Chapter Text
“No way.” I breathed, my voice quivering slightly in awe.
Three years. That’s how long it had been since I last stepped foot into the feudal era.
It felt like eons since the fated battle against the terrible spider demon, Naraku, had reached its climax and I was taken captive to an alternate world that was void of light and full of despair. Three years since the destruction of the Shikon no Tama was achieved by a powerful wish. The jewel’s legacy never to disrupt the tranquility of this era ever again. Three years without seeing the kitsune, nekomata, monk, or demon slayer who’d all grown close to me like family.
Three years since …
My cheeks heat up ever so slightly as I gingerly placed an index finger to my lips. A flash of silver and red entered quickly through my mind, accompanied by the fiery amber that bore into my soul and caused my heart to skip a beat.
Three years…without .. .
I could still vividly recall the day we were separated; the sheer mounting anxiety that chilled my veins as I watched the portal between our two worlds activate and pull him away. Despite having been together on both sides of the well in the midst of our excursion, something told me that time was different. Without the power of Shikon no Tama to keep the link between both worlds open, there was no need for a demon of the past to stay in the modern era. Of course, along with that realization came another; one that was too heartbreaking to bear. If I had no room for him in my time...that would mean, there was no room for me in his world either.
No . The word echoed loudly in my mind as panic instantly set in. Upon instinct, I reached out for him.
He mimicked my gesture, his clawed fingers extended to their absolute fullest as his desperation to feel my touch superseded his usual cool demeanor. Our fingers grazed just as the lower half of his body vanished and he was forcibly pulled down into the ethereal purple haze, his mouth opening to shout what sounded like my name before fading away with the rest of him.
Then, nothing.
My body moved of its own accord as I hurriedly stepped forward without a second thought. The slick steps leading to the well’s platform nearly caused me to lose my footing as I rushed to position myself for the leap. A small cry of protest escaped my lips as my mother grabbed my shoulders firmly in an effort to hold me back. The abrupt contact snapped me back long enough to process what had occurred and my eyes rapidly welled with tears. I cupped my face in my hands as my head hung in defeat and let out a long, frustrated sob. My mother turned me around by my shoulders gently and enveloped me in a tight embrace; her faint chamomile scent doing little to calm me as it usually did. She stroked my hair as I let out the most gut-wrenching wails my tired body could muster before my knees buckled beneath me.
Each day over the course of the following year, I would visit Honekui no Ido and attempt to go back. My first attempt consisted of me climbing down and digging at the dirt as I had in the past. It wasn’t until my fingernails broke and the tips began to redden and raw that I ceased efforts. My bandaged hands remained hidden from my mother’s view for quite some time so she wouldn’t worry. Sometimes I would bring tea as a way to prolong my visits; other times I caught myself staring into space while my fingers traced over the damp, rotten wood. Those memories are what made the scene before me so unbelievable. It was hard to accept this reality that presented itself before me now.
From deep inside the bottom of the well, I could see…sunlight?
The once rotten wood panels that lined the upper interior of the enclosure took on a fresh golden hue as I surveyed my surroundings from the bottom of the Bone-Eater’s well. Vines of various stages of color and density were entwined around the lip and draped haphazardly along the darkened walls. The Higurashi shrine that had once obscured and protected the well was no longer. Instead of a roof, I was greeted by a bright blue sky accompanied by the fluffiest of clouds. The cold ground littered with a variety of tiny bones crunched and crackled beneath my feet as I slowly walked along the width of the well, hand dragging along the slick stone interior. I lifted my face to look upward again towards the pale white sun beams that illuminated the upper wooden corners of the well. The air I’d been holding in my lungs escaped in one ragged exhale.
This…, I firmly clasped my fingers around a vine that dangled lazily above my head and placed my left foot into the misplaced stone that had previously served as my foothold all those years ago. Hoisting myself up, I placed my right foot into a hole small enough to fit the slightly pointed tip of my shoe into. With a quick bounce of my left foot, the hole became my pivot point to reach an overhanging bundle of vines. A small smile graced my lips as my muscle memory began to kick in and I scrambled towards the top.
This isn’t a dream.
My body felt so light and nimble as I picked up momentum. The light pink bolero I donned that morning did little to hinder my movements despite the sensation of the fluffy cotton material snagging on the vine’s thorns with each movement. The smooth stone that lined the inside of the refined pit felt cool on my exposed knees and slipped beneath my burgundy ballerina flats. Grabbing aimlessly at the vine overgrowth, my own sense of urgency willed my body to climb faster.
