witchygirl99:

So, following the lead of @dawnriderand@superpixie42, I am also responding to this terribly late, but I feel less bad about it lol. And I must thank both @clearwillowand@neutronstarchild for sending this to me. Thank you for thinking of me ❤️

I’ll first do my favourite 5 recent stories (2017-2022), and then my favourite 5 old stories (2007-2016).

1.Deductions: Writing this mystery was maybe the most fun I’ve ever had. It took two pages of a cloud chart, and a 12-tab excel sheet to make happen, but it happened. Sherlock!Inuyasha has my heart, and I can’t wait for you to read Revelations.

2.We Should Kiss: You’ll be surprised to know that this story is tied with Deductionsfor my most favourite story written of all time. I’ve never written a love story so pure. I ripped my own heart out while writing it. I know not everyone is into KagKik, and that’s cool, but if you just love love stories, you may (?) find it worth it.

3.Life Written Between Chicken Wings: The MirSan fic that consumed my soul. Done with the amazing @magnoliajades. It was her idea, so all credit for its conception goes to her. We are blessed.

4.Leverage: When I said I wanted to write a human-assassin-soulmate AU, I think most of you thought I was insane. Worth it, though.

5.Breathless: SMUT. SMUTSMUTSMUTSMUTSMUT. But truly, this is top five solely because of @nartistadigital. Have you seenthe art? Forget my writing.

6.Tell Me I’m Crazy: The story that had me return to writing after years away. Inuyasha’s friendships in this story were so important, and I treasure them most. Also: Naraku doing yoga in his underwear and thriving really just had to be told, you know?

7.What You’re Falling On: The fastest story I’ve ever written. Despite the storyline, it was only a romance. Plot be damned.

8.Happiness: Technically, all 3 stories in this universe kind of mush together here. I loaf it. I loaf it so, so much. This is, sadly, my kind of humour.

9.You’ve Got Mail: I’ve only ever received one flame in my 16 year fanfiction career. It was for this story. Too bad this somehow ended up being the most popular story I’ve ever published LOL. You can still read the flame. I do, every once in a while when I’m feeling nostalgic.

10.Imaginary: I owe so much to this story. It was the reason I even started to have a subscriber base. I will never, ever re-read it, but I am grateful to it nonetheless.

anisaanisa:

Chapter 90: Dirty
Summary: Sometimes, all it takes is one word. A love story told in 100-word drabbles.
Rating:M
Tags: AU - Modern Setting, Romance, Fluff, Slice of Life, Meet Cute, They’re Both Idiots Your Honour

Kagome knew she was playing dirty. She had lured Inuyasha into a false sense of security. He thought she was working late, and a small, wicked part of her delighted in knowing he was so unsuspecting while she stared at his front door.

She’d learned his nose would catch on quick, so she knocked, holding her breath while the shuffle of feet drew nearer.

The lock went first, then the chain, then the door opened. But it wasn’t Inuyasha on the other side, and Kagome’s heart sank when she came face to face with a stranger who wasn’t her boyfriend.

Read it on AO3▶

Begin Again - Rated T

ChapterNine

You can read it on AO3!

Chapter 8 on tumblr here!

Wonderful fan art by my lovely friend @audrieberrie who I commissioned these two pieces for her to do. Please give her a follow and support her art! Her twitter here!

❤❤❤

Kagome ran her fingers across the silky, smooth fabrics displayed on the rack, a large range of colors spreading across the large room for miles. She could get lost in here honestly, but being locked in a store filled with gorgeous dresses didn’t sound too bad. There was just way too many options to choose from, and since Kagome had no idea what kind of dress she even wanted it made shopping more difficult.

“Kagome, what about this one?” Sango’s voice called out from beside her. She was rummaging through another rack filled with yellow and orange dresses.

“You sure orange looks good on me?” Kagome asked with a wrinkled nose, “I know it’s the color of the season, but it doesn’t work on me.”

Her friend rolled her eyes and lifted the gown from the hook, carefully laying it over her forearm so it doesn’t wrinkle or touch the ground. “I think you look hot in any color, so at least try it on please? We’ve gone to four stores with no luck!”

Kagome blushed with embarrassment, “Sorry Sango, I probably should have decided what color and style I wanted before asking you to come with me.”

A gentle hand patted her shoulder in reassurance, “Babe, it’s okay. Inuyasha asked you last second, and you’ve had too much going on to even think about dresses. I just want you to understand that you look good in everything.”

A little smile appeared on Kagome’s face, “Thanks. I think I’m just nervous.”

Sango snorted as she continued to search for more dresses. “Meeting the family of your future boyfriend sounds terrifying, I get it.”

“It’s not just that!” Kagome whined, completely brushing off the boyfriend comment, “I-I wanna make sure I don’t mess anything up.”

As her best friend picked up another dress, this time in auburn, Sango blew out a raspberry in response. “You won’t mess up anything. You’re going to do as we planned, and tell him after the wedding!”

Kagome looked up to the ceiling and groaned, the bright lights burning her eyes weren’t enough to distract her from her own misery. “Do I have to?”

Sango laughed from behind her, “You decided last night that you were confessing like this, not me! But I know you can do it.”

Her slender fingers gripped the hook of a blue dress, it was shorter compared to the rest that she had chosen, but it was very pretty and yet still wedding appropriate.

“Ooooo, I like that one a lot!” Her best friend praised, “I think that one would look so good on you!”

Nodding, she walked over to Sango and motioned over to the fitting rooms. “Let me try these on before we take the entire store with us.”

They giggled as they headed over to the changing rooms with their arms filled with different dresses. Kagome should have been more specific, but what Sango said was true; she had no time to daydream about a dress when so much happened in such little time.

The day after Kei showed up at her apartment again, Kagome had filled up the paperwork for the restraining order and dropped it off at the police department. She was told that he was released earlier that day, and although it made her very uneasy she was sure she would never see him ever again.

If the restraining order doesn’t hold him off, then Inuyasha’s threat to his life certainly will.

Nervously she explained what happened to her mother, Sango, and Miroku and they all roughly reacted in the same way. Except, Sango wanted to rip out Kei’s throat from how angry she was, and Kagome knew she was very capable of doing so.

Inuyasha never strayed too far away from Kagome after that either, having called in sick to work the first two days of the week so she wasn’t alone in her apartment herself. While she worked on her computer, he would nap on her couch or watch tv. Having him over really did help her calm down, and Buyo didn’t seem to mind either. They both shared the couch while they napped, and Inuyasha loved playing with her cat.

He stayed the night as well. Inuyasha would gather his clothes from his home quicker than Kagome could register his speed and he would be tucked into his temporary bed immediately after. They would cook together, eat together, and watch tv together until it was time for them to catch some sleep.

Even though it was just two days, it felt a lot longer, and Kagome couldn’t help but wonder if that was what her life would be like if they were to get together.

The idea made her heart swell up.

Another thing that didn’t help was that he was a lot more flustered around her like he didn’t know what to do sometimes. She had no idea what could have caused this shift in dynamic but it made her nervous and hyper-aware of how much he blushed around her. It was endearing, and it made her giddy to see just how much she could make him blush without any effort.

Something had shifted between them again, and she didn’t know what caused it, but she wasn’t going to complain about it. This shift could make confessing to him easier, however, the fear of messing it all up still hung up high above her head.

“You know,” Kagome started as hung the dresses neatly on the hook. “I don’t even know how I’m going to bring it up to him.”

Sango closed the door and sat down on the bench inside the room while Kagome began to change. “It doesn’t have to be something grandiose. I feel like that’s the complete opposite of what you two are anyway.”

Kagome laughed loudly as she fiddled with the orange dress. “What’s that supposed to mean!”

Sango hung her head back to catch her breath from laughing too, “You guys are complete messes! I think if either of you decided to do something romantic, it would turn into a disaster. But in a cute way!”

Nodding her head in agreement, Kagome couldn’t stop the giggles from bubbling out of her throat. Once the dress was on she took a look at her reflection and started laughing again. “I look like a basketball.”

The dress looked so cute on the hanger, the skirt was a bit poofy, but still flattering around her waist. However, it was so orange, that Kagome couldn’t think of anything else to compare it to.

Her friend grinned at her and snorted, “At least it fits the narrative! If he shoots his shot he scores?”

“That was terrible, Sango!” Kagome complained while she took off the dress. “You’re letting Miroku influence you.”

Sango watched as she hung the orange gown on another hook before grabbing at the auburn one and sliding it over her body. It landed above her ankles, made of satin and it bunched at the chest.

“I really like that one, and no I don’t!” Her friend wailed. “That was just a poorly thought-out joke.”

Kagome twirled in the dress and smiled at her reflection, “This is way better than the flat-out orange color, and it’s super soft.” She skipped over to the bench where she sat and lifted the fabric in her hands. “Touch it.”

Sango ran her fingers across the satin and shivered from the smooth touch on her fingertips, “You should buy this one even if you don’t choose it for the wedding.”

“You think so?” She asked giddily, immediately imagining herself wearing it on a night out with Inuyasha.

A vision also flashed in her head about him taking it off of her, and she flushed a deep shade of red at the lewd thought. As quickly as it came into her mind it disappeared, and she was left with a tingling feeling in her abdomen.

“I know so.” Sango winked, completely ignoring how intensely her friend was blushing. She didn’t need to think too hard about what her friend could possibly be thinking.

“Okay, it’ll go in the ‘maybe’ pile.” Kagome squeaked as she slid back over to the hooks to try on another dress.

As she continued to put on different styles, nothing else had hit her as crazy as the auburn dress. The ones they had chosen were all beautiful, but they were either too casual, or too fancy, and Kagome wanted something nice in between.

“Last one.” She announced while unhooking the blue dress in her hand. “Let’s hope I picked a good one.”

The color was close to a dusty blue, except one shade darker. with a slit on the side. The dress’s length was above the ankle, and ruched on the right side above the leg slit. It was made of polyester with an off-the-shoulder design and it was beautiful. Kagome had made sure to ask if leg slits were allowed for the occasion, and as soon as he confirmed that they were; flushed cheeks and all, she happily made her way to the shops to begin her search.

“You look hot.” Sango complimented, completely stunned. “This is the best of the bunch.”

Kagome looked back at her reflection at different angles, making sure the dress wasn’t inappropriate or the slit was too high up for a wedding’s standards and fixed around the sleeves at her shoulders until they were at a perfect spot. She looked different, mature, and sexy, and yet she still felt poised and glamorous.

“I think we found it.” She confirmed breathily, “I really like this one.”

Sango beamed up at her best friend and squealed happily. “You’re going to knock Inuyasha out as soon as he sees you.”

“S-Sango!” Kagome blushed, “Don’t say things like that.”

She scoffed and pulled her friend into a hug, “I only ever say the truth!”

Kagome took a quick photo of herself in the blue dress before changing back into her clothes and bunching them together with the silk, auburn gown. “Now that we’re done, let’s get some lunch. I’m about to keel over.”

Sango placed the rejected dresses onto the go-back rack and followed her friend. “Let’s head to the diner. You found your dress, and you’re going to confess to him? This calls for a celebration.”

_____

Today was the day and Inuyasha wanted to pretend he died in his apartment and never come back out.

Sesshomaru has been blowing up his phone all damn day which didn’t help his mood or his nerves.

‘I’m aware that you refused to be the best man, but you should still come early.’ He could hear Sesshomaru’s voice practically echoing in his brain.

“I’ll show up when I feel like it.” Inuyasha grumbled to himself, “Stupid Sesshomaru.”

He continued to fix up his tie in the mirror and groan in frustration at how annoying it was to fix this tie. Inuyasha was never that great at dressing up in a suit, he actually hated it, and it made him miserable. Today, he had no choice but to wear one. What makes things worse, is he has to wear a suit and regalia showing off that he’s the son of a general.

“I’m so close to ripping this thing off!“ He growled, “How do they wear this every day.”

There was a reason Inuyasha works at a mechanic shop and not his father’s business besides rebelling against his dad and not following the plan. No, he also refuses to work in the Taisho company because he hates wearing suits.

His stomach was growling but he was too nervous to grab a snack from his kitchen. Sesshomaru wasn’t the only problem he was dealing with today, nor was he the main reason why he wished today would end already. Inuyasha was feeling the fluttering in his stomach and the tightening in his chest because he could hear Kagome getting ready and it was driving him insane.

She woke up earlier than she usually does on Saturdays and heard her cleaning around the house and cooking breakfast. It wasn’t until around two hours ago that he heard her go into the shower and give him another concert. She was singing along to a shuffled playlist of pop hits and took around an hour in there doing things and he was trying not to imagine her doing them.

He was failing.

Now, he could hear her humming along as she did her hair and make-up, the tune of her song sounded cheerful. Inuyasha knew they needed to leave soon because the ceremony starts in two hours and he has to be there to greet the guests along with the rest of his family.

Inuyasha sighed, extremely frustrated from everything that was happening all at once as he finished getting dressed. Thankfully his brother and fiancé chose to have a modern wedding instead of a traditional youkai ceremony. Those weddings require everyone to wear the traditional dress decorated with regalia that was too clunky for their own good. He didn’t particularly care about small details in clothing, but at least the only flashy part of his suit was his family’s inu-youkai crest and the gold buttons adorning his suit.

