#kougkag

[kitramune]

Don't forget for the anime-onlys that Kouga had a first too, in Ayame, who he proposed to when she was a SMALL CHILD compared to him, and then ACTUALLY dumped her like a sack of rotten potatoes. So if anyone is treating women like expendable commodities, it's Kouga. (In the anime, at least, but most KougKag shippers seem to come from there.)

Hey Cynthia! This is kind of an ask but mainly a rant because I find this INCREDIBLY annoying, because it's clear these people don't understand the story AT ALL.

I don't think all KogKag shippers are annoying, but I'm surprised that there are so many fans who say that Kagome should've ended up with Koga because Inuyasha was aLWaYS going after Kikyo or that Koga would've TrEAtED her better. I feel like people who say this are just self-inserting onto Kagome. Reason number one: KogKag has little to no substance in canon, with her just humoring him every time he flirts with her. Number two: if they were paying attention, they would know WHY and WHEN Inuyasha went after Kikyo and that for him, there was only Kagome.

TLDR; Do you think people who say "Kagome should've chosen Koga because Inuyasha bad" are self-inserting? I know the anime changes are a huge factor, is that why people say this? I like your analyses so I'd like to know what you think.

Hello! First of all thank you for the love 🥺

(I know I have mutuals & followers who love Koga & Kogkag so warning: this post is very critical of both!)

I’m going to start off by saying “self-inserting” exists in a lot of ships. There’s plenty of people who love Inuyasha and self-insert into Kagome with inukag. That’s not something I have a big issue with, we all have our favorite characters and there’s nothing wrong with self-indulgence. But if we analyze the canon story, I think you definitely need make Kagome OOC in order to ship her Koga. I mean, if canon!Kagome had any interest in him she wouldn't have wasted her time with Inuyasha, lol. I've said this before but the main reason why Kagome loves Inuyasha and not men like Koga and Sesshomaru is because Inuyasha has a good heart. He might have a harsh personality (that he is improving) due to his past trauma but he has never killed & eaten innocent people the way the other two did.

Also, the racism. Kagome's defining personality trait is that she is open and welcoming with everyone. Why would she date Koga who calls people slurs unprovoked? Why would she date Sesshomaru who bullied his half-brother for being mixed? Sure these two somewhat improved their behavior over the course of the series but 1- There's no indication that Koga and his wolves changed their diet. Koga never showed any remorse for his actions and never said he wouldn't do it again. 2- Sesshomaru tolerates/respects a few people by the end of the series but he very much still sees human life as expendable (see his “Who cares?” line when he hears his action could kill everyone in Kaede’s village). That is simply not compatible with Kagome Higurashi. 

The second anon brought up some good points about the misogyny in the fandom, and how male characters like Koga are praised while Kikyo is villainized for less. I constantly see Koga fans criticizing Inuyasha for “being nice to Kikyo despite what she’s done to Kagome” yet these people seemingly have no problems with Kagome being nice to Koga despite what he has done to Inuyasha. I think both Koga and Kikyo have poorly written “redemption arcs”, I think the inukag fandom just talk more about Kikyo/Inukik because Inuyasha did have feelings for Kikyo while Kagome never had any for Koga, so usually it isn’t worth talking about. 

As for Koga being "nicer" to her, I think a lot of it is definitely anime-only. There's that one filler episode where Inuyasha insults Kagome and Koga brings her flowers later (if I remember correctly) which is obviously meant to make Koga look like the better choice. I’ve talked about this a LOT on my blog but Sunrise went out of their way to make sure Inuyasha would almost never be kind and honest with Kagome compared to the manga, and they added a bunch of scenes where he insults her. Honestly with all the things that Sunrise changed I don’t blame anime-only fans for having issues with anime!inukag. Kagome has self-esteem issues because of Inuyasha’s ex (who is her pre-incarnation) and on top of that the boy she loves insults her himself? I know a lot of inukag shippers just see it as a joke, but since Kagome’s self-worth is a real issue in the series I don’t find it particularly funny. But if we’re focusing on the manga, Inuyasha is not mean to her, he’s only rude when he’s angry (calls her ‘bakaa’ or uses ‘temee’). 

Also, what does Koga even do for Kagome beyond giving her superficial compliments? He saved her a few times, which is what Inuyasha does on a daily basis. Koga said Kagome is “pretty” and “has guts”, which in my opinion pales in comparison to what Inuyasha said about Kagome: 

Inuyasha genuinely KNOWS Kagome. She’s his friend. He spends all his time with her. He has seen the best and worst of her. Koga is just a guy who tries to woo her when he bumps into her once in a while. Inuyasha doesn’t compliment her all the time to score points, he says these things when he can tell Kagome is feeling down and truly needs to hear it. 

Koga really is just putting on a front to look good in front of Kagome. The things he says to her are not necessarily true, as Ginta and Hakkaku point out. 

If he did manage to win over Kagome, who’s to say he would keep up this act? Would they work out in a long-term relationship? What does Koga and Kagome have in common? Like I said, he barely knows Kagome. Unlike Inuyasha, who share Kagome’s values, and share a group of friends with her. Inuyasha knows Kagome’s world, her modern friends and her family (and they love him!). Inuyasha has a demon slaying business with Miroku and lives in a human village where Kagome can thrive as a miko. Koga rarely shows respect for what Kagome wants (he claimed her as his mate and spent the entire series touching her & calling her his “mutual lover” without her consent). Even when Kagome was crying in Inuyasha’s arms after he almost died, Koga still said he “refused to give up on her”. Like the second anon said, the guy really just can’t take a hint (until the very end), and as someone who dealt with men like this in real life I think it’s a pretty big red flag.