Almost there.
The repetitive, sing-song tweets of nearby birds greeted my ears as I finally neared the top and I felt my heart flutter. Without looking up, I extended a hand above my head to grab onto the opening of the well while slightly bouncing to balance myself upon a small protruding boulder. It was only a second later before the stone gave way from its foundation and made me lose my grip. My mouth opened into an ‘O’ of surprise as the sound of my pounding heart reached my ears; my hand instinctively shot out to grab at the wall but my fingers grasped at air. My heart dropped into my stomach, and I squeezed my eyes shut at the inevitable pain the impact would bring when the feeling of my body jerking to a halt in midair made my eyes shoot open immediately. An all-too-familiar calloused hand clasped tightly at my wrist and began to pull me towards safety.
Peering up slowly, my breath hitched in my throat as my eyes met the gaze of my savior. Despite the firm hold on my wrist, I could feel their hand quivering slightly and watched as their lips parted in a look of bewilderment. The boy who saved and protected me on countless occasions, the first boy to ever confess his love to me in my own bedroom.
And the boy whom I previously confessed my love to all those years ago.
“ …I-Inuyasha.”
A soft gasp escaped my parted lips as I felt him adjust his grip, give a short tug, and lift me to safety with ease. Within an instant, we are face to face and the crisp spring air greets me like a long-lost friend. My layered raven strands that had previously framed my face were now blowing lazily around me, tickling my nose and cheeks. His face held an intense expression and my heart ached deep within my chest. His silver bangs fluttered around in the breeze, exposing the worried creased skin on his forehead. The way the sunlight danced around his face made the gaze all the more lurid.
“Inuyasha,” I started again, my vision blurring quickly as tears began to form. “I’m so sorry. Were you here waiting for me?”
“Kago—,” he spoke my name softly, his voice fading out to an inaudible whisper as he mouthed the last part of my name.
It was like a dam broke from somewhere deep within and holding back my emotions became a long-forgotten task. Hot tears quickly streamed down my cheeks as I let out a short airy laugh. Just hearing his voice utter my name again after all this time was enough to turn me into a blubbering mess. He aided me off the well by placing his hands on either side of my waist and gave a slight squeeze as a way of encouraging me to jump down.
I do so without hesitation.
In an instant, the pressure of his forearm was in the center of my back as he pulled me close to him in a tight embrace. Despite his fluffy robes, I could feel how hard his chest felt against my own. The cloth of the fire rat felt rough against my skin as I buried my face into the crook of his shoulder and closed my eyes.
“You idiot…what have you been doing all this time?” He whispered as he moved to tuck my head gently under his chin while the other hand rested idly on my waist.
My nose began to tingle again as I felt a lump form in my throat that made it hard to form words. I choked out a small hum in lieu of a response and lifted my head just in time to see his tilt down to meet my gaze. His eyes flickered for a brief second before he lifted a clawed hand to my face and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, letting his thumb trail lazily down the length of my jaw in the process.
My eyes widened at the contact, but before I am able to say anything, it’s over. He pulls away just as one of the fuzzy triangles atop his head flicks towards an invasive noise somewhere within the surrounding trees. He expressed his annoyance at the interruption in the form of a low growl as he turned his head and made two quick, audible sniffs. The hanyou’s expression seemed to dull slightly as the source of the noise came forth in the form of a group of familiar looking individuals. The grip around my waist loosened and gave an encouraging nudge as he tilted his head to indicate for me to go and reunite with our friends.
“Hey, Kagome!” The cheerful voice of a matured monk called to me.
“Kagome! You’re back!” With one arm raised, a smiling demon slayer greeted me enthusiastically.
Miroku, Sango, Shippo…and—
My hands immediately shot up to cup my cheeks as a short, excited squeal erupted from my parted lips. Two twin girls dangled haphazardly from the tired monk’s robes with another newborn peeking from behind the equally tired demon slayer’s elbow. I briskly made my way over. The twins, as if on cue, jumped from their resting spots simultaneously as I’d gotten closer and each took turns tugging at my skirt, much to the dismay of their parents. Their mystified expressions in reaction to my unusual garb elicited a series of giggles out of me.
