#its not that she struggles with being compared to kikyo by inuyasha but she struggles when OTHERS compare her to kikyo

[makersruin]

completely unrelated to xiv, ive been rewatching a lot of inuyasha while i work and its been really nice and nostalgic but im also kind of fascinated going through it with a now-adult brain. granted the anime is slightly different from the manga but iirc a lot of key character relationship moments are pretty faithful adaptations so im really shocked to realize that the text explicitly says inuyasha feels indebted to kikyo bc the guilt of what he did to her makes him feel like he has to atone with his life, even if they had been tricked into killing each other. that simply never stuck with me as a kid because inuyasha never really acts like he's passively suicidal outside of kikyo (reckless in battle, yes but not suicidal!) but that is a crazy thing for your protagonist to be holding onto. and it is really shockingly mature of kagome, who is like 15, to accept that this sort of complication has its roots way too deep in him for her to do anything about it besides just being supportive. she can't scold it out of him, she can't beg him to live for a reason as petty as 'for me?' and she knows better than to demand that they simply stop interacting or seeing each other when they have 50+ years of baggage and just hopes that when the day comes, she will have sufficiently spent enough time with him that he realizes his living friends now are more important than someone who has long since died and came back wrong. i went in the youtube comments of the first movie and people were still repping their favorite inuyasha ship. it is actually crazy that there is still beef between inuyasha/kagome and inuyasha/kikyo stans in 2024. war never changes

[hanmajoerin]

A/N: Thank you to my good friend for sharing her dream journal entry and inspiring the feel for this one shot because every day InuYasha spent without Kagome must have been an unending dream.

Summary: There were others who loved and needed Kagome even though InuYasha was meant to be with her. He knew this, but gods, the cost of it. He thought he paid it in full by hardly fighting the Bone Eater’s Well, but now there were others who missed her too.

** Nominated for the 2021 2nd Quarterly Inuyasha Fandom Awards for Best One Shot 🥺💖

**Third Place Winner for the Best One Shot of the 2021 2nd Quarterly Inuyasha Fandom Awards. Thank you to everyone who voted for this story! I love you all ❤️ ~

II AO3 II FanFiction.Net II

Things to Keep

InuYasha lounged under the shade of one of many trees lining the river near Kaede’s village. Miroku washed his family’s night robes with Gyokuto strapped to his back while Sango burped Kin’u. It’d been over a year since the well sealed. InuYasha still thought about the surprised look on Kagome’s face when he was pulled back, but he prefered to remember her safe in her mother’s arms. It was difficult to do.

Kin’u burped and, within seconds, Sango had the newborn secured to her back again. When she kneeled by Miroku and told him she’d take over, InuYasha’s ear flicked. Despite catching their soft commentary more often, Sango’s tone was much gentler than the half-demon was used to hearing. Miroku made room for her effortlessly, choosing to help by trading clean pieces of laundry with dirty ones.

This was how they all lived now, resting by the greenery and exchanging cloth instead of sutras and oversized boomerangs. He wondered if Kagome’s days were boring like his; she always seemed frantic when he came to pick her up. Maybe she didn’t have time to think about them anymore. It would be easier for her that way.

Miroku shifted, putting InuYasha in Gyokuto’s line of vision. The newborn extended her arm out to him, and he was fascinated by the way her fingers flexed. There was more space between them now than there was last month. InuYasha had never really been around human babies before and it felt weird to compare the lethargic emptiness Kagome left in her wake to the enthusiastic growth of infants. InuYasha offered Kin’u a passing glance. He wasn’t going to tell her mother that an icicle of drool would fall onto her back soon.

The spring sun warmed people in its path and InuYasha’s legs didn’t understand the chill lingering on his torso because of it. Kin’u was gurgling now, gnawing on her fist. Miroku once told InuYasha how remarkable it was for him to tell the twins apart as quickly as he did, but the monk must’ve forgotten his nose. The girls looked the same, but their scents were unique. It was kind of like Kikyo and Kagome’s: similar but only on the first sniff.

The afternoons were getting longer again.

InuYasha opened one eye at the exact moment Sango began shaking out a small, fibrous white towel with blue polka dots. As if possessed by a demon, InuYasha was there. Standing by the river, standing before Sango. The towel never broke the water’s surface.

“What’s that?” InuYasha asked, arms folded over his chest. Sango quickly pulled the towel to her heart. The polka dots contorted in the slayer’s grasp, and her brown eyes widened with the tiniest hint of fear. It was as if she believed InuYasha’s claw tipped fingers would swipe it from her forever. As if. He wasn’t a jerk. Sango glowered at him anyway, firm. She knew what it meant for him to see this, and she wouldn’t let it go just to ease his heartache when it would worsen hers.

The two never spoke about Kagome and he didn’t want that to change. He should have wanted it to, but he didn’t. It hardly made sense, but he’d been struggling to make sense of a lot over the past year. His throat closed up when he tried talking about Kagome. The words refused to leave him.

InuYasha leaned forward, far from Sango but close enough to learn that this wasn’t the item’s first trip to the river. It still smelled like her. Bergamot and lilies and early summer mornings; half blue and half pink skies that fog never touched. “That’s Kagome’s.”

Without meaning to, he committed the thing to memory which explained why he placed it so easily. Kagome asked if he wanted to use it after him and Miroku’s run-in with the moth demon, Gatenmaru. The blood of that bastard’s human lackeys sank into InuYasha’s skin long before his humanity rose to the surface. The towel couldn’t have helped him any, and if he tried hard enough, InuYasha’d probably still catch scent of their blood like phantoms on the wind. The half-demon reached, finally accepting the school girl’s gesture, but Sango turned away. “Where’d you get that?” He asked.

“From Kagome’s bag; it wasn’t the only one in there,” Sango replied, submerging it into the river and forcing more distance between them. InuYasha’s brow twitched, but he doubted the demon slayer cared.

Brown eyes. Bergamot. Unwavering resilience. All of that flowed downstream now. He hated it.

“We–”

“Keh, it’s none of my business,” InuYasha spat, spinning on his heel. The towel was still his business. His arm felt like it was shaking even though InuYasha could clearly see it wasn’t. The plush towel sat behind his closed eyelids, opposite ends fluttering against the side of Sango’s hands as she held it in place. The polka dots grew and shrunk in a rhythm set by the rushing water. A budding mental itch grew to push Sango onto the grass so he could pluck Kagome’s towel out and run far, far away with it.