The worst part was the gold sash he needed to wear over his jacket, the sash that showed everyone he was part of the Taisho family and matched one of the colors of his father’s kimono. Inuyasha didn’t particularly care about showing off his family name, but today he had no choice but to participate in the matter.

Inuyasha could hear a specific click-clack sound coming from Kagome’s apartment, and he suspected that she was dressed. He swallowed his anxiety, grabbed his wallet and keys, and headed out of the door.

“Now or never.” He told himself anxiously.

After locking his door, he immediately went to knock on hers and hoped that she was almost ready to go. Unfortunately, they had a deadline to meet, and he wanted to brief her on his family and on who may be coming.

The light pitter-patter of her feet had his heartbeat racing in anticipation, he wanted to see her and he also wanted her to walk slower to her door. He had no idea what he was going to see when she greeted him, and he had no idea how he was going to react.

The door unlatched and slowly swung open which did nothing for his heart.

“Okay, I promise I’m almost ready!” Kagome’s voice rang. “My hair isn’t cooperating!”

He didn’t hear her entirely, his ears were too busy ringing loudly while his heart was thumping so roughly in his chest it could break out. Inuyasha didn’t give a shit if she was making them run late, she could do anything right now and he wouldn’t mind it.

The dress she was wearing would make any man fall onto his knees and beg for her attention, something Inuyasha was considering doing right now. It wrapped around her body like a glove, perfectly accentuating her figure. The hair framing her face made her look like a goddess, and the ebony waves cascading around her looked similar to a halo.

Honestly, Inuyasha thought he was staring at an angel.

“Inuyasha?” She asked him softly, “A-are you okay?”

He noticed how pink her cheeks looked and he wanted to ravish her until she was pink all over. “You look incredible.” He says, voice tight with want.

Her cheeks turn red and she laughs breathily, “T-hank you.” Kagome clears her throat, “Want to come inside? I’ll be ready in five.”

Inuyasha swears he looks like a fumbling idiot as he nods at her with his mouth parted and follows her in, his eyes scoring through the back of her silhouette and shamefully falling on the plush of her ass.

“Oh, man.” He whimpers pathetically under his breath.

He sat down on her couch and laid his head back on the cushion in disbelief. “How am I going to survive this?” He murmured to himself.

Kagome is the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, and he already knew that, but seeing her in that dress sealed the deal. How can a half-breed like him manage to find someone as incredible as Kagome and be lucky enough to fall for her?

He knew he needed to tell her how he felt, he can’t mess this up. There are only so many chances that the universe gives you before it gives up and shows you that you ruined your opportunity.

Her heels clicked on the hardwood floor at the same tempo as his heart and he immediately looked over at her. An embarrassing sound erupted from the back of his throat as he watched her walk toward him with a beaming smile.

“Okay, I’m ready!” She cheerfully announced, “ I have the essentials in my bag and the wedding gift is packed up too.”

Inuyasha scoffed in an attempt to shield his feelings. “Ya didn’t have’ta get ‘em anythin’.”

Kagome rolled her eyes at him as she fished for her keys, “Technically, you paid for it because you didn’t want me to pay.”

Inuyasha stood up from the couch with a heavy sigh. “Tch. Of course, I did. The fuck am I gonna let ya pay for the gift when I asked you to be my date.”

She walked over to him and patted his shoulder, the light touch from her hand sending tingles down his arm. “Thank you, Inuyasha. You didn’t have to pay for it, but I knew you wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“Bah.” The half-demon replied, “S’nothin’.”

Kagome bit her lip to suppress her smile as she turned around to pick up a box wrapped in glitter paper. “Okay, let’s head out before your brother has your head.”

Inuyasha stepped in front of her and took the gift from her hands. “Fuck my brother, I’m more worried about you walking down the stairs carryin’ this box.”

He walked towards the door in haste and Kagome finally had a chance to ogle him when he wasn’t looking. She was never the type to drool over men in suits, but Inuyasha looked so handsome that she wished she could just stare at him all day. The suit was pretty simple, besides the gold buttons here and there, and it just fit him so right. She wanted to run her hands all over him and kiss him senselessly.

If her confession goes right tonight, maybe she will.

Besides how he looked in the suit, he had his hair up in a ponytail. It was a pretty rare sight to see him in since he usually wears his hair down unless he’s out on a run. Seeing him in a ponytail just made her want to tackle him down and have her way with him.

“Kagome, relax.” She breathed. “You’re about to meet his family, you can imagine kissing him later.”

Letting out a gust of air she quickly followed him and locked the door, leaving Buyo with an endless amount of cat food and an entire house to sleep in.

“So, what’s your brother’s fiancé’s name again?” Kagome asked as she carefully descended the stairs.

“Her name is Kagura, and she can be a little intimidating when ya first meet her. I didn’t feel that way, but apparently, a lot of people do.” He explained.

Kagome nodded, anxiety creeping into her stomach. “Nice.” She simply replied. “I’m sure 99% of this party will be filled with intimidating youkai.”

“Tch. They’re nothin’ to worry about Kagome, don’t worry.” He scoffed, “As long as Rin likes ya, nothin’ else matters.”

Kagome met Inuyasha at the bottom of the stairs before walking at the same pace to his truck. “Rin is your brother’s daughter?”

He nodded, “Yeah. If ya like Rin and she likes you, Sesshomaru immediately thinks yer worth somethin’. I swear, she made him into a softie.”

“Oh, that’s so cute!” She cooed.

“He’s still a huge asshole.” He grumbled. “You’ll understand when ya meet him.”

Kagome nervously laughed as she opened the door and climbed into the passenger’s seat. “Well, what about your parents?”

The car started smoothly as soon as he turned the key, and Inuyasha began to back out of the lot. “Nothin’ much to say from what ya already know. My dad’s a big guy but he’s got a soft spot for humans since ya know, he married my mom.” He paused, “And my mom’s the best person in the world, so there’s nothin’ more to say.”

Kagome smiled at his comment about his mother, making sure not to mention how adorable it was. Inuyasha struggles to express his feelings about people, and he normally describes others in the most simple way possible. However when it comes to his parents, specifically his mother, he doesn’t hold back about how much he appreciates her.

“Is it okay to say I’m nervous?” Kagome asked with a shaky voice.

As Inuyasha pulled into the highway, he snorted in disagreement. “I get ya, but seriously. There’s nothin’ to worry about. Stick with me and you’ll be fine.”

She wasn’t going to leave his side regardless, crush her damned, so she wasn’t going to disagree with him there.

“Okay,” She closed her eyes. “Anyone else I need to know about specifically?”

“Sesshomaru’s mom is uh… interestin’. She may or may not come to talk to ya. Then there’s Myoga and Totosai, they’re close with my dad. Besides them, there isn’t anyone else I can tell ya that matters much.”

The highway spread out for miles as it filled up with cars trying to get to their destinations before the evening traffic. Seeing everyone drive around allowed Kagome to relax a bit.

“This will be fun.” She replied as she played with the ends of her hair.

While he kept his eyes on the road and left hand on the wheel, he lifted his other hand and grabbed hers, the tresses of her immediately falling out of her grip as they intertwined their fingers.

He held her firmly as their hands landed on the soft cushioning of her thigh, “I’m never leavin’ yer side, the whole night, so just enjoy yourself.”

Kagome squeezed his hand and he squeezed back, it was warm and comforting, and their fingers fit perfectly together like it was meant to be. She flushed madly at the contact, and when she gazed over at him, his cheeks were tinted in red as well.

His hand was so warm, just like him, and the heat spread into her body and made a permanent home in her chest.

‘Oh.’ She immediately realized. ‘I never thought I’d feel like this again.’

He made her heart pound so quickly, and every time he smiled at her or laughed she swears she feels it skipping a few beats. Even if he knew of her feelings, he wouldn’t know just how deeply she felt for him.

The venue wasn’t very far from their complex, the distance being an hour at most, and after the conversation about his family they didn’t let go of each other’s hand the entire ride. They would fiddle around each other’s fingers here and there, but neither of them initiated a time where they wanted to let go. While they drove they continued to talk about Inuyasha’s parents, which in turn had Kagome telling him more about hers. Eventually, there was no conversation at all; just the two of them singing along to the songs that came on the radio completely out of tune while they danced in their seats.

“I think… we’re here.” Inuyasha alerted her as he turned into the humongous driveway that led up a small hill.

“Wow, your brother went all out for this,” Kagome commented in awe. The venue looked gorgeous from outside the driveway. It was a mansion, small in size compared to others but with a lot of lands. Made of white and grey brick and tall columns with balconies in between. Beautiful gardens surrounded the area, along with a few lakes and green pastures filled with trees.

“Leave it to him to be as extravagant as ever.” He grumbled as he parked his car on an empty square lot. “Kagura definitely had a huge say in choosing this place too.”

They climbed out of the truck in comfortable silence, the both of them missing the warmth from their hands, and walked over towards the grand entrance. The sun was still out, but it will begin to set a little after the ceremony is over. All of the birds were singing above them in the trees, the ducks and squirrels were walking along the ground, and the crickets were making sure that they could be heard. Nature was a big part of this venue, and Kagome absolutely loved it.

“I can’t deny that they don’t have good taste.” Kagome smiled, “I would definitely have a wedding here if I could afford it.”

Inuyasha’s ears flicked at her comment, taking note of what she said and storing it into the part of his brain where he doesn’t forget things. He may look like a fool for paying attention so closely to that, but he won’t be one if everything plays out in his favor.

He opened the main door and let Kagome walk in front of him first, both of them reacting in surprise at just how big this place looked from the inside. The entryway itself was elegantly decorated with flowers along with a portrait of the newlyweds and a little girl. There was a small table with a photo album open, each page containing black and white pictures that were both taken professionally or by the couple themselves. There were empty spaces left beside each page for guests to write a message if they choose to.

Immediately Kagome went to sign the album and wrote a simple congratulations to the happy couple, and begrudgingly; Inuyasha signed his name beside hers.

“Guess we should go find my parents.” The half-demon announced nervously.

“Y-yeah, I guess we should.” Kagome nodded and stepped backward, yelling as she accidentally bumped into someone working staff who was setting the last touches around the venue.

Inuyasha pulled her into him by her waist at hearing her distress before she could lose her balance and make the poor stranger fall to the ground.

“Oí, are you alright?” He asked her gruffly.

“I am so, so sorry!” She apologized to the man, completely ignoring the half-demon that was holding her in his arms.

The man smiled at her and apologized as well, even though it was her fault she was so clumsy and accepted her sincere apology. As soon as he walked away, she sighed in relief and turned back around to stare right into frustrated golden eyes.

“W-what?“ Kagome asked breathlessly.

“I asked ya if you were alright.” He said again, his hold on her waist not loosening for a second.

“I’m fine.” She blushed, finally noticing how her hand splayed delicately on his chest. “I-I’m clumsy.”

His eyes flickered to her lips before meeting her eyes again. “I know.”

“I’ll be more careful.” She whispered. Was it suddenly hotter in this room?

“Ya better, or else I gotta keep ya glued to me the whole night.”

“T-hat doesn’t sound like a bad idea.” She breathed.

“Yeah?” He smirked at her hungrily, with a little fang poking out of his mouth.

The way he was looking at her made her legs wobble.

“Inuyasha!” A loud, booming male voice echoed in the doorway, immediately snapping the pair out of a spell.

The half-demon sighed and dropped his head, the sound of his parents calling his name completely ruining the moment.

Kagome furrowed her brow and did not move from his hold, “Who’s-?”

“The two people yelling my name so loudly it echoes around the whole building? That would be my parents.” He chuckled embarrassedly.

A squeak escaped her throat as she noticed a couple excitedly walking over to them, a man who looked exactly like Inuyasha and a short human woman. What’s worse, Inuyasha’s arm was still tightly wrapped around her middle, and whether or not he was being of it she didn’t think he would let her go.

“Um?” She hesitated, the anxious tone in her voice causing her neighbor to look back at her. “S-shouldn’t you let me go?”

His ears flicked; which Kagome found very cute, and he immediately dropped his arm from her waist. She could still feel the warmth of his body on hers as she tried to stop her cheeks from turning a deep shade of red.

However, his hand didn’t stray far from hers as they brushed each other periodically.

“My sweet boy, how are you?” His mother greeted loudly. The overly sweet implications of his mother’s words had Inuyasha’s face heating up.

“I’m fine, ma.” He answered her fatly.

“Inuyasha, try sounding a little happier when talking to your mother.” His father chastised,

“Sorry, ma.” He apologized.

Kagome couldn’t help but giggle at the scene in front of her. He reminded her of a child being scolded, and it was adorable.

His mother’s gaze landed on her immediately, and the resemblance he had to her was uncanny. Kagome had no idea which parent Inuyasha resembles most because when she looked at them individually it was like looking in a mirror.

“You must be Kagome!” She exclaimed happily, heeled feet quickly clicking over to drag Kagome into a tight hug.

