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akitokihojo · 4 years

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Delicate - Chapter 7

Inuyasha sighed out, a barely-visible puff of air appearing before his face as he walked along the length of the gate outside of the schoolyard. He felt abnormally exhausted this morning, and like anyone, he blamed it on the fact that it was Monday, the clouds were dreary, and he may have been up late playing video games. He had a chemistry test this afternoon, and he could only hope to wake up a little more by then to properly focus.

He’d caught her scent just before entering the building, his attention blindly following his nose as his eyes scoured the grounds for her. She wasn’t that far off, standing in a misshapen circle with Sango and three other girls, one of them enthusiastically telling a story that had the lot of them giggling. That smile, the rosy color of her cheeks, the way the tip of her nose was a light shade of pink from the chill of their morning, it was all like a buzz of caffeine for him. The more he watched, the more he listened to the melody of her laugh, the lighter he began to gradually feel.

Kagome was wearing black tights beneath her charcoal uniform skirt this morning as opposed to the knee-high socks she usually opted for, sparing her legs from the small nip in the air. Over her white button up, she donned a dark, knitted sweater, the baggy sleeves shielding her fingers. But, her neck wasn’t covered. Sure, her hair was worn down, waving over her shoulders in their natural order, but what good was that compared to something literally manufactured to keep heat in? The dummy was just asking for a cold. Whatever combatant thought that formulated in his head deliberately went ignored as he turned away from the building to walk toward her, a horrible fluttering expanding throughout his abdomen. Sango’s gaze met him first as he approached, then Kagome’s as the group of girls’ chatter died off into a curious and muddled silence. God, he didn’t think there was anything capable of rivaling the annoying sensation in his stomach at the moment, but when she smiled wider at him as he stopped just a foot or two before her, his heart gave a thunderous pound that he worried would wound his ribcage. His cheeks went hot, then his nose, then the remainder of his face, and the thought of his evident blush only made him heat up furthermore. Her greeting was soft and happy, bringing him to huff out, his jaw clenching, and his amber eyes drifting off to the side. As planned, Inuyasha removed the muffler from his neck, untwisting it so he could hand it over. From his peripherals, he gathered that she was confused, not immediately taking it from him, so he decidedly did the damn job himself before he ended up spontaneously combusting from flames of embarrassment. Carefully, the hanyou looped it behind her neck, twisted, then looped it again so it bunched properly to keep her warm, her raven hair billowed beneath.

She was staring up at him with large eyes, her pink lips pinching together then growing into a shy and appreciative smile. Son of a bitch, she was fucking cute.

He walked away, heading toward the entrance of the building without a single word, and Kagome’s blush maddened as her friends made hushed and cheery noises at what had just happened.

“So, what? Are you guys together now?”

“When did you two even become a thing?”

“Wasn’t that Inuyasha? I’ve never seen him not mad.”

“Nah, he still looked mad. Just a flustered sort of mad.”

“And to think just a couple days ago you were worried.” Sango teased.

“Yeah, but y-you know happened.” Kagome said, feeling like she was standing under an intense spotlight.

“Uh, we don’t!” Eri stated, bringing the attention back to them. “Hello, hi. Details, please.”

“Oh, look at the time.” Kagome pulled back the sleeve of her left hand to look at the invisible watch along her wrist, beginning to walk backward toward their school building. “I need to - I’ve gotta - I mean, class is starting soon, so yeah. Bye.”

Sango laughed, waving and knowing full and well that her friend was heading to catch up with her favored half demon.

“I don’t suppose you’ll tell us?”

“Sorry, guys.” She shrugged, smiling. “The best friend privilege is knowing, and the code is not spilling business that isn’t mine to spill.”

Kagome wandered over to his locker in the third row, spotting him just as he closed the small, metal door. He glanced over, his eyes never leaving her as she sauntered his way, and though his cheeks continued to reveal some of his timidness, a soft smile on his lips further ignited the spark between them.

“I don’t need it back if that’s what you’re about to ask.”

“Not yet, anyway.”

“After school. Keep it until then.”

“I actually came to walk with you. If that’s okay?”

“You don’t need to ask, dummy.” Inuyasha replied, though there was the hint of tension in his tone. He gave a notch of his head to lead the way, shoving his hands into his pant pockets to appear as casual as possible. She walked at his side, just as close as they’d walked on Saturday night, and he found it to be a source of comfort. Progressively, his preservation melted away with her warmth, wanting less to hide his affection behind a barricade and wanting more to give it to her so she’d always smile like she had before.

“So, uh, how’d you do on your last math test?” He asked as they began their ascent up the stairs and to the second floor where their classes were.

“Oh, I totally forgot! I meant to show you!” Kagome opened her book bag at her side, pulling out the quiz after wiggling it free from between two notebooks. She held it out, positively beaming and excited for him to see her accomplishment.

Inuyasha took in the “B” next to her name before taking the paper into his grip, a smile of his own forming as his pride for her swelled. “This is the best one yet! Soon you’re not even gonna need my help.”

“I don’t know about that.” She quickly countered, a little nervous at the sound of losing any easy opportunity to see him outside of school. “I still struggle a bit. And, I mean, you do call me a dummy.”

“Not as an insult.” He chuckled, handing the test back to her so she could shove it back into her bag.

“It originated for a reason, and then just became an endearment of sorts.”

“I don’t think you’re dumb.” Inuyasha said, still smiling. He glanced at her, noticing the uncertainty in her eyes, shielded behind a small grin. Was she looking for validation? He felt something click in him, like he didn’t actually need to question what she wanted. The quick rebut she’d served just a moment ago to his comment, the look she was giving, the warm sensation building in his chest - it made it easy not to second guess his intuition. This was an understanding he’d been privileged to receive from being with her so often, from falling in love. Not a part of him desired to resist what surprisingly and so simply came to him right now, the back of his hand grazing her knuckles until he hooked one of her fingers with his own. They both stopped walking, and he pulled her closer by another inch. “Relax. I’m not going anywhere; we’ll still study together. Maybe you’ll even end up tutoring me.”

“Doubtful.” Kagome muttered with a shy smile, her finger gently clutching his in return.

“Which part?”

“Me tutoring you.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” He chuckled, her responding giggle like a gift. The bell rang and he knew the halls were about to get busy as everyone filtered through to class. He took the opportunity he had, never letting go of her finger. “Tomorrow? I’ll walk you home and we can study.”

“Okay.” She nodded, smiling.

Using his free hand, Inuyasha twirled some strands of her hair around his finger, ones that were short, and framed her jaw, and weren’t held captive by the muffler like the rest of it all still was. “Come on, dummy.” He grinned, leading her to her class with a yank on her finger.

—

Sango puffed out her cheeks in a mock pout, standing by a tree with her arms crossed over her chest after school. “Call me repetitive, but I still cannot believe you’re ditching me for a boy today.”

“You’re repetitive.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m not even ditching you,” Kagome laughed. “I said he’d be walking with us. You’re the one who chose to walk home alone.”

“Excuse me, look me in the eyes and tell me I’m third wheel material. I dare you.”

She laughed a little harder from her best friend’s dramatic exasperation. “He’s walked with us before, Sango! It’s just like every other time.”

“Bull and baloney! The last time he walked with us was before you guys got over the majority of your romantic constipation.” Sango ignored the weird look that took over Kagome’s expression, proceeding on with her argument without hesitance. “Things are better now, you’ve both gotten a clue - thank god - and moves are being made. When he said he wanted to walk you home, he meant he wanted to walk you home. Therefore, if I tag along until we hit my route, he’s gonna be uncomfortable up until then and I’m gonna be the cockblock.”

“What? Not even!”

“Oh, yeah.”

“So, you’re just gonna avoid us forever now? This is it? Whenever Inuyasha wants to come with, you’re out?” Kagome grinned, leaning her head to the side in a playful challenge.

“No, of course not. Not forever. When you guys are in an established relationship - and by established, I mean passed the mushy crap - then I’ll make my return. Maybe even sooner if I land myself a stud, because then I wouldn’t be a third wheel.” Sango shrugged.

“You’ve got one guy in mind that can’t even talk to you passed ‘hello,’ so that could take a while.”

“See you on the flip side, my main gal.”

“You realize then that this isn’t me choosing a guy over you, but you choosing your pride over everything?”

“You bet, but I’m still blaming you.”

“You know what? I’m gonna do you a favor.” Kagome cocked a brow, her smile shifting into one of deviousness.

“What? No, wait. No. I know that look, and I hate it. What are you gonna do?” Sango’s face twisted in suspicion, her brows furrowing deeply as Kagome turned about, seemingly searching the school grounds. She had a sinking feeling in her chest as a scheme had obviously just popped into Kagome’s head, and who had she just mentioned? Bad, not good, very bad. “Kay, I swear to Zeus if you -“

“Oh, there they are!” Kagome beamed, practically skipping her way over to the pair of far-off boys.

“I have no best friend!” Sango hissed, quickly ducking herself to hide behind the tree.

Inuyasha’s golden stare transferred from his friend to her as she approached, the plain expression he held while Miroku talked changing to a gentle grin. He notched his head in a silent greeting while his friend finished his sentence.

“Hi. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.” She apologized, stopping before them, a little closer to Inuyasha than in the center.

“Nothing to worry about.” Miroku kindly dismissed. “Since you’re here, let me ask you something: Do you prefer me with or without the rattail? I need a lady’s perspective.”

“Oh, god no, definitely without.” Kagome answered a little too quickly, giving a small grimace when she realize how rude it could have come off, especially as Inuyasha stifled his snorted laugh. “I mean, it’s your choice, of course! I just think the style is a bit outdated. And, this shorter cut suits you much better. Were you thinking of growing it back?”

“Wow. Not anymore.” Miroku blinked, pinching his lips into a tight line.

“Thank you.” Inuyasha boasted, like he’d finally gotten his way. He gave another small nod to Kagome, gesturing in the direction of the gate. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Hang on, I have a question.” She said, stopping Inuyasha before he could lead her off. She looked over at his friend, watching him go from feigned defeat to slightly curious when he realized it was for him. “I’m sorry if this is none of my business, but do you mind if I be a little upfront for a moment and ask how you feel about Sango?”

“Oh god, you’re gonna break him.” Inuyasha murmured beside her.

“No, I promise I won’t tell her anything. I’m just wondering.” Kagome assured.

“You mean, I haven’t made it painstakingly obvious?” Miroku asked monotonously, his grin devoid of any real emotion.

“So, you like her?”

“Something like that.”

“Why haven’t you asked her out?”

“Remember that time, a few months ago, when I stopped you guys on your way home from school?”

“Yeah.”

“I was going to try and get her number then. I had a classic pickup line planned and everything, and yet the only thing that came out of my mouth was her name. I can’t function around her. I panic around her. I freeze, I sputter, and I shave a few years off my life every time I’m around her. You see my problem?”

“Okay, you’re not good with girls. It’s fine, you’ve gotta start some-“

“I’m fantastic with girls, you take that back!” Miroku retorted defensively.

“Really? You can actually claim that right now?” Kagome earnestly asked.

“You really think you have the room to talk when you two still aren’t even dating?” Miroku chided, pointing to both Inuyasha and Kagome. He didn’t even have time to flinch before Inuyasha slugged him in the arm, his pained groan gurgled and deep. “Okay, withdrawn!” He clutched the offended spot, respectfully ignoring Kagome’s embarrassment as he continued speaking to buffer the awkwardness. “Look, there’s just something about her that fucks me up. Little-by-little, I’m talking! I’m getting better! I’m growing! I’m not always melting down like I used to! I’ll get there eventually!”

“What if I make it a little easier on you?” She offered with a simple shrug.

“How?”

“Give me your number and I’ll give it to her. That way, you don’t have to stress yourself out by asking for hers, and that’s one objective down.”

“Wait,” Miroku tilted his head skeptically. “Are you - are you saying she’s interested?”

Kagome feigned a believable frown. “Actually, I don’t know.” She lied. “Sango’s a pretty private person. She doesn’t often talk about her feelings, even to me. I’m just doing this to help you out. You’re a nice guy, and I’m her best friend. Easy in-between.”

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch.”

“No catch?”

“She said no catch. Just do it.” Inuyasha griped. “You’ve been going on and on about this since last year, and now you’re gonna question the opportunity?”

“Because, there’s gotta be a catch! She owes me nothing - you owe me nothing. So, why do me a favor?”

“No catch.” Kagome repeated, shaking her head. “Honestly, I’m just a nice person. If you want to do it yourself, by all means. I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable or push you to do something you don’t want to do. But, if I do it, we eliminate the potential to wreck yourself even more in front of her, and then the ball’s in her court. If she’s interested, she’ll text or call, if not, then nothing happens and you have your answer. Besides, I think she’s already headed home, so I can talk you up a little and say you wanted to give it to her today but she’d already left so you gave it to me to pass on.”

“No catch?”

“No catch.”

“No one’s that nice.”

“I am. Oh, and just think. It’s always easier to talk through text because you have time to think through what you want to say before you say it.”

“He’ll still mess it up.” Inuyasha quietly mentioned.

“Nah, I don’t think he will.” She said, smiling, redirecting the conversation back to Miroku. “Then, you’ll adjust, realize Sango’s super easy to talk to and there’s nothing to be nervous about, and talking to her in person will be as normal as talking to anyone else.”

“Oh, fuck, yeah okay. You drive a hard bargain, Higurashi.” Miroku eagerly opened his bag, bringing out his notebook and opening it to the first empty page. “Inuyasha, your pen.” He requested, holding his hand out as the half demon pulled his pen from his front, pant pocket. Taking the writing utensil and clicking the ballpoint end out, he began scribbling along the upper-right corner.

Kagome could tell it wasn’t just his number he was jotting down, but she didn’t try to peek, instead giving a quick side-glance to Inuyasha and winking so he knew she had this planned. Miroku tore the edge of the paper, folding up his little note and handing it over to Kagome which she happily took and slipped into the small pocket at the front of her book bag.

“Say something nice about me when you see her.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Now, can we go?” Inuyasha spoke, taking back his pen and sliding it into his front pocket once more. Kagome smiled, giving a nod and waving goodbye to his best friend before walking off with him toward the exit. As soon as they were out of the gate, and effectively out of earshot of Miroku - who had to stay behind for his stupid student council committee - he shot her a sly look. “What was that all about?”

“Just helping things along.” She replied, giving a measly shrug.

“Ka-go-me!” The shout was menacing and chilling, over-enunciated for full, grounding effect, and bringing Kagome to look wearily toward a fuming Sango who was running right toward her. Hastily, she dodged around the half demon, using him as a shield to protect herself from the temperament of her best friend.

Inuyasha stood stiffly between the two, thoroughly confused and unsure whether this was actually something he should literally be in the middle of.

“No! Wait! Don’t be mad, I didn’t do anything wrong!” Kagome proclaimed.

“What did you say!?” Sango asked, brows pinching together but no real malice to her tone. She was frantic for an answer, and naturally defensive, but Kagome should have known better than to pull one of Sango’s own stunts on her.

“Nothing about you!”

“Freaking liar!”

“No, I swear! I didn’t! In fact, the one question he asked about you, I lied about and turned the subject back on him!”

“And, what was the subject, Kagome!?”

“About whether he liked you or not!”

“Oh my god! You can’t just ask someone that!” Sango cried, shoving her face into her palms.

“What!? On Saturday, you said -“

Sango shushed her, the noise high pitched and tense. “I know what I said, but that advice wasn’t for me!”

“If it’s any consolation, he said yes!”

“He did!?”

“You said you wouldn’t tell her.” Inuyasha mentioned, turning his head to peculiarly glance at her from the side.

“Oh, because it wouldn’t be obvious when I gave her his number?” Kagome retorted, not yet coming out from the shelter his body provided.

“What?” Sango asked, slightly shocked.

“Yeah, see,” Kagome fished the folded up paper out of the pocket of her bag, sliding her arm around Inuyasha’s waist to hand it over. Her friend snatched the note like a monkey snagging a banana from its handler, unfolding it to read its contents. “I didn’t read it, I promise. He really wanted me to give that to you.”

Sango studied what was written, her cheeks becoming a bright shade of pink before lowering the small shred of paper to peer at Kagome, her eyes large and pleading. “Did you seriously ask him for his number for me? He’s gonna think I’m desperate!”

“No! I offered to give you his number for him! I told him I didn’t know if you liked him, but I just wanted to do him a favor.”

“And, he fell for that?”

“Yup. Whatever else that says is all him. I didn’t suggest a note, just the number.”

Sango quickly handed the note to Kagome, making sure Inuyasha didn’t glance to read it, her hand held open for Kagome to return it when she was done.

I’m sorry I’m weird around you. I literally get dumbstruck by your beauty. I don’t want to mess up anymore, so here’s my number. Give me a chance. - Miroku.

Kagome beamed, slipping the small piece of paper back into Sango’s palm. “So, what do you think?”

“I don’t know. He really has no idea how I feel?”

“Look, I can honestly tell you he didn’t suspect a thing. You can go into this whatever way you want, and the guy wouldn’t know the difference.” Inuyasha testified, leaning his head to the side in a careless manner.

“You,” Sango pointed up at the hanyou’s face, a scowl forming on her own, successfully intimidating him as he flinched back an inch. “Will keep this conversation to yourself, got it? I mean it. Don’t tell him anything that happened here.”

“How are you so scary for a small chick?” He held his hands out defensively in front of him.

“My dad’s a cop.”

“Ah.”

“Believe me, he won’t say anything.” Kagome assured, finally coming out of hiding. “So, are you gonna text him?”

“You’ll find out when your friendship timeout is up.” Sango sneered, pursing her lips and crossing her arms.

“How long!?” Kagome pouted.

“To be determined.” She shrugged, walking off to take a different route home.

“Determine!”

“Two hours.”

“Hours?”

