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bugsweirdworld · 4 years

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May I make a request for an ask..? So let’s say hypothetically that when a human is around the Skeletons for a while, that they end up developing a heat cycle just like the Skellies do. But they don’t totally understand what is happening to them so they’re freaking out a little the first time it happens, locking themselves away in their room and not letting anyone in. How do you think US Blue and Stretch, UF Edge, and FS Wine would help them through it?

There’s a little informational drabble kind of thing to go at the beginning to set the scene. I only did the Underswap bros this time since I ended up writing so much for them, sorry! If you really want headcanons for the others, feel free to send another request! Thanks for understanding 🥰

Also, this is incredibly long so it’s under the cut!

Underswap brothers’ s/o goes into sympathy heat

DRABBLE/CONTEXT TO SET THE SCENE:

When you first started living with the skeletons, you didn’t know much about monsters in general, much less specific kinds and it was slightly intimidating.

Over time, you began to notice more and more unusual things about them, such as, their magic and how each skeleton’s was different. Whether colour, taste, smell, etc... not one was exactly the same even though they’re alternate versions of each other. For some of them, certain parts of their cultures were even similar to that of a wolf pack. and although it felt sorta racist to think so, you couldn’t help but wonder if they had some sort of animalistic instincts.

You realised you were right when you first heard them growling at each other. Over time, some started to become more territorial, some were possesive, but basically all of them were not only clingier, but hornier too. Although it was actually kinda hot, it was definitely leading up to something big...

It was around that time when you learned that the skeleton boys went through heats about 3 times a year. Only one problem, nobody realised that it would start affecting you over time too...

SKELETONS’ RESPONSES:

Blue (us!sans): The first thing Blue noticed was the change in your physical behaviour. In the past few days you had become increasingly tense and fidgety but he knew that (if you have one) your period wasn’t due for a while, so it couldn’t be that. When it became apparent that he wasn’t the only one who noticed changes, a “family meeting” was held. Although it felt wrong without you there, they couldn’t really talk about you with you in the room, could they??

After realising what was truly going on, Blue couldn’t help but feel excited.

Although, he was worried you were in pain and kinda confused on how this whole thing happened, he knew this was not only a chance for the two of you to explore sexually but also to become closer/get to know each other as mates even better!

People tend to look at Blue in a child-like sort of way, but he’s actually a naughty boy and is really looking forward to being your knight in shinning armour, coming to save you by giving you good sex like you deserve *WINK WINK*.

Oh, and if you want to play up the desperate, lust-consumed act he won’t mind at all... he might even have to restrain you a bit since you’re “loosing” control 😂😉 that’s one of the fantasies he’s been thinking of during your sympathy heat.

He just can’t help but imagine it; him coming up to your room, ready to soothe you but you’re getting more and more desperate, trying to grind on him while he helps you. Whining and crying, you wouldn’t be able stop yourself from leaning in to steal kiss after kiss.

Eventually, your advances would become too much and he’d have to gently tie you up so he can finish helping. Crooning deeply in his chest in an attempt to calm your attitude, Blue realises that it’s only getting worse. In the end, the only solution is to bang it out of you 👀...

HOWEVER, that’s only if he knows your hamming it up. If you’re truly feeling/acting this way he would become a bit overwhelmed and worried. He wouldn’t be quite sure what is acceptable behaviour and what isn’t since he’s only ever experienced this from the FULL heat SKELETON side of things.

If all goes well though, the idea of you wanting him so desperately, craving him so intensely makes his soul swell... He loves you, you adorable whiney, horny, little baby you!!

He’s probably gunna tell you that over and over again too, but he’ll totally respect if you’re not ready for that.

ALSO, Blue wants to make sure the morals and important decisions you’ve made about being sexual (and this situation in particular) STICK, he doesn’t want you to break them because of... compelling circumstances. They’re too important after all! 🥺🥰

Another of his mini fantasies would be feeding you food laced with his magic.

Although Blue doesn’t really have a feeding kink, when you go into sympathy heat his instincts are screaming at him to keep you fed and the idea of gently crooning to you while feeding you this specially prepared food becomes increasingly appealing.

Knowing that he’s satisfying you as a mate (in more ways than one) sorta riles him up...

The main idea he’s worked up is; Coercing you to stay upstairs as he comes down to the kitchen and starts making food for you, feeling some of the pulses your soul is giving off. While making the food, he’d be thinking about running his hand through your hair and pulling slightly so you’d tilt your head back, giving him access to gently open your mouth with his fingers and get you to eat what he made you.

The magic leaving his soul would have a new purpose and leave light tremors coursing through his body. Eventually he’d come back up stairs and act out these thoughts and although his magic is sating your physical hunger, Blue can clearly see how you’ve melted into a resting state of lust... can humans really make those ahego faces? He hopes so!

If you don’t want to have sex or anything he’s ok with holding off, even though the hormones from your sympathy heat are sending him all out of whack.

His favourite less sexual ways to touch you are holding your hands or touching your knees, ankles or thighs.

Blue relishes in anytime he gets to hold you and will attempt to soothe you in many ways.

Some of these ways would be; baths (together, pls..?), doing basically everything for you, carrying you around, making you food with magic in it (not just any magic, but HIS!

Purring/crooning, and helping you work off sexual frustration, whether through things like exercise or even helping you (*cough cough* instructing you on how) to get off are also some things he’d do!

The same goes for if he notices you’re hiding away.

He’ll try and coerce you into letting him in or for you to come out for a minute. He wants to make sure you’re feed and safe, he can’t do that if you won’t let him in! He knows it’s scary, but he also knows that he can help you get through it. Beware though, once he interacts with you he’s not gunna want you to leave the room. He’ll go get anything you need! Besides, who knows what bad things the others could do to you!? HE’S the one who can take care of you the best anyways! Right...?

Overall, Blue’s very attentive during your sympathy heat and can’t wait to play 😉.

“Awww, Don’t Whimper, Dearheart... Come Closer For Me, I Won’t Bite. I Just Wish To Hold You, You’re Safe With Me.”

“You Obviously Can’t Control Yourself, My Love... Must I Do It For You?”

Stretch (us!papyrus): One of the first things Stretch noticed was your smell. Although, this was something all of them could sense, he says he was the first. Originally he thought it was your period, the smell and hormonal change from that affects them anyways, their souls seeming to think its some sort of mini-heat. However, once he realised this situation was different (and much more alluring) Stretch formed an idea of what was really going on and told Sans, who agreed and then decided to hold a “family meeting” after you had left for the day.

Once Stretch’s suspicions were confirmed, he wasn’t really sure how to react. On one hand, he was worried how your human body will react to a heat (something it’s not necessarily designed to have) and feeling possessive over you.

Stretch may be a patient guy, but sometimes jealousy rears it’s head and he can’t help but think about having you all to himself.

Because of how his soul is reacting to the situation his instincts are going a bit haywire and that jealousy becomes possessiveness. However, since it’s just his soul reacting to your “heat” and not his, these instincts aren’t nearly as strong as they would be, but they’re still there.

