn’t going to bother on waiting. She dragged her tongue up the length of his shaft, flicking away at the head, loving the effects she had on him. He’d dropped his head back to rest on the cushion, smiling still but totally weak for her. Knowing she couldn’t get too crazy with her teasing, she only licked up his shaft once more before implementing a hand and taking him into her mouth. 

The poor guy could hardly stifle his grunt, but thankfully his brother didn’t seem to detect it, continuing to discuss things that didn’t necessarily need to be discussed in that moment. Rushing him would only piss the stubborn bastard off, and hanging up on him just purely wasn’t an option. But, Kagome was so fucking good at this, and she wasn’t even doing her worst yet. The girl was just getting started, and he was already having a hard enough time keeping his breathing lax. When she got down to it, he was fucking screwed. Sesshomaru needed to end this call if he knew what was good for him.

She took a moment to spit a little on his cock, using the saliva as lubrication for her pumping hand, then went right back in to suck his dick delightfully. He threaded his fingers through her hair, doing his part to keep the thick, black waves out of her face. The bonus was feeling the motion of her head as she took him in, seemingly more and more each time.

“Inuyasha? That wasn’t rhetorical.”

Fuck. “Oh, my bad. You sounded like the teacher from Charlie Brown for a moment, so I tuned you out.”

“Dick.” His brother spoke dryly, repeated himself with more firmness. It was a struggle to focus on anything his stupid brother said, captivated by the vibration of Kagome’s giggle on his cock. Still, he forced himself to answer the question, figuring the end to the meeting was near.

He’d had to grip her hair to lessen her pace, the only way to properly control his own reactions to this perfect girl. That didn’t stop her from attempting to take him all the way into her mouth, his head lolling back, his entire abdomen tensing, and mouth pinching shut at the amazing feeling. Kagome pulled back, usually needing to catch her breath immediately after, and took over with her hand for the moment. Her lips were pink and plump, her cheeks were flushed wonderfully, and her smile was the most sinful he’d ever witnessed. Leaning forward, Inuyasha captured her mouth with his, eagerly stealing a lingering kiss from her before settling back into place and allowing her to absolutely wreck him.

Empowered by his kiss and his hand in her hair, and the fact that he’d just muted his mic once more, Kagome bobbed her head a little faster, her hand moving in perfect synchronicity to make sure his entire length was tended to. The grunts and heavy breaths he finally allowed himself to make only fueled her fire, coercing her to once more deep throat, grasping his thigh with her free hand at the sound of his torrid groan, then pulling away to gasp.

Inuyasha stopped her from continuing then, his amber eyes glowing heatedly as he bent forward and kissed her, one hand still in her hair while the other gently grasped her throat, pulling her up with him to a standing.

“Grab my phone. Careful not to unmute it.” He huskily instructed, and she smiled, obliging and holding it up at a perfect level while he kissed her, his tongue diving into her mouth to entice her further, leading her backwards. She’d assumed he was taking her down the hallway, but he swerved toward the kitchen, causing her to stumble slightly, and he chuckled at her before spinning her around and bending her over a kitchen counter.

Inuyasha lifted her dress over her ass to bunch on her low back, his girl a little too happy for her own good. Oh, but he’d be a fucking liar if he said he didn’t absolutely love that joyful, little moan she did with that gorgeous, sultry smile. Quickly, recognizing the tone his brother was taking, he snagged the phone from Kagome’s hand, unmuting it as he’d caught the tail end of the inquiry and pieced the rest together.

“No, Jaken cannot come out to this location. This is my project, and I don’t need him trying to tell me what to do.” He rolled his eyes, making sure to never halt his attentions to Kagome. He’d pushed her panties to the side, stroking her pussy with his fingers to test just how wet she was. Kagome practically melted in his palm, soaked, and while he spoke, he continued to lightly massage. “I don’t know why you hold him in such high regard. Even Myoga is more reputable than him.”

“He has more experience under his belt.”

“And more shit on his nose, the fucking ass kisser.”

“Inuyasha.”

“I said what I said. I don’t need help. Got anything else for me? I’ve got errands to run.”

“I’ve got a budget sheet for you. Five more minutes.”

“Hit me.” Inuyasha said levelly, muting his phone once more and placing it on the counter. Kagome was peeking at him over her shoulder, brown eyes large and doe-like. Giving in to the pleading stare, as if he had any will to resist, he quickly spit into his hand, rubbing the lubricant over his cock and pushing inside of her.

His beautiful girl sighed languidly, the edge rearing off into a breathy moan. He, himself, couldn’t bite back his own drawn out groan, her pussy hot and mind-rattling, engulfing all of his aching erection. He leaned forward, inadvertently pushing a little deeper as he whispered in her ear. “Not a noise, baby. Or, I’ll stop.”

Before she could nod in agreement, Inuyasha slid the phone directly in front of her face, tapping the mute button to release. Appalled, Kagome looked back at him, and the jerk winked, giving her a cheeky grin. He steadily rolled his hips against her, keeping the pace agonizingly slow, and while it was easier to maintain control over her voice, it was torturous. How did it still feel so incredible? Little-by-little, he increased his pace, but he never passed a certain point. He never fucked her. Whenever she’d think he was getting there, he’d slow down, progressively returning to his initial rhythm to build himself back up again. Nonetheless, Kagome found herself holding her breath, terrified that each time his brother paused it was because he’d heard any sort of hitch in her lungs. 

“I’m going to email this to you in a moment. Be sure to read it over. Understood?”

“If you were going to email it in the first place, why the hell did you have to sit here and read it to me?” Inuyasha retorted, leaning forward to cover Kagome’s mouth as he ground deeply into her, surprising even himself when he managed to keep his reaction to the mind numbing sensation in check. She’d arched her back, her hands planted on the counter surface, bending into his slight pull.

“Because, I can.”

“Prick.” He damn near grunted, having to stop all motion as he held his breath to regain composure. 

“Let me know who you want to fill in the role of manager. The sooner that’s decided on, the better.”

“Yeah. By the end of the week. Good?”

“Good.” 

Without a goodbye, the line beeped three times, signifying Sesshomaru had hung up, and Inuyasha wasted not even a second in sliding his fingers down from her mouth to her neck and thrusting into her. Hard. She moaned, the sensational noise laced with pent up aggravation from all she’d had to withhold the moment he’d taken her.

“What a good girl.” He taunted, now gliding his fingers through her messy hair to grip just the way she liked it. “He didn’t suspect a thing.”

“You’re so mean.” She whined, half smiling, half pouting from wanting more. “He could have heard me.”

“I knew you wouldn’t make a peep.” Inuyasha bit his bottom lip, the devilish grin doing something indescribable to her. “Besides, this is your fault. You did this to yourself. Didn’t you?”

“No.” Kagome coo’d.

“Didn’t you?” Inuyasha repeated, giving another deep thrust. The poor girl could only reply in a broken moan, and he released her hair, cautious of not pulling too hard, so he opted for a firm hold on her hips. With a couple more thrusts, she crumbled forward, her upper body sprawled over the counter as she took him in, her mouth hanging open and breathing erratic. 

Deciding to see how long he could get away with driving her mad, he lightened his touch, his tempo dragging, pushing the sundress further up her back so he had more skin play with. He could see it written all over her face and the way she raked her teeth over her lip, the way she tried to push back into him, and the way she still attempted to swallow her whines. He didn’t know how long he’d be able to keep this up thanks to the simple way she looked. He could feast on her for days, listen to her voice endlessly, making his mind whirl and his insides boil. Her messy hair was spread about, even somewhat covering parts of her beautiful face, and as she finally released her bottom lip to give a tantalizing whimper, he realized it was him that was being driven mad.

“You seemed to really like fucking around while I was on the phone.” He teased, bending over her slightly as he increased his rhythm a smidge. She sighed in response, and he knew his voice was doing something for her in that moment. She was tensing beneath him, trying to push back against his hips as a sign, but he pinned her still. “Maybe I should make another call.”

Swiftly, Kagome snagged his phone, still next to her head, sliding it clear across the counter where it was too far out of reach in a big fuck you. Inuyasha laughed, the move of hers completely unexpected, and when she reached back to playfully smack his arm, he reactively grabbed her wrist, bending her elbow and pinning her hand behind her back. She gave an airy gasp and without any further instigation, he grabbed her other wrist the same way, holding her captive and watching a beguiling and evocative smile grow on her face, her eyes coming alight.

Now, that was just unfair. He should have known she’d like something like this, but still. Who gave her the fucking right to be this goddamn jaw dropping? He’d stopped completely, taking every inch of her in, licking his lips at the delectable sight.

“Inuyasha?” Kagome breathed, barely peering over her shoulder.

“Yeah, baby?”

“Fuck me.”

Shit. How the hell could he say no to that? To her? “As you wish.” He grinned sinfully, using his grip on her arms as the perfect leverage to anchor himself while he built back up his momentum, done with his taunting as he finally surpassed his original stopping point. She felt so fucking good, sounded so fucking naughty, welcomed each buck and grind he had to offer with mindless and perfect reactions. Their skin clapped together, and he was gradually losing himself, clenching his grunts as he stirred her up.

He knew he was going to have to pull out soon. Kagome’s fingers quaked before him, furling and unfurling, her throat releasing melodic keens to how hard he fucked her. Inuyasha planned to go until he absolutely had to stop, his groans shifting to growls, shifting to husky gasps as it felt too fucking phenomenal. Harder. Quicker. He fucked her into the counter to the point where she held her breath, her jaw hanging agape and hands clenched shut, gratefully accepting the few sharp rolls of his hips before he pulled out, ready to jerk himself the rest of the way. Unsuspectingly, Kagome pushed off the counter and spun around, dropping to her knees and taking his cock into her mouth, pumping her head and hand back and forth. She’d caught him by surprise, bringing a feverish groan from his lips as he grasped her hair, cumming into her mouth.

His touch softened as he gradually came down, barely catching his breath while he watched her slide his dick out of her mouth, swallow, then glance up at him with a sweet smile. Inuyasha stroked back her disorderly bangs, leaning down some to cradle her jaw in his palms and guide her to stand before him, his lips immediately claiming hers in a well-deserved kiss. He pushed her back against the counter lining, swallowing her breathy gasp as his kiss intensified, one hand still holding her to him by the nape of her neck and the other lightly drifting over her shoulder, the straps still loose and fallen. She hadn’t finished; he wasn’t done with her yet.

Skillfully, Inuyasha grasped both sides of her waist, easily hoisting her up to sit on the countertop and pushing himself between her legs, stroking his fingers along her bare thighs as he went straight back to kissing her, his tongue gliding passed her lips to taste and lap her up. Kagome clung to him, her hands around his neck, not yet settling on placement as they dove into his short hair, grasped, skimmed down to his shoulders, his arms, his chest, clutching his shirt, then drove back to his neck. He shifted her dress higher up her legs as he slid beneath, teasing the flesh of her pelvis with a whisper of a graze and then fixing her panties to sit off to the side again. She couldn’t even get a sound out as he softly stroked his fingers within her folds, her body slightly tensing as she inhaled sharply. Her clit was swollen, and he gently rubbed it to see how sensitive she was. Kagome’s head lolled away from his kiss, exhaling dreamily, and the sound was so blissfully erotic. Inuyasha took to her neck, nipping and kissing, avoiding her sensitive spots completely to save them for last. Like her own personal expert, he massaged her, careful of his nails, shushing soothingly in her ear as she soon began to breathily whimper. His body was close, and he yet again held her at the back of her neck as he rubbed her clit, slowing here and there before increasing his attention slightly to help her build and build and build, and it was impossible for her to squirm too much, impossible for her to get away. She slurred a curse, one he’d never heard from her lips, and he took that as his cue, diving straight to the curve above her clavicle and sucking, licking, kissing. Kagome was beginning to shake, riding his hand where she could, her head falling back to accept all he offered and accidentally slamming against the cupboard door. She’d hardly reacted, unable to, but he laughed into his ministrations, adoring the way she couldn’t even jokingly smack his head to get him to shut up. A little harder, he rubbed her, pinned her to him, forcing her to take it all, biting slightly into her neck, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, breathing erratically, her whimpers hardly audible as her thighs clenched against his hips and her pussy convulsed beneath his touch. 

He chuckled as he was forced to stop riding out her orgasm, her clit clearly growing too sensitive too quickly when she jolted and squeaked. Letting her rest on him as she came down, catching her breath, Inuyasha softly kissed her head, raking his nails over her back to calm her.

“Better?” He murmured. She replied with a lazy hum, sitting straight and finally acknowledging the bump on the back of her head by rubbing her hand over it and scrunching her nose. Again, Inuyasha laughed, bringing her forward to inspect the area, himself. “You okay?”

Another hum of affirmation meshed with her own giggle, and he helped her down from the counter so she could stumble her way to the bathroom. And, when she emerged, he catered to her every want and need without decision, without thought; it all just came so naturally.

Because, truthfully, sadly, their end was drawing near. His goal was to not allow her to think about it as much as he did. He didn’t want her feeling any degree of stress while with him. He just wanted her happy. He desired her smile and laughter more than food and water. He wished for her tranquility more than he ever considered his own. If presented with an opportunity to shoulder the total weight, the hardships their separation was bound to bring, the sadness he feared, the anxiety, in exchange for her not feeling a morsel of it, he’d do it in a heartbeat. No questions asked, he’d do it.

But, that wasn’t possible, was it? He couldn’t take that away from her. He couldn’t protect her from this.

In the meantime, it was effortless to give her all of him. Like he was in a trance, wholly enraptured by Kagome, it was impossible to fight off any impulse to steal kisses or touch her soft skin. It was unacceptable to deny himself the simple pleasure of listening to her talk about little things that held her interest. Picking her up from her vacation spot was exciting, and taking her back always held the promise of later. When she ran to him from her own elation, jumping into his arms, he rapturously realized he was a sucker, and when she fell asleep beside him, sedated by his tender touch, he honestly felt like he couldn’t do this. How could he leave her? How could anything be more important than his soulmate?

Multiple nights in a row, Inuyasha had to rationalize with himself. He had to put together a mental list of why he had to do what he had to do. He was stuck in his own head, so much so he hadn’t even noticed Kagome’d awoken, notified only when she smoothed her finger over his crinkled brow as he stared intently at the ceiling. Immediately, he relaxed, glancing over at her, bemusement swiftly changing to a crooked grin. She laid on her side, continuing to lightly glide her fingers between his brow and over the bridge of his nose.

“What’s wrong?” She spoke softly, never ceasing her calming motion.

“Nothing. Go back to sleep.”

“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?”

“Course not.”

“Liar.”

“Kagome -“

“Talk to me.”

“No.” His tone was almost pleading, wavering slightly.

“Talk to me.” She remained level, comforting, a simple smile pushing her cheeks, and she shifted her hand to caress his cheek.

