Summary: The year is 1947. Lieutenant Inuyasha no Taisho finds himself in the center of postwar reconstruction. Having grown up Westernized, he thought he knew himself and his family. He wasn’t expecting the sudden malaise of coming to a country he knew nothing about. Falling in love with a woman he just met. Nor the very upending of his identity and culture. While the language is known to him, the customs of their world are not: the constant downcast eyes, the bows, the polite way of speaking. The waves of people looking back at him reminded him of his mother, long gone, and a history he never cared to learn.
But she is there: with her quiet smiles and quick wit. Her blue eyes hold a fierce determination of a story to come. This world couldn’t be so bad if she was there.
And his mother asked for one last, dying wish. Who was he to deny such a passionate request?
Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi is responsible for the Inuyasha series, I only lay claim on the story I have written.
Mountain View, California, United States of America
April 15, 1935
My dearest son,
I hope you can forgive my absence in the years to come, for I fear that I do not have much longer on this earth. I have asked Mr. Myoga Ogata to hold off on sending this letter to you until my passing. I did not desire to be an unnecessary burden during this most important time in your pursuits. I hope you know that I wish to continue in this life— believe me, my heart and soul— but that I no longer have the strength.
Your father, whom I was death on with each breath, gave to me the greatest gift— a sweet, innocent, little boy. You, Inuyasha, have been my most precious legacy. For many years after your fathers’ passing, I was able to concern myself only with you. I watched how you grew from a tot, into a young lad, into the man you are today. I had thought many times you would settle into a calf-love as your father and I had but instead, you chose to be a scholar. You have the grit to see it through and to do what your father and I have not.
I hope you know how jovial you have made me. Even when I am no longer of this life, you will continue to make me right peart. Your father would be proud, for he was most thrilled in the early days of my motherhood.
My health has me returned for now and with it, my spirits. The consumption has yet to take me!
I count the days though, for the end will be upon me yet. I will have failed as a mother, and as a wife, if I did not console you in these times. Please, my son, know that you have done everything you could. It is not you, nor the doctors, who have failed me. It is the failure of my own body to fight off the coughs, the fatigue, and the pains. Most nights I wake in cold-sweats, and now, the doctor has diagnosed me with a sickness called hemoptysis.
I will walk into the night one day but do not despair— for I will walk hand in hand with death Himself. Please do not pity your mother. It is because of you, and because of your father, that I have lived a life most fulfilled. A life with happiness, laughter, and light. I could not have asked for more.
In a time long past, I spent the early days of my youth walking along the shores of Kujukuri-hama. Once upon a time, I was the daughter of a wealthy lord. Hitherto, I was to marry a samurai, Setsuna no Takemaru. I spent many of my days’ longing for more: beyond the shoes of Tokyo, and of Nippon. It was your father who fulfilled those desires for many years, until his own death. Then, it was you.
Now, I long for nothing more than to lay upon those very shores as the water lap on my toes, my feet, my legs. To stretch upon the grains of the sand. To hear the gulls cry out as they circle above! To feel the warmth of the sun on my face! To hear my native language once more, among those that accept me without provocation. With each passing day, I long more and more to return to where the sun rises eternally. Where your father rests peacefully. He waits for me yet…!
You may be most sad now but remember, these moments in life are only momentary. One day you will walk amongst others and this intense pain you are holding onto, you will soon forget. I hope that one day you will find beauty in the most unexpected of places. That you will find, and accept, wisdom even when you have not sought for it. And that one day you will find love, and strength, in even the most onerous of journeys. You may feel sadness now, and loneliness may wrap your heart, but that is only brief. Without these feelings, you would not feel the joy and compassion that will bear itself to you, like a blossoming flower in the melting snow.
You will always be a part of me, as I will always be a part of you. Your father too will always be with you. Our blood forever runs through your body—for it is from our bodies that you were once part of.
Mr. Myoga Ogata will be sounding the passing bell; I ask that you take my ashes back to the rising sun. Back to where your father rests, along the shores of Shichiriga-hama. I am told that he was laid at Koyurugi Jinja. It is my most ardent wish to lay alongside the man who gave me everything when I could not give even a grain of rice.
I have bequeathed to you all which I inherited from your father, and from your fathers’ father, and from his fathers’ father. That which belonged to my native country is the ring which rests on my finger, and the kimono that I cherished most before leaving Nippon.