The idea of touching you and being able to claim you for the others to sense fills him with pride and lust. He wants you to pick him to mate with and likes the size difference between the two of you right now.

However, he does tend to feel guilty about some of his motives and how they come across. He doesn’t want you to feel like you’re being used, so he makes sure to spend time worshiping you.

Two of the yummy ideas he has during these odd times are; Being in the living room with everyone when your sympathy heat starts acting up again and whining for him to help you, picking him out of all the others, even though they’re trying to dote on you. In this moment he crawls over to you, giving little growls/chuffs towards any of the boys who try and stop him as he leans down and laps at your intimate areas while the others watch on. It’s their choice whether to leave or not, but he’s staying to help his pretty little mate be satisfied

The other would be something along the lines of; you’re tired and don’t think you can handle another round, but you want to be close to him. Stretch sits up slightly against the headboard/wall and spreads his legs, pulling you to lay betweeen then, your back against his chest. His large form made obvious in how your head just reaches the middle of his rib cage, butt resting snuggly in the junction where his long legs extend from his pelvis. He can’t help but croon in your ear as he touches you. Accidentally rubbing against his “boner” as you wriggle around and arch your back, his long arms continue to spread your legs.

Naturally, if Stretch notices that you’re hiding away, he becomes worried for you. However, he knows how you feel, so he gives you time to yourself.

He’ll come and check on you every so often, but if you start refusing to see him because of reasons he thinks are weak? Well, he’ll eventually just resort to shortcutting into your room. Ignoring the problem will not make it go away, he knows this from the many times he has tried it.

If you truly didn’t want to have sex he would understand, but would still try and coerce you into partaking in other sexual activities, all the while being careful not to cross any lines. He would never force you into doing anything but he knows that it would make things so much easier on you and help the situation be much less problematic. He doesn’t want you to be in pain + it would feel good for both of you.

Not only that, but it’s also a good “bonding exercise” as Blue put it. It’s a win win! And although Blue didn’t appreciate Stretch’s laughter when he noticed the unintentional pun (bonding lol), it was funny none the less!

Stretch isn’t nearly as strict as Blue when it comes to keeping you in your room. Matter of fact, Stretch actually likes to take you with him sometimes when he goes to get things, carrying you on his hip as you cuddle into the crook of his neck.

He still likes you to stay away from the others a bit but that’s mostly because he doesn’t want them to do anything to you. He wants to be one the one to do things/allow them to do things to you.

During your sympathy heat, Stretch will do his best to keep you happy.

Although he won’t be at your every beckon call he’ll try his best, such as; going to get things for you, taking you places you need to go, helping you bathe and get dressed, watching movies will you, playing video games with you, even reading to you and more.

He probably won’t cook for you but he’s totally down for getting junk food and take out whenever your little heart desires 🥰.

In a way, he sees this as an opportunity to be domestic with you since he knows he can seem a bit stand off-ish or disconnected sometimes. He may think that you don’t want to spend all that much time with him because of it, but that’s not always true and he knows it.

Overall, Stretch is really sexually open yet slightly possessive during this time and wants to be domestic with you while making the others jealous of your sex-capades.

“Hey, Honey... don’t be scared, ya know I just wanna help. If bein’ sexual ain’t your thing right now, that’s ok. Curl up a lil’ closer, I wanna lay you on my chest.”

“Mmmm... I know Honey, I know, I can smell your slick from here. Poor little thing, I’ll take care a’ya. The others can watch if they want, as long as they know you’re whimpering for ME...”

#bugwrites #undertale #underswap #us!sans #blue #us!papyrus #stretch #heat #undertale headcanon #fanfiction #sans #papyrus #sans x reader #papyrus x reader #suggestive #bugreplies

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bnhaclaimedmysoul · 5 years

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how would the boys be around an s/o with a cat quirk?

my dear cat anon asked: can i ask for todoroki, dabi, and mirio (if you write for him, if not you can do denki instead) with a s/o who has a cat quirk? thanks!!

Characters: todorki shouto, dabi, mirio togata

Genre: Fluff

Note: hope you ike it! Requests are open, feel free to send them in, and do not forget to like, comment and reblog!

and cat anon, if you want general headcanons you can always request again~

Todoroki Shouto

-there’d be this one day

-where you’d just be roaming around in your cat form

-mewling on the street and licking yourself clean

-but this strange ominous feeling gives you a jump scare

-and although you’re a human, you tend overreact in your cat form

-and not so unexpectedly

-your hair stood up and you leaped into the air

-and oh boi you had no control over that reflex

-which sent you hauling towards a pile of sakura flowers

-and deep beneath that pile you start to panic

-the impact has you startled and you start rolling tossing your cat self around to remove some of the weight

-you could’ve turned back into human but endurance training needs to be done

-so to test your limits you continue doing that while loudly mewing

-and Todoroki silently walks on the foot path until he hears something rustle around him

-startled he tries to locate the source of the noise

-and then this sudden muffled mewl catches his attention to only see you embedded within a pile of leaves

-he pushes a bit of the pile to the side and finds your cat form in this mess

-“what is this? I didn’t expect you to struggle so much”

-right when you were about to turn into your human form, he picked you up in his arms

-to not overburden him you reluctantly decided to stay in your cat form

-while silently purring in sadness

-seeing your dejected cat self, he proceeds to tickle the side of your ear

-making you mewl loudly and snuggle your face against the spot between his chest and arm

-and he moves his icy cold fingers onto your fur which causes it to stand up

-and immediately pats you with his warm side and constantly runs his finger through your fur

-nuzzling closer, onto his palm, you cat form’s eyes start to droop as you stretch your body

-you start licking him as he starts to mutter about how he adores your cat form so much

-and you eventually fall asleep in his arms as he softly chuckles while petting your floofy tail

-and softly kiss the top of your head

-he’d carry you back to your dorm and fall asleep with you in his arms, with your soft purring lulling him to sleep

-(oops my shouto love jumped out, I’m sorry)

Dabi

-he’d be releasing his blue flames

-however, he didn’t notice your cat self-sitting by, leisurely licking yourself clean

-with enhanced sense you feel the slightest flicker of heat from his palms and jump up into the air

-while converting yourself back to human mid air

-dabi realizes your presence and extinguishes his flames

-while launching himself forward to catch you

-but you were too far away from and couldn’t afford a shoulder injury

-so you decided to convert back to your cat form

-and land perfectly on your feet

-amazed at your quick sensing and judgement he lets out a sight chuckle

-before moving towards you

-and holding you in his arms

-he’d love it when you brush your floofy tail against his cheeks

-it makes him forget about all his worries for a moment

-like right now

-to comfort his worried self, you protrude your ear

-he grabs this chance and softly runs his fingers over them

-the soft purr has successfully made him soft

-he’d just have one of these rare soft smiles on his lips

-although his face may seem devoid of any emotion

-there is just this whirlwind of relief and happiness within him

-he;d just lie down, with your cat self on his chest as he constantly brushes your fur