Observing the sincerity in her eyes, he eventually conceded, rolling to his side to allow her affection to engulf him. Inuyasha scooted a little closer, pressing his forehead against hers, resisting his unstable shudder while he pushed the sheets aside and pulled up the shirt she borrowed from him, tracing the backs of his knuckles over her warm skin.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, almost brokenly.

Physically feeling his sadness, Kagome’s heart grew heavy in her chest. She had no idea why he could possibly need to feel apologetic. “For what?”

“I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to fix this.”

“Baby -“

“I don’t know how to protect you, Kagome.”

“You don’t need to protect me from anything.” She shook her head against his, pushing softly into him to remind him she was right there.

“I don’t want you to be sad -“

“And, I don’t want you to be sad, either. But, think about it. What would it mean if I left with a smile? Being apart from you is going to be scary, and hard, and heartbreaking because being with you was more than I ever dreamt it would be. But, there isn’t a single part of me that believes this is the end for us. Do you?”

“No.” He breathed without an ounce of hesitation, the exhale alleviating some of the tightness in his chest. “No. Fuck, no. I could never let you go forever.”

“I hope not.” She smiled, ignoring the tears brimming in her eyes as she pressed a delicate kiss to his lips. “I understand, you know that right?”

He nodded, eyes closed, basking in her scent, the heat of her breath against his lips, his fingers tracing the exact spot he knew her tattoo was in thanks to the slightly raised lines from the heavy hand that’d inked her. “You know I’m not just going to drop you, right?” He countered. “I may not currently be able to commit to the amount of attentiveness in a relationship that you deserve, but I’m not going to leave you high and dry just to come back when I’m good and ready. I want updates from you. I want pictures. If I don’t respond, it’s only because I’m busy, but don’t ever think I’m ignoring you. Got it?”

Kagome nodded, smiling. “And, you’ll do the same for me?”

“Of course, I will. You’re as good as mine. Nothing’s gonna fucking change that. Literally nothing can.”

She hadn’t wanted to go to sleep after that. He could tell she was feeling it while covering her anxiety with a sleepy smile. He knew that no matter how much he swallowed so that she wouldn’t feel an ounce of disconcertment, she’d still wake up in the morning knowing it was her last, full day in town. And, he had to work through it.

He spent all hours of the night and early morning stroking her hair, caressing her skin, and she finally succumbed to sleep when she cuddled into his chest, right against his birthmark, and listened to his heartbeat until it lulled her away. Inuyasha remained awake, holding her, soaking her in as much as he could. No matter what she said, the promises they’d made, the question still repeated in his head to build torment in his chest: How could he leave her?

Inuyasha had turned off his alarm before it went off around six in the morning, slowly and gently rolling out of bed so as not to rouse the person who held his soul. His steps were silent as he crossed to the walk-in closet, and he hung in the doorway of it, leaning against the frame while he stared listlessly at the shadowed contents - not having bothered to turn on the light. He wasn’t sure just how long he’d stood there, the question so heavy in his gut that it threatened to make him sick. His fingers were unsteady, his throat felt like something thick had developed in the center, his chest ached, and then arms wrapped around his waist from behind, clearing his mind instantaneously.

He glanced over his shoulder, hardly able to see her from the way she hugged so close to his back. “You’re not supposed to be up yet.”

Kagome, still holding around his waist, maneuvered her way around him, and he lifted his arm out of her path so she could tuck her head into his chest. The pain he felt was gone, pushed aside by her angelic aura, and Inuyasha held her to him, kissing the top of her head.

“You okay?” He whispered. Kagome nodded, hugging him just a little tighter. He’d be a fool if he thought he’d be able to concentrate at work today, and an even bigger one if he let her go. He slipped a hand into the pocket of his sweats, pulling out his cell phone and calling the manager under his lead at this location. “Hey, I’ve got a pretty nasty case of food poisoning. Can you handle it on your own today?”

Kagome peeked up, surprised, ember eyes meeting hers contentedly.

“Good. I’ll check my emails here and there. Let me know if you have any questions.” And, he hung up the call, sliding his phone back into his pocket. He placed a sweet kiss to Kagome’s forehead, his fingers threading through her hair above her ears. “I’m all yours today, baby.”

Kagome smiled gratefully, her hands gliding to his waist where she gave him a little pull, getting him to guide her back to the bed. Their moments throughout were bittersweet, appreciated but anxiety-inducing as time ticked away, both of them content to make the best of what they had left. She’d never imagined she’d see Inuyasha look as wounded as he did, and never in her life did she ever want to see him have to mentally remind himself to smile again. Both of them were putting all they had into keeping composure, distracting the other from the obvious with playful remarks and endless love making.

She knew she was bound to cave soon. Bound to break. She just didn’t want it to be around him. His character would force him to want to make it better, and why should he try to take her pain away when she could hardly do the same for him?

Their sleep through the night was broken, pleasantly so. If one awoke, commonly due to their restless minds and straining hearts, they smoothed away their fears by kissing the other until they felt better, satiated for the moment. How could she leave him?

Come morning, as he drove her back, he’d offered to help her and her friends pack up, but she knew that would be the moment reality really set in. Her heart was pounding at the mere thought of seeing the house in the distance; she could only imagine what seeing the car packed up would do to her. Kindly, she declined, saying it wouldn’t take long and she’d come back to say goodbye before they hit the road. He seemed to understand, but still, the hitch in his tone caused her chest to throb.

“Promise?” Inuyasha asked, pulling up to the curb. Kagome unbuckled her seatbelt, leaning over the center column to kiss him, lingering, her sigh heated as she tried to solidify her assurance to him.

“I promise. I’ll let you know when we’re on our way, okay?” As she went to get out of the car, Inuyasha reached for her jaw, pulling her back to him as he deeply kissed her, stroking his thumb over her cheek as he felt her lean further into him. 

Each step toward the front door was heavy and forced, like the closer she got, the denser the invisible pool of sludge she wafted through became. With a deep breath, Kagome coerced herself inside, swallowing thickly to hide her troubles and sauntering through to the living area. Ayame, Sango, and Miroku all looked up at her, and though they attempted to appear casual, she could see the caution written all over their faces. 

“Where’s Koga?” She asked as normally as possible.

“Oh, uh, he had to head back a couple of days ago, remember? Football training is starting tomorrow, and he still needed to get a few things.” Ayame replied, smiling.

Kagome sighed, laughing lightly at herself. She’d forgotten. She’d even said goodbye to him, and she’d forgotten. “That’s right. What can I help with?”

“Well, we’ve got almost everything covered.” Sango mentioned softly. “I even started packing up your things a little bit for you. We can handle the rest.”

“Yeah, we’re almost ready to go.” Ayame added. Kagome froze, trying not to reveal her panic. She’d counted on spending at least a couple of hours getting things organized and strapped in the car, she’d counted on at least a couple of hours of cushion before she had to say goodbye.

She was reaching the end of her rope, her abdomen tensing as she struggled to seem put together in front of everyone, and she nodded with a forced smiling, saying she’d go get her things packed up before turning on her heel and heading to the bedroom. It was pretty clean, but she was so desperate for time, Kagome nearly debated on wrecking the room so she’d have no choice but to clean it up again. She wasn’t ready. She wasn’t ready.

Silencing her thoughts, Sango followed her into the bedroom, wearing a careful smile that she forced herself not to look at. “Hey, how’d it go?”

“We haven’t done it yet.” Kagome said, cursing herself for her inability to prevent her obviously wavering tone, lifting her suitcase onto the bed and throwing it open so she could empty the dresser of her clothes. “Is it okay if we stop at his house on the way?”

“Of course.” Sango firmly agreed with zero hesitation. She watched her friend’s unsettled movements, how her chin quivered, knowing she was hurting. She seemed antsy, shaky even, brown eyes bouncing unevenly from the dresser to her suitcase to the bathroom. “You want to talk about it?”

“I really, really don’t.” Kagome admitted, turning her head as her face scrunched with bottled anguish. She could see her best friend nod in her peripherals, taking a few steps back before heading out the opened door.

“I’ll be out here if you need anything, babe.” She offered, shutting it behind her.

“How is she?” Miroku asked, worried, stiff.

Sango shook her head, sighing, helplessly glancing to the floor, then to him. “Not good. She doesn’t want to talk.”

Ayame bit her bottom lip in concern, returning to the kitchen to continue packing up the leftover snacks. The tension in the house was sliceable, gloomy, all of them feeling sympathetic for the girl with the soulmate she couldn’t yet be with. Sango was about to begin putting the miscellaneous electronics they’d brought together, and as Miroku stood, catching her attention, she could tell by the look in his eye that his focus was glued to the person who definitely needed it most. He shook his head at her in a silent way to say not to stop him, and he made his way over to the closed room, walking through quietly.

Kagome could barely hold it in any longer, trying to blink away hot tears as she gathered the few bathroom things on the sink counter. Her features were crumbling as the ache in her chest increased more and more by each passing second, with each item she grabbed, with each step she took further away from him.

“Hey.”

She spun around, sniffling to clear away the immediate distress and sloppily wiping her hands over her cheeks. Miroku stood in front of the closed bedroom door, observing her with straight-laced empathy. She hadn’t even heard him enter. Still, she smiled weakly, about to veer the subject away from herself when he plainly shushed her, quickly closing the space between the to pull her into a hug.

Immediately, Kagome broke, wracked with sobs she couldn’t silence as she quaked against Miroku’s frame. His arms wrapped around her tight, supporting her, his chin propped atop her head as he let her cry, let her shatter with no pressure whatsoever to feign her equanimity. 

“It’s going to be okay, Kagome.” Miroku promised, never loosening his hold, and she, herself, tightened hers. “You’re soulmates; neither of you guys are going anywhere. Just as your time with him now was temporary, so will be your time apart.”

That seemed to calm her a bit, her breathing heavy and unsteady. Still, he didn’t let go, perfectly prepared and willing to stand with her as long as necessary.

“So many people are desperate to know their futures. They go to psychics, they read tarot, they spend money online for cheap, fraudulent readings only to walk away with virtual hope, but you don’t have that. You’re so fucking lucky, Kagome, because you know your future. You know where you’re going, and you know who you’ll end up with. Nothing’s for certain for most people, but for you, one thing is. One person is.”

Kagome was progressively stilling in his arms, sniffling but taking in every word he said. When she felt okay enough, she leaned back, glancing up at him, and her friend cradled her jaw compassionately.

“You guys have got your own things going right now, and that’s okay, but consider this: When he’s done and he comes back from Europe - or whatever the hell he’s doing - think of how much time he’ll have to devote to you. He seems smart. I mean, he knows how to pick ‘em.” Miroku smiled, cherishing his friend’s meek giggle. “That guy’s gonna sweep you off your feet and steal you away the moment he’s able to. You just have to be patient. And, that’s the hard part, I know. It’ll all work out, though.”

Kagome, though tears continued to fall, breathed in recovery, nodding in acknowledgment as she tucked herself back into his chest for another hug. She felt better, but weight still clung to her shoulders. The hardest part wasn’t over yet.

They locked up the house after several more walks through the place to make sure nothing was forgotten, and got themselves situated in the car; Sango and Ayame up front, and Miroku and Kagome in the back. With Kagome’s direction, she led them to Inuyasha’s place where Sango pulled up to the curb across the street, putting the gear in park, rolling down the windows, and then shutting off the engine. Ayame turned back to Kagome from the passenger seat, giving her a sympathetic smile.

“Take your time. Don’t rush anything.” She said, and Sango turned back to nod in agreement.

Kagome thanked them, jumping out of the car and safely crossing the street to enter his front gate, her heart throbbing with each step she took up the small walkway, up the two porch steps, and to the door where she knocked and waited. It was mere seconds before Inuyasha opened up, giving a friendly and subtle wave to her friends across the street and moving aside for Kagome to enter through.

He shut the door, a burning in his throat as everything became too real for comfort. She didn’t travel far at all, staying very close to his side in agonizing silence, her brown eyes not even able to meet his face. And, he didn’t fucking blame her. He knew this would be hard, but fucking shit, this was nothing short of brutal. 

Grabbing her hand, he guided her towards the living room so there was more room to breathe, though the thickness in his chest had made home for good. “Look, whatever you say, just don’t let it be ‘goodbye.’” He finally spoke, gruffly.

“I’m gonna miss you.” Kagome whispered, her bottom lip trembling. She began to fold, the pressure of her sadness robbing her of her breath and her stability. Inuyasha smoothed some hair behind her ear, seeming to attempt a meager smile, but he couldn’t. Still, his bright eyes met hers with honest sincerity, and his brow crinkled sorrowfully.

“You have no idea how much I’ll miss you.” He said. She began to cry, her cheeks flushing and her inhales broken. It hurt so much to see her like this. It hurt so much that in just a moment or two, he’d have to let her go. It hurt. It all hurt so fucking much, and his composure became increasingly rocky.

“We’ll still talk, right?”

“Of course, we will.” He reassured.

“And, you won’t forget about me?” Fuck, she sounded so fractured, it was killing him.

“What kind of a stupid question is that? Listen to me, Kagome.” Inuyasha started, pressing his forehead to hers. He softly wiped her tears away with his thumbs, cradling her face in his palms as she gripped the sides of his arms. “It’s going to be impossible to forget you. You are my soulmate. You’re my person. Distance isn’t going to change that. I promise, I’ll come back. I promise, we’ll make things work. We’ve just gotta get through this.”

“I know.” Kagome breathed, nodding against his head as she swallowed for some calmness. “I’m just scared to leave.”

“Why?”

“A part of me is terrified I’ll never see you again.” She cried, losing all sense of stillness as her body shook.

Inuyasha broke, because that’s exactly what he feared, too. He pulled her into a kiss, unable to stop himself from shaking against her body, his eyes burning as he shut them even tighter to prevent his own tears from spilling, but he failed. How could he leave her?

It was like she read his mind, shuddering and breaking apart from him, but never pulling passed an inch, her breath hot on his mouth. “You have to do this, though, and so do I. You have to become a partner at your father’s company, and I have to graduate from college.” She smiled, and though her cheeks were red and blustery, her cheeriness was still genuine. God, Inuyasha almost broke again. “When you come back and tell me you did it, I’m gonna be so proud of you! Just make sure you come back, okay? Come back. I’ll be waiting.”

“I’ll come back. I promise.”

“And, I’ll send you updates and pictures.”

“Good. That’s exactly what I want.” He chuckled, kissing her again as he pulled her impossibly closer. “You gotta be strong for me. This is gonna fucking suck, and we know it, but you don’t have to worry. You’ll see me again. I fucking swear it. I’ll send you pictures, too. We’ll video call when we can. I still have so much more to learn about you, you think I’m gonna pass that up?” Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head as he tucked her into his chest, soaking in her scent in the hopes that it’d never leave him. Kagome’s arms encircled his waist, clutching the back of his shirt desperately as she breathed deeply to try and stop crying.

“I’m gonna miss you.” She repeated waveringly.

“I know, baby.” He shushed, holding her tighter. “Me, too.”