“You’ll be busy anyway, so you won’t even notice.”

“Sango!”

“Bye!” She waved from behind, crossing the street.

“You guys are weird.” Inuyasha remarked, walking on ahead.

“You really won’t tell, right?” Kagome asked, upping her speed to reach his side again.

“What? That Sango likes Miroku? Nah.” He confirmed, his tone level as he gave a small shake of his head. “I kind of figured you wouldn’t just do Miroku a favor out of the blue like that. Even before you winked.”

“So, you blindly backed me up?”

“Yup. Stupid, huh?”

She smiled, turning her head so he wouldn’t see how happy it had made her. The muffled chime of Inuyasha’s phone went off in his pocket, bringing her attention back his way as he pulled it out, his brows giving a small twitch together as he whispered an apology to her and answered.

“What’s up?” She couldn’t hear who was talking on the other end, but she continued walking at his side, minding her business to the best of her abilities, even when Inuyasha grumbled. He stopped walking, pinching the back of her sweater with his free hand to make her stay with him, his head lolling back in exasperation. “Yeah, fine, I’ll go check. I swear, you’re getting too old to leave the house.”

He hung up, grimacing deeply. “My uncle thinks he left the stove on and he won’t be back until late. I can run home real quick and I’ll meet you at your place. That okay?”

“Oh, yeah.” Kagome nodded understandingly. He flashed a small grin, his pace hastening slightly as he walked ahead to the corner, about to cross to the right where she’d just go straight. She watched him stop even though it was perfectly safe for him to go, an unsure expression on his lips as he pressed them together, eventually turning back to her as she finally reached the corner, herself.

“Unless, um, unless you just want to come with me? It’ll be a quick stop.”

Her smile grew brightly, her nod coming before her brain could actually initiate the response. When he smiled back and notched his head for her to follow, she couldn’t help the wild flutter that made home in her belly. She’d never been to his place before. She was excited.

As if things couldn’t get any better, he’d grabbed her sleeve, pulling her closer to walk at his side again. In all honesty, she’d expected him to let go once he’d gotten his way, but he didn’t. He held onto her sleeve, keeping her with him as they walked, the silence undeniably comfortable. Kagome wondered if it would be okay to actually hold his hand. Would it make him shy away? They practically held hands yesterday, so they may as well, right? Was this the way he preferred it, or should she make the move? Maybe she’d try it slowly to properly read the situation. Because, she really, really, wanted to hold his hand.

Carefully, she angled her hand upward, her forearm following through as necessary, so she could brush the side of his fingers with her own. He didn’t look at her, nor did she look up at him, their eyes straight ahead or on their surroundings. His hand didn’t inch away, and his grip on her knitted sweater slackened, even more so as she brushed his fingers again. That second time, though, she slipped one of her fingers in the curve of his hand, then another when he welcomed her in, helping to build her courage. Inuyasha dropped his hold on her sleeve entirely, taking her hand in his, accepting the way she entwined their fingers and steadily following suit with his own grip.

Maybe it was due to her infatuation with the boy, but she sincerely felt safe with her hand in his; protected from everything uninviting the world may put before her. After a moment, her embarrassment even faded away, far quicker than she’d ever expected it to. His hand was large and hot, engulfing and wonderfully gentle, his nails never a threat to her, but his unexpected tenderness was, his thumb smoothly rubbing back and forth over the back of her palm, threatening to provoke an eruption of butterflies in her abdomen.

“It’s this one.” Inuyasha said, guiding her through the small, front gate and pulling his small set of keys out of the pocket of his bag. Begrudgingly, he pulled his hand free from hers to open the door, letting her walk through first before following in and shutting it behind him. “Come on.” He walked up the hall a bit, her small, padded footsteps close behind him as he took a left into the kitchen, seeing the stove was off all along.

“False alarm?” Kagome giggled.

“Better safe than sorry with that guy.” He groaned.

“Your home is nice.” She smiled, turning about to look at the small amount of decoration in the kitchen. It was a man’s home, that was for sure; it didn’t have a typical woman’s touch to it. Nonetheless, it was comfortable, kempt, and rustic.

“Well, it’s his. Totosai’s.” Inuyasha corrected with a dismissive shrug, sauntering back into the hall and toward the living room, making sure she followed.

“You live here, don’t you? And, he adopted you, so I’m sure you’re more than welcome to call this place yours.”

“I don’t know, sometimes I feel out of place.”

“You’ll only make yourself feel more out of place the more you say things like that.”

The half demon turned to her, brows furrowing speculatively. There was no animosity behind it; in fact, his smirk prodded her to elaborate.

“Like, okay say I’m feeling insecure about my looks. I don’t feel very pretty or attractive, and it’s weighing on me. I look at myself in the mirror and then I tell myself I’m ugly. Not just once, but I end up telling myself that on a regular basis. The insecurity will definitely sink through a lot faster than it would if I maybe told myself the opposite. I’d believe it wholeheartedly then. And after that, I’d never feel comfortable in my skin, or my dresses, or skirts, or jeans, or maybe even my frumpy clothes. No amount of makeup would do the trick, either, because what I did was empower my self-consciousness. I didn’t do myself any favors by allowing myself to think my negative thoughts were true. I, instead, made my own situation worse. Why do that? Insecurities, on any level, are natural, and sometimes it’s hard to convince yourself of the opposite, but it’s so much more worth it to try. And, you’d be happier when you come out.” She took a step closer to him, smiling. Inuyasha merely gazed down at her, no air of discomfort about; he simply listened. “Your situation - it’s understandable. I’d even be so bold to say it’s natural to feel out of sorts sometimes. This wasn’t the home you pictured living in as a child, and those feelings don’t need to go neglected. But, this is a home you’ve been welcomed into. Your uncle signed the papers and brought you here. I’m gonna assume you have your own bedroom, and furniture, and your clothes fit you properly so he’s definitely providing for you. You’ve got a key, and look -“ Her grin grew larger, her enthusiasm a little too pronounced as she turned to the mantle and spotted a candid picture of Inuyasha as a pre-teen, sitting on a park bench with much shorter hair. “He’s even proud to have photos of you on display. This is definitely your home.”

Quickly, flustered Inuyasha walked the few paces over to the picture and slammed it down. “Alright, alright. You made your point.” He drawled, looking back at her. “You’ve got a motivational speech for everything, don’t you?”

“Pretty much.” She giggled.

“Mind if I go change out of my uniform real quick?”

“Go for it.”

Inuyasha walked out to the hall, leaving Kagome in the living room, his stomach feeling heavy while his chest fluttered with something uncertain. He’d stopped at the frame of the entry, his hand braced on the polished wood as he looked back at her over his shoulder, watching how she didn’t even seem to notice he was still there. She was carefully resetting the picture of him that he’d planted facedown, the pads of her fingers smoothing over the edge of the cheap frame.

“Is that what you were feeling?” The half demon asked, his tone husky. Kagome turned to him, slightly surprised, but the notch her head gave told him she didn’t immediately grasp what he was referring to. “Saturday. When you were sad. You mentioned insecurity. Was it because you didn’t feel beautiful?”

Kagome’s nerves flared dully, a small lump beginning to form in her throat. His amber eyes appeared gentle, and she couldn’t help but wonder how many times he’d thought of that night since. The shake of her head came slow at first, hardly there, but then grew into something more steady and honest.

“Will you tell me?”

She swallowed, her lips parting slightly. She still wasn’t fully comfortable talking about it, the humiliation remaining fresh, but he wanted to know and her reservation was superficial. He’d been opening up to her, trusting her, and she should do the same. He’d dropped whatever he was doing and ran to her that night. Literally ran. He calmed her down, he walked her home, he held her. Just him asking, revisiting the topic, had her feeling warmly invited to rely on him with her emotions, despite the minor apprehension holding her tongue. And, if the logic of the situation wasn’t enough, the patience he was exuding as he stood in place and waited for her to speak was. There was no caution in his expression, because there was no caution necessary between the two of them at the moment. The feeling she was receiving from him was almost the same as what she’d tried to procure during her little speech just moments ago. Safety and comfort. And, though Kagome wasn’t suddenly confident in spilling her vulnerability - as anyone would naturally feel - it wasn’t hard to let him in.

“I -“ The hesitance wasn’t planned, but she breathed to push passed it, her eyes inadvertently shying to the ground. “I wasn’t quite sure how you felt about me. I was constantly going back and forth with myself. After a while, it became too much and, um, yeah. That’s what Saturday was all about.”

Inuyasha tensed slightly, entirely unsuspecting of what she’d just stated. He’d racked his brain numerous times since Saturday night, since seeing her cry and feeling the way she clutched onto him for support, pretending he knew the deep ins and outs of Kagome’s mind so he could try and figure out what, exactly, she’d been feeling so he was better prepared to help her out of it should the situation occur again. The typical scenario that pops into a person’s head when told another is feeling insecure is looks, and he felt rotten just thinking a girl as gorgeous as she didn’t feel comfortable in her own body. He’d almost taken it as absolute confirmation when she’d brought up the hypothetical scenario just now. Another idea was her grades, or her future - because she’s in her final year of high school, and what senior isn’t panicking about their future at the moment - or maybe even something pertaining to her family. More specifically, playing backup guardian to her younger brother to help her hardworking mother out. That could easily weigh on a person, and he wouldn’t blame her for crumbling out of sight from the pressure. Inuyasha was almost prepared to make a list of the many positive attributes this one girl holds so he could help her see what he sees; so he could hopefully prevent another breakdown in the future. For some reason, he never thought it was about him. Not with how she was the first to walk into his arms, or with how she called him when she was fighting off tears. After that night, she must have understood how he felt about her, but that’s only three days of security. It made sense now that he thought about it; the half demon wasn’t known for his open displays of affection. There had never necessarily been a person he wanted to be openly affectionate with until now. As he had been coming to terms with his own emotions, gradually forcing himself out of his damaging and abrasive habits, somewhere along the lines he’d just assumed she knew. And, only ended up confusing her. That’s a good chunk of time that they weren’t on the same page, and he had no fucking idea. If she needed more obvious gestures, he could provide that. It was nerve-racking, but he would do it for her.

“Well, I hope you feel better now, because that’s a stupid thing to get upset about.” He watched as she seemingly took in his response, a small smile curving her lips, comprehending his language. “Wait for me, I’ll be right back.”

He came down the stairs, adjusting his hoodie as he went, spotting Kagome at a bookshelf at the far end of the living room as he came back through. Her brown eyes were glued on a photograph, never peering away to look at him as he approached.

“My dad.” He spoke, stopping just inches behind her.

“You look so much like him.” Kagome seemed almost astonished by the resemblance.

“Just the hair. I think I look more like my mom.”

“And the jawline.”

“And the jawline.” Inuyasha chuckled, nodding as he agreed.

“Is that your uncle with him?”

“Yeah, that’s the geezer. Come on, let’s go.”

She smiled up at him happily, following him out the door, waiting for him on the sidewalk outside the gate while he locked up. As he strode back over to her, he gave the shoulder of her sweater a small yank to lead her down the path he took to her place, his fingers casually sliding down the front of her arm until he reached her hand, tangling their fingers as they’d been before.

Their notes and homework assignments were sprawled on the floor of her bedroom between them, mostly used for reference when necessary as he quizzed her with random questions, a movie playing on the tv for soft background noise and their backs resting against the side of her bed.

“Wait, you already asked me that one!” Kagome complained, scrounging through the papers before her for the answer.

“Yeah, you got it wrong the first time, and you still can’t remember the answer I gave you.” He responded, his tone brassy but amused, breathily chuckling as he watched her go from one sheet of scribbled notes to another.

“It’s here somewhere.”

“You never wrote it down.”

“Dang it, Inuyasha!”

“Not my problem!”

“You probably distracted me.”

“It isn’t hard to do.”

Quickly, he protected his face with his hands, laughing as Kagome chucked a small, decorative pillow at him.

“So funny.” She mocked, reaching over and grabbing his notes from beside his knee. “Oh.”

“Hm?” His ear closest to her flicked, waiting expectantly for her to give him the answer.

“Oda Nobunaga.”

“So much for being a history buff, huh?” He remarked.

“You’re so sassy tonight.” Kagome laughed, putting his notes back where they once were.

“Okay, chemistry question: What’s the formula for hydrochloric acid?”

“Do you even know that off the top of your head?” She countered, grimacing.

“Wouldn’t ask if I didn’t.”

“What a nerd.” Kagome murmured, once more shifting through her study material. She sighed out slowly as she searched, her face scrunching like usual, and bringing the paper closer to her face, neglecting the glasses on her nightstand. “H-C-I.”

“Good. Since you’re looking at it, phosphoric acid?”

“H-3-P-O-4.”

“Mhm. Now put the notes down. The next question I ask, you should know by now.”

“Oh no.” She grumbled, complying.

“It’s easy. Say you borrow ten-thousand dollars from the bank. By the time you pay it off, you’ve paid a total amount of ten-thousand, four-hundred. What’s the additional four-hundred represent?”

“Oh, interest!”

“Good. See?” He smiled. “One last question and then I’ve gotta go. You ready?”

She hummed an affirmation, nodding as she turned to fully face him.

“It’s gonna be the toughest one. You get it right and I’ll take you out for ice cream.”

Kagome smiled eagerly, whispering an okay as she waited.

“Alright, you sure?”

“Come on.” She half-whined, the anticipation spiking. She wondered just how hard the question was going to be considering he used a reward as incentive.

“Okay, what’s sixteen divided by two?”

“What? It’s eight.” Kagome laughed lightly, brows furrowing in query.

“Yup.” He feigned a defeated sigh, shrugging and gathering his notes together. “Fair is fair. You busy Saturday?”

“No, I’m free.” She smiled, thrown off since she was sincerely expecting a tricky question.

“Great, I’ll take you out on our date then.”

She perked, her expression faltering minutely out of surprise but then growing into one of subtle elation. “Date?”

Inuyasha picked himself up off the floor, bringing the strap of his bag to rest over his shoulder. He glanced down at her as she followed suit and stood, shrugging his brows and smiling slightly in a meager response to her question. “See you tomorrow.”

“Wait, I’ll walk you out.”

“Nah, don’t worry about it.” He said, opening the door to her bedroom and giving her head a gentle shove backward. “I’ll text you when I get home.

—

He crossed the street, seeing the designated meet-up spot in the short distance, the sun still barely keeping the sky illuminated. Hues of fading orange and pink danced on patches of clouds overhead, a deep indigo overriding the majority of the sky. He didn’t see her at the statue, and he was glad he’d beat her; he didn’t like the idea of her sitting alone waiting for him. As he approached, he pulled his phone out of the front pocket of his black jeans, making sure she hadn’t texted.

His stomach was in absolute shambles, his nerves riddled and wired. Their first date. It was about time, yeah, but that didn’t make the ordeal any less unsettling. He’d never technically done this before, so his worst fear was fucking it up. He tried pretending it was just another ordinary hang out so he’d calm down a bit, but he knew that wasn’t true. This was a date. He was finally taking Kagome out on a date. He figured when they got the ball rolling, it would be a lot smoother since being around each other was easier than he’d ever imagined it would be, but up until then he felt just about ready to puke.

To busy himself as he waited, Inuyasha adjusted his grey t-shirt beneath his jacket, making sure it didn’t look too wrinkled or disheveled. He knew people were technically supposed to dress up for occasions such as these, but outside of his school uniform, he refused to wear another button up unless absolutely necessary. It wasn’t his style. He still looked appropriate, and he vaguely remembered the way her eyes lingered on him the last time he wore this shirt around her.

“Well, well, well.” Inuyasha’s gaze, heating instantly, shot to the side, landing on the tall, slender delinquent that ambled over. He’d been so distracted waiting for Kagome that he hadn’t even fucking noticed the scent of the motherfucker. “Look who it is.”

“Fuck.” Inuyasha breathed, the word dragging out hoarsely. “I’ll give you twenty bucks to leave me alone tonight.”

“Who do I look like, Jakotsu? Gonna take a lot more than that to buy me off.”

“Not tonight.” Inuyasha’s tone was clenched and assertive, staring straight into the dark eyes of the man that continued to approach.

“Why? What’s on the agenda?” He asked, carelessly. An arrogant smile expanded on his face.

“I’m serious, Ren.”

“Yeah, see, the last time we saw each other, you shoved my face into a brick wall. I’m not feeling very understanding at the moment.” He sneered.

“You came at me first.”

“And, it wouldn’t keep happening if you’d just fix the mistake you made.”

“It’s on my to-do list. Right there next to making you kiss my ass.”

“You son of a bitch.” He swung his fist, but Inuyasha dodged in time, swerving around to the backside of his opponent and giving the quickest look around the surrounding area to make sure Kagome wasn’t in the vicinity. Multiple times he’d gotten out of these fights unscathed, and he hoped, fucking hoped, he could do the same right now.

“I gotta say, not a really good way to convince me to leave you alone.”

“Figured you wouldn’t, anyway.” Inuyasha’s shrug was barely visible, waiting for Renkotsu’s next move. He wasn’t the strongest fighter, but he was a tactical one. He liked to bait Inuyasha along, or whomever he was up against really, getting their tempers to flare so their fighting strategy was sloppy. In addition, he was, unfortunately, fast and nimble on his feet, and even though Inuyasha was good at swooping himself out of the way, Renkotsu was better at getting back in his.

The hanyou was pushed back, but the stumble was short-lived as he grasped his bearings and threw his fist into the punk’s face, feeling the sting of his knuckle colliding with Renkotsu’s tooth. His lip must have pinched between, because blood was quick to trickle free, painting his mouth crimson as he smiled and laughed.

“You’ve gotten soft, dog boy.” He remarked, his hand hovering beneath his chin but not really even trying to stop the bleeding.

“Shut up.”

“Since when do you hold back?”

Since he was steadfast determined not to come out of this with a single indicator that would tip Kagome off or ruin her night.