Inuyasha literally said he owes everything he has in his life to Kagome. That he was born for her. He continuously chose to live with her instead of dying with Kikyo, risked his life to protect her by giving her the fire rat robe, ditched Tessaiga to save her, jumped into the well every 3 days ready to abandon his world for her. The fact that some people think he’s not the biggest Kagome simp out there and think he’s not “worthy” of Kagome is insane to me. 

Inuyasha learned to give Kagome space when she needs to be alone so she can study. He respects her desire to finish school, respects the fact that she loves her world and didn’t pressure her to choose him over it. 

Also people argue that Koga’s redeeming quality is that he cares about his pack and getting revenge for the ones that Naraku killed. Well, funny how he completely gave up on that once he lost his shikon jewel shards uh? Koga is a FULL yokai and he abandoned his vow to avenge his friends as soon as he lost his power boost, meanwhile my boy Inuyasha stays true to his promise to protect Kagome even in his WEAKEST form! 

Rip to Koga but Inuyasha is simply built different 🤷‍♀️

Anyway, the last point is Inuyasha and his feelings for Kikyo. At this point I’m convinced some people watched/read a completely different series than I did. I mean, the other day I saw a Tik Tok that was like “When Inuyasha runs off to kiss Kikyo for the 100th time” like... what? Inuyasha initiated like 3 romantic interactions with Kikyo in the entire time he has known her. One hug when she was first revived to calm her down, one hug when he told her she could call him when she’s in danger, and the final kiss goodbye to put her soul at peace. Inuyasha is NOT a “two-timer” who “keeps going back to his ex”. He’s a 15 years old boy whose first love got brutally murdered, he started to move on and fall in love with someone else then his “ex” was revived as a vengeful revenant and guilt tripped him into thinking he should die with her. He cares for her and refused to let her get killed by her murderer again, but his real desire was to LIVE and move on and be with KAGOME. At this point anyone who doesn’t understand that probably doesn’t have the emotional maturity to understand the story. I’m not saying that Inuyasha handled the situation perfectly, because of course not, the situation is insane and the boy has no social skills from being ostracized his whole life, but the way some people think he’s a bad person for loving more than one person in his life is insane to me. And you know what sucks? Inuyasha can’t win. If he didn’t care about what happens to Kikyo because he has a new girlfriend, people would call him heartless and would criticize him for treating women like objects that can easily be replaced. And that is one of the main reasons why comparing Inuyasha to other men like Koga, Sesshomaru or even Hojo annoys me a lot: Inuyasha did NOT choose to be in the situation he’s in. He did not intend to be with both at the same time (the anime line “why can’t have a both” is NOT canon). 

I think one other issue is people projecting their personal romantic fantasies on the situation. So many people dream of being someone’s “one and only”, of having their partner tell them that they’ve “never felt like this before”, and the fact that Kagome is not the only women Inuyasha ever loved somehow makes his feelings for her less “pure” or less “intense” to them. Which never made any sense to me because 1- Why would you be less “pure” for loving many people in your life? The fact that Inuyasha fell in love & stayed with Kagome despite the fact that his “ex” was revived and wanted him should actually be proof of how much he loves Kagome 2- Kagome IS Inuyasha’s “first” in SO many ways! The first person to make him happy, the first to cry for him and to make him cry, the first to give him a home, the first person he will be intimate with, the first (and only) person he MARRIES. His past feelings for Kikyo does not take away from that. I think the worst is when people argue that Inuyasha “still thinks about Kikyo after her death” like yeah, he’s still fighting Kikyo’s murderer until the last chapter/episode and his guilt got progressively worse as he repeatedly failed to protect Kikyo, remembering her does not mean he’s still in love with her. He can’t exactly wipe out his memories. Some people even argue that he ”shows sign that he loves her” in the bonus epilogue chapter?? Never mind the fact that the epilogue chapter just kind of sucks, Inuyasha didn’t have any reaction when Kikyo was mentioned, he said he didn’t care and he was only worried that Kikyo being mentioned would hurt Kagome’s feelings. 

When both Kagome and Kikyo were gone from his life, who did he miss? Did he go to Kikyo’s grave every 3 days wishing she hadn’t died? Did Inuyasha ever think about using the shikon jewel or Tenseiga to bring her back properly so he could be with her? No he never did, because Kagome is the one he was born for and the one he wanted to spend his life with, not Kikyo. 

Tl;dr: From what I’ve seen the popularity of kogkag seems to be from people who just like Koga better than Inuyasha and are willing to ignore (or they don’t remember) all the atrocities he committed because they find him hotter and more “charming”, which is fine to me until people actually claim that Kagome should have been with Koga in canon. People who say that are usually just mad about the love triangle because 1- they only watched the anime and haven’t read the manga (and they also misremember the anime) 2- they idealize this idea of being someone’s “first and only love” and they think Inuyasha’s feelings for Kikyo “tarnish” that and 3- they usually lack the emotional maturity to understand the situation Inuyasha was forced in and don’t realize that Inuyasha did the best he could. Inuyasha is a hanyo who was alone all his life and is just starting to open up and trust others while Koga is a full yokai who never had to struggle in his life, and despite that Inuyasha consistently proved that he is a better person. Just because Koga is loud and straight forward with his advances doesn’t make him more loving than Inuyasha, who actually knows Kagome and is romantic and kind to her when it matters the most. 