InuYasha swallowed hard, flicking an ear casually. Kin’u was there and he’d never shove Sango. If he grit his teeth, InuYasha could do it. He could continue letting the demon slayer turn what little he had left of Kagome into meaningless things to keep.

“With the birth of the twins, we felt it was necessary,” Miroku confessed as InuYasha continued walking away. If he stayed, he’d make an ass of himself.

There were others who loved and needed Kagome even though InuYasha was meant to be with her. He knew this, but gods, the cost of it. He thought he paid it in full by hardly fighting the Bone Eater’s Well, but now there were others who missed her too. Listening to Sango ring out the towel, InuYasha knew he was still paying his price. She wouldn’t miss Kagome’s scent like him, but knowing that another part of Kagome was leaving curdled his thoughts, ate at the same damn spot on his chest.

“Whatever.”

InuYasha heard Kagome calling out his name as he settled back against the trunk of a tree further from his initial spot. Like Miroku and Sango gave a shit. The sound of his name–the sound of her saying his name–lingered. Nostalgic.

The slayer handed her washed towel to Miroku, prompting an unwarranted pensive glance to be aimed in his direction. “Keh,” InuYasha huffed, turning his nose away from the monk. He turned it back in time to watch Miroku offer the towel a tender stare. Deep violet eyes looked as if stroking the fabric was a gesture that could be felt across time. If he hadn’t done the same sort of things, InuYasha would have scoffed.

Miroku placed the towel in the straw basket with everything else.

One leg breached past the leaves’ shade and a pair of amber eyes seemed to glow, overseeing a family that perpetuated the same cycle: Hand the husband something clean, one baby coos, put it in the basket, give the wife something dirty, the other baby coos, scrub.

InuYasha cupped his hands together before placing them behind his head. He closed his eyes once more, resting, picturing her running across the plush grass. Kagome waved to him and her hand practically skimmed the clouds. Her shoes never crunched down onto the ground like their friends’ straw sandals did. She was a familiar combination of green and white and black with a dash of red. She had a warmth that pierced through the arrow Kikyo used to seal him, every punch Sesshomaru landed, his own demonic blood, and now the loss of her.

An incessant jangling sprinkled like rain in his mind, wiping away at the sunlight and clouds that Kagome always reached. InuYasha blinked a few times, adjusting to this world with only Miroku, Sango, and the twins. “‘Bout time you finished,” he grumbled, standing fully in the shade.

“You know, an extra set of hands would be helpful next time,” Miroku suggested with a predictable waggle of his brows. InuYasha felt his own brows being dragged down; Kagome should’ve let the monk steal her iron cart and cycle away from them permanently back when they first met.

“No thanks.”

The days really were getting longer. The sun hadn’t budged, poised exactly where he last saw it. Sango snickered and InuYasha brushed past her, grabbing the basket of wet laundry and stomping from the grassy knoll to the main path. A stupid decision, really. The slayer’s eyes could have burnt holes through him if she’d been the right kind of demon. Even though she was a human, this type of stare would–

“Hey, InuYasha,” Sango began, and the half-demon let out an exasperated sigh. He fixed his focus to the huts ahead. Dark wood and reed mats and crackling fires.

“What?” Occasionally, a fractured piece of rock got stuck to the balls of his feet, and InuYasha was half tempted to kick one up to chuck at the trees.

“You can talk to us. You know that, right?”

“Keh.” And there it was, the block in his throat. How could he speak about Kagome like this? There wasn’t any room for the words.

“Is that all you have to say?” Sango snarled as the half-demon continued standing quietly, his expression unchanged. “Ever since the well reappeared, you’ve been acting like Kagome was never here! Don’t you miss her? Isn’t there any–”

“You don’t know a damn thing,” InuYasha ground out, closing the distance between them before the slayer could even finish. He stared down at her, but Sango met his glare relentlessly. She was the one who took Kagome’s towel without a second thought, Sango went through the bag Kagome packed right before their last battle together, and she was the person responsible for carelessly washing away the bergamot and lilies. “Kagome is safe and that’s it,” he finished and he meant it.

Sango grimaced, stomping her foot. InuYasha caught Kin’u watching them, thin brows scrunching just like her mother’s. “Oh, InuYasha, you’re absolutely insufferable!”

InuYasha placed a hand to his hip, yearning to step on a pebble. He scowled at Sango and gave the basket an extra sniff to remind himself how the scent of Kagome barely wrapped around Miroku and Sango’s. His body felt like a chattering leaf. “Did you expect me to cry or something?”

Sango sighed, walking past him and taking back her laundry. “No,” she mumbled, walking ahead of him.

Miroku stopped, clapping a hand to the half-demon’s shoulders. “Try not get too mad, she means well.”

“I know that,” InuYasha huffed, allowing the monk to step ahead. He watched the family, arms crossed over his chest, before picking up the rear. The five continued, a squeamish silence settling over them that left the twins lightly whimpering every now and again.

In a stroke of luck, InuYasha stepped on a rock. Kicking it up to his hands, he contemplated where to throw it. He tossed it in the air a few times. The silver ears atop his head swiveled, and a large grin spread across his features as he honed in on the unmistakable scent of a rabbit in the bushes. Wouldn’t hurt to spook the thing, InuYasha thought to himself, eyes on the forest. Just as he reeled his hand back, he lowered it, turning sharply to face Sango. She was pilfering through the laundry basket like a deranged woman. Ah, she finally snapped, InuYasha noted. “Isn’t there something of Kagome’s that you hold onto too!?” the slayer nearly screamed, thrusting that white and blue dotted piece of cloth like a trophy above her head.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” the half-demon retorted, tucking the rock in his robe. His hand glided past a smooth surface, something foreign to his clothes but close to him nonetheless. His fingers grasped at its binding. Miroku chuckled, much to InuYasha and Sango’s dismay. “What’s so funny, Bozo?”

“It’s just that there is a piece of Lady Kagome that you could never be rid of.” The half-demon squinted, his steeped ire pacified but not peacefully. Miroku inhaled theatrically, placing one hand on his hip and pointing his shakujo in an accusatory manner. InuYasha stepped back, eyes widening. Miroku leaned forward, revealing Gyokuto’s black hair from over his shoulder. “InuYasha, sit!”