“Come on, what’s changed? You been whipped or something?” He lunged, faking right but snagging Inuyasha on the left, clutching the front of his jacket and tossing him headfirst into the statue.

The pain just above his temple was sharp, instantaneously growing unbearably hot as he picked himself up to a proper standing and felt the light leakage of liquid sliding down the side of his face, the sensation dulling and becoming hardly noticeable over the headache pressing him. There was a physical spike to his temper, his blood beginning to boil as a growl bubbled in his abdomen. Of all the members of that dumb squad, Renkotsu was the most annoying.

Something in Kagome snapped, having watched the guy attack Inuyasha. She knew this sort of stuff was happening, but it was indescribably different when she witnessed it first hand. Shock transitioned to anger. Anger transitioned to infuriation. Infuriation transitioned to irrefutable outrage, and that was that. Her next move wasn’t subconscious; she knew exactly what she was doing. Kagome ran at them, speeding up, sprinting as quickly as her legs would go and shoved the bastard as hard as she possibly could. He was sturdier than his lanky body suggested, only stumbling back several feet before his glare met her challenging scowl. Arms braced around her waist before she could lunge again, a husky voice she knew was Inuyasha’s telling her to “fucking stop,” as he pivoted on his heel and tucked her behind him. That didn’t halt her, though. Demands for him to move were grunted from her mouth as she pushed his arms away, trying to climb her way around his protective stature.

“What the fuck is that, your pet pomeranian!?” Renkotsu jibed, finally taking a moment to wipe the mixture of saliva and blood that dribbled down his chin, and spitting off to the side.

“Funny coming from a guy with premature balding!” Kagome barked, finally getting Inuyasha to let her go. He stood close, though, and she knew he was prepared to snag her out of harms way if anything happened. “Who the hell are you!?”

“Who’s asking?” He smirked.

“His pet pomeranian.” She cocked a brow tauntingly.

“You’re feisty. I like that.” He chuckled. “Name’s Renkotsu. And, you’re interrupting a private conversation between the actual dog and I.”

“And, what problem could you possibly have with him!?” Kagome fumed.

“Many.” Came his brusque reply.

“Kagome, look -“ Inuyasha spoke low, only to her, amber eyes shifting from their offender to make sure he didn’t move any closer, to the side of her face - because her sight was glued straight ahead. “Just wait for me in the park. I’ll be right there.”

“What’s he saying? Trying to act like the hero and send you off?” Renkotsu teased. “He deserves everything that’s coming for him. You know what he’s done?”

“Yeah, pissed you off.” Kagome said, her tone dismissive. “I’m gonna tell you upfront that nothing you say about him is going to change my mind from thinking you’re the little bitch here.”

“If I were you, I’d reel that attitude in, little girl. You don’t know what you’re getting into.” Renkotsu warned, his amusement dwindling away. It wasn’t difficult to determine he was a hothead, easily set off by name-calling and back talk, and he didn’t take kindly to challenges against his pride.

“Am I supposed to be scared?”

“You will be if you don’t back the fuck off. I’ll give you thirty seconds to leave.”

“And, if I don’t?”

“You’ll have to watch me kick your boyfriend’s ass. Then, maybe, I’ll take you and -“

“Finish that sentence, Renkotsu! I fucking dare you!” Inuyasha growled dangerously.

“Get her to leave, Inuyasha!” Renkotsu ordered, his voice on the edge of getting even louder.

“We’re both leaving.” Kagome said with the tone of finality, grabbing onto Inuyasha’s wrist.

“The hell he is!”

“You’re from that group of assholes, right? The one Inuyasha left? Which means you’re just carrying out orders from the top. Well, tell what’s-his-face to suck a dick and to handle his dirty work, himself.”

Inuyasha shot a look of surprise at her, a smile spreading over his lips, and turning back to look at the bald delinquent, he notched his head in appreciation of Kagome’s profanity.

“You gonna let your bitch fight your battles, mutt?”

He shrugged, still thriving off her recent jab. “She’s doing a pretty good job. How could I not?”

“You know damn well if I take this back to Bankotsu, he’ll have us out for her, too. Shut her up.”

“Bankotsu?” Kagome grimaced, blinking bemusedly. “Are you guys siblings or something?”

“No?” Renkotsu asked more than stated, his brows furrowing deeply.

“What’s with the similar names, then? That can’t just be a coincidence; it sounds so fake. Is that your actual name?”

“They don’t go by their actual names.” Inuyasha mentioned. “It’s one of the common measures they take to help protect their real identities. All of them have a code name ending in, ‘-kotsu’.”

“Seriously? Are you kidding me?” Kagome laughed audaciously, looking Renkotsu straight in his dark, narrowed eyes. “Hate to break it to you, buddy, but twinsy names aren’t intimidating.”

“It’s not what’s in a name,” He began, walking inward, his jaw clenching and unclenching repeatedly, evident from the muscles flexing at the crook of his mandible. “It’s how you present yourself. I’ve never been one for hitting chicks, but a motherfucker just might now.”

Inuyasha swapped their grips, now the one clutching to her wrist and directing her to angle behind him with a firm tug.

“I gave you the opportunity to leave, but you wanted to push your luck. I don’t like women getting involved, but oh well. Fuck me, right?”

“Yeah. Fuck you.” Inuyasha seethed, the scowl returning to set on his features. “If you think you’re ever going to touch her -“

“And, what are you gonna do?” Stopping with a foot’s distance between them, staring into the golden eyes of his original target. “Because you’ve been so successful in warding the rest of us off? You, of all people - if we can even call you that - should know by now that we don’t give up so easily. Now, she’s in the mix. Should have made her leave when you had the chance.”

“Are we done here?” Kagome questioned, her tone sharp. His eyes flickered down to her, a single, thin brow shrugging in insolence.

“Sure. I like that dress, by the way.” He grinned briefly before pursing his lips and spitting on her, his saliva still holding a tint of red and landing in the center of her breasts to stain the pastel pink she donned.

Kagome, though repulsed and disturbed, immediately grasped Inuyasha’s arm, pinching her nails into the sleeve of his jacket so he wouldn’t retaliate. His muscles were flexed and he’d been ready to swing in her defense, and even though he could easily overpower her, he didn’t fight against her. His indignation remained rigid, though, especially with the creep standing so close to them, and she knew, by the way he glared at Renkotsu, by the furious air wafting about him, by the way his shoulders were squared and his fists were tightly clenched, that he wouldn’t hesitate to attack if Renkotsu made another move.

“See you around. Both of you.” He smiled tauntingly, turning on his heel and walking away.

It wasn’t until he disappeared around the corner that Inuyasha’s shoulders deflated, a heated sigh leaving his nose as he slowly, but gently, pulled his forearm out of Kagome’s grasp. She was still angry, but with each breath she took, progressively getting steadier and deeper, her temper was fading away. Finally, Inuyasha turned around, facing her, a frown of disapproval marring his handsome face.

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Done what?” She inquired, her attitude still prominent.

“Jumped in like you did! You could have gotten hurt!”

“And, you’re mad at the thought of that, right?”

“You’re damn right I am!”

“Well, I got mad seeing it happen to you! So, I did something about it! It’s the same thing!”

“No, Kagome -“

“Yes!”

“No! It’s not supposed to work this way!” Inuyasha stepped in, leaving mere inches between them as they argued.

“I don’t care how it’s supposed to work! What does that even mean!?”

“That I don’t ever want you pulling a stunt like that again, got it!?”

“Excuse me!?”

“He might have hit you, stupid! You can’t take punches like I can!”

“So, that makes it okay to just sit back and watch the show!? Like you’re some kind of punching bag!?”

“I would have handled it!”

“Then you should have!” Kagome yelled. “I heard him; he said you were holding back! Why were you holding back!?”

“Because you don’t like when I get into fights, Kagome! I didn’t want you to know this was happening! He came out of fucking nowhere, and I was trying to fend him off before you showed up!”

The tension in her brow decreased exponentially, his words ringing in her ears. She felt like an ass for doubting him that way, but still, no matter, she wasn’t sorry for pushing the jerk away from him. She would never be sorry. “It’s not that I didn’t think you could handle it. I knew you could have. I just got so angry and wanted to help.” Kagome calmly admitted.

“Well don’t.” Inuyasha said, authoritatively. “I don’t need your help.”

“Quite frankly, I don’t care what you think you need or don’t need right now. It’s irrelevant.” He flinched to counter but she beat him to the punch, holding her hand up to silence him. “You’re saying it because you don’t want me in the middle or getting hurt, I get that. But, it’s the exact same way I feel about you, so you and I are only going to end up going in circles about this. You can’t tell me what to do, and you can’t force me to just watch your head get thrown into cement without reacting.”

In all honesty, he’d forgotten he’d been hurt in the heat of it all, more concerned about protecting Kagome than anything. He hadn’t expected her to come flying in like a bat out of hell, fully prepared to square off with one of the lowlives of the city. Especially, for his sake. Once he saw her, he just reacted. Probably the same way she had. “Now you’re involved, though. That’s exactly what I didn’t want.”

“We’ll handle it.” Kagome said, unconcerned. To get a better angle on his cut, she leaned her head to the side, reaching up to gently hold his jaw and bring him down near her height. He showed no resistance, his long lashes fluttering softly as he closed his eyes.

“It’ll be fine.”

It really wasn’t all that bad. It looked like the bleeding had about stopped, but it should still be cleaned and bandaged. Releasing his face, she reached for his hand, pulling him in the direction she’d come from.

His grip on her palm tightened as they approached her home, noticing her mom’s car out front, and the living room and kitchen lights on. If she saw them, him specifically, with dried blood on his head, she’d know the night was disastrous and he’d put her daughter in a dangerous situation. He couldn’t have that. He’d already felt like a failure, but to have someone else think that, too - Kagome’s mother, no less - would be mortifying. Kagome’s attention drifted up to him at his notable discomfort, stopping with his cue.

“Your mom…”

“She’s a nurse, don’t worry.”

“No, I - I don’t want her to see this. I don’t want her to know what happened.”

The realization was evident on her face, but she didn’t look disappointed, her head turning to glance at her house before turning back to him.

“Climb up to my window. I’ll let you in.” She smiled.

“You sure?” He asked, and she nodded immediately, letting go of his hand. Before she could move further, he stopped her, pulling off his coat and handing it over. It made the idea of their date more believable if she came back with his jacket, plus it’d help hide the detestable stain. As she situated it over her arms, he reached down to grab the bottom of the zippers on both ends that landed at her thighs, lining them up together and zipping it for her. Kagome smiled appreciatively, turning around and heading inside.

Inuyasha snuck around the front toward the far left end as soon as she shut the door, grateful the curtains were pulled shut. As soon as he reached the tree he used for footing, he leveraged himself up, climbing until he could silently step onto the small roofing of the second story. Her room was still dark as he waited for her at the window, and though everything was muffled, he could vaguely hear her and her mom talking from downstairs. The specifics of their conversation were hard to distinguish, but he knew Kagome’s cheery tone from her upset one, and to him, she sounded happy. Probably fooling her mom into thinking everything was perfectly fine, despite the fact that she was home so soon after leaving.

Her footsteps grew closer, shuffling along as soon as she reached the top landing of the stairs, and even as she entered her room, she didn’t turn on the light until the door was closed. Her greeting smile was natural, and he couldn’t help but wonder how the hell she managed it. Kagome had every reason in the world to be upset right now, but she truly didn’t seem like she was. And, as she hurried over and unlocked the latch for him, sliding the window open, he was engulfed by the powerfully sweet scent of her that stayed locked up in her bedroom, thoroughly muddling any residual, negative thoughts from the evening.

He shut the window on his own, nodding when she mentioned she’d be right back and taking a seat on the floor with his back resting against the bed. Kagome was true to her word, returning less than sixty seconds later with a small first aid kit in hand.

“No, I told you it’d be fine.” Inuyasha chuckled quietly, taking the initiative to turn on the tv to drown out their voices.

“Cut’s need bandages.” Was her simple reply, not even sparing him a glance as she shuffled through her dresser drawers, pulling out a pair of leggings and a fresh shirt.

“The cut’s already healing. It’ll most likely be gone tomorrow.”

“Humor me.” Kagome rolled her eyes, pursing her lips as she tossed her clothes on the bottom edge of her mattress. “Close your eyes, please.”

Without hesitation, he complied, turning away for added effect. The ruffling of his jacket sounded heavy as she removed it, the material of her dress considerably lighter in comparison. It wasn’t the coldest night they’d had recently, but he still found Kagome brave for wearing it - long sleeved garment be damned. Then, an ache twinged in his chest. She’d worn that for him. And, the gesture hadn’t only gone to waste, but the dress was probably ruined now and he’d never be able to appreciate her in it.

At her signal, he opened his eyes, but he couldn’t bring himself to fully look at her, regret taking its hold on him. It wasn’t his fault, he knew, but that didn’t help any. How could he make up for this mess? How could he make her happy like he’d intended to tonight?

Kagome sauntered over, crossing to his right and then sitting at his side, thigh-to-thigh, facing him. The first aid kit was in hand, and she set it on the floor beside her, opening it and taking out some cotton balls in a sandwich baggy before turning to him. She seemed so gentle, her hands light when she pulled his bangs out of the way to asses the cut before doing anything else. As if feeling his unsubtle stare, her brown eyes drifted over to his, curious and large, then shied downward as the smallest of frowns tugged on her lips. Kagome dropped his hair, her hands falling to her lap before she bowed her head slightly, hovering over his shoulder.

Sometimes, you could say those three words to let a person know how deeply you feel for them. Sometimes, you could speak your profound emotions with more, or less, verbally, or physically. And, so badly did Kagome want to figure out how to properly express it all to him. To know Inuyasha, to have him sit with her, hold her hand, tell her things no matter the context, was a privilege she was scared for a while she’d never get to experience. Inuyasha, in his own essence, was such a wonderful gift. To have him care for her, and convey how much he cared through tumultuous anger weighted her heart. Maybe not in the moment could she appreciate the gesture, or clearly see his reasonings, but now that things were calmed and they sat so close, touching, trusting, she understood. How lucky she was. On the surface, Inuyasha was brash and hard-headed, he presented himself in a carefree manner, but truthfully, he was the most beautifully delicate person she’d ever met.

Finally resting her head against his shoulder, Kagome breathed out slowly, taking in the faint and generic spice of a man’s body wash on her inhale. Funny enough, of all the guys she’d noticed it on, it smelled best on him. What had come over her was the sudden and dire need to tell him everything she felt for him. It had hit her like a freight train; intense and insatiable. Something, she needed to say something to subdue the fire igniting her nerve endings, but as she opened her mouth to speak, all that came out was a whispered, “I really like this shirt.”

Of course, then, she laughed at herself. Typical of her to chicken out.

Kagome could feel his head come a little closer to hers, his cheek gently brushing against her hair as he said in return, “I know. I wore it for you.”

She smiled. He couldn’t see it, but she smiled.

“Are you okay?” Inuyasha asked, and she quickly sat up straight, forcing herself to appear fully recovered, as if nothing had ever fazed her.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Kagome replied, moving back to her prior task without delay. After opening a small bottle of peroxide, she doused a cotton ball with the liquid. “Could you hold your hair out of the way?”

His expression spoke volumes on how useless he found the gesture to be, but still, he did as she asked, eye roll and all. She gently rubbed the cotton ball over the small wound to clean it, then around the surrounding area to wipe the dried blood away. His attention was roaming over her, and she tried not to pay attention to the way it alarmed the butterflies in her stomach, focusing on her task. It was like his ember irises were actual, flickering chars, and wherever his eyes landed, she felt a pleasant, burning sensation. Her cheek, her lips, her chin, her neck, her collar bone, her lips, her neck, her shoulder, her lips. All alight.

“Some first date, huh?” Inuyasha remarked, his tone dull.

Kagome’s soft smile in response was unintentional but genuine, dropping the dirtied cotton ball on top of the bag it came out of, and as she chose an appropriate bandage, she shrugged. “That doesn’t matter to me. I mean, we could have chilled and watched tv and slapped the first date title on that, and I would have been perfectly happy.”

“But, instead you got to see me in a fight. Kagome, I’m really sorry.”

“For what?” She asked, opening the bandaid packaging and carefully holding the very edges of the adhesive strips. She angled it properly over the cut, gently sticking it down and smoothing it out. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Besides, the way I see it, I got to yell at one of the jerks that’s been terrorizing you. Trust me, it was a good time.”

Inuyasha laughed, flinching as she rubbed her fingers over the entire bandage. “Ow.” He said playfully, instinctively grabbing her hand and pulling it away. She giggled and mumbled an apology, using her free hand to smooth down his ruffled bangs as he let them go. “By the way, we need to talk about your profanity. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk like that. ‘Suck a dick’? Is that peak Kagome temper right there?”

“I tend to lose my filter when I’m mad.” She exclaimed.

“You’ve got quite a vocabulary on you. It’s impressive. Remind me not to get on your bad side.” He mildly joked.

He was still holding her hand, his grip adjusted to rest it against his chest, his thumb tenderly caressing over her skin.

“So, you’re not mad at me anymore?” Kagome asked, her voice softening to take on the hint of bashfulness.

“Do I look like I’m mad at you?” Inuyasha responded soothingly. He leaned a little closer to her body, relaxed, warm. “I just - I really didn’t want you getting involved, Kagome.”

“It was kind of impossible not to.”

“I know. I get that. Now, I’m just gonna worry about you whenever we’re apart.”

“They’re not like an actual gang, are they?”

“No, they’re just like you said; a group of assholes. They tend to take their crap out on others and act like they’re tough. Some of them, though, are something to be concerned about. Statistically speaking, they’re not all gonna grow out of this phase. They’re on a gateway path, and I wouldn’t doubt if Bankotsu already had dirty affiliations.” Inuyasha said, letting go of her palm as he leaned even more towards her center, his right hand now braced on the floor by her legs in a casual manner. The closer he got to her, the more comfortable he found he felt. So comfortable, in fact, that he thought nothing of the way her fingers busied themselves in the loose tendrils of his hair along the sides of his face.