-and looks into your pupils and fondly notices all their movement

- it’s just so soft

-and if you thought that was soft just wait till he becomes ultra-soft when kissing parts of your fur

-I don’t even wanna enter that territory otherwise I might die

Mirio Togata

-he loves pranking and scaring your cat self

-with your intense sense of danger and your quick reflexes

-you’re one of the few people who can sense where mirio togata, the strongest of the big there, can pop up

-to constantly improve himself and your quirk, he loves playing a sneaky game with you

-there was this time where you accurately sensed him and clawed at him

-however, your paw just went through his silhouette and you jumped in retaliation

-after that failed attempt

-he tried to tease you again

-by emerging behind you and grabbing your tail

-although you sensed it, your reflexes were a tad bit slow

-however, his quirk activated once again, letting go of your paw, as you unexpectedly jumped high

-you lost control over your body and converted back to a human due to the extreme panic

-and man

-you were about to fall onto you shoulder and probably suffer from a fractured shoulder

-however, your savior launched from beneath the ground and caught you in his strong arms before you could fall

-bridal style

-you held onto his arm in fear as he bent down to look at your flustered state

-which caused you to blush furiously

-muttering a small “thank you” you leaned in to give a small peck onto his cheek

-however, he turned his head before you could realize

-and your lips collided

-uh oh bad omen

-stuttering and stammering while furiously blushing

-he faced couldn’t bear to face you

-and unknowingly his quirk activated in his flustered state

-casing him to sink beneath the ground

-causing you to collide with the ground

-however, you sensed this and turned into your cat form

-leaving you to perfectly stand on your four legs, mewling in happiness

-he resurfaces and grabs you into his arms while fondly cooing over your antics

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takerfoxx · 4 years

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Blood Island Fanfic (pt. 1)

magic5ball submitted:

(Well, long story short I started writing a little headcanon about one of your OCs and like last time, it kinda spiraled into a full fledged fanfic. Really not sure what to do with this, so I figured why not post it here, if only to see how much I got right. Anyways, enjoy.)

. . .

Ever since she was little, she knew something was wrong with her. Mama always insisted otherwise, that she was fine the way she was, and the others never made a fuss about her, but she could tell from the way they looked at her they thought she was a freak. From the way her eyes glowed green in the dark to her too pointy teeth to her too long tail; dark grey with fins sprouting all over the sides, instead of the triangle fin at the tip of the other mermaid’s tails, there was nothing normal about her.

She had a twin, once. A twin she had eaten in the womb. The matriarch had insisted there was nothing odd about that- these things happened sometimes- but she knew the others whispered about it behind her back. And her twin wasn’t entirely gone, either. Sometimes, her twin’s ghost whispered in her ear. You’re a demon, she would hiss, a depraved monster who ate her own sister. Why don’t you eat your own mother while you’re at it?

That was the hunger. She could feel it, always, deep in her stomach, gnawing at the edges, crying, demanding FOOD. A demon, the matriarch insisted, but one that could be forced out. So it came she was fed only jellyfish, kelp, and sometimes, bitter concoctions that would make her cough up all the contents of her belly. Mama promised it would make her better, that she would be cured. Mostly, though, it made her feel weak, and confused. Why couldn’t she eat fish like the others? Yet even without food, as years passed she grew longer, her body stretched thinner and thinner with each passing day.

But worse was when the others came after Mama, blaming her for infidelity and other sins she was too little to understand. She would yell at them to stop, but even her own Mother demanded she stay out of things while the grown-ups screamed at each other.

It wasn’t all bad, at least. There was Mama, who sang lullabies and told stories of the Papa she never met. Mama who made her a belt of sea silk and shark teeth while assuring her that she was wonderful as she was. Mama, who always hugged her when she was scared and pulled her along when she was too exhausted to swim.

There was also, at times, flotsam. She loved looking through the strange wooden debris as it bobbed across the surface of the ocean, heading for an unknown destination. It would always be covered in strange barnacles, snails, and other hard shelled things she would try to collect, only to forget about later. If she was lucky, there would be things clambering across the top, too: brown hairy creatures with no fins and long tails, scaly green things that licked the air with forked tongues, and the things Mama called BIRDS!, which came in so many beautiful shapes and colors. These discoveries would always lead into tales from Mama about the things that lived out of the water, which were always her favorites because they were always, so odd, so strange, so DIFFERENT from her life of following currents across the ocean, even if she was certain Mama made them up.

The end began when Mama had a second baby. A precious little merboy with inky black hair, just like hers. A new baby for Mama to sing lullabies and tell stories too. A new baby for Mama to adore. One without a demon inside them. From that day forward, she swam a little further away from Mama, so she didn’t think of eating him, too.

Then came the fateful day her pod discovered a sunken ship. One by one the mermaid’s lithe bodies slipped through a crack in the ship’s hull, entering dark rooms coated in grime. The pod huddled together, weary. But her? She was FASINATED. What creatures had made this thing? Where did they live they? Did they have tails, like them? Or have hands where their tails should be, like the fuzzy things she’d seen on the driftwood? What did they eat? What were their families like? An older mermaid shushed her up real quick, saying they were to get a few important items, then GO. She nodded, but did not stop staring at everything they came across, until at last they reached a room the Matriarch referred to as the ‘Captain’s Quarters’. The mermaids ransacked the place, grabbing any seemingly useful thing they came across and jamming them into makeshift bags made of discarded shark eggs. But while the other mermaids made themselves busy, she sensed something… off. At first she thought it was just her- that sunken ships always felt this way, but then she smelled something odd, something… tasty. The walls of the room shimmered, revealing the largest octopus she had ever seen. The beast unfurled its’ tentacles, forcing the terrified pod into a corner, save one terrified individual who, trapped in the vice grip of a meaty red tentacle, found herself being drawn towards the beast’s massive beaked mouth. But while the others stared terrified, with a burst of speed she didn’t even know she had, LUNGED at the befuddled cephalopod, gripped the tentacle holding her podmate, and.. bit down. Later, the others would recount how they had seen a ten year old start ripping chunks out of the giant octopus with her teeth and swallowing them whole until, bewildered by this turn of events, the would be-monster had fled into the ocean. For her part, she mostly remembered the taste: a chewy and meaty texture, satisfying to bite into, with a clean, savory flavor. Afterward, she’d felt a soft, warm sensation radiating from her belly. So THIS was what feeling full felt like!

Victory, however, was short lived. From that day forward the rest of the pod kept a great deal of space between her and them, even the mermaid she’d rescued. Despite this, the Matriarch monitored her relentlessly, ensuring she only ate jellyfish and kelp. It was strange, really: even as they starved her, her tail grew longer and longer, her body thinner and thinner until, from head to fin tip, she was a full foot longer than Mama.