Shippo scampered into my arms when it was his turn to greet me and began nuzzling my cheek like he used to. He had grown a bit bigger since I’d last seen him and his hair had become shaggier. I pursed my lips tightly to pushback a new wave of tears that threatened to fall, holding him close as he pouted into my shoulder. In the most assertive voice he could muster, he demanded to know what took so long for me to come back this time around. My arms that were folded in front of me simply moved closer to my body as I gave the kitsune a comforting squeeze.
“Never mind that now. Tell me about our new friends!” I change the subject quickly, peering down at the tiny vixen and flashing a cheerful smile.
Shippo was quick to become engaged with the new topic and we soon were on our way back to the village, the excited chatter filling the space.
Inuyasha followed closely behind me; his visage hidden as he curiously kept his eyes hidden from view.
*~*
That night, the group and I celebrated my return with a special dinner Kaede, and the surrounding villagers had prepared. The old priestess beamed like a proud grandmother upon my return and offered her hut as a place for me to stay as long as needed. I made a move to politely decline but a swift glance from the wise elder stifled my objection. We each sat around the small pit fire and I listened attentively as my former comrades updated me on all that had happened since last seeing each other.
Shippo had become leader of a young fox clan and beamed pridefully as he showed off his new robes that signified his respectable role. Sango’s younger brother, Kohaku, had moved on to follow in their father’s footsteps and became the leader of a local demon slayer clan comprised of children that once resided in the village and a neighboring few nearby. According to her, his dedication to satisfying that role was fierce and unrivaled and he’d quickly made a name for himself across the eastern lands.
Kaede had become a sort of adoptive grandmother to Rin—the young child companion of Inuyasha’s older brother, Sesshomaru. The orphaned young girl had taken refuge with the villagers not long after my departure, however, this was not by her choice. Sesshomaru had insisted she stay here in order to get better acquainted with her own kind, but truth be told, it seemed like this was also his way of protecting her.
It wasn’t long before the twins, who had each graciously informed me of their names—Gyokuto and Kin’u—began to yawn and rub their eyes as a way of signaling it was time for them to turn in for the night. Sango glanced at me apologetically before both she and Miroku each picked up a toddler respectively and prepared to head off to their marital home for the remainder of the night. She seemingly hesitated when nearing the door and looked towards me sheepishly, her lips parting before clamping shut again. I offered a small smile in return while wrapping my arms loosely around her shoulders, taking care not to crush the infant swaddled snuggly to her back. She returned my gesture by resting her chin on my shoulder before nodding towards the silent hanyou and walking out the door with Miroku following closely behind her.
He stopped short and turned towards Shippo, who was still obliviously munching on a piece of grilled trout, and his mature features twisted into a small look of disapproval. He cleared his throat loudly as a way to will the fox demon to make eye contact with him and the vixen boy’s eyes immediately rose from his meal. His gourmand smile quickly turned into a puzzled expression as his brows furrowed at the sight of the monk shifting his eyes towards the door and back at him with the same hardened expression.
I chanced a glimpse at Inuyasha, who had been quietly relaxing with his back against the cabin wall, arms folded tightly across his chest. His lips were clamped together tightly, and his eyes flashed with a fierce look of annoyance as he glared daggers at the tiny fox demon.
Shippo glanced between both Inuyasha and Miroku before dawning realization slowly crept onto his cherub face. He quickly gulped down the mouthful of fish he had previously taken a bite of.
“I-I’m going to get going now too, Kagome.” He said, a bright shade of red staining his little cheeks as he quickly stood up and made his way over by the monk’s feet.
“Now don’t do anything I would do, kids! Have a pleasant evening.” Miroku flashed me a brief, cheeky smile accompanied by a wink before ducking his head and exiting with the small demon in tow. The gesture made me blush furiously at its underlying implications.
I couldn’t muster up the courage to return the gaze I felt being cast my way from a particular someone and quickly made it a point to stand up and stretch while turning my body to face a nearby wall.
“Oh wow, dinner was pretty good! Kaede-sama really outdid herself. I feel like I haven’t eaten that way in ages!” I rambled on quickly to fill the awkward air.
My body trembled despite the comforting heat emitting from the nearby fire. I lifted a lazy hand to fan my face which had undoubtedly taken on a tell-tale hue.
Ugh, why am I so nervous? I mentally kicked myself. It’s just Inuyasha. Turn around and face him. This is what you’ve been waiting for.