“How long were you with them?” Kagome asked.

“Not long enough to actually do anything I’d regret, aside from the obvious.”

“So, you were never actually one of them.” She stated. It felt like reassurance to the stress he already carried about having made the mistake of walking with them in the first place.

He opened his mouth to say something, but his mind blanked. Not in a hopeless way, but in the sense that there was nothing that needed to be said. As he basked in her confidence in him, calmed by the tips of her fingers continuously running through his bangs and loose strands from his ponytail, he realized that neither of them were going anywhere. What the hell was he waiting for?

There was no apprehension in his lean, the fingers of his free hand curving around the side of her neck and beneath her hair, intentionally holding just before meeting her lips. Kagome leaned in the rest of the way, her mouth soft and molding against his perfectly. And, she smiled into his kiss, giggling breathily, happily as they broke.

“I want to be with you, Kagome.” He spoke, tone husky, just as content. “You and I.”

She nodded, feeling so full and light at the same time it was difficult not to be consumed by her elation.

“Yeah?” Inuyasha smiled, almost teasing because he could tell how shy she was getting from the fresh and deep shade of her cheeks. Again, she nodded, her head ducking slightly. “Is that a yeah?”

“Shut up.” Kagome laughed, taking the initiative to kiss him again, his sigh hot against the side of her cheek while he firmly clutched her to him.

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 10 |

#yeep #inuyasha #kagome #kagome higurashi #miroku #sango #inukag #mirsan #inuyasha fanfiction #inuyasha fanfic #inuyasha fic #InuKag fanfiction #inukag fanfic #InuKag fic #high school au #coming of age #my writing #delicate #akitokihojo

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inukouga · 5 years

Text

pancakes and racing games

Sesshomaru (very reluctantly) asks Kouga and Inuyasha to watch Rin for a while.

alternatively; disaster gays who share one brain cell babysit for a day

modern au

characters: inuyasha, kouga, sesshomaru, rin

pairing (s): established inukog, implied kagukik and ayakagsan

words: 4k+

a/n: silly little fic about sesshomaru letting inukog babysit rin and all three of them being cute n soft together. featuring soft dadshomaru, adorable angel rin, inukog domesticity and a bunch of my own modern au headcanons! potentially part of a future modern au series which will have a bunch of mini fics with the inuyasha characters!

“Uncle Inuyasha!”

Inuyasha winces at the excited squeal coming from his niece, Rin. It’s not that he doesn’t like the kid, quite the opposite actually, but it’s eight in the morning and he hasn’t had his coffee yet. His head is pounding and Kouga’s stupid alarm had woken him up again.

“Rin,” He tries to smile at her, though he’s pretty sure it looks more like a grimace. “Sesshomaru.” He greets his brother with a curt nod, and Sesshomaru does the same, though he avoids a verbal greeting. Typical. “So. What’re y’guys doin’ here?” He’s slightly slurring his words and he really needs a cup of coffee right now in order to actually function properly.

Sesshomaru doesn’t respond, and though his face remains stoic for the most part, there’s an edge to his expression that seems to suggest some sort of inner conflict. Rin looks up at him expectantly, and when he still doesn’t say anything, she lightly squeezes his hand to get his attention.

Sesshomaru sighs as if he’s preparing himself for something bad, and Inuyasha braces himself as he tries to think of anything he’s done recently that could’ve possibly upset his brother, then concludes that if that was the case, Sesshomaru wouldn’t hesitate to tell him off. So what could it be?

“I need you two to... watch Rin for a while,” Sesshomaru says slowly, like the very thought of it pains him.

It takes a moment for him to process what exactly his brother says. Then, Inuyasha’s raising both of his eyebrows in shock, because one: he’d never, ever thought this would be a thing that would ever happen, and two: he’s pretty sure Sesshomaru has a multitude of people he’d choose to watch Rin before even considering them. Inuyasha’s pretty sure he and Kouga aren’t even Sesshomaru’s last resort. “The only reason I’m even allowing this to happen is because her usual sitter is on vacation, Jaken is accompanying me and Kagome, Ayame and Sango are too busy with school and work,” Sesshomaru looks around the messy apartment disapprovingly as he and Rin are let in, or more like they decide to just walk in while Inuyasha’s left standing at the door, still shocked. “—and because no matter how much I insisted that I could find someone else, Rin wanted to see her... ‘uncles’.” “Uncle Kouga!” She squeals again, letting go of Sesshomaru’s hand to run to the man lying on the couch lazily, watching TV. “Hey kiddo,” Kouga grins, ruffling her hair. “What brings ya here?” “Dad’s going to one of those boring meetings, and aunt Kagura’s on a date with aunt Kikyo and aunt Kagome, aunt Ayame and aunt Sango are busy, so I begged him if we could pretty please, please, please come here and we did!” The sound of gunshots coming from the TV cause the three to direct their attention to the action movie Kouga’s watching, and Sesshomaru hisses when Rin’s eyes widen at all the violence and explosions, and wow that’s... really not a good way to start all this. Inuyasha already knows why Sesshomaru’s so hesitant about letting them babysit Rin, but this just makes it really apparent. Inuyasha quickly runs over and grabs the remote, switching it to a kid friendly channel. “Uh, yeah so, Kouga ain’t exactly the sharpest tool in the shed—“ “Hey—!” Kouga hisses indignantly. “Clearly,” Sesshomaru says, looking completely unimpressed. “...and like your boyfriend, you’re not exactly a beacon of intelligence either.” Now it’s Inuyasha’s turn to hiss indignantly. “Hey—!” Sesshomaru sighs, reluctant to leave. “Alright, Rin. I’m leaving now.” He crouches down as the girl runs over to him. Rin wraps her arms around his neck and rests her head on his shoulder as she hugs him tightly.

“I’ll miss you, Dad.” “Rin, I’ll only be gone for 5 hours,” He sounds exasperated, but his eyes are fond. “I know! But I’ll still miss you.” Sesshomaru’s features soften in a way that Inuyasha knows only happens with Rin. “I will too.” He murmurs it so lowly that it’s almost inaudible. “Do you have all your stuff with you?” She grins brightly and nods. “Mmhm,” They hug for a little while longer, with Rin hugging him tighter every time Sesshomaru attempts to pull away. Finally, she withdraws, but not without nuzzling his nose with her own. “Bye, Dad, love you.” “See you soon, Rin, love you too,” He rises, fixing Inuyasha and Kouga with a stony look, all traces of earlier warmth completely gone. Sheesh, if looks could kill. “Rin, if anything happens, do not hesitate to contact me.” There’s a clear threat of potential bodily harm in the sharp tone of his voice, and Inuyasha shudders. Usually, he couldn’t care less about Sesshomaru or his threats, but when it comes to anything having to do with Rin, he knows Sesshomaru won’t hesitate to do whatever it takes to make sure she’s safe and happy. When the front door closes after his brother’s departure, Inuyasha takes a deep breath and crosses his arms, mentally and emotionally preparing himself for what the day will bring.

________________________________________________________________

“ ‘Kay, so. What do you and my brother usually do on a Friday morning?” Inuyasha yawns, pouring himself a second cup of coffee. For once, the coffee machine is working properly and it doesn’t take forever to brew. He knows the thing is on its last legs but as frustrating as it can be sometimes, as long as it sorta works there’s no urgent need to buy a new one. Rin hops onto the couch next to Kouga and starts swinging her legs back and forth, humming thoughtfully. “Well, Dad and I usually watch cartoons or play tea party or make breakfast together.” “Wait, did you say tea party?” Inuyasha smirks, sending Kouga a look. “Kouga loves tea parties.” “Inuyasha—“ “Really!? You do?” Rin claps excitedly, large brown eyes gleaming. “Heh, well Kouga—“ “—and uncle Inuyasha can play too so he won’t be lonely!” Kouga mimics Inuyasha’s earlier smirk, crossing his arms over his chest. “Oh, great idea, Rin, uncle Inuyasha would love that.” “I’ll go get my stuff!” She chirps, running off to grab her backpack.

________________________________________________________________

“Would you like another cup of tea, Lord Inuyasha?” Princess Rin asks, grinning widely.

Inuyasha huffs, annoyed because the crown he’s wearing (which is the crown Rin wore for her 5th birthday) won’t stay on his head. It’s too small and it keeps getting caught in his hair. “Yes... Your Highness, I’d love some tea.” Rin hadn’t brought her tea set with her, so they dug up an old set Inuyasha had gotten from the nice elderly lady a few doors down. It had been a gift for helping with her groceries. “I’d love some tea as well, princess,” Kouga holds out his cup enthusiastically, and of course he’s way better at this than Inuyasha is since he comes from a larger family and he’s had to babysit younger cousins and other relatives all the time. Inuyasha’s never had much experience with kids besides occasionally hanging out with Kagome while she’s babysitting her little brother, Sota. Rin grins at Kouga, pouring some pretend tea into his cup. “Here you are, Sir Kouga.” Kouga noisily pretends to take a sip, and tells her that it’s the best, most amazing, most delicious tea he’s ever had, and Rin beams at him before pouring him some more. Anyway, it’s not like Inuyasha cares, but how come Kouga gets the cooler crown? It’s silver and has big, pink and blue plastic gemstones and actually fits on his head. Rin said she’d accidentally left the crown Jaken normally wears at home, so they had to improvise. Which, Inuyasha would’ve been totally fine with, if the crown would stay on his damn head— “That’s a bad word, Lord Inuyasha,” Rin says sagely. Inuyasha hadn’t even realized he’d been speaking out loud. Kouga’s tone is teasing as he shakes his head. “Yeah, Lord Inuyasha. Ya can’t say stuff like that ‘round Princess Rin.” “It’s a word for grownups.” Inuyasha frowns petulantly, sending Kouga a glare when Rin’s not looking. “I’m a grown up, so I can say it.” Rin frowns, confused. “That’s not what dad says, he says you have the mind of a—“ She stops, eyes widening as she covers her mouth with her hands. Inuyasha’s eyebrows shoot up and before he can even ask what the hell Sesshomaru says about him, he hears Kouga’s snickering, so he tips Kouga’s chair back with his foot. Rin gasps when he falls and Kouga groans.

“Sir Kouga! Are you okay?” “Woops, looks like uncle Kouga’s a little clumsy.” Inuyasha smugly pretends to take a sip of his tea cup, aware of Kouga glowering at him out of the corner of his eye. “Anyway, ya hungry, kid? ‘Cause I am.” ________________________________________________________________ Inuyasha’s sitting on one of the barstools by the small kitchen island as he watches Kouga and Rin mix pancake batter. He finds himself taking a quick picture of them both and sending it to Kagome, half-heartedly rolling his eyes at her rambling about how precious they are in all caps and the million heart emojis she sends after. He taps on the picture and finds himself smiling at how happy they look and the many, many stains of pancake flour on their aprons. “Why can’t uncle Inuyasha help?” Rin asks, standing on a chair as she whisks the batter in a bowl on the counter. Kouga lowers the heat on the stove. “Uh, Inuyasha had a little... accident in the kitchen,” Kouga replies, and Inuyasha’s glad he doesn’t tell Rin that his “little accident” is really referring to the time he nearly set the whole kitchen on goddamn fire. (Inuyasha swears he doesn’t know how it happened, he’d literally taken his eyes off the stove for a second!) “So he’s just gonna watch for now. He’ll help with the toppings.” Rin seems satisfied with that, and goes back to whisking, humming a tune Inuyasha faintly remembers hearing on the radio. Once she’s done, Kouga asks her if she’d rather have chocolate chip or blueberry pancakes, and when she says chocolate chip, Kouga grins and tells her she made a really good choice. Meanwhile, Inuyasha doesn’t even remember them having all this stuff in their fridge in the first place (which he thinks is very telling of how much time he spends in the kitchen). “Next time, I’ll bring the pancake molds dad got me so we can make pancakes shaped like bears!” Rin exclaims as Kouga starts pouring the batter onto the hot pan, and Inuyasha smiles to himself as he watches them begin to put stuff away while the pancakes cook, glad that Rin’s already enjoying herself enough to want to come back. ________________________________________________________________ It’s not something a lot of people are aware of, but Inuyasha knows that Kouga has a bit of a sweet tooth, and it’s a fact that he’s reminded of as he watches Kouga drown his pancakes in syrup. But Rin is a whole other story, with her mountain of whipped cream, bananas and strawberries on top of her own, smaller pancake stack. She also has very good table manners, though he’s not really surprised, since she’s Sesshomaru’s kid. Before she starts eating, she asks for a napkin, which she puts on her lap to prevent anything from falling on her skirt. Rin asks for Kouga to pass her the orange juice and syrup and always says her pleases, excuse mes and thank yous, and when her shoe accidentally brushes Inuyasha’s leg, she apologizes, and does so multiple times when it happens more than once, even when Inuyasha assures her that it’s fine, Rin, really, and no, you didn’t kick me, kid, and don’t worry, it didn’t hurt. When they’re done eating, Rin immediately volunteers to do the dishes, and this time she insists on Inuyasha helping.

“Jaken always says everybody has to do their part when it’s time to clean up.” “Okay, how can I help, Rin?” He asks. “Well, usually when dad and I do it, I just rinse, so... you can dry, while uncle Kouga scrubs!” So with that, they get to work and set a steady rhythm. Kouga lathers the cups and dishes with soap while Rin waits patiently for him to hand them to her to rinse, and when she does, Inuyasha dries them with a hand towel before placing them in the cupboard. A little while after they get started, Kouga asks Rin about school, and she starts excitedly rambling about their new class pet, an upcoming science project, and a new friend she’s made last week named Kanna, who’s very quiet and doesn’t laugh or smile a lot but Rin says that she’ll try her best to get her to, because she thinks everyone should laugh and smile a lot. Kouga agrees while sending Inuyasha a meaningful glance that makes Inuyasha’s face feel warm. He finds himself relaxing as he listens to Kouga and Rin’s chatter and adds something to the conversation every now and then, but is content to remain quiet for the most part. Inuyasha’s enjoying himself more than he thought he would, and it’s actually surprisingly... pretty peaceful. ________________________________________________________________ When Rin spots their gaming system and asks what games they have, Inuyasha panics, because he’s pretty sure most of what they have isn’t exactly kid friendly. Her eyes gleam excitedly when she spots a certain game. “Can we play Mario Kart?” She asks, and her eyes are wide and pleading and Inuyasha’s relieved so he says yes, and as she cheers happily he starts thinking of how exactly he and Kouga are gonna play Mario Kart without cursing up a storm. Or throwing things. Or wrestling. Okay, so they can get a little... competitive. Maybe more than a little, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Plenty of people say that a little healthy competition can be really good. Except he’s pretty sure that Sesshomaru wouldn’t appreciate him angrily throwing a controller around Rin. Or Rin going home and repeating a bunch of inappropriate words that she’d heard while spending time here. He’s pretty sure no one would be able to find his body if that ever happened. So he tells Rin that they’re only gonna play a few rounds, and Rin’s okay with that, because her favorite cartoon’s gonna be on TV really soon and it’s a new episode so she absolutely can’t miss it. Kouga doesn’t hide his surprise when he sees what game they’re gonna play as Inuyasha sets it up. “...You sure that’s a good idea?” “I know,” Inuyasha hisses. “Just— let’s play... calmly.” “Calmly,” Kouga repeats, as if the word itself is foreign to him. “Huh. Okay. Okay, we can do that. Pfft, we can definitely do that. Play calmly.” Inuyasha’s not sure if Kouga’s trying to convince him or trying to convince himself, and that’s already a bad sign. “I wanna be Princess Daisy!” Rin says, and Inuyasha starts the race once he and Kouga make their selections, not really focusing on stats or anything like that because this is a calm game. They’re going to calmly race their cars and calmly not throw their controllers and Inuyasha will even throw in a friendly handshake, because it’s good sportsmanship or whatever. Once the race actually starts, he realizes two things. One, he picked a really shitty build; he’s going so slow. He knows that pressing the buttons harder isn’t going to make him go any faster but he’s going so damn slow and now he’s in 6th place which is unacceptable. Two, Rin is surprisingly good. Like, really good. She speeds past the both of them and makes her way to first place by the end of the second lap, cheering when she wins. The first couple of races go okay, with Rin winning and Inuyasha and Kouga cruising and not interacting with each other much besides a couple of side glances. On the third race, things really heat up. Rin suggests one of the more difficult tracks, and Inuyasha sees Kouga give him a grin out of the corner of his eye. This is Kouga’s favorite track, after all, and because of that fact, one of Inuyasha’s favorite things to do is beat him on it. But he resists, because they’re supposed to be racing calmly, right? ...but what’s the harm in speeding up a little?

He picks a better build this time, and watches the countdown intently, glancing at Kouga briefly only to see him completely focused on the game. Inuyasha returns his gaze to the screen just as the race is about to start. Rin is peering at them curiously, confused at the sudden change in their demeanor, and Inuyasha leans back, remembering that they were supposed to take it easy and stay calm—

All that goes out the window as soon as the race starts and Kouga takes advantage of his hesitation to speed ahead of him. Inuyasha leans forward again and puts his all into catching up, completely focused on getting past Kouga’s stupid fuc—

“Ooh, that was close, Mario almost hit me with a green shell!” Rin says, getting this super concentrated look on her face. The sudden sound of her voice makes Inuyasha feel like he’s been doused with a bucket of ice cold water. He looks over at Kouga and finds his own dread mirrored in his blue gaze.

When Rin wins again, he quickly reminds her that her cartoon’s gonna be on soon, and Rin’s eyes widen and she tells Inuyasha that he’s right, and hurry! It’s starting in a few minutes! It feels like a weight off his shoulders when he puts the gaming system away. That was close. Too close.