Treasure them as I have treasured you.
Forever with love,
Izayoi no Taisho
Tokyo Bay, Honshu, Japan
September 15, 1945
0945:37
The sounds of water rushing against the naval ship bring Inuyasha back to the present moment. Molten amber eyes look beyond the port side, over the vast ocean, and out towards the horizon. The faint outline of islands begins to emerge beyond the fog. Overhead seabirds squawk as they attempt to land on the deck. Brandished away, they perch along the crosstrees, high up from human interaction.
“Lieutenant no Taisho, sir.”
The man folds the letter along the creases. After so many years, the missive has become discolored from exposure. The ink, however, stood out clear and crisp. Too many times he read, and re-read, this very letter. He knew every word by heart. Even now, he could picture the slanting of his mother’s chancery cursive. He imagines the slopes of her a and the quick-dash and crosses on her t. She often tended to confuse her f’s for p’s, sometimes to the point he would have to reexamine the word and sentence. Was this a result of learning a new language as an adult, with little help and no education?
Inuyasha returns the letter to his breast pocket, careful to avoid loosening his pinned insignia. He turns about-face towards the Chief Warrant Officer saluting him. Returning the gesture he raising his arm sharply, palm down, above his eye.
“Chief Warrant Officer Johnson.”
Both return to a formal stance of acknowledgment.
“Sir, I am here to inform you that we are approaching the islands of Japan. We should hit shore before the end of the day, sir.” As the CWO Johnson speaks to him, Inuyasha loses himself in memories long forgotten. Of feelings lost to him until now.
“Sir?” Brown eyes gaze up at him all the while standing to attention. CWO Johnson’s arms press steadfast to his side, shoes polished as they reflect light from the sun above.
Blinking, Inuyasha realizes he has yet to dismiss CWO Johnson.
“Thank you, Mr. Johnson. You are dismissed.”
The CWO salutes him once more before he leaves, walking in the direction of other sailors. For a moment, Inuyasha’s eyes follow his path before he turns back towards the sea. He inhales deeply, tasting the sharp, brisk seawater on his tongue.
Had he not been on and off naval ships for the last decade, he probably would have choked on the sudden intrusion. As it were the scents around him were dependable, comfortable, and familiar.
More familiar than the country his mother left. A country ravaged and destroyed by times of war and despair. Could he truly impart her final wishes in such a place, so far from the nation he grew up under? So far from him? He had no family here. No ties to link himself to a return trip.
Except for his mother, now.
An ache settles in his mouth, from whence Inuyasha has clenched his teeth together. He releases the pressure, moving his jawbone side-to-side to decrease the tension.
It was her dying wish to be laid to rest alongside his father. Even if he never knew his old man, he loved and cared deeply for his mother. The least he could do was respect her most impassioned desire.
Tokyo, Honshu, Japan
September 15, 1945
1728:15
“Did you hear? A new boat landed today.”
“Marshall MacArthur sure is busy. I hope they brought more of their American food. I haven’t been able to grow anything in months.”
The word ‘American’ sticks out, a harsh emphasis on the last syllable. Higurashi Kagome peers at the two women in line before her, in hushed tones talking to one another. A slick sheen gleams against the tanned skin of one of the women. Her dark eyes survey around her before catching Kagome’s own blue ones. A small, shy smile spreads across her face and she looks away, pretending she had not been listening.
The sun began to set, leaving behind hues of blues, pinks, and reds. Across the horizon, it beams as a deep ochre in the sky, emanating a white-gold ring and rays of orange across the land. A whitetail streaks across the faint blues, pinks, and reds left behind by an aircraft.
If not for the rubble, the scorched lands, or half-torn buildings, Kagome might have thought the setting sun beautiful. The ration ticket scalds against her skin though, reminding her of the situation at hand. She refocuses her attention to the front as allotments are distributed.
Would today be the day they receive the wheat and oats necessary to survive another week or month? There were only so many ways one could stretch over boiled rice. Adding wheat and oats turned congee into tasteless gruel, but it upped the calorie intake.
The line moves faster as rations are given. Soon, Kagome finds that she spies only eight heads ahead of her. The two women continue to chirp, talking of black market deals and spools of fabric costs. It reminds Kagome of her younger brother who, in only a span of three months, grew three inches. Maybe she could extend his yukata with some of her old and wearing kimono. She didn’t think she could afford this month’s rations, the charcoal to cook them, and a new spool of fabric. Inflation continually depreciated the value of yen.