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Taisho.” Kagome smiled into her neck as she hugged the woman back.

“Oh please, call me Izayoi.” His mother quickly replied. She stepped away from the hug and motioned over to his father. “This is my husband, Toga.”

He was very tall and very big, almost intimidating; but his kind auburn eyes stopped her from feeling any nerves. “Kagome, it’s nice to finally meet the girl my son keeps talking about.”

Kagome heard Inuyasha choke from somewhere behind him and it took everything in her not to fall into a fit of giggles.

“I would hope he tells you guys good things?” She asked shyly.

“Oh yes, he’s always-“

“Alright, now, we got the introductions outta the way.” Inuyasha suddenly said, completely cutting off his father while Toga only coyly smirked at him. “When the hell are we gonna get started with this weddin’?“

“Wow Inuyasha, you’re suddenly so invested in your brother’s wedding,” Toga said with a grin.

He glared at his dad and mumbled something incoherent for the human ear to hear clearly, but the look his father gave him made Inuyasha regret whatever it is he had said at the moment.

Before Kagome could say anything to stir away from the awkwardness, little footsteps scurried from down the hall, and a little girl who didn’t look more than four years old appeared in a baby pink dress. “Uncle!” She happily squealed.

Inuyasha bent down and caught the happy girl in his arms, lifting her up with ease and twirling her around while she giggled happily. “Rin! How are ya doin’ runt?”

“Good!” She replied loudly, her chest heaving to catch some air. “I’m papa’s flower girl!”

“The flower girl huh?” Inuyasha asked her, “You have the most important job of the day.”

Rin giggled, “You think so?”

“Does yer uncle ever lie to ya?” He stared at her with a smirk.

Rin thought for a moment and cocked her little head to the side, clearly digging around for an answer. “Sometimes.” She replied.

Inuyasha’s ears flattened in a reaction that made both Rin and Kagome laugh outwardly. The little girl heard her and turned her attention to Kagome, “Hi! I’m Rin! What’s your name?”

“My name is Kagome,” She smiled at her, “I think your dress is very pretty.”

Rin blushed and hid in Inuyasha’s chest from the compliment. “Thank you. You look pretty too!”

Sweet compliments from children always get Kagome worked up, and she did her best to calm her emotions. “Thank you, are you excited for your dad?”

Rin nodded and wiggled in Inuyasha’s arms, “Papa’s happy with my new mama, and she makes me happy too.”

Before Kagome could respond, another pair of footsteps echoed into the entrance. They were poised, almost hard to hear from how light each step was. Once the person came through the corridor Kagome immediately knew it was Sesshomaru. Tall, stoic, another copy of his father, except he had a crescent moon on his forehead; something Inuyasha and his father lacked.

“Rin.” Sesshomaru beckoned, still and cold. “Kagura would like to speak with you.”

“Okay!” Rin wiggled around in her uncle’s arms, similar to a little worm, and thankfully Inuyasha’s strength allowed her to touch the ground stability instead of falling out of his arms and injuring herself. She ran towards the middle of the mansion before turning and waving at everyone she left behind. “Bye!”

Inuyasha waved at her until she ran out of view before his face fell into a scowl. “You know, you should talk to ‘er like she’s yer daughter. Don’t ya think?”

Sesshomaru stood a few feet in front of his brother with an emotionless face. “Hello to you too, brother.”

Kagome stood awkwardly beside Izayoi and Toga, the lovely couple rolling their eyes as they watched the two men in front of them. Really, it was as if Toga split himself into two pieces and created clones. The differences they all had was minimal, regardless of some of the obvious physical differences. Inuyasha’s the only one with fluffy ears, Sesshomaru has a crescent moon and red stripes on his cheeks, while their father’s cheeks stripes are blue. And although Inuyasha looked uncanny to his father, he also had his mother’s beautiful features. It made her wonder what Sesshomaru’s mother looked like.

His sharp gaze landed on hers and Kagome had an instant urge to straighten her back and stand stock still. “This woman must be Kagome. Thank you for accompanying my little brother as his date.”

“N-no thank you needed!” She nervously replied, “Thank you for having me, and congratulations.”

He simply nodded at her before turning his attention back to the rest of the family. Kagome guessed that was as far as their conversation was going to go for the rest of the evening.

She listened quietly as he explained the gameplay now that everyone was here. As she understood, they would greet the guests as they trickled in, and ten minutes before the ceremony begins, they close the doors and go to their places. Rin would start the ceremony with the flowers and rings, Toga and Izayoi would walk down the aisle, followed by Sesshomaru and his mother, and Inuyasha would find his seat alongside Kagome where the ceremony will be taking place. It was a pretty simple task that she knew Inuyasha definitely didn’t want to do but was going to be forced to do anyway.

After the quick briefing, Kagome was dragged forward by Izayoi’s awaiting hand to learn more about each other, leaving Inuyasha alone with Sesshomaru.

“You actually found a date, good job little brother.” Sesshomaru chuckled.

“Only cause ya wouldn’t shut up about it.” Inuyasha defended.

“I know that’s not the only reason why.”

Sesshomaru was looking at him with this cocky look on his face and it took everything in him not to sock him in the face. “What are you sayin’?”

His older brother shrugged, “Easy. You like her.”

Inuyasha tried to hide his blush and failed, “Keep yer voice down will ya!”

The inu daiyokai let out a breathy snort, “She’s too busy talking to your mother to hear us.”

Inuyasha groaned in embarrassment and frustration, knowing his mom was probably asking Kagome a bunch of questions that he couldn’t interrupt. “I… haven’t told her yet.”

Sesshomaru made a noise and rolled his eyes at the obvious statement. “Not that I particularly care about what you do with your life Inuyasha, but if a woman chooses you when you act like a rabid animal most of the time, I would suggest making a move before somebody else beats you to it.”

The half-demon crossed his arms over his chest and huffed, “What do you know.”

“I’m getting married. I know enough.” Sesshomaru chuckled before walking away, “Just listen to me for once, little brother.” He said before he disappeared into the main room.

The half-demon continued to argue with no one in particular as he stood alone to sulk. He knows what he needs to do but he doesn’t know when to do it! He’s still reeling at the fact that Kagome’s feelings are mutual, which is something he didn’t think would be possible. She’s leagues above him, and could choose anyone else, and yet she picked him.

Her cackling laugh took him out of his stupor, the way she was doubled over from something his dad said made his body tingle. She was comfortable with his parents already, and the realization already had his head swimming with ideas and scenarios.

Kagome accepts him for his flaws, his strengths, and weaknesses, and doesn’t view him differently just because of his blood. She cares about him and has taken time to learn about his past, his likes and dislikes. Her heart is made of gold and yet it’s still permeable; allowing for empathy and her kindness for others to shine through. She was everything; the sky, the ground, the ocean, his morning coffee, his favorite show, the sunlight that peaks through the blinds when he least expects it.

“I have to tell her.” He whispered to himself, his voice wavering with every word. “Tonight. I have to tell her tonight.”

While he walked over to his parents and Kagome, the wedding guests had already begun to show up. To nobody’s surprise, they were all demons; coworkers from their father’s company, friends, and important close acquaintances. Inuyasha kept his greetings short, allowing for his parents to do all of the sweet-talking. In the frenzy, he caught Kagome standing still as she leaned on the door in a fit of nerves.

“You feelin’ alright?” He asked her, chuckling when she jumped at his sudden words.

Kagome slid a piece of ebony hair behind her head and laughed shakily. “Yeah, just nervous. Your parents are great, seriously, I didn’t expect them to take to me so kindly.”

“Mmm, sounds like there was a ‘but’ in there that ya didn’t say.” He pursed his lips.

She laughed, “Yeah, there is.” A pause. “I don’t want to mess up.”

He furrowed his brow at her in question, “Kagome, there’s nothing that you can mess up.”

She released a shaky breath and pulled her head to the side to look at him, “And if there is?”

He shrugged. “Then fuck it, I’ll mess up with you. If you fall, I fall.” He leaned close to her, his warm breath tickling the skin on her neck. “But, ya won’t mess up. Yer incredible as you are.”

A flush appeared on her face and neck, coloring the skin so beautifully it made Inuyasha’s mouth water. “I-I am?”

He growled at her, low and non-threatening, and something about the sound made her body grow with need. “Woman quit doubting yerself.”

She swallowed down the urge to press herself closer to him and rolled her hands into fists. “Okay, I get it.” She giggled, “Thank you.”

They fell into a comfortable silence as more guests walked through the doors, the time was ticking closer to the beginning of the ceremony, and any stragglers were going to have to wait until the end for them to be let inside the doors.

Toga and Izayoi took their leave to prepare for their entrance, leaving Kagome and Inuyasha to greet the remaining few that made it just in time. With a few minutes to spare, they closed the doors and walked to the ballroom where two empty seats were waiting to be sat on. It felt a little overwhelming to walk down the aisle with so many eyes staring at them, but Inuyasha had grabbed Kagome by the hand as he led them to their assigned seats, and the idea to turn on her tail and run immediately disappeared from her mind.

The ballroom was huge, which was a lot to say because the mansion itself was gigantic. With raised ceilings and a giant window that showed the yard, this room looked like it could store hundreds of people. Kagome could spot a gazebo in the garden beside the lake, and it made the scenery behind the altar magical. The sun was starting to set, making the room bask in a warm golden glow. The light leaking in made the red roses even more beautiful, and it mixed in well with the white and gold drapery.

Kagome never let go of Inuyasha’s hand, and he never made a move to release hers as the music started. One by one, Inuyasha’s family poured into the room, with Rin happily adorning the ground with red petals as her grandparents happily followed behind her. After Toga and Izayoi found their seats beside Rin, it was Sesshomaru’s turn to walk out into the aisle; and the woman he was walking with was his mother. Their resemblance was also uncanny, and it made Kagome wonder just how strong youkai genes were.

Sesshomaru helped his mother to her seat before standing at the altar, he looked nervous; even though it was a little hard to tell. However, Kagome couldn’t think about that for too long because the music’s pace changed, signaling that the bride was about to make her appearance.

Everyone stood, including Inuyasha and Kagome; and the guests erupted in low gasps as Kagura appeared at the doorway. She was stunning, as gorgeous as was expected to be while walking down in her white gown. The dress adorned her figure beautifully, and the only color that popped was the red that tinted her lips.

Sesshomaru looked like he was too stunned for words.

The ceremony went by quickly, with the newlywed couple exchanging their vows and sealing their promise with a kiss. It felt magical, and the feeling that was left in the air was joyful and carefree.

Afterward, the guests were moved to another room where the reception would be held and it was just as grand and gorgeous as the ballroom. There was a door that led to the backyard, where the gazebo was located, and another bar. Inside the room is where all of the tables were located for the guests, room to dance, and a platform for Sesshomaru and Kagura to sit.

Kagome and Inuyasha sat at the same table as his parents and his niece, and during the couple’s first dance Inuyasha slid his arm over Kagome’s chair, she could feel the warmth from his body radiating towards her back and it was making her skin prickle in goosebumps.

At first, she was tense, a complete nervous wreck knowing that he technically had his arm around her shoulders. She decided to take a quick peach over at him and noticed that he was just as stiff as she was, except his cheeks were flushed a pretty shade of pink, and Kagome couldn’t help but giggle from how cute he looked.

To his surprise, she leaned into him to feel a little closer and had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing at how his body jumped in reaction to her movement.

Inuyasha stared down at her with a half-grin on his face, “Whatcha laughin’ at?”

Kagome looked up at him with a doe-eyed look and smiled. “Oh, nothing.” Just for the fun of it, she crossed her leg over the other, giving Inuyasha a perfect view of her thick thighs under the dim lighting.

She was going to be the end of him.

He groaned under his breath and hung his head pathetically, “Yer not playin’ fair.”

Shrugging like she was innocent, Kagome snuggled into his side and sighed comfortably. She could feel his heart thumping loudly by her ear like a drum. Knowing it was she who was making him react this way was selfish and indulgent; because Inuyasha is handsome and untouchable. It was unreal that a man like him could fall for her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Slowly, as if to keep her on her toes, Inuyasha slithered his left hand over Kagome’s thigh, letting it rest comfortably on the soft plush on her skin. He heard her squeak in surprise and felt her skin heat up from underneath his palm, and a cocky smirk played on his lips.

“Two can play at that game.” He whispered in her ear. She was flushed red, the heat coming off of her was addictive. He wanted to tilt her, grab her chin and kiss her mindlessly, but he had no choice but to simmer down those urges.

He can’t make out with her at his brother’s wedding, sitting beside his parents.

So they sat like this as an unbelievable tension built up between them, thick enough to cut through it with a knife, and did nothing about it. While Sesshomaru and Kagura shared their first dance, Kagome and Inuyasha were trying not to explode from within their seats.

After the dance and some speeches, both of which Inuyasha did not partake in; the mood in the ballroom lifted to something more lively. A mixture of different conversations was brewing around the giant room as the waiters and waitresses bustled around bringing everyone their dinners.

