#naraku needs a hug and a kiss on the forehead

[thejestersmelody]

Inuyasha: “ You and i may be nothing alike,but we are both half demons.That means in both of us there is a human heart and a demon heart, Naraku. But you have betrayed that!! We were both given the freedom to choose. To follow our human heart, or our demon heart and you chose to live as a demon ignoring all that was human in you. You chose to hurt others, and curse them with misery and suffering.” ♣

[skylxft]

Dear. «SessKik fic»

Lord Sesshoumaru, the Great Demon Lord of the Western Lands, was not the anxious sort. Never once had he ever doubted himself or his capabilities to defeat an opponent—or so he has said—and he had been adamant that it was unlikely to change any time soon. Not even Naraku himself—the vile insect that he had been—had ever sparked anything but disgust and annoyance. Practically everyone was beneath him in terms of skill and nobility; a lion did not concern itself with the opinion of sheep, after all.

‘Stubborn and proud as the day we met,’ Kikyo would joke, a hint of a smile on her lips. He was inclined to agree with his beloved.

‘Anxiety’ was simply not a term in his vocabulary, and it was going to stay that way. No, absolutely nothing could ever change such a thing.

Or so he had thought.

It had first started as a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, and it had been shortly after discovering his mate was with child. Although it was there, lurking just beneath the surface, Sesshoumaru could easily squash the sensation and put his focus elsewhere. He was much too busy with other things. Time and focus was not something he was willing to give to such a wretched feeling.

No, there was only time for the important things.

Like when Rin would come visit to spend time with them, happily flitting up and about while chatting about all the new things she was experiencing in the village. Kikyo would often offer advice to the young girl, and other times, she would offer stories of her own past experiences. The two would spend hours talking and playing while Sesshoumaru would watch them, happy to observe them and occasionally taking part in the activities whenever Rin would ask. There were even times where Kohaku would tag along with Rin, filling the compound with even more energy and warmth.

No, Sesshoumaru was much too busy with his home, with his family. There was certainly no time to focus on such useless feelings.

But then he began to get restless and clingy...

Kikyo had noticed it first. He was touching her more often; holding her hand, kissing her, hugging her, and even touching the growing swell of her stomach. If there was an opportunity to touch her when they were together—be it in a platonic or a sensual way—he would do so. It shocked not only Inuyasha and Kagome (the few times that they came to visit), but Rin as well when they saw the new behavior. While it wasn’t a secret that the two of them were affectionate with each other, neither Kikyo nor Sesshoumaru had ever been so public about it. No, that was typically reserved for just moments between them, where they could focus on nothing but each other.

Out of all things, however, his most favorite seemed to be playing with her hair before they slept. If she let him, Sesshoumaru would spend the entire time while they were in bed just running his clawed hands through the dark strands. Touching her had always been soothing to him, but something about touching her hair just felt so intimate and hushed away the strange feeling lingering under his skin. It made him forget. And although Kikyo never seemed to say anything about it, she would always nestle herself closer to him until there was no space between them and then drift off to sleep.

Nothing else mattered, and the world was at peace.

And he was fine. Just fine. So long as she was there, he was fine.

Eventually, as his mate’s belly grew and the feeling began to deepen, the act of playing with her hair became a common occurrence just as the other acts of touching had. It was as if he needed to do so to keep himself grounded when the feeling was beginning to get too much, and Kikyo knew this.

Kikyo always knew.

‘Will you brush my hair?’ she would ask seemingly out of nowhere, always gently touching him and offering her lovely smile all while chasing away the sinking feeling. The demon lord would always comply, taking painstaking time to brush through all the inky tresses as gently as possible. She would always rest against him afterwards, both of their hands on her belly—soft and warm and lovely—and they would spend countless minutes just like that, cooing and humming whenever either would feel their child’s kicks.

It was only today—a particularly bad day if he was honest—that Sesshoumaru could no longer ignore the feeling.

Now, Sesshoumaru had always been quite territorial when it came to Kikyo—and no, it most certainly wasn’t because of what his mate and his half-brother once had, absolutely not—but he had never hovered over her before. Logically, he knew that his mate was more than capable of taking care of herself; she proved it on more than one occasion against countless demons. Even so, it was almost like all his nerves were on edge, and he was ready to attack anything that came remotely close to her.

That included his little brother and his brother’s mate.

Inuyasha and Kagome had come to visit them, both because they were excited that the time for the birth was fast approaching and also to discuss the process for that time. And it had all been fine—lovely even—until Inuyasha looked at Kikyo in a peculiar way that didn’t sit well with the demon lord. So one moment, the women were talking in the gardens about how Kagome was going to help during the process to ensure the safety of both mother and child, the very next had Sesshoumaru holding his sword against Inuyasha’s throat and baring his teeth at him. This, of course, resulted in a commotion that had both women effectively pulling the two brothers away from each other. On the heels of that, Kagome dragged Inuyasha out, leaving behind the two mates at a standstill.

Silence filled the space between them, but Sesshoumaru could feel his heart beating in his ears. She wasn’t even looking at him, and yet he stood frozen in place. Even if he tried to reach out to her, she was too far out of reach.

One beat, two beat, three beat. Four.

Then...

“Why did you do that?” Her words sunk deep into him, the cool softness of her voice almost brash against his ears. “They were only here to help me prepare for the child. Our child.”

It hurt enough to know that she was greatly upset with him, but the hurt was twofold the moment she turned around, a subtle frown on her face and her eyes guarded.

She was waiting for an answer.

And Sesshoumaru, the Great Demon Lord that he was, had never felt so small before another.

Restlessness poured into him, his skin suddenly too tight. The feeling in the pit of his stomach gnawed its way through his entire being right then and there, mercilessly wrapping around his heart.

“A lapse in judgement.”

He knew it wasn’t the answer Kikyo was looking for, but he found it hard to speak past the lump that was growing in his throat, hard to think rationally at all. His eyes were even beginning to lose focus from how overwhelming the feeling was beginning to grow. She seemed to have noticed this, her upset giving way to worry. Just knowing that he was causing her to worry made him feel worse.

It was like he couldn’t breathe, as if he was going to die right in that instant.

He wanted to run.

“Sesshoumaru, I’m right here. I’m with you.” The careful gentleness in Kikyo’s voice reminded him of how she would speak to a frightened child, of how she would speak to Rin or Kohaku when they would wake crying from a nightmare: soothing and assuring. Although he could hear her words, his sight was failing him and everything within him was still screaming to escape. The demon in him began clawing its way out of him, desperate to get away from this moment, from this feeling.