“Ah!” InuYasha was instantly squashing his ears at the command, waiting to be slammed into the dirt. He never fell. A shiver sprinted up and down his spine all while Miroku laughed hysterically at his expense. The monk was doubled over, hands holding tightly to his dumb knees. “You bastard!” InuYasha roared, his fist already in the perfect position to whack some sense into that cheap excuse of a holy man. But then two big, brown eyes and cheeks that were way too round filled his vision and InuYasha stopped. Stupid monk with his stupid children and his stupid wife.

InuYasha was grumbling, sounds not forming words; thoughts running into dead ends. And then those thoughts were drowned out, consumed by the sound of his pulse, and InuYasha decided to share it. “I keep this!” He closed his eyes and held out a yellow book that read High School Mathematics: Quick Solutions to All Problems.

“Oh, so you did steal something of Lady Kagome’s,” Miroku responded, walking up to inspect the item.

“Uh, yeah. Wait, I didn’t steal it from her bag, I borrowed it from her house way before we met you lot.”

“Is that one of her school things?” Sango inquired, already mere centimeters from InuYasha. He didn’t remember her being that fast.

InuYasha shrugged. “Dunno, Myoga thought it had spells in it.”

“And you never gave it back?” Miroku asked, a whimsical smirk settling into place. InuYasha wanted to gag. “That would make it a stolen good.”

“Oh yeah, and what’s it to you?”

Miroku took the book from InuYasha, flipping through its pages. Some of them turned in chunks, demon guts and rainy weather having seeped through his robe at some point or another. “It’s weathered; surely Lady Kagome wouldn’t treat her belongings this way.”

“Hey, give that back!” InuYasha objected, attempting to swipe it. Miroku swerved, continuing to review the material like he knew exactly how it read. “I just forgot about it is all.” He was lying.

“I hope it wasn’t important. You know how upset Kagome gets about school,” Sango commented, her shoulders bouncing Kin’u lightly.

“She never said nothing to me about it,” InuYasha brushed off with a shrug, an odd pining for Kagome’s shrill nagging manifesting itself as plain as day. Miroku showed the book to Gyokuto, and she lifted a chubby arm out, her moist palm slamming onto one of the pages. “H-hey! Don’t let your kid touch that, it’s mine!”

Miroku ignored InuYasha completely, a warm expression gracing his features as he let his daughter continue her smacking. “Gyokuto, one day Papa will teach you how to read and maybe you’ll understand this.”

“Good luck, even I can’t make heads or tails of it,” InuYasha said, reaching out and successfully getting it back. The abrupt motion must have surprised Gyokuto because she began crying, and it didn’t take long for Kin’u to join in, and InuYasha let out another groan. This was all too much.

“Aw, I’m sorry, girls. Did the big dog startle you?”

“Whatever, let’s go,” InuYasha grunted, stomping ahead of the family once more.

The red of his robe leaked through to his vision and singed his cheeks. This conversation should never have happened; he shouldn’t have acknowledged that towel and he shouldn’t have gotten so worked up over the sit.

“InuYasha, slow down!” He ignored the request, feeling as if steam shot from his nostrils. He had half a mind to make a break for it, already far past his limit. “Come on,” Miroku all but pleaded.

“What!? What is it that you want now?” The half-demon barked, shoving Kagome’s book back into his robes.

InuYasha couldn’t explain why he’d waited for the two. Miroku’s expression was squared into a place that InuYasha wanted to keep his distance from. It looked like he was about to spout shit straight from the Buddha. “My friend, please understand.”

“Understand what, exactly?”

Piercing deep indigo clashed against flurrying amber.

“That we inhale and must consequently exhale, never experiencing the same breath twice. This is also true for those we meet on our path to enlightenment. They too must leave without returning, but the life they’ve given us can be appreciated long after we’ve breathed anew.” A single bushy brow rose at the analogy. Miroku cleared his throat, continuing, “Lady Kagome may be in her world, but she has managed to keep a part of herself here nonetheless. Through towels or books, my friend, she is with us and we should value that.” He patted InuYasha, right where Kagome’s book lay underneath layers of fire rat.

-X-

• “i know better, but I still feel you all around. i know better, but you’re still around.” -taylor swift, “marjorie” •

[ruddcatha]

GUARDIAN

The date is here!!!!!!!!

Thank you again to @heavenin--hell for your inspiration, I hope this story does your work justice.

posted on Ao3: Here

Posted on FFN: Here

Guardian has been Nominated for the Feudal Connection  2020 3rd Quarterly Inuyasha Fandom Awards!  Thank you to all the supporters of this story!!  Voting will begin on July 29 and run through August 12, 2020.

Nominated for: Best AU/AR

If you would like to be added to the tags please let me know!

@willowandfog​  @smmahamazing @clearwillow  @sticky-llama-perfection @alannada @shinidamachu @cstormsinukagblog @superpixie42 @nartista @neutronstarchild​ @i-dream-of-soup​ @hnnwnchstr  @fawn-eyed-girl​ @ all-my-cuffs-have-buttons

Chapter 11

The next morning Kagome opened her eyes with a frustrated groan.   She had been dreaming about Inuyasha and that kiss, her imagination working overtime to fill in what could have happened if Kikyo had not interrupted.  Kagome had never considered herself to be wanton; her only sexual partner before had been Jakotsu, her ex-boyfriend from college and the experience had made it clear they were better as friends… and had helped him realize he preferred men.

But in her dreams, Inuyasha had lifted her against him in the study hall, pinning her to the wall.  His claws had carefully sliced through her clothing, removing the barriers between them, the chance of discovery, of being seen adding to the thrill.  The feel of his powerful body moving against hers...

She had never wanted anything more in her life.  As she closed her eyes, she tried to capture the last snippets of the dream, the taste of his kisses, the feel of his fangs as they teased her neck, the strength of him between her legs as she…

She struggled to pull herself away from the thoughts.  If she kept that up, she had a feeling she would wind up jumping Inuyasha the moment she saw him.

She had been too dazed and aroused by just his kisses that her brain had not been able to function for a good twenty minutes. And she had been right, Kikyo wound up teasing her most of the night for the … scandalous… position she had found them in.  Over a glass of wine Kikyo had admitted she was slightly jealous of how heated the kiss had looked.  