Kagome had moved away a bit, now sitting comfortably in her seat instead of leaning on Inuyasha’s body, but his hand was still heavy on her thigh. She could feel it on her like a deadweight. His hand was so big compared to hers, and as it covered the soft skin of her thigh her thoughts were becoming dangerously risky.

The kind smile Izayoi shot her had those ideas melting away, the feeling of suddenly getting caught doing something bad making her push them out of her system.

“Kagome, you look absolutely beautiful tonight, doesn’t she, dear?” His mother motioned over to her son who was listening intently.

“Y-eah.” Inuyasha choked out, not expecting his mother to put him on the spot.

“Inuyasha, come on, I know you can do better than that.” Toga chuckled.

He wanted the ground to swallow him up.

“You-“ Inuyasha coughed, “You look beautiful.” His cheeks were so red, it would make his hoodie look brown in comparison.

Kagome laughed nervously and smiled, waving her hand at no one in particular. “Thank you, that’s very sweet of you both.” She managed to say without choking from nerves.

The waiter comes to their table and places plates of salads in front of everyone with a friendly smile, the salads look somewhat appetizing which is saying something because Kagome doesn’t normally choose a salad as a starter dish. Inuyasha snorts when he looks at her expression, which was probably one of half disgust.

“So Kagome, Inuyasha tells me you’re a writer?” Izayoi asks with interest. Toga doesn’t speak, instead, his eyes flicker between the two young neighbors.

Kagome smiles, “I work for a publishing company as one of their lead editors. It’s definitely a huge step from what I used to do, even though the work is nonstop.”

Toga fills Izayoai’s cup with more water from the tall glass on the table, “Big book fan I guess?” He decides to ask.

Her eyes lit up and Inuyasha’s heart pangs in reaction, “Yes! I’ve always loved to read and write, it was a huge stress reliever and a passion of mine as a kid.” She took a sip of her water and laughed. “Although I can’t say the same about math.”

His parents laugh along with her and he can’t help but grin, a feeling of comfort washes over him as he begins to think that this might be his new normal if he puts his big boy pants on and asks her out.

Izayoi bends over to whisper in her ear, “Inuyasha was the smartest with math and science but english was where he struggled most.”

“Ma, I heard ya,” Inuyasha pouted at her while pointing at his ears.

His mother scoffed and tried to play it off, “And you heard me tell Kagome that you are my big smart, sweet boy.”

Toga coughed in an attempt to suppress a laugh, his eyes glued to Inuyasha’s face. “Izayoi, beloved, you’re smothering him.”

She smacked his chest lightly and he chuckled, going back to quietly eating his plate of salad with mild interest. Kagome glanced over at Inuyasha and grinned, wondering if his cheeks were going to stay that shade of flushed pink for the rest of the night.

“I am not, and if I was, I’m his mother. I’m allowed to smother him.” She stated matter of factly.

The waiter arrives with the second helping of food, this time it’s the main course, which was definitely the kind of dinner Kagome could get behind. As they ate, they continued to keep the conversation going with one another. To Inuyasha’s dismay, his mother brought up the story of when he played so roughly as a kid he broke his fang so badly that it grew back crooked. He had to go ahead and break it off again just so it could grow out straighter.

“He was a playful child, and Toga didn’t help his injuries when he would play roughly with Inuyasha as well.”

Toga laughed breathily, “My son was born with my strong, youkai blood. Of course, I had to show him how to win in any fight.” He nodded over at Inuyasha, “Isn’t that right son?”

Before Inuyasha could answer, Izayoi patted her husband’s shoulder, shaking her head in response to his words. “Keep thinking that, honey.” Air released from her nose as she laughed, and Toga followed suit.

“Inuyasha!” A tiny voice bellowed, “Totosai wants to have a word with you.”

Kagome couldn’t find the source of the voice, as there was no one around them at the time. It wasn’t until Inuyasha looked down at the table and groaned at what appeared to be a small, flea youkai.

“Myoga, what do you two want from me now?” The half-demon grumbled.

“A word.” The flea repeated in a serious tone.

Toga raised his brow, grinning at the flea like he knew what the conversation would be about. “You speak so mysteriously, Myoga.”

Myoga laughed as he bounced onto Inuyasha’s shoulder. “Ay master, it seems to be a very important conversation.”

Inuyasha stared at his father and father with a look that screamed help me, which both of his parents innocently ignored. He then looked over at Kagome with pleading, apologetic eyes. “I promised ya I wouldn’t leave ya.”

Kagome flashed him a bright, beautiful smile and patted his arm, “I think your parents will keep me safe, go see what they need from you.”

He groaned in defeat and stood up like a child being disciplined and walked away from the table, making sure to look back at Kagome just once with one last attempt at being rescued by the girl.

“He’s so dramatic,” Izayoi laughed, “But Sesshomaru has him beat by a few points.” She glanced over at Toga for his opinion and he half-grinned at her.

“My oldest definitely taught Inuyasha the dramatics growing up,” he explained to Kagome. “They got away with a lot as children.”

Izayoi smacked his arm playfully, her smile never leaving her face. “That’s because you were easy on them,” she lulled her head over at Kagome and rolled her eyes. “I was a bad parent.”

Kagome giggled as she pictured two small boys causing trouble with their father, and Izayoi with her hands on her hips yelling at the three of them. “I bet there was never a dull day.”

“Dull? With a home full of demons? Ha!” Toga laughed. “Even when Sesshomaru was with his mother, Inuyasha would keep the both of us on our feet.”

Time passed as they continued their conversation, long enough that Rin came over after she returned from twirling around on the dance floor to tell everyone at the table little stories. Kagome had to clutch her stomach as she doubled over from laughter after Rin explained how she convinced Sesshomaru to buy shorts with bananas on them and then begged him to show Kagura after their first date.

It was safe to say that the entire table was the loudest of the bunch due to all of their laughter.

Kagome wiped her eyes and leaned over to Izayoi, “I’m going to go to the bathroom, do you need to go too?”

Izayoi sniffled and waved her hand as she tried to get her breathing back to normal, “I’m fine dear, go ahead. Maybe my son will finally return to the table by the time you come back.”

Kagome snorted, “I doubt it. I have no idea where he could have gone.”

“With Totosoi and Myoga, he could have gone anywhere,” Toga added with a grin. “He shouldn’t be long now”

After a quick trip to the restroom, Kagome wandered back into the ballroom where the reception was being held. She scored around the giant room looking for white, fluffy ears but was pleasantly surprised to see him seated back at the table with his parents.

When she got closer, however, she noticed his flushed cheeks and grumpy expression, “Inuyasha? What happened to you?”

He looked at her with blurred vision and grinned at her, it was boyish and very attractive, “I was challenged.”

She blinked, clearly confused, and looked over towards his mother and father, “What?”

Toga chuckled, “Koga bet he could drink more than he can and he fell for it.”

Kagome heaved a breath and shook her head, “Wow, that sounds familiar.” She sat down beside him and grinned, “You get challenged to drink offs a lot don’t you?”

He squinted his golden eyes and pointed at her, “I never back off from a challenge.”

Izayoi rolled her eyes and laughed, “Just like his father.”

While Inuyasha did his best to sober up, Kagome handed him little pieces of bread rolls that were left on the table while he sipped on water. As he ate, the conversation continued until the music started playing loudly in the ballroom. There was an announcement to call everyone over to the dance floor, where Izayoi excitedly pulled Toga and Rin up from their seats to get everyone moving.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha had perched his head on Kagome’s shoulder, finally feeling a bit better than before although the buzz was still lingering in his system.

Kagome hummed as she watched Sesshomaru and Kagura spin Rin around on the dance floor, “Inuyasha, do you feel better?”

He stared up at her from where his head lay on her shoulder, taking note of how her ebony waves fell around her face and the lighting shined on her skin. “Do you wanna go outside?”

Taken back from the sudden question she gazed down at him and raised her brow, “Okay, but why? Do you need some fresh air?”

The concern in her voice made his heart jump, and he wondered again how he got so lucky to have someone like her in his life. “Somethin’ like that.”

He moved from her shoulder and stood him from his chair, gradually stretching his back after being in the same position for a while. Kagome stood up soon after, making sure to adjust her dress and smooth it out of any wrinkles.

Inuyasha took her small hand into his, a heated blush spread all over his face that could easily be mistaken for the alcohol in his system, but Kagome knew better than that. In silence they walked past the dancing wedding guests and passed through the open double doors, the back garden was quieter and way more peaceful compared to the inside. The outdoor bar had a few patrons surrounding it as they waited for their drinks, and a few people were standing around the garden keeping light conversation. The pair of neighbors trudged past everyone on the patio as Inuyasha directed them towards the empty gazebo above the lake.

Kagome’s heart was pounding the closer they got to their destination, this was the first time they were going to be alone since they arrived at the wedding, and her head was ringing on high alert. She remembers what she had told Sango she would do, tonight she would tell Inuyasha her feelings and pray she was right about him liking her back. Now that she had her chance to confess to him, she wanted to turn her tail and run in the other direction. It’s been a while now since she’s accepted her feelings for him, but it took Kei’s second close call a few days ago that had her make up her mind about coming clean. But confessing is scary, and if she’s wrong, she fears her friendship with Inuyasha will be ruined for good.

Inuyasha wasn’t doing too well either, his senses were incredibly sensitive and completely focused on Kagome and what she was doing. He was definitely tipsy, no thanks to Koga and his persistent attempt of being better than Inuyasha at everything; the half-demon always fell for his crazy ideas just to prove the wolf wrong. He could hear her rapid heartbeat, not that he was any better, and her skin was flushed and heated. The alcohol in his system wasn’t helping him at all, because all he wanted to do was bring her over to him and kiss her.

They settled inside the gazebo and leaned over the wooden railing that overlooked the lake. The sun had officially set a while ago, now they were left with the songs of the crickets and the buzzing wings of the little bugs around them. The ducks and other little critters were fast asleep and away from all of the noise, and to make up for the lack of sunlight; there were string lights hanging around the patio and the gazebo. It lit up the area in a comforting, warm glow.

Too bad it wasn’t enough to comfort the two nervous neighbors that stood underneath it.

“You know,” Kagome broke the silence, “I’ve been meaning to ask since I returned from the bathroom. Who’s Koga?”

Inuyasha growled at the name and hung his head low, “A wolf demon and the most annoyin’ guy I’ve ever met.” He looked over at Kagome and smirked, “More annoyin’ than my brother.”

Kagome’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as a smile appeared on her face, “Wow, worse than Sesshomaru? I’ve gotta meet him.”

The half-demon growled again, “Hell no. Absolutely not.”

The sound did something to her again and she tried her best to shove that feeling down and away. “Why not?” The tone in her voice was curious, but also playful.

“‘Cause then he’s gonna challenge me again but it’ll be about you.” He answered simply, his golden gaze piercing through her, “And yer not some object that I gotta play for to win. I ain’t gonna treat ya like that either.”

Her breath hitched at his answer, and she knew he heard it because his ear flicked in her direction. “Y-you’ve never treated me that way.” She coughed, “But I appreciate your sentiment.”

“Yer too important for me to fall for somethin’ that stupid,” he added. “Koga wouldn’t understand that though.”

Kagome propped her chin over her hand and raised an eyebrow, “Why wouldn’t he? It’s not like it’s rocket science, a woman shouldn’t be treated like a thing, and if you refuse, then you refuse.”

Inuyasha turned around and leaned his back over the railing, leaving both of his arms to hang loosely while the banister supported his elbows. He had an answer for her, and in his tipsy state, he felt braver to tell her now than to hold it back for later, “‘Cause yer beautiful and he’s a fuckin’ youkai.”

She flushed dark red, the color spreading down her neck and chest. “R-really?”

“Yeah! He’s dumb, just like all of ‘em! Ya see somethin’ ya like, and ya gotta fight bare tooth and arms for it to claim it as yer own.” He sighed as he stared up to the ceiling, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, “I used ta hate bein’ half-human, but now, I’m fuckin’ glad I am. My mom gave me a brain that actually works.”

He was rambling and going off-topic and yet Kagome was still reeling over him calling her beautiful, the comment coming from him meaning more to her than she can admit. “I-I like you as a half-demon, too.”

A slow song came on through the speakers, and the music coming from the inside of the reception also played loudly in the back garden. It rang through their ears like a buzz as it echoed around them, the music was steady compared to their thumping hearts. They shared a look, nervous and intense, the tension between them so thick it was suffocating.

‘Fuck it.’ Inuyasha thought to himself before standing up from the railing and reaching out his hand. He said nothing as he looked into her eyes, the yellow lights above them reflecting off them like stars.

Kagome met his eyes before she looked down to his clawed hand and slowly reached for it, a gasp escaping her lips as he pulled her into him. While one hand was intertwined with hers, another snaked around her waist and stayed there like a heavyweight. Once it clicked into her head that he wanted to dance with her, she let her free hand rest over his right shoulder, and they began to spin.

It was slow and gradual, but on beat with the music that reverberated around them. It was awkward at first as they tried their best to find their fitting, Inuyasha wasn’t the best dancer and Kagome was too busy in the clouds to focus on which foot moved in what direction. It felt like they were the only two people in the world as they stared into each other’s eyes and swiveled around in circles.