When they were ready, and he’d cleaned the evidence of her tears from her face, taking his time to be as tender as possible, he walked her out to the car, holding her hand the entire way. Her friends were quiet, playing respectful by not staring directly at them as Inuyasha twisted Kagome around before her car door, placing a lingering kiss to her forehead.

“Eventually, my forever.” He whispered.

A ripple went through Kagome’s chest, challenging her steadiness as she glanced up at him, smiling, and poking him right where his birthmark was beneath his shirt, whispering in return, “Soulmate. Forever.”

Inuyasha grinned, opening the door for her so she could climb in, and once her legs were out of the way, he shut it. He braced a hand on the open window, grazing his knuckles of the other under her chin so she’d look fully at him.

“I love you.” Inuyasha said. She smiled, her faltering giggle showing how close she was to breaking down again.

“I love you.” Kagome stated, placing her hand on top of his.

“You ready?”

“No.” She shook her head, chin quivering as her face slightly crinkled from fighting the tears.

Placidly, Inuyasha waited, knowing not a single person was bothered, and uncaring if they would have been. “Will you text me when you get home so I know you’re safe?”

Kagome nodded, squeezing his hand.

“Take care of her.” Inuyasha said to Sango just as she’d looked at him from her window.

“I will.” She replied with a gentle tone.

Kagome leaned toward him for one last kiss, and her soulmate didn’t pause in giving her what she wanted. What she needed. Parting bittersweetly, he wiped her tears again, taking every bit of her in as she took a deep breath.

“Ready.” Kagome whispered.

“That’s my strong girl. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Okay.” She smiled weakly.

Their hands separated slowly, and when he was no longer there to touch, backing away to cross to his side of the street, Kagome began to feel completely empty. Blindly, for support, she reached over to Miroku and he quickly took her hand, squeezing it tight. Sango started the car, and Kagome’s eyes never left Inuyasha’s. He looked sad. He looked broken. He smiled.

“Ready?” Sango asked, looking back at Kagome.

She trembled, crying, then held her breath, giving Inuyasha the sweetest smile she could muster as she waved. “Yeah.” She whispered, and Sango shifted to drive, pulling from the curb.

She began to sob, trying to keep it to herself but Miroku pulled her to him, stroking her hair for as much comfort as he could provide.

Inuyasha watched until their car disappeared in the distance, tormented, terrified, loathing the universe and the cruel card they’d been dealt. How quickly he’d fallen, how quickly he’d shattered. He forced himself back inside, the furnished house feeling empty and lonely, and he feared that’s what life would be without her. His heart had sunken deep, and giving in, unable to bite it back any longer, Inuyasha cursed loudly with a choked sob, grabbing the nearest glass in the kitchen and smashing it against the wall.

| Epilogue |

[akitokihojo]

Delicate - Chapter 8

“Stay still.” Kagome said, carefully drawing back the eyeshadow brush in time as Sango nervously bounced around in the desk chair. Her friend huffed out dramatically, stilling as best as possible so Kagome could carry on with her blending.

“Is it even?” Sango asked, lids opening slightly when Kagome went to dab more eyeshadow from the palette. 

“I’m not done.”

“But, is it even?”

“No. Because, I’m not done.” Kagome chuckled, her tone on the sarcastic side.

“Okay, well just make sure it’s even.”

“Sit still and maybe I’ll have a shot.”

“Work through it, Kay, because if I sit still, I’ll get the nervous sweats.” Sango reasoned, sighing deeply as she bobbed a knee up and down and shut her eyes so Kagome could continue.

“It’s gonna be fine!” She confidently stated, blending the brown eyeshadow as steadily as possible. “You’re gonna have a good time, and you’ll see there was nothing to be so worried about.”

“Hey, you had a nervous breakdown in my room, and I’m entitled to have one in yours.” Sango blindly pointed, defending herself.

“It’d be wise of you not to bring that up. I have blue eyeshadow at my disposal, and you wouldn’t know I applied it until it was too late to fix.”

“Wow, Inuyasha’s rubbing off on you.”

“That’s a Sango move, actually.”

“Shit, you right.” Her best friend smirked proudly, the expression falling as quickly as it had appeared as she went back to her unsettling bouncing. “But, what if we don’t connect? What if he’s only capable of talking to me through text and it all falls apart in person!?”

“He managed to ask you out in person, Sango.”

“But -”

“You’re fishing. Stop fishing. You were looking forward to this yesterday, and now you’re panicking. Miroku’s been much better about talking to you. I mean, he’s even kind of charming!”

“If it’s bad, will you ditch Inuyasha and come save me?” Sango opened her eyes, pouting out her bottom lip pleadingly.

“You know I wouldn’t hesitate.” Kagome smiled, dabbing the brush in the palette again. Sango settled slightly, slouching in her seat.

The doorbell chimed through the house, and Kagome hardly reacted, tapping the blending brush on the side of the palette casing to free the excess powder.

“Sota!” She called, waiting to see if she could hear the sound of his footsteps leaving his room from down the hall. When she didn’t, she called his name again, a little louder that time. As she, once more, didn’t hear him coming, she yelled for him, dragging the end of his name out to make sure she was heard.

“God, what!?” Her little brother wailed, stomping all the way over to the open entry of her bedroom. His gaming headset was still worn, just dropped to rest behind his head, his controller held tightly in the grip of one hand.

“Can you get the door? I’m a little preoccupied.”

“You made me get killed, Kagome!”

“It’s a game.” Kagome drawled dismissively. “By default, what I’m doing is more important.”

“Mom said we’re not supposed to answer the door for anybody, anyway. What if it’s a burglar?” Sota asked, returning her sass with a mocking, downward twinge of his mouth.

“Pretty sure a burglar wouldn’t be ringing the doorbell, but if it is one, I’d rather sacrifice you before I sacrifice myself.” 

Her brother stood in the doorway, his eyes slanting in the smallest glare, staring blankly at her for a solid moment. Kagome stared back a little awkwardly, about to tell him Inuyasha was the one waiting to be let in when Sota quickly flicked off the light and darted down the stairs, leaving both of the girls shouting for him in the dark.

“Why is the light off?” Inuyasha asked as he rounded the corner to her room half a minute later, switching it back on to see the two girls sitting perfectly still in front of one another. “Hey, Sango.” He casually greeted with a notch of his head.

“Oh, you know, makeup in the dark’s a new sport.” Kagome sarcastically replied.

“Sota?”

“Yeah.”

“No wonder he ran into the kitchen instead of coming back upstairs.” Inuyasha welcomed himself into her bedroom, setting down the bag of food he’d brought beside him as he sat on Kagome’s bed behind her. She rested on a stool borrowed from downstairs, leaning forward to resume what she’d been doing.

“So, what are you guys doing tonight?” Sango grinned, her tone holding a flirtatious insinuation.

“Watching The Conjuring.” Inuyasha responded, taking the Styrofoam containers out to set up their food. 

Kagome jerked around, eyes large, her lips curved in disconcertment. “We are?”

“That was the deal, babe. I told you for each Harry Potter movie you make me watch, you’re watching a horror one.” He shrugged carelessly.

“But, there’s eight! And, you can’t just watch one without all the others! That’s barbaric!”

Inuyasha grinned, grabbing a taquito from the plate and taking a bite with no remorse. With a huff of momentary defeat, she twisted back to face Sango, swapping her brush out for the mascara.

“Wow. You guys are a thrilling couple.” Sango dully sneered. “You skipped right passed the awkward stages and went straight for boring. It’s only been, like, a month.”

“No, that’s not true. The other day, he -“

“Hey! No! Don’t you fucking dare!” He interjected, mouth half-full.

The two girls stared at each other humorously, trying not to laugh as Kagome tightly sealed her mouth.

“What did he do?” Sango silently mouthed.

“I’ll tell you later.” Kagome mouthed in return. She played it off, handing the mascara over for Sango to apply, herself.

“Anyway, aren’t you guys still technically in the honeymoon stage? Where’s all the gross, overly-affectionate gestures that you guys are supposed to be doing to make sure the other still likes you?” Sango questioned semi-jokingly.

Curious, Kagome spun back around to face Inuyasha, waiting to see what he’d say. He glanced back at her with genuine innocence, his second taquito in hand.

“Do you still like me?” The hanyou asked.

“Yeah, you’re alright.” Kagome absentmindedly shrugged, turning back to Sango, grabbing the highlighter and appropriate brush.

“Never mind, you guys are kind of cute.” Sango remarked, laughing and allowing her best friend to dust the final touches onto her skin.

Truth was, neither of the two were very into public displays of affection, Inuyasha even more so than Kagome. They held hands and hugged, giving each other little gestures here and there while in school, but nothing much more than that. It wasn’t Inuyasha’s style, and Kagome more than understood that boundary, which equally worked in her favor because she liked to keep him and the sweet things he did for her all to herself.

“Okay, all set.” She beamed, placing all of her makeup back into the designated drawer.

“Miroku picking you up from here?” The hanyou inquired as Sango stood and adjusted her outfit in the lengthy mirror near the closet.

“No, I’m meeting him at the restaurant. I didn’t want my dad to know. As far as he’s concerned, I’m spending the night here and that’s it.”

“Not allowed to date yet?”

“It’s not that. My dad’s just one of those typical guys that meets your date at the door with a shotgun. And, I mean, he’s a cop - and not a scrawny one, either. I did not want to put Miroku under that kind of pressure.”

“Hey, can I be there when you do introduce them?” Inuyasha seemed a little too pleased with the idea.

“Sure,” She shrugged. “If you tell me the cringey thing you did the other day.”

“Aren’t you running late?” Inuyasha stiffly rebutted, changing the subject swiftly.

Sango laughed, flicking a finger gun his way before proudly presenting her final look to her best friend. 

Kagome stood up, pulling the length of Sango’s chocolate brown hair to the front of her shoulders. “Text me so I know you got there safely.”

“I will.”

“And, when you’re on your way back.”

“Yes, mom.”

“I’ll obviously be waiting up for you.”

“I appreciate it.” Sango bobbed her head along, like these questions were per regime. “Oh, wait, what do I do if he starts going all spastic again?”

“Change the subject.” Inuyasha casually mentioned, his eyes on his phone like he wasn’t even paying attention. “If he gets weird, keep talking like normal and he’ll calm down.”

“Oh.” It was that easy? “Thanks, dog boy.”

“Mhm.”

Kagome walked her out, repeating that she wanted to know when she arrived safely before walking back inside and locking the door behind her, heading right back up the stairs to her bedroom. Her pace increased halfway up, eager to get back, and as she shut her door on her way, she noticed the food was cleared from the bed and on the floor, signifying it was safe to proceed with her usual routine. His eyes were still on his phone as he replied to a text, but his grin wasn’t all that subtle. He knew exactly what she was about to do. Kagome pounced on the bed, his arms instinctively snagging around her to catch, the both of them flying back against her mattress from the force. Kagome wasted no time adjusting their positions, her legs straddling his waist as he laid flat on his back, folding over onto his chest and resting her face in the crook of his neck. Inuyasha chuckled, knowing what she wanted and complying immediately, soothingly rubbing his hands up and down her back.

“Do we really have to watch The Conjuring?” She mumbled.

“Yup. But, I brought you a burrito if that makes you feel any better.” She could hear the smile in his tone.

“What kind of burrito?” Kagome’s voice was playful, snuggling a little closer to her boyfriend, his hands never ceasing their roaming along her back.

“Bean, rice, and cheese.”

“Mmm, you’re my favorite.”

“I’ve noticed you only say that when I bring you food.” He laughed. She hummed an affirmation, rising to her hands and hovering over him. Inuyasha took the opportunity to reach up for a small kiss, finally greeting her like he’d wanted to all along. 

She gently rolled off of him, grabbing the remotes from the bedside table and turning on the tv as he grabbed the food from the floor, setting her Styrofoam plate before her before taking the remote she offered so he could choose which streaming app his movie was located on. 

As Inuyasha began to get comfortable by resting his back against the wall right beside her after pressing play, Kagome looked at him absurdly - almost like he’d just committed a felony. He tried not to laugh, waiting for her to say something, growing even further confused when all she did was pull at the sleeve of his hoody and then point to the spot in front of her.

“What?”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Kagome questioned, as if the answer was plain and obvious. “You have to protect me.”

“It’s barely started.” He chuckled.

“I don’t care, sit in front of me.”

“In front?”

“Yeah, come on.” She pulled on his sleeve harder to direct him, maneuvering one of her legs behind his back so she was semi covered by his torso. This way, she could easily duck behind him when things got too spooky.

“Man, you really don’t like scary movies, do you?” Inuyasha laughed, shaking his head.

“I warned you ages ago.” Kagome stated, finally taking a bite out of her burrito and shifting an inch or two closer to her newfound shelter.

“This wasn’t exactly the idea I had in mind when thinking of how close you’d be while watching something like this.”

“What a cliche move.” She teased.

“You’re so weird.” He was smiling, his hand coming up to gently caress her cheek as he pulled her in to give a small kiss on her head. 

Inuyasha hardly paid attention to the movie, obligated to provide little sources of comfort to his sissy of a girlfriend. Not by her, but by himself. It was enjoyable, as wrong as it seemed, to feel her clutch onto the sweater at the sides of his ribcage, burying her head behind his shoulder. A couple of times, even, she jumped in her skin, her fingers actually gripping his sides and squeezing right into his tickle spots, making him flinch and grunt in response. All she could do was laugh and apologize while she hid her face from the movie, but he didn’t mind. Not one fucking bit. Honestly, he hoped she forced him to watch the other seven Harry Potter movies, just so he could put on his own selection and reap the benefits. In an attempt to soothe her just a smidge, he held onto her thigh she had nearest his side, rubbing his thumb back and forth over the cotton of her leggings.

As it ended, Kagome slouched against him, a small whine leaving her mouth before she threw herself along her mattress dramatically. “Thank god it’s over.”

“And, you survived. I’m proud of you.” He rolled his eyes, humored by her antics.

“Don’t patronize me. It’s been years since I’ve watched anything like that!”

“Well, then I guess you’ll just need to watch some more to get used to them, huh?” Inuyasha grinned, a little devilishly, as he twisted and crawled over her.

“Fair is fair.” Kagome said, her whisper, though flirtatious, taking on a shy hint. Her brown eyes flickered down to his lips, impatiently waiting for him to lower himself and kiss her.

He loved the way she raked her teeth along her bottom lip, her lids fluttering mostly closed as she watched him slowly crouch to kiss her. It would be a lie if he said discovering the ins and outs of their own relationship wasn’t as tedious as his lean toward her, or his deliberate hover just above her expecting lips, and there was still much to learn, but he found himself eager while more than willing to take his time. It would be an even bigger lie to say he hadn’t been frightened as they first got into the groove of transitioning from friend’s to couple; of the obnoxious and rampant feelings demanding to be explored, of hurting her, of crossing a line. But, as one day turned into one week, and one week turned into two, and three into four, his nerves warmed and quieted, and the gentle touch of her fingertips to his skin reinforced the safety that they’d worked to build within each other since the day they’d met. 