Face it freak, her sister whispered, there’s no place for you here. Best head out before Mama ends up in that belly of yours. And under the cover of night, that’s exactly what she did.

. . .

So began a life of following the rich, fragrant smell of fish, travelling from island to island after vast silver schools, getting just enough energy to keep her going. She had mixed feelings about her predicament: on one hand, it was nice to be away from the judging eyes of her pod; never accidentally hurting someone she loved. And she liked travelling from island to island, seeing all the strange creatures she never would have seen if she’d just stayed with the pod: slugs the colors of rainbows, fish that jumped out of the water when she got too close, sharks with too long tails, just like hers, they snapped to stun their prey. Those were exciting.

But on the other, catching fish was much more difficult on her own than she had imagined. They were just so fast! It took all her energy just to snatch the tiniest morsel, and by then she’d be so exhausted she couldn’t hunt until the next day. At those times she’d sleep free floating with one eye open, so sharks couldn’t get her. There she would stay until her hunger woke her up again. Sometimes, a passing pod of dolphins would offer her something to eat, but their pity stung.

That all changed the day she found the sea turtle. The scent of mackerel had brought her right into a cloud of jellyfish, and as much as the things brought up bad memories, she was really in no condition to pass up a free, slow moving meal. Neither, it seemed, was the largest sea turtle she had ever seen. First she saw the head, easily big as her torso and wrinkled with age. Enormous black eyes gazed at nothing as it casually munched on jellyfish. Then the rest of the body revealed itself as it parted the cloud with massive gray flippers covered in large, stony scales. From these she carefully swam away from, lest a stray paddle accidentally shatter her bones. At first, she marveled at it- the thing must have been ancient! - and before long an idea popped into her head. Grabbing onto its’ barnacle coated shell, she consigned to letting the giant take her wherever it went. Tired, she let out a yawn, drifting with a barnacle grasped firmly in her hand.

. . .

She awoke to a very familiar, irresistible smell.

Octopus! Her stomach rumbled from the memory. Parting from the turtle, she sped off in the direction of the scent, licking her lips at the thought of her meal-to-be-! But she didn’t quite expect a school of some of the oddest things she had ever seen. Not octopus at all, but squid. They had tentacles, but these were short and close to the head. Bad for grabbing things (thank goodness) though opening and closing them seemed to move them through the water. And on top of their heads, they had a long, conical shell, perfect for cutting through the water. Or anything foolish enough to stand in their path, no doubt. Carefully, she navigated around the school, until she was directly behind one. With a kick of her tail, she lunged-

Only for the creature to shut its’ tentacles, darting away-

Right into the open maw of an even stranger creature.

When she saw it, her breath caught in her throat. They were in the open ocean! How could something so massive stay hidden?! Like a whale, it had smooth grey skin with a white belly and a long, sinuous body that ribboned up and down as it swam, like an eel’s. Opening a mouth of curved fangs (just like hers!) it bit down on the octopus-thing’s shell, shattering it into a thousand pieces. At the sound the rest of the shelled squids darted out into the ocean.

Great.

It wasn’t long before the whale-eel, sated by its’ meal, turned its’ attention to the strange intruder on its’ territory. She took the hint, swimming in the opposite direction of the beast as fast as she could go. Not fast, enough, apparently, because five seconds later the beast was ribboning after her, open jaws drawing incredibly close incredibly fast. She forced her long tail up and down as hard as it could go, but it wasn’t enough: the whale-eel was gaining. But desperation has a funny way of breeding ideas, and this moment was no different. Looking at the surface, she recalled the strange fish she had seen on her journey. With one final kick of her tail fin, she broke the surface of the water and launched into the air! Her heart beat quickly as, for the first time in her life, she felt the strange sensation of air on her skin. More importantly, though, she could see an island ahead of her, covered in lush jungle with mountains toward its’ center. And where an island was, there was bound to be shallow water. Too shallow for something the size of the whale-eel. Plunging back into the deep, she breached the surface, keeping up her momentum until, at last, the island loomed over her, vast and mysterious. But it wasn’t until she was nearly on the beach she finally checked behind her to find the whale-eel, thankfully, nowhere in sight.

She should have felt safe. She should have felt relief. But mostly she just felt exhausted. Exhausted, and hungry. With what little strength she had left, she swam across the shallows, trying to sense something moving through the sand.

. . .

For once, luck was on her side. Granted, the thing she uncovered scuttling beneath the sand- a flat oval with far too many eggs underneath- didn’t have much of the way of meat, but food was food, and there were more than plenty of them scuttling just beneath the sand. Now that there was food in her belly, and no danger in sight, she could let her situation sink in. Or rather, her sister.

So here you are, in an island full of ravenous monsters. Maybe one will eat you. Wouldn’t that be fitting?

She tried so swim, which usually helped her shake off bad thoughts, but these were firmly lodged in the back of her head.

Then again, better you get eaten than you hurt someone else.

But at the same time, she couldn’t just hide out in the tidal zone, she couldn’t just hide out in the surf scavenging for oval shaped crab-things forever. And so what if she died? Not like anyone would miss her. Which is how she found herself just a few days later, tepidly swimming back where she had come. The squids with shells were long gone, in their place a school of fishes whose heads seemed to be covered in hard bony plates she’d never seen before. They brushed past her, indifferent. Tailing them, she thought back to the squids, recalling their strange shells, and the odd crabs she had eaten near the shore. Seemed armor was a popular thing in these parts. Though considering what kinds of things they shared the sea with, it wasn’t hard to imagine why.

Speaking of the devil, surely enough the whale-eel couldn’t resist such a tasty looking school, and burst in, this time from the side to snare a hapless fish, biting down until it ceased struggling and then swallowing it whole. Part of her wondered what it must have tasted like, but at the moment she had bigger priorities. She screamed, and at first the beast ignored her, almost deliberately so. For better or worse, it didn’t. Soon they were squared off: on one side, a sharp toothed mermaid with an unusually long tail. On the other, an impossibly long killing machine that could easily shatter every bone in her body with a single flick of one of its’ flippers.

And they weren’t alone. From behind the mother happily swam another whale-eel, maybe a quarter a size of the other, staring with round, black eyes.

Her heart sunk. Mama.

The mother whale-eel tried to push her curious child away, to no avail. After all, who could resist the strange new potential playmate that had just come into the area? Of course, her mission had just become that much more complicated. It was one thing to face a monster, it was another to face her knowing she was a mama just looking after her baby. The scene was enough to make her consider going back to the seashore, when she noticed something rocketing out of the ocean depths. Like the whale-eel, it had flippers, a long tail; a pointed head full of teeth. But whereas the whale-eels were long and thin with smooth skin, this thing was covered in scales and absolutely massive. So much she felt herself being pushed upward by its’ movement. And it was headed right for the baby. Without a moment’s hesitation, she lunged for the baby, pushing the bewildered thing out of the path of danger. Once she slowed, she released the young whale-eel, who swam, panic-driven, away. Mama was nowhere to be seen. As for herself, she felt the glare of two baleful yellow eyes on her back, turning around just in time for the scaly monster to lunge again. But whereas she had qualms attacking a mother, she had no issues attacking a child hurting demon from the deep.