The song continued on, long and slow, and the silence was beginning to set into the both of them and start an inner panic.

Kagome cleared her throat before she spoke, “You really think I’m beautiful?”

Inuyasha chuckled and a little fang poked out which made Kagome’s insides twist, “I wasn’t lyin’ earlier when my mom asked me about ya, and I wasn’t lyin’ now.”

“Oh,” she squeaked, “T-hank you.”

She was blushing prettily, the next questing coming out of his mouth before he could stop himself. “Do ya actually like me as a half-demon?” His tone was nervous, and the look in his eyes told her he was nervous about her answer.

“Of course I do,” Kagome tilted her head, “I wouldn’t want you to be any other way.” She smiled shyly, suddenly finding interest in his tie. “I told you I liked your ears when we first met, and again at the diner, and I’ll keep reminding you that I like them until you get it through your big head.”

Inuyasha laughed loudly, his smile enough to wipe away her nerves, “A big head and dog ears? Wow, Kagome, you sure have good taste.”

Kagome rolled her eyes at him and smirked, “Don’t make me take it back.”

He spun her quickly and abruptly which made a frantic scream leave her mouth, eventually, it was followed by laughter. “Ya can’t take it back now! Too bad for you, but my ego’s inflated.”

She smacked his chest while giggling madly, “Now we know where it’s stored,” she pushed his forehead back with her finger and smirked, “I guess it can’t be helped.”

They continued to spin in rhythm, finally coming to a synchronized movement as their bodies fit along together to the music.

“Also, this is totally irrelevant to our topic about your head, but I love your parents.” Kagome informed him, “They’re so cute together.”

Inuyasha hummed, “They definitely like you too,” he spun her randomly, causing a bubbling giggle from her, “But my mom also likes everybody, it’s my dad that you gotta convince.”

Kagome’s arms snaked around his neck once she was done being spun around, humming in understanding, “Well, does your dad like me?”

His hands held her at the waist before he could stop himself, and he thought about how perfect her body molded with his. “He hasn’t told ya a bad dad joke yet, so it’s hard to say,” he smirked.

“Oh man,” she replied with defeat, “I guess I have to try harder.”

Silence fell between them again while they danced, the tension was high, and their nerves were beginning to tear their bodies apart. It wasn’t until a few seconds later that Kagome realized the music had changed to something more upbeat and fun, and once Inuyasha picked up the vibrations from the bass of the music, he stopped them both

Begin Again - Rated T

Chapter Seven

You can read it on AO3!

Chapter Six on tumblr here!

______

It was a beautiful, bright, Saturday morning and Inuyasha was in a grouchy mood.

His older brother had called him again to ask if there had been any progress in the wedding date situation, and his answer only led to becoming the butt of the joke as usual. Inuyasha didn’t need a damn date for Sesshomaru’s wedding, no one except his parents gave a shit about him, so why would that change just because he brought a date?

However, another reason Inuyasha was so grouchy after that phone call was because he already had someone in mind, but he was too much of a wimp to ask her. Kagome would be the perfect person to bring to his brother’s wedding. She’s charismatic, funny, fucking beautiful, and she grounds him. Whenever she’s around him he tends to forget about things he should be worried about.

He knew he could ask her, and he knows that she’d probably agree to go, but the idea of asking her made his insides twist and tighten because she’s Kagome and he likes her.

She drives him crazy and he can’t get her out of his head.

The idea of having her on his arm, introducing her to his family, and watching her talk to a bunch of demons he didn’t even talk to sounded crazy. Demons love to gossip; they’re bored and powerful and have nothing better to do, so the minute he shows up with Kagome it’ll start a wave of rumors.

Inuyasha wasn’t against Kagome going with him because of those rumors though, no, he’d sulk about how he wished they were true. What also stops him from asking her to go with him is that he worries it’ll put her in an uncomfortable position. She’s a human, and he’s half-demon, that’s enough ammunition for everyone at that wedding to make comments under their breath.

He was used to it. Kagome, however, didn’t deserve to have such things said about her when they don’t even know her.

Instead of allowing himself to be grouchy in the confines of his home, Inuyasha decided to go out for a run to let out his frustration. After hanging up on his brother he quickly changed into his athletic wear, fished his keys, drank some water, and headed for the door.

It was horrendously early, around 6:30 in the morning, and he idly wondered why he could hear the girl next door padding around her apartment at this time on a weekend. He figured he’d ask her later because he’s always curious about what she’s up to. However, even he knew that teasing her when the sun was just starting to rise was a terrible idea. Kagome isn’t a morning person.

The high-pitched shriek followed by his name made the half-demon change his plans though.

He could hear her footsteps speeding towards the direction of her front door, but he was faster than her, and in a blink of an eye he was already in front of her apartment just in time to see the door swing open in a frenzy.

“Inu-!” She bumped into his chest with a muffled grunt and rubbed her nose.

“What is it? Why are ya screamin’? Is someone in there?” He managed to say as he pulled her away from her doorway and into his arms. He was listening for anything abnormal, a sign for him to walk in there and clobber whoever it was that was inside her home. But Inuyasha was awake before she was, and he would have heard someone enter her home. Inuyasha has Kagome’s walking pattern already wedged into his memory, and until now there had been no signs of someone else besides her in the apartment.

“There’s a spider! A big one, and it’s so gross! Please get rid of it!” She squirmed in his arms from the memory of being face to face with the arachnid.

“A spider…” Inuyasha heaved a sigh, dropping his head on top of hers in relief. He slowly inhaled her scent and visibly relaxed, the ideas swarming in his head of an intruder quickly leaving his mind.

Kagome stiffened upon realizing how close they were and let out a whimper. “Inuyasha?”

He didn’t move from over her and simply grunted. “Where is it?”

She squirmed again in disgust. “In my bathroom.”

He let go of her and took note of just how cute she looked in her pajamas and tousled hair. “Alright, scaredy-cat, show me where it is.”

She huffed in reply and quickly turned back around into her home, her handsome neighbor following close behind her. When she got to the bathroom she immediately stopped by the entryway and pointed to her shower curtain and whimpered again. “It’s on my curtain. Be careful, I’m not sure if it’s dangerous or not.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and snickered. “If it’s venomous, I’ll just be out of commission for a few days. I’d be more worried if you got bit by a spider.”

He walked towards the shower and inspected the area, looking for the eight-legged creature in haste. He listened closely for movement of little legs and continued his search.

Kagome gasped and it made his ear twitch in reaction to the sound. “Ew! I see it! Above you!”

Quickly he looked up and made eye contact with a black spider that looked smaller than his hand and reached for it. He could hear Kagome squealing from behind him as he ran from her bathroom towards the balcony and down the stairs.

He reappeared as fast as he left to wash his hands in her bathroom sink, and he watched Kagome from the reflection of her mirror as she hugged herself and looked around the bathroom for any more small intruders.

“Kagome, the spiders gone.” He deadpanned.

He noticed how she shivered and it made Inuyasha chuckle, “You can take your long ass showers in peace now.”

“I really hate bugs.” She sighed. “Thank you for helping me out.”

He patted her head and laughed. “If I didn’t, I knew you wouldn’t step foot in here. And we both know how much ya love to fuckin’ shower and bathe.”

She crossed her arms and leaned back against the bathroom wall. “If you hadn’t gotten rid of it then I would have to use your shower every day until we managed to find it. I bet you’d get sick of me from how much I’d use your bathroom.”

‘It wouldn’t bother me at all actually.’ He thought to himself.

He tried to bite back images of Kagome using his shower and failed miserably. The sound of clothing coming off and hitting the floor, the image of her using his soap, shampoo, and conditioner to wash her body and hair, the mixture of their scents wafting in his home, and the idea of her smelling like him had him losing his mind. He rolled his hand into a fist and made sure his claws punctured his skin to pull him out of his head.

“You’d have’ta pay half for my water bill.” He replied in a strained tone.

She giggled. “You okay there?”

He blushed and looked away from her. “Y-yeah. Just got somethin’ in my throat.”

“Want any water?” She offered him kindly.

He shook his head and made his way out of her bathroom. “Nah, I’m good. I was actually goin’ to go out for a run when someone screamed bloody murder on my way out.”

She stammered. “You saw how big that thing was!”

He laughed. “It was smaller than yer hand, Kagome.”

She pouted at him and looked away. “That’s still big.” She muttered.

“What are ya doin’ up so early on Saturday anyway?” He asked.

“I have to go to the office really quick while it’s open for cleaning. I had no time to pick up these documents, and I need them desperately for an assignment.” She sighed. “Not that I want to go anywhere this early on the weekend.”

He barked a laugh. “Get that shit done so you can go back to sleep.”

She gently pushed him out of her room and giggled. “Then go on your run so I can take my shower!”

He was only slightly relaxing his weight onto her arms as she pushed him towards her front door, the sound of Kagome’s straining to move him forward making the situation a lot funnier.

“Wow Kagome, you’re so strong.” He teased.

“You-” wheeze, “are-“ gasp, “so heavy!” She exclaimed. Miraculously, she managed to leave him at the entryway and panted after letting him go.

“Maybe after my run, I’ll be a few pounds lighter and we can try that again.” He half grinned.

“Absolutely not.” She panted. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to freshen up from that workout.”

“Have fun bein’ responsible.” He told her before walking down the steps.

“Have fun on your run!” She yelled back before shutting her door and heading straight to her spider-free bathroom.

______

The journey to her office was as boring and uneventful as any other day. Since Kagome worked from home, she was rarely ever at her building. There were moments where she did miss her coworkers, but being able to sit in her pajamas, eat whenever she wanted, and do work on her bed or couch was a better deal than being surrounded by people in office chairs. Coming back to pick up work documents hit her with a little bit of nostalgia, but since no one was there except for the cleaning crew, she didn’t have a reason to stay longer for a conversation.

By the time she had returned to her complex, it was almost 7:30 in the morning. Kagome had treated herself to some coffee and a quick breakfast on the way home from a drive-through cafe, and now that her tummy was satisfied for the time being, she was going to crawl into her bed and go back to sleep.

As she walked to her specific building she became fully aware of the work trucks and groups of people around the stairs. They were painters, dressed up in their uniforms with bits of splattered paint staining the fabric and they were currently working on her set of stairs.

“Oh, great.” She groaned. “I have to use the elevator.”

She made a quick turn around and headed straight towards the area where their elevators were located and sighed. It wasn’t that their elevators were bad, no, it’s that their elevators were awful. After going on them for the first time when she, Sango, and Miroku were moving her stuff into her home they all agreed they would never take the elevators ever again. Kagome had no idea that, for a complex as nice as hers, the elevators would be so badly maintained. They shook and creaked with every move they made and the sound alone gave her the heebie-jeebies.

However, today, she had no choice. She decided that as soon as she gets home she was not going back downstairs for the rest of the day.

She clicked the button and waited patiently for the lift to come down from the third floor; the elevators were apparently moving even slower than usual.

She heard footsteps approach her from behind and turned back to see Inuyasha jogging towards her.

“Yo!” He greeted, “How’d it go?”

He was glistening in sweat, his hair was now picked up into a ponytail; something he didn’t have on this morning, and his arms and chest looked bigger and sculpted in his muscle tank top.

She swallowed her drool and remembered that she needed to say words to him. “O-oh, it was nothing! I was in and out pretty quickly. I was able to get some breakfast on the way back too.”

He wiped the sweat from his brow and fixed his hair, the muscles of his arms flexing with every single move.

“Sounds good. Still sleepy?” He asked her.

Kagome lifted her hand to her face and shook her head. “So tired! I’d be in bed by now if the stairs weren’t wet with paint.”

The half-demon chuckled. “Did ya forget that they were gonna restore all the stairs today?”

She peaked at him through her fingers. “When did they say that they were going to do that?”

“On Monday, when they sent an email to everyone.” He smirked at her, “You didn’t read it did ya?”

She looked up towards the ceiling and sighed dramatically. “I was too busy with work to read that email. I totally forgot about it.”

The elevators finally dinged and the doors flung open slowly, finally allowing the two neighbors to enter the lift.

“You know, at least we live on the second floor,” Inuyasha added.

“That’s true. The faster these doors close, the faster we can get home.”
‘And I can sleep,’ She thought.

Maybe she’ll dream about post-workout Inuyasha holding the dream version of her in his arms.

It wasn’t a crime to dream about your attractive neighbor anyway, and she would indulge herself in any way she saw fit.

The doors rolled closed, confining Inuyasha and Kagome inside it as it slowly started moving up to the above floors. However, the groans and creaks the elevator usually did sounded a bit more dramatic, and it wasn’t until it started shaking a little more aggressively that it had Kagome held onto the rails in a panic and Inuyasha’s ears on alert.

“Um-“ The elevator shook again before coming to a full stop. Kagome waited for the doors to slide open, but that moment never came, and it only made her breathing shorten and her heartbeat race.

“Are we stuck?” She shakily asked her half-demon neighbor.