As Kagome decides this is the best way to keep costs down, she realizes a hushed whisper has come upon the group. The women point excitedly and talk fast; Kagome almost misses the words “Japanese-American” and “nay-vee”. She follows the trajectory of one finger, where a small group of military personnel stands off to the side.
It is one man that the group talks about and, for a moment, Kagome convinces herself they are mistaken. His headgear is off and he holds the visor between his thumb and pointer, arms crossed.
The setting sun caresses unusual blond hair, flecked with hints of platinum. It creates the illusion of a halo around him. Unlike her own paler complexion, his skin is tanned from years of sun exposure. His eyes, the color of burnt amber, slant downwards and betray his lineage. He is wearing the standard service uniform, a button-down, and trousers. She doesn’t understand military ranking, but his shoulder boards denote a star.
Next to him, a pretty Japanese woman dressed in nurse garb leans over in conversation; her own features illuminate tales of lost origins. Large, almond-shaped eyes scan the crowd, momentarily pausing as they meet her own.
A hand on her shoulder startles her back to reality, and she sees a gap between herself and the two women in front. She bows, apologetically, before closing the space in line.
Only three heads wait in front of her now. She thinks though that the two women in front count as one.
Apologies for the slow update for Running to Stand Still! I’ve gotten a bit distracted by my scifi projects coming up, but I want you to know this story hasn’t been forgotten. The bulk of it is written and edited, and I just need to add the finishing touches.
Here is a lil preview of the next chapter to whet your appetites!!
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“Which way do you think it should fall?”
“I–I don’t know…”
They stood on the edge of a charred-out landscape, smoke drifting from smoldering duff. Kagome buckled chaps around her waist and knees, bending down to check the saw and make sure it was topped up on fuel. She took a deep breath, preparing to start it up.
Yash stood beside her, his hand grazing her shoulder as his neck craned upward, studying the tree.
“Look up,” he muttered gruffly, holding up a shovel handle as a reference. “Where is the weight leaning?”
She squinted, standing up beside him as the rim of her helmet brushed his shoulder. “I see larger branches to the right. So that way?”
“Yeah, that’s what I’d do.” He stepped back a little, a small smirk edged the corner of his lip. “Start ‘er up and cut your wedge. Don’t go too deep.”
“Geeze, so bossy.” She joked, giving him a wink before putting on her mesh goggles.
“Less flirting, more cutting!!” Sango hollered behind them, a couple hundred feet away, half of her body waist deep in a smoking stumphole. Miroku looked up beside her, his face covered in black streaks as he grinned and catcalled.
The both began to blush, Yash turning away as Kagome distracted herself with cranking the pull cord.
It was their second fire run together. Things had gotten easier since the bee incident. Yash had been standoffish the days after, uncertain how to interact with her. Waiting for his secret to spill from her lips. But she made a promise, and she never broke those. Not unless someone’s life depended on it.
Slowly, at a snail’s pace, he warmed up to her—showed her things she never noticed before. He had a literacy to land she had never known, a silent wisdom that could only be seen by those who read the wind in clouds and plants by their leaves. She could see it for what it was, a language of survival.
Kagome learned to pay attention, took note when he stopped to smelled the air, or scoured his eyes along the ground, following invisible tracks. When she peppered him with curious questions, sometimes he shook her off, other times he gifted her with grunted short answers. She would listen attentively, soaking up every word he gave her. With time and practice she could identify the difference between pines and firs, plants that could be foraged and others with likeness to avoid. She would point and call out a name, and he would glance over his shoulder and nod or shake his head, a lightness glowing from his violet eyes.
During breaks he would wander away, to come back with a handful of berries in his stained palms, held out in offering to her. And when he did so, he would sit beside her quietly. Sometimes she would talk, and other times she relaxed into the silence with him, never digging too deep with questions.
And then one day, without her realising, he began to speak without her prompt.
“You’re not gonna ask?”
She had been staring at her cold cheesesteak sandwich dismally, it tasted nothing like its namesake, but she was too hungry to be picky. Frowning at it disdainfully, she picked off the slimy half cooked onions.
“Hmm? Ask what?” She answered absently. She glanced up at him, her actions pausing as she witnessed a look she had never seen cross his eyes.