You’re a monster. Might as well act like it.

She charged the demon, stopping just before its’ wide, hungry jaws. Then, with breakneck timing, she spun around, flicking her long tail with a Snap! Right in the creature’s eye. An ocean-shaking howl rang out of the demon’s throat as she gripped its’ massive, muscular neck and bit down. HARD. The meat was too tendony and firm for her liking, breaking a few of her teeth, but she got her desired effect: blood seeping into the water.

Just like that, the energy left her body. It shouldn’t have been surprising, really, with how little food she’d been getting compared to how much energy she’d been using. Getting worn out was inevitable. And what better way to get worn out than by becoming part of the food chain? The last thing she felt before going unconscious was something powerful pushing against her.

. . .

When she awoke, it was to the pleasant realization she wasn’t dead. Rather, she was being nuzzled by the very same baby whale-eel she had rescued earlier. Shoving its’ poking face away, she found herself riding on the back of none other than the mother. Somehow, the beast had carried her away from the scaly demon, into yet another strange school of creatures. They were not unlike the shelled squids, but their ridged shells coiled into a tight spiral rather than pointing forward. Her rescuer tossed her a dead one, its’ shell crushed by massive jaws, which she eagerly inhaled, the soft flesh sliding smoothly down her throat and into her belly. Sated, she clung to the back of the Mother whale-eel as it took her to the shallower waters on the coast of the island, where she’d (probably) be safe and sound. Letting go, she felt almost… sad to leave the majestic beast behind. Then again, maybe she didn’t have to. An idea raced through her head as she recalled her life back with her pod; how they would work together to catch fish.

But how to tell the whale-eel? She called for the creature, directing her attention to the sandy seafloor. Then, taking her index finger, stabbed it into the sand, drawing a picture of herself and the creature. The whale-eel and her child stared intently.

They understood. Good.

More drawings. Shelled squids. More whale eels. Herself.

They still looked, enraptured.

More complicated things. Movements. Ideas. Formations.

. . .

The dark grotto rested at the base of the island, and it was here she hesitated, its’ mouth ominous and disturbing. Still, this was where the whale-eel had directed her, and it was too late for her to back out on her word (metaphorically speaking). At the top of her lungs, she bellowed, surprised by how her voice vibrated off the grotto’s walls. It was strange, hearing her voice again after so long. Soon, another sound followed, this one the rapid movement of water as something vast as any whale but far more bloodthirsty surged through the grotto and eventually rocketing into the open sea. She did not wait for this moment to pass before she darted away fast as her sinuous tail could take her.

Long, tense moments passed. Maybe seconds, maybe minutes. She didn’t dare look behind her.

Justkeepswimmingjustkeepswimmingjustkeepswimming…

Until, at last, curiosity got the better of her, and she turned her head around to see those cavernous jaws wide open.

Now!

With a shriek she jerked upward, each flick of her tail rocketing her ever so close to the surface until-

Splash!

Her skin went cold as she popped into the open air. It was amazing how much she could see from her height, the vast ocean stretching out below her, birds circling some unseen prey above. Her heart beat ever so more quickly, all breath leaving her breathless. Crazy, how different everything looked from above!

A sharp pain rang out from the tip of her tail, dragging her away from ecstasy.

Oh. Right.

The force of a tidal wave dragged her back into the blue, no dount with the intent of swallowing the pesky girl whole.

It never got the chance.

From all sides lunged a quartet of whale-eels, the Mama and three others that had been coaxed into joining the plan. Normally, such a maneuver would have been reckless: the scaled demon would have easily ripped one of them to shreds. But with an adequate distraction, the four normally solitary predators rended the flesh of their adversary without mercy. A great bellow shook the ocean as the demon fled, massive plumes of blood spewing from its’ wounds.

Now, she wasn’t an expert on big, scaly demons, but she had a strong feeling it wouldn’t be coming around anytime soon.

As for the whale eels…

They formed a ring around her, staring intently in a way that made her nervous.

How fitting an end, to defeat monsters only to be betrayed by others. Can’t say I blame them; probably frightened to death of your grotesque, horrid…

But the whale-eels made no effort to devour her. Instead, they bowed their triangular heads, and went their separate ways, like friends at the end of a playdate.

. . ,

When the astonishment wore off, a single question bubbled to the surface of her mind:

What now?

Well, for starters, there was the vacant grotto, and it would be nice to have a place to hide out…

The floor of the dark cavern was littered with the pale bones of a thousand different types of sea creatures. Amongst them, he noticed several crab-things skittering about, picking what flesh they could from them. She smiled ever so slightly at this. Exploring the dark cavern with creepy crawlies was better than being alone. Fortunately, it seemed these would not be the only things keeping her company: there were fish here too, albeit ones with something… off about them. Maybe it was their large, fleshy fins, of which there seemed too many. Maybe it was their broad, spade-like tails. Maybe it was their scales, black peppered white like the night sky, or their large, milky eyes, round as a full moon. But they moved rarely, content to float in place, so she let them be.

The bones, on the other hand…

She had never seen so many. And from so many different creatures, too! Turtle shells and squid shells, the skulls of whales and of fearsome, carnivorous fish, it would take weeks to sort through them all. An especially large skull of some toothy predator caught her attention first, and with all her strength she dragged it to the entrance of her newfound home. She could already see those empty eye sockets gazing fiercely from above the grotto’s entrance. It was going to look awesome!

No sooner had she reached that point, however, than she noticed someone had beaten her there. Scattered about were large, colorful shells, along with hunks of meat from all a matter of creatures, so fresh their blood was still seeping into the water.

Her eyes lit up as the scent entered her nose. A moment later, her instincts kicked in.

. . .

A few minutes later, a very full and satisfied mermaid let out a belch; a fat, lazy bubble escaping her mouth and wobbling ever so slowly to the surface. As the effects of a food coma set in, she shut her eyes and grinned. Crazy as it seemed, even with all the monsters around, maybe, just maybe she could make a home in this crazy place.

There’s some real good stuff here. Admittedly I don’t have much planned for the mermaid and thus haven’t given much thought to her backstory, but while I can’t promise that I’ll use all of this, some might make its way in.

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inukouga · 5 years

Text

if my heart was a house (you’d be home)

AO3 / fics

non-au

pairing(s): inukog (established), gintaku (established, mentioned)

words: 4k+

a/n: I FINALLY FIGURED OUT A TITLE thanks to @itsalwayssunnyinmypussy ! thank you for being an amazing beta as well!! also thank you to @yukiothecollielover for being an amazing second beta too :’) okay!! so! the inukog is definitely more towards the end, but i really wanted to take the opportunity to attempt to flesh out the wolf tribe a little more and add in the headcanons i have for them (i might’ve uh, ignored canon a little...)!