He could not be this weak.

Sesshoumaru was not sure when he had crumbled into himself on the floor or when his mate had gotten so close to him, but he could feel the warmth of her aura around him. It ebbed and flowed in gentle waves, pressing against him and embracing him. The tenseness in his body began lessening as he accepted it. And part of him relished at how comforting and familiar it was to him now, how it soothed him as much as touching her usually did and how he could feel how deeply her love ran. 

But the other part...

The other part was ashamed that his mate had to see him like this, broken like a frightened child that was overwhelmed by the world. His pride as a demon lord could not—absolutely would not—tolerate such weakness in him. Weakness could get them killed. Not to mention the shame that such a thing would bring. And shame was not something he was accustomed to either. But she knew that.

She always knew.

“Whatever you need, I am here. Focus on me, focus on what I do.”

The demon lord tensed for a moment, trying to prepare himself for what would happen next. His panic-filled mind was prepared for the absolute worst, but then she touched him. Her fingers were grazing against his cheek marks, sweet and coaxing like her honeyed-tone voice. The tenderness of her actions and the realness of her touch pierced through the panic, reaching down deep and comforting him and soothing little by little. The rushing of his own heart in his ears waned, letting him focus on other things again. She was resting her forehead against his, her inky hair a shield against the rest of the world around them. He could smell her scent again, her scent of bellflowers and rain. And if he narrowed in on it, he could smell their child’s scent on her too.

Their child. His child.

‘Mine.’

“Listen to my heartbeat, and breathe with me.”

Breathing in time with Kikyo took an absurd amount of effort in this moment, but Sesshoumaru pushed past all the other things that were still coursing through his mind and body. His golden eyes were open and focusing on her, taking in every detail that he could. Her heartbeat, strong and steady, was like music to his ears. Her breaths were hushed, heavy and filled with unspoken words.

As if she was breathing new life into him, settling the storm that had raged within him just seconds before. Like molten gold filling in the cracks of a broken cup.

It was then that he realized just how much he depended on her, how much he needed her in his life. He would never be able to go back to how he was. No, he didn’t want to go back to a life without her.

And perhaps that was what had scared him most.

“Kikyo…”

At the sound of her name, she pulled back and looked at him right in the eye, careful and loving, and it left the demon lord warm. It was his turn to touch her now, taking the time to caress her face and admire the smile that tugged at her lips. She had never been more beautiful than she was in that moment.

He loved her. He loved her so, so much.

They didn’t speak for a long while, staying in each other’s embrace until the feeling in him finally dissipated into nothing. But even so, the two shared a silent conversation between gentle touches and honest looks. He was fearful of losing her and she was just as afraid of losing him. And they were both fearful of losing their family.

But they were okay. She was okay, and he was okay. And they were happy. 

And that was more than enough. Their family would always be more than enough.

[little-inukag-obsessed]

Never Let You Go - Pt.1

*trumpets* For you delight, I hope, the promised first  complete part of the revisited version of what was originally written late for the InuKag Week. I tag @clearwillow and @hnnwnchstr for the support! *angst ahead* you are warned u.u . Good read^^

You can now find it on AO3 too!

She couldn't help the drop in her stomach when the ground started to crumble under her feet, making her feel helpless and desperate... She tried, with a final effort, to grab onto his suikan sleeve but it seemed already out of reach. A sudden roar made her blood ran cold and a chocked yell escaped her mouth:

“No!”

Kagome woke up startled, distressed, forehead covered in sweat, gasping for air. It was just a thunder. A thunder woke her up from a stupid nightmare. The rain, indeed, was pouring steadily on the wooden roof of the hut, reminding her where she actually was, that she was safe and there was nothing wrong except from that relentless shower, she thought, joking around.

The young miko-in-training, then, took a deep breath in order to calm down herself and, waiting for her sight to adjust completely to the gloom, streched out instictively a hand next to her but... there was something wrong. She find just the cold and empty sheet waiting for her. Right, Inuyasha wasn’t back home yet. Apparently, that nightmare just conveyed some rather uncomfortable vibe she couldn’t place right before falling asleep.   How much she would have wanted that those walls would be enough to reassure her, as a guarantee that her nighmare upsetting scenario wouldn’t be possible, but it wasn’t the case. She found herself alone. She was feeling alone. That realization made the raven haired girl curl up under the blankets of the half empty marital futon.

It was just that Kagome was experiencing trouble sleeping without the hanyou at her side and when she finally drifted off was usually a pretty agitated slumber, like the one she had just woken up from. Deprived from his warm body, she was feeling like she couldn’t actually loosen up and thus made her uneasiness  come to surface. Besides, the mattresses of that time didn’t really help either to relieve her tension, since they were essentially made of straw, still, despite all, there were always a part of the young miko from the future that reminded herself this was part of the package she had chosen. So, precisely because she was educated on the matter, Kagome shouldn’t nit-pick the situation. The point was that the outlook was substantially changed, knowing that there was no more alternative. There was no more jumping from one era to the other, to find a way to gloss over the fatigue that it implied, to find a balance between the two realities that, no matter how weird, would allow her to carry forward the responsabilities of both and find find refuge in one or the other when she was feeling the need to do it. No, now Kagome choose just one and the balance she needed to find was  solely in the aspects that should regulate her new life there.

The young woman pushed aside the blankets and seated on the futon, hugging her bended legs and placing her head on her knees. Of course she was not second guessing her decision because of those mundande things, she followed her heart and she never regretted it, but there were times when she was struggling more than what she had expected. She recalled the very first days when they spent every possible moment togheter, while she was hosted by the old Kaede, the young miko in training was feeling just like a teen-girl with her boyfriend, after all she was still eighteen. When Inuyasha picked her up after the lesson with the elderly one and took her away, feeling like flying, onto his warm back, was like he was picking her up from school and was the most natural thing of all, as if the three years that took them apart never existed, as they were resuming  exactly from where they were so abruplty got interrupted.

Everything encapsulated in that gesture thet, over time, embodied their wanting to be more close to one another and marked, because of that, the growth of their intimacy to the point where she didn’t even need her bike anymore; a feeling still easy to rekindle between them, like muscle memory. Echoed in her mind the remembrance of the kiss they shared on Goshinboku, where Inuyasha brought her sure that they wouldn't be bothered by anyone or the moment when he warmly whispered in her ear his marriage proposal, on a starry night, always up there. It was something the young miko didn't  even feel necessary, she was just happy to be with him, but the hanyou wanted to give her the demonstration he couldn't  bear to be parted from her never again and, so, she eagerly accepted, kissing him impetously, almost risking to fell off the brach. Moreover, in order to live togheter without  scandalize the villagers, still very fond of those traditions even if undeniable progresses were made concerning the newfound respect for him, the two had to put together some sort of wedding ceremony nonetheless.