Spectrum: A Canon-esque drabble collection for @inuyashapridemonth Day 6: Red - Life | KaguKik | Canon | Rated G | WC: 100
Painted lips; a sign of wealth, status, and confidence.
The rouge that Kikyo had come to know so well curved; the odd encounter had become more frequent, and she knew better than to put it solely down to chance.
“Fancy seeing you here,” Kagura said, opening her fan to hide her smile – as if it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Likewise.”
To Kikyo, red was always the colour of blood, of monstrous passion. But tides had turned, and dauntless ruby eyes and vibrant red lips sparked a warmth she hadn’t felt since living.
Nevertheless, something she couldn’t afford to fall for.
For@ruddcatha, my darling, my dearest: thank you for all that you do - not just for this fandom, but for me. We are so lucky to have you ❤️
As you may know, Rudd is currently fundraising to attend a national pageant in July; this is one of the special, self-care things that she does for herself, and she is not a person who does this nearly enough.
If you have a little spare change, and would like to donate to Rudd’s ko-fi to help her get there, we would so appreciate it.
Rated:M
Summary:
“Why are you here?”
Inuyasha grimaces. His foot starts tapping again, and Kagome notes that he’s wearing dark Chelsea boots with tight jeans – and they are tight everywhere. “You really weren’t listening to me,” he says, aggravated. “I told you. I’ve been sent by The Guild.”
“The Guild.”
He shoots her an unimpressed glare, which is understandable. Everyone knows about The Guild of Witches. Kagome’s not in top form, but she can slowly piece two and two together. The Guild of Witches is the governing body for all practicing witches on the continent. They are judge and jury, enforcement and legislation, scholarship and practicum. In this instance, what she’s gathering is this: The Guild has sent her yet another familiar for her to attempt to bond with, because they think she is dangerous and/or evil, and they wish to have a spy.
Summary:Kagura was a survivor. She did what was necessary to stay alive. The only person she could count on was herself. If she wanted to be free, then she would have to do it herself. Or so she thought. Kanna was supposed to be the soulless void, following Naraku’s orders without feeling. So what was she doing, standing here, Kagura’s heart in her hand? Was Kanna really offering Kagura a chance to be free?
Hello hello hello! Another day, another fun-filled Fleet Week exploration! This time, a truly underrated friendship that was so often overshadowed by Naraku or Sesshōmaru: Kagura & Kanna! I hope you like this little what-if story, and man you definitely need to check out the commissioned art by the extraordinarily talented @tmetta!Just look at it!
Summary:When Kagome gets back to feudal times, person after person comes over to help her with things. They all have reasons that they love her, and remind her of that. Inuyasha is the last one to drop by, and his becomes the most profound gift of them all.
Oh my goodness Fe, what do we say? Well… @ruddcatha,@fawn-eyed-girl and I probably just want to say thank you. You’ve been a serene light in the IY fandom since we all joined, and we are so happy to call you a friend. I hope that this little Kagome appreciation canon fic puts a smile on your face. Happy belated birthday!
Summary:Kagome is clumsy. That’s just how she is. One day, an exasperated (and gorgeous) dog-eared demon comes out of the woodwork to save her (…yet again…), revealing that Kagome’s near-misses have mostly been due to his intervention, and that he is quitting! He means it! He is through with helping her out! But now that Kagome has met him, she wants to see him again. And there is no better way to get his attention than do the ridiculous and death-defying things she has always wanted to do!
How many ways has the wonderful @ruddcatha made my life richer? Let me count the ways. There’s her unerring support when we’re down. There’s her ability to say it like it is when I need to hear it. There’s her ever-constant presence in Inuyasha keeping the wheels turning behind the scenes to make us all have a wonderful time without so much as asking for a thank you. Is there anyone more deserving of a thank you than that? (And see @thunderpot‘samazing art for this Rudd celebration story to boot!)
RuddCatha has been fundraising to be able to attend a pageant in Ohio this July; this is one of the special, self-care things that she does for herself, and she is not a person who does this nearly enough. So far, she has been making progress in raising money, but we wanted to also do a little something to help out, to let her know how much we appreciate her. If you have a little money to spare, and you like the works that we’ve made, you might be willing to donate to Rudd’s ko-fi in honor of her, and in honor of all the work she does for us (and, really, for thousands of people in her real-life professional and volunteer work, too).