[moonasheschevalier]

[cats-inthe-back]

I am trying to embed my AMVs to Tumblr but the size limit is killing me, here is an AMV I made in 2019 after reading Madison’s excellent Kouga and Kagome fanfics! 

[sugarless-suki-writes]

The Demon of Nabewari Yama

Fandom: Inuyasha Rating: M Word Count: 2,288 Chapters: 1 of ??

Read on Ao3 || FFN

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Summary: Kagome goes to the Tanzawa Mountains looking for work. She begins to scale Mt. Nabewari and runs into something unexpected. {KouKag} Enemies to Lovers

Part of the KouKag Halloween Event

--

Kagome let out a small huff as she looked up at the mountain she was heading towards. She had been traveling for several days, bordering a week now, looking for somewhere to settle. However, all the villages she had come across already had a miko or monk residing there, and if they didn’t, they didn’t want one. To be fair, there weren’t many villages she had come across between her hometown and here, and sure, maybe she should go further out after completing her training, but it was still just a little frustrating.

She had finished her training not too long ago. Kikyo was a fantastic instructor and she wouldn’t have been able to harness her reiki nearly half of what she could now without the miko’s help. Normally she would be asked to stay and help out the miko who trained her and would be prepared to take over when she died, but Kikyo was young, and they both had strong, potent holy powers. Kikyo knew that Kagome’s powers would be better put to use elsewhere instead of sticking around and doing minor things. So, she was sent off; saddled with the task of finding a village in distress and helping them in any and every way she could and, eventually, settling there.

It may seem easy, but it was proving to be more difficult than she had initially thought. Kagome feared she may have to leave Kantō all together in order to complete her task. It really shouldn’t be a scary prospect, but she had been born and raised in Edo. She had never seen any other place, she had never left Kantō, and now at what felt like the drop of a hat, her whole world was changing, and it scared her.

Kagome frowned and tugged lightly on the collar of her haori, adjusting it when it wasn’t needed, a nervous habit of hers. She tried to keep her thoughts clear as she continued on her way towards Nabewari Yama. The sun was going to set soon, and she wanted to at least make some sort of headway towards the mountain peak.

[nikkxb]

What Could Have Been Update

Chapter 2

Rating: Explicit Status: In Progress Summary: Kagome wished on the jewel, but it wasn't the right wish.

Chapter Excerpt:

But Kouga — Kouga was the biggest mystery.

Physically he looked no different, but he felt different. Almost like she had never noticed the strong line of his jaw before. Or maybe it was the intelligence behind his gaze that made the blue shine. His laugh was louder though far less frequent and she’d only started seeing his smile over the last week. She hadn’t seen it once while they were in the den, only that mocking grin he kept shooting her.

Even now in his sleep, he was striking. He’d always been fit and she’d known it before, but she noticed scars on his hands now. Calluses on his fingers and the sharp points of his fangs and the fan of thick eyelashes over his high cheekbones.

Had he always been this attractive? Would she have felt this way if she hadn’t met Inuyasha first? It wasn’t something she liked to think about. Kagome loved her time before, loved her journey and everything she’d learned from it. She would have never traded it for the world.

Which only reminded her of the jewel and her wish. Why did it do this to her? Was this her punishment for wishing the wrong thing?

Kouga shifted, a deep breath expanding his chest and then he huffed it out. A thrum of tension spread down his torso, muscles in his forearms flexing just before he opened his eyes.

Just in time for Kagome to realize she was staring at him.

Read here:  AO3  |  FFN

[maddieson-san]

[Redacted]

Part 4

A senile grandfather. A bloody [redacted]. A glowing necklace. Kagome pulls at threads she should not and ends up deep within the [redacted]. Life was about to get a lot more [redacted].

[FFN] [AO3]

[iinuyashaa]

The Lessons in Memories

Daisuke-  The Great Help

Kouga remembers the softness of his mother’s hands.

He remembers whining irritably within her grasp, wriggling with all of his childish might to escape the repeated tugs at his brown locks with a brush made of bone from the tribe’s last hunting haul. Sitting in his mother’s lap had made him feel like a cub again, and at fifty years old, Kouga was no cub; his father had affirmed as such. Fumiko, his father’s mate, with all of the grace of a confident mother and sharpness of the demon that dwelled within her being, continued to entrap her son in a strategic hold in order to finish combing his unruly hair. This was certainly not the first time this had occurred.

“An Eastern Prince should take care of his appearance more, Kouga,” she had chided softly, ignoring the petty snort in response and his latest attempts of leaping out of her hold. Kouga remembers her voice; it was one of a natural, ethereal timbre that could have calmed the wind from howling or the earth from shaking. It contrasted highly against his rough struggling to be relinquished from her hands. The prior admonishment was delivered in a thoughtful tone that hid a darker side of his mother, one that had killed and pillaged, but also one that had defended her tribe and family. She had, after all, fought alongside his father to secure their title as alphas of the Eastern Wolf Tribe. His mother was supposedly a tyrant upon the battlefield, and as a cub he had heard stories of her victories against the Birds of Paradise. He had beamed with wolfish excitement at accounts of her ripping the fiendish beings limb from limb and bathing in their blood, releasing a passionate cry while doing so. Perhaps that last part had been a tad bit embellished by the elders, but it was nonetheless a worthwhile story to tell around the fire in the darkness of night. His mother had possessed a fire of her own, different from his father’s but just as strong. She had been a female few chose to reckon with.

But with him, Kouga remembers his mother almost always being soft.

He remembers huffing at her words and dismissing them. He was going to be alpha one day regardless of whether or not his pack-mates perceived his hair to be presentable.