Inuyasha rises, suddenly alert, when he detects a distinct scent in the air.

He'd know the smell of blood anywhere, and from how strong it is, there's a lot of it. What makes him rush to the entrance of the wolves’ den is the fact that it’s familiar, and dread begins to creep over him like an icy chill.

Kouga's blood.

Along with the scent, is the acrid tang of poison.

“Move it! We've got wounded!" Someone calls out from behind, and Inuyasha sees the arrival of the scouting group that had been sent out earlier in the evening. Curious about the sudden commotion, most of the tribe gathers at the den’s entrance. Once they realize the severity of the situation, some rush out to help bring the injured in and prepare the necessary accommodations. He had a feeling they were taking too long, he should've known something had gone wrong, should've gone out after them— “Someone get Chizue!” A member of the scouting group shouts.

Multiple limp wolf demons are carried in, some have their eyes shut tightly, while others are wide eyed, their abnormally dilated pupils a clear sign of shock. The stench of the poison almost overwhelms Inuyasha, and he covers his nose with the sleeve of the fire rat robe. His heart sinks when he sees Ginta frantically hauling Hakkaku in, but when he sees Kouga being carried in, blood all over him and staining the furs he wears around his waist with a red so dark that they look like they’ve been dipped in ink, it feels like he can’t breathe.

There’s a tiny bit of relief when he sees Kouga’s chest rise and fall, indicating that he’s still breathing, still alive. Inuyasha’s so distracted by the sight of him as some of the other wolves help Kouga, that he barely registers several sets of footsteps rapidly approaching from inside the den.

Chizue, accompanied by a pair of younger wolf demons whose names Inuyasha can’t recall at the moment, makes it to the main clearing.

“How many?" Is the first question she asks, her calm demeanor denoting centuries of experience in situations like these. She scents the air and he knows she's also taken note of the poison when her eyes narrow.

Ginta, returning from assisting Hakkaku, responds, "About five injured, three of the five were bit. Chief was one of 'em."

“I see. Has it been slain?” Inuyasha knows the healer is referring to the large serpent demon that had been lurking around the mountains for a while now. Numerous hunting groups had been sent out specifically to locate it and drive it out. However, the scouting patrol that’s arriving now had been sent out merely to take a look around the territory’s borders for any other trespassers.

“Yeah, it's dead," He says. "Kouga managed to finish it off before he collapsed."

Of course he did. Knowing Kouga, he'd most likely flung himself at the giant beast to protect the others without sparing a thought for his own well being. Inuyasha wants to be more angry at Kouga for putting himself at risk like that, he really does, but instead he feels his chest grow warm with something resembling pride. Kouga’s fierce devotion and loyalty to his tribe has always been admirable.

Chizue turns to the two young demons beside her, “Akane, Genki, go and help them get settled and treat those who are doing the most poorly. Do you two remember what I use for venom?” At their nod, she ushers them towards the healer’s chamber, a decently sized crack in the rock wall that opens up into a small cavern, hidden by hanging tendrils of lichen. “Good, now go.”

“It…” Ginta frowns, looking off to where Kouga was taken. “It bit two others, but it let ‘em go right away. When it bit Chief… it held on and started to wrap itself around him. Even after Kouga killed it, it took us a while to pry it off and free him,” There’s a brief, somber pause in which they both dwell on other possible, darker outcomes and what ifs, and Inuyasha decides that he doesn’t want to be present for any of the speculation.

“I’ll go check on him,” He mutters, not bothering to check if Ginta or Chizue hear him. Inuyasha quickly scales the rock walls leading up to the leader’s chamber, and not even the typically soothing sounds of the waterfall can quell the anxiety that seems to only grow stronger as he nears his destination.

When he arrives, Kouga is stretched out on his back and lying on a pile of furs, barely conscious.

The wolf demon’s hands are almost completely covered in blood; a sign that he’d most likely tried to stave off the bleeding immediately. The scent of venom is stronger now that he’s closer to Kouga, almost dizzying in its potency, and Inuyasha’s nose wrinkles as he approaches and sits beside him.

He removes Kouga’s headband, pushes his fringe back and is immediately startled at how hot his forehead feels.

He can see a bit of the wound from where the serpent’s fangs seem to have bitten through the armor. Just from the little he’s able to see, he can tell that the poison has drastically hindered the healing process; he can even see the venom slowly eating away at the flesh near the wound. If the serpent demon hadn’t been venomous, the bite wound would’ve already been on it’s way to fully healing by now, even without Chizue’s medicinal herbs speeding it up.

Inuyasha removes the fur pauldrons first before taking off the chest armor, careful not to move Kouga around too much— despite his impatience pushing him to take the damn thing off already— and finally manages to take a look at the wound in full.

There are two large puncture wounds in Kouga’s torso, the skin around them swollen and an angry red. Underneath the smell of poison is the sour scent of decay. There’s no telling how deep the wounds are, or what the true extent of the damage is based on what’s on the surface. He has to wait for Chizue to come and take a look. For now, there’s nothing he can do.

Inuyasha hates this feeling. The feeling of uselessness that hits him as he watches Kouga’s chest slowly rise and fall accompanied by his labored breathing.

“If the venom had been more potent, it’d be looking much worse than it does now.”

Startled, he looks up and meets the gaze of the healer of the wolf tribe. Chizue makes her way over to where they are and kneels by Kouga’s other side, putting a hand on his forehead. She remains silent for a few moments, eyes darting to Kouga’s exposed wound. Inuyasha waits for her to say something, anything about Kouga’s condition, but she doesn’t say a word. Just when Inuyasha feels his patience wearing thin, she stands up.

“Come, Inuyasha,” She says, beckoning for him to get up. “I have something prepared for him.” Inuyasha hesitates, but Chizue shakes her head. “It will do you no good to simply sit here and do nothing. It will not help you, nor will it help him,” Her eyes soften. “He’ll be just fine. Come.”

Her last words make the last shreds of hesitance fade away. He gets up and follows her wordlessly, sparing Kouga one last glance before he leaves.

“Shouldn’t you be helping them first?” Inuyasha raises a brow as he takes a look at some of the others that had been on the scouting patrol. They’re all lying on piles of animal furs, most unconscious.

Chizue sighs. “Some are indeed worse off, but traditionally the tribe leader almost always receives priority when it comes to injuries or wounds of this magnitude.” He doesn’t miss the concern in her gaze as she eyes one of the younger wolf demons that had been bitten.

Inuyasha frowns. As much as he wants for her to check on Kouga first, it’s not what Kouga would want. Screw tradition, he’d say. Inuyasha almost smiles at the thought.

“C'mon, you know that dumb wolf won't let ya near him until you've treated everyone else," Inuyasha sighs. He can already picture Kouga's stubborn resistance at Chizue helping him first. "He’ll throw a stupid tantrum like a big baby and waste your time. I'll help him. Just show me what to do."