Summary:Kagome has returned to Sengoku Jidai, to the home she has now made, to her soulmate. It took less than a week for Inuyasha to become her husband, and for them to commit to their lives together. But Inuyasha is nervous, because nothing prepared him for what comes next. Fortunately, the same cannot be said for Kagome, who has been dreaming of the coming moments for the last three years.
Collapses into a puddle of satisfied happiness. There we have it folks, 7 stories over 7 days of ships and adventures galore. I bring you the end: the OTP, which for me, is and always will be InuKag. We have hints that special and wonderful things happened for InuKag by the well, and I’ve wanted to do a canon smut piece to that for a while. Where Kagome is the experienced one (modern educations are good for some things!) and Inuyasha follows her lead. To add to the magical wonder of this ship and story, the ethereal @stillunderyourbed has done amazing art, which you can check out in the story!
Thank you all for staying with me, for reading, for sailing the seven seas (erm… ships) and I hope you enjoy one last little celebration of the glory and wonder that is Inuyasha.
Hello everyone! I am so happy to continue to @ruddcatha celebrations this weekend, with a little InuKag meet-cute!
Rudd, thank you for all that you do for us–for all that you’ve done for me. The IY fandom is so lucky to have someone like you
As you may know, Rudd is currently fundraising to attend a national pageant in July; this is one of the special, self-care things that she does for herself, and she is not a person who does this nearly enough.
If you have a moment, and a little spare change, and would like to donate to Rudd’s ko-fi to help her get there, we would so appreciate it. Thank you, and please enjoy!
Story Summary: Kagome can’t believe her luck. After dancing the whole night at Sango and Miroku’s wedding in her heels, the second she stepped outside…Bam! Sprained ankle.
Luckily, someone is there to help her back on her feet. A very handsome someone…with long, silver hair…and golden eyes.
Hey everyone! My Halloween Bang contribution for @inu-spiration has been available on AO3 all day, but I’ve been at work and we were so busy I wasn’t able to put a link here on tumblr. I didn’t even get time to stare at this gorgeous art by @mickisketch - doesn’t it make you want to weep at how beautiful it is?!
The next two chapters are done, and will be posted over the next two weeks. After those are up, I would love to say it will have a regular update pattern, but every time I promise something like that, life taps me on the shoulder and reminds me that my time is not my own. We’ll just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best hmmm?
Such an amazing collaboration between two insanely talented creators! This story is simply fantastic @mamabearcat and the art from @mickisketch, just gorgeous!
My art piece for the @inu-spiration event. For reasons out of my control, I also ended up paired with the wonderful @witchygirl99 . A blessing I would say.
This is for the story Haunted check it out here!!!!!
Summary: Beaten down from years of hate and discrimination, Inuyasha journeys to a town that he hopes will be a place to finally call home. As he learns what it means to be accepted and appreciated, he finds himself mesmerized by the voice and face of the most unlikely person, the town witch.
So, Fansplaining just released the results of their survey of fanfic readers and the types of tropes/genres/tones they prefer in fic. The results are interesting (if occasionally relatively expected), and I even learned some terms (such as “imagine” which it turns out is just something we do all the time on tumblr lol), so I’m going to link to the article discussing this first in case ya’ll want to read it:
But one of the terms covered took me aback, and leads me to pose a question to ya’ll, because a.) it doesn’t use the term quitelike I thought it was used and b.) it’s actually relevant to a fic I’m working on and am starting to consider the future tags for (I might do clearer tags just to be on the safe side - but I’m still curious!).
The term in question is a genre descriptor often used as a tag on places like AO3 or tumblr: “darkfic”.
So my question - twofold, I guess - is this:
1.) if ya’ll use the term “darkfic” in tagging/labeling/describing your own work and/or the work of others, especially in Inuyasha fandom, how exactly do you use it?
and 2.) How do you assume others use it? Like, if something is TAGGED or described by its author as “darkfic”, especially if it doesn’t have many other tags to clarify beyond that, what would you assume about the fic?
I wish that ao3 had an option to filter warnings (and tbh certain authors) out like I will never ever want to read it and just seeing it puts me off so much that often I end up closing my browser because that content upsets me so much lmao
There is a way to do this but I can’t recall how to do it. it’s something you type into the box for “other filters” or something, I don’t remember. who knows??
It’s not a great option, and I don’t know if you can sort out authors that way, but it’s better than nothing if someone can reblog this with how to do it!