If they ever play Mario Kart with Rin again, they’re going to take turns and not play against each other.

Kouga sits next to Rin and Inuyasha sits on his other side. While Kouga watches the cartoon with her, nodding encouragingly at her enthusiastic commentary, Inuyasha reaches over and starts to absentmindedly run his fingers through some of Kouga’s hair. It’s usually up in a bun or ponytail, but Inuyasha really likes when it’s down (he’s never admitted it, but he’s pretty sure Kouga knows). He’s pleasantly surprised that he’s able to do so easily; looks like Kouga finally remembered to brush his hair. It was getting to the point where Inuyasha was wondering if Kouga genuinely forgets or if he just pretends to so Inuyasha could do it for him.

He doesn’t even realize he’s started to braid it until Rin sees what he’s doing and she starts braiding some of Kouga’s hair too. Kouga doesn’t seem to mind it at all, and even lets her get some spare bows and barrettes from her backpack and lets her clip on as many as she wants.

When Rin’s done with Kouga’s impromptu makeover, there are colorful bows and clips everywhere.

“Uncle Kouga, you look great!” Rin says, looking proud of her handiwork.

Kouga smiles smugly. “‘Course I do.” He taps Rin on the nose with a finger. “All thanks to you.”

________________________________________________________________

Rin’s fast asleep as the credits for the cartoon she wanted to watch flash on the screen, and Kouga turns off the TV as Inuyasha covers her with the plaid blanket they keep on the couch. He moves her gently so that she’s in a more comfortable position and doesn’t get an ache in her neck when she wakes up, and Kouga’s cleaning up the leftovers of her half eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich when there’s a knock on the door. They both immediately look at Rin, who thankfully, doesn’t stir, and Inuyasha goes and opens the door. Sesshomaru’s there, looking a little tired, and he makes a “hm” noise in what Inuyasha assumes is an attempt at a greeting. “Sesshomaru,” He greets back lowly because he’s still not sure if she’s a light or heavy sleeper. Sesshomaru steps in and takes a look around the apartment, eyes softening when they fall on the sleeping girl on the couch. Kouga pops his head out from the kitchen and greets him with a nod, which Sesshomaru acknowledges with a brief glance. “How long has she been asleep?” He asks. “Not long,” Inuyasha says. “Kid dozed off while she was watchin’ her cartoons. She was good.” “Hm,” Sesshomaru looks thoughtful for a moment. He shakes Rin gently, and she stirs awake, blinking at him blearily. “Dad?” “Hello, Rin,” he greets, smiling. “You’re back!” She exclaims, sitting up. “I had so much fun! We made pancakes and had a tea party and we played Mario Kart!”

“Did you win?” Sesshomaru asks, and Rin nods. “Good.” He praises, his tone proud. “Everything went alright? Nothing… unpleasant happened?” Rin nods again, letting out a soft yawn and Sesshomaru looks puzzled at her response. “Hm.”

Inuyasha approaches them, Rin’s backpack in his hand as he tries to mentally go over anything he might’ve forgotten to put in it.

Sesshomaru takes it from him, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Ready to go?”

“Yup!” Rin says, taking his hand. Sesshomaru begins to head to the door, but Rin doesn’t move. “Dad,” Rin tugs him back by his sleeve. Sesshomaru stops, raising an eyebrow at her questioningly. “You forgot to tell uncle Inuyasha something really important.” While Inuyasha’s wondering what that could possibly be, Sesshomaru sighs. “Rin.” “Dad,” She mimics his tone, and in that moment Inuyasha thinks that she’s definitely Sesshomaru’s daughter, because the sternness in her face is very familiar. “It’s manners.” Inuyasha’s not surprised when his brother relents. “...You’re right,” Sesshomaru says, nodding. “Thank you, Inuyasha, Kouga, for watching Rin.” Inuyasha’s barely manages to keep his mouth shut so he’s not gaping, because Sesshomaru thanking him? He can’t even remember the last time that happened. Or if it ever happened. Of course it’s because of Rin, he thinks. That girl’s the only one that can make Sesshomaru do anything. Rin smiles, pleased. She walks up to Kouga as he’s leaving the kitchen, and when she holds her arms out for a hug, he crouches, wrapping his arms around her. “Bye, uncle Kouga.” Kouga ruffles her hair when she pulls away. “G’bye, kid. You come back soon, okay?” She nods, and turns to Inuyasha, who’s already bending down to hug her and when she embraces him tightly, briefly surprising him with her strength, his heart fills with a surge of adoration for her. “Bye, uncle Inuyasha.” “Hope to see ya again soon, Rin,” He says, and he means it. He enjoyed himself today more than he thought he would.

Rin runs back over to Sesshomaru and takes his hand, giving her uncles one last smile and a little wave before they’re both out of the apartment.

When the door closes with a gentle click, Inuyasha lets out a sigh. “Really sweet kid,” Kouga says, his tone fond. “Understatement.” Inuyasha replies, and he grins when he turns and sees Kouga sitting on the couch, controllers in his hands. “Now I can really kick your ass at Mario Kart,” He smirks, selecting his favorite character and favorite build as he hands Inuyasha his controller. “You fucking wish,” Inuyasha scoffs and gestures for his boyfriend to scoot over, ready to beat Kouga on his favorite track and make him do the dishes for a whole week once he loses.

________________________________________________________________

Inuyasha ends up losing, and though he was supposed to do the dishes on his own, Kouga joins him, saying something about Rin showing him that washing dishes could be a great bonding experience, or some dumb, sappy shit like that. Kouga scrubs, Inuyasha rinses, and they dry everything off together in the end.

When, to both of their surprise, Sesshomaru asks them to babysit Rin again two weeks later, Inuyasha doesn’t hesitate to say yes.

And no matter what Kouga says, Inuyasha definitely does not tear up when Rin shows up with a drawing of the three of them making pancakes together.

(Okay, maybe he does a little.)

#inukog #inuyasha #kouga #rin #sesshomaru #my fics #i'm really happy with how this one came out!!!

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fantastiqueparfait · 4 years

Text

Untitled Band!AU 3/?

Part 3 would not leave me alone until I wrote it, even though I have almost two chapters of its companion multichapter in-progress right now. It’s a long one too -- twice as long as part 2 and 3 times as long as part 1!

Oh well, such is life! This one is heavily inspired by “Bad Feeling” by Cobra Man, and while it’s not the song the band is playing in this one (IDK what is), it is the song that gave me the inspiration for the music video concept.

Summary: The band films their first music video. Things do not go entirely to plan. (Genfic, no warnings)

Tagging: @meggz0rz, @dangerouspompadour, @bearpluscat... HMU if you want to be added!

Click the link under Debbie to read on!

This was a problem. She hadn’t meant for things to get so out of hand (“Or in hand!” she could almost hear her uncle shout).

Really, it had all started with Shippo. If he hadn’t invited the band over for a horror movie marathon (“To celebrate the shiny new record contract!”), they never would’ve come up with the video concept. And if Kohaku hadn’t been so hell-bent on self-producing (“It’ll be epic! And, you know… band bonding time,”) she would never have texted Uncle Inuyasha to see if they could take over one of his empty warehouses for a week.

He, of course, was happy to oblige (and not mention a word to her dad). Kagura didn’t need any convincing to keep Rin’s activities on the DL either – not that she was terribly surprised by that; Rin was pretty sure her stepmother’s true joy in life was making Sesshomaru violently uncomfortable.

And that’s how she found herself spending a week of her summer break in an empty warehouse on the outskirts of Saga (aka “the actual middle of fucking nowhere” per Satsuki), clad in a sports bra and cropped running tights and drenched in fake blood, accompanied by her bandmates and half of the university’s Aspiring Filmmakers Club as crew.

For some insane reason, Kagome had insisted on hosting them all. Not that that would’ve been a huge issue for them space-wise – one of the merits of living in the middle of nowhere was that there was space to have a giant house, which enabled them to host ten university students – but still, who would want ten university students in their house for a week, especially when they had small children?

They’d shot all of the footage of them actually playing the song on days one and two on a soundstage they built in the warehouse, and they spent the bulk of day three and four with about thirty local volunteer “zombies” doing exterior shots of the band split into groups (Rin and Kohaku battling through the industrial park, Shippo and Ai being chased through town, and Satsuki singlehandedly fighting off zombies on the “subway” – actually a retired traincar at the railway museum in Fukuoka).

Day five was the big one though – they were filming the finale fight scene inside the warehouse. Inuyasha and Kagome had brought them dinner (though should she eat if she was about to film an almost-shirtless fight scene? One of the downsides to self-producing meant that there was nobody with real film experience on set… She decided she didn’t want the answer to that question anyway as she and the others dug in).

“This is pretty impressive, you guys! How did you convince the studio to grant approval to self-produce your first music video?” Kagome asked brightly.

“Yeah… about that…” Shippo began, “We haven’t exactly told them? We’re hoping they’ll be impressed with the end result and approve it retroactively.”

“Yeah, they already think we’re ‘unique’ as it is, so we’re hoping it gels with ‘the brand’ they seem to have in mind,” Ai added.

She supposed she should feel relieved that the “brand” the label envisioned wasn’t too different from the one the band had for themselves (“scrappy”, as Ai liked to put it) – there weren’t many bands out there that had both human and youkai members, and, as far as she knew, they were the only youkai/human band that was 3/5ths female and had a member raised in one of Japan’s most prominent youkai families.

“Time to go! You ready?” Kohaku asked. She nodded and did her best to clear her mind.

Five hours later, they had it. She’d spent the rest of the weekend visiting Kagome’s lab and babysitting her cousins (it was the least she could do in return) before catching the bullet train back to Tokyo from Hakata (Shippo, Kohaku, Ai, and Satsuki drove the fourteen hours back to Tokyo with the instruments the day after the shoot ended).

She did her best to forget about the music video until about a month later, when Shippo announced the label had actually approved (something Rin had never thought would happen, as much fun as she’d had making the video) and would be scheduling the release for the next week. Suddenly, things felt a lot more real.

Things were much more real when she had gathered everyone – Sesshomaru, Kagura, Jaken, and even Inuyasha and Kagome (who claimed they were in town for work reasons) – in the living room at home.

“Okay so, you know how I went to Saga for a week last month? Well we filmed a music video, and it was approved by the label, and uhh… here it is. It’s being released tomorrow, so… yeah,” she finished weakly as she started the video and slinked off to the back of the room.

Rin hated listening to herself, and she didn’t enjoy watching herself either, but the first minute and a half wasn’t so bad – it set up the “zombie apocalypse” cut with the band playing the song. Not bad at all.

And then the fighting started and Shippo and Ai were chased through downtown Saga on a motorcycle (she was still bummed that she didn’t get to do that scene), Satsuki kicked ass in the confined space of train car, and…

Rin and Kohaku were attacked by zombies, lost their shirts in the struggle (this was bound to start yet another spirited family discussion), and started battling their way through the industrial park with aluminum bats in hand.

Rin resisted the temptation to run from the room. She also fought the urge to check the reactions of her family members. She decided to stare at a wall instead.

Finally, the big fight scene (also interspersed with clips of the band playing – this time mostly guitar solos), then the shot of the band walking away from the carnage: heads held high and looking like total badasses, her hand in…

Oh.

Oh no.

How had nobody pointed out she and Kohaku had been walking hand-in-hand in that take? That was not in the script. That was not in the script!

“Okay that’s it, that’s the video. Hope you enjoyed it… BYE.” Blushing bright red, Rin turned and ran off to her room, followed only by the sound of her uncle’s cackling.

#untitled band!AU #inuyasha fanfiction #rin #kohaku #shippo #inuyasha #kagome #kagura #sesshomaru #fanfiction

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harcove · 5 years

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About the Author Tag Game

Rules of the Game: Answer these questions and tag 10 blogs you’d like to know better.

I was tagged by @come-get-yall-ochimizu thanks bb- i’m uhh late to doing this cause my ass got lazy ;))))

Nickname: Aim (literally just pronounced Aim lmao), Lonk but only by one person ever it’s a inside joke. But people usually just call me Amy cause my name is literally three letters bye.

Zodiac: Aries

Height: 5′1ft. Y’all i’m short-

Time: 3:43 PM (when I wrote this lololol)

Favourite Band/Artist: Muse, ONE OK ROCK, Thriving Ivory

Song stuck in my head: Hurt by Nine Inch Nails or the Johnny Cash Cover specifically LMAO

Last movie I saw: Uh... I watched the Hakuouki movies with my friend at her house like... 4 weeks ago. I don’t watch a lot of movies.

Last thing I googled: I was looking at Sen’s wikipedia page from Hakuouki lmao

Other Blogs: I have a side blog for the book/the movie The Outsiders

Do I get asks?: Sometimes. It depends on what stage I’m in on my blog. I’ve had this trash for like 8 years or something. Right now it’s mainly just match-up requests.

Why this username: It’s the name of Inuyasha’s mother from Inuyasha lmao. I loved/love Inuyasha and Izayoi but someone had “Izayoi” already so I just did “izayo-i”

Following: 67. I feel weird/cluttered when I follow too many people? I think the most I had was like 120.

Average hours of sleep: Right now since I’m off university it’s like 7-10. But usually, like 4-6.

Lucky number: 14

What am I wearing: my pajamas- aka a big Aerosmith t-shirt

Dream job: talking about this makes me nervous cause I hate thinking about my future but I’d love to be a primatologist or just an anthropologist. Maybe a historian. I wouldn’t mind doing translations too at some point.

Dream Trip: Ireland or Scotland. Maybe Japan someday if I can get the language down lmao.

Favourite food: Can I just say the entirety of like Chinese cuisine?

Instruments I play: I used to be able to kind of play the clarinet but not anymore bih

Eye Colour: it’s weird. Blueish, grey? Sometimes it looks more blue, other times grey. I’m a demon.

Hair colour: Light brown/blondish

Aesthetic: Vintage, grunge? Idk I don’t think about it.

Languages I speak: English, some French, and I’m working on Japanese atm.

Most Iconic Song: Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, or Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen ;))

Random Fact: I have a lot of animals and love animals a lot. I have 2 guinea pigs, 3 hamsters (used to be like 11 cause one had babies oof bih wtf) a gecko, and a dog, atm.

uhhh as for tagging I get awkward when I have to do this so uh some people who can do this if they want to- you don’t have to! @edomusings @k-chan95 @okie-ta-dokie-ta @rouge-heichou @fleeting-blossom-of-the-dawn

okay bye im weird and awkward

#tagged #by e im so weird #y'all dont have to d othis btw oof

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roninhunt0987 · 5 years

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Krystal, Melody, Kotone and Misty's Sleepover party

By: Roninhunt0987

X3 another cute story thats focused with Krystal, Melody, Kotone and Misty at the house on their own while their family is going on their one last and final ski lodge trip before they close for the entire summer... =3 this takes place in my cannon of m.e.g.a chronicles 3 which takes place a month later after the agons came home finally and such and meeting their new siblings who is at the ski lodge with them... X3 however the idiots will be unavailable at this time as this is a cute story and such.. X3 special for Krystaliaproductions on tumblr which will go there of course... X3 enjoy folks

Characters(C)belongs to their rightful owners

-at the house after everyone left the house leaving krystal, melody, kotone and misty for their furrified fun-

Melody, Kotone and Misty: -furrified and also waiting for krystal to come out-

Krystal: -comes on out furrified and also without worry of anyone seeing her furrified in the house and such- hehe

Melody, Kotone and misty: X3 hehehe -glomps krystal and and nuzzles on her- Krystal: -giggles- alright what should we do today??? Melody, Kotone and Misty: X3 Cartoons first

Krystal: X3 alright then next we'll get our swimsuits on and head for the beach for some fun and then come home for lunch and be furrified again and play some video games and then movies, k?? all 3: X3 alright hehe

-in the living room-

krystal: -watching tv-

Melody, kotone and Misty: -cuddled close to krystal watching tv furrified-

Krystal: -laughs at the part of inuyasha had the sit commanded on upon him-

Melody, Kotone and Misty: X3 hehehehehehehhehe

Krystal: XD ahhh always a classic -hears the phone ring and answers hello- X3 oh hey dad whats up?? X3 you were fine alright were planning to go to the beach soon as we finish our cartoons, k?? X3 alright hehe bye -hangs up-

melody: =3 what dad want?? Krystal: X3 he's just checking in on us like always

Melody: X3 k??

-a lil later- Krystal: -in her swimwear in her car driving and smiles to all 3 in the backseat in their swimwear-

Melody, Kotone and Misty: X3 hehehehe

Krystal: -smiles-

Melody: X3 hey I heard Aunt Misha is a lifeguard at the beach were going to maybe we'll see her there along with aunt kit

Kotone and Misty: X3 yea

Krystal: X3 well dad did tell me both got the lifeguard job for the summer and such so yea

-as they arrive-

Kotone, Misty and Melody: -at the beach ready for some fun- Krystal: -sets the umbrella and etc and feels 3 skye blue tails around her eyes and such- XD Aunt Misha really ya know I am an adult now right

Misha: -giggles- ya I know hehehe whatcha doin here

Krystal: X3 melody, kotone, misty and I are gonna be at the beach and we go back home and furrify again

Misha: X3 ohh can I join I get off my shift with kit after lunch

Krystal: =3 alright hehe

Kit Prower: -smiles talking with Melody, Kotone and Misty and comes on over- X3 hey whatcha girls talkin about??? Misha: =3 Krystal, Melody, Kotone and Misty are at the house furrified earlier this morning... =3 you and I are gonna be there too

Kit Prower: X3 oh wow I never knew ya were the type to be furrifed krystal

Krystal: ^^; I know I sometimes do it but i'mma doing it for my sisters though hehe.. =3 but only one days when I have the house to myself with my sisters so yea

Kit Prower: X3 awesome hehe

-as they are under the umbrella- Melody, Kotone and Misty: -getting their suntan on-

Krystal: -same thing as she relaxes at the beach while all 3 plays-

all 3: -goes to play- Misha and Kit: -at their lifeguard post using their binoculars to see for any incoming threat-

melody: -sees a shark and not amused as she uppercuts the shark in the air- WHANG!!!