Kagome, slightly tipsy from the wine, had leaned over to her cousin, conspiratorially telling her “It FELT hotter than it looked.”  As they had parted ways at the end of the evening Kikyo had a gleam in her eye, and Kagome almost felt bad for Kikyo’s husband Suikotsu, even though he would likely be thanking his lucky stars his wife had come home in such a state.   Kagome was both sad and relieved that she had not seen Inuyasha on her way back to her apartment, its possible their date would have started the night be…

…Shit… Kagome realized suddenly that they had never finalized any plans for the day.  She had just told him a vague “tomorrow.” She turned and buried her face in her pillow in frustration.  She was an idiot.  This gorgeous dog-eared god had asked her how he could ‘court’ her, which she found both adorable and sexy as hell, and she hadn’t even been able to string two words together or keep a coherent thought in her head.  Hell, for all she knew he could have changed his mind after that, it wouldn’t have been the first time that had happened to her.

With a sigh she finally dragged herself out of bed as the smell of coffee teased her senses.  She promised herself as she opened her bedroom door that after she had a cup (or two) of the lifesaving  liquid and the dose of caffeine it would provide that she would call Inuyasha to set a time to mee…

A steaming croissant, a fresh cup of coffee and a single white rose sat in a perfect place setting on the small dining room table she and Sango had in their apartment.  A small card attached to the rose caught her attention as she walked towards the table, stunned.  

“A beautiful bloom … compares to you.”  Her cheeks turned pink.  She sniffed slightly as she took her seat and drank the first sip of her coffee.  It was perfect, exactly the way she liked it.  As the caffeine hit her system, she recognized Sango’s influence in this, and the thought of Inuyasha going through so much effort for her… Kagome Higurashi… made the gesture feel that much sweeter.

Kagome savored her breakfast from Inuyasha with a smile on her face.  Whatever the day would hold, she was looking forward to it.  She gently lifted the rose off the table and noted with a slight smile that the thorns had been carefully removed.  The soft tea-like scent filled her senses as she brushed the rose against her cheek, letting her imagination replace the soft petals with Inuyasha’s fingers.  She stood to place the dishes in the dishwasher, gently cradling the rose closely to her as she entered her bedroom and placed it on her dresser.  She was curious and excited to see what he had planned for the rest of the day, but if that were the start, she knew she would enjoy every moment.

Thirty minutes later Kagome gave herself one last look in the mirror.  She had decided to put on a light makeup application of mascara and lip gloss, Inuyasha had seen her in the middle of combat training and was still interested in her, so she knew she did not have to put on her usual war paint to impress him.  She kept her outfit simple, a pair of jeans and her favorite fitted button down shirt, its long sleeves hiding the bruises she had from training and its bright red color helped her confidence and her favorite simple black flats.  Red always helped her feel more powerful, more in control, and lord knew she needed control around Inuyasha. That man just… did things to her, it both scared and excited her.

She left her bedroom, listening for the sounds of her roommate.  It was already 11 and Sango typically was awake and already back from the gym at 11 on Saturday morning, but she heard nothing from her friend’s room.  Kagome started towards Sango’s room to knock when the sight of another rose on the table caught her attention, she knew that it hadn’t been there before.

As she drew close to the table, she saw the note tied around the stem and quickly moved to read it. 

“A journey begins with a single step, and this is the start of ours.  The path begins at the meeting place, where the past meets the present.  Follow the path and take that step with me.” She read softly.  A puzzle, she loved puzzles.

“So where is he sending you?” The teasing sound of Sango’s voice caused Kagome to jump.

“What the hell Sango?” Kagome laughed.  “I didn’t hear you come out.”

“Too busy mooning over the rose?” Sango cooed, raising her eyebrows suggestively.  Kagome’s laughter faded as she caressed the petals of the rose.

“A little.  It’s sweet.” She shot a glance at her still giggling friend. “Although I can’t help but notice that he seemed to have recruited assistance.”

Sango shot her a wide grin, and that was all the response Kagome needed.

“Thank you.” She whispered to Sango, it touched her not only that Inuyasha was putting so much effort into planning the day, but that he had reached out to her best friend for help.  

“So…” Sango said with a singsong tone.  “Where is he sending you?”

Kagome pursed her lips as she looked at the note.  “Where the past meets the present… That could be any of the shrines around Tokyo, but I have the feeling he would want to keep it close to campus rather than running all around town.”

She shot a look at Sango.  “I don’t suppose you want to tell me?”

“OOOOHHH no no no no Miss Kagome.” Sango’s eyes sparkled as she watched her friend. “I am here to advise and assist, but half the fun of today will be figuring it out.  So… where does the past meet the present in a place that both you and Inuyasha are familiar with or go to a lot?”

Kagome thought for a moment before her eyes brightened. The archeology office with its underground training and apartments, where Inuyasha was staying. Where the past meets the present… of course! 

“See you Sango!” She called out as she darted out the door, the rose with the clue in hand.  

Sango chuckled at Kagome’s excitement; she was glad that the plan seemed to be going well.  She went back to her room to grab her phone; it was only a matter of time until she got a text from Kagome about the next clue.

Kagome hurried towards the Archeology building, her eyes darting around as she looked for the next clue, unsure of what to look for.  She hoped he had made it….

There, a white rose tucked into the corner next to the door!  

“The second step to start the day, the sip that brings you joy.  Let us share a cup and drink to us with your favorite mocha latte.”  

She smiled, this clue she didn’t need Sango’s help to work out, she had one coffee shop near the department where she had been purchasing her coffee during training.  This clue she knew wasn’t just based on Sango’s knowledge, as Sango had not gone with her for the coffee runs over the past two months.

It only took a few minutes for her to reach the coffee shop and enter it, her eyes darting around for a white rose.

“Oh, Kagome.” The barista called out to her.   Kagome was one of her favorite customers, and the entire shop had her order memorized.  

“I will have your medium mocha latte with whipped cream and extra chocolate sauce ready in just a moment.  We were told to expect you around 11:15, so it’s just being finished.”

“Oh, I’m not here for coffee… wait, Sara, did you say you were told to expect me?”

Sara laughed from behind the counter as she put the lid on Kagome’s coffee. 

