#sango best girl I stand by that

[dira333]

Current Friend, Future Husband? - Tenma Udai/Little Giant x Reader

whoops, my finger slipped... Words: 5k

Enjoy this reluctant Friends to Lovers/He falls first with the Little Giant from Karasuno.

created as a fanfic gift exchange for @lees-chaotic-brain

tagging: @mariaace @snail-squasher @yamaguchiwestad @respitable

- 6 -

“Tenma’s here,” your mom calls up from the kitchen.

The announcement is unnecessary because Tenma has yet to learn how to walk quietly, stomping up the stairs to your room.

His face is set in a scowl too, dark curls and dark eyes giving him quite an evil aura.

But you’ve known him long enough not to care about that.

“Grab a scarf,” you tell him as soon as he steps through the door, “I’m playing wedding.”

“Not again,” he groans, though does as he is told. The pink scarf he picks has hundreds of little coins sown to it, chiming as he wraps it around his shoulders and moves through the room.

“I’m a Djinn,” he exclaims, “I will curse you.”

“Djinn’s don’t curse people! They fulfill wishes,” you correct him.

“Fine,” he huffs, “What do you wish for?”

“I want Tenma to play the husband.”

“Not again!” He groans, throwing his hands in the air.

“You have to!” You declare, “Djinn’s always have to follow their master's wishes!”

He huffs and whines and begs but it’s no use. He plays the husband to your wife.

“Can we play outside now?” He asks as soon as you kiss his cheek and declare the marriage official. “Mom brought my ball.”

“Fine,” you decide to be nice today. “But don’t kick it too hard. I don’t like that.”

.

- 8 -

“It’s so weird that you’ve got a boy as a best friend,” Asuka exclaims. Your small group of (girl)friends has gathered in your favorite spot, overlooking the garden and the big open space below. Tenma’s playing Ball with a group of boys and he’s easy to pick out, he’s always the smallest in any group.

“You think so?” You ask back, taking one of the strawberries Sango brought for lunch break today. “It’s not like I had a chance. Our mothers are best friends. He’s basically my annoying twin brother.”

“Do you think he’s cute?” Ryo asks, looking up from where she’s painting Tomoko’s nails.

You consider this for a moment, look down to where he’s running around, red-faced and panting. He’s not ugly, that much you can tell, but cute?

“I don’t think so,” you say, because it’s better than to admit that you don’t really know what cute really means for a guy. You think babies are cute, but that’s not the same thing, right?

“I think he’s cute,” Ryo admits easily now that she thinks she knows where you stand. “Can I ask him to be my boyfriend?”

“I mean you can ask,” you offer, feeling a little weird that she asks you in the first place, “but I don’t know what he’ll answer you. I bet he still thinks girls are gross.”

.

- 10 -

“I think you’re getting a little too old to be sharing a bathtub,” your mother announces after Tenma has left.

“We weren’t sharing,” you explain, drying your hair. “We were playing that he was my magical shapeshifting dog but he rolled around in a mountain of dragon poop and I had to give him a bath. He pulled me in when I was almost done washing him.”

Your mother sighs. “Aren’t you getting a little old for those stories too?”

You tense and she notices right away.

“Dear, I didn’t mean… if this is how you want to play, I’m totally fine with that. I was just wondering…”

“How else are we supposed to play?” You ask, unable to keep the agitation out of your voice. “Am I supposed to kiss him and hold hands like the other girls in my class are pretending to do? Or play Volleyball the whole day? Or just do our homework and study, study, study until we fall asleep? Or play video games that you don’t like because they make you dumb? How are we supposed to play?”

Your mother sighs again, lowers herself until she’s sitting crosslegged on the floor next to you.

“Come,” she says, opening her arms until you crawl into her like you used to do. “I’m sorry. I know, as your mother, I should say and do all the right things but that was pretty stupid of me. Can you forgive me?”

You nod and she pulls you in a little closer, kissing your damp hair. “Now tell me, what do you like to do? What’s fun?”

You lean into her, the familiar smell and warmth, and let yourself open up.

“When I come up with a story, Tenma always makes it bigger. Like today, when I said: Do you wanna play my dog, it was his idea that he could shapeshift. And that we’re living in a world that has dragons. And… and I was a maiden that had a tavern and there would be knights who came by to slay the dragons but the dragons are actually our friends… It’s like reading a book but you’re in it, you know? And he doesn’t ask about who I like and what I like and what I think is cute all the time. That’s so annoying.”

“You like hanging out with Tenma?”

“He’s okay,” you offer and she snorts. “If he ever gets on your nerves, you can tell me, okay? I know boys can be annoying too.”

“I can handle Tenma,” you tell her, knowing you’re right. “But can you, like, not allow me to go to Ryo’s sleepover next week? She’s so obsessed with boys and she always pranks someone during sleepover. I don’t want to wake up with my head shaved.”

.

- 12 -

“Do you wanna be my girlfriend?”

To say you’re surprised would be an understatement. 

It’s not that you don’t get chocolates and confessions, because you do, a lot actually even though you decline every time, but never from Tenma.

For a long second neither of you does or says anything and all you see of him is the back of his neck as he bows.

But then he pops up, a weird grin on his face.

“Got you!” He declares, opening the pack of chocolates and biting into it without a moment of hesitation. “Did you think that was real?”

“No,” you say even though that’s a lie, “Why did you do it?” 

He shrugs, offering you the chocolate. You take a bite as well, feeling a little smug that neither of you cares that it will be an “indirect kiss” as the girls call it. 

“Everyone thinks we’re dating,” he admits finally when he pulls the chocolate back again, “just wanted to see what you think about it.”

“It’s annoying,” you declare ad you should have watched his face a little closer because something like a shadow moves over it, but it’s gone before you can catch it. “You’re like my brother.”

“Yeah,” he says, but it sounds a little weak for someone as headstrong as Tenma.

You don’t wanna think about it though, so you poke his shoulder. “Where did you get the chocolate?”

“Someone confessed to me. I said no but I kept the chocolate because they thought I was dating you and still confessed. That’s stupid.”

“Mhm,” you don’t ask for a name. “Wanna stay and play a bit before we walk home?”

“Volleyball?” He asks, ears perking up. 

“Sure.”

.

- 14 -

Neither of you is dating anyone. 

None of your girlfriends believes that you’re not into Tenma and you’ve given up on convincing them of the truth. You don’t really want to date anyone. You like solving puzzles and coming up with crazy ideas that Tenma can bend and fold into even crazier stories. You like going for a run with him in the morning because even though you hate waking up early it sets your mind at ease and you like going for a run with him in the evening because without it, you’ll be unable to sleep.

Sure, there are some good-looking boys in your class. But maybe you’ve spent too much time around Tenma, or boys in general, to find any appeal in them. 

They fart and they burp and they dig their dirty fingers into their noses and they refuse to shower even though they smell awful and sweaty. The number of times you’ve had to drag Tenma into the shower, turn it on, and hold him under the spray because you couldn’t allow him in your room otherwise and he wouldn’t go on his own is too high to admit at this point.

It helps a little that Tenma thinks the same of girls.

Not that the girls from your class are as disgusting as the boys. 

But they giggle too much and they always flutter their lashes at him which he thinks is a little creepy and they don’t listen to him when he talks about anything that isn’t their appearance.

“I like talking to you instead,” he admits and this is probably the highest praise he’s ever sung you, “you know what I’m talking about.”

And you know what he means because you always know what he means. It’s not that hard. Tenma likes stories, the crazier the better, and he likes volleyball. And food, but he’s picky with that, giving you his tomatoes and eating all your salmon even though you’d have wanted to eat that yourself. 

All the other girls in your class are talking about boyfriends and getting married and having a family and all you want to think about is solving riddles with Tenma or telling him a story so he doesn’t make you practice receives with him. 

.

- 16 -

“Did you get your first kiss already?” Hisoka asks and you shake your head. Nothing sounds less appealing than tasting someone else’s spit.

“Don’t you and Tenma kiss?��� She asks and you stare at her as if she’d said that Alien’s are real. 

“Why would we kiss?”

“You’re dating, aren’t you? Everyone says that you’re dating.”

“He’s like my brother,” you tell her. “We grew up together.”

“But you’re the manager of the Volleyball team too.”

“Yeah, because I like Volleyball.”

She huffs. “Okay, who do you like? I think Tsukishima is still single.”

Tsukishima, blond, tall, and universally liked, blushes like a strawberry. You glare at him for eavesdropping.

“I’m not interested in anyone,” you declare loudly. You hope that’s the end of it.

It isn’t.

.

“Hey, can you walk home without me? We’re going to prank the store owner down the street,” Tenma hands you his bag without waiting for an answer.

You walk home alone, grumbling to yourself about how you would have wanted to play along with the prank.

But it doesn’t matter.

After years of being an okay player, Karasuno’s trainer seems to have spotted something in Tenma that he didn’t even expect there himself.

Extra training. More time on the court. Recognition from others.

Soon enough you’re sidelined with Tsukishima and the others.

First-year managers are not allowed on the court during official matches. 

Is there anything worse than realizing that you’ve made a mistake? Putting all your faith in one friend only to realize they can drop you without a moment’s hesitation?

.

“Tenma’s here,” your mother calls out from the kitchen.

You’re not fast enough at sprinting toward your door. He slips into your room before you’ve managed to close it.

“Tsukishima told me you’re leaving the team?” He sounds out of breath. Did he run here?

“I’m just a manager, it’s not like the team will notice,” you scoff, pushing him off your bed. “Besides I’m taking up Advanced English, so I’ll have more time to study.”

“What? Are you going to turn boring now?”

“You’re boring!” You scream, surprised by the anger that’s spilling from your lips. It feels as if he’d stabbed you with that question and all the words are just the blood that’s spraying out of open wounds. “All you do is play volleyball and think you’re the greatest and it sucks!”

“You suck!” He yells back. “You’re just jealous I’m finally cool!”

“You’ll never be cool!” 

Tenma stomps his foot like a little kid before storming out of your room.

You can hear the front door slam shut all the way up to your room and if you crawl into your bed to cry right after that’s nobody’s business but yours.

And your mother’s, as it seems, because she appears at your doorstep just a few minutes later.

“Wanna tell me what that was all about?”

“No.”

“Hm, maybe not right now,” she offers at your tear-soaked voice, “but I expect an explanation until tomorrow evening, okay? Tenma’s family to me too. You know we can solve all fights with good communication.”

You don’t answer and she leaves you alone to wallow in your despair.

.

“Tenma wants to apologize,” Udai-san pushes him toward you. Your mother nudges you forward in much the same way.

“I don’t want you to be cool,” you say instead, the words prickly on your tongue. “I like you better when you’re not cool.”

Tenma’s eyes flutter around the room, arms crossed. Your mothers leave the room and you sink into the floor, annoyed and hurt and so many more things you can’t properly name.

“Do you really think I’m boring?” Your voice is much to vulnerable for your liking.

But it stills his nervous movement and he sinks onto the floor just like you, heavy and exhausted. You’ve never fought like this before. 

“I think you’re trying to be,” he offers quietly, “but I want to you to keep playing Volleyball with me.”

“I’m just a manager.”

“Yeah, but it feels like you’re playing with me. And… and you’ve always been the smart one, okay? Everyone’s always said: Tenma, you should be more like her. She’s so smart. Can’t she tutor you? No one ever told you to play Volleyball like me. No one ever told anyone to try to be like me until now.”

“I’ve always wanted to be as creative as you,” you offer and even though he wrinkles his nose you can tell he’s touched by that.

It feels like you’re standing at a crossroads. Whatever you decide or do or say next will change the trajectory of this friendship. You’re not ready for that. You doubt you’ll ever be. 

As long as there’s the safety of your past, you’ll always try to grasp it.

“Do you wanna play my dog?”

.

- 18 -

You’re not sure if it’s the awful music, the crowd around you, the smell of sweat and food and spilled soda, or just everything all at once, but you don’t think College parties are for you.

You recall a balcony or backdoor to your left so you move that way, push against the wall of bodies with everything that you’ve got, panic already bubbling in your throat.

Someone grabs your hand just as you’re gasping for air and with a well-aimed push you’re through, cool air hugging you like a loved relative at a family dinner.

“You good?” Tenma’s squinting down at you. He’s grown a little during break, though you doubt he’ll ever be as tall as the other guys on his former Volleyball team.

“Yeah, thanks.”

His hand is still around yours, now pulling you down the path into the dark garden.

“Where are we going?”

“Dunno, getting some fresh air into you. Met anyone you like?”

“Yeah, the fridge.”

He snickers. “What about that girl from your business Class?”