With his ears still standing up at attention, he held onto the wall and nodded. “Yeah, we’re stuck. I think we’re close to the second floor, but not by much.”

“Oh, great. Cool.” She whimpered in fear.

“Kagome?” He asked her in concern.

“We’re stuck inside this thing and it’s so small! We’re inside a box! There’s nowhere to go, how are we-“

“Kagome. Breathe.”

“H-how are we going to get out?” She whimpered.

Inuyasha slowly walked towards her and pulled her into his arms. She was so tense, he could feel and hear her heart beating rapidly against her chest, her breathing was shallow and she was clinging onto his shirt for dear life.

“Kagome, listen to me. It’s going to be fine.” He held her tighter to him.

“It is?” She wiped her eyes.

“Yeah, it is. I’m here, and I ain’t gonna let anythin’ happen to ya.”

Kagome nodded and dove into his chest for comfort. He was doing his best right now, and she appreciated him for that. He was stuck inside this elevator with her too, and he was trying to be calm for the both of them. Having him holding her so closely helped her relax a little bit more, and once she wasn’t shaking against him so much, she pulled away slightly.

If they were in different circumstances, Kagome would laugh about how something she dreamed of came true. However, she was too busy panicking to think about how his arms were wrapped around her, so she’ll have to freak out about it later.

“We should… hit the emergency button.” She decided. Very slowly, she trudged towards the side panel and clicked on the red button to alert the firefighters. The alarm echoed throughout the small compartment as it rang endlessly. Kagome was holding her breath in anticipation that someone, anyone, would pick up on the other end.

“Hello?”

“Oh thank God.” Kagome shuddered under her breath. “Hi! We’re stuck in the elevator, can you help us?”

“Is this the Sunrise Apartment complex? If so, what building?”

Kagome was holding onto the railing with a hard grip, her knuckles were stark white. “Yes, Sunrise Apartments! Building 3!”

There was static on the other end before the dispatcher on the other side of the line replied.

“Emergency services and an elevator technician are coming shortly. Sit tight, and if you need anything else please hit the button again.”

“O-okay!” She stuttered before the line went dead. There was no more static, just the slight ringing of the bell to alert them that there is an emergency to fill up the space in the air.

Kagome hated elevators, which was another reason why she only went on them when it was necessary. Even if she had to climb 120 flights of stairs she would do it before climbing an elevator. Being stuck in an elevator was one of her biggest nightmares, and yet here she is, waiting for rescue to come and take her out of this box.

“Kagome.” Inuyasha’s voice pulled her out of her meltdown. “Come back here.”

She whipped her attention back to her neighbor, who was now sitting on the floor with his back against the steel walls. He had his arms wide open for her to come back and crawl into, and an unreadable look in his golden eyes. Without saying a word Kagome crouched down on her knees and slowly crawled over to him until she was settled next to him.

His arm wrapped tightly around her middle while she lay against his chest and clung to his tank top. “Didn’t know you weren’t a fan of elevators.”

Kagome sighed and played with the fabric of his shirt. “I never have. And now that I’m forced to get on one, I’m stuck in it.”

Inuyasha let out a puff of air and squeezed her middle to try to comfort her. “Least you’re not alone.”

She hummed in appreciation and nuzzled into his chest. “And at least it’s with you.”

They both blushed a deep shade of red and fought inwardly to calm themselves down.

It was quiet between them and Inuyasha focused on Kagome’s heart rate while she focused on steadying her breathing. There was a clear indication that she was still nervous; she was shaking against him and wouldn’t move a muscle, and all he wanted to do was break the doors apart and pull her out.

However, that may place her in more danger, and he wasn’t going to put her at risk. He wasn’t a technician or a firefighter; he didn’t know exactly where they were stuck, they could be hanging between both levels for all he knew. Although it sounded like a good plan, he wasn’t going to go through with it.

He wanted to give her something to think about while they were stuck in here, something that would distract her from the situation at hand. Begrudgingly, he remembered the conversation he had earlier with his brother, which is what made him go on a run and meet back up with Kagome who he was now trapped in this elevator with.

He figured if it was fate at this point, there was no point in avoiding it forever. If she said no, then he’ll stick to his original plan and take Shippo, but if she says yes…

“Listen, this is going to sound very random given the situation that we’re in now.” He started shakily. He was so nervous he was going to explode.

Kagome listened to him intently, the wavering in his voice making her give him her full attention.

“Don’t give me an answer until we get outta here, alright?“ He started strongly, “B-but I was wonderin’ if ya wanted to come with me to my brother’s weddin’… as my date.”

Kagome flushed at his offer and looked down at her hand to hide her face from him. “Why ask me this now?”

He grumbled and shifted his gaze away from her, “I’ve been meanin’ to ask ya but I didn’t know if you’d go with me.” He held her tighter. “B-but you’re only thinkin’ about this elevator right now, and I wanted to see if this would let ya think of somethin’ else.”

Kagome raised her head, her eyebrows shooting up at him. “So, this is just to distract me?”

“No!” He quickly argued back. “I genuinely want to go with ya! But don’t give me an answer until we get outta here.” He reminded her.

It was silent for a few seconds and Inuyasha wondered if he had totally messed everything up between the two of them.

If this blows up in his face, he can forget ever telling her about how he feels about her.

“Okay,” Kagome answered honestly. “I-I’ll give you my answer once we’re rescued.”

His cheeks tinged pink. “Cool. Yeah, exactly, tell me after.”

Kagome laughed nervously but chose not to reply to him, instead she laid her head back on his chest and tried to relax her breathing. Not only was she stuck in this elevator, but the man she had feelings for asked her to be his date to his brother’s wedding.

That means she would meet his family, and their friends and they would go dressed up to the nines.

As friends.

She had to remind herself that it would be as friends. Until she gathered her wits to confess to him, that’s all they would ever be to each other. Part of her was content with this because a life without Inuyasha sounds miserable to her now, but the other part wants more with him.

She was in a dilemma.

It was silent between them for a few minutes as the two neighbors drowned in the thoughts swarming inside their heads.

Inuyasha was mentally hitting himself for asking her to be his date in a situation like this. He could have asked her in a normal way, but he took too damn long and jumped the gun without properly thinking it through.

All he wanted was to get her to stop panicking over their current predicament, and it seemed like a good idea at the time. It would kill two birds with one stone; ask Kagome to be his date, and get her to think about something else.

It made sense to him in his head, but now he wished he could go back in time and think of saying something else.

He picked up the faintest sound of sirens coming closer to their location and he sighed in relief. “I hear ‘em comin’.” He squeezed her.

“Oh good.” She managed to say. It was difficult to talk, even with Inuyasha’s arm wrapped around her to keep her safe. Logically, she was aware that they were going to be okay. The freak accidents that were flashing in her mind about the chain snapping and then crashing into the ground was just her imagination. This elevator can hold their weight, and they’re not moving around in a way that will make their lift come down.

Being against Inuyasha like this helped a smidge. He really wasn’t letting her go at all. The grip he had on her didn’t falter, and if anything, he was squeezing her closer and closer into his body. He might not even know he was doing it, but Kagome noticed the movement.

She definitely wasn’t complaining.

Her thoughts were swirling between being stuck in an elevator, and also being squished against Inuyasha’s body. He was firm, strong, and muscular; he really took good care of himself, and yet he was also soft and comfortable. She could fall asleep on his chest if she wanted to, and it wouldn’t bother her at all.

He was insanely hot, and all Kagome wanted to do was run her hands against his body and feel him.

She squeezed her eyes shut to try to push away her sinful thoughts.

“Hello! It’s the fire department and the technician! Are you guys alright?” A loud voice echoed from the outside of the cell.

Kagome’s breath hitched at the sound. She looked up at Inuyasha and smiled happily. “Yes! We’re okay!” She yelled back.

“Alright, that’s good! We’re gonna work on getting you out of here, so sit tight, everything is fine!”

Inuyasha sighed in relief and stared up at the ceiling, noticing his reflection staring back at him. It was a mirror, and he took note of how he and Kagome looked while sitting beside each other. She was resting on him, her chest slowly rising and falling while her handheld onto his shirt. His arm was around her, hand resting between her stomach and the top of her thigh. They were so close to each other, and he became hyper-aware of how her body felt on his.

He coughed and flushed at the images playing in his head.

This was not the time.

“Are you okay?” She asked in a tiny voice.

The half-demon chuckled. “I should be askin’ you that.”

She shrugged against him and blew air out of her nose. “If you’re gonna take care of me, then I’m gonna take care of you.”

He rolled his head to the side and smirked. “And just how do you plan to takin’ care of me, Ms. Higurashi?”

She lightly smacked his chest and scoffed. “I take it back, you can suffer.”

He laughed loudly and it echoed throughout the elevator, the down drowning out the alarm for just a second. “That’s harsh, Kagome. And in my time of need?”

She giggled at him, and in turn, she felt his chest vibrate in appreciation of the sound. “You’ll survive.”

It got quiet between them again, but it felt comfortable and quiet, so quiet that he heard the girl loudly yawn against him.

“Wanna take a nap?” He asked her with a smirk on his face.

She shook her head. “If I nap, then I won’t know if anything’s happening.”

“You don’t have’ta worry about that. I told ya already, I ain’t lettin’ anything happen to ya.” He grumbled as he stared at the double doors.

She sighed. “Alright, then. I trust you.”

She tried to snuggle back into his chest and find a comfortable position to lay in, but with the way they were sitting, she couldn’t find a way to rest. She huffed and grumbled in frustration and sighed defeatedly.

“Ain’t comfortable enough for ya?” He teased her.

“I just… I can’t find-“

“Wanna sit on my lap?”

It shouldn’t have made her blush, it should have been a question that made her angry at the mere implication. However, the question had the opposite effect on her.

“A-are you sure?” She stuttered.

“Y-yeah. Just- you need’ta sleep. Yer tired. Come on.” He flushed as he effortlessly lifted her from the ground and onto his thighs, the girl before him fitting comfortably into his lap. He positioned her on her side, with her legs pointed towards his left, and her left arm resting between his torso and her body.

She was so warm and small compared to him, and he immediately wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him. Her head rested between the crook of his neck, and she sighed against him, her right hand still clutching his shirt tightly in her grasp.

“Thanks,” Kagome said in a small voice.

“Bah.” Inuyasha was looking up at the ceiling again while staring at their positions in their reflection, a blush painted all over his face at their close proximity.

Before he knew it she was asleep in his arms, the movement of her chest rising and falling becoming a pattern for him to pay attention to. Her head fit perfectly in the space between his neck as she slept against him, the warm breath coming from her parted lips tickling his exposed skin.

Inuyasha wondered if this is what it would be like if he just told her. He’s already admitted to himself that he misses being so close to someone special, and if it was Kagome, he would be the happiest half-demon alive. He was so close to admitting his feelings at the diner last week, but if he can’t even ask her to be his date to the wedding, how is he going to ask her to be his girlfriend?

He choked at the idea of introducing Kagome as his girlfriend and it made the girl in his arms stir. “Fuck.” He whispered as he watched her settle back in his arms. “Can’t wake ya up yet. You won’t be too happy if I did.”

The vice-like grip she had on his shirt went slack, and now her hand rested limply on his chest. As he watched her sleep, he couldn’t help but get tired as well. Inuyasha rarely slept, as a half-demon, he never needed as much rest as a regular human does, but he felt comfortable with Kagome; so comfortable that he could sleep.

Creeeeeaaaak.

Inuyasha’s ears picked up the sound and jolted awake, his arms still wrapped snugly around the sleeping girl before him. “What the fuck?”

He didn’t want to wake her up, but he had no idea how long he had been out, nor what the progress was with their current situation. It was starting to get a little warm in the elevator, but not enough to make anyone pass out. He heaved a sigh and raised his head towards the roof of the elevator. “What’s going on?!”

There was a brief moment of silence, but the half-demon knew there were people on the other side of the lift, he could hear them talking and doing work.

“The technician is trying to lift up the elevator somewhat, so we can try to get the doors open and pull you out! The entire system’s down, so it’s taking longer than we all would like!”

Perfect. Just perfect. He was glad Kagome was sleeping.

“How long has it been since ya got here?!” He yelled back.

He felt Kagome move again, and she heard her moan in protest to the noise he was making in the elevator.

“About an hour! The tech’s telling us he’s made progress in restarting the lifting mechanism, so it shouldn’t be too long now!” The voice echoed.

He wanted to tell them to hurry up, but that would be no use since they were already doing their best. He would have to settle for their word and take it as it is. “Alright!”

“Hm?” Kagome’s voice squeaked against his chest. “Inu…yasha?”

He grunted in response while she fought to wake up, her eyes blinking against the lighting of the elevator. She looked adorable like this, with her nose scrunched up in confusion and fatigue.

“Are we still…?” Her voice was laced with exhaustion.

“Trapped in the elevator? Yeah, we are.”

Her eyes shot open like saucers and he realized he fucked up. He could have delivered the news to her a little better than that.

“B-but, they told me while you were sleepin’ that we’re close to gettin’ out of here!” Inuyasha quickly added. “It won’t be long, I swear.”