“Yeah, a tall hunk of a man with silver hair and golden colored eyes came in this morning and placed an order for you, told us you would be coming around 11:15 for it, and asked that we also give you this.  Here you go.”

Sara handed Kagome her coffee and a white rose with a note attached before leaning over the counter towards Kagome.

“Hey, if things don’t work out with the hunk, can I have him?” She teased.  Kagome smiled as she took the first sip of her coffee.

“Nope.  I think I will try and keep this one.” She said with a wink. 

Sara laughed as she responded “Can’t blame you there.  Man is gorgeous and sweet.” Her voice dropped to a whisper as she continued.

“And I have to say, he was so worried about getting your order right, he is really stuck on you girl.”

Kagome brought the three roses in her other hand up under her nose and sniffed with a slight smile.  Their scent blended with the chocolate and coffee, and the combination made her smile.

“I think I’m a little stuck on him too.” She confessed as her cheeks turned pink.  “Thanks Sara.” Kagome moved to an empty table and set her coffee down, anxious to see the next clue.

“To engage the mind is to enrich the soul.  A journey is a story, each step a new word.  How does our chapter begin?”

Kagome finished her coffee as she considered the clue, it was obvious that it was somewhere related to books or writing, which could mean three places, the library, the campus bookstore, or the writing center.  She immediately removed the writing center from consideration, as she had only been there once when she was in orientation, but she frequented the bookstore and the library often. They were on opposite sides of campus, or she would have checked both, but which one should she go to…

Kagome reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone and shot off a quick text message.

Ok oh wise one, how does our chapter begin, bookstore or library? -K.

Almost immediately she heard the ding of a response.

Didn’t I tell you I was here to advise and assist but not tell? 😉 -S.

 :-P -K.

Think about the last two months Kagome. -S.

It suddenly hit Kagome; Sango was right.  She was thinking about where she had frequented since she started the program, but there was only one of the two that she had been at during the last two months. 

Thanks girl. -K 

😉, -S.

Kagome darted out of the coffee shop and dashed towards the library; the three roses carefully held in her grasp to protect them as she moved.  She hoped that if he had left the clue outside someone hadn’t picked it up and moved it, but she didn’t see anything as she approached the library.   She cautiously entered the library, her eyes darting around for a sign of the clue.

“Ah Kagome!”

The campus librarian Kaede stood behind the circulation desk.  Kagome had spent quite a bit of time with Kaede during her time at the school, Kaede helping her with research and looking through the film archives for research, and saw the older woman as a friend if not a surrogate grandmother on campus.  

“Hi Kaede!  This may sound strange, but have you seen a white rose?”

Kaede raised an eyebrow at Kagome as she continued.

“I’m on a scavenger hunt and the clue, I hope, led me here, but I haven’t seen the next clue.”

Kaede clucked her tongue and reached under her counter and placed a white rose and a book on the counter.  Kagome drew nearer, drawing a breath as she saw a copy of 1000 Poems from the Manyoshu, a collection of ancient Japanese poems, sitting under the rose. 

“That silver haired gentleman you have come in with brought them in this morning and asked me to hold them for you.”  Kaede said smiling at the young girl in front of her.

“Ho… how did he know?” Kagome stared in shock at the book, she had always loved the ancient poetry, the beauty of the words written from AD 456-760, the history of the words, the emotion they evoked.  That was not something she had ever shared with Sango.  Kaede had a twinkle in her eye as she looked at Kagome.

“If I had a young man who went through that much effort to make a special day for me, I would be trying to get to him as quickly as I could.”

Kagome’s smile grew.  “I will see you later Kaede.”  She called over her shoulder as she turned and hurried out the door, tucking the poetry book under her arm as she looked at the card.

“There are two more steps on the path today.  Follow the journey to your favorite nook, the place you study and dream in the shade.”

She knew exactly where that was.  A bench under a tree near the library.  She had spent many an hour there reading or curled up with her laptop.  She moved towards it as quickly as she could, eager to see where he would lead her next.  As she approached, she saw the single white rose sitting on the middle of the bench.  

“One last stop along the path, a final step for you to take.  Along the rocks, amongst the trees, meet me where the lords still reign.”

 Sanshiro Pond.  Of course, it made perfect sense.  They had been sealed before the Lords manor had been built, but it was a bridge between their times.  She knew exactly where to meet him.

--------------------------

Inuyasha waited under a pavilion overlooking the lake, watching the time carefully on the phone that Miroku insisted he now carry.  He was starting to get worried; Sango had called him around 11 to say Kagome had started the journey, and it was now going on to 12.  Sango had assured him that Kagome would be able to understand all the clues, and that Kagome had always dreamed of a scavenger hunt date.  Miroku and Sango had stayed up with him until the early hours of the morning working on the cards and preparing the food.   He had appreciated the help, it felt good to have people he could honestly call his friends in this strange new time, people he could rely on in more than just a fight.

That didn’t make him any less nervous now.  His mind was running in a million different places, convincing himself that she hadn’t understood the clues, or she had decided it was too much of a hassle.  His ears lowered, maybe the book was overkill.  Miroku had run out with him to a store to buy the roses and Inuyasha had insisted that he also go to a place where he could purchase the book.  He had seen how drawn Kagome had been to it every time they went to the library; her fingers would always run over the copy in the stacks as they moved past it when doing research.  

He sighed, and his shoulders dropped.  She wasn’t coming.  She had…

The soft scent of vanilla and roses caught his attention on the breeze.

She was here.

He turned to see Kagome approaching him, five roses and the book of poetry in her hand.  His heart started to beat faster at the sight of her, and he felt his palms grow sweaty.   As she approached, he saw the smile on her face, the sparkle in her eye and the tension he felt melted away.  He hadn’t scared her away.   It was time to see if the rest of Sango’s advice would work as well.  He moved to take her hand, Sango’s voice in his head telling him to say something meaningful when he saw her, but the only thing he could think to say was…

“You look beautiful.” He breathed out, moving one hand to gently touch her cheek.  She leaned into his hand as she looked back at him as her cheeks tinged pink.

“Thank you.” Was her soft reply, her eyes never leaving his.  

Inuyasha had to forcibly move his gaze from hers and he found he had to clear his throat before taking her elbow and moving with her towards the stone seating and table.  He helped her sit before reaching down to bring out the food that he had cooked with Sango.  Sango had been a blessing, helping him make (and remake) items until they were perfect.  Miroku had been tasked with warming the food and bringing it to the pond so it would be ready for Kagome. 