“Let me go! I don’t care what others think- I always tie my hair back anyway, mother!” His younger self had countered indignantly, finally hooking his claws into the soil beneath them and hoisting himself away from her. Scrambling to his feet, he had a moment to take inventory of her own appearance, quickly noting the tan skin that glistened with sweat under the heat of the afternoon sun and knowing orbs the same dark shade as pebbles near the river eyeing his form. The look of disdain that unfolded upon her features was a sure sign that his mother was not happy about the arrangement. 

To Kouga’s surprise, Fumiko only allowed a sigh of resignation to escape her before she herself rose to stand. Brushing off any unwanted dirt from her dark pelt- an identical match to his father’s own, he remembers- Kogua had groaned in irritation as his mother plucked his cheeks between her index finger and thumb and brought him closer to her. The two wolf demons were suddenly face to face as she leaned down in front of him. The arch of his mother’s eyebrow before she spoke dared him to speak, but even Kouga at select times such as these had understood when to keep his mouth shut. 

“I care.” She began slowly, and instinctively Kouga felt his insides flicker with nervousness at the softness of her voice. His mother was a champion at maintaining a serene tone while being angry with him. “I care because I birthed you, nursed you, and now you choose to not take care of yourself. Brush your hair. Clean your kills. Wash yourself regularly. This laziness will come to an end, my son.” Kouga heard the sizzling heat of irritation drip from her words, a snapping and popping akin to the crackles of firewood as they are engulfed by greedy flames. Still, her voice was smooth as always.

Had he the power to wither away at that moment, Kouga was sure he would have with his mother peering down at him as she was.

Fumiko continued, but this time her eyes had softened to the same extent as her voice. Her next words were quieter, and she began to speak from the heart she, according to humans, did not possess. “I care because one day you are going to be the alpha of our tribe, and if you do not respect yourself enough to take care of yourself, no one here will respect you. Do you understand that?”

No. Kouga had not understood completely at the time, given that he had been a mere child in youkai years; regardless, however, the young ookami had slowly nodded his head, and his mother had relinquished her hold upon his cheeks, which were now puffy from her squeezing fingers. He then gazed up at his mother expectantly, waiting to be told to sit down again so she could finish brushing his hair.

But once again his mother surprised him.

“Now, go play. I believe Ginta and Hakkaku are waiting for you. We’re finished here.” Blinking, Kouga had taken a hesitant step back, pausing to ensure that his mother was being truthful. A moment passed between them before Fumiko smiled and waved her hand, urging him to go on. Looking back, Kouga supposed that she wanted him to enjoy at least one day of youth; desire for him to relish the feeling of not having the weight of their world on his shoulders. One day of bliss wouldn’t harm his future.

Kouga had released an exhilarated laugh before taking wide leaps into the forest.

That day, Kouga had learned the importance of enjoying the small things.

He remembers to do so.

--*~*--

Kouga remembers the thundering anger quaking from his father’s voice; the sound bouncing off the walls of the inner chambers of the den and making his head spin. Kouga felt red and blistering with shame, and his tail lay limply along the cave’s stone floor as he kneeled before his mother and father. The minor cuts and bruises upon his arm thrummed with the absence of poultice on them, but it was a burden he had to carry until his parents inflicted a wound even greater. Time passed before a seventy-five year old Kouga felt brave enough to raise his head and meet Katsuro’s- his father’s- seething gaze. Kouga remembers never having seen his father so irate until this point in his entire existence. The chamber felt suffocating; too much anger swirling around, too much doubt, too much disgust.

Katsuro himself was having a hard time controlling his temper, and Kouga had wanted to sink into the floor when their eyes locked. The dark blue hues belonging to his father churned, resembling the turbulent ocean waters of the eastern sea.

“What were you trying to prove, Kouga?” His father questioned through grit teeth. Kouga parted his lips, but firmly clamped them back shut.

“I forbid you from venturing into the valley. You know well enough what lurks there- and yet here you are- sitting in front of me in disgrace.” The words were hissed out, but there was a twang of worry to them that Kouga would only be able to comprehend when he himself was older. “Allow me to educate you on what has happened today, and perhaps you will then have a clearer understanding of your disrespectful- and dangerous- actions.” Katsuro began, cracking his knuckles. Kouga felt himself sink closer to the floor.

“I am out traveling with the hunting party when I am told news from a scout about a few wolves being chased and attacked by Birds of Paradise down in the valley. But surely, I thought to myself,” Katsuro paused, allowing his sarcastic tone to permeate for a moment, “Kouga would know better than to be one of those idiotic wolves. My son, he knows better. I have told him to never go to the valley! He knows how many have been lost there...” His father’s voice trailed off, tempting Kouga’s gaze to flicker down to the floor once more. He could sense the grimace that flashed upon the elder’s face.

“I am soon told that you were spotted struggling to defend yourself against three Birds of Paradise. Three. Do you know how fast I ran, thinking that I might not make it to you in time?” Katsuro’s voice went quiet with his question, but Kouga dared not raise his head. “I prayed to the Ancestors as I ran- prayed that I could make it to you before you were torn apart. That’s what they do to us. You know that. You knew that before you disobeyed me and went there. Not only that- you took Ginta and Hakkaku with you. You endangered your own kin because of your foolish actions!” He yelled, the timbre of his voice rough with displeasure. It felt that with each sentence, Kouga’s mind and heart were getting clawed out of his body. He could hardly stand it.

“Father, I-” Kouga croaked as he attempted to explain himself, unbothered at the fact, for once, of how much he sounded like a flustered cub.  