Kagome lied down on her side once more and stared at the empty half of the marital futon, a sigh escaping her mouth. In those moments everything seemed so easy, like she couldn't feel the weight of anything, of the radical change she would have gone through, the one she she was experiencing right now and that was scaring her a bit. The raven haired girl was feeling the pressure to live up to her own expectations and she wasn't so sure that was actually happening. Her chocolate pools shifted on her wrist, enveloped in a strip of Inuyasha's red suikan that, just two weeks prior, wrapped their hands togheter while woving their union would be unbreakble like the Inezumi fabric itself...

In the fading light of the sunset, Inuyasha picked her up on his back and in blink they were gone, with no time to waste. Being so close to him, basking into his warmth, letting the fresh air fill her lungs.... Inuyasha was making it seem effortless. Kagome would do that forever and from now on they could. An uncontainable joy spread in her heart and the brand- new wife tightened even more her hold on her husband’s neck, so much that the hanyou protested:

“Ya’ll end up choking me...!“

“Oh, sorry.” she replied, not having actually noticed how much she had held more on her grip.

“Keh,” he snapped back, but she could almost hear the smirk in his voice.

Once they arrived to their new home, their hut, for the first time Inuyasha took again his bride into his strong arms, caughting her off guard:

“What are you doing...?!”

“In that weird box with pictures in ya house once I saw a guy bring his...wife like this sayin’ it’d bring’em luck.” he replied, blushing slightly.

Kagome chuckled softly, flattered by a such regard and still not very used to be called wife by her hanyou.

“So what are you waiting for, husband?” she playfully teased him with a loving smile.

“You never change. You are still the same annoying wench.”

“You know what they say, you take the whole package.”

With a fake displeased grunt, Inuyasha resolved to cross the threshold  and, once inside, he safely placed down his young miko from the future. They were finally all alone in their home. A gift from the villagers, actually, as a reward for defeating Naraku. Kagome closed the little gap between them, laying her hands on his toned chest wrapped in the Inezumi suikan. Her chocolate pools drowned in the warm amber irises of the hanyou, too lost in him. A shiver ran down her spine when Inuyasha removed with his clawed index a rebellious strand of her raven hair, lifting up her chin just a little more to meet his lips. Their gazes were locked in a spell she couldn’t break and in the state she was she wasn’t even able make a coherent thought that wasn’t about him.

“Inuyasha...”  was the only word the young wife could articulate, inches from his mouth.

“Kagome...” the husky tone in his voice was undeniable.

Then their lips melted eagerly. His fangs were too much a temptation to be left aside while their kiss intensified, making their tongue dance togheter in a restless craving for each other. Breathless and flushed from it they had to, reluctanly, part.

“I love you” Kagome confessed in a whisper. Was the first time she said it to him so clearly... it was just she felt the urge to tell him straight away.

“Gimme ya hand.” Inuyasha said, still more hoarse than usual, and took it with his calloused one without ceremonies. He placed it right upon his herrating beating heart adding:

“This beats for ya, thanks to ya”.

His honeyed eyes were so deep and sincere, making her feel overwhelmed with the meaningfullness of those words. With watery eyes Kagome raised on her tiptoes and stamped a little kiss on his lips.

“How do you feel about inaugurating our new hut...?” A devious light shined in her chocolate eyes, taking the place of the tears.

Her husband replied with devious grin as well, challenging her:

“Do ya feel ready for it...?”

“Shouldn’t I?”

The young wife took her hanyou by the hand and, walking backwards, she headed to their marital futon.

All of a sudden, Kagome saw Inuyasha change expression and moving his ears frantically, like to catch to something he wasn’t sure about.

“What’s up, Inuyasha?” she asked, all at one worried.

“Something’s wrong at the village. I gotta go.”

He left her hands abruptly and added:

“Stay here.” grabbed Tessaiga, which had remained near the entrance, and jumped outside.

“Inuyasha!” She yelled at her husband from the threshold.

A clap of thunder made Kagome drift from her thoughts and, so, she turned on her back, restless, her gaze wandering in the dark, while the rain was still pouring outside.That time was an oni who was menacing to destroy crops and he just couldn't let him have his way with it. Certainly, the young wife never expected or wished that their first night togheter turned that way, still what unsettled her the most was how she let the hanyou go alone. She couldn't do anything to stop him. Like he didn't even heard her. Like she was useless. Something kept feeling off after that. The days passed and the raven haired girl was still dancing around the subject, not being able to tell him about her fears, feeling detached from him, not being able to read him anymore. To know what was in his, now, husband heart. She couldn’t even call him out on that, like she did so frequently in the past, a potential quarrel just seemed so out of place. She didn’t know how to channel her uneasiness.

Kagome decided, abruptly, to get up from the marital futon and headed towards the bamboo door of the hut, lifting it up in order to look outside at the unrelentig shower. There were no more missions, were no more uncertainty about her fate, she was there to remain. To estabilish her life as an adult. Was that what she imagined for her...?

[hanxreyo]

Paper cranes

Okay I prepared this oneshot for SessKaguWeekend2020 but I’ve changed my mind... Rated for the language (vocab, grammar etc bc I’m not an English speaker). If I have any mistakes, please inform me so I can improve my English writing, thank you ~

__________________

Sesshomaru didn't know how to make origami.

 He didn't care about it, either.

 Making origami, for him, wasted his time and maybe his papers. He had no intention to do such thing. It seemed only the pathetic humans do, not demons.

 But he admitted that watching his ward folding origami was interesting, though he never said it. The little girl was so clever, she transformed his papers into everything, like some kinds of flowers and animals. Handmade-origamis were in every corner of his castle and he didn't bother that, if only his ward were happy.

 "Master Jaken, be careful!" Rin cried as Jaken nearly stepped on the origami cranes which were on the floor.

 "What? They're only papers!" The imp jumped back, shouting.

 "No. I make them for a wish!" The girl smiled. "If I write my wish in one thousand pieces of paper and fold cranes from those pieces, my wish will become true!"

 "Foolish human! How can those useless papers-"

 "Jaken." Sesshomaru growled, clearly annoyed by the imp. He needed to relax, not hear Jaken's complaints about Rin's action.

 "Apologies, my Lord." Jaken bowed immediately. He knew he had to shut his mouth up before his Lord's patience was thin and he kicked him by his boots.