Kagome nodded and tried to compose herself a little, the news of being freed calming her. There was no other thing for them to do except sit here and wait, no matter how badly she wanted to rip those doors open and climb out of the lift itself.

As she came to her senses, another thought occurred to her, and she looked down to see that she was indeed snuggled into Inuyasha’s lap. If this were a cartoon, steam would come out of her ears from how flustered she was. They were in a predicament, and Kagome knew he only offered her his lap because she was in need of sleep; especially after panicking when the elevator stopped moving, but she couldn’t stop the heat from rising in her body and making her cheeks turn red.

“Um, I can move?” She asked him shyly.

Inuyasha blushed and looked away from her. “N-no, it’s fine. If it helps you feel safer, I don’t mind ya on my lap.” He felt hot, and he was aware that the raven-haired beauty on his lap was part of the reason why.

Sweat dripped down the side of his face and Kagome swiped it away reflexively, immediately pulling her hand back once she realized what she had done. “S-sorry! I just saw-“ She stuttered, “And you look so red! A-are you okay? Are you hot? Overheating? I can get off!”

His grip around her tightened when she started moving off of his lap, his chest rumbling in a low vibration. “Fuck no, stay here.”

“But, you’re heating up,” Kagome mentioned in concern.

He half grinned at her and laughed at the seriousness of the situation. “So are you. Your skin is hot, and you’re just as sweaty as I am right now.”

Kagome nervously laughed. “That’s definitely not attractive.”

Inuyasha laughed along with her. “Who cares? It’s just me.”

She looked into his eyes before quickly breaking eye contact and staring at his chest. “B-but what if I care if it is you?”

He raised his brow at her, “What do you mean? It shouldn’t. I don’t care if ya look like this, look at me, I probably looked fucked up right now.”

The girl above him giggled. “I guess we’re both hot messes right now.”

Inuyasha looked up at her with a serious face. “Wow, seriously?”

She hid her face into his chest and laughed. “Hey, I tried my best!” She paused and wiped away some sweat from her forehead. “It really is hot though.”

“I think the AC’s broken.” Inuyasha groaned. “It’s only goin’ to get worse until they get us out of here.”

“Oh man,” Kagome shuddered. “I’m getting really hot.” She began to remove the top four buttons of her shirt and sighed in the momentary relief that she felt.

Inuyasha watched her unbutton her top and blushed. “W-what are you doin’?”

Kagome pulled back from him and looked away, completely forgetting to tell him that she was about to do that. “Sorry! I forgot to ask you, and I needed to remove the buttons. It’s so hot.” She cried.

He wanted to bang his head against the wall because , of course, , that was the logical thing for her to do in a situation like this. She’s wearing a button-up blouse, they were about to hit the hour and a half mark of being stuck in here, and it was hot as fuck.

If he wasn’t in a muscle tank he would have done the same thing.

“I-it’s okay.” He shyly reassured her. “You need to do this for yourself, you’re fuckin’ overheating.”

“Okay.” She breathed. “I trust you.”

He didn’t need to hear her say that to know that she did, but it felt good to hear those words come from her regardless.

In intense silence, Kagome continued to unbutton her blouse, the relief from removing the shirt hitting her immediately. The air inside the elevator was warm no matter what, but removing this extra layer of fabric was enough to help Kagome feel less claustrophobic and heated.

She placed the blouse beside Inuyasha’s legs and sighed. She was too nervous to look at the half-demon, especially since she was wearing nothing but a bralette, and hid her face back into his chest. “I feel better.”

Inuyasha stiffened while she relaxed into him, the feeling of her bare skin burning his. “I’m glad. I wish I had water to give ya.”

She awkwardly shrugged in his arms, “As soon as we’re free I’m drinking an entire gallon of water.”

He laughed. “I believe ya, fuck it, I’ll drink one too.” He could feel her laughing against him and he couldn’t suppress his grin. It felt good knowing she was relaxing more and more while they waited in here, especially compared to the full-blown panic she had when this all started.

The elevator creaked again and Kagome gasped, her arms flying around Inuyasha’s neck in reaction. “What’s happening?”

He wrapped both of his arms around her torso tightly and listened for any signs of danger. So far, nothing sounded like it was snapping apart, instead, the sound was similar to an engine boosting back into power.

The elevator shook before moving upwards, the sudden movement making Kagome’s grip around his neck tighten from fear. “Are we moving?” She asked, her voice muffled in his neck.

“Seems like it. The engines back on.” He answered her calmly.

“The tech got it to move! We should be able to force open the doors now!” The male’s voice was louder and closer, confirming with the pair of neighbors that the lift did indeed move closer to the second floor.

Inuyasha felt Kagome’s chest rising and falling against his, and he was made aware of her current appearance. Her skin against his was making him tingle, and he could feel the swell of her breasts against him, and he forced himself to not think any further.

‘Sesshomaru in underwear, Sesshomaru in underwear, Sesshomaru in underwear’, he repeated like a mantra.

Suddenly, Kagome pulled away from him and smiled prettily. “Um… I’m going to get dressed before they see me like this.”

Inuyasha growled at her words, the thought alone making him want to get in front of her and shield her from other eyes.

He looked away as she put on her blouse, but his excellent vision was not helping as he could still see her from his peripheral and he had to repeat his mantra all over again

He’s positive he’s never going to be able to get that image out of his head.

“You can look now.”

When Inuyasha turned back he made direct eye contact with Kagome, and he heard her breath hitch in reaction. His arm went back around her waist while she sat comfortably on his lap, and he noticed that she had one hand on his chest while the other played with the nape of his hair.

Brown eyes hovered towards his lips, and his gold eyes followed close behind.

“Inuyasha.” She breathed, her eyes moving back to stare into his.

“What is it?” He asked huskily.

Her gaze shifted towards his mouth again, and if she didn’t tell him what was on her mind he was just going to devour her lips and kiss her senselessly.

“Can I-“

They were interrupted by the sound of metal banging and creaking from behind them, making Kagome jump and launch herself under Inuyasha’s chin. It was loud, and terrifying, and it just interrupted whatever the hell was going to happen between the two of them.

The doors were forced open, revealing a team of firefighters standing on the other side in their uniforms.

They couldn’t have waited five more minutes?

“Are you guys alright?!” The voice that had been speaking to them for the last few hours asked.

“Yeah, it’s just hot as hell in here,” Inuyasha complained.

The forced opening of the doors revealed half of the brick wall of the shaft, meaning the elevator was still not completely at level with the second floor. The top half, however, had the sunlight peering in and a group of people clad in yellow.

“When the system’s power shut off, so did the AC, let’s get you guys out of here and check out your vitals.” Another fireman spoke.

Inuyasha shifted Kagome in his arms and stood up from the ground with ease, suppressing a grin when the girl let out a little startled yelp from the sudden movement. He slowly walked over to the entryway and lifted her into the arms of the fireman, and as soon as she was out of the lift, Inuyasha pushed himself out of the car with ease.

“Where are we going?” Kagome asked in a little voice.

The man carrying her made his way down the stairs, white paint staining the soles of his boots. “Paramedics are gonna check you out real quick, you two have been stuck in there for almost two hours. It’s just protocol.”

Kagome nodded before trying to move her head to catch a glimpse of white fluffy ears. “And Inuyasha?”

“Right behind ya.” He called out to her while he descended the steps.

She sighed in relief and laid her head on the fireman’s chest, she was so tired, but the light breeze was already making her feel a bit better compared to the still, stiff air from inside the lift. Her body felt a little heavy, and she was super thirsty. The arms of the fireman were comfortable thanks to his padded suit, which allowed her to relax comfortably until they reached the ambulance.

Once they arrived they sat her down on the back ledge of the truck and the paramedics began to check on her. They poked and prodded her, and asked her a bunch of questions about how she felt and her medical history. She was given an IV to help aid her dehydrated body, took down her blood pressure, and did a bunch of other things.

When the paramedic’s partner came to check on Inuyasha, he quickly thanked him and denied his sustenance. “I’m fine, focus on her.” He told him gruffly.

He stood a bit off to the side until they were done hovering over her, and as he watched her he noticed how tired she looked. They may have been stuck in there for two hours, but for Kagome, it may have felt longer. Like a dog looking for its owner, Inuyasha quickly walked over to the raven-haired girl and flushed when she leaned forward to lay her head on his chest.

“How are ya feelin’?” He asked her gently.

Kagome shrugged, a sound that came off as a little hum leaving her throat. “Like a weak little worm.”

He chuckled at her words and took a long strand of her hair into his hand and began to play with it. “That’s a new one.”

She shivered from the tickling sensation she felt as his fingers touched her ebony locks. “Just call me worm Kagome.” She chuckled.

He scrunched his face and laughed breathily. “That one kinda sucked.”

Kagome meekly shrugged, “I have an IV in my vein, I tried my best.”

They went silent again, the only sound surrounding them being the engines of the emergency vehicles running and the voices of the people around them. The half-demon focused on Kagome’s breathing while he played with her hair, the weight of her head on his chest reminding him of just how comfortable she felt being around him.

“By the way,” She started again, her voice still small, “My answer is yes.”

His hands stopped moving, the waves in her hair now only moving from the light breeze. “Really?”

She giggled and slid her head upwards, leaving her chin to rest snuggly on his chest. “Really.”

Pink tinted his cheeks handsomely, a half-grin showing up on his face. “Really, really?”

She snorted. “Really really.”

“Really, really, really?

“Say really one more time and you’re gonna go dateless!” She threatened.

Inuyasha burst out laughing, the sound echoing around the lot. “I have a backup if ya end up taking your answer back.”

“Oh yeah?” She smirked. “Who is it?”

“Shippo.” He smirked back at her.

“No way!” She giggled ferociously, “I bet he would make a fantastic date.”

“Eh.” Inuyasha replied, his fingers still playing with her tresses. “I think you’d make a better one.”

“Hmm.” Kagome hummed in appreciation. “When is the wedding anyway?”

Inuyasha shifted his gaze to the side and laughed nervously. “Next weekend.”

“What!” She yelled in shock. “I need to find a dress in such a short amount of time?!”

He grumbled in embarrassment, the vibrations rumbling in his chest. “You’d look fine in whatever ya end up wearin’.”

Kagome closed her eyes and sighed, the breeze kissing her face wonderfully. “Alright, I can’t deny that.”

“Keh.” He simply responded. “Knew ya wouldn’t.”

They fell back into a comfortable silence, allowing themselves to become surrounded by the noises of the people and the vehicles all around them. While Kagome continued to rest her head against the half-demon chest; allowing for the cold fluid running in her veins to restore her energy, Inuyasha continued to play with her hair and soothe himself to the sound of her heartbeat.

ll, he was able to finally ask her to be his wedding date and getting to hold her so close was just a bonus.

Besides his terribly long day that was another reason why he had decided to call Shippo to meet him at their favorite bar. He wanted to update the fox kit on everything that happened, and also celebrate the fact that he finally asked her after dodging the idea for so long.

A Monk’s Curse, A Cat’s Cure

Written for @inukag-week day two: Role Reversal

Summary: Inuyasha is a humble monk learning to devote his life to faith and the service of others, until his fellow monks turn on him for daring to befriend a yokai. Woken up after being sealed away for 500 years, he’s out of time and out of place, until a sweet, friendly Hanyo with an even sweeter family give him a new place to belong.

Read on: AO3

——————————Preview—————————

Inuyasha stared blankly at the wall in front of him.

It was smooth, like stone, but it wasn’t made from stone, and it was covered in paper painted with little bundles of flowers in a rainbow of colors.

The ‘couch’ he was sitting on was soft, very soft, like a giant floor cushion but… taller. He didn’t have to kneel on it at all.

There was some sort of box to his right making noise, saying words, flashing colorfully like a disjointed dream, and then a hand fell gently on his shoulder, startling him out of the fog he’d sunk into to protect himself, at least in his mind, from his current circumstances.

He jerked back to outer awareness and looked up into warm, concerned brown eyes and a motherly smile.

“Are you alright young man?”

He blinked, each of her words filtering in one at a time, processing slowly as his mind worked through all the ways the language had changed over time.

And if what they’d tried to tell him was true, it had had a lot of time to change.

A Toe in the Water

Part One of Three written for @inukag-week based on three of this weeks prompts!

Day One: Domestic

Summary: Inuyasha is getting married, and that’s just not something he ever thought would happen. After Kagome finally returns through the well 3 years after defeating Naraku and the jewel, they are put on a fast track to Happy Ever After. He’s happy, he really is! So what is this rain cloud hovering in his sunny skies?

Also read on: AO3

—————————————————————-

There was an empty hut not too far away from Sango and Miroku’s house, one that had once been occupied by a little old man determined to keep his independence for as long as humanly possible.

But his eyesight was going and his son put his foot down, and so the little hut now stood there full of nothing but dust and memories.

A week after Kagome came back, the village decided she and Inuyasha could have it since they would be getting married, after all, and it was going to waste anyway.

Kagome had been thrilled.

She had not been excited about the wait to get a new one built and was more than happy to take over care of the abandoned one.