Chizue smiles at him, equal parts amused and grateful.

“Young Kouga has always been rather headstrong, oftentimes to a fault, just like his mother, our last Chief,” The elder wolf demoness laughs and shakes her head fondly. "The wound has probably already healed a bit, but the venom is impairing the healing process, so we must do something about that first," She says, looking through the carefully organized stockpile of various natural herbs, salves, poultices and medicinal remedies stored in small nooks in the cracks running along the rock walls.

Though he’d never say it aloud, Inuyasha’s always been fascinated by how Chizue can remember where specific herbs grow and which remedies help certain ailments. She’s told him that she knows cures for even the most obscure of sicknesses, and she always asks the ancestors of the wolf tribe for their blessings after treating a patient.

“If not for our ancestors, especially the many, many other tribe healers before me, we wouldn’t have all this valuable knowledge,” He remembers her telling him one day as she organized her stockpile, taking note of what she was running low on, “Our tribe’s been through difficult trials, but because of the determination of our ancestors, we persevere, thrive, and prosper, even stronger and more united than before. So, I always make sure to give them my gratitude and show them that they’re not forgotten.”

Once Chizue gathers what she needs, she kneels next to Hakkaku, and begins to carefully remove his armor to gain better access to his wounds. Inuyasha settles himself next to her, watching as Hakkaku winces when Chizue applies the medicine.

Inuyasha studies her movements carefully, trying to give her his undivided attention, though his mind occasionally drifts to Kouga. Instinctively, his hand moves to clutch the handle of Tessaiga as he recalls Kouga's groans of pain as he was hurriedly carried into the caves, and the brief glimpse Inuyasha had caught of the wound when he went to see him. He knows that if they hadn't told him that Kouga managed to slay the intruder, he would've immediately gone and sought to kill the wretched creature himself.

He’s brought out of his thoughts by the sound of Chizue grinding dried herbs with a stone and watches as she sprinkles them evenly on top of the salve she’d already applied, before bandaging it all up with scraps of cloth. Hakkaku lets out a low whimper as she finishes. Inuyasha can feel Ginta’s presence nearby. He wouldn’t be surprised if Ginta was hovering right by the entrance, worried sick for his mate.

“This should help get extract most of the venom," Chizue hands him a small clay bowl containing a poultice and a few dried herbs wrapped in a thin cloth. “Along with some lavender and echinacea to help soothe the swelling. After the venom is gone, his body will heal on its own. I’ll be sure to pray for him once I’m finished with the others.” Inuyasha doesn’t even realize he’s frowning worriedly until he feels Chizue place a warm, comforting hand on his shoulder. Briefly, as he looks into the elder demoness’ eyes, he finds himself reminded of Kaede. “He’ll be fine, Inuyasha. Kouga’s always been resilient, but you being beside him will give him even more strength to endure this.”

Thanking her with a grunt, he takes both the herbs and salve from her, idly glancing around the room to the rest of the wounded demons that were part of the scouting group.

“You’ve been good for him, you know," She says just as he’s getting up to leave. Surprised, he pauses, turning to look at her. "Kouga's always been rather high-spirited, but in all the time I've watched him grow up, I can’t think of a time that I've seen him as happy as he is now. I believe it all started when he began to visit you and those friends of yours," She smiles kindly. “The sudden passing of both his mother and father was devastating for both him and the entire tribe, but despite all that, he’s grown up to become a great Chief. Now though, it’s like he’s back to how he was when his parents were with us. If his mother was alive to see him now, she would be very proud.”

Inuyasha knows that Chizue and Kouga are close, but to know that someone else in the tribe besides Ginta and Hakkaku had known about Kouga’s feelings— he averts his gaze, trying to decide if he should feel embarrassed or touched at the revelation.

“I think it’d be best if this remains between us,” Chizue winks at him conspiratorially, before she kneels down to begin tending to the young wolf demon she’d been worried about earlier. "Go on then. I know you’re very anxious to go to him. Don't let me keep you." She gestures for one of the apprentices, Akane, to sit beside her, and immediately gets to work.

He tries to come up with a response to all of that— what can he say?— but he's always had trouble with words, has always found it easier to communicate through his actions. He places a hand on her shoulder and when she looks up at him, he meets her gaze and hopes that he's able to convey how much everything she’s told him means to him.

“If ya need any help, don't be afraid to call for me, alright?” Inuyasha says over his shoulder, walking through the curtain of lichen and leaving the healer’s cavern.

When he returns to the leader’s chamber, Kouga's up.

He’s already looking toward the entrance when Inuyasha comes in, and grins weakly when the half demon sits beside him.

“How’s everyone else?” He rasps, forgoing a greeting.

“Fine, I think. Chizue’s lookin’ at the others who were bit first. Other than that, nothin’ fatal.”

“Good,” Kouga sighs, relieved. Inuyasha smacks him on the side of his head, prompting a hiss. He holds back quite a bit though; the mangy wolf is already going through enough. “Ow! The hell was that for!?”

“For bein’ dumb and not seeing her as soon as possible, that’s what!”

“I was unconscious! How the hell did you expect me to go see her!?”

“You were awake when I came back, you could’ve called for someone,” He interrupts before Kouga can reply, feeling his earlier concern manifest into frustration. “...and even if you were conscious before that, you would’ve been fightin’ to be seen last,” When no denial came from the injured demon, Inuyasha scoffs. “That’s what I thought.”

“Chizue's already busy enough with everyone else. Even if I was awake, I wasn't gonna bother her when she already has a lot to do," Kouga growls.

“That poison could’ve done a lotta damage,” Inuyasha knows he’s right, and even if the stubborn wolf demon won’t admit it, Kouga knows he’s right too. Kouga opens his mouth to say something, then seems to decide against it and promptly closes it, choosing to settle on an annoyed grunt instead. Abruptly, he lets out a sharp hiss, eyes screwed shut.

“You better not die on me," Though Inuyasha’s tone is sharp, he gently nudges Kouga to get better access to his wound. "If you die under my watch I’ll be the one they’ll blame.”

Kouga laughs and shakes his head. "You're crazy if you think that pitiful excuse for a demon could finish me off.”

“It almost did,” Inuyasha mutters, trying to ignore the worry that’s still gnawing at him. “Now shut up so I can focus.”

“Well, it didn’t,” The wolf demon retorts, then winces when Inuyasha starts to apply some of the salve. “Ow! Careful with that!”

Inuyasha rolls his eyes. “What, can’t take a little sting, Kouga? Hmph, you’re wimpier than I thought. Now shut up and hold still already.”

“Not my fault you’re puttin’ that stuff on me like a damn brute!”

“Any more comin’ from you and I'll leave ya to do it yourself!" The half demon snarls, though he does try to be more careful.

Inuyasha's brows are furrowed in concentration as he attempts to copy what the wolf tribe healer had shown him. Compared to her meticulous and skilled application, his own is hesitant and clumsy, but he’s determined. He recalls little bits and pieces he’d learned from when his mother and Kagome would patch him up in the past. In the end, it isn't perfect, but it looks close enough to what Chizue did to leave him satisfied.