 Rin giggled and continued folding paper cranes. Sesshomaru was curious about what her wish was, though he didn't believe those origami papers could make her wish come true. Neither he would ask her. If his ward wanted the others to know her secret, she would say it herself.

 "Number thousandth! Done!" Rin laughed, dropping the paper crane into a huge glass bottle. There were so many paper cranes in it, he wondered when the little girl had started folding them. It seemed that she had spent at least a month, or more. Such waste time and energy for something that was just an imagination.

 The window of his room suddenly opened and a gust of wind blew around the bottle. One thousand paper cranes followed the wind and created a small storm in his room. Rin awed and Jaken seemed to be shocked by the scenery. Sesshomaru didn't notice them, since the wind brought a familiar scent to his sensitive nose. Blood and flowers.

 A memory stuck in his mind. A memory he never wanted to recall.

 That day, the first time in his entire life, he had known the feeling of losing. The great Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Land had never been frustrated and disappointed like that before. The Tenseiga, which he had once assumed that it was useless, had been useless at that time. It couldn't save her! Why had the sword saved everyone but not her - the only one he willing to save?

 Ridiculous.

 Naraku was dead. Sesshomaru had avenged him for her. Her death was not in vain. He thought he could forget all about her after that, yet she still appeared in his dreams, with the last, the most beautiful smile on her lips. He didn't know why her death possessed him, some sort of regret always filled his lungs and his heart beat fast and loudly in his chest when he awoke. Even his father's death couldn't be haunting as much as hers.

 He didn't know what his feeling for her. Pity? Empathetic? Or… love? He cleared the last out of his mind. He was a taiyokai, he didn't love. Humans needed love, or maybe his foolish father needed it too, not him. Love was a weakness.  He swore he would never make the same mistake like his father.

 Yet he couldn't deny that he felt comfortable when being with her. She knew how to make him, a stoic creature, smile, the true smile. Even Rin couldn't do that, though the little girl had succeeded in melting his icy heart and softening his golden eyes.

 Grey was her color in the beginning and she hadn't been able to paint her life brighter. The bastard Naraku'd hold her heart on his palm, squeezed it every time she disobeyed him to force her to do his dirty works. She'd wanted to escape him, wanted to have her freedom. She'd won her freedom at last, before becoming the wind. Maybe, Sesshomaru thought, death was good for her, since no one could force something as free as the wind. But he hadn't got through her death yet. She had died and his life turned into the boring grey color. No one could make him smile anymore.

 "Lord Sesshomaru, look!" Rin's cheerful voice rang in his ears. He raised an eyebrow, looking towards the direction his ward was pointing. The paper cranes and the wind formed a woman's shape in front of his desk. His eyes widened slightly as the figure moved to reach him. Yet he stilled and let the wind do whatever it wanted.

 A hand - he supposed it was a hand - caressed his cheek. It wasn't rough like paper but it wasn't smooth like skin either. He didn't know how to describe his feeling, it was hard to say. Instead of thinking about it, he leaned on the gentle touch, a small smile appeared on his lips.

 "Kagura." He whispered. He knew it was her - his wind sorceress.

 Rin clapped her hands under her chin, a bright smile on her face. The little girl turned to see Jaken, who was still in shock. "See, Master Jaken? I told you, now my wish comes true!"

 Sesshomaru couldn't stand the urge to ask his ward about her wish. It seemed that the wish had something to do with him. But he didn't have a chance to ask because someone threw both hands around him. His eyes widened. One thousand paper cranes flew around his room while they transformed into normal pieces of paper and fell on the floor. In front of him was his wind witch, the real Kagura herself.

 Just before he could reach her, she pulled him away. Her crimson eyes glittered as she playfully smirked. "Yo Sesshomaru, long time no see."

 "Arrogant witch! How could you be such disrespectful to Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken snapped, completely freed from the frozen situation. Sesshomaru glared at his servant, and the imp quickly covered his mouth.

 "Lady Kagura, you come back!" Rin ran to hug the wind sorceress. Kagura was flushed by the child's embrace, yet she lowered herself and hugged back. The smirk disappeared as she muttered under her throat "Thank to you, Rin. And those origami cranes."

 The little girl smiled at her, leaning over and kissing Kagura's cheek. Sesshomaru observed the scene, he felt peace filled his room. One of the papers flew on his desk, and he read the words on it. "Rin wishes Rin could see Lord Sesshomaru smile more!" So that was Rin's wish. She knew the only one could make him smile.

 And those papers were not as useless as he thought. Rin always brought him from surprise to surprise. Like this moment.

 "Lady Kagura, can I ask you something?" The little girl happily combed the wind sorceress's hair.

 "Yes, Rin?"

 "Do you want to be my Lord's Lady? If you want, Lord Sesshomaru will no longer lose his soul regularly!"

 "…"

________

Bonus:

"Master Jaken, what are you doing?" Rin curiously asked, when Jaken was using a lot of papers to write and fold. 

"Making paper cranes, you idiot!" The imp shouted at the little girl. "I don't let that wench around Lord Sesshomaru anymore!"

"But Lady Kagura didn't do anything wrong! Besides, you're the one to fold cranes in the wrong way."

"Yes yes, I know, stop babbling!" The imp was angry. He tried to watch Rin making paper cranes and imitate her. But in the end, all he could do was throwing the papers away and lying on the floor with a sweaty forehead. 

Clearly, folding origami didn't suit demons!

[sacred-arrow-writes]

Loving You In My Own Way

This is just a bunch of fluffy garbage. Probably makes no sense and is probably a little OC, but it's cute. I'm trying to gather courage to add chapters to If It Were Me and I'm coming up short. So, Enjoy.

@keichanz @shardetector @sankontesu @artistefish @mustardyellowsunshine @grapefruitwannabe @akiza-hades-rose

---IK---

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because I think you're cute.”

Inuyasha scoffed as he turned away, a blush mareing his cheeks. He heard her giggle and shift towards him, her arms wrapping around his middle. “Inuyashaaa-” her voice was breathy, causing the fine hair on the back of his neck to stand.

“Kagome, stop.” It was getting incredibly difficult to sit crossed legged when the woman he loved was breathing, quite literally, down his back, and her breasts were pressed firmly against his shoulder blades.

She giggled again, a small hiccup escaping her. “Excuse me, but I think you owe me a kiss for that scene you caused back there.”

This time her turned to her, whipping his hair across her face as he did so. Kagome squealed, losing her balance from the sudden movement and landed flat on her ass. “Hey!”