Shark: YEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!! -goes into space-

Krystal: O_O;;;; WHAT THE-

Misha and Kit Prower: O_o F**K!!!!

Melody: -comes on over with Kotone and Misty and sees Krystal with the look of wtf- :? what??

Krystal: O.o melody.. how did ya learn how to do that???

Melody: -blinks twice- Uncle Yomoto taught me

Misty and Kotone: X3 hehe

Krystal: O.o ohh??

Misha: -walks on over as she is now off her shift finally as its lunch time- O.o uncle Yomoto punched a shark in space for trying to bite him plus it looked at him weirdly like it wants to eat him melody learned quickly by watching

Krystal: O.o dang

Melody: X3 yup

Kit Prower: -comes on over- XD MELODY THAT WAS TOTALLY WICKED!!!!

Melody: X3 hee

Krystal: O.o if I were to guess you practiced that move on the 9 idiots right??

Melody: :3 yup

Krystal: so uh... what happened to the shark when it came back to the planet

Shark: -dead and on the sand now cooked- X_x

beachgoers: XD FOOD!!! -jumps at the cooked shark as they got eat it-

melody: .w. that happens

Krystal: O_o;;;;;;; ooookay lets go home girls... X3 remember what we planned and seems like we have our aunts joining us

-as they are now at home- Misha and Kit Prower: -both furrified-

Melody, Kotone and Misty: -waits for krystal to come out-

Krystal: -comes out furrfiied-

Misha and Kit: X3 awwwwww

Krystal: -blushes shyly and smiles shyly- promise me you won't tell anyone of this

Misha: X3 we promise

Kit Prower: X3 yea hehe

Krystal: =3 thanks

-as they are playing video games-

krystal: -watching Kotone, Misty and Melody play halo 3 on capture the flag mode with all 3 against Misha and Kit Prower-

Kit Prower and Misha: X3 hehe -playing-

Krystal: -smiles while watching as she is playing on her 3DS playing pokemon sun as she is in a middle of a pokemon battle on there and such and giggles as she won-

doorbell: -ding dong-

Misha: X3 ahh pizza's here -goes to pay for it-

Espio: -sees misha open the door-

Misha: O.o Espio what are doing here??

Espio: -groans- yea... chaotix agency needs to pay some bills and uhh yea vector got me into a pizza job so yea...

Misha: O.o oookay then.... ^^; tell vector we said hi okay...

Espio: right -gets the cash from misha and gives her the pizza and heads on out like he always does-

Misha: -closes door and comes in with the pizza- O.o huhn

Krystal: whats up??

Misha: O.o that was espio he got the pizza job and it appears that Vector's chaotix agency has to pay bills so uh yea

Krystal: owch poor espio

Misha: well considering he's merrick's best friend so no big surprise

Kit Prower: gets me wondering why he still hangs out with Charmy and Vector

Krystal: O.o simple they're teammates

Melody, Kotone and Misty: X3 yea hehe

-a lil way later on that night-

Misha and Kit: -in their bedroom asleep as they're next shift is tomorrow-

Melody, Kotone and Misty: -watching a movie with Krystal-

Krystal: -same-

-at the end of the movie-

Krystal, Melody, Kotone and Misty: -all 4 fell asleep on the couch while the bowl that had the popcorn is on the floor and etc- zzzz

Kit Prower: -smiles and chuckles-

-next day as the entire family is home-

Merrick: -walks on in with everyone-

everyone: -goes to their rooms to unpack-

Merrick: -walks on into Krystal's room and sees that all 4 girls is asleep furrified as he tucks all 4 in and smiles and leaves them for their nap and such because they had some fun in the morning before he and the family returned home for this afternoon which is now as he closes the door quietly-

Krystal, Melody, Kotone and Misty: -all 4 in krystal's bed asleep furrified taking a nap after some morning of fun and such- zzz

Ceiling fan: -on high quietly-

floor fan: -heard quietly-

Picture frame: -camera pans to a picture of Krystal, Melody, Kotone and Misty when they were younger-

Scene: -fades to black slowly-

-end-

-RH0987 Productions 2019-

( @krystalia-productions X3 enjoy as this featured Misha Ishiyama Kato and Kit Prower and also Espio cameos for this one of course delivering the pizza hehe)

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thekrazykeke · 6 years

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I’m of the belief that if a nigga cheats, either cheat too and dump the dude, or get that nigga jumped on and dump that dude.

However, technically, very technically, Erik fuckboy Stevens did not ever put a label on what he was tryna do with the reader besides fucking, and ol’ girl also knew he was potential drama but fucked wit him anyway. SO. Is it in anyway surprising what inevitably happened? That depends on y’all perspective.

Continued from here.

“The fuck happened to your face?” Is the first thing out of Darius’ mouth when you opened the front door.

Before you could say a word, your niece cut in. “Daddy, ain’t it obvious? Aunt Y/N got into a fight and lost.” Nakida commented, voice and posture radiating sass and teenage rebellion.

“I did not lose!”

“That’s not what Aunt Nadia sayin’ on Facebook.”

You glanced back at said woman who looked like a deer in headlights. Giving her a ‘bitch, this ain’t over’ look, you return to your family. “That’s not what happened at all.”

“I hope you beat her up. Uncle Davion and Isiah always hyping your fights--”

Darius had enough, snatching her phone. “Okay, little girl. Go sit your bad ass down.” Kia flounced over to where an empty spot on the couch was, dropping heavily onto the furniture, nearly throwing Nadia to the ground in the process. Nadia cut her a look but Nakida didn’t pay her any attention. “I need you to watch her for today. Just a couple hours while I’m at work.”

“And why can’t her momma?” You’re suspicious.

“Look, it’s complicated. Just...just please do this for yo big bruh, yea?”

Shaking your head, you sigh. “For you, a’ight.” You hmm’ed when he gave you a half hug and kissed the side of your forehead. “Okay, okay! I get it, love you too. Now let go.”

Darius laughed before blowing a kiss at his daughter. “Love you, baby. Be good for your aunt, peanut, ‘kay?”

“Yeah, Dad. Love you too. Bye.” As soon as he left, she looked at you. “I’m hungry. Can we have Chinese for dinner?”

“No, but you can go to the kitchen and fix yourself a bologna sandwich.” She smacked her lips and rolled her eyes. “Or you can wait til your dad gets here. You ain’t gotta eat our food, boo boo.”

“That’s right. Check yaself, little girl.” Nadia added.

“Okay, Miss Dippin’, you ain’t in it either.” You pointed at her.

“What, girl, I gotcha back!”

You rolled your eyes, “Yeah, whatever.” Taking a seat, you pull out your cellphone just as Nakida lumbered towards the kitchen.

‘Nigga, bye.’ Rolling your eyes, you turn your phone on vibrate and place it on the dresser to avoid temptation. The urge to call him up and cuss his ass out nearly overpowering but you wasn’t tryna set a bad image for your niece.

It was already terrible enough that she’d seen your face all kinds of jacked up. And with the rest of the fam probably hyping her up, she could get the idea that fighting in school was cute.

“Make me a sandwich too! Add some of that spicy cheese on there.” You call to the teen in the kitchen. “You hook it up and I’ll order the Chinese.”

Nadia looked at you like you’re crazy. Getting that stuff delivered in this neighborhood, to this apartment, is horrendously expensive but you didn’t care at the moment.

“You want mayo or mustard?! How bout some pickles and these yellow jalapenos?”

“Surprise me! Hook it up, girl, hook it up.”

Thus that’s how it went.

Nakida, Nadia and you had an impromptu girls’ day. Blasting Beyonce, dancing on the couch, pretending to hit them high notes (in truth, y’all sounded like cats being murdered but whatever) and manicures, facials, etc. Nadia managed to weasel out the whole truth of why Nakida beat the hell out of those two girls, and although you weren’t too surprised that they’d been picking on her for awhile, you’d wished that she’d said something sooner.

‘But snitches look weak.’ You wish you had the words to help, but you didn’t. So, instead you gave her an extra spring roll from your box.

Darius had to stay at work longer than expected but you didn’t mind keeping Nakida company. The two of you stayed up watching Inuyasha together, complaining about how stupid Kagome was and that Kikyo was a bitch. It’s close to ten at night when your brother finally arrives and Nakida is conked out. He gathers her up in his arms, saying thanks and you reply any time, that she’s always welcome, and she is.

You’re not an expert at life, but you knew what it’s like to be lost, without guidance, if you could be a safe harbor for her until she learned how to swim... Well, you’d do it happily.

As you’re cleaning up the mess, you’re yawning off and on, about to fall asleep while standing up, then there’s a knock at the door. Rolling your eyes heavenward, asking for strength, you walk over to the front door and look out the peephole.

It’s Erik.

“Go away.” You said without opening the door, your words undoubtedly muffled, but he can hear you fine.

“Can we please talk about this? You been ignoring my texts and calls all day.”

You scritched at your hair lightly. “Ain’t nothing you need to explain, Erik. You ain’t my nigga, I’m not your girl. You allowed to sleep with whoever you please. I don’t care.”

“I didn’t sleep with her though. Not with anyone...look.” There’s a thump and he’s probably leaning against the door. “Please, let me come in. I just want to see your face.”

‘Lord Jesus, what would you do?’ There’s no answer and you hadn’t really expected one. After an internal struggle, you unlatched the door and unbolted the locks, twisting the knob, you pull it open. “I’ve had a long day and I wanna sleep. So, five minutes. Go.”

He ran inside but was smart enough not to reach out and touch you. “Damn, Y/N, yo face...”

“Four minutes and fifty seven seconds, nigga.”

“I’m...” He took a deep breath, a complicated expression on his face. “Sorry about earlier. About Samara and everything that happened after. It looked suspect as fuck but I wasn’t tryna get her out of there because I was sleeping with the girl. I just didn’t want any drama.”

You pursed your lips. “Mm.”

“I ain’t been fucking with nobody but you.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Look, can you cut the tough girl act for five seconds. I’m tryna be real wit yo ass--” You cut him a look that could cut steel and he glared back at you before he sighed, shoulders slumping. “...I know you ain’t tryna fuck with me like that, but I like you.”

Your heart turned over in your chest but you tried to keep a calm facade. “Yea, whatever.”

“I’m serious. You mean as hell, and you prolly only dealt with me because I buy video games for us to have an excuse to chill together, but I like you. Even though your taste in anime characters is lousy.”

“Itachi is a real nigga and Sasuke is a emo ass bitch that deserved to get merked!! I’m not changing my mind!” He smiled then, dimples showing and you looked away from him, arms crossed in front of yourself. “You get on my nerves.”

Sensing that the danger had passed, he finally approached, wrapping his arms around you. “I like you.”

“Okay...” You turn your face from him, unwilling to give in just yet.

“I like you.” He murmured softly, the words warm against your ear. “I like you, baby.” Erik crooned, hands wandering down your shirt, about to drift under the material.

You stopped him. “Uh-uh. That’s how this whole mess started. You starting from ground zero, nigga.”

He kissed his teeth but obligingly removed his hand. “Forreal?”

“Dates and all that other shit. I expect to be wined and dined, so don’t try me with no Burger King or Mickie D’s.” As you talked, you were nudging him out of your space.

“You was messin’ with some lame ass broke niggas then.”

Snorting, you rolled your eyes with a shrug. “I guess I upgraded.”

“No guessing, you did.”

“Always got something smart to say don’tchu?” You’re exasperated. “Let me have the last w--” He tilted your chin up and kissed you. Once, twice, and the third time, he sucked on your tongue, hands bracing underneath your ass to keep you from falling. “Erik.”

“Just something to tide me over. Ground zero, I gotchu, ma.” He held his hands up, an ‘innocent’ expression gracing his face. “Come on, stop cleaning for a sec. Come play me in this game.”

It was likely your eyes would get stuck with how hard and often you’d been rolling them today. “You lucky you cute.”

He copped a seat on the floor, cheesing as he set up the system.

“I like you too.”

#mcu #erik killmonger #mcu imagine #erik killmonger imagine #black reader #marvel #black panther #marvel imagine #black panther imagine #erik killmonger x reader #thekrazykeke

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sugarless-suki-writes · 6 years

Text

You are the Moon

Fandom: Inuyasha Pairing: KouKag Rating: M Word Count: 5,686 Chapters: 11 of ?

Read on Ao3||FF

Support me on Ko-Fi!

Chapter Eleven: First Errand

It had been a couple days since Inuyasha’s drop in visit, and thus, a couple days since Kagome’s possible run-in with that youkai. She still hadn’t told Kouga about it, not wanting him to worry. She still wasn’t even sure if it was real. However, she decided not to dwell on these thoughts. Right now, she was focusing on counting out a small portion of yen for Shippou to take and pick up a couple things for her.

The miko had been shocked when the kit told her he had never been sent on an errand by himself before. She had gone on hers at around age 4, and Shippou appeared to be about 7. She knew what she had to do and had talked to Kouga about it the night before. He had been a bit wary, but Kagome assured him that she was sure everything would be fine. She was going to send Shippou out here in a couple of minutes and it was in the middle of the afternoon. It was always really busy during this time and she knew that people would be watching over him, just like they had for her and eventually Souta as well.

She smiled as she closed up the coin purse and handed it to the nervous-looking kit. Kagome gave a soft sigh and pulled him into a hug. “You’ll be fine, Shippou. I promise.” she said, pressing a kiss to the top of his head as she pulled away.

“Are you sure?” he asked, tears welling in his eyes.

“Yes. It��s something I did too when I was much younger than you are. I have faith in you, Shippou.” she replied with a reassuring smile. Shippou sniffled and Kagome ruffled his hair. It never failed to make him laugh, and this time was no exception. The kit’s worries faded as he let out a hearty laugh and Kagome pressed another kiss to his auburn locks. She then turned to the small slip of paper that was resting on the table and handed it to him. “This is what I need you to get, okay? Do you remember which shops to go to?” she asked.

“Yeah! I’ll do my best!” he replied, determined now.

Kagome beamed, ruffling his hair once more. “I know you will.”

With that, Kagome made sure he had everything, putting the coin purse and list in his backpack along with a bottle of water and a small snack, just in case. She walked Shippou to the door and waved him off, watching as he walked down the hall and then down the steps. Once he was on the street, she smiled and closed the door, going in to start what prep work she could before the kit returned.

Shippou stood there for a couple moments, looking at Kagome’s bike in the bike rack and wringing his wrists. He knew he put on a big act, but he was actually quite nervous. He had never gone out on his own before… He took a few moments to calm himself before curling his hands into tiny fists. Determination flooded him, and he puffed out his chest before starting his walk to the grocery store. The sidewalk was quite crowded, but Shippou was able to weave his way through with ease, that was an advantage he had with being so short.

He rounded a few corners before he arrived at the butcher. Shippou stopped in front of the store, pulling off his bag and setting it down so he could rummage through it. He took a quick sip of his water before he reached in and pulled out the list Kagome had given him. He made sure to memorize the cut of meat she wanted, reading it over multiple times and mumbling it to himself under his breath a couple times. Satisfied, he smiled to himself and folded the note up, slipping it into his pocket. He zipped up his bag and slung it over his shoulder before opening the door to the shop and stepping in.

The shop was quite busy, but it seems that most of the people in there were waiting for their meat. Shippou waited for his turn in line and smiled up at the shop owner. He put in his order for a cut of top sirloin and was handed a number by the owner. The man also offered Shippou a lollipop, which the kit happily obliged. Lollipop in hand, he hopped away from the counter, clutching the number close to his chest, and stood by one of the windows. A woman standing next to him smiled down at him and he nervously returned it.

“Are you out running errands for your mother?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s my first time.” he replied.

She beamed at this, and the look of pride in her eyes filled Shippou with a sense of confidence. “Well, I’m sure you’re doing a great job, it certainly seems like it!” she said.

Shippou grinned and thanked her. He took that time then to unwrap his lollipop and shove it into his mouth. It didn’t take too long for his order to be done. He rushed over and slipped his bag off, unzipping it and pulling out the coin purse. He paid the butcher and took the bag with his meat order in it. “Thank you!” he said, giving a quick bow as well. He turned to put his items away and noticed a bucket full of cubes of beef fat. He considered it for a moment. He had seen Kagome pick out a cube when they came, but he didn’t know if they needed one.. or if it was free.

The butcher seemed to notice the kit’s internal struggle and chuckled a bit. “You can take a cube if you’d like, free of charge. That’s what it’s there for.” he said cheerily. Shippou looked up at him, astonished for a few moments. He soon broke out of it, grinning at him and thanking him once more. He plucked a cube of fat from the bucket, and put it in the grocery bag. He then picked his bag back up and slung it onto his shoulders before he left the shop, the shop owner smiling and waving as the kit left.

Now feeling more confident, Shippou walked down the sidewalk with ease, not a care in the world. He had successfully procured meat and even got a lollipop! This was honestly shaping up to be the best shopping trip he’s ever been on yet! He just wished that Kagome was here to see him… He frowned slightly at this but was able to quickly pick himself back up. When he brought back everything, he’d see how proud she is of him. Yes, that would make it all worth it, being out here without her. With a pep in his step, the kit carried on his way to a local grocery store. He would be able to pick up the other items they needed from there.