“She’s trying to eat the face of some guy I don’t know.”

“Tsukishima?”

“Pretended he didn’t know me.”

“Aww, I’m wounded.”

“I bet you are. What about you? Any hot girls tried to talk to you?”

“About that,” he knocks his elbow into your side, “one of them tried to kiss me.”

“A hot girl tried to kiss you?” He nudges you again at your incredulous tone.

“Don’t act so surprised. I’m famous.”

“Bet you are,” you snicker. “But what happened? Did she realize you’re not a tall girl but a small guy and run away?”

“No,” his voice sounds weird now, but you can barely see his face in the dark, “I turned her down. Didn’t want my first kiss to happen at some party.”

“How do you want your first kiss to happen?”

“Ah,” you know he’s just shaking his head from left to right as he’s thinking, you don’t have to be able to see him for that, “Like this, you know? In the garden in the dark? That’s kinda romantic.”

“Should have brought someone else over here then.”

His hand lets go of yours.

“Right,” he says, voice weirdly tight.

“Shit, did I ruin the mood?” You ask, nudging your elbow into whatever you can reach, “I can get that hot girl for you. Just tell me what she looks like.”

“Do you wanna get KFC instead?” He must have turned his back to you. You don’t know what you said to derail this conversation, but it’s clear he doesn’t want to keep it up. 

“Sure,” you agree, “but you’re paying.”

.

- 20 -

Tenma has started growing his hair out.

You’d be lying if you said it didn’t suit him.

You’d be a filthy, awful, terrible liar if you said you didn’t want to drag your hands through it all the damn time.

“You should cut your hair,” you tell him when you meet up for lunch, “You look like a homeless guy.”

“And you look like a sexy secretary,” he jokes, pulling you in and putting you in a headlock. It feels brotherly and it’s just what you need to get through this lunchdate that’s not a date.

Somewhere in between graduating Highschool and today Tenma’s gotten hot. 

Or maybe you’ve just finally gone through puberty, discovered all the hormone’s healthy teenage girls were supposed to have.

Last week you even sniffed his leather jacket when he was in the bathroom and you wished you could have put in on for a few minutes, but you feared he’d notice and how would you ever live that down?

“Did you get any feedback on that story you submitted?” You ask, trying not to overthink his comment. It’s probably meant as a loving insult, after all you’re not a secretary.

“Yes, actually, they told me they’re printing it.”

“No way,” you shut the menu again, “You’re joking, right?”

He grins. “You think I’m joking?”

“Not really, but I wanna make sure you’re being honest with me before I pay for your lunch.”

“You could let me pay and we call this a date,” he says and even though you catch yourself freezing up you can see on his face that he caught it.

“I was joking,” he tells you and if you’d be able to be honest, if you’d trust yourself not to ruin this, you’d tell him that his joking is the one thing that makes you still freeze up in fear.

After all, you don’t throw away a friendship of twenty years to a joke, right?

“I know,” you tell him pointedly, clearing your throat and opening the menu again. “Which means you’re paying for yourself.”

“Come on,” he whines, but his voice comes easy now, which means you can breathe again.

The moment is gone and somehow, you’re sure, you’ll survive the next one too.

.

“Can’t your girlfriend sleep in your room?” You can’t place the voice for a moment even though it sounds familiar.

“Not my girlfriend.” That’s Tenma. Who are they talking about?

“Well, if you keep having a girl over make sure she has a place to sleep that is not the living room. I need my space in the morning.”

“Sure, sure.” Tenma sounds like he’s not taking this seriously. 

You blink and wipe the drool from your face.

“Morning sleeping beauty,” Tenma’s face is so close now you can smell the toothpastey-freshness of his breath.

“What day is it?” You ask, feel your jaw crack as you yawn.

“Sunday,” he pulls you up with ease, “Let’s put some of my spare clothes on you before we meet up with our parents. Or did you bring something?”

You rub your eyes as you lean on him. He might have stopped playing Volleyball, but he hasn’t lost his muscles. 

The memories are slowly coming back to you. Going through his newest idea, a Manga this time. Reminiscing over old footage from his Karasuno days. Sharing one, two, maybe three beers as you giggle and swat away his hands on the Couch.

You can only hope you didn’t say or do anything embarrassing last night.

But this is Tenma. He’d let you know right away if you had.

.

It gets easier to live with your crush. 

Tenma never mentions any girl he’s seeing or points out who he thinks is cute.

He’s pretty good at keeping in contact even when he’s so lost in his creative mind that he forgets to eat.

And while your work is equally demanding, the hours there are more regular.

It’s not uncommon to find you in his kitchen after work, growing from putting ready-to-eat food onto plates to actually preparing home-cooked meals. They’re not awful and you think that’s the highest praise you can get.

Sometimes, when it’s so late you can forget about catching a train back home and Tenma’s so tired he sounds like he’s speaking a foreign language, you end up sleeping in the same bed.

If you drag your fingertips through his hair then, hear him mumbling softly under his breath as you fall asleep, that’s your secret to keep.

.

- 22 - 

Tenma’s a full-fledged Manga Artist now. 

You got your own promotion just a short month later and as he raises another glass on your good work, the question tumbles out of you before you can stop yourself.

“Do you want to move in together?”

His grip is suddenly too tight around his glass. You can tell because you’ve grown a bit too observant lately, always way too laser-focused on where he is and what he’s doing and how he’s smelling like, freshly-showered or cozily slept-in.

“You can say if it’s a stupid idea,” you ramble on, “I mean, I’m over at your place all the time anyway to make sure you’re eating enough. It would be weird though if one of us brought home a date, but like-”

“Sure,” Tenma clears his throat, “we could move in together.”

He deflects all further questions though, whether it should be closer to his work or closer to yours, how many rooms you’ll need, and if you’ll be able to get a cat, instead filling up your glass again and again.

Eventually, you walk home arm in arm, each of you trying to support the other.

It’s a hopeless case but that doesn’t mean you’ll stop trying.

.

“This was fun,” you say at the train station, debating if you’ll take the train home or find some excuse to stay at his place.

You turn your head, surprised to find him this close. His eyes are wide open, dark and beautiful. He’s always had the prettiest eyes.

You’re still debating their color - more of a dark brown or maybe black - when he leans further in.

You half expect him to headbutt you when instead, his lips touch yours.

The kiss is so soft, you think you’re imagining it, along with the sigh that follows it.

But you’ve always been a realist, digging your fingernails into the skin of your arm to prove yourself you’re not dreaming. It hurts.

“Tenma?” You ask, breathless and floating, “Did you mean to do that?”

His face turns pale, eyes wide like those times you’ve pushed him into a cold shower to sober him up.

“SHIT!” He pulls away so quickly that you stumble, lose your balance and fall flat onto your ass.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Tenma’s rubbing his face with his hands, up and down, up and down, and you’re left sitting there, backbone hurting, the world spinning in the wrong direction.

“Okay, shit, this…” He’s folding himself into a tiny version of himself, just across from you on the cold sidewalk, “I didn’t meant to do this, okay? I know you think of me as your brother, so we can just pretend this never happened, okay? I’m drunk. You’re drunk. We’re going to have forgotten about this tomorrow-”

“Tenma?” You interrupt him, your voice weirdly cloud-like. “Are you in love with me?”

He deflates like a balloon, there’s even a little whistling sound coming out of his mouth when he further shrinks into himself.

“Maybe?” He squeaks out. “It doesn’t have to mean anything, though-”

“I love you too.”

There. You’ve said it. You can’t take it back. Maybe you’ve misunderstood a lot of things tonight, you’ll for sure be able to blame the alcohol for it, but you don’t kiss people you don’t like, right? Especially not if you waited twenty-two years for that. 

Wait, did Tenma even wait that long? Is this even his first kiss like it’s yours?

“Why didn’t you say something?”

You blink, shaken out of your musings by the petulance in his voice.

“You didn’t ask.”

.

- 24 -

You’re not sure what wakes you, but his side of the bed is empty and cold.

You push yourself up with a groan, hiss when your feet touch the freezing ground. 

You don’t have to look long to find him, hair disheveled, eyes foggy.

“Hey,” you wrap your arms around his shoulders and rest your chin on top of his head, “I miss you.”

“Sorry,” he yawns, “I’ll be in bed in a minute.”

“You said that four hours ago,” you remind him, leaning further into him, “can you still see what you’re drawing?”

“If I lose this idea-” he starts before a loud, jaw-cracking yawn cuts through his sentence. 

You unwrap yourself to dig your thumbs into his shoulders, press a well-aimed kiss underneath his left ear.

“Come to bed,” you're not surprised when he follows you without another argument.

Last week one of your coworkers mentioned off-handedly that your boyfriend looks like a delinquent, all long hair and dark shadows, the hint of a stubble and a shirt he forgot to iron.

You weren’t meant to hear it, you’re sure, but you don’t care anyway.

He curls around you now, long limbs and warm hands, head resting heavy on your chest.

You drag your fingers through his hair, up and down and up and down, tell him about all the plans you have until you fall asleep along-side him.

-

“Look at you,” Saeko pulls you into a hug, “You’re practically glowing.”

You snort. “Don’t tell that to my mom. She’s started asking about grandchildren.”

“Yours too?” Akiteru jokes, turning from you to Tenma. “Are your parents united on the grandchildren front or are they more like ours?”

“No, no,” Tenma shakes his head, “My mom is just as insistent that we get started. Our mom’s are best friends for a reason.”

“And they never tried to set you up?” Saeko waves at someone across the streat before dragging you onto the seat next to her, “I smell a story.”

“I’m not sure my mom really cared about it as long as we stayed friends,” you think back. “But there was that time when she asked me to stop taking baths with you.”

Tenma’s face turns pink.

“I remember that time well.” He laughs along with the others, but your hand finds his under the table, squeezes tight.

You like to think that he fell first but you fell harder, but he disagrees.

If anything, he likes to say, I love you most.

“I say,” Saeko interrupts your thoughts, slinging an arm around you, “we play it like your parents. We just have to have babies around the same time and the rest will be history.”

“Don’t get ideas,” Akiteru says but you know him, he’s just as helpless against Saeko’s charm as you are.

“Not the worst idea she’s had,” Tenma whispers into your ear.

.

- 26 -

“Morning Udai-San,” Akaashi greets you.

“I told you to call me by my first name,” you tell him, laughing when he blushes a soft pink. “How’s it going, anyway?”

“Good. We’re actually on schedule, but I don’t want to jinx it.”

“Hmm, I get it.” You resist the urge to tousle his hair. “Is Tenma in his office?”

“Yes, I was just going to get coffee. You want some as well?”

“No, but thanks for asking. What are you getting for Tenma?”

“Two shots of espresso and extra sugar.”

“Make it one shot and I’ll make sure you get a promotion,” you wink and he winks back, slipping out of the office.

.

“Baby?” You ask, slipping through the door.

Tenma’s leaning heavily onto his desk, one hand playing with his hair as he thinks.

“Hmm?” He sits up, opens his arms to welcome you. “Hey, what brings you here?”

“I left Naoki with Saeko and Mi, they were playing so nicely.”

He smiles as you plant yourself on his lap, sink into him like you’re not much bigger than your toddler and not the grown woman you are.

“You good?” Tenma asks, rubbing a hand over your back. “You seem in your head today.”

“Yeah, I am, I just…” You sigh and turn your head to kiss his cheek. “I’m glad you stayed my friend.”

“Where’s that coming from?”

“I was thinking about how I don’t have that much patience. I don’t know if I’d kept crushing on you for as long as you kept crushing on me. What if you’d have given up? We wouldn’t have gotten together.”

He hooks his head over yours, wraps his arms a little more snuggly around you.

“Listen, I didn’t stay your friend because I was hoping you’d one day see me as more. I stayed your friend because I’d rather have you as my friend than nothing at all. After all you’re the best friend I ever had.”

“Even though I made you play my husband, my dog and my dragon?”

“Especially because of that.”

.

“Did you have fun playing with Mi?” Tenma asks your thirteen-month-old. 

The bathroom door is open and you can hear them splash around in the bathtub.

“Mi,” Naoki repeats with excitement.

“Yep, Mi. Now, can you say Dada too?”

“Mama.”

Tenma laughs, easy and carefree and you leave the dishes in the sink in favor of joining him.

After all, the dishes won’t run away, but those little moments with your family might.

[shinidamachu]

Sid, why do you think people think Kagome is “so annoying” and “whiny?” How exactly did she earn this reputation among her (rather dumb) haters.

The world is not kind to 15 years old girls, and what is Kagome, if not the perfect representation of one?