He took a deep breath as he set out the two disposable bento boxes filled with rice, Tamagoyaki, Karaage and Onigiri and two bottles of water.  Kagome’s soft gasp of excitement helped to calm the remainder of his nerves.

“These look amazing Inuyasha!”

His cheeks turned pink with happiness as he looked away.

“Thanks… the…they took most of the night.”

“Inuyasha.” Kagome reached out to touch his face and turn it to look at her.  “You made these?

“Keh.  Sango did most of the work, I helped with the Tamagoyaki.” He admitted.  Kagome leaned over and brushed a soft kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you.” She said, nuzzling his cheek.

“Keh, you say that before you’ve tried it.”

 “I’m sure it will be delicious.”  His soft “Keh” was the only response as she opened the lid and took her first bite.  

“Inuyasha…” his ears lowered in concern “This is fantastic! Have you tried it?”

He opened his mouth to accept the piece of Tamagoyaki that she offered with her chopsticks, his ears perking at the taste.  It really was damn good.  He opened his bento and grabbed a piece of Karaage, offering it out to Kagome.   She quickly leaned over to take a bite, her hand flying to her mouth as a low groan escaped her at the taste.  

It was official, he owed Sango, big time.

After they finished and cleaned up lunch, Inuyasha asked Kagome if she wanted to walk with him around the pond and enjoy the view, offering to hold the book and roses for her.  She pulled one of the roses aside and handed him the rest of her precious items, watching as he folded them into his left hand to keep them safe for her.  She told him the history of the lake and its connection to the Edo period.  It was one of her favorite places on campus to walk, and she delighted in sharing it with him.  Every so often she would feel the soft brush of his right hand against her left, a fleeting touch before he quickly moved away.  She fought back a giggle, this was a quite different side of Inuyasha than she had seen yesterday, and each side she saw made her want to know more about him.  The next time she felt his fingers brush her hand she reached out and wrapped her fingers through his, capturing his hand in her smaller one, and she saw his cheeks turn pink as he moved his eyes to look at her with a small smile and a soft “Keh.”

Kagome led Inuyasha to a grassy area by the lake and pulled him down to sit next to her. They spent the next few hours alternating him listening to her voice as she read aloud from the book of poems he had given her, his head in her lap, her fingers gently brushing against the ears hidden by his glamor and talking about everything, her dreams and goals, what it was like growing up in this era, what it had been like growing up in the feudal ages. 

The day passed as they enjoyed being in each other’s company, learning more about the other and sharing soft touches, the brush of a hand against the other, tucking a stray lock of hair behind an ear, a gentle touch on the cheek as they talked.  Before either of them realized it, the sky had taken on the slight pink hue of sunset.  Inuyasha saw Kagome shiver slightly as a cool breeze blew off the lake, and he gently moved to move her close to his side, his arm around her shoulders to help keep her warm.  Her head lowered to rest against his shoulder, and with a soft sigh of pleasure he let his cheek rest against her hair.  They sat curled against each other as the sky deepened, pink giving way to deep oranges and brilliant blues.  

Inuyasha shifted his head to look at the beautiful woman beside him, his free hand rising to lift her face to his.  He leaned down, closing the distance between them as Kagome’s eyes closed and nuzzled his nose to hers.  When she giggled, he softly caught her lips with him in a sweet, chaste kiss.  He lifted his lips from hers, his ears not missing her slight sound of disappointment that gave way to a sigh as he kissed her forehead and wrapped both arms around her and lifted her onto his lap.  He pulled her back against his chest and rested his chin on her shoulder as they finished watching natures display of colors and saw the first stars twinkling in the sky. 

“I don’t want today to end.” Inuyasha whispered, gently kissing her cheek before he rested his head against hers.

“Me either.” Kagome whispered back, running her fingers across the arms holding close.  She felt Inuyasha move to bury his nose at the base of her neck, and a hum of pleasure escaped her lips.  It just felt… so right… So right to be sitting there with him, holding him.  It was if nothing else mattered, and they were alone in their own little world. 

He kissed her cheek again before shifting her in his lap.

“Let me walk you back to your apartment?” he asked as he nuzzled her nose again.  She responded by moving forward slightly to place another soft kiss on his lips.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

He helped her to stand, holding the book of poetry as she gathered the five roses close to her, and hand in hand they walked the campus back to her apartment.  When they reached the door, he offered her back her book with a slight bow, and her cheeks flushed as she held it to her chest.  Inuyasha reached up to stroke her cheek before picking up the end of a strand of hair and playing with it.

“So, what happens now?” Kagome said softly, her eyes fixed on his.

He smiled gently. “Now I hope to talk you into another, what did Sango call it? A Date.”  The smile she gave him rivaled the sun with its brilliance in his eyes.

“As if that were ever a question.”

His hand shifted to run through her hair, he was entranced by the feeling of her silken locks against his fingers. 

“Is there anything else I should know about dates and dating?” His tone was soft but serious, and she couldn’t help but melt at the tone.

“Just one thing.”

He lifted an eyebrow at her comment.  She stepped forward towards him until their bodies nearly touched.

“They end with a kiss.”  She rose onto her toes and placed her lips against his.  The hand in her hair tensed before cradling the back of her head as Inuyasha deepened the kiss, his other hand drawing her even closer to run his hand up and down her spine. 

There was the heat she had been craving.  She heard a soft … was that purring… from his chest as he held her against him.  He pulled back from the kiss; his eyes were almost completely dilated as he looked down at her.  Dazed chocolate eyes blinked back at him slowly, and he dove in for another kiss, another taste of her.  With a shuddering breath he broke away and touched his forehead to hers, fighting for breath.

“There is one more step on the path Kagome.” His voice was husky against her ear.  “The last card awaits upstairs.”

Kagome opened her eyes to see molten gold burning before her.  A half smile turned his lip as he leaned in to place a softer kiss against her lips.

“I will see you tomorrow Kagome.”  He whispered as he released her, moving to hold open the door to her building with a slight bow.  With a shuddering breath she slowly made her way to her apartment, her mind still clouded with desire.  ‘One more card’ he had said, what did he mean?