I kept repeating this reasoning in my head like a mantra as I mentally willed myself to turn around to meet his gaze.
It’s just Inuyasha…it’s just Inuyasha.
“ Ah—,” I started again only to be cut off by Inuyasha interjecting with something I wasn’t expecting.
“Let’s go for a walk.” The sound of his voice was gentle and closer than I anticipated. I pivoted to see him already standing at the doorway, his back to me and his expression hidden from view.
A small hum of affirmation quickly resonated in my throat in response, and I instinctively began to follow after him, taking care to quickly slide on my flats before walking out into the cool, night air. His silvery mane took on a slight blue hue under the moonlight, gleaming brilliantly. Looking down at our feet, I match his purposeful stride effortlessly and followed beside him.
We walked in a sort of awkward silence for what seemed to be awhile; the hanyou shooting me side glances every now and then. My attempt at playing it cool was betrayed by the pounding in my chest. I was almost sure he could hear it. The forest floor was dark, and I squinted as the dim lighting of the moon failed to reveal my feet against the blackened soil. The path before us was a pattern contrast of pale bluish light that peeked between the dense, overhanging branches and smoky, black-spotted shadowing. The sound of crickets accompanied us on our late-night stroll; their symphony reverberating throughout the forest’s vast array of undergrowth.
“Er, Inuyasha?” I called to him softly and watched as the fuzzy triangles on top of his head twitched at the mention of his name. “We’ve been walking for a while now. Where are we going?”
“It shouldn’t be too much farther.” He spoke softly but remained facing ahead, his stride evenly matched with mine.
“Where exactly is—?” I began to ask but stopped short at the faint sound of a nearby stream as it reached my ears.
Our surroundings were much clearer as the path opened up and the trees became less dense. Soon afterward, we reached a small clearing sporting a single camphor tree that stood grand beside a lazy flowing river. A happy sigh escaped my lips as we came to a halt under the tree, our feet stopping on the softened earth that lined the riverbank. Without missing a beat, I squat down and break the water’s surface with a playful splash. The icy temperature numbed my fingers almost immediately upon contact. Grimacing, I massaged the affected digits to quickly will the chilled sensation away.
The shy feeling returned with much more intensity when I realized Inuyasha had been closely observing me that entire time, his expression one that I couldn’t quite pinpoint. I furrowed my brows and gave him a funny look in response, to which he scoffed halfheartedly and broke eye contact.
“Keh, you act like you ain’t seen water before.” He quipped; his visage pointed towards the stream as he folded his arms. “It ain’t that amazin’.”
I shook my head and smiled before mimicking him and returning my attention back to the river. We stood side by side that way, elbows close, grazing the other but neither of us making a move to close the distance.
“It’s just that…I’m glad to be back, you know?” I began, chancing a quick side glance.
Inuyasha’s ears twitched slightly at my innocent confession, however, he said nothing. The cool night air picked up to a gentle breeze that whistled low in my ears. Dark tendrils of hair fluttered in and out of my vision and I delicately tucked the silky stray tresses behind my ears while continuing.
“I didn’t realize so much would have changed in the time I’ve been gone. I mean, it’s amazing, really. Everyone has matured so much. I just wish I could have been around to experience it, too.” My voice faltered as a sad smile played across my lips.
—With you.
The unspoken words echo like a loud bell inside my head. My lips parted but quickly squeezed shut again as I dug the heels of my flats into the soft earth below me. I used the small indentation I’d made to pivot and leaned so my back was resting against the smooth bark of the evergreen and sighed.
Even after all this time, it’s still so hard to express my feelings to you.
“Did ya think about life here often?” He asked, his voice gentle as he turned his head to look at me.
I nod in response and begin to answer without thinking.
“This will definitely be a life to get used to. I won’t get to pig out on modern snacks anymore. Which reminds me, in all my rush to get over here, I forgot to pack some!” I let out a sharp gasp as the realization hit me.
“I know how much you guys liked the goodies I used to bring, sorry! Especially Shippo, you know how he lov—,”
A loud snort emanating from him cut me off mid-sentence.
“Feh! That ain’t what I meant, and you know it, woman.” Inuyasha huffed and crossed his arms haughtily over his chest, tucking his exposed hands into the wide sleeves in a familiar stance.