Intentionally, Inuyasha refrained from pressing his body between her legs as he softly dragged his lips against hers, enjoying the heat of her shallow breath along his mouth before molding into a perfect kiss. She was such a sweet kisser, holding the tendency to follow his lead for the most part, but his favorite thing she did was that tender suck she’d give to his bottom lip, baiting him just a little further every fucking time. She tasted delightful, she smelled heavenly, she felt wonderful against him in the tiny ways he’d allot - like her hands along his sides or beneath the hemline of his sweater, or their chests rising and falling in steady synchronicity. He’d learned the deep sighs she’d gift when she was content with his actions, and how they differed when she wanted a bit more. The latter held the inkling of a whimper, and it’d be another lie to say he wasn’t weak for it.

That was the sound he detected just now, her warm fingers gripping into the flesh of his hips, just beneath his hoodie and shirt, and Inuyasha smiled against her mouth, adjusting one of his knees on the outside of her leg so he could safely move a little closer to her without surpassing a boundary he hadn’t yet already. The kiss grew a little more intense, almost following the beat of the dramatic score music playing as the credits of the movie continued to scroll.

The loud, annoying chime of Inuyasha’s cell phone alarm going off rudely interrupted, dragging a husky groan out of the half demon as he broke apart from Kagome, reaching toward the edge of the mattress near her nightstand to silence the damn thing.

“Curfew?” She quietly asked. He nodded, giving a raspy sigh and softly kissing her cheek before sitting up. Her own phone dinged just then, and she grabbed it, opening the text from Sango.

Sorry! Forgot to give a heads up! Miroku’s walking me back and I should be there in a few.

“Oh, Sango’s almost here, anyway.” Kagome said, sitting up next to him.

“How far out is she?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “She said a few minutes.”

“Plenty of time.” He grinned, pushing his girlfriend back down to the bed and kissing her.

“Your curfew!” She giggled, growing even louder as he playfully littered her face in small, delicate pecks.

“It’s only a few minutes.”

“You timed it perfectly! You’ll be late!”

“I’ll run.”

“Inuyasha!” Kagome laughed, almost shrieking as he pinched her tickle spots at her waist. “Okay, go! I’m gonna accidentally kick you!”

“Alright, alright.” He jokingly droned, pushing himself off of her and getting his small amount of things together. Kagome gathered their trash in the plastic bag he’d brought their food in so she could throw it away in the bin in the kitchen, following him downstairs.

As Inuyasha approached the door, his ear gave a little flick, catching two familiar voices talking outside. Pulling the curtain aside an inch, he peeked to see who it was. “Sango and Miroku are back.”

The quick shuffle of feet surprised him as Kagome ran from the kitchen to his side, snagging his arm from the door and pulling him away. “You can’t go out there!”

“Why not!?”

“Because, they’re not done yet! You can’t just interrupt!”

“But, I’ve gotta go!”

“Tough. You can run.” She dismissed, dropping to her knees and pulling her boyfriend down with her so they could safely watch without the peel of the curtain being too noticeable.

On the sidewalk before the entry path, Miroku and Sango stood inches away from one another, talking so softly she figured even Inuyasha wouldn’t be able to understand what they were saying. Sango’s hands were held in Miroku’s, his indigo gaze on her soft and almost blissful while Sango seemed to be looking back at him hopefully, sucking in her bottom lip.

“Is it okay for us to be watching this?” Inuyasha inquired, slightly uncomfortable.

“She’s gonna tell me what happened, anyway.” Kagome carelessly shrugged, her brown eyes never leaving the two outside.

“Isn’t this, I don’t know, private? Why would she tell you?”

“We tell each other everything.” She said matter-of-factly.

“Everything?” Inuyasha echoed, shock resounding in his tone. Kagome glanced over at him then, perplexed at first, then clearly attempting to play it off with a subtle scoff.

“But, I haven’t told her anything about you. Oh, look, I think he’s gonna kiss her!” She grabbed his sleeve in excited anticipation, watching as Inuyasha’s best friend leaned down to kiss Sango goodnight. It was difficult to hold back her squeal, and even more difficult not to shake Inuyasha’s arm back and forth when she witnessed the pure romance unfolding right before them. As her best friend turned to walk toward the house, the cherry color of her face was more than evident in the porch light, and Kagome finally dropped the curtain, standing and bouncing around Inuyasha to open the door right when her best friend knocked.

They, obviously, played it cool while Miroku watched from the sidewalk to make sure Sango got inside safely, Kagome giving a little twiddle of her fingers to say hi to him. While the door was still open, Inuyasha took the opportunity to pass through, giving his girlfriend a small ruffle of her hair on the crown of her head as he said goodbye.

She shut the door when she saw the two opposite best friends meet and walk in the direction of the hanyou’s house, the two girls now safe to get giddy and screech about Sango’s night, but as they went to run up the stairs, there was a heavy knock on the front door, halting them. Inuyasha stood just outside, a slightly irritated expression cocking his brow. Kagome dropped her head to the side, curious, but before she could ask what was wrong or what he’d forgotten, he signaled to Sango to turn around with a twirl of his finger. She rolled her brown eyes but complied, spinning around so her back was to them, and Inuyasha gently curved his palms around the soft line of Kagome’s jaw, bringing her in for her own goodnight kiss.

“You’re gonna be super late now.” She whispered, bashfully biting her lip.

He gave a breathy chuckle, stepping back and running off toward his house.

“He was actually really nice the entire night! A total gentleman! There was a little bit of panic here and there, but I kept the conversation going like Inuyasha said, and it went really smoothly!” Sango gushed, plopping down on the bed next to Kagome after changing into her pajamas. “He opened doors for me, he held my hand while we walked for a while after dinner, and he insisted on bringing me back here, Kay!”

“And then you kissed!”

“And then we kissed!” Sango squeaked, grabbing a pillow and hugging it closely in an attempt to contain herself.

“So, how was it? Is he a good kisser?” Kagome asked, bouncing on her bottom from her joyful curiosity.

“Oh my god,” Sango practically swooned. “So good. It started off careful and soft and then, wow, does that boy know how to kiss. Girl, I didn’t know getting weak in the knees was an actual thing, but I felt like I was wobbling up to the door like an old lady without a cane.”

Kagome laughed, not even slightly fazed by her best friend’s dramatic explanations. “I take it you guys are going out again?”

“Hopefully. I mean, he didn’t ask, but if he did I’d say yes in a heartbeat.”

“And, what if he asked you to be his girlfriend?”

“I’d pause to make him think I was contemplating on it and wasn’t totally desperate, and then eventually say yes, of course.”

“Of course.” Kagome repeated, giggling and snatching the cell out of Sango’s hand as she illuminated the screen to check her notifications for the umpteenth time in five minutes. “Quit checking your phone! He’ll text you when he texts you!”

“Yeah, but what if my phone glitches and the text doesn’t go to my lock screen! I need to check my messages.”

“Sango -“

“Is my phone on silent?”

“No!” Kagome laughed, holding the phone away from her as she reached for it.

“I should probably check it.”

“Sango!”

“Give it back, heathen!”

“You have to be patient!”

“Oh, like you were with Inuyasha!?” Sango was now on top of her desperately trying to reach for her phone as Kagome kept fighting to hold it away from her.

“You’re just gonna keep throwing that in my face, aren’t you?”

“Give. It. To. Me.”

The ding of her text messages went off, a short vibration tickling Kagome’s palm, and she looked up to see Miroku’s name lighting up the screen with a few pink hearts trailing behind.

“Oh, it’s him.” Kagome nonchalantly said, passing the phone back to her friend with an innocent smile. Sango enthusiastically took it back, opening up the message and typing something in return.

“What does it say?” Kagome eagerly inquired.

Sango blushed deeply, rolling into a happy little ball on her side and holding the phone close with a content grin. “He said goodnight. I love goodnight texts.”

She was right. They were the best. Such a simple and tiny gesture, which was equally sentimental and wonderful. Someone took a small moment out of their lives before going to sleep just to send you something sweet, letting you know they were thinking of you. Kagome was so happy that Sango was finally getting what she wanted.

—

Inuyasha was acting weird. Kagome couldn’t place her finger on why. Nothing between them had happened, and as far as she knew, nothing else was wrong. But, that couldn’t be the case because something had to be wrong. He wasn’t being mean, he was just being short. Maybe she could even classify his current characteristics as skittish.

The other day, he’d been helping her with her homework - nothing new there. But, when she brought up their plans for that Friday, he got visibly tense. It was her younger brother’s birthday, and they were making dinner and cake. A few of Sota’s friends were sleeping over that night, and Inuyasha had said a couple weeks prior that he would show up for the main event of it, and let them borrow some of the milder horror films he had in his arsenal. Her brother really seemed to like her boyfriend, and as much as she picked on the twerp for anything and everything, she found it kind of endearing that he looked up to the hanyou. Inuyasha was supportive in his own little way to Sota; not actively pursuing to be his friend or anything, but never once shutting the younger boy down or pushing him away when he had a weird question. And, it was Sota. He had nothing but weird questions, irrelevant to literally anything pertaining to what they were talking about in the moment.

She’d asked if he was coming, and Inuyasha didn’t seem to remember the plans they’d made, his discomfort gradually elevating. So, she reminded him that it was Sota’s birthday, and though he looked like he recalled the conversation where he’d agreed to come, a guilty expression scrunched at his nose.

“I, uh, I can’t.”

“Did you forget and make other plans?” Kagome genuinely asked, not at all upset, but more piqued by his suddenly rocky demeanor. 

“Actually, I forgot about my other plans first and made these ones with you. I’ve gotta help my uncle with something.” He replied, his eyes only meeting the paper before him as he busied his fingers with his pen. 

“Oh, with what?”

“Something.”

“O-okay.” She pinched her lips together, feeling a little shut out. It wasn’t often he did that anymore, so it wasn’t something she was altogether used to nowadays. It was strange, and he seemed to notice her own disconcertment rising.

“It’s, uh, he’s just too old to be lifting some things so, yeah, that’s where I come in. I’ve gotta help. Sorry.” He vaguely explained. Kagome nodded, accepting what he’d given her, actively trying not to pry for more information. “I’ll probably be leaving school early, too. So, I’ll only see you in the morning that day.”

His tone was pretty direct, to the point, and even after letting that go, he still appeared a little off - probably because she was paying attention now. Especially that Friday morning. The half demon just seemed so drained and listless. She’d ask if he was alright, and he’d just given a plain, “yeah,” in response. He didn’t say goodbye before leaving school at lunch, and throughout the remainder of the day, his texts were few and far between. Truthfully, she really did believe he was busy.

That didn’t quiet her suspicions that there was something else beneath the surface, though.

The next day, they were texting like normal, talking like normal, absolutely nothing out of the usual - which served to further unsettle her. She wanted to ask him about it, but she would have preferred to see him and personally make sure he was alright. At the same time, it was a little unnerving to ask if they could meet up or if she could go see him. She didn’t want him catching on that she’d been concerned, and having him react in typical Inuyasha fashion by dispersing her thoughts and changing the subject away from him.

The thought came to her like a light clicking on overhead: What would Inuyasha do if the roles were reversed? The first time he was visibly concerned about her, he snuck over at eleven in the evening and made up some silly excuse about forgetting his pin that never existed just to see if she was sick. Maybe the same scenario could work out fairly for her, as well. 

Had she ever snuck out before? Absolutely not. Was she terrified she’d get caught? More than words could tell. Was she gonna do it anyway? It’s what Inuyasha would do! Kagome waited until around ten that night, knowing her mom was in bed and Sota was playing one of the new video games he’d been gifted the night before. Everyone was usually left alone to do their own thing late in the evening, so she was mostly confident she’d get away with it. There was always the chance her brother would barge in to do something stupid, or her mom would get up for a late cup of tea and would come in to offer her one, but that didn’t happen all that often. For good measure, she turned on her tv for background noise and locked her bedroom door.

Silently, Kagome slid her window open, carefully stepping out onto the roofing just outside, and when she slid it shut, she left it cracked so she could easily get back in. She’d decidedly donned black jeans and a black hoodie - for stealth purposes, of course. That’s what people did in the movies. She couldn’t necessarily say it’s what Inuyasha would do in this case, because it’s what Inuyasha would do on almost any average day. The guy wore a lot of dark colors. 

Getting from the roof to the tree branch was a lot more tricky than it seemed; her boyfriend made it look so easy. The last time she’d climbed a tree, she was stuck in it for hours until her dad had realized, come outside to look for her, and gotten her down. Of course, she was six or seven, and the size of an even younger child - height has never been on her side. Hopefully, that’d work out to her advantage tonight. Inuyasha was six feet tall, toned, and rightfully heavier than she. If the branch could keep from breaking on him, it would definitely hold her. She trusted that much. What she didn’t trust was her own capability to maneuver from the branch to the trunk to the floor.

She’d crouched low, slowly inching herself over to the nearest branch from the roof, resembling more of a nervous sloth than an Inuyasha. As soon as she felt relatively confident, Kagome finally climbed all the way onto the ligament of the tree and away from the safety of her roof. It wasn’t so bad once she was over that terrifying part. All she had to do was watch the steadiness of her feet as she stepped little-by-little over to the trunk like she’d seen Inuyasha do. Then, she’d have to step down to a different branch, then another, then the floor. Not horrible in retrospect, but she knew when it all came down to the moment, she’d hesitate and overthink her next movement. 

Once her feet were on the ground, though, it took a little too much effort not to jump and cheer for herself, having to have slapped her hands over her own mouth as she’d accidentally let out a squeak of joy. What made it worse was no one had been around to see her achievement - which, yes, was the intention, but still. In her excitement, she ran straight to the curb, speeding onto the path toward Inuyasha’s house.

Kagome knew his bedroom was on the second floor since the one time she’d been over she’d watched him head up the stairs, but she’d never actually been up there herself, and therefore didn’t know which window to target as her destination. Her one fear was climbing up and knocking on his uncle’s window. The mortification she’d feel at locking eyes with the older man was almost enough to convince her to opt for throwing pebbles at the windows from behind bushes until the hanyou she favored peeked out of one.

No. That wouldn’t do. She had so much adrenaline soaring through her right now, so much pride at her tree-scaling abilities, that she simply had no choice but to climb the tree on the side of Inuyasha’s home and seek out his window like the champ she was.

Silently, Kagome opened and closed the front gate, noticing no lights in the front were on before sneaking around to the right side of the house. Downfall: There was a cement wall that separated the front from the backyard. Without apprehension, wanting to get out of the main line of sight for anyone glancing out of windows or passing by, she hopped, latching her hands onto the top. She tried pulling herself straight up, but lacked the necessary upper body strength to do so, only succeeding in losing her grip and falling back down to the grass to land on her feet. Her palms had scraped along the edge of the cement, her skin growing hot with irritation, but not hurting, so she jumped up once more, this time after scooting a little closer to the side of the house so she could use it to brace her feet on and kick up a bit. There was still a struggle to raise herself up enough, but after a third try, she was able to hook her elbow over the top and leverage herself up the rest of the way until she was awkwardly braced on her hands and knees and squirming to sit on her butt where she’d be able to scoot her way off the wall and into the backyard.