Inuyasha towered over her with a glare so vicious, Kagome actually shrank back. “I made a scene? Me?! No, wench. YOU made a scene. What the hell were you thinking accepting sake from a stranger?!”

“But I-”

“No. You stormed off on your own, for whatever fucking reason, in a village we know nothing about to drink with the son of the village head, who could have been a fucking demon in disguise. But thank the Gods he wasn't or it could have ended a lot worse than me throwing you over my shoulder and hauling your ass outta there. Tracking you down was bad enough, but to find you with him?”

Kagome stood up, pain and anger written across her face. The alcohol still clearly affecting her balance as she wobbled a moment before planting her feet and shoving a finger into his chest. As angry as he was at her for what she had done earlier that night, Inuyasha could not deny how beautiful she looked. Her cheeks were tainted pink, her raven locks cascading down her shoulders in a tumbling mess and her eyes, those beautiful chestnut eyes, were lined with unshed tears. All he could think about was taking the hand currently shoved against his chest and hauling her against him while he kissed her pouting, pink lips.

“You listen to me. Nothing happened between us. I only left because you took off to see a certain someone, AGAIN, and left me with Miroku. I was pissed and I’ll be damn if was gonna sit back and sulk. Kurisaki offered both Miroku and me to stay at his house for the night. I can’t help that Miroku took off to flirt with Kurisaki’s sister!”

Knocking her hand away, Inuyasha took a step closer, their noses inches from one another. “Just because that ass left you alone, didn't mean you had any right to drink with that sleazy son of a bitch!”

“You had no right to run off and see HER!” The unshed tears finally fell and Kagome let out a wet sob. Her shoulders shook violently the longer they stood there and soon she was sobbing uncontrollably. Maybe it was the alcohol, but Inuyasha had been with her so long, that he knew he needed to give her some comfort. The half-demon encircled her in his arms, tucking her head directly beneath his chin.

They said nothing. Inuyasha held her as she cried and she gripped the front of his fire rat as if he would disappear at any given moment. It felt like an eternity to Inuyasha, but soon the sobs lessened and Kagome sniffled before pulling away. “I'm sorry. I think I had too much to drink.”

“Feh. Ya think?” Chestnut eyes narrowed in his direction.

“Why did you go?” It was barely a whisper, but he had heard it nonetheless.

“I- I needed to talk to her.”

“You should have just stayed with her.”

Golden eyes widened. “Wha-”

“It would save me heartache if you just chose her and let me be. I'll be fine. I can go back to my time and Kikyo can help you look for the remaining jewel sha-”

“Now wait just a goddamn minute. I didn't go to chose her! You're so fucking stupid that you don't think about anything but the negative! I went to chose yo-” He stopped then, cheeks flaming as he watched her eyes widened in disbelief or was it happiness- He wasn't sure.

“You're choosing me?” It was like an instant buzz kill, but in the best of ways and though she was a lightweight drinker to begin with, Kagome didn't seem to mind that the alcohol was fading a bit quicker than she originally wanted.

“I-” It wasn't easy to cover his fumble, but maybe this was a good thing. He sighed heavily. “Yes.”

Tears fell from her eyes for a whole other reason. He didn't have time to think as she gave a watery squeal and jumped into his arms, hugging him as tight as she could. Inuyasha gave an oomph as he pulled her impossibly closer. “I didn't think this day would EVER come!” Her voice strained by both the after affects of the sake and her tears.

“Idiot. That's cause ya never stop to think about anything.” Inuyasha chuckled as he pressed his forehead to hers.

Blinking up at him and standing on her tiptoes, Kagome wove her hands together behind his neck. Her nose brushed his and Inuyasha sucked in a breath. “I am going to ignore that last comment.” Her breath ghosted his lips. “However, I will show you how much you mean to me.” With that, Kagome kissed him, pouring every ounce of love she felt for the half-demon within the kiss.

Inuyasha was stunned for a moment before he caught up with what was happening. His left hand dove into her hair, grasping the nape of her neck while his right hand pulled her hips flush against his. An involuntary growl rumbled in his chest causing Kagome to moan against his lips.

When his tongue pressed against her bottom lip, Kagome didn't hesitate to allow him entry. Both muscles battled for dominance and it was becoming increasingly hard for Inuyasha not to throw her down and have his way with the miko in his arms.

Kagome took control for a split second, becoming far too bold, and hauled one leg up around his hip. This ignited something inside him and before Kagome knew what was happening, her half-demon grasped her beneath her thighs and yanked her up, pelvis to pelvis. Her legs automatically wrapped around his slender waist as he backed her into a nearby tree.

The kissing didn't stop until Kagome needed to breath and still then Inuyasha ran his lips and tongue down her neck. Kagome gasped at the sensation, leaning her head back against the rough bark. “Inu-yassssha.”

“Kagome.” His lips descended down the column of her throat, leveling on her collarbone. Inuyasha pressed light kisses across her chest, nuzzling beneath her chin with his nose.

Kagome sucked in a breath drawing her bottom lip between her teeth in the process. The sensation was astounding and to show how much she enjoyed the attention, the sneaky priestess grasped the base of Inuyasha’s ears between her thumbs and forefingers, gently rubbing them in circles. Inuyasha stiffened for the barest of moment's before he relaxed into her touch.

Things began to heat up as Kagome started rubbing her hips in a circle, bearing down on Inuyasha’s stiffened dick. He reared back with an aroused growl and met her eye to eye. She was flushed, her eyes were clouded in love and desire, her chest heaved as she panted, still though she reached for him once more. This time when their lips met, it was sensual and slow. Things were moving to fast and with Naraku still on the loose, Inuyasha did not want to do anything too soon or too fast. They still had to find the jewel shards and kill Naraku before their happily ever after even began.

However, even though matting was odf the table, he could still tell her how much he loved her. Inuyasha pulled back, blushing under her gaze. “I-” He sucked in a breath. Then again, how could three little words that he felt so strongly about, defeat him every time it came to Kagome?

Said woman reached out to cup his cheek. Her forehead resting against his. “I know. I love you too.”

“Always.” Pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. he dropped her to her feet and pulled her into a hug. “When this is over, I swear I won't hold back.”

“I'll remember that.”

“I will make you mine in every possible way- err, not that your a possession, but in the ways that you'll be mine. Fuck, I mean-”

“I'm already yours. My heart and soul has loved you since the beginning.”

Inuyasha’s heart swelled and he wished he could say he felt the same, though he doubted she’d believe him. Instead, he took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles gently. Kagome's face flushed, it had felt an awful lot like he had proposed to her in the only way he knew how. “I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're pretty much asking me to be your wife in the future?”