As he made his way to the store, he passed by a small park. There, he saw kids playing, running around and chasing each other. He nibbled on his lower lip as he fiddled with his fingers. He had a growing urge to go join them, but he knew he had a mission. He let out a sigh and started to walk away when a ball came rolling up to him, fast. He was spooked slightly, but he was able to stop it with his foot. A girl came running up to him then. She had long black hair tied into low twin pigtails. Her eyes were dark red, which contrasted against her fair skin. As she got closer, Shippou could see that her ears were pointed, and she had a small aura of youki around her. Was she glamoured to dull it down, or was she just a weak youkai?

She grinned as she approached him. “Hey! Thanks for getting my ball, I’m Souten. Who’re you?”

“I’m Shippou. And it’s no problem!” he beamed, picking up the ball and handing it to her.

“Are you a kitsune?” she asked, looking at him curiously as she took the ball and held it close to her chest.

“Yeah! And what are you?”

“Oh! I’m a thunder youkai!” Shippou felt a surge of fear fill him, but just for a moment. There’s more than just that youkai out there who have thunder powers. “So, Shippou, do you wanna play?” she asked, holding out the ball slightly, a huge grin on her face.

“Ah, I would, but I’m running errands. Maybe next time I’m out and I see you!” he said cheerfully.

She frowned a little, but quickly perked up. “Alright! I’ll see you around then, maybe at school!”

“Yeah! I’ll see you later Souten!”

“Bye Shippou!”

The two waved and the young kitsune was off on his journey again. He had an added pep to his step now, happy that he had seemed to make a new friend. He soon arrived at the grocery store and picked up a basket at the door. He also took this time to toss the stick of his lollipop into a nearby trash can. He then made his way down the aisles, pulling the list out of his pocket. He read it over a couple times before looking on the shelves. All he needed to get was some thread konjac, green onions, and Chinese cabbage. Shippou wandered through the produce aisle for a while, easily finding the last two on his list. The only problem he was having was finding the thread konjac. He knew they were a type of noodle, but for some reason he just couldn’t find where they would be.

He grew a bit frustrated and felt a little defeated. However, a worker came up to him. “Hey, what are you looking for? You’ve been wandering around for a while.” he said, a warm smile on his face.

Shippou looked up at him with a frown. “I’m trying to find thread konjac, but I don’t know where it is…”

“That’s alright, I’m here to help.” The worker looked down at him, beaming. It cheered Shippou up. “Follow me, kid.” From there, Shippou was led down one of the aisles and then the worker pulled down a package from near the top of the shelf. “Here you go, this was probably why you couldn’t find it.” he said with a bit of a laugh.

Shippou looked up at him with a huge smile on his face. “Thank you so much!”

“It’s no problem at all. You’re doing so well, don’t let this get you down.” he replied.

“I won’t!”

The two said their goodbyes then and Shippou happily made his way to the check-out area. He set his basket on the counter and then slipped his bag off to pull out the coin purse. Once everything was rung up, he handed the money to the clerk and was then handed the produce. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome. Hurry on home now.” she said with a warm smile. Shippou nodded, packed up his things, then left the store. He was proud of himself. He had done it! Now all he had to do was get home. He stopped by the doors, just before leaving the store, to pull out his water bottle. He took a long drink before closing the cap on it. He set the bottle on the ground and zipped up his bag before putting it back on his back. He decided to leave the water bottle out for now so he could have easy access. It was pretty hot out and he felt like he would need it to help keep himself cool.

Shippou then began his journey home, excited to see Kagome’s reaction to him doing well on his first outing. He was practically skipping down the sidewalk. By now, the crowds had started to die down, so the street wasn’t super crowded. It would’ve made him nervous if he wasn’t just so excited and pleased with himself. It wasn’t long before he was passing by the park. He stopped nearby and looked around for Souten. He didn’t see her anywhere and he frowned a little. He had been hoping to talk to her a bit before he went home…

He let out a sigh and carried on his way. He soon rounded a corner and it quickly grew darker. Looking up, Shippou was confused to see a bunch of clouds in the sky. Was it supposed to rain today? A feeling of unease filled him, but he did his best to not show his fear. He needed to get home to Kagome. She was counting on him! The kit did his best to shake his fear, but he couldn’t stop his legs and hands from trembling as he continued his walk down the sidewalk.

That feeling of dread continued to grow as he walked and tears started to well in his eyes. Why did he feel so uneasy? He felt something wet plop on top of his head and looking up he saw that the clouds had gotten even darker. He was certain it wasn’t supposed to rain today… He didn’t like this… Shippou was suddenly scooped up and he let out a scream, eyes screwed shut as he started to flail.

“Would ya shut it, you little twerp?”

He knew that voice… He opened his eyes and looked up, seeing a somewhat familiar face, or rather one he recognized. It was the dog hanyou that Kagome had been fighting with. Inuyasha? That sounded right… “Wh-what are you doing?” he asked, voice wavering.

“I’m taking you home. You’re with Kagome, right? She sure picked a swell time to send you out on your first errand.” he grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

Shippou wanted to speak up in Kagome’s defense, but he couldn’t work past the lump in his throat. He watched as Inuyasha pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and unlocked it. He saw the inu type out a message to Kagome and send it.

Hey, I’m bringing your kit home. And I’ve got some questions for you, and you better answer them.

Inuyasha adjusted Shippou in his arms then. “Hang on tight, kid.” The kit did as he was told and then Inuyasha took off, running at full speed. The rain started off slow, just a small drizzle. With the speed Inuyasha ran at, the pair were able to make it back to the apartment before it started to really come down. Once they were at the door, he set Shippou down and knocked on the door. They listened as Kagome shuffled around and eventually came to the door, opening it.

“Hey.” she said, smiling at the two of them. She then looked down at Shippou and beamed. “It looks like you did good, Shippou! Come in and we’ll get everything set up, okay?” The kitsune nodded and hopped into the apartment, Inuyasha following behind with his arms crossed over his chest. Kagome closed and locked the door once they were both in and the trio walked into the living area. Shippou set the grocery bags down on the table and Kagome rifled through them. She praised Shippou for doing so well, ruffling his hair and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“Why don’t you go to the room and pick out some candy? You’ve earned it.” she grinned. The kit let out a cheer and took off for their room. Once she heard the door close, she turned to look at Inuyasha. “What happened?” she asked, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

“I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?” he asked.

Kagome groaned, rolling her eyes. She picked up the bags of ingredients and brought them into the kitchen so she could finish getting the food prepped. “I can’t if you don’t explain why you had to bring Shippou home.” she stated matter-of-factly.

“Tch…” Inuyasha followed her into the kitchen, leaning against a nearby wall, his arms still crossed over his chest. “I was just walking through town to pick up something to eat when the sky got dark. I saw your kit from a distance and thought it was odd there was a strong youki aura following him.” He was quick to catch the shift in her scent, rotting flesh swirling and quickly overtaking her normal spring-like scent. Her motions of cutting the sirloin had also stopped and he noticed the slight tremble in her hands.

“Did you see who it was?” she asked, her voice calm. If it wasn’t for her scent and trembling, she might’ve fooled him.

“No, only the aura. Now, tell me what’s going on.”

He watched as Kagome set the knife down, her trembling increasing and the fear in her scent burning his nose. She let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair, holding it back for a moment. Concern filled him instantly. Whatever this was, it was bad.

“About a month ago… I was coming home early from school because the weather had been so unpredictable. I heard a scream coming from an alley so, naturally, I went to go check it out. There, I found Shippou… and some kind of…. thunder youkai. He was trying to kill Shippou… he tried to kill me with some kind of, of.. lightning attack. It was.. terrifying. If I wasn’t a miko I certainly would’ve died…” she said, mumbling the last part. He could smell the saltiness of her tears then and his ears flattened against his head. His arms slowly fell to his sides and he felt something tug in his chest as he saw her grip the counter, her knuckles turning white.

Nervously, Inuyasha approached Kagome and placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s alright, you’re okay.”

Kagome sniffled then let out a shaky breath. She brought a hand up to wipe away her tears. “I thought I had felt his presence the night before you stopped by. I stood out there for a while, trying to see if he was actually there or not. I thought I was just imagining things but…” She choked back a sob, a hand quickly coming up to cover her mouth. Inuyasha had to fight back a whine as wet soil and moss began to mix with the rotting flesh in her scent.

He brought his hand down to her back and began to rub it in soothing circles. He knew that had helped in the past, and he hoped it still helped. “I probably shouldn’t have told you that… I still haven’t told them yet.. Please Inuyasha… I’m begging you, keep it a secret, okay?”

“Yeah, I promise.”

“Thank you..” she breathed out. He continued to rub her back for a little bit and it seemed to help. Her scent of fear and sorrow started to fade but were still somewhat present by the time she felt ready enough to get back to work. Inuyasha stood by and watched her for a few moments before he left to go to the living area and turn on the TV. Shippou soon came out of the room carrying several pieces of candy. Kagome laughed and rolled her eyes at the kit, but she let him keep them.

Just as Kagome was finished slicing the beef and moving onto the vegetables, Kouga arrived. The wolf was grumbling for a couple reasons. One, he was soaked from the rain and two, he was still sour from the text Kagome had sent him earlier. She had warned him that Inuyasha was coming over, but she hadn’t provided any more details on the subject. As soon as he had opened the door to the apartment he had smelled the dog and it just worsened his mood.

He grumbled as he took off his shoes at the door, but he was quick to fix his expression as he walked into the living area. “Welcome home, Kouga!” Shippou said cheerfully.

“Yo.” Inuyasha mumbled, not even looking at the wolf, too busy flipping through channels. Shippou looked over and frowned as he skipped past a cartoon.

“Go back, Inuyasha! That’s my favorite show!”

“Tch, I don’t care.”

“Inuyasha, turn it back.” Kagome called, focused on chopping the Chinese cabbage. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and changed it back to the cartoon. Kouga could already tell this was going to be a long night. He walked towards his room then, so he could go change. As he passed by the kitchen, he caught a whiff of Kagome’s scent and he stopped in his tracks. It wasn’t fully present anymore, but he could smell the lingering traces of fear and sorrow in her normally cheery scent. He fought the urge to snarl and rip the inu’s head off, certain that the hanyou was to blame for her mood. He could question Kagome on this later. He continued on to his room, eager to get out of his wet clothes and into some dry ones.

It didn’t take him long to change, and soon enough he was out of his room and joining Kagome in the kitchen. Inuyasha’s eyes followed the wolf, narrowing slightly and his ears strained to hear over the sound of the TV next to him.

“Kagome, what happened?” Kouga asked, his voice a whisper.

“Nothing really. Inuyasha just thought Shippou needed some help getting back home, what with the rain starting all of a sudden.” she answered with a shrug. She had made quick work of the cabbage and was now working on the green onions.

Kouga frowned. “You know you’re a bad liar Kagome.”

Kagome let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t really wanna talk about it right now, okay? I’ll talk to you about this later. And can you please stop with the low-key fighting? Your youki is suffocating.” she said. Something akin to smoke was filling her scent. The smell sent him back several hundred years when a small section of the forest had caught fire. It made him want to run, but he knew that there wasn’t any actual fire. Was she getting angry now?

The youkai flushed slightly, ashamed of himself for not even realizing his aura had been growing to try and combat the hanyou’s. “Sorry. I don’t mean to push you it’s just-”

“I know Kouga.. but please at least… try to get along? He won’t be here for long.” she mumbled.

Kouga nodded and reluctantly left her side to go join Shippou and Inuyasha at the table. The hanyou watched him closely, arms crossed over his chest. Kouga did his best to resist the urge to shoot the inu a glare. He had to be good, for Kagome’s sake. He wasn’t going to play into the hanyou’s games. Inuyasha scoffed and turned his head away to look at the TV once more. The wolf simply rolled his eyes.

Before too long, Kagome had finished cooking their meal. She brought a small burner to the table and turned the flame on low. The miko then brought over the pot and set it down on the burner, then came back with four bowls, four sets of chopsticks, and a ladle. She set the bowls and chopsticks in front of everyone, then set the ladle in the pot, directing the handle towards Inuyasha. Seeing as how he was their guest, he should be served first. A huge grin crossed his features as he reached out and ladled out some of the sukiyaki into his bowl. Once he was done, Kagome reached for the ladle and Shippou’s bowl and put together a portion for the kit.

She moved to offer the ladle to Kouga, but he motioned for her to serve herself. She smiled softly at him and began to dish up. Inuyasha watched the small interaction and it set him on edge. He didn’t like how close they were. He fought back a growl and simply waited for them to get their bowls ready before he dug into his food. As they ate, Shippou talked animatedly about his errand. Kagome listened intently, as did Kouga.

Inuyasha was listening in as well, but he was also brooding to himself, trying to figure out what was going on between Kagome and that flea bag. What did she even see in him? He didn’t like this at all, but he knew there wasn’t really anything he could do. He had been out of Kagome’s life for too long, apparently. Maybe he could talk to Miroku… He would go to Sango, but he knew that would get him nowhere. Miroku, however, had always given him some good advice. He would definitely be able to help the hanyou out now.

“Then everything started getting dark and it was really scary, but Inuyasha showed up and bought me home.” the kit concluded with a shrug.

“Well, I’m glad he was there to help you get home.” Kagome said with a warm smile, turning to send it the inu’s way. She was honestly grateful he had been there, especially considering…

“Oh! And Kagome let me pick candy out of her stash for doing such a good job!” he added, turning a cheerful smile towards Kouga.

The wolf chuckled and ruffled Shippou’s hair. “That’s great. You did do a really good job, you got everything on the list.” he said, smiling.

Shippou nodded enthusiastically, stars in his eyes. Kouga couldn’t help but laugh more. The kit sure had a way of lightening the mood and making him feel better. It wasn’t too long after that that the food was polished off and Kouga was gathering up the dishes. Kagome, meanwhile, was walking Inuyasha to the door. Kouga had been wary at first, but he knew Kagome could handle herself. However, he was still left feeling slightly insecure. She had told him that the inu was her first love, and even though she said they weren’t meant to be, Kouga wasn’t too sure her feelings for the hanyou were completely gone, or if they ever would be. He let out a sigh and tried not to focus on those thoughts, they would just bring him pain.

Kagome led Inuyasha to the door, the two of them slipping on their shoes. Inuyasha had quirked an eyebrow at that but didn’t question it. They stepped outside, and Kagome closed the door behind them. He watched as she took in a deep breath, then slowly released it before she spoke. “I know I was a bit harsh on you, but I do appreciate you bringing Shippou home, safe.” she said, giving the inu a soft smile.

He looked away, crossing his arms over his chest and scoffing. “Yeah yeah, whatever. Don’t get all sappy on me.”

Kagome giggled and Inuyasha turned to look at her, slightly surprised. “You sure haven’t changed, have you?” she asked.

Inuyasha watched her for a few moments, then looked away, a sullen look on his face. “I wish I could say the same about you…” he mumbled.

She blinked, surprised, then let out a sigh, running a hand through her hair, eyes shifting down. “Inuyasha…”

“I know, Kagome…” She looked up at him and felt her chest constrict from the sullen look on his face. “I know I haven’t always been the best, but I want to be a part of your life again.” he said, turning to look at her then. The moonlight shining behind him gave him an ethereal glow, his silver hair and golden eyes only accentuating this. She hated the way he was looking at her right now… It felt like he was trying to play off of some feelings he hoped were still there. She wasn’t sure if they were or not, and she didn’t want to find out.

“How can I be sure you’re not just saying that because there are other people in my life now?” she asked. She knew it would be best to build her defenses now. She knew his song and dance all too well.

A hurt look flashed in his eyes and Kagome did her best to not let it get to her. He stepped closer to her and brought a hand up to her cheek, cupping it softly. “I’m serious. I want to make up for what I did in the past…” She spent a few moments searching his expression, his eyes. She wanted to believe him, she really did.. but…

The miko let out a sigh, closing her eyes and pushing his hand away. Inuyasha felt a sharp pain in his chest as she turned away from him, reaching for the doorknob. “I’m not going to play these games with you, Inuyasha. Not again. If you’re serious, then by all means, I’m fine with being friends again. However,” her grip tightened on the doorknob, “I’m not going to let you toy with my emotions again.”

And with that, she opened the door and quickly closed it behind her. If she let him get a response out there, she knew it would lead to an argument, one she didn’t have the strength to deal with. She locked the door and then pressed her back against it, taking a moment to calm herself. It took a few moments before she felt his youki leave. There was a storm of emotions brewing inside her, but one stood out clear amongst the maelstrom.

Tired.

Kagome was just so tired. The day had started off so well, and then everything fell apart in an instant. It fell apart as soon as Inuyasha had sent her that text. She had known something was up, but she wasn’t expecting what he told her. Her suspicions had been correct, and while she was glad to know she wasn’t being paranoid, she wished she was. And now? Now she had to deal with Inuyasha trying to come back into her life. It had been close to three years. She had moved on, for the most part. Sure, she was still a little messed up from it, but that was to be expected.

She shook her head then. She just wanted to sleep. She didn’t want to think anymore, she just wanted rest. Kagome took her shoes off and walked into the living area. She saw Kouga in the kitchen, now drying off the pot. It seemed like he had already put the bowls away. She smiled exhaustedly and started walking towards the wolf. He sensed her approach and set the pot in the drain board, putting the towel on the counter next to it.

“Hey Kagome, how’re you-” His question was cut short as Kagome rested her forehead against his chest, letting out a sigh as soon as the connection was made. He stood there, dumbfounded for a couple seconds before a blush darkened his cheeks. He slowly wrapped his arms around her and she did the same, holding the wolf close and nuzzling her face further into his chest. Kouga felt his heart would burst.

“I’m tired, Kouga..” she whispered. He could hear the heartache in her voice, and that’s when her scent hit him. It was… odd.. to say the least. The damp soil and moss were definitely prominent, but the undertone of a forest fire made things somewhat confusing. His first instinct as a wolf was to run away from the smell of a fire, but the scent of freshly dug, wet soil played on a whole other instinct.