People forgot they can dislike a character just because and then move on. They'd rather grasp at straws to try and justify themselves, that way they can pretend they're being rational about the constant hate they're spreading when, truthfully, they're just being miserable.

Kagome specifically is in even greater disadvantage because her critics are, mostly, people who haven't read the source material and are instead basing their takes on a biased adaptation – which they probably watched ages before developping any critical skills – or people who see her as a threat to their ship and therefore are already prone to hate her.

The first group won't ever bother going out of their way to try and get a better grasp of her character by reading a 558 chapters long manga and the second group won't change their minds either way.

That's why they call her out for using the beads of subjugation even if: it wasn't her idea in the first place, it served to balance her relationship with Inuyasha at the beginning – since he was powerful and violent while she wasn't –, the rosary became a symbol of their bond, it saved Inuyasha a couple of times and he was always more annoyed than hurt by it, not to mention Sunrise blowing it out of proportion compared to the manga.

You never see Inuyasha getting bashed for hitting Shippo every other episode or Sango getting any heat for constantly slapping Miroku, because funnily enough people seem to understand it was just dumb, outdated, slapstick comedy, a courtesy they refuse to extend to Kagome.

That's also the reason they call her “annoying” and “whiny”: Kagome’s most important lesson was that it's okay to have feelings, so naturally they twisted that into a bad thing in order to keep hating on her. It's not about how her character was written, it's about people using of bad faith and deliberately mischaracterizing Kagome to pass their internalized misogyny as valid criticism.

I know part of the issue is that audiences nowadays are under the impression that for a female character to be strong, she can't cry or be feminine, but you don't see anyone hating on Sango even though she does cry and she can be as feminine as Kagome depending on the circunstances and on her mood.

The truth is that Kagome is playing a game she can never win, because the refs have decided they want her to lose before the match even starts.

If she stands up and sets boundaries for herself, she's annoying. If she doesn't, she's a doormat. If she feels jealousy, she's a bitch. If she shows kindness, she's boring. If she fights, she's overpowered. If she doesn't, she's useless. If any other character cries, it's heartbreaking. If she cries, she's whiny.

If she goes back to her own world, she's selfish. If she leaves that world behind to live the life she wants for herself, she's a stupid girl who left her family for a boy. If she does something grand, that's only because she's someone else's reincarnation. If she messes something up, the fault is hers and hers alone. She is, somehow, simultaneously a Mary Sue and a toxic abuser.

I've personally seen people slut shaming her because she got hitted on by Koga. I've personally seen people call her a "pick me" girl. Kagome. A pick me girl. Kagome.

And none of this is fair, because she is the kind of character who does her best to see the good in others, to understand the reasons why they act the way they do and to offer them some grace, but she gets very little of that in return, be it in canon, be it in fandom.

They always hold her up to such an impossible standard, but they completely forget to ask themselves: would the characters I stan be able to match the expectations I set for Kagome? Scratch that: would the characters I stan even be able to deal with things the way Kagome managed to do? Would I? The answer is most likely no, so how about cutting her a slack?

You ask me how did she earn this reputation among her rather dumb haters, my answer is: she didn't. They're just incapable of understanding that if a particular nuanced, well written, female character is not their cup of tea, they can simply ignore her and focus their attention on the characters they do like instead of spreading their baseless, misogynistic takes on the internet.

[baileypie-writes]

Can you, please, make Tropical-Rouge precures with friend!Reader, who constantly insults enemies to anger them and force to let their guard down?

A/N ~ Sure! I really like this idea! I decided to make Reader a member of the team, even though it wasn’t mentioned. Hope that’s okay! And hope you enjoy!

~The Tropical Rouge Girls with a Teammate Who Insults the Villains~

~~~🌺~~~🐚~~~🌺~~~

Fandom: Tropical-Rouge! Precure

Fanfic Type: Headcanons

Reader: Gender neutral, Pretty Cure

Relationship: Platonic

Characters Included: Manatsu Natsuumi/Cure Summer, Sango Suzumura/Cure Coral, Minori Ichinose/Cure Papaya, Asuka Takizawa/Cure Flamingo, Laura La Mer/Cure La Mer

Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG-13(for swearing)

Warnings: Swearing(Reader)

~Masterlist~

~Tropical-Rouge! Precure Masterlist~

Guide: Each girl’s dialouge is their own color(Summer’s is pink), and the uncolored dialogue is Reader.

~~~🌺~~~🐚~~~🌺~~~

~Manatsu Natsuumi/Cure Summer~

~~~🌺~~~🌺~~~🌺~~~

~ Summer was initially shocked when she first hears you lash out at the bad guys. I mean, she knew you were intense, and even aggressive at times, but man! You weren’t even calling them basic insults either, they were so creative!

~ She totally joins in on the fun! Though, she admits, she’s definitely as good as you. She’s loud and intense, but when it comes to making up insults on the spot, they just don’t hit. But she still has a good time!

~ Cure Summer is not a mean girl at all. So she admires how you can confidently say such things. So she asks for advice! Both on making up insults, and just being mean in general. However, though she tries her best, being rude just isn’t one of her strong suits.

“Ha! Take that! See? Your Yarane-da doesn’t stand a chance, Crab-face!”

“Uh, Summer. Chongire is a crab. So being called “Crab-face” probably isn’t all that insulting.”

“Oh…”

~~~🌺~~~🌺~~~🌺~~~

~Sango Suzumura/Cure Coral~

~~~🪸~~~🪸~~~🪸~~~

~ Cure Coral isn’t a fan of being rude. So your behavior stresses her out quite a bit. She also can’t handle how mean your words are, despite them being said to a villain. She truly believes that no one deserves to be treated that way. Also, she hates whenever you swear. In her mind, profanity is totally unnecessary and barbaric.

~ The first time she hears your insults to the bad guys, she freezes in shock. She scolds you for your rudeness and language. But unfortunately, that doesn’t stop you.

~ While she very much dislikes your behavior, she has given up trying to get you to stop. She figured it’s just the way you are, and it’s not worth trying to change it.

“Man, that was easy! Take that, asshole!”

“(cure name)! Is that language really necessary?”

“Uh, yeah. It helps get my point across!”

“Which is….?”

“That these Yarane-das are all dogshit!”

“*sigh*”

~~~🪸~~~🪸~~~🪸~~~

~Minori Ichinose/Cure Papaya~

~~~📚~~~📚~~~📚~~~

~ At first, she’s not really sure what to do. She just listens to your words, impressed by how quickly you came up with them. However, she wasn’t sure how this contributed to defeating the Yarane-da. But you did.

~ You explained to her that it lowers the villains’ confidence, and makes them lose their focus. And that way, it makes it easier to win. That seemed to convince her that your insults were useful.

~ Now, Cure Papaya is completely fine with your methods of battling. It doesn’t bother her in the slightest, even when you use foul language. She even encourages you to keep going at times. As long as it helps to win the fight, she’s fine.

“(cure name), now would be a good time to make Numeri lose her focus.”

“Good idea! Hey you, slug! You’re so oily, that the US wants to invade it!”

“Nice. But slugs are slimy, not oily…”

~~~📚~~~📚~~~📚~~~

~Asuka Takizawa/Cure Flamingo~

~~~🦩~~~🦩~~~🦩~~~

~ Flamingo was fine with it at first. She even found your insults pretty funny. However, over time, it got pretty old. It just gives her headaches now.

~ It also bothers her how when you focus so much on talking to the bad guys, it cuts back on how much physical damage is done. You’re doing way more barking than biting.

~ She constantly reminds you to do what really matters in battles, and to get back to the real work. But of course, within a few moments, you’re back to yapping.

“Hey, Chongire! Has anyone told you that you look like a-“

“(cure name)! Less talking, more fighting!”

“Okay, okay! Fine!”

~~~🦩~~~🦩~~~🦩~~~

~Laura La Mer/Cure La Mer~

~~~🌊~~~🌊~~~🌊~~~

~ Cure La Mer found your words disgustingly vulgar at first. It just wasn’t polite or charming in any way! How could the future queen allow herself to be around someone with such low decorum?

~ However, she eventually found herself cracking a smile at some of your insults. They were surprisingly funny. But she quickly reminds herself not to find humor in such awful words.

~ So whenever you battle, she almost always laughs at least once, only to correct herself. And she still claims that she does not find enjoyment in your behavior.

“C’mon, La Mer. You know I’m funny.”

“How insulting that you think I’d ever find humor in such foul language! That is definitely not queen like behavior!”

“Oh, really? Then why did I hear you laugh?”

“I-I wasn’t! I was coughing!”

“Uh huh….”

~~~🌊~~~🌊~~~🌊~~~

~~baileypie-writes

[blueopinions49]

Healthy/Unhealthy Type 6

Healthy Social 6

Kitty Pryde 6w7 (so/sx)- Kitty's development is all about community and standing up for what she believes. As a super ego type she goes forward in most of her appearances to fight for community and the well being for others.

Clare Deblin (6w5 so/sp)- While very anxious i think she is the most realistic display of an average SO6. Her desire to fit in and be in community with her friends constantly makes her feel comfortable in herself.

Marie Moreau (6w5 so/sp)- in the beginning of the show we see her having trouble to come out of her shell. By the end of the show we see how Maries core desire is for stability and community.

Unhealthy Social 6 

Dvorah (6w5 so/sp)- Constantly using others for her own benefit and doing everything she can to control the hive.

The Deep (6w7 so/sx)- Insecure, dumb and creepy. He is constantly using the community around him to hide his true intentions. As well as his incompetence makes him rely on others constantly to fix his messes.

Greg Hirsh (6w7 so/x)- Similar to the past two characters he uses the system around to move upwards in life eventually landing him In a place he can never move.

Healthy Self Preservation 6

Allison Argent (6w7 sp/sx)- While she has her ups and downs she always kept her desires in check and tried helping as much peoples as possible. Eventually dying to save her friends (the movie didn't happen).

Miles Morales (6w7 sp/so)- He started insecure and worried about whats his place in the world and by the end of movie we see him fully accept the mantle of spider man.

Frank Shang (6w5 sp/so)- He initially had a confidence problem but with patience and friends he managed to out through and become an excellent leader.

Unhealthy Self Preservation 6 

Josie from bottoms (6w5 sp/so)- She started a fight club to get with a girl she liked... While allot of her actions are morally dubious we see her eventually recognize the wrong she did and ask Isabelle a second chance.

Ashley Brown (6w5 sp/so)- Her anxiety makes her jump to conclusions fast and in most choices ends with her throwing others under the buss.

Peter Pettigrew (6w7 sp/so)- He hides behind other due to his vulnerability and incompetence. Eventually leading to his own death.

Healthy Sexual 6

Flame Princess (6w7 sx/so)- When we first meet her we see how sheltered she was due to her fire powers. As the series goes on we see how she struggles with her fear of who's true intentions are and who truly has her best intents for her. In the end of the show we see a fully realized FP who's interrogated to her 9 and found peace and love in community as the fire kingdoms Queen.

Natasha Romanoff (6w5 sx/sp)- Her health levels are completely up for debate however I see Natasha as a 6 who's worked to integrate too her 9.

Sango (6w5 sx/so)- Similar to FP she struggles to understand who to truly trust in the current stage. In her chase for her brother she learns to trust others and be vulnerable. Eventually falling for Miroku.

Unhealthy Sexual 6

Laura Palmer 6w7 (sx/so)- Her struggle to find stability in her life ends with her disintegrating fully to 9. Becoming sad and in need to feel something.

Jacob Black 6w7 (sx/so)-While he started well in the first movie. Once he became a werewolf he was constantly chasing after Bella even when she stated she wasn't interested.

Carla Roson (6w5 sx/so)- Looking for stably and peace in the first place makes her struggle with her relationship with Polo. Once S2 starts we see her trying to seduce Samuel to let his guard down. Eventually falling for him. In S3 we see how she fully disintegrates towards 9 in order to maintain her house hold steady. In the end she leaves las Encinas.

[bluemoonjayy]

𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗢𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦

[𝕸𝖆𝖙𝖙 𝖘𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖔𝖑𝖔 𝖝 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗]

𝘚𝘜𝘔𝘔𝘈𝘙𝘠: ʏ/ɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ʏᴠᴇ ɢᴏ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀɴɪᴠᴀʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴡɴᴇʀ'ꜱ ᴋɪᴅꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ᴄᴀʀᴏᴜꜱᴇʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ

[PART 1] [PART 2]

PLAYLIST:

On dat bxtch by lumi athena

Swimming pools by Kendrick Lamar or lloyd version

The party and the after party (Sango remix) by the weeknd

All mine by plaza

Nightcrawler by Travis scott

On the floor by removeface

Swim by chase atlantic

Into it by chase atlantic

[I RECOMMEND THE SLOWED VERSION]

BEFORE READING

- I wanted to say that english is not my first language so if I make some mistakes tell me lol

- this is not really my first story but im trying to write something different and also hope you like it :3

IM GONNA MAKE A CHRIS ONE IF Y'ALL WILL LIKE THIS

⋆⭒˚.⋆🪐 ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆🪐 ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆🪐 ⋆⭒˚.