He turned his full body to face me and gave me a pointed stare but didn’t continue. The moon that had previously illuminated the field we stood in was now faintly covered by fleecy clouds; its light source dimming as the clouds rolled through. However, with the way he stood now, my only source of light illuminated his back and cast his face in almost complete shadow. The only thing that shined brightly were those ethereal eyes of his.
It took me a second as it dawned on me what Inuyasha was getting at and felt my face quickly heat up in a blush that undoubtedly matched his growing one.
“I—th-that’s…” Stumbling over my words, my heart began to race as the once fleeting memories of our romance presented themselves at full force. His boldness admittedly took me by surprise.
Despite how close we already were, he took a deliberate step towards me. His husky scent mixed with the faint smell of menthol from the tree’s low hanging branches enveloping us. My shoulders stiffened slightly, and I silently willed myself to relax. I leaned further until the tree bark pressed firmly into the middle of my back.
My breath hitched in my throat as he lifted a clawed hand and dragged his callused knuckles gently down my cheek. Immediately my eyes widen at the intimate contact before slowly shifting to meet his gaze. Long strands of silver tussles tickled the tip of my nose as the breeze lazily blew his tresses all around us. His brows furrowed in a look I couldn’t discern and his hand stopped its demonstration just as suddenly as it had begun.
He hadn’t removed his hand, however. Not this time.
Those deep pools of honey flashed under the nighttime sky. All I could see was him now.
“Do you realize...” he started slowly as he cupped my chin between a curved index finger and clawed thumb and gently tilted my face up towards him. “...how long it’s been since I’ve seen you?”
I—.
His face inched closer to mine ever so slightly. My eyes flickered down to his mouth briefly before meeting his intense gaze with a bashful one of my own. The tip of a fang protruding from his parted lips glinted faintly as he smirked.
“How long it’s been since I've heard you?” He continued on, lightly gliding the padding of his thumb along my bottom lip.
My mouth trembled as I tried to muster a response but all that came was a shaky, audible inhale. He traced a delicate line with the tip of his claw from the corner of my mouth down to my chin. A pleasurable jolt ran through my body. Those golden orbs bore into me.
So close.
“Since I’ve smelled you.” He growled while gently fingering the loc of hair on my shoulder before bringing the raven tresses to his nose, breaking eye contact briefly as he took the opportunity to appreciate my scent.
I stood there mystified at the gesture and watched as he allowed the strands to lazily flow through his clawed fingers.
To that, I seemed to briefly snap out of my stupor as I mustered a small, teasing smile of my own.
“There was a time where you mentioned you couldn’t stand my scent.” My voice took on a playful tone as I peered up at him through half lidded eyes.
In reply, he flashed a toothy half grin and I felt his chest rumble beneath my hand as he gave a light-hearted chuckle.
“Heh, even after all this time you still remember that, huh? I told ya I was lyin’.”
The breeze seemed to whistle in tune with his confession as a burst of wind greeted us; his earthy scent enveloping me. My heart felt like it was on the brink of exploding; the sensation almost unbearable. It was unusual for him to be so straightforward with his advances. Yet, I found myself fond of his abrupt honesty.
“There’s plenty of things I remember when it comes to you, Inuyasha. I...I missed you.”
The confession slipped before I could think of how forward it sounded. The fuzzy triangles on top of his head twitched as his eyes widened slightly at my words. His eyes falter down to my lips and flick up to meet mine with a now considerably tender expression.
“...I missed you, too.”
The need for skin ship was at an all-time high. Everything around us seemingly halted in place and I was fixated on one thing only.
The way he’s looking at me…
It was all becoming too intense; I shyly broke eye contact and began to turn my head away from his piercing gaze. But before I could, his lips quickly captured mine as he gently nodded my head back in place. My eyes immediately fluttered closed as I placed my hands gingerly on the front of his suikan in response.
His lips were hot and soft despite the cool crispness of the nighttime air. His sharp canines grazed my bottom lip lightly as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss; my neck craning slightly to match his movement. He cupped my cheek gingerly, and I felt the tips of his claws lightly graze the baby hairs on the back of my neck. A sharp, pleasurable chill shot up my spine as I shivered against him.
Our lips seemingly danced to the tune of the sweetest symphony; the taste of our love intoxicating. The fingers that clutched his garment began to gradually dig into the material as I clung to him, the overwhelming need for contact overtaking me in that moment. The bark of the tree dug into my back as I rested all my weight against it, pulling him with me, afraid of losing his touch. We parted briefly for air; my breath coming out audibly in light pants.