Golden eyes widened and cheeks lit up like a light. “Uh-well, I-”

Kagome looked horrified at the fear he didn't mean it that way and waved a hand in his face. “Oh forget I said that. I'm sorry that's not-” A clawed finger pressed to her mouth and she opened her eyes to see him smirking.

“If I was, are you going to accept being my mate, or wife as you call it?”

Smiling like a fool, Kagome nodded her head vigorously. “Yes. Yes. YES!” She hugged him tightly, his nose buried in the crook of her neck and she felt him smiling against her skin. Kagome pressed her lips against his furry ear. “Thank you. I love you.”

“Always.” He breathed in deeply, her scent a calming factor for him. “Always.”

She made a noise that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a sob and he only hugged her tighter. Inuyasha loved her, -truly, madly, deeply- but had no idea why he couldn't say it and for the time being, Kagome seemed okay with it.

Because his actions spoke louder than words. The way he held her. The way he kissed her. The way he risked his life for her. The way he said her name. Everything he did conveyed his feelings for her and she knew that he loved her unconditionally. So, he couldn't say it out loud, but they both knew the truth.

And for them, that was all that mattered.

---FIN---

This is nothing but  fluffy garbage. I'm sorry. Enjoy anyway!

[lonestorm]

The Inugami - Chapter 14

Summary: When Kagome Higurashi moved to the bad side of Chicago to help with her grandfather’s restaurant, she expected chaos. Being thrown into a fake gang, caught in the middle of a drug war and grudge that stretches centuries back in time, befriending a grumpy half demon along with a ragtag bunch of three other misfits… wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. High school AU. Inukag.

Rating: T (some language)

Pairings: Inukag, Mirsan

Chapters: Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7 | Ch. 8 | Ch. 9 |  Ch. 10 | Ch. 11 | Ch. 12 | Ch. 13 | Ch. 14

Shorts: 1. Sesshomaru | 2. Miroku | 3. Shippo | 4. Sango | 5. Sesshomaru

**Also on ff.net here.

The only activities Kagome was interested the entire next day were sleeping and pretending to sleep.

She’d woken as soon as Sesshomaru parked at her house. Once she’d come to her senses, she’d bolted up to the front door and into her mother’s awaiting arms. Her mother had been crying, Kagome had been crying, and Sesshomaru was hardly any help when he came to the door and only said, “Miss Higurashi and her friends are uninjured and safe. Goodnight.”

“We saw the news as it was almost over!” her mother had said, tearfully stroking Kagome’s hair while Kagome sipped the tea her mother had made. “I-I drove over and t-tried to get close but the police k-kept me away from the s-scene and s-sent me home a-and I was w-worried about l-leaving Sota when all those criminals are r-running about and I-I knew that Inuyasha was with you-”

“I understand, Mama,” Kagome had said, trying to keep her voice even. “I was safe with him, and I would’ve wanted you to stay with Sota.”

“Oh, darling, are you o-okay? I heard what happened and… dear, I’m just happy you’re safe!”

Kagome had been out of tears to cry, but hugged her mother for a long time. Then her mom had led her up to bed and tucked her in, saying, “Just get some sleep. For as long as you want. Come and get me when you’re hungry.”

Kagome had been up there all day; she’d taken a shower, drinken some water, and eaten half a bowl of soup. Then just laid in her bed, staring at the wall, mind either blank or buzzing. She’d texted her friends at one point, growing worried that she hadn’t heard from them. They were all okay, but Inuyasha hadn’t answered. Perhaps he was still asleep. She didn’t blame him; he’d put up a hell of a fight against the most villainous, powerful drug lord in history.

In honesty, she didn’t know what to think. All she saw when she closed her eyes was blood erupting from Naraku’s face as she shot it five times. All she heard was emptiness and all she felt was cold. Soldiers off at war, killing every day because they needed to protect their country and all innocents; how did they do it? Kagome felt like hiding from the world and locked in the horror of her own mind from killing one person. And… a rather horrible person at that.

And that was the strange thing. Kagome didn’t regret killing him. She just wished that it needn’t have happened. She wished there wasn’t blood on her hands…

Tiny, gentle hands.

Kagome stood very suddenly, marching over to her bathroom and flipping on the light; she hadn’t realized how dark the room was now…

She turned on the sink and began to scrub her hands together furiously under the water, pumping the soap and scrubbing again. Kagome was almost desperate to see red running off her fingers and down the sink, but her hands stayed pale and cold until she rubbed them raw-

“Kagome? What are you… stop that--you’ll hurt your hands,” a familiar voice scolded, and a clawed hand turned off the sink.

Inuyasha took a towel off of the rack and wrapped her hands in it, carefully rubbing them dry. She watched him dully, his golden eyes narrowed in concern as he ran the towel along her fingers. When he’d finished, his hands took hers and led her back to her room. Where they just stood, his large, gentle hands holding her tiny ones.

A pause. “I’m sorry I didn’t answer the phone. I was asleep and didn’t hear it.”

“I figured. It’s okay.”

Another silence. “Are you okay?”

Kagome didn’t know quite how to answer, but finally just said, “No.”

“S-sorry,” he muttered, dropping one of her hands to tug on his hair. “That was a stupid question. I just-”

“It’s okay,” Kagome told him. “I… I’m not okay. But I will be.”

He didn’t seem to know what else to say, and neither did she, so he just pulled her into an embrace. His arms were strong, chest warm, and she was lulled into security at the feel of his heartbeat against her cheek.

And, in the infinity of that moment, saying it was all too easy. “Inuyasha?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m in love with you.” Kagome felt his breathing stop, and he became completely still. But she wasn’t afraid anymore. “It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way, or don’t say it back. I just think you’re infuriating and frustrating, grumpy and impossible, and overly aggressive. And I think you’re loving and kind, protective and strong, I want to see you every day and hear you laugh--you make me happy and I’m in love with you. I just wanted you to know. I thought you were going to die yesterday without knowing. That fear was worse than the fear of telling you. So I’m telling you.”

He began to breathe again. Sort of. His breaths came more in chokes as he stammered her name. She wasn’t upset; she’d known he wouldn’t say it back, which is why she’d told him it was okay. Kagome finally understood, after numerous frustrating months--as intensely as Inuyasha craved love, Inuyasha feared it.

But he backed slightly so that his forehead was against hers, glowing, golden eyes drifting to a close as they breathed in and out together. He struggled, for words, opening and closing his mouth, and then his shoulders sagged, as if he’d given up. On words, at least.