Alrighty friends! It takes some specificity, but you can do this. Let me show you how!
So I started with going to the Sherlock (TV) section of Ao3. On the right we find this lovely section! ((I know I’m going over things you already probably know, but I figure this post may go to new Ao3 users, so bear with me.))
Underneath this, I chose sort by Kudos, because that’s a quick way to find most popular fics, for the sake of this demonstration.
With those filters on, we end up with this being our first two results:
As you can see, we have Nature and Nurture by earlgreytea68, and The Internet Is Not Just For Porn by cyerus. So what if I am utterly sick of seeing earlgreytea68 on my list? Let’s pretend I’ve read all their fics, or that I just don’t like her, or whatever. I want this author out. I go to this section on the right:
In “Search within results” I type earlgreytea68 into the bar, with a minus sign in front. This gives me the following page, upon hitting the sort and filter button:
There goes earlgreytea68! But now I’ve decided that Crack is just not my thing, I’m sick of that, too, for heaven’s sake, I want something reasonable in my gay slash fanfiction about detectives that solve crimes about glowing dogs and irish megalomaniacs. Heaven forbid this get ridiculous.
Well, then I add this to my search:
Which gets rid of everything with that tag. My results are now:
Performance in a Leading Role is now my first result!
You can do this as many times as you want; the biggest problem I have is trying to filter out multi-worded tags. For example, “Secret Relationship” is hard to filter. Better to go with authors you dislike or with words like “DubCon”.
I hope this helps! Also remember that googling site:archiveofourown.org and then adding search terms will mean google searches Ao3 for you, and sometimes that works far better.
Good luck!
An excellent in-depth guide! Thank you!!
omg changed my whole ao3 rarepair game
An excellent guide to filtering on AO3!
You can filter out phrases by enclosing them in quotes. For example, if ABO and Hydra Trash Party are not your things, try:
-“alpha/beta/omega dynamics” -”hydra trash party”
I have more advice!
Say, you’re in your random fandom- I went with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, since I’ve been reading Iron Man stuff recently. Tony Stark is awesome.
But anyway, you’re on the page, and you see that there are 174,774 works! That is way too many for a casual afternoon’s browsing.
And you see that the first one is Peter Parker/Tony Stark and that is not your jam. It doesn’t work for you, or it squicks you, whatever. Wouldn’t life be easier if you could browse without seeing that pairing (or whatever pairing you don’t like)? You can!
First, click on that pairing tag(You may want to open this in another tab, actually.):
and it’ll take you to the page for that pairing tag. Click this button:
and then look at the address bar! The actual page is unimportant. Copy the numbers located here:
and go back to the original search page! Down on the side, in the same place you can get rid of other tags, type -relationship_ids:”the number you just copied”
Then hit ‘sort and filter’ annnd… magic!
The fics with that pairing are gone! You can also do multiple pairings, get rid of any tags you don’t like, and sort it by date or length or kudos, or whatever.
Enjoy.
I’d just like to add that these sorts of search modifiers ALSO WORK IN GOOGLE AND MOST RESEARCH DATABASES.
The more you know.
A helpful guide to filtering fic searches for our followers! :)
I saw this postby@astropixie about how it’d be nice to review fics on AO3 as you read. A little while back, because I was so in awe of the Clexa fic writers, I made this userscript (can install on Firefox by using Greasemonkey and on Chrome, ETA: Opera, and Safari by using Tampermonkey) so that I could do just that. It doesn’t have the wattpad or soundcloud functionality, it’s just a little thing added on to a page, not something supported by the site itself, but it’s better than nothing.
Floating review box! Never choose between “that one great line to quote” and “that other great line to quote” again! Take notes as you go! Perfect accessory for AO3 readers and now there’s an FFN version too! :D
I haven’t tried the FFN version or either version on Firefox, but after trying the AO3 version in Chrome and seeing it work beautifully, I wanted to share the heck out of it to our followers.
Summary: When Kagome’s mother said someone was coming by the house to fix the mess, she assumed it was someone’s grandfather - not the grandson. Now she’s got a whole other mess she has to deal with.
In a world of demon and human coexistence, Inuyasha doesn’t think he’ll ever find his mate. That is until he spots the raven-haired DJ at a local demon-friendly nightclub and becomes completely obsessed. But she has demons in her past and they’re getting close to resurfacing. Can Inuyasha help Kagome heal from her traumatic past? Will he be able to protect her from her own fears? And what happens when Inuyasha’s demon breaks through the surface to claim her as his, once and for all?