Of course, so it goes, one of the simplest tasks of the night just so happened to be the most threatening to Kagome. Her hands were raw from climbing down her own tree, and the cement definitely did its part to irritate and scratch up her palms. She’d been trying to carefully shift her butt over the edge enough to safely hop down from the wall - because, honestly, the drop was the scariest part of it all - but when she griped the rough texture, trying to turn her body to lower herself down, she grated the already-tender areas and dropped herself straight to the floor where she tore her jeans over her knee, the skin beneath scraped and angry.

Inuyasha wouldn’t think twice about a minor injury like this, and she repeated that to herself over and over while she looked at her knee with horrified distraught, resisting the natural temptation to clutch her stinging wound and hiss at the pain like it made anything better. Her eyes definitely didn’t prickle, because she was tough and strong, and things like this definitely didn’t bother her at all.

Picking herself up to her feet and wiping the pout off her face, Kagome quietly ventured forward the few feet necessary to get to the trunk of the tree, circling it to find the best spot to get her footing on. This was also serving as her wakeup call to work out a little more than the ten sit-ups she did every few weeks. Or months. Her arms were struggling massively to pull her up onto the first branch, and she was now glad that no one was there to see her pathetic lack of muscle. She was, though, the type to work smarter, not harder, so she dropped her hold to grasp the belt loops in her pants, shimmying them up a little higher - because who doesn’t know the struggle with pants slipping down while you’re trying to work? - before reclaiming her grip and really pressing her foot into the notch on the trunk, grateful the rough bark helped the soles of her shoes stick instead of slide. With the little leverage she gained, Kagome replaced one foot with the other, now able to climb up into a little nook in the tree where branches were thick and veered right from the trunk. From then on, it wasn’t too difficult, and Inuyasha’s tree was even more forgiving than her own, actually reaching over the roof so she wouldn’t have to test the stability of ligaments before scampering over to solid safety.

Kagome kept herself low and close to the wall as she crawled her way toward the back of the house, grateful the window she approached was shut by blinds. There was one window in the back toward the further side of the house with a light on, yellow hues guiding her path. She could only hope it was the one she was looking for.

Carefully, on her way, she neared a darkened window first, making sure the coast was clear before she ventured on. The blinds were down, but they were twisted open, and from her angle, she couldn’t really see in. It was dark, and she could hardly make out what was inside, but the one thing she did notice was the window, itself, was shut. If anyone was actually in there - conscious or not - her shuffling would be muffled and hopefully dismissed as a curious raccoon. A very large and curious raccoon, but a raccoon nonetheless.

Still, she proceeded cautiously, trying to duck as low as she could below the windowsill to remain undetected before crawling forward to the illuminated one. Again, she played it safe, peeking in from the side to try and gauge whose room it was. The bed was to the right of the window, unmade and messy, a nightstand right beside it - below the glass she observed through - with a cellphone, remote, and alarm clock on top.

Easy solution.

Kagome pulled her phone out of her pocket, opening the recent and unread text from her boyfriend. She’d reply and see if an alert went off, and then there’d be no need to wander further to the other side of the house to see if there was another room to peep through.

After hitting send, she watched the opposite cellphone intently, perking when it lit up with her text and finally coming into full view of the window to peer through. Inuyasha wasn’t inside, the door at the far end of the left wall wide open, so she waited impatiently, her thrill to see him in this manner overriding her earlier concern.

The hanyou was donned in sweats and nothing else, his chest left bare, and his silver hair thrown into a messy bun, re-entering his room while brushing his teeth. He didn’t notice her immediately, which worked in her favor. She’d never seen him so dressed down, so comfortable, so shirtless, and her brows raised in impure admiration. But, when he finally caught her sitting there, he froze, and she easily played off her stare with a gleeful, little wave.

Inuyasha had deadpanned, his hand halting the toothbrush in his mouth, his chest noticeably rising and falling with a heavy breath as he about-faced and left the room, holding up a finger indicating for her to wait when she gave a surprised squeak at his leaving. Kagome couldn’t help but giggle, loving when he was so shocked by something that he literally had no fathomable reaction. It wasn’t often that that happened, and his blank face was just so stinking cute.

The toned abs were a plus.

When he came back in, shutting the door on his way, his toothbrush gone and mouth rinsed of toothpaste, Kagome beamed happily, observing his steady approach to the window. Yes, she definitely noticed the way his muscles flexed as he lifted the glass, and her bright smile never faded as he bent down, propping his forearms on the frame with a studious expression on his face.

“Hey, I’ve got a question for you.” Inuyasha said huskily.

“Mhm?”

“What the fuck are you doing?” There was no malice to his tone, or in the way he’d cocked an eyebrow peculiarly. In fact, he was so level with Kagome that her smile only grew wider as she fell into a fit of soft giggles.

“I came over to see you.”

“Why?” His tone still held evenly.

“I wanted to.” She said playfully.

“Why?” A little more pressed that time, though a grin began to appear, trying to get a real answer from her.

“Because, I missed you.”

“Why?”

“Do I really need an excuse to see the most handsome half demon in existence?”

“You better give me one before I push you off this roof.”

“I - I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Kagome admitted, her playfulness dwindling slightly as she gave into the truth, though she met him with cute, pouty eyes, knowing he’d be soft for her intentions. Her smile pushed through, though appearing a little more sheepish than before. His brows pinched together, and she knew he was wondering what she was alluding to. “You were acting kind of weird yesterday. I was worried.”

Inuyasha sighed out, turning a hand over in offer to her, and when she took it, he gave a gentle pull to guide her inside, assisting her along the way by bracing his opposite hand over her head to protect her from accidentally hitting it against the border of the opened window. He supported her weight as she carefully climbed over his nightstand, and when her feet were safely on the floor of his bedroom, he closed the window to keep the chill out.

“Why do I smell blood?” He questioned, turning back to her speculatively.

“Oh, I skinned my knee.” Kagome replied, lifting her leg to a ninety-degree angle so he could see the tear in her pants before putting her foot back down.

“Klutz.” Her murmured with a small roll of his eyes, heading over to his dresser and pulling out the first shirt he saw, wasting no time in putting it on. His torso was now hidden beneath a grey tee, speckled with lighter grey flecks, and Kagome was a bit disappointed to have the nice sight stolen from her, though she, of course, didn’t show it. “Why didn’t you just ask me, babe? I would have told you I was fine.” He mentioned kindly, waltzing over to sit on his bed in front of her.

“Because, I knew that’s what you would have said. And then, you would have changed the subject. I wanted to see for myself, and so I did what you would have done.”

“What I would have done?”

“You snuck over once just to see if I was sick that one time I missed school because of Sota.” She smiled, biting her lip. “I wanted to be bold like you. And, get answers like you. Was that… wrong?”

The look she was giving him was shaking his stability. Kagome probably didn’t understand the significance of the glimmer in her eye, or how the way she currently dragged her teeth over her plush, bottom lip made him glance away for the sake of his own sanity. She seemed so innocent, her actions compassionate and brave, but god, his core had never been heated like this before. 

“So, you snuck out of your house?” Inuyasha asked, amused, gliding his tongue over his canine.

“Yup.”

“Looks like I’m a bad influence on you.” He chuckled, wagging his finger for her to come closer. She happily obliged, stopping between his legs and sliding her hands over the tops of his shoulders as his own gently slid around the backs of her thighs.

“The worst.” Kagome teased, lightheartedly. She pecked the smallest kiss to the tip of the white appendage atop his head. There was a part of her that wished she wasn’t wearing her sweater, and only a thin shirt, so that she had a chance at feeling the heat from his breath as he exhaled deeply at the same moment. Just to satiate the expanding flurry in her belly, she curved downward, softly kissing his lips, lingering, sighing herself, as the air was stolen from her lungs from just how tender he returned her affection. Parting was slow, and deliberate, and comfortable, as was the way she brushed her lips over his in a ghost of a touch to glide over to his cheek to kiss him there, too. “So, you’re okay, right? Nothing’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Kagome. I promise.” He whispered, smiling gently. “You really came over just to check on me?”

“Of course, I did.” She giggled, stepping back and out of his hold to allow her eyes to explore his bedroom for the first time. “Why do you seem so surprised?”

“No reason.” He shook his head, watching as she wandered about to look at the few things he had up around his desk and bookshelf. She picked up the little crown he’d stolen from her that was nicely placed along the face of his study area, twiddling it in her fingers back at him. “Sorry I came off so weird yesterday. I had to deal with something.”

She’d come over in the dead of night, climbed some trees, scabbed her knee, she was expressing her feelings for him, her smile was grounding him, and suddenly, he didn’t much care for his stupid secret anymore.

“Yeah, you said you were helping your uncle?” Kagome inquired, continuing to play with the golden pin as she leaned back against his desk.

Inuyasha scrunched his nose at his lie, standing from his mattress and humbly looking to the side. “Uh, yeah, but no.”

“No?”

“I was actually doing something else.” The hanyou admitted, golden eyes landing back on her curious expression. Her dark hair splayed over her shoulder nicely as she leaned her head to the side, almost blending with the shade of her hoodie. “I was home. I was here.”

“Oh. Were you not feeling well?”

“Something like that.”

“You seem uncomfortable.” Kagome noted, her expression slackening. She placed the crown back where it was, dropping her shoulders in a relaxed manner as she braced her hands on the desk behind her to support her upper body where she leaned. He was on the private side, that was no secret, so the last thing she wanted to do here was push him. There was plenty of sincerity behind him saying he was okay just moments ago; she could take his word for it. The caution he was exuding, though, was kind of presenting a different sort of concern for her now. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. Is this, like, something I should be worried about, though?”

“No. No, not at all.” He relaxed, himself. Not as much as she, especially when he dismissed her concerns, but enough to make sure she believed him. “I’ve just never talked about this with anyone before, so it’s kind of awkward.”

“That’s okay if -“

“I was napping.”

Kagome blinked in surprise.

“On and off. Here and there.”

“So,” She spoke, her voice wavering as she tried to fight back some giggles. “You were sleepy? That’s what was wrong?”

“Well, yes. In essence.” He nodded, pinching his lips together as he realized how ridiculous he was coming off. “Look, you don’t understand. I’m hardly ever tired, you know that.”

“Right, and it’s bound to catch up with you at some point.” Kagome grinned, humored by his embarrassment but trying not to appear so.

“Yes. When I’m human.” Inuyasha bravely said, like ripping off a bandaid. His girlfriend perked forward a bit, thrown by his confession, the bemusement vivid. His chuckle was sputtered, half caused by his nerves and half because of her reaction. “I’m half demon, Kagome. Which means I’m half human.”

“Yeah, no, I understand the biology behind it.”

“Not quite. There’s more to it. Every half demon’s got a weakness. Mine’s on the night of the new moon. When it comes around, I turn into a human.”

“A human?”

“Yeah, you know, like you.”

Kagome began to laugh, her cheeks growing rosy with delight. “That’s it?”

It was his turn to be confused. He didn’t quite know what to expect from it all, but one of the last things was her chill demeanor. 

“Um,” He paused, cooled, breathing out fully as any discomfort he held left his body. “Yeah. Pretty much. I get really fucking tired and grumpy. And hungry. Even the hours leading up to it, my body just starts to feel off. That’s why I left early, and knew I’d want to. I usually stick out the day so ditching doesn’t become a regular, monthly thing, but I was drained just thinking about it the week leading up to it.”

“I get why you kept it to yourself. It’s personal. I promise, I won’t tell anybody.” Kagome said.

“I know. I trust you.”

“I feel a hell of a lot better now that I know, though.”

“That so?”

“Duh.” She giggled, sauntering over to him. His arms instinctively wrapped around her waist when she got close, knowing what she was coming to him for, her hands gliding up the soft flesh of his arms. “I couldn’t stop thinking that something was bothering you.”

“Well, it’s not exactly fun being human.”

“Oh man, tell me about it.” She teased, rolling her brown eyes.

“Shut up.” He chuckled, pulling her flush against him and resting his forehead against hers. His voice softened, becoming a whisper as some of his confidence hid beneath the surface. His heart was thundering behind his ribcage and he simultaneously wanted and didn’t want her to feel it. On a whim, he opened his mouth, allowing the words he wanted to say to spill out before his nerves got the better of him. “You drive me crazy, you know that? In more ways than one. What am I supposed to do with you?”

Inuyasha claimed her smile with his mouth, his kiss heating as she pressed to her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. It wasn’t long before he heard that breathy, little whimper she’d make, and the guy was done for. Putty. His hands grew adventurous as they traveled down her lower back and over the curve of her ass. She made a tiny noise of surprise, but nothing out of protest, and even as their lips continued their tasteful dance, she only seemed to arch her back. Like, she’d wanted his hands there all along. Like, she wanted to further prove she could drive him crazy. The hanyou breathed her in, pulled her closer by his grip on her ass, his fingers traveling over her curves and sliding to sit within her back pockets.

It was as if his honesty had only provided fuel to the fire inside of her he hadn’t noticed sparked. He confessed to being fully human the night before, and she moved to him, running her hands over his arms, and he swore she was paying special attention to the defined area between his biceps and triceps. He told her how crazy she made him, and the girl became a vixen with her mouth and tongue, stealing his breath away, his mind muddled and fogged and whirling with insanity. How would she react when he told her he was in love with her? The thought of the passion she would present him with clenched at his chest, the muscles over his torso prickling with anticipation at the exhilarating thought of her blush and her smile and the shy kiss she’d give him that would only grow wonderful and hot.

Fuck.

He broke their kiss, breathless, knowing he was only doing himself in with his own imagination. The truth was, his weakness wasn’t the new moon. His weakness was Kagome. She wasn’t making him want for more, she was making his knees buckle with what he already had. He was thoroughly incapacitated by the intense feelings he had for a single person. In all his life, he never thought the idea was possible. Inuyasha pictured himself strong enough to handle anything. Then, in walked Kagome, with her flirtatious smile and her need to know his name, with her curiosity and stubborn nature, with her laughter, with her voice, with her gentle touch and hypnotizing scent. He should have known he was fucked from the start. He should have known he’d enjoy every second of it, too.

Kagome kissed his jaw, backing away a few inches to see his reaction. Her eyes were doe-like, large and innocent with the hint of wonder, and when he shrugged his brows at her in validation, she pecked another small kiss to the same area. She didn’t pull back to look at him after. Instead, she moved further on her own vindication, kissing his neck three times, languidly, and then pulling back to place the scantest of kisses to his lips.

“I have to go now.” She said, smugly backing out of his hold and heading toward the window. 

“Hey, excuse you.” Inuyasha laughed, snatching her hand and pulling her back for one last, real kiss.