Even before when I had been taken by the Shikon no Tama, the kiss we’d shared within the void was passionate but I never felt the sensation that welled deep inside of me until now. There was something different this time. Something in my lower belly began to ache. My legs were beginning to tremble; my heart beating in my ears. The atmosphere was positively electric.
My body grew hot as I boldly wrapped my arms around his neck and allowed myself to press into his embrace. The swell of my bust squishing into his hard, chiseled chest through our meshed fabric made me wish for the chance of more contact. The act must have taken him by surprise as he let out a muffled grunt and shot out a hand to grip the tree behind me to keep himself steady.
He returned my affection with an ardent kiss of his own. His mouth parted mine hungrily and I let out a stifled gasp when I felt the tip of his tongue teasingly dart across the length of my bottom lip, as if he were taste testing me. His lips curled into a smile against mine as he lingered for a moment longer before slowly pulling away.
The absence of our special touch made a pleading whimper escape from my lips in protest. The immediate stiffness of his shoulders before becoming slack again was confirmation that he knew what my outburst meant. Something changed within his expression and without a word, he offered his back to me, and I quickly obliged. As if on cue, he immediately takes off in the direction towards the village.
The sounds of the surrounding trees whooshed past in a familiar rhythm as he kept to the trail, his grip on my inner thighs firm; the tips of his claws lightly brushing against my sensitive skin. We arrived in the village in half the time it took to reach the clearing. I spotted Kaede’s hut approaching in the distance but soon furrowed my brow in confusion as he took a sudden detour.
“Inu…? Where—” My voice trailed off as we approached a bigger hut precariously obscured behind a gathering of trees on top of a hill.
Upon closer inspection, I saw that the immediate area surrounding the hut had been cleared of excess foliage to reveal a delicate soiled path leading to its entrance. It was hard to see in the moonlight, but I could just make out a patch of land I presumed to be used as a gardening area. The hut was a bit bigger than Kaede’s from the outside with a more polished appearance. It looked as if someone had spent an abundance of time and care into building the home.
As we approached the entrance, his grip on me loosened as he lessened his stride and ducked his head into the doorway leading into the hut. I mimic this action even as I felt his grip on me ease and my thighs slide along the fabric donning his hips. My feet made contact with the smooth wooden boards lining the cottage floor and gasped as my eyes adjusted to the dimly lit space. I casually slide off my flats and step ahead of the hanyou to take in my surroundings.
The interior was more spacious than I had anticipated. The source of the light came from that of a fire pit surrounded by various cooking wares that looked fairly new and unused. Close by, an oversized futon adorned with a silk blanket laid conspicuously off to the side. It took a second for me to realize the cherry blossoms splayed around the room and scattered around the covers. Their scent mixing with the smell of the smoke created a wildly endearing aroma.
It smells so good in here…I feel…
“Wow, it’s so warm and toasty!” I marveled happily while doffing the fluffy pink cardigan I’d been wearing while lazily raising my arms above my head in a stretch.
“U-uh…?” Inuyasha’s slightly confused tone caused me to jerk my head questioningly in his direction.
A blush was rapidly spreading across his features as he seemed to try his best to suddenly avoid eye contact. My head tilted to the side as I tried to figure out what could have gotten the hanyou so bent out of shape.
“What’s wro—,” I cut myself off, following his gaze as he sheepishly chanced a glance at my torso before averting his eyes to look down at his feet.
I couldn’t help the embarrassed squeal that escaped me as I quickly made a move to cover my chest with my newly bare arms. The deep burgundy dress tank top I was sporting seemed molded to my curvy form, dangerously enhancing certain ‘assets’.
Inuyasha cleared his throat before grunting and folding his arms haughtily across his chest, chin pointed upward.
“Ya know, you always did wear the weirdest clothes.” He huffed, his flushed face and nervously twitching ears defying his hardened stance.
“What’s so weird about them?” I asked, self-consciously looking down at my outfit and back up at him.
“They’re…y-you know…just…,” he groaned in frustration as he stumbled over his words causing a humorous smile to grace my lips. “To hell with it, never mind.”
I let out a breathy laugh as it was unlike him to stray from an argument so easily. I used a hand to shyly hide my smile, still feeling slightly embarrassed that I had been so carefree without a second thought. It had almost felt strangely natural to strip off a layer of clothing in front of the hanyou.