(18+ Only)
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Sneak Peak:
“I didn’t mean to hit you with the door.”
When I find nothing to reply with, I turn to my default settings. Being an asshole.
“Watch it next time, wench,” I mumble. My permanent scowl remains on my face, feigning boredom. On the outside, I’m a mask of complete indifference.
On the inside? I’m freaking the fuck out.
Her beautiful ocean orbs widen and her shock is palpable.
Then she really surprises me.
Plump lips twist into a snarl while she crosses her arms over her chest. I swallow the groan rising in my chest as her arms push her tits up.
“It’s Kagome. Ka-go-me. Not wench. ” She speaks low and enunciates every word like I’m a toddler. Her cheeks burn with anger.
Summary : Kagome is determined to survive her first year at Shikon University. All she has to do is focus on her studies and blend in enough to not to inadvertently draw the attention of the Kings : a group of demons that rule Shikon. But after an unfortunate reunion with the school’s star quarterback, her life will never be the same.
Shout out to @fawn-eyed-girl for beta-ing my work on the fly (my writing and life has been such a mess lately and I just greatly appreciate her for being so supportive).
Work in Progress Wednesday: Little Gifts, New Chapters Coming!
Hi hi everyone! Soooo…this is a little surprise that I have had in the works for a long time. Some of you might remember a story I wrote for @ruddcatha‘s birthday last year, called Little Gifts–a story that @hopidoodle later did absolutely incredible artfor!
The idea for these new chapters has been percolating since around November, when @neutronstarchild and I joked that Inuyasha and Kagome needed to receive some “naughty gifts.” Even though it was a fun conversation, it was one we couldn’t get out of our heads, and a few months later, I asked @hopidoodle if she might be interested in doing some more art for some new chapters, and, well…
I am very excited to bring you a little WiP for the first of two new chapters of Little Gifts! Follow the train below for more!
Thank you to @neutronstarchild for the banners, above and below! And @ruddcatha, I hope you enjoy this little surprise in July!
Here, have some more Hunger Games AU from a random point in the story I definitely have not mapped out yet at all or edited and may or may not have the time to continue. I’m feelin’ angsty.
The night before the games, the city lights were like nothing he’d ever seen. From the vantage point of their penthouse suite, he could see for miles, even beyond the limits of the Capitol. What he wouldn’t have given for a view like this back in 12; it would have made hunting a hell of a lot easier. He surveyed the lights throughout the dark city, able to pinpoint groups of people from the brightness and the noise. Parties. Celebrations for his inevitable demise; the richest of the richest eager to watch children of the poor murder each other. It made him sick if he thought about it too much, so he hugged his legs to his chest and closed his eyes. If he tuned it all out, only gave his attention to the breeze, he could almost picture he was back there, that the wind was whistling through the trees and not atop a tower. That any moment, he would turn around, Kikyo would be there behind him, bow and arrow taut, or maybe at home with Shippo, listening to a storm pass overhead in their cabin.
“Mind some company?”
He didn’t move, but he opened his eyes. He knew the voice well. Kagome had silently padded out onto the outcropping, her pajamas flimsy and probably not sufficient for this cold. If she was in the same mindset he was in, though, she probably didn’t notice. The whole day had been a haze. They were probably going to die within the next week at most; who could make space for feeling cold when they already felt so much fear? Her undereyes were dark and her hair was a wild tangle. She’d been tossing and turning, most likely. He felt a little bad about that, but couldn’t pinpoint why.
Wordlessly, she sat opposite him, leaning back into the wall. She folded her legs to her side and copied his gaze, staring out into the city.
“Couldn’t sleep either?” she asked.
“Don’t sleep well anyways. And the noise…”
She chuckled darkly. “Yeah. Me, too. I guess our untimely deaths are worth celebrating. Or something like that.”
He didn’t know what to say to that. He doubted there was anything he could say to that. They sat together in mirrored silence then, the whirring of the wind and cheers carried on the breeze. After a moment, he glanced over at her, her silhouette illuminated by the distant city lights. He had the errant thought that she looked as if she was glowing, almost. Like some warmth from within her gave her the light that outlined her profile. An inner brightness. A sun for a soul. Her eyes were closed as his had been, her eyelashes fanning over her soft cheeks.