-Are you ready?- my friend Yve asks me after knocking at the door of my room

-yeah, almost done!- I reply -i just need to wear my pants!- I wear them as quickly as possible and open the entrance

-finally!- she rools her eyes quite annoyed by the fact that I made her wait a bit too much -We had to be at the carnival almost 15 minutes ago…-

-sorry, sorry, sorryyyy!- I take my bag and her hand -we’re gonna absolutely run there- and we do as I said, sprinting through the people that are in the streets trying not to hit them

Well…

it didn't work…

-oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!- i apologize as I head myself to my friend who is far from me

-damn, it took you hours to arrive-

-its already much if I'm still alive- I take deep breaths because of the long run I had

After some seconds I recompose myself and look up seeing the amazing carousels that I was waiting to go on since the end of the school

My favorites are the musik express and the tagada

They're the best!

My friend actually finds them boring but still goes with me for unknown reasons, maybe just to keep me company

-come on!- Yve runs leaving me alone

-oh, you bitch!- I laugh and follow her

We first go near the tagada

I notice two boys on it

They both look so alike but one has quite long hair and a hat, they're probably twins

-Yve? Why are they the only ones on it?- I turn my head to watch her

-they’re the owner's kids- she replies -they do this to test the carousel to see if it has some problems, you know-

I return my eyes back on the two of them

-Nick! Make this thing start!- the one with the hat screams at another person that looked like them in the control box

-okay, Chris!- he presses some buttons and the machine moves

The boys are still standing at the center of it

-Matt, are you ready?- Chris screams

-Yes, i am!- he smiles a little

The carousel starts to move and the brothers do the most insane things to not fall down of it

One of them does a backflip

-wow!- Yve whispers -they’re really good-

-i could never- I chuckle

I would probably be at the hospital if I even tried to stand on it for a second

After some other crazy backflips and shit the carousel stops

Matt looks at me in the eyes and I feel myself getting this crazy feeling that I almost never had in my entire life

He smirks and winks at me

“Wait…did he REALLY do that to me?”

-Matt, we gotta help Nick with the tickets- Chris points at the control box where the poor boy is being pressured selling tickets to hundreds of people

-yeah…- the brunette looks at me a last time and heads to the other brothers

“he's so fin-Y/N! Stop having crushes on random people that show you affection,okay?” my cheeks get red at the thought of the last gesture that the man did

“but still…what if he wasn't doing that to me? What if I'm just being delusional? what if-”

My thoughts get interrupted by my friend

-girl, are you okay? You're blushing like crazy right now!- she laughs

-stop! It's better if we go try the attractions- we head to the nearest one

*one hour later*

It's time to (finally) go on the tagada

Yve pays her ticket and sits on the first free place she found

-it’s 3 dollars- Nick tells me and I take the money to give him

-Wait!- I look at the boy's side and I see matt -i’ll pay her ticket-

At those words I smile -don’t worry it's just 3 dollars!-

-nah, you shouldn't worry- he hands me the ticket -come on!-

I take it a bit reluctantly and sit far from my friend since almost all the good places got taken

I begin to hold myself tight to not slip/fall

Like I said before, my friend is literally unbothered by all of this

She doesn't even hold much most of the times

Maybe I'm too scared, i should be relaxed like her

I'm not gonna die for a stupid game after all

SWIMMING POOLS BY KENDRICK LAMAR PLAYS

My favorite song starts and I smile looking at Yve that mouths "im here just because of you"

I rool my eyes and we both laugh

-okay, ladies and gentlemen or whatever! The ride is initiating so hold yourself and have fun!- Nick states in the microphone

The two brothers are the last to enter

They both positionate in the middle, Matt right in front of me

He smiles and i do so too

“I'm 100 percent sure now that he's flirting with me” I think

Nobody ever flirted with me, people always tried to avoid being near me

Except Yve

She sees the real me and Im really grateful for that

The carousel starts and I feel quite nervous

It first spins around not too fast but some seconds after it forces some thrusts

As always, I was about to fall from the seat

Meanwhile Matt and Chris where perfectly standing and occasionally jumping to avoid the thrusts

I was watching them thinking that I wanted to learn how to do that too

I manage to not slip for almost the whole time

The ride was about to end and Nick announces the last round

I turn to mouth to my friend “help me” and she replies with “its all right”

The carousel spins around really fast and I try my best to stay where I am

Suddenly Matt loses balance and bumps into me

It didn't hurt much fortunately and he sits beside me

The game stops, making everyone stand up and head to the exit

I was about to too but the boy takes my hand

-i…I wanted to apologize for what happened- he says -did I hurt you?-

-im fine, don't worry!- I smile -and thanks again for the ticket-

-no problem, babe- he smirks

I feel myself exploding mentally and almost physically

-well…I have to go, see you- I leave and he follows me

-can't you stay a bit more?- I turn to face him

-i should be with my friend actually…-

I stop to think

This boy is trying to flirt with me and he's also my type

Yve will understand

I take my phone and text her

•YVE• •YOU•

You can go without me,

I'll explain later

fine...

✅(read)

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

-okay, now I can- his face seems to enlighten at my words

-great! Wanna take a drink?- I nod a yes and we head to the nearest bar

⭒₊ ⊹🌕₊ ⊹⭒⭒₊ ⊹🌕₊ ⊹⭒⭒₊ ⊹🌕₊ ⊹⭒⭒₊ ⊹🌕₊

PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU LIKED IT :D

SEE YAAAA

[inu-yasha]

*sighs* Poor Kikyou

A friend showed me a panel where the author of "yashahime" wrote that Kikyou is his "ex" and I see that it also "confirmed" as everyone says. So to be honest, Kikyou's role has been reduced to "ex", and Kikyou is more than Inuyasha's ex. How annoying. This girl is dead, no longer a threat to the main couple, and continues to be humiliated, even in this pseudo-non-canon sequel. I really haven't experienced such hatred for a character like Kikyou. Kikyou's hatred transcends all levels.

Naraku is not as hated as Kikyou. I just feel it's annoying that Kagome failed to fill the void left by the loss of Kikyou, and knowing that Inuyasha still loves Kikyou despite her death, must be really frustrating even for the author of this pseudo-non-canon sequel himself. How sad. What's going on with Kikyou is absurd to me. This girl has done NOTHING to have such hatred. She is also a victim not only Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku etc.

She took it upon herself to get rid of Naraku, the person who ruined her life, she didn't hesitate to stand by his side giving him the jewel, which was part of her plan, she knew well how Naraku thinks as it was with Kagome's eyes. Kikyou had previously warned Inuyasha not to take her because he would want to get Kagome's eyes so he could see the jewel shards. All this and more, not only did she help Miroku and Kohaku, this woman did a lot more for the series than the jealous Kagome, was more interested in having an romance with the main character than taking responsibility for breaking jewel. Kagome got what she honestly wanted so much - Inuyasha and she wanted Kikyou to die, it also happened.

This woman don't have her back story.She and Kaede were left alone. Was Kikyou raised by priestesses after her parents died and then took care of her sister? Have She taken on the responsibility of looking after their little sister before? How were they left alone without their parents? How did their parents die? How did Kikyou choose the path of a priestess, becoming an unhappy person but devoted to her duties?

Kikyou has suffered a really big injustice from Sunrise, and now this… I am speechless, all I can say is how sad and pathetic and ridiculous at the same time to bring this poor woman, despite her death, to such a shallow statement. Kikyou really deserves better, apparently her sin was to fall in love with Inuyasha, but she was and is and will ALWAYS be loved by Inuyasha, no matter what the author of this pseudo non-canon works does.

And I came to the conclusion that Kikyou was and is VERY important to Inuyasha and the whole series since her role and her are still wanted to be humiliated and reduced (I've known this for a long time, only seeing things like this confirms it) - Pathetic

and also

KIKYOU QUEEN FOR LIFE!

Kikyou's the best Inuyasha women character

[somekndofnature]

WIP Weekends!!!!

Hey everyone! I'm back after a very long hiatus, but in my defense I have been consumed by writing this story. That being said, I felt my motivation waning and thought it might help to get some feedback.

This is from a modern Inu/Kag AU that I have been working on. It is the story of a miserable puppy who screwed up pretty bad when he found out that his band's new manager was his fated mate. Resenting destiny and it's cruel sense of timing, Inuyasha tries his hardest to push Kagome away in every way possible. He takes advantage of her kindness and realizes too late that he is head over heels in love with her before he chased her away.

Now, six years later he is doing everything possible to win her back. Kagome comes to his home in Vegas, hoping to reconnect with her old friend Sango but shocked to find the whole band waiting for her. Inuyasha is ready to start a new album and needs her help, but she is less than eager to jump back into a partnership with them. After a very tense and public argument, Kagome leaves with Sango and promise to make a decision after listening to the music.

Inuyasha feels slighted and decides that the best way to get her undivided attention is to follow Kagome home to LA... on the same flight. Not creepy at right?

This picks up after the plane lands. Kagome has fallen asleep on Inuyasha's arm after they talked out a few things on the trip. In her half-conscious state, she doesn't realize when or where she is and makes a few off hand comments that, while true, still hurt Inuyasha's feelings.

Sooooo... whew! That was a very long summary. Thanks for sticking with me, but I think that's enough context, for now. Please let me know what you think. This story has been so self-indulgent; it would be nice to know if someone liked it as much as I do.

HERE WITH YOU

Kagome felt a gentle shake to her knee and grumbled, nuzzling deeper into the warmth at her side.

“C’mon, baby,” Inuyasha’s deep voice rumbled before soft lips brushed her cheek. “You gotta get up.”

She groaned and squeezed her eyes tighter, unwilling to break from the pull of slumber. She was comfortable dammit, and she could feel by the heaviness of her body that she hadn’t slept long enough.

Why did he always do this?! Every damn time!

In the afterglow of their love making, when her muscles were liquid and sleep started calling for her, Inuyasha would rouse her and send her on her way before morning. It hurt. She just wanted to fall asleep next to him and pretend for just a moment that they were a real couple—not whatever this was.

“’Gome,” he prompted again with another shake to her knee.

“Oh, come on,” she whined. “Why do I always gotta go? None of the other girls leave before sunrise.”

She felt him stiffen beside her and braced for his cutting response. Instead, he released a soft whine, nuzzling his nose against hers.

“Baby, there are no other girls,” he whispered, voice tight. “And I swear, I’ll never let you leave before sunrise again,but you need to wake up; we’re here.”

The entire morning came back to Kagome in a rush. She sat straight up in her seat, blinking at the plane and it’s slowly deboarding passengers. She was home, in LA, with Inuyasha. Her eyes snapped up to meet his golden gaze; he looked so sad and resigned.

Her half-conscious words surfaced in her mind as her cheeks grew hot. “S-sorry, I didn’t mean that.”

“Well, I did,” he replied, flicking open his seatbelt and moving to stand.

Impending tears pricked at her eyes as she lurched forward and grabbed his arm. “Wait! Inu, please don’t be mad.”

He turned back to her with brows furrowed, grasping her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Don’t worry about me being mad, okay? I’m not; I’m just grabbing your suitcase.” He leaned down and planted a swift kiss to her lips before moving into the aisle.

Kagome sat back in her chair and pushed a hand through her bangs, still so disoriented from sleep that she forgot to chastise him for the overly familiar action. She couldn’t drum up her earlier resentment anyway. It was difficult when he was being so sweet and attentive.

She gathered up her purse from the floor, hiked it onto her shoulder, and scooted towards the aisle, reaching to take her suitcase from Inuyasha’s hands. She frowned when he didn’t pass it to her and instead stooped down to grab his duffle.

He turned towards her with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Ready?”

“I can carry that,” she replied while motioning to her bag.

Inuyasha shook his head. “I got it. C’mon.”

He made a space for her in front of him and allowed her into line. They filed out behind other passengers.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

They scooted forward a few inches at a time, ignoring the accidental jostles they received in the process.

Someone still in their chair mumbled something as they passed.

Inuyasha snarled from behind her, “Shut up and mind your own damn business.”

“What did he say?” Kagome asked, looking over her shoulder as they trudged forward.