His nose brushed hers. A gentle, preciously endearing nuzzle that he repeated before lifting one hand from where it had been wrapped around her waist like the other… and he ran it along her face, slid his warm fingers to the back of her neck with his thumb stroking her cheek.

And this time, when he tilted his head and pressed his lips against hers, it was different than the first. That was rushed, intense, desperate. This was slow, gentle, and long. Long and longing all at once. Her eyes had long since closed, drowning in the kiss as her arms twined upwards, fingers trailing along the back of his neck and making him sigh.

Kagome didn’t remember how long they stood there, melting into one another. She just remembered kissing him again and again, and him kissing her back again and again, until they were both breathless.

She did remember burying her face back into the crook of his neck and murmuring, “Stay. Please.”

“H-huh?”

She almost laughed at his embarrassment. “I just want to see you when I fall asleep and wake up. That’s all.”

He relaxed. “Of course.”

And so Inuyasha crawled under the covers, pushing her hair away from her face and lying opposite to her, so that Kagome could see him. He and his gentle gaze were the last thing she saw before she closed her eyes, his large hands holding hers the last she felt, and his low, soft voice humming the last she heard…

Goodnight, my angel

Time to close your eyes…

“Last time,” Shippo said wonderingly from behind her as they made their way to the front doors of the school. “Last time Inuyasha ever got punched in the face by Koga in these halls, last time I got food thrown at me on the roof, last time we all walk through school like badasses dressed in red that are the reason a third of the school was arrested…”

“Whaddya mean ‘last time Inuyasha ever got punched in the face by Koga in these halls’?” Inuyasha grumbled, elbowing Shippo in the side while smudging away the blood under his nose.

Kagome laughed and linked her arms through Inuyasha’s and Sango’s on either side. “I have no doubt we’ll get people arrested, get food thrown at us, or get punched in the face in the future.”

Miroku sighed, sliding an arm around Sango’s waist. “After this year, I will forever feel nostalgic when I get my ass kicked.”

“You should see the other guy!” Inuyasha protested, still stuck on the Koga issue.

“I did. He looks just as messed up as you, as always,” Kagome pointed out.

The response was a minor “keh” and he released her arm in order to hold her hand. Kagome felt a smile twitch on her face, but then tried to compose herself; he’d been very bashful and red when the rest of the Inugami had finally noticed him doing it, but now they were conscientious enough to pretend they didn’t see Inuyasha and Kagome’s intertwined hands.

There had been small signs of more romantically inclined affection, but nothing more. They hadn’t kissed again, or spoke of any sort of relationship. But Kagome was fine with that; Inuyasha needed time, and she was happy enough to remain at his side.

“To the restaurant?” Kagome suggested. “Mom said she’d make brownies.”

The Inugami didn’t need another reason--they made their way to their own little home base, laughing and trying to ignore the fact that this would be the last time they walked out of a school day arm in arm.

But this change was hardly a blip on the screen compared to what had happened in the last few weeks. The news reporters calling their homes, waiting outside of the school until the cops chased them off. The questions from random people on the streets who had seen their faces in the paper. The amount of people that saw the need to bring up, every day, that Kagome had killed a man.

Luckily, she had a loyal puppy that would growl until they ran away.

“So…” Miroku began, casually holding his jacket over his shoulder with two fingers, like he thought he was some kind of Hollister model (probably why Sango rolled her eyes), “What are we going to do this summer? Before we’re dragged off to be indoctrinated by higher education.”

There was an awkward silence. Kagome felt an unspoken thought lingering around them--that their every focus had been on Naraku for nearly nine months, and… now what?

Luckily, Shippo broke the tension. “Road trip?”

“Inuyasha and Shippo in the same car for hours at a time?” Sango scoffed. “Yeah, that’s a no.”

“It wouldn’t be so bad!” laughed Kagome. “Going on adventures together!”

She was surprised to see a smile on even Inuyasha’s face, but it didn’t last, as something seemed to occur to him. “Maybe, but we gotta remember, there are still Spi-”

Inuyasha paused in the middle of his sentence, nose twitching. “Get down!” he shouted, tackling Kagome and Shippo to make a domino effect--a bullet hit the concrete where they’d just stood.

Miroku’s barrier rose immediately after, deflecting every other gunshot in the alleyway.

“What’s happening?” Shippo cried, glancing across the rooftops wildly. “Who’s after us? And in broad daylight?!”

“They’re angry,” Inuyasha growled, curling his fingers so that his claws glinted. “They aren’t thinking straight. It’s the Spiders that got away.”

Gritting her teeth, Kagome thrust out a fist where she saw a Spider peeking over the roof. Pink light shot out and hit the enemy like a wall, causing him to cry out and fall back. Inuyasha leapt out from the barrier and raced up the building to slash his claws through two, sending them tumbling off the roof. Two Spiders landed in a heap in the dumpster, and the third was shot with Sango’s long distance taser.

Inuyasha jumped to the ground in a crouch, and then strode to the dumpster where he dragged out the only conscious Spider. Holding him up by the shirt, the half demon growled, “I woulda thought you’d learned your lesson not to mess with the Inugami when Naraku got shot in the face.”

Clawing weakly at Inuyasha’s hand, the Spider gave a choked laugh. “Th-that girl k-killed him… the man who gave us Shikon… w-we who remain… won’t r-rest until she’s DEAD!”

Inuyasha knocked him out cold.

Eyes alight in rage, Inuyasha took out his phone and presumably called his brother. “Yo, asswipe. We’ve got four dirtbags that tried to kill us over here. What? No, I’m fine… How pathetic do you think I am? Hoping I’ll kick the bucket sooner? I’m not being dramatic! Ugh, fine, yeah, they’re in the alleyway by the liquor store and bakery. Two on the roof and two in the alley. We’re leaving.”

The walk to the restaurant was quiet, filled with nervous energy. Inuyasha was scanning all around constantly, glaring and snarling at anyone who dared even look their way. Though they put on happy faces when Kagome’s mother handed them brownies and milk upon their arrival at the restaurant, they soon slipped back into morose silence.

When they’d finished eating, and all stared at their plates, Shippo finally voiced what they were all thinking. “It’s not safe here for Kagome. Anywhere in the US.”

Kagome already had her defense prepared. “It was never safe here for any of us.”

“Shippo is right,” Sango said, shaking her head. “Now their sole target is you. They don’t have Naraku holding them back because he wants to use you or kill you himself. They’re angry and irrational and they could be hiding anywhere with whatever remains of the rest of the Shikon.”