“I did not permit you to speak!” Katsuro had roared, slamming his fist against the stone throne below him.

Life appeared to stand still. One could have heard a feather floating to the ground.

“When I reach the valley, I find you still fighting. Only the Ancestors know how you survived that long- but it did not matter anymore. A quarter of the pack had to be brought in to fight against enemies that you enticed into attacking merely by venturing into their territory. You placed many lives in danger today, Kouga. How can I trust you to take over once I am gone if you perform in this fashion?” Katsuro glared down at his son and released a deep sigh. “I am more than disappointed.” Finally raising his head, Kouga swallowed the lump in his throat. His father had been right; Ginta and Hakkaku had hardly stood a chance against the one bird they had been fighting, and once they had been knocked out, it was left up to Kouga to not only protect himself but also his comrades. He had put his family in danger. Kouga felt his cuts sting again, and he clenched his hands into fists to block out the internal and external pain.

His father slowly stood before stepping over to stand in front of him, for once wearing the full regalia of his pelts. If it had been any other situation, Kouga would have remarked at the uncanny timing for his father to suddenly be wearing his ornate furs and gems and discipline him like a true Alpha.

“Why did you disobey us, Kouga? Why did you not listen to me?” Katsuro asked, his voice uncharacteristically gentle and lacking the teasing tone it typically possessed.

“I…” Kouga started, glancing at his mother, who stared at him with a concerned gaze. “I knew that you and mother had defeated the Birds of Paradise, and… and I wanted to defeat them too. I wanted to prove that I am strong. Strong enough to be Alpha one day.”

Katsuro parted his lips and shook his head, releasing a deflated scoff before dropping to his knees and wrapping his arms around his son. “You are strong, Kouga. You did not have to prove anything.”

The younger ookami felt his father take his chin and lift it up so that their foreheads touched, and suddenly the shame that had plagued his soul from the very beginning of the exchange was flushed away when his mother’s arms wrapped around the two males, encompassing them as best as she could in a tight grasp. He had not even noticed her come closer.

“We could have lost you, Kouga.” Fumiko whispered, her voice silken with longing as she nuzzled her head against his own, and his father let out another deep, shaky sigh against the skin of Kouga’s cheek.

“I am sorry for disgracing you, mother, father…” Kouga whispered eagerly, physically relieved to have the atmosphere more tame, but his monologue was silenced by his father clamping a hand over his mouth.

“I accept your words, Kouga.” Two pairs of blue irises met, one just a darker shade than the other and holding, fortunately, a greater amount of wisdom. “But do not ever do something so reckless again. At least while your mother and I are still alive.” He finished, adding his jest for the sake of lightening the mood.

Kouga pulled his head back and allowed a quavering, grateful smile to form across his features. His father matched his expression.

He learned on that day to never endanger the pack as a means to prove something, especially for the sake of personal pride.

Kouga remembers to do so.  

--*~*--

Kouga remembers the winter of his one hundred and thirty-eighth year being the most bitter he had ever experienced. Hunger had run rampant among the pack. They had lost two elders to starvation and a cub to an unusually aggressive ogre that had been spying on them. The morale of the tribe was low, so downtrodden that even the presence of spring had not been able to lift some spirits. Offerings had been given to the Ancestors as a last resort to at least bless them with a plentiful hunt, but the winter had been so frigid that the spring hunting was not as bountiful as the years before.

He remembers his parents being blamed for the misfortune.

He remembers the scent of blood and death assaulting his senses, the scent of moist iron infiltrating his nostrils and causing every fiber within his being to howl as he walked back to the den from an unsuccessful hunt one day in late spring. The scent quickly spurred him into motion. The wet, green grass beneath his feet squished furiously as his legs carried him, quicker and quicker  until he reached the entrance of the den, his eyes widening in horror as he took in the sight before him. The water from the waterfall was stained a hellish, ruby color as blood passed through its system; the red substance covered any rock, tree, or grass nearby, coating the world around him in a demented nightmare. Bodies- both in humanoid in form and in their primitive wolf form- lay all around, unmoving, unwavering. His mind raced as he tried to piece together what had possibly happened, but all he could smell was the stench of wolf blood; no other creature’s scent could be traced by his seasoned nose. A panicked howl had escaped his body as he examined the carnage, and in the back of his mind he knew he heard Ginta and Hakkaku respond back with their own, but he could not reply when he scented the blood of two wolves in particular.

“Mother!” Kouga had shouted, his throat thick and voice hoarse with distress, “Father!” He had screamed, desperation flooding his being as he raced up the stone walkway, passing by the bodies of his brethren until he reached the mouth of the cave. He grunted as he scrambled through the bodies and weapons and entrails, clawing his way to the inner chambers where his parents resided-

The spectacle before him had made Kouga fall to his knees with a cry of pure agony.

Fumiko and Katsuro lay in the middle of their chambers, piled on top of each other as though they were nothing more than sacks  of rice. Clambering over disheveled furs, jewels, and the few personal belongings his parents owned that had been thrown to the floor, Kouga felt himself heaving in sheer panic and despair and anger. From their lifeless forms, he could almost pick up the faint scent of lilac that had belonged to his mother, but the kill was fresh and the scent of blood continued to suffocate him. He had felt like vomiting, but the tears that spewed from his eyes relentlessly had clogged his vision as he moaned, “No, no, no… No..” The following howling of their names came out in a crazed yell while his mind attempted to wrap around the blank stare of his mother’s hazel eyes and pale skin; his father had fared no better, his stare was as cold and lifeless as his mother’s, but along his throat a deep, uneven gash portrayed the gruesome manner of his death.