He scowled. “Nothin’, just another asshole tryin’ to be funny. On this flight they’re a dime a dozen, apparently.”

She shook her head and giggled at the slight dusting of pink across his nose when Inuyasha’s eyes widened. He dropped his bag and reached forward to wrap hand around her arm, pulling her back against his chest and saving her from face-planting into a suitcase wheel.

Kagome was shell-shocked for a moment before warm breath tickled the hair against her ear.

“Careful, baby. Eyes forward,” Inuyasha whispered before releasing her and grabbing his duffle once again.

She nodded and waved off the apology from the man in front of her while trying to steady her fluttering heart. She had never received this kind of attention from him before and it was throwing her off. Every ounce of his focus seemed attuned to her; she could even feel his aura enveloping her like a protective blanket. It was overwhelming.

She slid forward when the line started to move, fanning her flaming face; it didn’t help. Kagome rose on tiptoe and glanced to the front door. Only a little longer and she could take a free breath without him towering behind her and saturating every molecule of air with his delicious sandalwood scent. It was making her head swim.

“Anxious to get away?” Inuyasha purred into her ear.

Kagome tripped over her feet, bumping the person in front of her. They tossed a glare over their shoulder. She mumbled an apology as they neared the cockpit and blessedly the front door. She could hear the cheery voices of the flight attendants just a few people ahead of her.

Inuyasha leaned closer and whispered, “Breathe, ‘Gome.”

“I’m trying,” Kagome hissed, glaring over her shoulder. “It’s not my fault you smell so damn g—”

“Thank you for flying with us today,” one of those cheery voices interrupted.

All the color drained from her face as she whipped around and stumbled over a ‘thank you’, rushing out the door and into the open air. Kagome took a deep breath and almost choked on the scent of exhaust. As long as it wasn’t ‘throw your underwear at me’ sandalwood, she was fine.

She turned to face the no doubt mocking expression of her companion, but Inuyasha didn’t react beyond setting her suitcase on the floor and rolling it it behind him up the ramp.

Kagome blinked. Was he just going to ignore all that?

She caught up to his side and glanced at his face. As she stared a corner of his mouth began to twitch upwards.

Kagome frowned and waved a hand at him. “Go on. Laugh it up.”

“What?” he replied with a chuckle. “You nearly hyperventilated because I smell so damn good. What’s funny about that?”

“You don’t know that I was going to say good,” she snapped.

Inuyasha tossed her a smug smile. “You’re right; you were probably gonna say great.”

“Or gross,” she grumbled, stomping ahead of him towards the terminal.

She turned around just inside to give him a piece of her mind but lost her ire as she looked him over. Although he was laughing, the mirth didn’t reach his eyes and even his ears were hanging lower than normal.

Kagome’s gaze found the white toes of her Chucks, wrapping her hands around her purse strap. Some matching shoes in red invaded her line of vision.

“Hey,” he said, giving her arm a nudge. “What’s wrong? I was just teasin’.”

“It’s not that,” she said, peeking up at him through her bangs. “I was just wondering, do you have somewhere to stay tonight?”

“Not really,” he replied with a shrug, but his ears perked. “Figured I would deal with that once we landed.”

Kagome cleared her throat and looked away, squeezing the leather between her hands. “Well, you can stay with me, if you want. I don’t have an extra bedroom, but I have a couch that’s pretty—”

Inuyasha reached forward and tilted her head up until she saw his sparkling golden eyes. “That sounds perfect,” he purred, rubbing his thumb along her bottom lip.

She was momentarily stunned but managed a nod.

“Was it gorgeous?” he asked with a fangy grin that lit up his whole face.

Kagome’s brow knit, not understanding his meaning until the light finally dawned. “No, it was grody!” she shouted while whipping around and storming off.

“Nah,” he replied, following a step behind. “It was probably glorious.”

“It was grimy!”

“How about grand?”

“How about gag me!”

Inuyasha stumbled and coughed before Kagome registered what had flown past her lips. She slapped a hand over her mouth in horror.

He shook the dazed look away from his face and smirked. “If you insist, baby.”

Kagome flushed. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

Inuyasha laughed and leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

“S-stop it,” she stuttered.

His brow furrowed, turning serious. “Maybe it was a phrase instead. Something like ‘good enough to eat’.”

“Ugh,” she groaned and turned on her heel, stomping away at a good clip. “Will you drop it already? Geez, you’re like a d—" Kagome sputtered out a laugh mid-sentence.

“What?” Inuyasha asked from behind her. “What is it?”

She turned around to see him staring at her like a very curious dog, head tilted to the side and ears perked to her amusement. Kagome doubled over, giggling until there were tears in her eyes.

“’Gome, people are starting to stare like you’ve gone nuts,” he whispered. “What the hell is so funny?”

Her laughter petered out to a slight chuckle as she shook her head. “Nothing, it’s just in your nature, I guess.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

She offered him a coy smile and stepped forward, taking her suitcase handle from his hand. Inuyasha huffed in protest but was soothed by the way she intertwined their fingers.

“C’mon, Puppy,” Kagome purred while pulling him to the doors. “Now we just need to figure out where I parked.”

“You didn’t take a picture of your spot?” he groaned.

She laughed. “Do I ever?”

[hanmajoerin]

Things to Keep Summary: There were others who loved and needed Kagome even though InuYasha was meant to be with her. He knew this, but gods, the cost of it. A one-shot that was edited and polished to shine just for its 2nd Anniversary.

A/N: Two years ago today, I thanked a close friend for inspiring me with a dream she had because every day InuYasha spent without Kagome must've felt like an unending dream. A few months ago, I polished up "Things to Keep" and submitted it for a Rumic Fanzine project. Unfortunately it was rejected since I'd already published a previous version, but I still wanted to give this piece back to you because I'd fallen in love with my edits. And more than that, I knew you guys loved the original enough to nominate it for the 2021 2nd Quarterly Inuyasha Fandom Awards and you believed in it enough for the story to win third place in the best one shot category. Thank your support back then (and now, too!), and I hope you enjoy reading this special version, taking note of all the little changes.

-X-

Things to Keep (Anniversary Version)

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

Kin’u burped and, within seconds, Sango had the newborn secured to her back. She knelt next to Miroku, telling him she’d take over as if she never stopped. InuYasha’s ear flicked. Despite catching their conversations more often, Sango’s tone was gentler than the half-demon was used to hearing. Miroku switched roles effortlessly, choosing to trade Sango’s clean pieces of laundry for dirty ones. 

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

Miroku shifted, putting InuYasha in Gyokuto’s line of vision. The newborn extended her arm out to him, and he was fascinated by the way her fingers flexed. The spaces between them were bigger than last month, putting him in a rotten mood. He hated seeing more of the world through those tiny fingers; it just meant the days Kagome spent here were getting smaller than the time they spent apart—if those types of things could even be compared. InuYasha had never really been around human babies before, so how was he supposed to know whether or not the emptiness Kagome left was even similar to babies growing up? The half-demon sharply turned away to offer Kin’u a passing glance instead. It’d be easier to watch that icicle of drool fall onto Sango’s back. 

The spring sun warmed everything in its path, something that only InuYasha’s legs understood while he lounged. 

Now Kin’u was gurgling, gnawing on her fist. 

Miroku once told him how remarkable it was that he always knew which twin was which, but the monk must’ve forgotten about InuYasha’s nose. The girls looked the same, but their scents were unique. It was kind of like Kikyo and Kagome’s: similar but only on the first sniff.

The afternoons were getting longer again. 

The sun’s reflection on the river’s surface shone like a beam now, hitting InuYasha right in the eyes. He blinked a few times, scowling. Damn thing made it nearly impossible to get a good look at that fibrous white towel, the one with the unmistakable blue polka dots that Sango was taking from Miroku. 

As if possessed by a demon, InuYasha was there. Standing by the river, standing before Sango. ....

Want to read the rest?

"Things to Keep (Anniversary Version)" II AO3 II II Fanfiction.net II

"Things to Keep" (OG) II AO3 II II Fanfiction.net II

[superpixie42]

SINS WEEK REQUEST!!!!!

Friendship: Miroku and Kagome

HELLO HELLO HELLO FEENY! Both you and @shikonstar requested a Miroku and Kagome friendship ficlet, so I hope you guys like this Modern AU for ENVY/RED

--

Kagome loved house parties. She loved the chill atmosphere, she loved the variety of people, she loved the cliche selfies with red solo cups stacked up in the background. She loved being able to socialize and wear sweatpants at the same time. And best of all, she loved that house parties were always at Miroku’s place, and not hers, so she didn’t have to deal with the clean-up.

That was, of course, until Miroku got a new housemate. 

But now that her best friend and her boyfriend were roomies, Kagome found herself spending more time there than at her own apartment, and with unofficial tenantship came host duties. As she walked around the firepit picking up empties and pouring out not-so-empties she jumped a little at the sudden weight of something soft and warm dropping down onto her head.

“I can see you shivering from there,” came Inuyasha’s soft grumble. Kagome smiled into the floppy sleeves as she started to roll the red too-large hoodie up to her elbows. She’d just finished adjusting the cord to protect her ears from the bite in the midnight breeze when her vision was suddenly filled with two glaring purple eyes. 

“Why are you blushing more red than that jacket?” asked Miroku, his breath reeking of lime and tequila. “Between him giving it to you- and you stealing it - it's probably yours legally at this point. And yet here you are giggling to yourself like a schoolgirl.”

“I was cold?”

“And that’s all it takes?”

“Takes to what?”

“To win a girl over.”

Kagome frowned, but Miroku continued at an impressive clip considering his BAL, “Inuyasha is the grumpiest old bulldog I’ve ever met and yet the two of you are so loveydovey and you basically live here now and I try and I try and I try to show her how beautiful she is and how smart I think she is and talk to her all the time and and and… all she seems to remember is the one time I touched her butt and it was an accident anyway I thought it was you and she did not like that answer and that grumpy asshole who won’t even hold your hand in public gets giggles for a sweater?”

Kagome blinked up at him, slowly working her way through his ramblings. It all finally clicked when she realized that, just out of earshot, sitting in one of the lawn chairs next to the back door, was one leftover party guest. 

Sango; dressed to the nines and likely freezing her nearly exposed butt off. 

Miroku had spent weeks trying to woo her and felt like nothing had worked. And yet to everyone’s surprise she’d shown up to the party with legs for days and eyes only for Miroku…if only he had been sober enough to see it. 

Kagome took pity on her friend who had finished a whole bottle before Sango even got there that night. She adjusted the hoodie and tried to speak as slowly and clearly as she could without raising her voice. 

“Well it… it shows he cares. That he’s paying attention to the little things. It wouldn’t hurt to show Sango that you care ya know? She can’t see your affections while she’s sitting there shivering can she?”

It took a moment for the gears in Miroku’s head to start, but finally a smile of comprehension spread across his face. “You think that would work?”

“Best way to warm someone’s heart is to warm their hands first!”

With a confident nod Miroku adjusted his own jacket and walked past Kagome with a confidence she hadn’t seen in weeks.

Kagome’d just started picking up bottles again when a loud CRACK of a slap echoed through the yard. Kagome turned so quickly she nearly fell over and saw Miroku standing where Sango had been sitting, jacket still in place, but sweatpants off and hanging from his extended hands.

“THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT!” she shouted as she sprinted back to the house to find a very embarrassed Sango.

[kihaku-gato]

I just realized Sango, Venelle, and Laurel all had the case of "I wasn't planning to have any kids, but I guess this random kid is my kid now" and as "single parents" at that.

Venelle @ Kayla- "she is not my kid but I'm not just gonna stand around and watch this stupid kid kill herself" (turns out to be the worst "mom" of the three, though hardly even calls herself a guardian)

Sango @ Harriet- "this idiot is kind of cute, I'll take her under my wing and see where this goes" (technically more like an scruffy boss Aunt than a mom but I'm still counting her)

Laurel @ Terra- "I am not even remotely equipped or suited to be a mom but I'd still be 10x better than whoever tf this girl has for adults! My kid now." (Probably best mom of the three despite it all and actually sees herself as the kid's mom, also adopts Abby at roughly the same time becoming a mom of two)

Weirdly specific detail

[multi-fandom-imagine]

Can I please request headcanons for InuYasha, Miroku, and Sango coming to the modern world and falling for a modern woman?

A/n: YES!! Oh thank you my friend, also this reminds of an Inuyasha game I used to play for the PS2 where this exact thing happens.

Inuyasha:

🗡: Is used to being in the modern world….kinda. He still messes up a lot.