As she opened the door to her apartment, she saw it.  A green vase with 18 white roses was waiting for her on the dining room table.  The first rose she had received lay on the table in front of it with a new card attached to it.  She quickly moved to see what it said.

“One for every hour today that I have thought of you.” 

Her eyes went wide and started to tear up, with the six roses she held in her hand there were a total of 24 roses.  She placed the poetry book on her pillow before she added the six roses to the arrangement, her fingers tracing each bloom.  Kami, she had not expected anything like this from him.  Maybe that was the difference between ‘dating’ and ‘courting.’

She heard the door open behind her and turned to see Sango with a pizza box and a wide grin on her face.

“Girl time…” Sango announced as she set the pizza on the kitchen counter and turned back to Kagome.  “Sooooooooooooooooo, how was it?”

Kagome smiled as she looked at the flowers.

“Perfect.”

[animebw]

Binge-Watching: Inuyasha, Episodes 149-151

HELL. FUCKING. YES.

Last Rites

Inuyasha is a long-ass show.

I recognize that’s kind of a superfluous statement to make. I specifically chose this show to be in my long-running spot, of course I knew it was long. And compared to the mammoth task that was tearing through all 367 episodes of Gintama, this is barely half as lengthy. It’s not like Inuyasha was some insurmountable challenge that would take all of my concentration and effort to eventually reach the end of (god help me when I finally decide to bite the bullet and watch Naruto, am I right?). And yet, looking back on the journey that’s brought us here, Inuyasha has noticeably felt longer than any previous show I’ve watched. I’ve been constantly aware of the massive stretch of episodes standing between me and the end in a ways I haven’t been for any previous show of this length, not even Gintama. More than anything, it’s been a journey where the destination never felt within my grasp. And that’s definitely been a problem at times, as I’ve struggled with this show’s often glacial pacing and slow progression. You can definitely feel how the production team stretched this story out to keep it running as long as they could, staying comfortably behind the manga and keeping their options open for however it would end up progressing. Sure, Gintama did the same thing, but aside from just being better written and produced overall, that was a show that easily lent itself to going off in whatever crazy tangent it so desired thanks to how playful it was with the rules of its own genre. It was long, but you never really felt the length because each step on the journey felt like it was giving you something entirely new and valuable. That hasn’t been the case with Inuyasha.

But now, at last, I’m beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We’re only 16 episodes away from the end of the show proper, after which we’ll just have 26 more episodes of the Final Act to go, which will likely be better constructed overall by virtue of not needing to keep this same endless jog up. We’ve reached the final ED, a powerful instrumental track that feels fitting for the end of such an epic adventure. As hard as it is to believe, Inuyasha is actually approaching its conclusion now. It’s got an endgame in sight, and it’s starting to shift gears to finally put a close to everything it’s built up. And as if to drive that point home, Naraku finally loses one of his allies to the wrath of Inuyasha’s backlash wave, putting the horse Entei out to pasture. The expansion is slowing down, and the contraction is picking up speed. The tone feels noticeably more final heading into this stretch of episodes, like there’ll be fewer questions and far more answers. We’ve still got some ways to trek before it’s all over, but the dawn on the horizon has never looked closer.

And thanks to one character’s fantastic return, it’s never looked brighter either.

SHE’S BACK BABY

Thank god, show. Thank fucking god that Kikyo wasn’t gone for good. Her supposed death at the end of the Band of Seven arc never sat well with me, and I was always holding out hope that we hadn’t seen the last of her yet. That entire arc was about learning to let go of the past that binds you down and figure out how to move forward with the new life you’ve been given, so to see the character who best embodies that struggle struck down without ever having a chance to resolve their inner turmoil felt like a betrayal of everything she stood for. And in retrospect, I really should’ve realized that the unfulfilled potential was a sure sign Kikyo was far from dead and gone. Inuyasha’s had its problems in the past, but it’s never backed down on giving its characters room to push through whatever’s standing in their way. Kikyo was always going to come back. And at last, that promise has been fulfilled, and the thrice-cursed priestess rises a third time from the ashes of the other side, this time with the same copy-puppet powers that Naraku’s been hounding our heroes with for so long. Welcome back, you incredible badass. God, I have missed you.

And as if that wasn’t enough, the way Kikyo finds her way back to the living once more suggests that her future prospects have never looked brighter. As Kagome rightly pinpoints during her cleansing, Kikyo’s been trapped by the trauma of her last day alive ever since she was brought back the first time, paralyzed by shame and hatred she never got the chance to resolve. The poison Naraku spread through her body is only the most literal interpretation yet of the mental corruption that’s crippled her afterlife, keeping her trapped in the form of a betrayed, broken woman to such an extent that she’s lost hope of ever getting better. Kagome basically just got a crash course in the same pain we just experienced ourselves in the double flashback episode last time. But Kagome refuses to buck from the challenge. Instead, she gets right up in Kikyo’s face like never before and kicks that mentality in the face. Her rival in love doesn’t hesitate for a second to save her and give her a third chance to make things right, doesn’t have a shred of doubt in her heart as to whether or not she really wants Inuyasha’s lost love walking around again. Because Kagome has no patience for your garbage love triangle plot machinations that prioritize needless conflict over character-driven interplay, and she’s not so petty as to take out her personal pain on someone who’s swallowed enough pain to last a thousand lifetimes. Kikyo deserves to live. She deserves to try again. She deserves the support of everyone she thought would leave her behind. And with the poison leeching out of her body, leaving her more cleansed than ever before... maybe she can actually believe it this time.

So carry along your path, Kikyo. However it may twist and turn, there might yet be light at the end. Welcome to round 3. This time, let’s make it count.

Odds and Ends

-”Why, oh why are you green?” “How should I know?” Have I mentioned I love Rin?

-JESUS FUCK WHAT ARE YOU DOING KANNA

-”It’s not Kikyo.” “Nobody said anything.” “But you’re all thinking it.” askjdhasd fucking hell I almost had a heart attack

-”If I were her, I would push him over the cliff and make him a cripple.” DO IT SANGO I BELIEVE IN YOU

-”He’s so honest.” Hey, better than the alternative.

-Oh shit, so Hakudoshi doesn’t carry Naraku’s heart? Then the other baby must have it, right?

-”Somewhere along the line, the goal changed to finding St. Hijiri.” Did you expect anything else?