“I’m gonna get caught. I have to go.” She quietly whined, her tone playful.

“Not through the window, you don’t.” He said, letting her go after he’d gotten what he wanted. 

“How else do you expect me to leave?”

“Door.”

“Inuyasha, baby, you’re growing rusty. I can’t just waltz out there as if I didn’t sneak over in the dead of night.” Kagome teased.

Inuyasha, unfazed, smirked. “Totosai’s not home, dummy. You can leave through the front like a normal person.”

“Oh.” She blanked.

“Give me a second to change my pants and I’ll walk you home.”

“What? No. You can’t.”

“Why the fuck not?”

“Because, that’s not what Inuyasha would do.”

“But, I’m Inuyasha.” He grimaced, perplexed.

“And, I’m acting like you, remember? You’re the Kagome in this situation.”

“I don’t like this game.”

“I don’t care.”

“Ah, you’re already good at it.” Inuyasha remarked, amused.

“Besides, I didn’t come over here just to get you to walk me back. I came to check on you. I came, I checked, I leave.”

“How are you getting back inside your place?”

“I climb.” She grinned, giggling.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, gesturing for her to walk out of his room as he followed close behind, taking the lead to guide her through the house and to the front. Abruptly, his girlfriend stopped and he turned to see what had her attention, noticing her hands were covering her mouth and her eyes had grown wide with astonishment, her squeal muffled while she stared at a picture to her right. His stomach sank, and he cringed as she waddled closer to the portrait. No. God, no. Fuck.

“Kagome, let’s go.”

“Oh my god!”

“I swear, if you say anything -“

“Is this you!?”

“Yes. Now, let’s go!” The hanyou marched back, snagged her hand to pull her, but it was like she was suddenly made of lead, planted firmly before the family picture.

A beautiful woman with long, dark brown hair supported a chunky toddler on her hip, pointing happily toward the camera to get the lopsided-puppy-eared boy to look into it. A tall man, hair long and silver, blue demon markings adorning his cheek bones, smile gleaming and bright, stood behind the two of them with a hand holding the woman’s waist, the other on the little boy’s back. This was Inuyasha with his birth family. He was right. He really did look more like his mom. She could see it in her smile, the shape of her eyes, and even her nose.

“You were so cute!”

“Stop it.”

“You’re so round!”

“Stop it.”

“How’d you lose all that baby fat?”

“Stop it."

“Look at you!”

“Alright, you asked for it.” Inuyasha bent down, hoisting Kagome over his shoulder and carrying the laughing girl off and down the stairs.

“Why are you so embarrassed?” Her voice was wheezy from her powerful laughter and the pressure on her abdomen against his shoulder, but he made sure his steps were as light and smooth as possible so as not to jostle her further. “You’ve seen my baby pictures in the hallway!”

“You weren’t supposed to see mine.”

“It should be considered a crime that you tried to keep that from me!”

“Sue me.” He chuckled, gently setting her down by the front door. Still, the clumsy girl stumbled backward slightly, and he reached to stabilize her, grasping behind her neck and pulling her in for a quick goodbye kiss. “You better fucking let me know when you’re back inside your room.”

“Bossy.” Kagome sneered, opening the door and heading out with a smile.

—

“I forgot to ask earlier, how’s your knee?” Inuyasha inquired, holding Kagome’s book bag for her as she situated her stuff in her locker. She laughed - more at herself, he could tell - and brought her knee up as high as she could without risking her skirt’s boundaries. She stretched her black tights over the area so the material thinned, revealing the bandage beneath.

“Being you is dangerous.”

“No, being you is dangerous.” Inuyasha chuckled, shaking his head humorously. “You okay?”

“Oh, now you ask.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He dismissed, rolling his eyes.

Kagome nodded, shutting her locker and taking back her bag as they headed out to the courtyard, shadowed by their gloomy weather. “You can go. You don’t have to wait with me.” She said, just as he took her hand.

“Nah, you know I don’t mind. And, you know Miroku will pitch a fit if I walk home without him.” The hanyou shrugged, leaning against the designated tree the girls usually waited for each other at. She smiled in reply, playing with his fingers in her grasp, comfortable in the silence between each other.

It wasn’t long before their best friends appeared, Miroku’s hair slightly disheveled and Sango’s lipgloss smudged. Inuyasha groaned in revolt, but Kagome merely made eye contact with her counterpart, wiping an area of her own lip in a subtle gesture for Sango to clean up. She hastily took the hint, using her sleeve to wipe away the evidence of their little make out session.

“Ready?” Sango asked, her cheeks flushed.

“Yeah.” Kagome giggled, giving a little squeeze to Inuyasha’s hand before letting it go and waving goodbye.

“Call me tonight?” Sango asked coyly to Miroku, biting her bottom lip and walking backward next to her friend.

Her new boyfriend opened his mouth to respond, but the only noise he made was inarticulate and deep.

“Ew.” Inuyasha grimaced, making Kagome laugh as she grabbed Sango’s arm and pulled her away, the two girls heading down the cement path and out the school gates.

“How do you get away with that at school?” Kagome asked when they were in the clear.

“Oh, easy. There are so many uninhabited spots, you have no idea.” Sango replied. “You know the volleyball courts?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, instead of going straight there from the locker rooms, you can veer left, head through the little bushy area along the wall, and then there’s a little nook literally nobody goes by. That’s our usual spot.”

“It’s only been, like, a week! You have more than one?” Kagome laughed.

“Of course! Gotta have a backup! We’ve also claimed the big tree near the lunch area.”

“Well, well.” A deep voice greeted, catching Kagome’s startled attention to her left just as they turned a corner. “Found you.”

Kagome froze, locking eyes with a smirking Renkotsu.

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 |

[akitokihojo]

In Between: Chapter 5

Previous chapters can be found in my fic masterlist, as well as on AO3 and ff.net

------------

Inuyasha ticked his claws along the wood of his desk, trying his damndest to focus solely on the contents of the folder in front of him and not what Sango and Hojo were trifling over at the other end of the department, their perplexity practically blasting through a megaphone. What the hell were they even looking at that had them so derailed? He knew they were exclusively working on his case, but what in Bruce Almighty was causing them to sound so pathetically flabbergasted? It was driving him insane.

Fed up, he slammed the manilla file shut, inhaling deeply to maintain whatever discipline he had, sitting up straight and noticing his partner seated at the desk directly across from him, staring at him bewilderingly. 

"You deserve an award." Koga spoke, his expression never changing. Inuyasha grimaced. What the fuck was up with everyone today? "In all the years we've worked together, I've never seen you demonstrate so much self control. I mean, even I want to tear into Thing One and Thing Two over there."

"How long until you think they'll bring it over?" Inuyasha could feel his irritation spiking. He wasn't allowed to butt in without invitation, he wasn't allowed to have any input, he wasn't even allowed to so much as glance at their work without getting the scolding of a lifetime from their ruthless A.D.A.- a person he was almost willing to admit he feared. He'd witnessed scenarios before where cops had a significant involvement with another person in an investigation, and therefore had to watch from the sidelines. They were allowed to actually watch, though. No matter how stressed or angry, they were never completely isolated from the damn thing until otherwise called upon, but of course that wasn't the case here. No. Kagura and Totosai were too damn concerned over Inuyasha's temper. They thought the second they got any sort of hint as to who was behind this, he would sprint off to square up. Which was, of course, a crazy notion all on its own.

Inuyasha was far from impulsive.

"Fifteen seconds. Act surprised." Koga smiled, pretending to be busy as Sango dropped a crinkled envelope in front of Inuyasha. 

The half demon looked up at the hovering detectives, noting the obvious aggravation wrinkling Sango's brow line. Hojo wasn't looking much better, clearly stumped and ready for some sort of answer. About fucking time.

"What's this?" Inuyasha asked, pretending like he hadn't heard the two detectives arguing just seconds ago.

"Remember how we told you Kagome stopped by?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, that guy didn't just pop into The Coffee Shop to chat. There was more to it. He brought pictures. Could you take a look and-"

"What?"

"Chill. We've been staring at them for days, Inuyasha. We've tried fitting them to your old cases going back about seven years now, and nothing. Totosai was no help, Miroku could only suggest this has something to do with his M.O., and Koga doesn't recognize a single person photographed."

Inuyasha shot Koga an incredulous glare, causing the wolf demon to jolt from his seat.

"Would ya look at that. I'm out of coffee. Be right back."

"Inuyasha, we had no choice but to lie to you. You know the pressure we're all under right now, so would you just look at the damn pictures and help us out?" Sango grabbed the envelope and tipped it over, dumping the polaroids in front of Inuyasha and spreading them out with her fingers. 

His response faded away, a woman's photo in the center immediately silencing his initial instinct to sass, half-surprised that he wasn't staring at a glossy photo of Kagome or himself, and riddled with a triggered memory. It was vague, fuzzy, almost nonexistent but still just enough to wrench at the half demon's core. As he studied each picture, each woman, each child, everything started becoming more and more familiar. Inuyasha noticed a polaroid sticking to the back of another and carefully peeled them apart, a spiked rush jerking through him and slamming his stomach to the bed of his pelvis as he stared at the little girl he'd seen before, her long, silver hair and empty eyes haunting him as they once had so many years ago.

"What? What is it?" Hojo asked, alerted by Inuyasha's clear change in body language. The half demon rose to stand, cursing incoherently under his breath, his voice growing louder and rougher with each profane word.

The kick from the back of Inuyasha's legs sent his chair tipping over as he jumped up, storming to the large display of monitors at the opposite end of the room. He jostled the mouse, making the three screens come to life as he clicked on the database, the bar on the screen slowly filling to show its loading progression.

"Inuyasha!" Sango followed, carrying the rest of the pictures over and spreading them along the glass table Inuyasha stood in front of.

"I know this girl, Sango. We never found her body."

"What case was this?"

"It was like nine years ago. I remember the face of the perp better than any other fucker I've been up against. His name's Naraku-something. Fuck!" He kept typing the information in wrong, his fingers more impatient than his brain. "I went through hell and back trying to get enough proof against this guy to convict him, and he got off with an insanity plead. He was sent to a mental health institute indefinitely."

"Indefinitely? Then wouldn't that mean he's in there for the long haul?"

"Unless he got out. Sango, this guy was a literal psychopath. He stalked women and children, took thousands of pictures of his victims, hung them up like art, and murdered at least a dozen people without a single sign of remorse. Look at this," Inuyasha redirected her line of sight to the screen, finally opening the caseload he'd been looking for, an image of a young boy popping up on the screen to the left, the middle screen filled with scanned images of the paperwork, and the right screen holding the image of his pale remains on the metal table in the morgue.

Sango looked back and forth from the images, noticing the strangulation marks along the neck of his lifeless body, his lips as purple as the bruises around his face. His skin was almost as white as his hair, washed clear of all blood and dirt. He was so young. The photo provided by who she could only assume were his parents showed him standing in front of a plastic, colorful basketball hoop, a black and orange ball held in his tiny hands, making it look so much larger than it would had an adult been holding it. He was smiling, enjoying himself, his light hair long and tangled from running around and being the kid he was only allowed to be for so long.

"His name's Hakudoshi. He was kidnapped and murdered by Naraku when he was eight. When we got the warrant to search through his shit, we found a picture of this little girl." Inuyasha brought up a photo of the same girl, replacing the image of Hakudoshi's corpse. Her hair was long, thick, and straight, a large flower clip decorating the side of her head. Her eyes were dark, holding about as much depth as the sea, light unable to penetrate and brighten what was held within.

"Who was she?" Hojo asked.

"A missing child's report told us her name was Kanna. She'd gone missing seven years prior and was never found."

-----

"So, what? He just... left?" Koga asked about an hour later, leaning back in his chair, balancing on the two back legs as he propped his feet up on his desk.

"We won't know that until we get down to the psychiatric facility and confirm." Sango said.

"We don't even know if it's him. It could be a copy cat.” Hojo stated, from the opposite end of the table the group sat around.

"No, this is him." Inuyasha insisted, his eyes glued to the photo of Naraku on the screen, the menacing smile plastered on his face during his mug shot bringing him back to their long, tedious interrogation. 

"You can't be so sure, Inuyasha. We have no proof."

"Don't you think it'd be a little too coincidental, brown-noser?"

"That nickname again?" Hojo rolled his eyes.

"Hah! I've missed that!" Koga laughed.

"Now, now." Totosai sighed, standing at the high end, looking unamused.

"I'm only saying, lets not have all our ducks in a row for something we aren't positive of. We need an I.D. of some sort."

"Yes. We do." Totosai agreed.

"You got a little something on your face, buddy." Koga murmured, dropping his feet to the floor and sitting up straight as Sango shot him a dangerous glare.

"Sango. Hojo. Stop by Kagome's apartment tonight. Show her a photoset of similarly looking men to our perp here and see if she can identify Naraku." Totosai ordered.

Kagome's Residence

"It'll be quick, Kagome. All they're gonna do is ask if you recognize anyone." Inuyasha gently explained.

"And if I do?"

"You tell them."

"And then what happens?"

"We take it from there."

"They take it from there." Kagome corrected, reminding Inuyasha that he wasn’t the lead investigator on the case anymore. As an officer on the victim side of things, he seemed to have some leeway, but it still wasn’t clear where his authorities drew the line.

"They take it from there, and I come over with dinner since I know you haven't eaten." He maintained the softness in his tone. 

"No, you don't have to do that."

"When was the last time you ate?"

"This... morning?" She asked more than stated.

"Then it sounds like I do."

“And why can't you be here when they show me the photos, again?"

"Because, Kagome, they don't want me influencing your answer."

"But you wouldn't."

"Yeah. I know that, and you know that, but they have to go by protocol. I'm not even supposed to be on the phone with you right now. I'll come up as soon as they're done, okay? I'll be waiting downstairs."

”Kay.” So, apparently, that was where the line was drawn.

The call ended. With the way Inuyasha was talking, she expected the detectives to be here any minute, and if he was giving her a courtesy call so she wouldn't be taken by surprise, which was appreciated because she was pretty done with surprises at this point, she wasn't about to throw him under the bus by tipping them off. Which meant, as much as she wanted to tidy up her apartment a bit, she was going to have to leave it as is for the time being. The smallest details made a difference, especially to police officers, even she knew that much.

It didn't take long for her to catch the echoing march of feet coming up her stairs, courtesy of the cavernous halls, the sound of their shoes outdoing the intro music to the show playing on Kagome's T.V.. She waited for the knock before she got up, peaking through the peephole just to be safe, and then set to undo the lock on the knob, deadbolt, and the newly-installed chain Inuyasha had graciously installed just the night before. The smile on Hojo's face was delightful and warm. Almost as if he were the one welcoming her in. Sango's smile was soft, her brown eyes holding a gentleness as she spoke.

"Hey, Kagome. How are you?"

"I'm... okay." She gave a wane shrug. "What's up?"