A part of me couldn’t help but wonder if he perhaps liked what he saw? Maybe that’s why his reaction was so out of character.
However, a little voice in the back of my mind whispered. The thought of him admiring me in that way feels nice.
The intrusive thought immediately made my palms feel slick and I feebly rubbed my hands together in a will to dry them. The entire while, I knew he was closely observing me, standing as still as a statue. Like a predator observing its prey.
Wait…
Something struck in the back of my mind and my eyes widened. I quickly spun around to fully face him; my mouth slightly agape. I couldn’t believe it hadn’t clicked until now.
“You …this is where you live?”
Inuyasha looked at me incredulously, the sudden shift in topic surely taking him by surprise.
“Well, duh, woman. Whaddya think I was doing all this time? Living with that old wench?” Inuyasha scoffed. “Keh, as if.”
I formed my lips into a disapproving pout and shook my head.
“Well, no, not exactly. But…” I giggled and pointed towards the futon. “I didn’t take you for the ‘delicate’ type, Inuyasha.”
His cheeks immediately turned a rosy shade at my little tease.
“H-hey, w-wait a-a minute! Those ain’t mine!” He crossed his arms haughtily and quickly regained his composure. “S-someone must’ve done this while I was out.”
“But who could have—,” my voice faltered as the realization slowly dawned.
My cheeks immediately felt hot as I thought back to the dinner that finished some time ago. Come to think of it, a certain someone—in this case, someone’s —had excused themselves from dinner pretty early. Perhaps they knew Inuyasha and I wouldn’t come here right away?
My ears began to heat up as I realized those certain somebodies did this specifically for me and…
Inuyasha probably shared the same thoughts as me because I could see the insides of his ears turn several shades darker than normal. We couldn’t meet the others’ gaze as the awkwardness of the situation set in.
“Ah—it really d-does look nice though, Inuyasha.” A small, shy smile played across my lips as I broke the silence. “You made a great place for yourself.”
“…I made it for us.” His surprisingly gentle tone caused my heart to skip a beat. My head snapped back in his direction, and I found he was already staring at me with an inscrutable look.
“For…us?” I repeated slowly, unsure if I heard him correctly. I watched as he gave a small nod and the color of his cheeks deepened.
“I…”
I was speechless. He made a home for…us? Did that mean he—
Without waiting for me to finish, Inuyasha wrapped his arm around my waist with ease and gently guided me to the wall closest to the futon. He slid down the wall slowly and I allowed myself to follow him until we were both seated comfortably with me in his lap. I couldn’t help the feeling of embarrassment I felt creeping up on me. Taking a shy peek at him told me he must have been feeling the same way. He sat there, avoiding eye contact, scratching the back of his head as he cleared his throat.
This wasn’t like back in the day where I would have to sit on his lap to make room for the others during our long treks. We weren’t in any hurry to make it from one location to the next.
No. There was only us this time.
Only us.
And we had all the time in the world.
“Kagome…” he said my name softly yet deliberately. I twisted my body slightly to meet his now lingering gaze halfway. He peered at me through thick curtain bangs with an intensity I’d only seen once before. The fluttering feeling in my heart returned.
“When we were separated,” he began slowly. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
His voice became slightly strained. A pained expression crossed his features.
He paused for a moment, and I could hear him swallow hard.
“But I held out hope. That one day…I would be able to keep my promise to you.”
Me too.
He continued on; my rogue thought going unspoken.
“I want to protect you. For the rest of my life and with all I’ve got. I will protect you for as long as you’re with me.” His voice grew gruff as he said his vow. All the while never breaking eye contact.
“For as long as...you’ll have me.”
He was saying it again; those words that made my heart flutter just as intensely the first time. My vision became cloudy as tears obscured my vision. His eyes widened and he gulped as he quickly rambled on, his growing confidence seemingly shattered.
“Awh, n-no. Don’t cry, Kagome! If ya don’t wanna live with me, I can build ya anoth—,” I put a finger to his lips and gave him a tearful smile with a strong shake of the head.
“These are happy tears.” I let out a small laugh at his confused expression and placed a hand delicately on his cheek, causing his visage to soften as he stared at me intently.
“I love it, Inuyasha.” I cooed softly.
“…and you.”
Solidifying my words in the only way I knew that would, I quickly closed the distance between us and pressed my lips against his.