He frowns, unsure. Then he decides that he'll get her to check on it later, just in case.

“You done?” Kouga asks, and when Inuyasha nods, he attempts to sit up, but fails to hold back a pained groan. Inuyasha puts both hands on Kouga's shoulders and makes him lie back down with a growl.

“Will ya stop moving, you idiot!? I didn't do all that work so you could go do something stupid and hurt yourself again!”

“Who’re you callin’ an idiot, idiot?”

Inuyasha lets out an exasperated sigh. "You're so damn stubborn."

Kouga scoffs. "Oh, really? That's rich, comin' from you. You're the definition of stubborn."

“Shut up and get some damn rest. Ginta’s fine and Chizue’s already taking care of Hakkaku and the others. They’re okay, now you need to stop bein’ stupid and annoying and take care of yourself,” Kouga lays back down after a moment, and Inuyasha shuts his eyes, though he remains alert in case Kouga decides to try and get up again. “Sleep.”

There’s a moment of silence, in which Inuyasha thinks that Kouga actually listened to him, and then after a sigh—

“You’re the worst medic ever. At least I have somethin’ nice to look at while you’re treatin’ me,” It’s said in a low mutter so Inuyasha’s sure that Kouga hadn’t meant for him to hear it, but that doesn’t stop his face from involuntarily heating up with a blush.

He hears Kouga laugh, and immediately realizes that Kouga had definitely wanted him to hear that after all.

Inuyasha’s not too sure how much time passes while he’s sitting with Kouga, but judging from the lack of sound coming from the rest of the den, he figures that the tribe had decided to turn in early for the night as a result of what happened to the scouting patrol. He finds the rare silence unsettling.

“You don't have to stay up, y'know."

Inuyasha opens his eyes to look at Kouga, who's staring right back.

“Tch, I'm not staying up for you, fleabag,” He retorts, though he knows he's trying to convince himself as much as he's trying to convince the wolf demon. "I'm just not tired. Go back to sleep so I can have some peace and quiet again." Of course, Inuyasha doesn’t really want Kouga to go back to sleep. He’s pretty sure Kouga knows this, too.

Kouga smirks, mischievous and teasing. "I didn't say anything about you stayin' up for me," He shuts his eyes. "But it’s good to know that you’re worried ‘bout me.”

Inuyasha averts his gaze. “...’course I’m worried.”

“Oh, are you?”

“If you die, who else is gonna keep the rest of the pack from chasin’ me outta here?”

“Ah, there he is. I was just about t’ask who you were and where the real Inuyasha was,” Kouga grins. “—and c’mon, the tribe is warming up to you, Chizue, Ginta and Hakkaku already really like you. Not to the mention the younger wolves,” He chuckles, though it’s more of a light wheezing sound. “Didn’t know you had such a way with kids.”

“Ginta and Hakkaku don’t count. They’d light their asses on fire if ya told ‘em to,” Kouga laughs and Inuyasha can’t help but chuckle. “—and those brats… no matter what I do and what I tell ‘em, they won’t stop followin’ me around.”

“They like your stories, I think.”

He likes telling them stories too, and though he’s never admitted it— and doesn’t think he will anytime soon— he’s pretty sure Kouga knows.

For the hundredth time, he realizes that there are lots of things Kouga just knows about Inuyasha. Things about him as well as things important to him that Kouga’s paid attention to and kept in his mind because he thinks they’re significant enough to remember.

Also for the hundredth time, this realization makes his heart pound faster in an almost dizzying blend of awe and happiness that he masks with a grunt.

“Chizue… the old hag’s fine, I guess. Anyone that can keep you in line is more than okay in my book.”

“That she does,” Kouga says, and Inuyasha can hear the affection in his voice as he talks about her. “Don’t let her hear you call her a hag, though. Old woman is scarier than anything when she’s mad. She may be a healer, but she can become deadly in the blink of an eye.”

Inuyasha knows. He hasn’t been on the receiving end of Chizue’s wrath, but he’s witnessed it enough to know that he never wants to be.

“Anyway, give it some time or whatever, they’ll get used to ya. If they don’t, then they’ll just have to get over it. Anyone tries to chase you out, they’ll have to get through me first.”

He doesn’t even try to hide the smile on his face that forms as a result of that statement.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, and they’d have to get through Ginta and Hakkaku and Chizue too,” Kouga says, eyes bright with mirth. “—and no one wants to do that.” Inuyasha chuckles, almost missing the way Kouga’s eyes soften. “So they’re just gonna have to deal if they don’t want an angry tribe healer on their hands.”

“Yeah, ‘cause out of all you, Chizue’s the only real threat.” Kouga laughs and gives Inuyasha a playful nudge.

There’s a comfortable silence, and Inuyasha closes his eyes, focusing on the comforting sounds of the waterfall. After a while, thinking Kouga’s fallen asleep, he opens his eyes to make sure, only to see Kouga looking straight at him, a dopey grin on his face. He mutters a curse when he feels his face flush at the attention.

Then, a vivid image of what Kouga had looked like when they’d first brought him in, bloody and barely breathing, flashes in his mind and he knows he won’t be able to keep himself from not bringing it up tonight.

“Kouga, don't be so damn reckless next time. You’re the leader and all that, I get it, but ya can’t just do that,” There’s a fear inside him that’s almost suffocating. “You can’t just— you—” He takes a shaky breath, trying to remain composed.

“Hey.”

Inuyasha blinks and looks into warm blue eyes at Kouga’s voice, then at the hand on his knee.

“Look, I’m okay,” Kouga murmurs, a hint of fondness in his tone. “I’m all patched up and I’m already feelin’ better. Go to sleep, Inuyasha.” He pats the space next to him, closing his eyes. There’s a beat of silence, and then, “Seriously though, your creepy staring is starting to freak me the hell out. Won’t be able to get a wink of sleep with you lookin’ at me like that.”

“I wasn’t starin’,” Inuyasha protests half-heartedly, already feeling himself become calmer. The warmth of Kouga’s hand is an anchor, and he lets himself be grounded. He lays down on the pile of furs, and settles close to Kouga, mindful of his wound. “Next time, I'm going with you so you don't get yourself into trouble. Figures you can’t do anything without me—“

“Sleep,” Koga mumbles. .

“‘M not tired,” Inuyasha says, then he yawns, and he doesn’t have to look at Kouga to know that he’s smirking. “Jerk.”

Inuyasha falls asleep a little while later, lulled by the sound of Kouga’s steady snores and his familiar scent, and for the hundredth time, it feels like he’s coming home.

#YAYYY THE FIC IS FINALLY POSTED WHEW CHILE #it took me AGES to figure out a title #and ofc i post it when no one's awake haha....#inukog #inuyasha #my fics #txt #lmk what y'all think!#HIGHKEY nervous....

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