Kouga does not remember the next few months very well. It is almost as though his mind will not allow it, but he is able to pick apart bits and pieces from the depths of his youthful memory.

Kouga remembers later learning of a plot to kill his parents that was sparked to life by his father’s most trusted beta, Daisuke, one of the wolves to even save Kouga’s life by the Birds of Paradise less than a century prior. He remembers rounding up anyone who was left alive and perturbed by the manner of this savage attempt at grabbing power and taking back what was his birthright.

Suddenly, Kouga remembers too much. He remembers the stench of entrails, the sound of splattering blood, the mournful and pained howls of wolves; he remembers the chill of winter, and then the blistering, searing pain of Daisuke’s fangs tearing through his flesh, and it burns and burns and burns until he feels like he is engulfed in fire, or he’s being harangued by his father again. He remembers hating dogs- he hates them for not stepping in and supporting him; for allowing the wolves of the tribes to slaughter each other for his birthright, for allowing a civil war to ensue where brother fought against brother. Those damn dogs, the damn dogs, his mind repeats, swirling and churning with one unhappy memory after another. Flickers of memories flash across his eyes and dance in his mind; the last hunt with his father, the sweet caress of his mother, but they are quickly replaced by the agonizing sight of their blood and lifeless eyes and the pain, oh, the pain is too much, and even the clear sky he spies above him does nothing to cool him, and every emotion sprouts in his soul in the midst of what feels like moments, joy and panic and love and fury until it is too much and Kouga feels as though he is dying-

Cerulean hues snap open wide as the reigning Alpha of the Eastern Wolf Tribe releases a breathless, choked gasp, and scrambles to sit up under his furs. Chest heaving, Kouga stares at the stone wall ahead of him, and the flicker of firelight goes unnoticed by his usually acute senses. He feels a bead of sweat- sweat?- roll down the side of his face, but what makes him nearly jump is the light touch of his bed-mate. A delicate, silken palm rests softly against his chest and the owner’s concerned voice calls out to him.

“Kouga?” Kagome asks gently, her own eyes misty from being asleep just moments before, but the worry is evident in her voice, and the wolf-demon is so rattled it takes him a moment to assess the situation. The smell of sweet, youthful citrus enters his nose, and Kouga turns to face his mate.

“I…” He begins, his voice wavering as he attempts to pick up the pieces of his masculinity, and embarrassment rolls over him in waves. His eyes are wide with terror, but his body is beginning to come down from the rush of chaos. Kagome brings her hands to his cheeks, brushing her thumb along the tough skin beneath her hands.

“It’s okay,” She whispers, calming the frightened demon before her. Never before has Kagome seen the absolute, internal distress in his eyes present now. Instinctually, she reaches out for him, wrapping her arms around his form and tugging him close, “I’m here. Everything’s okay.”

Kouga allows himself to relish in the small moment, closing his eyes in grateful comfort. What did he ever do to deserve someone like Kagome? Here she was, clutching a frightened demon to her to make him feel better. He almost wants to laugh, but instead chooses to stay silent and envelop her in his own arms. Deep, solemn breaths are shared between the two of them in the silence of the night, but it eases the stress of his memories.

“Are you alright now?” Kagome murmurs against the skin of his shoulder, brushing her fingers slowly through his hair. “I’ll be fine,” He retorts, his eyes still shut.

“Do you want to talk about it? You were really shaken up, Kouga…”

He pauses.

“No, no, I just…” Kagome lifts her head, and Kouga can see his woman is not going to take no for an answer. “Ah,” He nervously states, preparing himself for his defeat. “Fine. Fine. You sure you want to hear it?” The demon acquiesces with a grunt.

Kagome scoffs and takes his hands into her own. “Of course I do. I’m your woman, aren’t I? I’m always going to be here to listen to you. Accordingly, of course.” A sheepish smile graces those beautiful, rosy lips.

Kouga feels his heart nearly burst before he begins to speak, and he rolls his eyes before flashing back a toothy half-grin of his own. “Alright, alright..”

That night, Kagome teaches him the importance of opening up and discussing one’s vulnerabilities and that it is acceptable to vent to a trusted advisor.

Kouga remembers to do so. He remembers, indeed.

-

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      --*~*--

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[Hello, it’s me! Thank you so much for reading my story. It means so much! I just thought it would be nice to give some more stories about Kouga’s childhood and the things he’s been through, since the anime and manga don’t go that much into detail. 

Also, the part where Kouga gets in trouble with his father? Does it seem familiar? That’s because if you’ve watched the Lion King, it is based from there! I have always had a hc that Kouga could find himself in a similar situation as Simba, with wanting to prove something to himself but doing it recklessly. I in no way mean to copy that trope as my own; I just wanted to put a personal twist on a well known tale from the Lion King. Creds to Disney for making such a good scene! 

I hope you enjoyed. It was really fun to write this and somehow I completed it in one day. Please let me know what you guys think! I hope I wrote Kouga alright lol. PS: here you go, guys, a little treat from me :’) @kouga-appreciation @nikkxb @writingsomestupidshitlovelies ]

[commandercrouton]

KogKag Week Prompt #2

Demons/Humans

Summary: I decided to do a different approach to the prompt, making Kagome a demon, and Kouga a human. Enjoy!