How was he supposed to kill this girl? Everything in him, every fiber of his being, screamed at him to protect her at all costs. He had to protect this girl of light and warmth so that she could shine forever, so that she’d never dim. If not for him, at least for his district. If she survived, who knew what good she could do for the district? Besides, she’d make one hell of a victor.
But he couldn’t forget Shippo. The kid needed him. Actually needed him, for things like food and shelter. Kikyo couldn’t watch him forever, not when she also had Kaede to worry about. So he had to win, or at least, he had to try. He had to win the Hunger Games.
It was only then that he remembered what Totosai had said on the train, the three of them huddled at the dinner table to talk strategy, his glass of whiskey sloshing as the train jostled.
No one really ever wins the Hunger Games.
Staring at Kagome, he was starting to understand, starting to piece together how this could be. It was a lose-lose scenario, unless you were a psychopath. Either you die, or you kill someone you knew, someone you’d likely care at least a little about, coming from the same district. You’d lose yourself either way.
“Inuyasha?”
Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he realized he had been staring at her for a while. His cheeks reddened with a ridiculous embarrassment— at this point, weren’t they past the point of being shy, given what they were about to embark on?— but still. Whoops.
“Would you… can you promise me something?”
She was looking at him now, her brows furrowed; serious. This was something she had been thinking about for a while, it seemed. He frowned.
“What is it?”
“If something happens to me…” she chuckled in spite of herself. “Or when… can you make sure my mom and my little brother make it okay? I don’t want to burden you or anything, I just… since my dad died, the bakery’s been strapped for money, and I don’t know how they’re going to make it without my help. Souta’s barely eleven, and the thought of him entering his name multiple times, just for rations…” He could see the weariness in her gaze, the desperation in the purse of her plush lips, her clenched jaw. This was not easy for her to ask.
“What makes you so sure I’ll survive to help?”
“You will,” she said, turning her gaze back to the city. “You’ve got the best chances the district’s had in years; everyone knows it, even Totosai.”
He didn’t know what to say to that. Sure, he was handy with a sword, excellent at hand-to-hand combat, and proficient in just about every other weapon, but so were a lot of the Careers. Against one of them, the odds were pretty even, and certainly not “ever in his favor”. The only reason anyone was making a fuss about him at all was his decent scores and because he was from one of the outer districts. If anything, Kagome may have a better shot than him, just because she was so charming on screen; that was bound to get her sponsors. So he said what he felt he had to.
“You could still win, Kagome.”
“No.”
He almost jumped at the ferocity of her answer. She was glaring at him, her eyes blazing, her hands clenched. He had touched on a serious nerve.
“I have no chance, Inuyasha. Okay? None. So just. Please,” she said, her voice softening with her gaze. “Please promise me this. Don’t let them starve.”
“I won’t,” he said. And he meant it. “I won’t let them go hungry Kagome. I’d never let them go hungry.”
He wondered if, in that moment, she knew the true meaning behind his words, and why he would so easily make that promise. He wondered if she knew that he remembered the day she did not let himstarve.
And, for the first time since they arrived in the Capitol, she gave him a genuine smile. The kind he recognized from school; honest and true. It was close-lipped, still with a hint of sadness, but it was genuine. That inner light shining again. It made his heart constrict. It made his lungs deflate. It made his stomach churn.
It was then he knew the answer to that terrifying question: how was he supposed to kill this girl?
Summary: When Kagome’s mother said someone was coming by the house to fix the mess, she assumed it was someone’s grandfather - not the grandson. Now she’s got a whole other mess she has to deal with.
For the next three months, I’m taking a break from fanfiction. The good news with that is, payment for Patreon will be paused for those three months. So for either $3-$5 dollars upon entry, you get three months to binge read without a monthly fee!
I have way more content on my Patreon than fanfiction or AO3. Like more of AWE, Cell Mates, all my fairy tale stories, and fics that have never been posted! Some never will be. There’s enough content to keep you reading for three months at least. And if not, you can read something again. You got three months!!
After July, I’ll unpause if I have something to post. And you’ll be informed beforehand so you can decide to stay or go. As long as you don’t cancel, you’ll only pay the entry fee until at least August!
Consider subscribing and supporting my original sites as well! I’ll be selling myself as much as possible on those sites from now on. You’ll get more updates there than here!