“Don’t you want something bigger?” He’d asked her after looking it over, taking note of how cramped it already felt.

“No, it’s perfect! And it’s ours! I already love it. Don’t you?”

She gripped his sleeve and looked up at him with big blue doe eyes, and though a heavy mantle of nervousness had settled on his shoulders, he gulped down the butterflies scratching and screaming up his throat and nodded in agreement.

She’d squealed and wrapped her arms around him, and he’d caught her easily, relishing how good and right and warm she felt against him.

But then he looked over her shoulder at the corner under a window, one she’d just got done exclaiming was the perfect place to put the futon, at least in summer, and the nerves came back.

He thought he’d have more time to get used to her being back before they’d be sequestered so completely alone with no risk of someone coming to find them, thought he’d have more opportunity to just be with her and smell her and hear her voice and watch her face as it moved animatedly through all her emotions as she told him stories or yelled at him in frustration or maybe even stole a kiss here and there.

After a year of tip toeing around each other, three solid years apart, and then a week reunited… this was all happening so fast.

Despite his fears, every day he helped her clean the place up, trying to hide how watching her do such domestic things as sweep old floor boards after he’d replaced them or washed the cobwebs off the walls or cleaned and stacked the dishes they’d had handed down to them made him choke up and feel soft.

But damn she just looked so much like a wife. Like his wife, the wife he’d never ever thought he would have.

And she kept smiling at him with such sparkling happiness and excitement that it certainly rubbed off, and he couldn’t deny that he was happy she was here, happy she was his, happy that he would spend every day of the rest of their lives with her, but he was also frightened.

So very, very frightened.

There was a place on the roof that leaked like a stream when it rained, and the day’s task included ripping that spot out and repairing it so they would stay dry in inclement weather.

The sun bore down from above and sweat dripped from his brow, but he ignored it and worked diligently to make this ramshackle hut a proper home for the woman who’d given up unimaginable comfort and luxury to proudly live with a Hanyo.

He could hear Kagome puttering around inside, filling the storage chest and rearranging the cups and bowls and opening and closing the door mat and sweeping again and again and again, nervous little gestures that belied the subtle uptick of her pulse.

Tomorrow was the day, the day they would officially become husband and wife, and she was finally getting a case of the nerves that had been plaguing him since he’d agreed to make this house their home.

“Inuyasha!” He heard her call, and he slid from the roof to land gracefully in front of her. Her eyes trailed down his shirtless form, and her pulse sped up again, a tantalizing tendril of interest threading through her scent that made his eyes widen. “Here,” she said breathlessly, handing him a cup of water and turning away with burning cheeks to try and catch her breath.

“Th-thanks.” He choked out, quickly gulping down much needed hydration as his skin prickled and his hands trembled.

“I’m… really excited about tomorrow.” She said quietly, and when he looked at her again, the setting sun had set her hair aglow like it was spun from threads of pure gold.

“Y-yeah?”

“Mhm. I’ve been dreaming of this since… since forever. I’m so happy to be your wife.”

His heart cracked and splintered as his secret fears reared up and brandished their claws against his soul.

He did not deserve her.

But then he knew that already.

Hedid want her, though, no matter how else he felt, and he simply would not entertain any true alternatives to moving into this hut with her and making her his.

“Yeah, me too.” He said, and he truly meant it from the depths of his being.

She smiled and it made her shine brighter than any star he’d ever seen, and then she leaned up and brushed her lips against his, the first kiss they’d been able to sneak since the jewel had tried to consume her.

She still tasted better than anything he’d ever tasted before.

“Come on, let’s get back to Kaede’s before she sends Miroku over. He’d harass us for the rest of our lives if he had to fetch us on the night before we get married.”

“Damn pervert.” He groused, but he let her take his hand and pull him along.

Chapter 7: Anniversary is live!

I really had so much fun being a part of this collaboration for InuKag week with everyone. @fawn-eyed-girl@ideasthatbuildcities@neutronstarchild@witchygirl99@ruddcatha@cannibalsforbreakfast thank you for including me!

A Toe in the Water

Part Three

Written for @inukag-week day 6: teasing!

Here we are at the end of this fluffy little piece! I can’t post the entirety of this chapter here because it does get quite spicy. (Smut warning!)

Summary: Inuyasha is getting married, and that’s just not something he ever thought would happen. After Kagome finally returns through the well 3 years after defeating Naraku and the jewel, they are put on a fast track to Happy Ever After. He’s happy, he really is! So what is this rain cloud hovering in his sunny skies?

Read on: AO3

——————Preview——————

Inuyasha sucked in what he hoped was a discreet breath as Kagome’s hand rested on his knee while Sango and Miroku regaled them with some tale or other about the twins latest shenanigans.

He tried to listen, he did, but all he could hear were the quiet, sultry words Kagome had whispered to him just that very morning in that very hut as that very hand had trailed up his thigh and closed tightly around-

“Inuyasha, everything alright my friend?” Miroku asked, and Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head to rid himself of the entirely too distracting visions he’d been entertaining.

“Uh… what?”

“I’ve just never seen you so… not present.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Kagome giggled and he whipped his head over to glare at her, his expression falling immediately flat as she smirked, a wicked light glinting deep within her eye.

He gulped and cleared his throat, scratching at the back of his head before turning back to Miroku, ignoring the dawning look of perversion on his face.

“I meant nothing by it at all, I assure you.” He said a little too placidly, and Sango looked shrewdly between all three of them.

“Miroku. Behave yourself. I want them to invite us over for dinner more than just this once!”

A Toe in the Water

Part Two

Part one- domestic, can be found HERE

Part two written for @inukag-week day 3- intimacy

Summary: Inuyasha is getting married, and that’s just not something he ever thought would happen. After Kagome finally returns through the well 3 years after defeating Naraku and the jewel, they are put on a fast track to Happy Ever After. He’s happy, he really is! So what is this rain cloud hovering in his sunny skies?

Also read on: AO3

——————————————————

Inuyasha watched Kagome comb her hair in front of the fire in their hut, wearing nothing but the water from her bath and his loosely hanging fire rat.

His heart rate picked up and his lungs squeezed, the sheer power of the atmosphere between them baring down on him until it threatened to crush him flat.

She was achingly beautiful, and he still couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that she was there, with him, so free and open and trusting…

And he couldn’t… Do anything about it.

‘Dammit.’

He could feel it, another night of failure, another night where she would snuggle in next to him in bed and he would hold her in his arms and his palms would sweat and his heart would race and he’d be so gripped by fear that she would once more fall asleep as his wife in name only.

Because even though he was free touch her, free to hold her, free to tease her and taste her and takeher…

He was frozen.

He couldn’t… he couldn’t…

He couldn’t.

His face burned in shame and he tore his eyes away from her, glaring at the floor of their home and willing it to open and swallow him whole.

He felt her touch against his cheek and he looked up into her face so soft and warm with a depth of love and understanding that took his breath away.

And made his stomach burn like Sesshomaru’s poison claw had been inside it again.

He did not deserve this woman’s mercy and kindness, yet she continued to lavish him with it every opportunity she had.

“Ready for bed, Husband?” She whispered, and once again hearing her so proudly claim him as hers like that made everything seem so magical, like all the shit and shadows he’d walked through in life had truly been worth it, had just been stumbling blocks on his road straight to her, so he let her grab his hand and pull him to his feet. He followed her silently to their futon and watched her lay down, and then he slid in to the bed behind her, rolling on top of her, hovering over her, tracing every line and curve and lash on her face with his eyes.

He could feel the warm softness of her body beneath his, and he would be lying if he said it didn’t make his blood run hot, but just as soon as the fire rushed through his veins, the ice followed, and she could alwaystell.

He could smell her lust, her desire, her hope, and he could smell when her own burning need cooled in the face of his hesitancy.

But he never smelled her disappointment, and for that he would never be able to accurately voice his gratitude.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, laying down fully on top of her and hiding his face in the crook of her neck. He felt her arms wrap around his shoulders, felt her chest vibrate as she chuckled softly, felt her hands find one of his ears and scratch at the base.

“Don’t apologize Inuyasha. I’ve told you, it’s okay. Whenever you’re ready.”

“But I should be ready. this is… this is bullshit. This is weakness. This is failure, Kagome. I’m failing as a husband already!”

“Stop that.” She said sternly, pushing him off of her until he rolled over on his back, and then she propped herself up on his shoulder and glared down into his face. “Don’t say those things Inuyasha. They aren’t true. We’ve only been married for a couple of weeks, and before that… did we really have time to just be together? Without any world saving nonsense or baggage from the past to settle?”

He blinked, his previous thoughts from the week they prepared their hut re-emerging from the depths of his self loathing.

No, they hadn’t.

“We were kind of chucked into the deep end of all of this, weren’t we? And maybe… maybe I made it worse by insisting we live here instead of taking the time to build a new home. I’m… sorry if-“

“No, don’t. You’ve done nothing wrong, Kagome. I could have… I could said something…”

“We’re you worried about this before?”

He swallowed down the knot of jumbled words and denials and excuses, even a few stray insults from latter days of much worse habits, and shook his head yes.

It was the best he could do, but it was enough.

She bit her lip and looked over at the wall, and fear of losing her sped through his soul so cold and fast he wanted to scream.

But she didn’t look mad or hurt or betrayed.

“Inuyasha have you… have you ever done… anything physical… with anyone?”

“No!” He exploded, sitting up and facing her with a dark, stormy scowl. “Why the hell would you think-“

“Inuyasha stop. I’m not asking because I’m jealous or suspicious, no matter what I love you more than anything.” She explained, his heart faltering at her easy declaration, “I just… tell me please. Have you ever been with anyone?”

“Who the hell besides you do you even think would want to be with me, Kagome?” He asked her, and he saw the light in her eyes sharpen.

“…Kikyo?”

“No.No. We are not dragging her into this. This is between me’n you Kagome, she ain’t got nothin’-“

“Please Inuyasha, humor me for a second!” She cried, grabbing his hand and staring into his eyes imploringly. “I promise I’m not trying to trap you, but right now, I need you to answer me. I need you to talk to your wife so we can solve a problem. Please?”

His spine was ramrod straight with angry, frustrated tension, giggling ghosts of the past sneaking in to rehaunt him with all his mistakes and blunders and mess ups.

But she looked so earnest and smelled so honest that he sighed and tilted his head back to look at their ceiling.

“No. Aside from the one kiss when she was… dying, and the one kiss when she was trying to drag me to hell… Kikyo and I… never did anything else.”

“Okay,” she said, and she’d spoken true, she wasn’t mad. “And we’ve only kissed a few times before you get overwhelmed. Inuyasha, are you under the impression that it’s all or nothing?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you think that if we’re together, we have to go all the way to sex?”

He felt his face light on fire, and his palms were sweating, and he wanted to rip his hand away from hers and cross his arms in his sleeves.

“Uh… y-yeah? Ain’t that the point? Ain’t that what married people do?”

“Sometimes, yes,” she replied, scooting closer and laying her head on his shoulder. “But sometimes no. Sometimes… you work up to it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, we can be intimate in an endless number of ways, Inuyasha. It doesn’t have to be sex right away.”

“It… it doesn’t?”

“No. And plenty of people can’t just go from nothing to everything. I’m not surprised at all to hear you need to go slow. To be honest… I like the sound of that better, too.”

“You do?!”

She never failed to knock him over and blow up all the things he’d ever believed, about himself, about the world, about people.

It was hard not to imagine fate creating this woman for him specifically sometimes.

“Yeah. I do. Inuyasha… can I kiss you?”

“You… want to kiss me right now?”

“Yes. I want to kiss you. More than once. But that’s all I want to do, and then I want you to hold me while we sleep, okay?”

His eyes fell to her lips, and all his thoughts scattered to the winds in favor of her scent and the memory of her taste.

“Okay,” he said absently, leaning into her and pressing his mouth to hers.

One kiss.

Two.

Three soft kisses before her hand settled against his jaw and her tongue darted out.

Clumsily he opened his mouth and let her inside, and she took her time getting to know his fangs, sliding her tongue against his, and sighing in pure contentment.

She’d been utterly starving for some kind of closeness and connection from him, and he wanted to maim himself for letting things get this far before hashing this all out, but his mind was clouding and all he could see or smell or taste or feel was her.

And she was delicious.

She pulled away and he tried to follow, a new hunger stirring deep in his belly, but she placed a soft hand on his mouth to stop him and touched her forehead to his with a breathy giggle.

“Okay. I think that’s enough.”

“It is?”

“Just for tonight. Now I’m tired.”

“Oh shit, it’s late. Come on, lay back down.”

It was hard to miss how giddy she seemed, how her soul seemed to thrum happily and excitedly around her as she snuggled into his arms and yawned.

“Goodnight husband.” She whispered, and though technically they weren’t physically man and wife yet, he couldn’t deny they were now a far sight closer.

It made him hopeful instead of fearful, and he noticed he felt cheated out of more kissing time with her.

He thought of tomorrow night, and the night after that one, and for the first time he didn’t want to hide.

He wanted more.

“Goodnight… my wife.”