🗡: Is not used to wearing modern clothes, why does he have to wear modern clothes?

🗡: Met you through Kagome with you being one of her friends.

🗡: Was smitten with you from the start { though he’s not gonna admit that. }

🗡: Starts making excuses to slip into the modern world to see you.

🗡: You enjoy taking him to all kinds of parks, it’s cute seeing his reactions to the rollercoasters.

🗡: Is very clingy while you’re in the modern world,would often latch himself onto your arm, holding your waist. He likes it when he carries you on his back.

🗡:absolutely adores it when you cook for him, he’s puddy in your hands after you cook him a big meal.

🗡: YOU CAN WEAR WHAT!!

🗡: Is excited to see all the different outfits you can wear. Loves the skirts and dress…easier to rip off. Though those hip hugging jeans also look good on you.

🗡:Likes that he can have sex in an actual bed, not happy that he can’t have sex in a public setting. He’d rather not he scolded by you again.

🗡: Little harder for him to adjust in the modern world due to him needed to wear a hat most of the time. Is more than happy to slip between both worlds for you since he loves you.

🗡: You’re more than happy to do the same, it’s gotten easier after you both had gotten married.

🗡: Would 100% spoil his children in the modern world.

•

Miroku:

📿: Finds it all very interesting, of look at pretty woman. ‘Why are people holding up a strange device in front of me?’Are his first thoughts.

📿: Run’s into you by complete accident, the man is completely taken in by how beautiful you were. Not to mention your kindness.

📿: Does his best to explain the situation, it does not work. Thank god you happen to be an acquaintance of Kagome since she made it so much easier to explain everything.

📿: Is so much easier for him to adjust in the modern world. Modern clothes look so good on him, you nearly swoon when he steps out wearing a white top and black slacks.

📿:Other girls your age won’t leave him alone but he finds himself not caring. His eyes are set on you, he realizes his feelings for you much faster than Inuyasha would.

📿:Adores showing you off, he’s rather proud of himself that he managed to land someone like you.

📿:Fucking Loves it when you wear skirts and dress, easier access for him.

📿:Is more clingy, he likes having his hands on you. Will be the one to leave hickies all over your skin.

📿: Loves that semi-public sex, though don’t discount him in the bedroom. Total romantic.

📿:Would be the one to stay in the modern world, does not want to put you or his children at risk or in harms way.

📿: Would still visit his time period with you and the kids.

•

Sango:

🪃:It’s much easier for her to blend in, also faster for her to understand stand things.

🪃: She met you by beating some asshole’s ass that was harassing you.

🪃: You were the first to fall for the woman, confusing for you. Not confusing to Sango though it did take a moment for her to understand her feelings since she’s never felt this way before.

🪃:Teaches you how to fight and defend yourself, she wants to know you’re safe when she’s not around.

🪃: While hold your hand, she thinks it’s cute how you snuggle into her side.

🪃: Soft kisses, gentle love making, she’s really the perfect girlfriend.

🪃: Looks stunning in modern clothing, Sango can pull off any outfit you give her.

🪃:Loves dancing with, she’s never had that much fun until she met you.

🪃: Would live in the modern world and her time period. She just wants you to be happy.

🪃: You two would adopt,

🪃: 100% makes everyone jealous with how much your children brag about how awesome their two mama’s are.

[mamabearcatfanart]

Words at the Well

A reinterpretation of the famous artwork The Meeting on the Turret Stairs by Frederic William Burton.

They were silent as they approached the well, both of them dragging their feet. It had been a long and trying day – a battle with a tribe of mountain oni had earned them a small shikon shard, but all of them had been injured in some way during the fight.

Inuyasha had already recovered from his broken nose, stoically sitting on his haunches in the carnage of the battle field while Miroku cracked it back into place for him. Now a few hours later, even the bruising around his eyes had gone. Shippou and Kirara had also gotten over their scrapes, bumps and bruises, but the humans would need a day or two to recover, both Miroku and Sango looking a little worse for wear.

Kagome had elected to go home a night earlier than planned for her test, wanting a hot bath and good night’s sleep before the long day of study ahead of her. Much to her initial surprise, Inuyasha had agreed. He’d been glancing at her anxiously the entire walk from Kaede’s hut, and when they got closer, she thought she knew why.

Neither of them mentioned the lone shinidamachū floating silently around a tree in the gloom at the edge of the forest. They came to a halt in the long grass by the well, the tension between them growing. Finally Kagome cleared her throat, doing her best to smile brightly at Inuyasha, even though she was so exhausted she could barely stand upright.

“So, I’ll see you the day after tomorrow, okay? Try and stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”

She turned, hoisting her backpack up on one shoulder and climbing up on the side of the well, but was stopped from jumping by a gentle tug on her injured hand.

“You’re gonna take care of this, right?” Inuyasha said as he looked up at her, his gruff tone in direct contrast to the gentle strokes of his fingers against hers. He glanced down at her hand, barely touching the bandage covering the cuts where the feathers from her arrows had sliced open the skin. “Make sure you wash it again, and put some of that cream on it. And you need to look after those scrapes on your knee too.”

Before she could answer, Kagome’s attention was drawn to the forest behind him, where another shining youkai had joined the first, its snakelike form twisting through the trees. Both of them seemed to be carrying souls, and Kagome pushed down a shudder, hoping neither of the softly glowing orbs had belonged to girls in Kaede’s village. At an insistent tug on her fingers, she turned her attention back to the hanyou in front of her, doing her best to smile again for him.

“Inuyasha, I’ll be fine. Make sure the others rest, and as soon as my test is done, I’ll be back.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

As he continued to gaze at her, not moving away, she sighed tiredly, her exhaustion and morbid thoughts weighing heavily on her.

“Go on Inuyasha, she’s waiting for you.”

“Don’t matter. You got hurt today Kagome. I need to make sure you’re okay first.”

“But-“

“But nothin.”

His amber eyes seemed even more intense than usual in the growing shadows, the parched yellow grass lit by the setting sun a pale comparison.

“I have a duty to Kikyou, it’s true. It’s a matter of honour, and apart from my sword and the clothes on my back, my word is all that I can call mine. Just like you go to school for those exams because that’s what your family expects. You have a duty to them too.”

He pulled her hand gently to his chest, covering it with both of his, resting his head against her arm, his voice slightly muffled against her shirt.

“But I want to know you’re okay Kagome.” His voice faltered, and he turned his head, nose pressed tightly against her arm. “I need to know you’re coming back. And I want you to know I’ll be waiting for you.”

Tears sprang into Kagome’s eyes, and she curled her fingers around his, squeezing gently, ignoring the pain.

“I promise I’m okay Inuyasha. I promise I’ll be back.”

He released her fingers with a sigh, hiding his hands back inside his long sleeves, squaring his shoulders and smoothing his earnest expression away with a scowl, as if the softness had never been there.

“O’course you will. Bring more ramen when you come back, we’re nearly out.”

Kagome grinned at him, then turned and jumped, enveloped by the eerie glow of the well.

The day after tomorrow she had an exam, which she was not looking forward to. Then Inuyasha would be waiting for her. But right now, she had a long overdue date with a hot bath.

[inukag-archive]

I realize this is weirdly specific, however, may I ask if you can recommend any fics where Inuyasha and Kagome are in a relationship, but either of their parent(s) do not approve and/or actively try and split them apart for some reason or another? Cannon-flavored or AU are both fine, as is NSFW. I apologize for any oddness, but I’m just looking for something with that type of family angst in it. Thank you kindly for your hard work, and please have a wonderful day.

Hello Nonnie!

Thank you for your patience; since this is a very specific type of angst it took the team a minute to find. That said, some of these fics stretched your ask a little bit in that parental/guardian disapproval is only one part of the plot and not the primary focus of the fic.

We hope this is the family angst you were looking for.

So Now We'll Let the Rain Fall by @witchygirl99 (T)

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, but it doesn't leave you any less broken. Inuyasha is stubborn, broken but inexplicably beautiful. Kagome is drawn to him like a moth to a flame, unable to stop herself from saving him, and saving herself.

--

Ours by @shinidamachu (T)

The stakes are high. The water's rough. But this love is ours.

--

Heartsong by DeletedAccountNotChangingMyMind (T)

The War had consumed the people for many years the War of humans and Demons Kagome heir to the human throne needs to marry Inuyasha king to the demon her mother doesn't approve but her people need the peace now they must fight for it to keep it.

--

Vanilla and Orange Blossom by sakura ten'nyo (T)

Two feuding families. A centuries old quarrel. A pair of starcross'd lovers. In fair...Tokyo? Romeo and Juliet with a twist. Enjoy!

--

Enchanted by @akitokihojo (T)

"Too bleak?" He asked.

"Not at all." Kagome answered, their eyes meeting. "There's plenty of beauty in embers."

A thud in his chest, a swelling in his diaphragm. He could feel the thin skin of his lips slowly part as he let her statement hang in the air. The stillness between them was comfortable, as was her stare, and he allowed himself a small moment to stop thinking, to stop trying to figure out what was happening and just relish in the peace he'd found. As the sun hid itself behind the distant mountains in the West, shadows filling the woods, Inuyasha pushed himself to stand.

--

The Debutante and the Dog by @fawn-eyed-girl & @ruddcatha (E)

Kagome Higurashi has lived a privileged life: the best schools, the best clothes, the best of everything. Except with that privilege comes with a cost. Kagome’s parents have also always planned everything out for her, including her career: they want her, more than anything, to be a doctor.

The only problem? Kagome sucks at math, and science, and would give anything to be able to be an artist, and not a doctor, like her parents have planned.

And when she sees the handsome half-demon from the wrong side of the tracks in her art class, she realizes that there’s a way out of this life that has been mapped out for her.

She just has to convince Inuyasha Taisho to be her boyfriend for two weddings, and she’s willing to use any means necessary to do so. Including ten thousand dollars.

She just didn’t plan on crushing on him so hard.

--

All That Matters by @kstewdeux (M)

Inuyasha is hunted on his human night but this time he doesn’t manage to come out unscathed. Complete.

--

Possessed by @splendentgoddess (E)

Direct sequel to Possessing, taking place right where that story left off. Come see how Kagome and Inuyasha adapt to their newfound relationship status, once they realize being an official couple means they no longer have to hold themselves back. Well, most of the time, at least. It still has to stay a secret from the world at large. How does their day-to-day life together change as a result? What stays the same? And what happens when Sango and Miroku find out?! Plus Kagome really ought to tell her family...

--

Until You're Mine by mangx3 (E)

Now in the midst of adulthood and recently married, Kagome Higurashi is more than shocked when she sees her ex-boyfriend from high school, her first true love who still has a special place in her heart but has also broken it. Despite her reservations, she agrees to a seemingly meaningless reunion when their conversation brings back memories she doesn't want to remember, choices she can't make, and heartache she can't handle.

--

Beautiful Stranger by @splendentgoddess (X)

Desperate to get over a bad breakup, Kagome lets Sango talk her into having a one-night-stand. She meets the perfect candidate in Inuyasha, who initially mistakes her motives for financial in nature. Did I say this was supposed to be a one-night-stand?

[inukag]

@shinidamachu​​ why would you hide this BANGER in the tags of this post??? I wanted to rant about this for a while too so allow me to add on to this, lol. 

People really selectively hate Kagome for the sit command and ignore ALL the other examples of slapstick comedy in the series. Like the other day I saw a comment that said “Kagome is abusive to Inuyasha! Sango is the best girl!” and I was like, Sango...? Really?

I love how Miroku is like “please say sike” asdfghjkl

You know damn well if Sango had subjugation beads on Miroku she would use them as often as Kagome does lmao. Literally everyone hit each other for laugh in this series, and it’s not meant to be taken seriously because like @shinidamachu​ said, it’s a tasteless gag. It’s slapstick comedy.

If it was meant to be taken seriously these human kids wouldn’t be alive or would have severe brain damage after getting hit on the head by a half demon.

Kagome never uses the sit command on Inuyasha when he’s human, and Inuyasha made it very clear that his body is build differently as a hanyo and it takes a lot for him to feel any pain. When he was standing in acid strong enough to melt bones, he couldn’t feel anything until he started losing his powers...

Kagome at least has that excuse. Making a half demon face-plant is nothing compared to Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango hitting humans hard enough to make them pass out or have a huge bump on their head. 

Kagome clearly doesn’t use the beads with the intent to hurt Inuyasha, because no one in the series cares more about Inuyasha’s health than she does! He will tell her that she’s wasting her time bandaging him but she’ll do it anyway because she just doesn’t like seeing him in pain.

There are even times she used the beads because she was worried about his health!