Kouga let out a small sigh and tightened his grip on her, keeping the miko close to him. “What’s wrong, Kagome?” he asked, his voice calm, soft, gentle.

Kagome let out a large huff of a breath through her nose and Kouga could tell she was slightly frustrated. “Where do I even begin with that?” she asked, a hint of humor in her voice. A chuckle rumbled through his chest and it made Kagome’s heart pick up pace, just ever so slightly.

“You can start wherever you want.” he answered. He felt the smile stretch across her face before she slowly removed herself from him. He couldn’t help but feel somewhat sad at the loss from her, but the happiness he felt that she had come to him for comfort won out.

“Let me go put Shippou to bed.”

He nodded and watched her go. He took a few moments to calm himself, trying his best to wipe the ear-splitting grin off his face as he went back to drying off the pot. Once it was dry, he put it away and folded up the towel and put it away as well. He walked over to the couch then, sitting down and leaning back against it. His heart was pounding in his chest and he had never felt more like a love-sick pup than he did in this exact moment. Gods he was hopeless, wasn’t he?

Kagome was soon back in the room and he had thankfully calmed down, somewhat, since their encounter in the kitchen. He looked up at her and judging by the look on her face and the different smells in her scent, this was going to be a long chat. That didn’t matter to him though; he’d be more than happy to spend the majority of the night talking with her. He wanted to prove to her that he would always be there for her, even if they only ever stayed friends. He wanted to do everything he could for her.

She smiled weakly as she walked towards him and sat down next to him on the couch. Multiple scents attacked his nose as her emotions swirled together in a tumultuous storm. He didn’t let it get to him, however. He reached over, taking one of her hands in his and giving her a soft smile. “Tell me everything. I’m here for you, Kagome.” She smiled brilliantly at him and he could see how much she appreciated him and the gesture. He gave her hand a small squeeze, and then she told him everything.

#inuyasha #inuyasha fic #koukag #kougome #kougkag #kogkag #chapter fic

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xfangheartx · 4 years

Text

The Grandparents

I was kind of in the mood to do some InuKag Modern AU stuff, but I also wanted to do some TogaIza stuff, too, so I combined them a little bit. Hope you guys enjoy the family fluff!

Tagging: @keichanz @clearwillow @cstormsinukagblog @hnnwnchstr @mozart-the-meerkitten @shinidamachu @lavendertwilight89 @inusgirl

Sorry if I missed anyone. ^^;

Enjoy!

It was 6:45 PM on a Saturday night as Inuyasha stood in front of the mirror, wearing a black suit with polished shoes. After he fastened his necktie, he soon poured a little aftershave on his palm and rubbed it on his cheeks. That was when he felt two arms wrap around him from behind, causing him to crack a crooked grin as he glanced back at his wife, who was wearing a red backless dress, those pearl earrings she got from her mother as a wedding gift, a pair of white stilletos, and cherry blossom pink lipstick.

"Ooh, look at the handsome man~!" she said in that playfully flirty voice that he loved so damn much.

"Only for you, wench," Inuyasha smirked as Kagome kissed him on the cheek, causing him to chuckle as he cupped her chin...but as he tilted her head back for a kiss...

"Mom? Dad?"

Kagome turned to see Yamako standing in the doorway, wearing his green jacket and turquoise pants with the little paw print pattern.

"I'm ready to go, now!" the 7-year-old exclaimed, excitedly, causing his parents to glance at each other before they both smiled.

"Yama," Kagome said as she got down to her son's height level. "We told you, you're not going."

"Why not?" Yamako asked. "I like going out to dinner!"

"Yes, but Yama, this is a dinner for me and your dad," Kagome pointed out.

"But...why not?" Yamako asked with drooping ears.

"Yama, it's been a long time since your mother and I got to spend any time together," said Inuyasha.

"That's not true," Yamako argued. "You two were spending time together, earlier this week when-"

"Whoa, whoa!" Inuyasha and Kagome exclaimed, but then, the former's ears flicked at the sound of a car pulling up.

"Oh! They're here!" Inuyasha said before he headed out of the bedroom, down the stairs, and opened the door, only to almost get knocked over as his mother came rushing in, throwing her arms around him. "OOF! Hi, Mom...!"

"Inuyasha!" Izayoi exclaimed. "It's so good to see you, sweetie!"

"You, too, Mom," Inuyasha replied before he looked over to Toga as he walked in. "Hey, Dad, how's it goin'?"

"Oh, you know, the usual," Toga answered. "Now, where are-"

"Grandma! Grandpa!" Yamako and Sanka cheered as they both rushed in to give their grandparents a hug.

"Oh, there you are!" Toga exclaimed as he picked them both up. "Oof! Wow...is it me, or are you two getting heavy?"

"Grandpa, look!" Sanka said as she opened her mouth and wiggled one of her front teeth with her tongue. "I got a loose tooth, see?"

"Oh, wow!" Toga said. "That's great, San!"

"Hey, Grandma and Grandpa," Ichiro greeted as he casually walked toward them while holding Little Izayoi and Usagi.

"Oh, Li'l Izzy~!" Izayoi cooed as she took her two youngest granddaughters into her arms, causing them both to giggle. "And you, too, Usagi~! Oh, it's so good to see you both!"

Not one to be left out, Riki came trotting up to the two grandparents and barked happily in greeting, causing Toga to laugh as he stroked the Akita's fur.

"And you, too, Riki," said Toga, causing the dog to bark again.

"Look what I got for you, Riki," Izayoi said as she held up a stick of beef jerky. "Your favorite treat!"

Riki whined happily before he sat down, allowing her to feed him the small but tasty stick of meat, which caused Ichiro to chuckle.

"Riki sure loves it when you visit, Grandma," he said, "but if you keep feeding him treats like this, he'll be so round, I'll have to roll him around instead of walking him on a leash."

Riki seemed to growl in disdain, which caused his boy to pet his head.

"I'm just kidding, Riki," Ichiro reassured.

"What are you two doing here, anyway, Grandma and Grandpa?" asked Yamako.

"Well, while your parents are out," said Izayoi, "your grandfather and I are here to watch you kids and put you to bed."

"Wait...what?" Yamako asked, nervously. "But...but Mom usually puts us to bed!"

"Well, she's not tonight, squirt," Ichiro said as he put his headphones on. "Deal with it. I'll be upstairs if anyone needs me."

"Well, we're off, Mom and Dad," said Inuyasha as he and Kagome walked out the door. "We'll be back in a couple of hours."

"There are ingredients to make shrimp tempura in the fridge," Kagome pointed out.

"And try not to let the little ones have too much ice cream before bed, okay?" Inuyasha added.

"Wait! Mom!" Yamako exclaimed as he jumped out of his grandfather's arms and ran out into the driveway, grabbing the hem of his mother's dress. "Do you have to go? Who's gonna kiss me goodnight?!"

"Yama, your dad and I will be back while you kids are sleeping," Kagome said, "but I'll still give you a kiss goodnight, okay?"

"But...but Mom, I won't feel it!" Yamako complained. "Please don't go!"

"Kagome, come on!" Inuyasha called as he got in his red pickup. "We have reservations and I don't wanna be late!"

"I'm coming, Yash," Kagome said as she looked down and gently pat her son on the head. "Yama, I gotta go now, okay? Just have fun with Grandma and Grandpa." Dropping a kiss between his little puppy ears, she soon got in the truck with her husband, who promptly backed out of the driveway.

"See ya, Mom and Dad!" Inuyasha called. "See ya, kids! Be good for your grandparents!"

"Bye, Mommy! Bye, Daddy!" Sanka waved along with her sisters.

"Bye..." Yamako muttered, sadly as he watched his parents drive off.

"Well, kids," Toga began, "what should we do to pass the time until bedtime?"

"Can you call Mom and Dad ask them to come back?" asked Yamako as he grabbed his grandfather's phone out of his pocket.

"No, Yamako," Toga said as he quickly took his phone back.

"But I miss Mom!" Yamako rebuked.

"Well, you just need to take your mind off of her," Toga replied. "How about we play a game?"

"Ooh, I know!" Sanka piped as she climbed onto his shoulders. "Let's play Horsey!"

"Oh, yeah, Horsey!" Yamako exclaimed.

"Oh, boy..." Toga muttered in slight dread.

XXX

"YEE-HAW~!!" Yamako cheered as Toga hopped and bucked around on all fours, making whinnying sounds and clicking his tongue to mimic the sound of clopping hoofbeats. Sanka, Little Izayoi, and Usagi all laughed as they sat nearby, clapping their hands while Grandma Izayoi stood in the kitchen, preparing to make the shrimp tempura with an amused smile on her face, all the while. As for Ichiro, he sighed and shook his head as he watched the spectacle before him, having come back downstairs after wondering what all the noise was.

Eventually, though, Toga stopped and panted as he kneeled on the floor, causing Yamako to slide off his back.

"Yay, now it's my turn!" Sanka exclaimed as she climbed onto Toga's shoulders.

"Oh, no, sweetie," Toga said. "Horsey needs a break, now."

"Aww~!" Sanka pouted while Yamako's ears drooped again.

"I still miss Mom~!" he whined.

"Maybe we should play something else," Toga said as he stood up and stretched his back out a bit. "Ooh...something that's a little easier on my back."

"Ooh, I know!" Sanka exclaimed. "Let's play Follow the Leader!"

"Yeah!" Yamako agreed. "And you can be the leader, Grandpa!"

"Oh, this ought to be rich," Ichiro smirked.

"All right, then!" Toga exclaimed as he stood up straight with his chest puffed out as if he were some sort of army general. "I am your magnificent leader and you two are my loyal followers! Is that understood?!"

"Yes, sir, Grandpa!" Yamako and Sanka saluted.

"Right then!" Toga declared. "Off to a better tomorrow!" On that, he started marching along with Yamako, Sanka, and even Little Izayoi and Usagi following along with them.

"Ichi!" Izayoi called from the kitchen. "If you're not doing anything, can you come and help me?"

"Sure, Grandma Izayoi!" Ichiro called as he soon went into the kitchen join her, and meanwhile, Toga was still playing Follow the Leader with his younger grandchildren, who giggled as they looked at each other with mischeivous glints in their eyes.

"Hmm...I'd best make sure that these followers of mine are indeed following me," Toga said...and the moment he turned around, Yamako and Sanka grabbed the twins and hid behind his back. "What the-?!" He turned around, again, but the giggling children quickly hid behind him, once again, causing him to (playfully) growl in frustration. "They've gone!"

"Heeheeheehee~!!" laughed Yamako and Sanka, as well as their younger sisters.

"Where's that giggling coming from?" asked Toga as he turned around, but once again, they averted his sight, laughing all the while. "Am I hearing things?!"

"Shh~!!" Yamako and Sanka both shushed the twins, both of them covering their mouths as they continued to sneakily follow after their grandfather down the stairs and out the backyard.

"Where are those cheeky followers of mine?!" Toga questioned, causing Yamako to snicker as he and his sister soon stopped behind him. "There's that giggling, again! Where's it coming from?!"

"Ready?" Yamako whispered.

"Yeah...!" Sanka nodded.

"1...2...3!" Yamako counted down before they all took in a deep breath and yelled "BOO!!!!"

"AAH!!!" Toga yelped as he jumped at least a foot in the air before he turned around. "Aha! There you are, you little traitors!!"

"RUN!!!" Sanka shouted before they all turned and ran back inside, squealing as their pureblood demon grandfather chased after them before he finally caught them in his arms and held them tight, causing them to laugh as he hugged them.

"Do it, again, Grandpa!" Sanka exclaimed while Toga sighed and gently set the children down on the floor.

"Sorry, kids, but...I don't think I have another game in me," he said, causing Sanka to purse her lips in a pout.

"Maybe you can play a game that doesn't involve Grandpa running out of steam?" Ichiro suggested while he rinsed some shrimp off in the sink.

"Ooh!" Sanka chirped. "I know! Grandpa, Mommy bought me some new nail polish yesterday! Can I paint your nails?"

"Well...I..." Toga started.

"Pretty please~?" asked Sanka while giving her grandfather the old Puppy Dog Eyes and even threw in a little whimper...which, of course, led his heart to turn into a big pile of mush on the inside before he sighed in defeat.

"Okay, San, you win," he said, causing her to giggle as she hurried upstairs, but then he noticed Yamako standing off to the side, his ears drooping once again. "Do you wanna help your sister, Yama?"

"I think I'll pass on this one," said Yamako as he went over to the couch, climbed up onto one, and sighed as he sat down, leaning against the arm. It was then that Izayoi came walking in while holding the twins.

"Yama?" Izayoi asked as she sat down next to him. "Are you okay, sweetie pie?"

"...I'm trying to have fun," Yamako began, "but...playing with Grandpa only takes my mind off Mom for just a little while...but then I start missing her again."

"I understand," Izayoi said as she gently put her two youngest granddaughters on the couch, then reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. "I'll tell you what: I'll call your parents and ask them to come back."

"Really?" Yamako asked, hopefully.

"Grandma, what are you doing?" Ichiro asked, worriedly, causing her to smile and wink at him, which caused him to gasp quietly. "Ohh...!"

"Okay...I think I've got your father's name on speed-dial here," Izayoi said while she tapped on the screen, then she held the phone up to her ear.

"Thanks, Grandma," said Yamako.

"Oh, of course, honey," said Izayoi. "It's just...well...your mother and father were really looking forward to spending some time together...alone."

"Well...how come they just don't do it during the day?" asked Yamako.

"Well, they used to," answered Izayoi, "but they don't do it as often as they would because first they had your brother, and then they had you, and then they had your sisters...not to mention Riki, too. It's not easy when your dad's a police officer and you have five kids to raise."

"...Oh..." Yamako muttered in realization.

"You know, Yama," Izayoi began, "when your father was your age, he didn't like me leaving him at home, either. He wanted to be around me, all the time...especially when your grandfather and I tried to go out for dates."

"Ha! I remember this one time he pretended to have the chickenpox," Toga laughed. "He painted red spots on himself and it took 3 days for them to wash off."

"Haha!" Yamako laughed. "Silly Dad!"

"Wait a minute, you mean to tell me that Dad was a mama's boy?" asked Ichiro, incredulously, which caused his grandmother to side-eye him, warningly. "Uh...not that that's a bad thing, of course! Heheh...!"

"Anyway," Izayoi began, "as your father got older, he started to realize how important it was for the two of us to spend time together as much as we could...and do you know why, Yama?"

"Why?" asked Yamako.

"Because your grandmother and I love each other, very much," Toga said as he came up and hugged his beloved Izayoi from behind, tenderly kissing her cheek, which caused her to chuckle while Ichiro stuck his tongue in disgust.

"Ugh...old people cooties..." he grimaced.

"And your mother and father love each other very much, too," added Izayoi. "That's why they try to spend as much time as they can with each other. It's nothing against you...it's just that grownups like to have fun, together, too."

"...Huh," Yamako muttered. "I guess I didn't think about it that way."

"Well, there you go," Izayoi said as she looked at her phone. "It's ringing..."

"...Um...Grandma?" asked Yamako. "Can you hang up?"

"Oh!" Izayoi said. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah...I don't wanna interrupt Mom and Dad's good time," Yamako replied.

"...That sounds like a good idea," Izayoi smiled. "How about you and your brother help me in the kitchen while your sisters are playing with Grandpa?"

"Okay!" answered Yamako before he ran into the kitchen while Ichiro followed after him, gently ruffling his hair as he did.

"...You weren't really calling Inuyasha and Kagome, were you?" asked Toga while he held the twins.

"Nope," Izayoi grinned as she held up her phone, revealing it to be set to some candy game, which caused her husband to chuckle.

XXX

It was almost 3 hours later when Inuyasha and Kagome pulled up to the driveway and got out of the car.

"Not a single call from your parents," Kagome mused as she headed to the door.

"Yeah," Inuyasha said. "I hope they didn't wear Dad out too much. He's getting up there in years for a demon." On that, he quietly unlocked the door and pushed it open, taking a peek inside. "Hello? Anybody here?"

The first thing he noticed when he got inside was that the smell of shrimp tempura was still lingering in the kitchen, even though all the dishes and the pan was clean. The second thing he noticed...were his parents, both of them lying on the couch with the kids in their pajamas, all piled on top of them, all of them passed. Yamako was lying on his grandmother's side while she held the twins and Sanka was lying on top of her grandfather's stomach, and Ichiro snored as he lied on the floor with the dog, who was also curled up beside him.

"...No wonder," Kagome said with a warm smile.

"Psst...Mom...Dad..." Inuyasha whispered as he gently shook his mother's shoulder, causing her to moan quietly as she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Oh, you're back..."

"Yama..." Kagome called, softly. "I'm home, honey."

"Mm...Mom...?" Yamako asked as he opened his eyes.

"Hey...did you have a fun a time with Grandma and Grandpa?" Kagome asked.

"Yeah...I did," Yamako replied with a sleepy smile, "but I'm glad you're home."

"...Me, too, honey," Kagome said as she kissed him on the forehead, causing him to giggle while Inuyasha chuckled softly as he went to wake up Ichiro, who groaned as he sat up.

"What time is it...?" asked Ichiro while Riki let out a tired yawn.

"It's time for you guys to get in your own beds," Kagome said as she carefully picked up Little Izayoi and Usagi, then carried them up the stairs to bed while Inuyasha picked Sanka up and took her into his arms, cradling her head against his shoulder, then followed his wife upstairs, as well, while Ichiro and Yamako came sleepily lumbering along after him.

"Oh, by the way," Inuyasha said as he glanced back at his father, "nice nail polish, Dad. Hot pink really suits you."

Toga's eyes went wide and his face flushed red as he glanced down at his hot pink nails while Izayoi did her best to stifle her laughter.

#inuyasha #inuyasha modern au #inuyasha fanfiction #inukag #inuyasha x kagome #toga x izayoi #togaiza

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