"May we come in?" Hojo asked, briefly looking around the hall, gesturing that he didn't want any prying eyes or ears. Kagome nodded, stepping aside so they could enter her apartment and closing the door behind her, not bothering to lock anything. Inuyasha said it wouldn't take long.

"Would you like something to drink?" She offered, feeling her heart begin to beat faster in her chest. She already knew what they were going to say, but yet she still couldn't help but feel anxious. She’s been a total basket case lately.

“No, thank you. Look, Kagome, we've made a little progress on your case," Sango said, presenting it as well as she could to come off as good news. Which it was. Kagome just felt like she wouldn't be able to see the bright side of things until this creep was arrested. "We have a few pictures with us, and we were wondering if you could take a look?"

Kagome crossed the room, joining the two detectives at the couch as Hojo pulled out a small board of eight mug shots aligned neatly in two rows, gently setting it on the coffee table in front of them. Almost every man looked menacing. Terrifying. A few seemed like they regretted their actions, their eyes large and swollen, holding up their placard with their identification number. The others seemed to completely lack empathy, staring straight through the camera lens like they were looking at their previous victims, almost seeming proud to be holding up their boards. There was one guy, though, that seemed to belong more than others, looking so frightening, so completely apathetic, the smile on his face saying he'd gotten away with what he'd done for too long. She knew him. She knew that smile. In fact, she'd seen that very same smile just this morning, only it was shined at her kindly. Could it have been a smile of manipulation all along? This couldn't be right. Maybe they just looked alike, but they weren't the same guy. That had to be it. The man in the mug shot had long, messy, unwashed, almost dreaded, black hair, and the one she knew wore a short, neat style. He was groomed and always dressed in a suit, ready for a day at the office. This man... he didn't look capable of speaking to someone without threatening their lives. That's right. She was mistaken. She had to be.

"What's wrong, Miss Higurashi?" Hojo asked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. She'd been staring at the board for a few minutes, her brows pinched together in tribulation. They'd told her to take her time, but it almost seemed like she'd stopped breathing as the seconds passed. Kagome looked up at him, her lips parted as she worried the bottom with her teeth. 

“This man…” She pointed to the menacing shot of Naraku, tapping her fingernail against the tab.

“Is this who gave you that last envelope?” Sango asked.

“No, that’s not him.”

“But you know who this is?”

“I’m not really sure. I know someone that looks similar, but... this can’t be him.”

"What do you mean?"

"The guy I know seems more... well-put together and nice. He doesn't look like he could hurt a fly. This guy looks like he'd snap your neck if you looked at him wrong... but, the resemblance…”

"Do you know his name?" Hojo implored, giving her shoulder a supporting squeeze.

“Yeah, it's Onigumo. He mostly goes by Oni; says he hates his full name. Everyone at The Coffee Shop knows him."

"This man," Sango picked up the photo board, looking from the con to Kagome, making sure the girl’s eyes were fixed on their criminal. "His name is Naraku. We can't confirm anything just yet, but if he's our suspect, he's very dangerous."

"Miss Higurashi, do you have any other contact with Onigumo?"

"No." She shook her head. "I only ever see him when I go by the cafe. Do you think this is really the guy we're after?"

"We cant be certain yet, but just in case-"

"Tread lightly. Yeah." She was starting to feel sick. If things were actually looking as grim as they seemed, if Onigumo was really Naraku, she'd been in the same room as her stalker at least three times a week for months now and hadn’t even known it. It meant Onigumo had broken into her apartment multiple times, destroyed her home, and took pictures of her sleeping. It meant Onigumo didn't actually need to take the time to ask how she was doing, even though she always gave the cliche "I'm okay" answer, because he knew exactly what she was going through.

"You've done great, Kagome. You've really helped us out." Hojo stood, adjusting his coat as Sango joined him. Kagome rose to walk them to the door, almost feeling as if she was going to vomit. All she had to do was hold it together for sixty more seconds.

"That's all you need from me?" She asked, trying to appear as casual as possible.

"At the moment, yes. We'll be in touch, okay?" Sango smiled, giving her arm a reassuring rub. Kagome nodded, thanking them for stopping by and shutting the door as they exited, only bothering to lock the knob for the time being. She knew her stalker all along. Of course, she did.

Did Inuyasha?

"You can go up now." Sango hummed, pushing her hands as far as they would go into her pockets as they exited the small lobby and came out onto the sidewalk. Inuyasha was leaning against the wall, almost in the exact spot she pictured him standing in when they'd first arrived, a brown, paper bag held in one of his hands. His silver hair had taken on a slightly colorful contrast, shaded by the orange hues of the sunset, his tinted bangs falling over his ember eyes, helping them glow a little brighter. Sango held out her hand in front of a groaning Hojo, palm up, fingers wagging until he fished a ten dollar bill out of his pocket.

"You knew I'd be here?"

"You bet!" Sango winked, pun intended. "You're as predictable as ever, Inuyasha."

"Shut up." He rolled his eyes. "Did she know any of 'em?"

"Yeah. She recognized your guy but thinks it’s someone else.” Hojo stated. "But we can't be sure yet since we haven't confirmed if he's broken out."

"What do you mean? She identified him!"

“You know that’s not enough, and even so, he may be going by a different alias now. Onigumo. Koga and I will stop by the psychiatric facility first thing tomorrow morning to see what's going on with Naraku, because according to their system, he's still there. We'll get the visual."

"I'll stop by The Coffee Shop and ask the employees about this Onigumo; see how long he's been a customer and what, exactly, they know about him." Sango declared. "And you will be?"

"Get the fuck out of here." Inuyasha scoffed, pushing past his two coworkers and through the door, heading straight for the stairs without looking back at them. He knew perfectly well he needed to stay out of their way, and he was doing a pretty damn good job so fucking far, so what point did it serve to remind him? He wasn't willing to compromise this case. Not for anything. Not when Kagome's safety was on the line. Sure, if it were only him involved, it'd be a different story, but it's not. Naraku's set his sights on Kagome in order to get back at Inuyasha, and just the sight of her stressed, exhausted, concerned eyes was enough to tell him it was fucking working. Naraku was getting what he wanted.

"Kagome, open the door." Inuyasha said, gently rapping his knuckle against the wood. The sound of a bolt clicking at the end of the hall caught his attention and he glanced over, seeing Kagome's elderly neighbor step out into view, the handle of a black, metal bat grasped within her wrinkled fingers. He cocked his head, grimacing at the old lady.

"Oh, it's just you again. Well, you're alright." Kaede shrugged, turning back and closing the door behind her just as Kagome opened her own. Jesus Christ, what the hell was the old lady thinking?

"Hi." Kagome smiled as he stepped in, locking the chain so he wouldn't give her grief.

"Did you know Kaede had a fucking bat?"

"Oh, yeah. She's had it for years. I think she’s excited that she actually has a reason to use it now.” Kagome said, heading back over to the couch. Inuyasha pushed the thought of the crazy, old woman with a weapon aside, focusing on what was important once more.

"I brought you a sub."

“You didn’t have to do that, Inuyasha.” She said, pulling the small throw blanket over her legs and turning down the volume of the television with the remote.

"You need to eat, Kagome." He sat on the small loveseat, unloading the contents of the paper bag on the coffee table. "I know you're about to say you aren't hungry, but I don't care. You've hardly eaten lately."

"At this point, I might throw it up."

"Just a couple bites. Come on."

"Who's Naraku?" Kagome asked, pushing the dark strands of hair from her face as she settled against a throw pillow.

"No. Food first." He demanded. Knowing he wasn't going to let up, she gave in, grabbing the rectangular styrofoam container from the table and opening it. As she took a bite of the turkey sandwich, Inuyasha got up from his spot, fetching two water bottles from the refrigerator and handing one over as he sat back down.

"How do you know him?" She tried again after swallowing another bite, already feeling full.

Inuyasha sighed raggedly, leaning back against the couch cushions, allowing his weight to sink in. He knew she deserved the truth, but he wasn't even okay with the possibility that this man was what they were up against. Again. This wasn't your run-of-the-mill convict. He was a professionally diagnosed psychopathic serial killer that preferred torture over a quick death. 

"I had him prosecuted almost exactly nine years ago."

"So, this is all for revenge?"

"If it is him, then yes. Most likely. I was the lead investigator against him. He plead guilty by reason of insanity, and was sentenced to life in a psychiatric facility."

"What did he do?" Kagome scooted a little closer, pressing firmly against the pillow and the arm of the couch now, trying desperately to read Inuyasha's expression. She could tell he was apprehensive about telling her. Inuyasha was never one to open up about his work, what he’d seen, what he’d done. His job wasn’t glamorous or easy. It was a shit show most of the time. People got hurt. Men, women, and too often, children were violated, assaulted, and-or killed, and it was something Inuyasha knew he had to handle on his own. If someone wasn’t in his line of work, there was no reason they had to know the reason for the dullness behind any detectives’ eyes. Inuyasha had explained that to her before. To protect her.

"Kagome, maybe we shouldn't-"

"I want to know. I understand that nothing's clear at the moment, but don't you think I should get at least some understanding of what kind of criminal may be involved in this?"

"What did Sango and Hojo tell you?"

"Just that he's dangerous."

"Okay, look..." Inuyasha sighed again, leaning forward to brace his weight on his thighs, his elbows digging in slightly. “I’ll tell you, Kagome, but I want to know how you met him first."

Kagome shifted her gaze, her lips parting to say something before pressing them into a tight line, leaning back uncomfortably.

"You can tell me." He groaned, rolling his eyes. "I ran into Sango and Hojo downstairs, and they already mentioned who you identified and that coffee shop you go to too often. Just tell me the rest, already.”

"I don't want you getting in trouble."

"I won't. Now talk.” Inuyasha ordered.

“Well, I don't know that I've met Naraku, that's the thing. The guy I met is named Onigumo. He’s there almost every morning, and as far as I know, no one's ever had a problem with him. A part of me doesn’t want to believe they could be the same person. The guy Sango and Hojo showed me looked evil and like he was too busy being a criminal to even take care of himself. Oni seems like the exact opposite. I mean, he could just be a doppelganger, don’t you think?”

“Don’t you think that’s a bit too coincidental? Think about it, Kagome. Nothing about him has ever seemed off or remotely suspicious?” He asked skeptically.

“Not really.”

"Has he ever said or done anything that made you feel uncomfortable, or maybe asked any questions that were a little too personal?”

“Not to me. He talks to the baristas more than anyone. The most he’s ever said to me was your average small talk questions. There was a couple times that he bought me a coffee, and while it was surprising, it didn’t make me uncomfortable. Do you really think he’s a suspect, Inuyasha?”

“If you ask Hojo, he’ll tell you it doesn’t matter what I think. At this point in time, whether anyone likes it or not, we have to treat him like one. He could be just as innocent as you say, or he could be exactly who we’re looking for.”

Looks like she’d be making coffee at home more often from now on.

Kagome took a deep breath, pushing all discomforting thoughts to the back of her mind. He was right. Things were beginning to add up a little too well, but jumping to conclusions without proof would only make things worse. Until they could prove they were one and the same, Onigumo would stay his own person, and Kagome would keep her head on straight.

She could handle this.

“So,” She began, placing her hardly-eaten sandwich back on the coffee table. “Tell me about Naraku.”

Inuyasha’s jaw stiffened, ember eyes hardening, showing her the deep struggle he dealt with at just the mention of the name. His entire body seemed solid and tense, gaze aimed down at his hands. “His case was one of the toughest I’ve ever worked on. I interrogated him for eight hours straight before he gave us enough for a warrant to search his property, and then another six hours before he confessed and led us to the boy.”

“Boy?”

He hesitated. Not for her. For himself. He didn’t think that even nine years later he’d still be able to see Hakudoshi’s small, lifeless, battered body as clearly as he did the day they’d found him. They were too late. Several days too late. That boy went through hell, and there was nothing Inuyasha could have done to stop it.

“He’s a serial killer, Kagome. His final victim was an eight year old boy. At the end of that investigation, we uncovered twelve corpses of women and children. Polaroid pictures of these victims decorated his walls like fucking trophies. There was one picture, though… She was a little girl that had been missing for seven years. When I brought it up to question him, he fucking smiled and said "It’s about time."" Inuyasha paused, remembering the way Naraku’s repugnant stench burnt his nose, his horrifying smile, emotionless eyes, and careless shrugs. He’d had nightmares for months after the case was closed, his face burned into the backs of the half demon’s eyelids. “We… never recovered her body. Her parent’s had to relive losing their daughter with no closure all over again. And this bastard was able to get out of prison time because he was diagnosed a psychopath."

Kagome couldn't find the right words to say. Nothing seemed suitable for the emotion she could see vividly on Inuyasha's face right now. She couldn't fix it. Only making sure this man was still detained would put his mind to rest. Hopefully. She could see something more trying behind it all. Something that would probably never go away.

She reached out, resting her hand on top of his, his palm always shockingly warm, and without hesitation, he closed his fingers to keep her there. The look in his eyes was fierce. Warning. Protective.

"Kagome, when we say he's dangerous, we mean it. If he's out, if he's who we're up against, I need you to do everything I say, do you understand? I'm going to keep you safe, I swear, but I need your full cooperation.”

"You've got it," She gave his hand a squeeze. "I trust you."

His cellphone rang, a low vibration rumbling in his side pocket, the ringtone damn near close to silent, but loud enough for his ears to pick up perfectly.  He let go of Kagome, standing and walking behind the couches as he fished the device out.

"Yeah?" He answered, pinching the bridge of his nose as he listened to his partner give him the run down and the place to meet. "Again? Fine, I'll be there in ten."

He hung up the phone, shoving it back into his pocket as he went about his nightly routine, pushing the dark curtains and sheets aside to make sure every single window in Kagome's apartment was closed and locked. 

"I have to go. Call me if anything happens, alright?" Inuyasha said, coming out from her bedroom after giving the single window in there a thorough check.

"Is everything okay?" Kagome asked, standing to walk him out, meeting him at the edge of the couch by the entrance.

"Just a domestic call." He ran his fingers through her bangs before he could stop himself, tensing, retracting, and then opening up the door. "Keep it locked. I have my phone on me.”

She did as he said, standing in the entrance to gather whatever bearings she could. Her apartment was silent, minus the small hum from the T.V., the new arrangement of her furniture somehow making the place seem bigger. Emptier. She wanted it to seem like a new start when she’d finished, like no one had come in and touched everything, but it didn’t. Kagome couldn’t forget how her apartment looked that day, and she couldn’t stop thinking about what may have happened had she been home when he’d broken in. It still wasn’t disclosed how he'd done it in the first place. Did he have a key to her front door, or did he magically unlock it? No one could figure it out, and that was one of the main reasons Inuyasha had installed the chain. It would stall the culprit for a moment, hopefully long enough for Kagome to open a window and climb down the fire escape.