Does she overuse them at times? Yes! Is it annoying? Yes! But holy crap it is NOT meant to be seen as physical abuse 💀

[eternalnight8806-3]

A Midnight Gift

So I’m a horrible person and this is SUPER late, but I hope you can forgive me for that @clearwillow

Surprise! I’m your Secret Santa! I wanted this to be so much better for you than it turned out, but I hope you still enjoy it, love! 

@inusecretsanta

“Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!” Kagome sang the old tune joyously as she moved about the apartment, decorating every square inch with garland, lights, tinsel and what ever else she could fit into the small space. Unbeknownst to her, her husband leaned against the doorway between the hall and the living room, his arms crossed over his chest and a small smirk playing at the corners of his lips. InuYasha truly enjoyed watching his wife get into the holidays like she always did, though admittedly this year she was going a little more overboard than normal since this would be their daughter's first Christmas.

Moroha was 10 months old but despite the young age, Kagome had purchased no less than 75 presents for their little girl. She had proclaimed with each one that this would be the last, though InuYasha knew better. He didn't mind, though. He wanted Kagome to be happy and if showering their baby with endless gifts on Christmas morning would do that, then by God he wouldn't let anything stand in her way, least of all himself. He continued to watch her move about the room, completely oblivious to his presence, all the way up until she was struggling to reach the spot above the faux mantle that she always placed the sprig of mistletoe.

Her toes were stretched as far as they would go and she still couldn't quite make it. Pushing himself away from the wall, InuYasha came up directly behind his wife, reached up to pluck the plant from her hand and placed it in it's designated place. Without turning around, Kagome asked, “And just how long were you standing there watching me?”

Wrapping his arms around his mate, InuYasha replied, “Oh, just long enough to know that you can't live without me.” Kagome giggled and turned to face her husband. Her caramel colored eyes met his amber and just like the force of two magnets coming together, their lips met in a sweet and tender kiss full of all the love the couple shared. The spell was soon broken by the sound of Moroha waking from her nap with her typical loud wail, demanding that she be paid attention.

Pulling away just slightly, InuYasha whispered against his wife's lips “I'll get her, you finish up in here,” before planting a soft kiss on her forehead and turning to tend to the newly awakened child.

Kagome watched her husband go, admiring the view of his backside in the form fitting jeans that hugged him in all the right places. Shaking herself free from the hold that her hanyou always seemed to have over her, Kagome returned to her decorating, humming various holiday tunes as she worked.

After about an hour more of continuous work, Kagome was finally able to stand back and admire her handiwork. The tree was in the corner by the window surrounded by beautifully wrapped gifts of all shapes and sizes, garland hung from the walls, lights twinkled, and she couldn't help but smile to herself that she had created this beautiful setup as a backdrop for tonight's little gathering. Their best friend's, Sango and Miroku, were coming with their three young children to spend Christmas Eve with them and Kagome couldn't be more excited for this tradition to start with their baby girl. Speaking of which, Kagome realized it was entirely too quiet in their apartment, especially since InuYasha had been with Moroha for over an hour and she hadn't heard a peep from them in almost that entire time.

Making her way down the hallway to their daughter's bedroom, Kagome stopped at the barely cracked door and peeked inside. The sight that met her eyes made her put her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from bursting out laughing. In the middle of the room Moroha was sitting watching her father, absolutely captivated by what he was doing. InuYasha had tied one of Moroha's blankets around his forehead, his shirt lay forgotten on the floor and he was using the baby's toy broom as a sword, pretending to fight off hoards of demons. He held the broom in both hands, facing the closet with a very intense look on his face. “Come face me, demons!” he said with false anger. “No one is going to hurt my precious little girl!” Swinging the 'sword' wildly, he moved into the closet and attacked the hoards of demons pretending to be baby clothes. Moroha squealed in delight and clapped her hands together.

No longer able to hold her laughter, Kagome snickered loudly, causing her husband to step out of the closet. He turned and looked at her, his eyes holding a gleam of mischief as he pulled one of Moroha's onesies off of his head. Kagome just laughed even harder, leaning against the wall to support herself as the hilarity of what she had witnessed tore through her. Moroha turned to face her mother, giggling when she saw how red her face had gotten. Slowly, Kagome brought her laughter down to just a light snicker every few seconds and InuYasha used this opportunity to confront his wife.

Using his demon speed, he was in front of her in the blink of an eye, a move that never seemed to fail to steal Kagome's breath away. His eyes narrowed down at her in mock anger as his fists found their way onto his hips. Biting her bottom lip to stop herself from beginning another laughing fit, Kagome looked up at InuYasha's face and feigned innocence. Instead of keeping up the game, InuYasha fell into his own laughing fit after seeing that look.

Kagome never budged as she waited for the hanyou to compose himself, which he did almost as slowly as she had. “Are all the closet demons slain?” She asked him in faux seriousness. Smirking down at her he replied, “Yessum, all closet demons have been properly disposed of and Princess Yashahime is free to move about.”

Moving to lift her child into her arms, Kagome turned and said, “Good, because this Princess is supposed to help mommy make Christmas cookies in the kitchen.” She lightly poked her little girl's nose and Moroha giggled. She stopped to give her husband a quick peck on the cheek as she passed by him on the way to the kitchen.

An hour later, Kagome was lifting Moroha up out of her high chair and informing InuYasha that he would be bathing her and getting her dressed for the party set to begin in just over an hour. Staring down at his flour, sugar, and lord knew what else covered baby, InuYasha simply smiled, tucked his daughter against his side, gave his wife a peck on the cheek and turned to do as she had asked. He had seen the state of the kitchen after her experiment with making Christmas cookies with a 10 month old. He knew when to just shut his mouth when it came to his fiery tempered wife.

Surprisingly, InuYasha managed to get his daughter and himself bathed, dried, dressed and presentable just in time for Kagome to burst through the bedroom door, one hand holding the towel around her body and the other attempting to keep the towel on her head in place. He silently took Moroha to the living room and placed her in her playpen. Kagome had never been good at time management, but he knew she would somehow still manage to make herself ready by the time their friends arrived in roughly 15 minutes.

Sure enough, 15 minutes later she stepped out and InuYasha couldn't help but stare at the woman before him. She stood in the doorway to the living room putting her pearl earrings on. The tea-length emerald green dress flared out from her waist forming a delicate A-line figure, the straps hung off her shoulders, framing her neck for the simple rose pink jewel on a silver chain she always wore. Her long, ebony locks hung beautifully in loose waves around her shoulders. He knew she was wearing makeup, but it wouldn't be anything more than mascara, blush and lipstick. Kagome liked to keep things simple but she still knew how to make his heart stop in his chest.

Smiling at him, she took in his own appearance, having not noticed on her rampage to finish getting ready. He wore dark jeans, something she knew she could never have talked him out of, but they were his nicest pair. The long pure white hair she had always found to be among the most beautiful things in the world was tied high on his head in a fashion he only wore on special occasions. His shirt was a long sleeved button up in a color of burgundy she had always liked on him, though he had already rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, revealing enough of his chest to ruin the effect of his 'nice clothes' appearance. But Kagome didn't care. She honestly kind of wouldn't have minded if he just slipped that shirt right off so she could run her hands all over his chest while he held her in his arms and pressed his lips firmly down on hers.

The sound of Sango knocking and calling through the door to them broke Kagome from her daydream. She shook her head once and giving InuYasha a knowing look, made her way to the door to let her best friends inside. Sango greeted her by wrapping her arms around her and holding her tightly for a moment. Kagome had always adored that her best friend always seemed to want to show affection, so she accepted the hug as Miroku made his way in behind his wife with his 18 month old son slung over his shoulder and his twin 3 year old daughters each holding one of his hands.

InuYasha shook his head at Miroku as he snatched Hisui from his shoulder and greeted the boy with a high five before placing him in the playpen with Moroha. Before he could turn around, he felt his legs become trapped by a pair of arms wrapped around each one. He looked down and saw Kin'u and Gyokuto staring up at him.

“Uncle Yasha, daddy says you and Auntie 'Gome got us presents and we can open them up!” Kin'u asked excitedly. Bending down and grabbing a girl in each of his arms, he replied, “Oh he did, did he?” The girls nodded in unison. Chuckling, InuYasha whispered to the girls, “Well, your daddy is right, but you have to wait just a little longer to open them up. Can you girls be good and wait so your Auntie 'Gome and mommy can talk a little?” The girls faces fell slightly. “Tell you what,” he whispered to them, “if you two can wait a little while and let your mommy and auntie have some time together, I'll give you each a Christmas cookie before dinner. Deal?” The girls both smiled and nodded emphatically.

He carried the girls into the kitchen and set them both on the counter next to the sink. Reaching up onto the breakfast bar where Kagome had placed the plate of cookies, he snatched up three of the biggest cookies on the plate and gave one to each girl while taking a sizable bite of his own. The girls giggled at him as they enjoyed their treat. Their attention was drawn by their father walking into the kitchen and grabbing a cookie of his own.

Miroku leaned against the counter across from InuYasha and looked at his friend before speaking, “I see my two troublemakers have already conned you into an extra cookie,” he said, smirking at his daughters knowingly.

Waving his hand dismissively, InuYasha just said, “Bah, it's Christmas Eve. They can be spoiled a little, can'tcha girls?” he asked the pair as he winked at them. They only giggled in response. Miroku snatched them off of the counter and set them both on the floor.

“How about you two go play with your toys we brought in the living room until dinner?” he told them. “Ok daddy,” they said in unison and trotted off to do as they were asked. Miroku shook his head at the sight and stood to face his best friend. He clapped the half-demon on the shoulder and spoke quietly, “Those two are simultaneously the cutest little angels and pure demon spawn, I swear it.” Letting out a deep laugh, InuYasha joked, “Well, they are yours, so that explains the demon spawn!” Miroku glared at his friend, but only for a moment before he gave a light chuckle. “I suppose I could've been a bit of a hellion in my younger days,” he admitted.

“I think your mother would definitely agree with that assessment, considering she had to deal with your endless string of horrible phases in high school and your obsession with every girl you crossed paths with until Sango knocked some sense into that head of yours.”

“Some sense is right,” was the surprise response from the doorway. The men turned their heads towards Sango as she continued, “Some days I look at him and wonder what the hell I was thinking, but then I remember that I love the idiot so I just shrug and keep beating a little more sense into that thick skull every now and then.” She smiled up at Miroku as she stepped in and planted a kiss on his lips. “You two go do something useful and set the table while Kagome and I finish up in here.” She said as she shooed them out of the kitchen with the tableware in their hands.

Before long, both families were seated around the dining room table, joyously sharing their holiday meal with eachother, sharing stories from their past, and reveling in the miracle that was their children. Kagome felt like she was the most blessed woman on the planet to have such beautiful people to share her life with. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she watched her family laugh and smile. She truly could not have asked for a better way to spend the holidays.

As the evening progressed, the children each got to open one gift, as was tradition in their families. The twins each got a new doll, Hisui got a toy truck, while baby Moroha received a white stuffed cat with twin tails and red eyes. She immediately latched onto the toy and refused to let it go, all the way up until she fell asleep next to Hisui in her playpen, holding it in her tiny arms.

The adults spent a few hours talking and enjoying the quiet after the twins also fell asleep in the reclining chair in the corner of the room. But before long, it was after 11 and they began to say their goodbyes to eachother. Sango hugged Kagome and InuYasha and wished them both a wonderful Christmas before she lifted her son into her arms and carried him out to the car. Miroku hugged Kagome and InuYasha as well before he grabbed a daughter in each arm and started out to the car with them. InuYasha opened the door for his friend and watched as he walked down the hallway. He closed the door behind him and silently began helping Kagome clean up. The pair worked in companionable silence for several minutes until the apartment was back in order. By the time they were finished, it was nearing midnight.

Kagome stood in front of Moroha's playpen holding a small glass of wine, just watching her daughter sleep. InuYasha came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. “Everything was so perfect, InuYasha,” Kagome said quietly as she leaned back into her husband's embrace.

“Oh?” he whispered. “Well, then I guess I shouldn't give you this then,” he said as he held a small navy blue velvet box in front of her. Kagome gasped and turned to face him, holding the box in her hands.

“What is this?” she asked him.

InuYasha kissed the tip of her nose and simply said, “Open it.” Kagome opened the lid and stared down at the object inside. It was a simple silver banded ring with a rose pink jewel in the center that matched her necklace perfectly, on either side was a jewel, one emerald and one ruby, which she knew represented InuYasha and herself. On the inside of the band was engraved My red string. Tears brimmed Kagome's eyes as she looked back up into the face of the man that she had loved for more years than she hadn't.