So, what does Naraku stand to gain by implanting his human heart as the heir to a lordship?

-God, smiling Kohaku is soul-cleansing. This kid deserves a break.

-”Cripes, she’s so difficult.” kasjdhaksjdasd

-Another great moment was Inuyasha’s decision not to go chasing after Kikyo after finding out she was okay. He has faith in her to manage by herself at this point, and more importantly, he knows where his real priorities lie.

-”Do you know how hurt I was when you said that?!” SUCH. A. GOOBER.

Onward and upward, comrades. See you next time!

[animebw]

Binge-Watching: Inuyasha, Episodes 156-159

In which a battle ends with a whimper, the waiting game picks back up, and Inuyasha’s come a long way.

The Waiting Game

Well, shit, so much for that epic, game-changing throwdown I was hoping for. The climax of Inuyasha and Naraku’s duel in the shadow of his father’s skeleton may be a satisfying enough spectacle on its own terms, but considering how long we’ve been building to get to this point, I can’t help but wish the consequences were more impactful. Certainly, Inuyasha getting a new power with which to fuck Naraku over is always a pleasant right, and I will always live for the sight of this smarmy fuck getting in over his head and remembering what fear tastes like. Naraku’s been kicking our asses for a while now, so our heroes’ victory here definitely feels like they’re starting to pick themselves back up. The sacred jewel is not yet complete, Inuyasha finally has a shard of his own after losing them all to Naraku so long ago, and it feels like they’re starting to turn the tides heading into the final stretch. But in terms of actually progressing the overall narrative, shaking up the status quo, revealing new information, anything like that, I feel like we’re decidedly still in the waiting game. And this close to the technical end, that’s not the best place to be in.

Look, the thing about Inuyasha as a show is that it’s built to last forever. It’s build to be able to spin its wheels and add more and more complications as long as it’s possibly able, keeping the story going as long as there’s still audience investment keeping it afloat. And that means there’s always going to be some level of anticlimax following big moments in the story until the writers decide it’s time to bring it to a close and start paying off everything they’ve been setting up. It’s definitely been a continuous issue I’ve had with this show at times; none of its big moments feel quite as definitive as they could, because the desire to keep the story going means that not everything can be resolved when it might be best for it to. So Inuyasha can overwhelm Naraku and take the upper hand in the struggle once more, but neither him nor Hakudoshi end up dying, so the ranks of the enemies don’t decrease. Kohaku and Kagura are inching closer to their mutual betrayal of their master, but Kohaku’s confrontation with Sango doesn’t end up influencing that decision, nor have much of an effect on how these two already see each other (though it does allow for Miroku to continue being Good Actually in his pep talk at the end of episode 159, which is always welcome). Even Kikyo’s appearance in that same episode only really serves to remind us that she’s still in the narrative, still one more piece that Inuyasha and Kagome are eventually going to have to contend with when it’s finally time to wrap things up. And it doesn’t help that the levels of recap footage in these episodes quickly blow past the point of obnoxiousness; i swear we spent five whole goddamn minutes on recap at the start of episode 5 before we reached the title card. I can accept some padding to fill out the episode length, but there is a limit.

The thing is, though, being an eternally-running show doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to fall into the pitfalls that such a medium risks. I hate to keep going back to Gintama as an example, because comparing my favorite anime to any other show will just never help it measure up, but considering it was made by the same studio as Inuyasha, it serves as a worthwhile counterpoint. Perhaps Sunrise learned their lesson with Inuyasha when it came to adapting endless works, because even putting aside the sitcom formula that allows Gintama to more easily slot into random faffing about without losing steam, the pacing on that adaptation is so goddamn perfect that it kind of makes me mad. As much as that show mocks its seemingly endless status quo, things are always changing in the world of Edo. Characters are always growing, forging new connections, having new experiences, building an increasingly massive web of interactions that elevates the playing field of the entire show piece by piece. Even in the most mundane episodes, you’ll often get hints of how a certain relationship or plot element or piece of worldbuilding is developing, just by how you’re able to see the difference over time. And sure, most of that’s probably on Sorachi’s original manga as well, but it’s the same principle. Gintama was build to last forever, and it still feels like it’s telling its story with the end always in mind and an already-crafted road map as to how to get there. Inuyasha didn’t need to suffer these flaws if it pushed itself a little harder. Perhaps that’s too much to ask, considering how monumental an achievement Gintama remains, but I can’t help but dream at times like this.

Continue to Fight

Thankfully, what keeps Inuyasha from getting too overwhelmed by these admitted flaws is that slow or no, it eventually does get around to making progress in the end. It might spin its wheels longer than is necessary to get there, but its characters do grow and change, and the storytelling is strong enough to make those changes matter. The first time Sesshomaru and Inuyasha met at their father’s gravesite, Sesshomaru tried to destroy his younger brother for the supposed sin of tainting their father’s memory with his heritage. Now, though, he only bares a single punch before turning his attention to Naraku, the true threat who must be dealt with. And Inuyasha proves just how much he’s grown by directing his attention in the same way. He doesn’t have to needlessly prove his strength against anyone who doubts him, because it doesn’t matter how he’s seen. Half-human, half-demon, he is who he is, and he’s going to do things his way, for the people he cares about. Because as long as dark forces continue to pursue the sacred jewel, he’ll continue to fight them. Because the world he’s living in deserves that protection. He’s come a long way from the angsty kid he started this adventure off as, and I wish him luck heading into the endgame. He’s gonna need it.

Odds and Ends

-Interesting how both the swords are vibrating as they grow close to the demon that birthed them from his fangs.

-Good lord, that was a cool shot. Put it on your Instagram story, Sesshomaru.

-”How the hell did he get here?” askjdashasd even Naraku’s scared now

-”I’m out of arrows.” OF ALL THE TIMES FOR EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TO BE A THING

-”I’m not so sentimental that I would hold back my sword for the sake of humans.” Yeah, didn’t think so.

-You know, at some point, Kagome, you will have to start trusting him.

-Aaaaaaaack that’s a lotta rats

-”Are you implying I’m stupid?” “For someone who’s stupid, you sure picked up on that quickly.” aksjdhaskjda

-#ShippoBestWIngman2019

-”He only realized it after I told him.” See, Shippo works just fine when he’s part of the group. It’s only alone that he starts grating.

Let the journey continue. See you next time!