Kouga returned from his hunt early in the morning to find the village meeting in the center of town. He quickly dropped off the animal he killed in his tent, and rushed back to the meeting. He hoped the reason they were meeting was good. He was disappointed to discover the full moon had a blue ring around it as it reached the highest point in the sky. The water demon would need a sacrifice.

“How long will we sacrifice our children, our friends, our family to this cold hearted beast!?”

“We should fight her!”

“How can we fight a demon? She will destroy our homes and crops with floods. She will make sure fish avoid our traps. We will starve and die anyways if we do not please her!”

Kouga looked around his village and saw each villager trying to voice their own opinion whenever the dreaded blue ring appeared around the full moon. He was familiar with all their arguments, but it all ended the same. The village would succumb to pleasing the demon and sacrifice the person that was chosen. They could not risk losing an entire village for the pleasure of one’s safety.

He couldn’t stand to see one more family being ripped apart thanks to this demon. He rushed forward to the front of the crowd, and found himself facing the village leader.

“I volunteer myself to the water demon. I will go proudly for our village,” Kouga announced for all to hear. Mixed reactions were heard throughout the crowd. There were sighs of relief, and voices of disapproval. What would they do without the most gifted hunter their village had?

“It is a noble action to give yourself to the beast. Are you sure?” The village leader asked Kouga.

Kouga nodded in affirmation. He could not let the village know what he was truly planning. If he was going to kill this demon, he would need surprise on his side.

That night, Kouga was fitted in the finest silks their village had to offer.The many garments allowed him to hide his goraishi, the family heirloom passed from father to son. His long, unruly, black hair was smoothed and brushed into a fine ponytail. The village priest uttered a final prayer for Kouga’s soul before he was pushed into the icy waters.

Kouga fought the urge to survive and swim to reach the surface. The farther he sank in the lake, the darker it became. His lungs were begging for the relief of air, and he could feel himself losing consciousness. Kouga thought he saw a light in the distance, before everything went black.

Kouga slowly stirred into consciousness as he realized he wasn’t in the water anymore, and he could breathe again. He immediately coughed up water that resided in his lungs, and gasped hungrily for air.

“You’re up,” said a small voice next to him.

Kouga blearily opened his eyes and saw a little fox kit demon staring at him.

“The Lady of the castle wants to see you,” the fox kit continued. “Are you well enough to stand?”

The Lady of the castle? He must mean the water demon. Kouga knew this must be his only chance to slay the beast before he was killed. He may be a human, but he knew he could do it.

Kouga nodded and slowly stood. He looked at himself to see the fine silks his village dressed him in was replaced with fur clothing. It did do a better job of warming him in the icy depths of the lake, but he realized with sadness his weapon must have been lost in the depths as well.

The fox kit led Kouga through the hallways of the castle before they came upon a grand entrance to a massive throne room.

“Lady Kagome, I have brought the newest villager to you,” the fox kit announced, bowing to a figure sitting on the throne in front of him.

“Thank you Shippou. Please leave us,” Lady Kagome answered in a kind and authoritative voice. Shippou bowed gracefully, before he left, closing the door to the throne room, leaving the two alone.

Kouga looked at the petite figure sitting in the throne. He was surprised by how young and beautiful she was. She sat on a green throne that seemed to have grown from the plants that grew in the depths of the lake. Her dark hair was adorned with a water lily crown, which went well with her beautiful blue silk dress.

Kagome stood and walked from the throne to meet this newcomer directly. She could not help but notice how his gaze roamed over her body appreciatively. He was no doubt mesmerized by the silk dress she wore that was made from the waves of the lake itself. Each movement caused a ripple to run throughout her dress.

“Who are you, and why does your village continue to discard your human beings to my castle?” Lady Kagome demanded.

Kouga stood transfixed, shocked by the words the demon spoke. It must be a trap.

“Answer me,” she demanded.

“My name is Kouga, and our village does not discard humans to your realm. You demand them every blue moon! If we do not follow your command, you flood our village, and destroy our homes!” Kouga was shocked by how loud his voice came out.

Her laughter filled the air. It was sweet, and melodious, like a creek trickling over rocks. “I am not familiar with your human jokes, but I am sure this is what that must be,” she concluded. She smiled warmly at him, and Kouga felt his knees weaken.

“It is no joke. I am a sacrifice,” he stated weaker than he intended.

Horror and disgust formed on the water demon’s face as she realized what he spoke was truth. “I have never intended the village to discard their humans. Every one that has been sent here has been released and given gifts to live back in their human world. I may be a water demon, but I am no monster.”

Kouga watched her closely. “Prove it.”

Lady Kagome balked in response. “I will not. This is the third human that has been sent down here this season. My home is not waste for your humans to discard of unwanted villagers.”

Kouga watched her, disbelief still etched on his face. Lady Kagome did not know why his opinion of her mattered, but she found herself calling Shippou back in with the records he kept of every visitor she received.

“Shippou, please recite all human visitors that I have brought back to the castle, and what their outcome was. Tell no lies,” she commanded.

Shippou recited of old and young villagers, some that survived that fall in the lake, and some that did not. Kouga caught the look of sadness on Kagome’s face as Shippou spoke of a young girl who did not survive, no matter the efforts to save her. She was no older than five.

He continued to speak of villagers whom Kouga knew himself, but realized they only mentioned villagers from the last few years. He knew the village has been doing this since he was a child, and now he was a man of one and twenty.

“Pardon me, but how long have you resided in the lake?” he interrupted Shippou.

“I made this lake my home six years ago. My old home was polluted from blood and weapons of warring towns. I chose this home because it was far from battle,” Kagome answered.