None of it was securing, though. As long as their stalker was out there, Kagome couldn’t even manage to feel comfortable in her own skin. She always felt watched. Followed. She never knew when more pictures would appear, if another bouquet of flowers would show up at her home, or if the incoming phone call would end up having his thick, deep, haunting voice on the other line. It was all in her head, but how could it not be? He’d been in her head.

Kagome went into her room, turning on the light on her way in, briefly stopping to look at her mattress. The comforter was pulled down at an angle, none of the ends tucked into the bed frame, the sheets wrinkled slightly, and her pillows were squished and crooked. Just as she’d planted them. She didn’t need questions. She just needed some sleep. Tearing her gaze away, Kagome opened her closet door, picking the balled-up bundle of blankets from the floor and taking them out into the living room, a tail of grey fleece dragging along the floor next to her feet, dropping them on the large couch before she stretched them out to cover the cushions. All lights were turned off in her apartment, the flickering hues from the television illuminating the area she’d been sleeping in since the night of the break in as she crawled underneath the blankets, resting her head on the small throw pillow and turning up the volume.

She was alone. She could see her surroundings if anything were to happen. She could hear constant talking to soothe her from thinking every creek was another attempt at him coming for her. This was the only way she’d been able to get any amount of sleep lately.

Psych Ward

Koga walked behind the guard, and Hojo behind him, their footsteps echoing in the long, narrow chamber they headed down, walls and floors an unnatural shade of white. The doctors, nurses, and guards all swore Naraku had been restrained for the past few weeks. For the first several years, he was a quiet patient. Didn’t ask questions. Took his medication without grief. Only ever talked to a couple other patients in the ward, and those occasions were few and far between. It wasn’t until a couple years ago that he started getting easily agitated. He often talked of getting revenge, bringing his doctor to up his dosage of medication. That didn’t stop Naraku, though. Soon, his eyes started to grow darker, more menacing. He wore a dangerous smile, even at meal time. He wasn’t able to talk to another person without screaming profanities and threatening their lives. A year ago, he almost slashed a guard’s throat with a makeshift, plastic shiv, bringing him to his first of many rounds of restrained isolation. He would be left in a room, his only contact coming to him in doses of medication and food- which he had to be hand fed because he couldn’t always be trusted. After a week, he’d calmed down. He seemed complacent and responsive. He communicated properly, moved slowly, and after months, hadn’t thrown a single tantrum.

Then, he killed a man. An unsuspecting patient. Even licked the blood from his fingers. From then on, he was restrained. Naraku would shout and scream, the leather restraints needing to be replaced several times over due to his consistent and powerful struggle. They’d up his meds, shoot him with sedatives, and enjoy the minimal peace it brought until he came to and started screaming all over again. It was inhumane to constantly keep him locked up, though, so the ward would let him occasionally roam with the necessary supervision. Sometimes he faired nicely. Other times, he ran amuck, kicked and swung, and bellowed that he didn’t belong there over and over until stuck with more sedatives.

“As crazy as this sounds, we have reason to think he may have escaped.” Hojo spoke, speaking loud enough to be heard from the back.

“You’re right, that does sound crazy. He’s watched like a hawk, detective. How the hell would he get out?” The guard said, turning down a hall, the corridor remaining just as narrow.

“Just show us and we’ll be on our way.” Koga ordered. As they turned down another corridor, two guards came into view, sitting in silence on a bench outside of a bulging, metal door. The guard that led them stopped, gripping the small knob to the sliding peephole and sliding the rectangular slab open.

“There.”

Koga looked in, noting the medium-length dark hair, and head that slowly, heavily rolled from one side to the other. He was strapped to a thin hospital bed, mouth parted while saliva dripped from the corners of his lips. The wolf demon looked back at the guard, eyeing him speculatively.

“Open the door, numb nuts. You know this isn’t a qualified visual.”

The guard did as he was told, shaking his head in a manner that said they didn’t know what they were in for. If his meds had worn off, screaming would ensue in a matter of seconds. Still, with the help of one of the other guards, the steel door was opened, and Koga and Hojo proceeded inward with caution.

Things were quiet. Naraku stilled, facing the ceiling with an empty stare. It was almost like his brain had dulled and his body was just hanging out, not quite noticing anything else happening around them. Koga moved closer, harsh scents radiating off of the man, two significantly standing out and, unfortunately, pulling him in. He didn’t know which one to concentrate on, both stenches burning his nostrils and causing his eyes to water. One was sulfuric and slightly musky, but the worst of the two smelled like something had rotted three times over. The baffling part was, it was painfully familiar. How could anything about this man be recognizable? He was restrained to a bed with minimal contact with other beings. It was a scent that was hard to forget, though, and it took him back to walking into Kagome’s ruined apartment.

But, how?

Koga analyzed the lifeless features of Naraku’s face, his deep blue eyes blinking so slowly you’d think time had lagged. He had a mole beneath his left eye, and his lips were chapped and pale. His hair was dark and unwashed, the oil causing it to lay in heavy clumps around his shoulders. Something wasn’t right here. Koga’s gut was screaming that something was so horribly and dangerously wrong.

“Hojo, hand me that picture of Naraku.” Koga said, holding his hand out behind him, not taking his eyes away from the motionless man. A ruffling sound was heard as Hojo revealed a eight-by-ten mugshot from the inner pocket of his coat, slipping the photo into Koga’s hand without a word of question. 

He placed the photo by Naraku’s head, comparing the two faces. The photographed Naraku had red, narrow eyes and no facial blemishes whatsoever. His hair was disgustingly long, matted, and pitch black. Koga dropped the picture to the floor, leaning a couple inches closer to take in the smell of the hospital gown the man was dressed in. It was the source of the pungent stench in Kagome’s home. The smell of his grease-slicked skin radiated the other vile scent.

They'd switched places.

"This isn't him." 

"What?"

Koga turned around, irate, launching at the guard, slamming and pinning him to the painted cinderblock wall, a look of fury blazing through his blue eyes. “This isn’t Naraku!”

“What!?” The guard choked, his neck pressed straight by the wolf demon’s forearm. Hojo stopped the other guards that tried to step in to help, blocking their way and hovering his hand over the gun strapped to his hip as a warning.

“How the hell did he escape while he’s under this vigilant watch you bragged about!?”

“I don’t… I don’t know!”

“You’re a fucking demon, aren’t you!?”

“Y-yes!”

Koga released the guard’s neck, grabbing him by the collar of his uniform and pushing him forcefully toward the restrained man. “Tell me what you smell!”

“He smells… rancid.” The guard was undeniably confused, not knowing what sort of answer the detective was looking for.

“He smells like two different people, you incompetent jackass! They swapped robes! Is that all it takes to get passed you lazy shits!?"

"I don't understand!"

"Well you should understand how much fucking trouble you’re all in!”

"No, this isn't possible!"

"They don't even look all that similar!" Hojo added, stepping inward to take his first thorough look at their unnamed patient. For even him, a human, to be able to tell the difference within a matter of moments, it spoke levels on how insanely blind everyone assigned to watch him must have been. There was no excuse for this level of audacity. 

“Look, I get it! He’s dangerous, but how the hell were we supposed to know!? Most of the time, it’s impossible to get close to the guy, he hides his face whenever someone comes near, our main objective when he's loose is to restrain him, and everyone smells disgusting here so our senses end up dulling for the sake of our own sanity!” One of the officers defended.

“Don’t give me that shit! None of that is a valid excuse for losing a criminal! You’ve had a stand-in taking his place for who knows how long and no one fucking noticed someone was missing? How the fuck does this even happen? Kiss your shields and the credentials of this hellhole goodbye!”

"How 'bout you stop yelling at us so we can call a code-"

“What for? We came because he was a pending suspect in our ongoing investigation. Naraku's been out for, at the very least, four months, so what purpose would it serve? What you need to do is get your captain down here. Now.” Hojo demanded.

Koga shouted some profanities off to the side as he pulled out his phone, dialing out and waiting impatiently until the call was answered.

"Inuyasha. You were right. He escaped."

[keichanz]

What’s your opinion on everyone saying Kagome is abusive? I see where people are coming from, but I feel like we have to keep in mind that, yes, it might have been wrong, but also it’s a show that was intended to be watched by young kids/teens, so it was a way to have some comic relief to balance out all the action and heavy stuff. Also, Kagome is 15 years old! She’s never had a real boyfriend. She acts on emotions a bit impulsively, but who at 15 didn’t? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Aight, so. 

I agree with you, anon. Kagome is young, inexperienced, thrust into a world where there are demons and people to kill her. She’s going to act impulsively, and at times come off as a brat. Kagome is not abusive. I think she’s incredible brave and takes everything in stride. Abusive? Pffttt. Please. She’s a teenager. She’s not afraid to stand up for herself, talk back, and yeah she has a little sass and a bit of a temper, but if she didn’t, Inuyasha and everyone else would walk all over her, and she’s not about to let that happen. The Feudal Age is a world of kill or be killed, a (excuse the pun lol) dog eat dog world. She has to be tough, she has to act like nothing fazes her, or she could get seriously injured, or worse, killed.

So, yeah, Kagome isn’t abusive. She’s just trying to survive in a world that could easily destroy her in more ways than one.

Also, though this wasn’t mentioned specifically in your ask, I want to point out the usage of the subjugation beads, too. To be frank, I hate them. I understand that yes, it’s part of a comic relief, as you’ve said. I also get and accept that it’s used to bring him back when he goes full demon, and that they could save his life when he’s being particularly reckless. 

Does this mean she’s abusing the power she has in them, though? Nah. Like I said earlier, she’s a teenager, and teenage girls can easily get embarrassed. And while I didn’t particularly like how she sat him just because she was embarrassed or some shit, it’s not like she used it just to cause him pain. Most of the time it was justified. 

There’s a reason why, in my fics, that I hardly ever have Kagome use the sit command. I honestly don’t think they’re necessary, and I’ve read sooo many fics where she uses that power to sit him for no damn reason, or if she’s pissed off, or some other stupid reason, and it’s ruined the idea for me. The only way I like and tolerate them is in the sense that they bond Inuyasha and Kagome together. Period. 

Okay, I’m done ranting lol. Thanks for this ask, anon! 

[inuykago]

tagged by @sakurasubinita and @hireikotsu thank you my lovelies! 💗💘✨

Rules: Choose any three favourite fandoms(in random order) and answer the questions. Then tag some friends.

I choose:

Inuyasha, Supernatural, Pokemon (1997)

The first character you loved:

Inuyasha: Kagome. I immediately adored her from the start. I adored her sassiness and spunk, and even though she was confused on what her role was in the feudal era, she never hesitated to help others and stay strong. That’s my queen.

Supernatural: Sam Winchester. It broke my heart how so much shit went wrong for him… First his mother dies when he was only a couple months old, then his girlfriend. He’s such a precious character that I will always protect at all costs.

Pokemon: Misty. I remember when I was like 6 or something I loved Misty so much because of her love for her pokemon and how she was basically the only main female protagonist in the show and she was so determined to beat Ash and prove her sisters wrong. She is the reason why water pokemon are my favs. 

The character you never expected to love so much:

Inuyasha: Inuyasha. I know a majority of us had to had thought that he was an asshole, especially to Kagome. Whenever he would make rude remarks to her I really wanted to punch my TV. But lord that is my precious hanyou baby boy. My favorite pupper. The way he genuinely loves Kagome and would do anything to protect/save her, as well as for his friends, physically melts my heart. His character development honestly might’ve been the most beautiful one I have ever seen. I love my king. 

Supernatural: Meg. Of course everyone would hate her bc she was a damn demon and when she was first introduced she fcked Sammy over so I was like oh hell no but then when she comes back in another body, she changes and helps out the Winchesters, adores Castiel, and ultimately dies bc she was protecting them. I was sooooooo heartbroken when she died goddamn

Pokemon: James (Team Rocket). Again, he’s the “villian” so obviously being a 6 yr old or whatever I’d naturally hate him, but that one episode where James goes back home and tells his story about his family and growlithe…. That really hit me HARD. My heart hurt so bad for him. 

The character you relate to the most:

Inuyasha: Kagome. dude. Choosing to stay by the side of the love of your life, despite him having leftover feelings for his (own) first love because you love him so damn much and want experience anything and everything with him no matter what. That’s actually kind of my life???? And she taught me so much gurl she is my role model jfc.

Supernatural: Castiel. My poor, sweet angel disobeyed heaven and God and literally just about everyone just to protect his beloved Winchesters (((especially his love Dean))) He’s felt so lost in the world and ran away after feeling like he disappointed Sam and Dean. He acts out on love - literally ME. And plus he is the Angel of Thursday, and I was born on a Thursday :-) 

Pokemon: Ash Ketchum. All he wanted to do was be the very best and fell in love with his bff (Misty)…. I have no further explanation. 

The character you’d slap:

Inuyasha: Hakadoshi. Pissed. me. off. every. single. time.

Supernatural: Azaziel.  F u. ok. Nothing cool about u and you ruined my Winchester boys so fu

Pokemon: No one. I actually loved everyone on the show for the most part :~)

A character you liked at first but not so much anymore:

Inuyasha: Naraku. Tbh in the beginning I thought he was really cool and interesting especially when it was revealed that he was also a hanyou like????? who just loved Kikyo as much as Inuyasha like?!?!?!!???? but then towards the end he got really annoying and just yeah. I still got an amount of love him tho.

Supernatural: Hannah. When she was first working with Cas and they started getting close i was like yes!!! ok!!! I like it!!! Because finally another angel accepted him and didn’t hate him enough to kill him but then, if my memory serves correctly, she betrayed him so therefore SNIP SNIP she out

Pokemon: Tracy. As Brock’s replacement, I didn’t accept him when I was 6 and I certainly do not accept him now. I thought he was alright at first but there was just so spunk from him like Brock

A character you did not like at first, but they’ve grown on you (by a lot):

Inuyasha: Kagura. I hated her. I specifically remember watching the first few episodes she appeared in and I would literally roll my eyes and suck my teeth and say, “This damn bitch” LMAO. But I love her to death for reasons I really don’t even know, all she wanted was freedom and trust and love from Sesshomaru-sama!!!!! ;____;  

Supernatural: Rowena. I thought she was super annoying and just literally a bitch but the girl’s got sass and charisma and even when Lucifer killed her, she still managed to come back to life like helllllllllllll yea you go girl

Pokemon: Brock. When he first joined Ash and Misty I was like ehhhhhh…….?????? But then he started adding much more personality to the trio and his love for all the Nurse Joys and Officer Jennys was sooo funny to me. Especially when both him and Ash lusted over a girl then Misty would get jealous ((bc of ASH)) like that all gave me life… as a 6 yr old and now 

3 OTPs:

Inuyasha: InuKag, MirSan, and SessKagu.

Supernatural: Destiel/Deancas, Sam x Ruby, and Megstiel.  

Pokemon: Ash x Misty ……………………. THAT’S ALL I GOT.

Tagging some wonderful ppl:

@kaorukamiyas @sacredjewels @missuprealeaaa @kaze-ranna @kireihanachan