Miroku added, pushing a hand through his hair, “Shikon makes them stronger, faster… Naraku paced their doses, but he’s not there to do that anymore. The Spiders are even more dangerous to you than before. Naraku kept a record of the gang members, correct?”

“Yeah,” Inuyasha said, standing and beginning to pace. “Sesshomaru has them. By his estimate, there are about forty left.”

“It’s nothing we can’t handle!” Kagome insisted. “We’re the Inugami! We took down Naraku, and rounding up the last of the Spider shouldn’t be-”

“What about your family, Kagome?” interrupted Inuyasha suddenly. His fists were clenched. “They could use your family against you. And we… we’re not the only ones that care about you. Do you think they’ll really be okay with you involving yourself in more danger like this? Right after they finally think you’re safe?”

Kagome deflated, rubbing her temples. “I… they believe in me…”

“So do I!” Inuyasha shouted, rounding on her and slamming a hand on the counter. “Dammit, Kagome, do you think I want you to leave? No! But if it means you’ll be safe, you need to leave until we catch the Spiders!”

“To where?” she cried, standing up to face him. “Where can be safe enough from them? And how long would it take to catch every last one? It’s unrealistic!”

“To where they can’t find you or can’t afford to follow,” Sango muttered. “And where we have allies willing to protect you just in case until we round up the last of the Spiders.”

“Japan,” Miroku realized, staring straight ahead. “It’s far, familiar, and the wolf tribes would be more than willing to make sure no Spiders made it to the country.”

Kagome’s mouth dropped open, and she looked to Inuyasha, expecting him to protest asking Koga for help. But he only nodded, eyes narrowed in thought. “Maybe Sesshomaru could use witness protection funding to get them tickets… and we could keep the restaurant running ourselves…”

“And I don’t get a say in this?” she fumed, stomping up to Inuyasha so that she looked him dead in the eyes. “My family? We can’t just pick up and move back, Inuyasha! I have school here in three months! You taught me to fight, and you can’t stop me from doing so!”

“I’m not stopping you,” he said, and this time, he didn’t sound angry. Just weary. The fire that she’d always admired in his eyes seemed to be flickering into an ember. “I won’t have to. Once we tell your family-”

“Then don’t tell them!”

“No. I’m not keeping your level of safety a secret from your family.”

“My family doesn’t need to know-!”

“Doesn’t need to know what, Kagome?”

Kagome froze when her mom appeared in the doorway, posing her question with concern. The unthreatening tone was somehow more guilt-provoking than a shout.

“It’s no big deal, Mama,” Kagome tried weakly. She felt Inuyasha’s stare burn into the back of her head, and her mother’s eyes turn sad… she couldn’t lie to those.

So she told her what happened.

And when she finished, Kagome’s heart dropped when she heard her mother say what she’d been fearing: “I’m sorry, Kagome, but Inuyasha is right; we need to go back to Japan for a while.”

The airport was bright, with bustling, excited people rushing to their next destination, and the thrill of adventure lingering in the air.

But none of that seemed to affect Kagome.

Shoulders hunched and hands gripping her carry-on backpack, she and her family made their way to airport security. It would be a half an hour before they would be able to board, and somehow that fact wasn’t quite hitting her yet. She was sure she wouldn’t fully understand that she was being torn away from the closest friends she’d ever had until she was settled back into Japan.

As if coming to an unconscious consensus, the group stopped. Kagome’s mother, brother, and grandpa walked a short way away to give the Inugami some privacy.

Sango hugged her first, tight and fierce. “We will see you again. Soon. I promise.”

Kagome just nodded, holding back tears that were burning at her eyes.

Miroku was next, wrapping her in his comforting, brotherly embrace with her head tucked to his collar. “You’ll be back before you know it. We’ll hardly last long without you.”

She let out a watery laugh and squeezed his shoulder. “I-I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“I won’t!” Shippo said dramatically, flinging himself on her. “Inuyasha’s gonna be so mean to me when you’re gone!”

“I’m sorry, Shippo,” she said, managing a smile. “Looks like you two will actually have to learn how to get along, huh? Bummer.”

With this comment, she looked to Inuyasha, who had been silent the entire morning. As soon as she caught his gaze, he looked at the floor. His ears were laid back flat, arms crossed tightly. “Stay safe. There are Wolves stationed onboard the plane, just in case. They’ll meet you at the airport and escort you home. There will be a 24 hour guard and surveillance wherever you or your family goes to ensure safety. Like we told you, we can’t contact you with your new phone, or it’ll be traced. Koga will give us encrypted reports of your safety, and you’ll be informed once we capture all the Spiders. Leave the restaurant to us.”

“Okay.” They had already gone over all of this, of course. She knew it was just all he could think of to express what he meant.

Her hand shaking, Kagome stuck a hand into her jacket pocket and pulled out its contents. She held it firmly enough to see her knuckles turn white as she stepped up to face him. “I-I have a little something for you. It might be kind of stupid, but, well… just to remember me by.”

His golden eyes met hers, and soon fell upon the heavy, golden locket on a thick chain that she draped around his neck and tucked beneath his shirt. “I got that when I was sixteen, for my birthday. Hold onto it for me?”

Inuyasha nodded, loosening slightly as his fingers touched where the locket rested against his heart. His gaze searched her, hungrily, as if he wanted to memorize every inch of her face. “Kagome, I…”

He was struggling again. Trying to make words come out, but seeming to choke on them as soon as they came to his mouth. But his eyes implored, struck deep within her in a way that carved them into her mind. “I know,” said Kagome. Not caring who saw, she kissed him one last time. His hands gripped her waist desperately, fingers still curled upon air when she stepped away and turned before her friends could see that the tears had spilled over.

Kagome left before she lost it completely and they soon were strapping into their seats on the plane. She felt completely drained and numb, and it wasn’t even 11 in the morning.

“Sis! Good to see you!”

Giving a little start, she looked up to see a smiling Hakkaku peer over the seat in front of her. Ginta popped up behind her. “Yeah, we missed you!”

For a moment, she felt a flicker of warmth. “Good to see you too, guys. Thanks for being here.”

Hakkaku’s face slipped from joy to concern. “Hey… you okay?”

Emotion built up in her throat. “I-I… I’m just… going to miss them.”

When the plane took to the sky, Kagome stuffed in earbuds to drown out her own thoughts. Out the window she stared, wondering if Inuyasha would think of her nearly as often as she would, him, as the music lifted her higher than the clouds.

Loving can hurt

Loving can hurt sometimes

But it's the only thing that I know

When it gets hard

You know it can get hard sometimes

It is the only thing that makes us feel alive...