Kouga knew that no new water demon announced their presence demanding the sacrifices as demons typically do. He must have been crazy, but he believed her.

“Lady Kagome, I request you make an appearance to the village, and explain to my village what has occurred, respectfully of course.” Kouga bowed.

“Will this stop your village from sending me humans to save?” She asked.

He nodded in response.

“Then I will do it. Kouga, please stand by my side, so they shall not doubt me.”

Lady Kagome grabbed Kouga’s hand, and he felt a surge of electricity shoot through him. He looked at this young woman, and saw kindness hidden by strength. Kouga found himself falling in love with this water demon. Kagome dropped an opaque stone that formed a bubble around the two. Kouga knew it was for his benefit, since he could not breathe underwater.

The two arose out of the water, shocking the villagers into a frenzy. Kogua saw the sun setting in the distance, and realized a day must have passed.

“I am the water demon, Lady Kagome, who resides in this lake. I beg of you, please do not send me sacrifices. I am a kind demon who chose this village because of the peacefulness. I was forced to leave my last home due to war. I vow I will not send floods to destroy your crops. I vow I will not let your village starve. If you heed my words, and believe in my honesty and truthfulness, I will be your guardian. I will protect your village, and all those who come to reside here. All I ask is you do not pollute my waters. Here is the man Kouga, the last man who you threw into my waters, left to drown in the bottom of the waters. I saved his life, and now I give him back to you. Let him attest to my truth.”

Kouga stepped forward and spoke to his small village. “Lady Kagome speaks the truth. She has only resided here for six years. Let us end the sacrifices. Let us end the separation of families. She means us no harm.”

The villagers were wary to believe the water demon, but they could not deny their own Kouga was standing there in flesh and blood.

“As a sign of faith, I will marry this human before me. As long as our children resides in this lake, and our home is treated with respect, your village need not worry,” Lady Kagome announced.

“I’m sorry, what?” Kouga asked her.

“We will marry.”

Kouga doubted what she said would come true, but the next week, he found himself standing on the edge of the lake, waiting for his bride to appear from the lake. When she emerged, the village leader resided over their ceremony, and the two were bonded. Kouga now had the lifespan of his mate. They loved each other for many years before they both succumbed to old age, leaving their children being to reside in the lake and watch over the village their father came from. When their children came of age to find their own homes, they chose which one was to stay. And so their family ruled the lake for centuries, while the tale of their water demon mother whom married a human man grew into legend that stayed with the village until the end of its days.

[cassielfbapyz]

Mate

FINALLY finished chapter Four of Mate!!!! Chapter is definitely longer than any of the previous, old and new, which makes me very happy but god, was it difficult!

Also, tags are fucking hard :/

[swordsmithtotosai]

lol.

when i got a totally fucked up toxic ex/relationship(s) for one muse

and a wholesome fluffy one for my other in this au.

balance. ♡ 

[moonasheschevalier]

Shadowrunner - Polaris

"The Azalea flower symbolizes passion and feelings of attraction towards someone you like. This flower can be a great gift for someone who caught your attention and you want to win over his or her attention. This flower expresses strong emotions of attraction and the message is going to be very clear".

[cats-inthe-back]

This is one of the first AMVs I ever tried to do and I would like to dedicate it and its mirrored thematic twin “Back to You” to @maddieson-san for her incredible Koga x kagome fanfiction

[sugarless-suki-writes]

Sobriety

Fandom: Inuyasha Rating: M Word Count: 9,898 Chapters: 1 of 4

Read on Ao3

Support me on Ko-Fi!

Summary: It’s been several years since Kagome was forced back into the present after defeating Naraku. With the well permanently closed off and severing her connection to those she was closest to, Kagome struggles with finding her place in the present and coping with her mental health. And as Tanabata rolls around, she has to think of what she wants to wish for. 

Love will stunt your growth Love will make it hard to stay sober So hard to stay sober

Part of the Sparks Fly in July KouKag Event

---

Tanabata Festival || Heatwave

It’s been five years since the battle with Naraku. Five years since the Sacred Jewel was destroyed. Five years since the well spat her out in the present, ripped away from her friends and those she considered family in the Feudal Era. Trapped in a time that had gradually become foreign to her and forced to carry on in the life she almost left behind.

Her depression had been horrible.

She hardly ate, barely spoke, and struggled to get up out of bed. She had lost so much weight then. Her family did everything they could, but there was only so much they could provide her. 

Kagome couldn’t go to therapy. What was she supposed to tell them? That she was in such a horrible state because she longed to be five hundred years in the past? Tell them that her likely PTSD stemmed from fighting demons all day and through the night? Even having been kidnapped by some and almost killed? Yeah, sure. She could do that. And then she would spend the rest of her life in a psych ward, and what good would that do? So... she had to suffer on her own, and figure out how to overcome all of it by herself. And she dealt with it the best way she knew how.

Burying herself in work and studies.

[kagomehigurashi]

I just wanted to say thank you for including my fanfiction on your kougkag fic rec list - it totally took me by suprise and literally made my HEART stop I swear. I never thought this would ever happen yknow? 😭

this is so cute omg, you have no idea how happy your happiness makes me!😭😭😭💕 tbh I should be the one saying thank YOU for sharing such a cute and unique kogkag fic!!! i love it and it makes my heart warm :’)❤️❤️❤️❤️

[maddieson-san]

College Life Update

Summary: After a horrible first year of college, Sango is determined to get Kagome back on track. Even if that meant dragging her kicking and screaming to a frat boy party so that she could finally get over Inuyasha.

Chapter 10

AFN ~ FFN