Taking her face into both of his hands, InuYasha wiped the tears and spoke softly, “Kagome, you and Moroha are my everything. I would marry you everyday if you'd let me, but I'll settle for you saying yes to renewing our vows. Marry me again, Kagome. Marry me forever.”

Smiling through her tears, Kagome responded, “Oh, InuYasha, of course I will!” as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with every ounce of love she had for him. Without breaking the kiss, InuYasha lifted her up in his arms and carried her to their bedroom, preparing to show her just how much he loved her well into Christmas morning.

[kstewdeux]

@inukagfluffweek

August 14, 2021 - Family

Sure

Summary: Inuyasha & Kagome discuss starting a family

“Knee,” Kagome whined softly as her foot prodded her husband’s leg so it would go where she wanted, “Knee Inuyasha.”

With a tired sigh, Inuyasha slid his foot up until it rested comfortably against his thigh and adjusted his hips so falling asleep in that position wouldn’t make him lock up. It was a tried and true ritual. One that he didn’t mean to perpetuate but Kagome was always the last one to go to bed. Always. So by the time she changed and brushed her hair and washed her face and did whatever else she felt inclined to do, he was typically asleep in a position he found comfortable. Kagome told him he slept like a vampire but having met and fought vampires Inuyasha had no idea what she was talking about. Besides, he didn’t know why it had always seemed to matter how he slept. Sitting up had just been how he’d done it for over a hundred years and even though three years had gone by, he still wasn’t used to those while laying down business. Having a body trained not to move wasn’t ideal for laying down and he usually woke up stiff. His muscles locking up for absolutely no reason out of habit. Sitting up, having muscles that locked was useful. Not so for how the rest of the world went down for the night.

Still, Kagome slept laying down. Always had. Always would. And he planned on sleeping next to her for the rest of her hopefully long life. Which killed the monk. Even occasional overnight exorcisms were out of the question. Sunup to sundown only.

“That better?” he yawned and Kagome nodded against the arm she was using as a pillow while Inuyasha’s hand absently played with tendrils of her hair.

One of the things he liked best was that in this position he could feel her ribs expand with each breath and the steady rhythm was soothing. Every couple found a sleeping position that worked for them it would seem and with his primary issue being hardwired survival anxiety, a cuddling position where no backs were being exposed worked best.

Problem with this position was that it’d make co-sleeping with an infant dangerous. Not that…that they were trying or even planning on having brats. Hell, they’d never spoken about it but by some unspoken understanding, they’d been careful. Kinda. Sometimes. Okay, fine, mainly they’d been whinging it and been lucky as hell.

But…you know…maybe one day…

Lips twitching upward, Inuyasha allowed himself to imagine what their own puffy blob of flesh would look like. Newborn babies…well they weren’t exactly the cutest things in the planet. More they looked like boiled prunes - both in color and looks. And the screams. But once they hit a few months old they definitely started looking more like tiny people and you could start seeing the parents. From a strangers perspective anyway. Miroku’s twins had always looked identical but they went through phases and who they favored depended on which parent was standing closest….

God he hoped whatever they had one day - not that he was even sure they’d have babies - was a girl. He’d make a decent looking boy or girl. After all, minus the coloring, he looked just like his mother who had been very pretty. Kagome…Kagome would only make a pretty girl. Sota sure as hell didn’t look like her though so maybe there were some okay looking boy genes in there but Inuyasha for the life of him could not imagine what a Kagome-looking boy would even be.

Nah. If they did one day have a…

“Why you purring?” Kagome hummed bemusedly in such a way that left him powerless to stop said noise. A noise that he’d only discovered he made since she fell back into his life. At first it bothered him that she called the chest growl thing a ‘purr’ but seeing as how he didn’t have a better name, he just rolled with it.

“Dunno,” he laughed softly.

“What were you thinking about?” Kagome hummed as she slowly and awkwardly began trying to roll towards him - something which had the purring noise stop immediately. It didn’t matter that his brain knew they were safe and there was no need to worry about being exposed. His body though….was hard wired to worry.

She froze.

“I didn’t…”

“S’not the question. It’s the stupid back thing,” Inuyasha reassured her wearily before running one hand over his face, “Look, I was thinking about us having kids, alright?”

The slow smile that bloomed on her lips as she sat up brought the soft purring sound back.

“And what were your initial thoughts?” Kagome asked curiously and the purring sound intensified.

“How newborns look like meat sacks,” he offered as he stretched his legs out and yawned, “And how they’re loud. And obnoxious. And how they shit everywhere…”

“Ah but said things made you happy,” Kagome observed and shrugging, Inuyasha didn’t deny it. Couldn’t anyway given the vibrations rumbling from his chest. Well, that was what they assumed it meant anyway. Could be he was dying or something. Wouldn’t that be the final kick in the balls.

“Thinking about it and living it are two different things. Reality is I’d fuck them up,” Inuyasha countered with an ill-checked half-grin, “You’d have to go around fixing them all the time.”

“You’d be a good daddy,” Kagome soothed as she lay back down and stared up at the ceiling - allowing Inuyasha to fully relax by covering her back. She never really thought of Inuyasha as the anxious type but apparently that was his secret to surviving so long and once they’d figured it out and pinned down his triggers to better avoid them, he’d actually been significantly less…grumpy. In fact, he could be downright pleasant most of the time.

Miroku and Sango had told her on more than one occasion that Inuyasha seemed, at times, like a completely new person. In public, he was still by and large snippy and obstinate but among friends and in private, his natural state of being sans anxiety was much more Kagome-like than any of them previously believed. Looking back, he had always seemed to find comfort in being around others but he was never what anyone would call sensitive or attune to emotional needs of others. In recent months, however, he’d been surprisingly observant, kind and gentle.

Well, actually it wasn’t all that surprising. The gentleness yes but the rest of it? No. Every time one of them lost it during the quest, Inuyasha was always the one who stepped up and did exactly the right thing to bring his friends’ minds back to center. In fact, his brand of abrasive encouragement was what saved their souls from being devoured by the moth demon’s trap. Whenever any of them felt like giving up, Inuyasha had been the one to encourage them to keep going. In some ways Inuyasha was so forgiving it was beyond understanding. For all his insults and for all his aggression, Inuyasha could be…damningly gracious. Kikyo being, well, Kikyo. Sango stealing his sword. Miroku trying to kill him. Shippo pulling trick after trick. None of those things ever drove him away.

That wasn’t to say Inuyasha didn’t get irritable or react poorly when said things happened but he did tend to let things go eventually and truly act like nothing happened. And his brand of love was protection and providing so there was that too.

So maybe it wasn’t all that surprising that being kind and gentle was his calm state of being. Now that he was more comfortable and no one was in imminent danger of dying a horrible, painful death; now that Kagome had been returned to him and everything worked out, how his natural being manifested was different was all.

But his anxiety still did rear it’s ugly head on occasion. New things. Unexpected things. Any slightly uncomfortable thing and he’d instantly snap his abrasive behavior back into place. There were also his triggers of course but those could be negated.

For example, he never slept with his back exposed and now that Kagome was, sorta, an extension of himself, his body decided to make him skittish at night if she too was left ‘open to attack.’ Not fun for anyone involved - the amount of twitching alone had kept them both awake until they figured out the issue.

“Don’t know how to be a father,” he sighed sadly - the purring sound grounding to halt, “So maybe…maybe kids isn’t something we should do. What…what if I hurt them? They won’t be like me. They’ll be mostly human. I’ll be too rough.”

“No because of that fear, I imagine you’d treat them like they might shatter,” Kagome pointed out and with that, Inuyasha reached over to intertwine their fingers.

“I could turn one day. You…or they might get hurt and I’ll make it worse,” he offered in a small voice, “I’m dangerous. I shouldn’t…and what if they can’t control what I give them? What if they’re born and…and they’re just like that all the time?”

Turning her head to look at his defeated face, Kagome sighed and waited for him to look at her. When he did, the worry mixed with longing made her heart ache. He wanted kids. That much was clear from his expression as was the fact that he didn’t trust himself.

“Inuyasha, I always bring you back, don’t I?” she pointed out and with a faint nod of acknowledgment, her statement seemed to soothe some of the anxiety that needed checking, “And our baby will be part me too. So it’ll have both….”

“It could purify itself. Hurt itself,” he countered shakily, “And we’re happy just the two of us. What if I’m a bad father and you end up hating me? What if it ends up being a mistake? Ruins everything?”

“I will never abandon you,” Kagome promised as she brought his hand up to her lips and gave his thumb a quick kiss, “Never.”

A nod and a relieved sigh. Like he knew that to be the case but wanted to hear it anyway. There was still some tension though which meant his fears hadn’t been addressed completely and so Kagome waited for him to continue. It had taken a few months but anymore he discussed everything with her. From feelings to fears to his past. The only thing off the table was Kikyo but that was more her hang up than his.

From his perspective, he found himself much lighter when he heard her opinion rather than just imaging what she was thinking. His inner monologue was usually depressing and rather cruel. Always assuming everyone hated him or was upset with him in some way. That everyone thought the worst. How he needed to receive love was verbal affirmations. Kagome would’ve thought it was touch but she discovered words were much more effective. What would’ve happened if she just told him back then how deeply he was loved? But, alas, she didn’t and it didn’t matter. In fact, that would’ve been worse. What if he achieved this and then had her taken away?

“I mean, do you want kids? You’ve never really said…” Inuyasha asked wearily and Kagome knew if she said yes, he’d do whatever she wanted. Even if it terrified him.

No. This needed to be his choice. His decision.

“What do you want?”

For a long moment, he was quiet before he swallowed and closed his eyes.

“I think you want them,” he answered evasively before pulling up one knee and fidgeting slightly, “And I don’t know. I want…I want, you know, the type of things Sango and Miroku have with their brats. And what I had with my mother before she got sick. I want someone to…to…you know, there’s just some type of connection. I…I wouldn’t mind being a brat’s person.”

“Their person?” Kagome asked curiously and Inuyasha let out a long sigh as he swayed his knee.

“Like…like you know they’ll take care of you. You scrape your knee. They fix it. You get hungry, they give you snacks. You get sad and just…just they….,” Inuyasha floundered before seemingly choosing a word to describe what he meant, “A helper. I wouldn’t mind being their helper.”

“You’d be the best helper,” Kagome sighed affectionately and Inuyasha eyes fluttered open.

“You really think so? I don’t have the…the warm thing going…”

Nodding, Kagome gently rolled onto her side and scooted her back against his torso. Like clockwork, he assumed their former position and sighed contentedly.

“You…” she belatedly started to address his comment but he was already off to the races.

“I could work on that though. You know, with the twins,” Inuyasha opined hopefully - like he was trying to convince her that he could be a good father and encourage her to say yes, “See…see if I could get better at the whole…whole warm thing. I bet I could get the hang of it in a month or two. I mean look at how fast I mastered Tessaiga. You wouldn’t have to worry about…about me scarring the kid.”

“That has never been a concern,” Kagome chided affectionately earning a frustrated grunt. Oh yeah, he was trying to get her to just make the decision or convince her to just agree with his decision. A decision he’d clearly already made.

“Inuyasha, I know you’d be a great daddy,” Kagome finally yawned - earning a faint blush, “But don’t push yourself just because you think I want this. I only want babies if you do too. I’m honestly okay either way.”

She felt him inhale deeply.

“I think…I think I’ll see if…if I can do the warm thing then we can decide,” Inuyasha hummed before adding hesistantly, “I think I can do it but I wanna be sure.”

“I…”

“I mean, I’m pretty sure I could do it,” Inuyasha continued to think out loud, “But I just want to be sure, ya know? And I want you to be sure I’m good for it.”

At this, Kagome laughed softly despite herself - the hand by her head sliding up to cup his. Curling her fingers between his fingers, she pressed her fingertips against his palm.

“I know you can do…”

“J-just think about it,” Inuyasha interrupted shakily as he gave her hand a light squeeze “A-and I’ll think about it. And we can…talk about it when we’re sure.”

The miko grinned and replied with a soft laugh, “Sure.”

“Will you be mad if I…I think about it and say no?” he asked hesitantly and Kagome shook her head - making some of the tension seep out of him. For a long time, he was quiet and Kagome was just about to pass out when she heard his voice - small and timid - whisper those three little words he didn’t say that often.

“I love you. You know that, right?”

“I know. You show me all the time,” she affirmed and with a timid half-smile, Inuyasha flexed his hand ever so.

“Just want to make sure you know…”

“I do.”

“And you still love me, right?”

“Always.”

“Okay. Just want to make sure…”