When did time fly?

Adapting to her new life in Sengoku required learning, and Kagome was determined and studious, in addition to her natural curiosity. She pushed herself, and did her absolute best to follow Kaede's guidance. Kagome knew it was also her obligation to assist with preparations for winter, but she didn't mind it at all and she was more than glad to assist the villagers.

In Tokyo, one wouldn't need all this storage. If you missed something, you went and bought that at a local store; food, clothes or whatever else you wished to have for a warm winter. There were available medications as well in pharmacies. However, the pace was slower and the season changing was more than a change of temperature… it was tangible.

Food had to be preserved, clothes were sewn by hand—a skill Kagome was starting to acquire—and medications were made with herbs using specific instructions for each plant species. The changes of seasons were displayed by red and gold leaves falling from the trees and endless fields that waited to be harvested.

The days were not too cold yet, but nights were chilly. One round of herb collecting was a success in the morning. Kagome was able to pick up an impressive amount and left them at Kaede's hut. Just as she did with the food, Kagome didn't exclude herself and Inuyasha. However, because she was rushing for the second round in the afternoon, Kagome forgot to add a layer to protect her from the wind as her miko clothing alone wasn't warm enough at all.

"It's windy now…" Kagome muttered quietly to herself as another shiver crossed her spine. She sensed a familiar presence, but Kagome was so focused on her actions that it was not until his voice called her name that she lifted her eyes from the herbs she had just put in the straw basket.

"Hi!" Kagome stood up to greet Inuyasha properly, but he immediately spotted the lack of warm clothes on her body. She knew he was worried about her, so she tried to explain. "Earlier it wasn't as bad as now, I promi—"

The rest of the now meaningless words died on her tongue the moment Inuyasha gripped her wrist, replaced by a soft calling of his name. His scarf was now shared with her loosely, yet the instant warmth came from being hugged closer to his body more than the scarf. "Thank you…" Kagome smiled softly and attempted to fix the scarf better on his neck, or at least his part of the scarf, her knuckles briefly touching his jawline.

With Inuyasha mentioning the herbs, Kagome glanced quickly at the basket; even though she didn't like the idea of stopping in the middle, she didn't collect much and it was getting colder by the hour. Therefore, she didn't argue.

"Alright, let's go back," she wrapped one arm around Inuyasha too so she could enjoy his warmth while walking next to him. Taking another look at Inuyasha, Kagome examined him, focusing on his ears before she returned to look at his face. "Hmm… I will make something for your ears so you can keep them warm too."

But when Inuyasha stood completely still instead of walking back toward the village, Kagome caught his gaze and her voice went softer.

It was embarrassing, to share such a close proximity. Even when it was your... best friend.

Right.

So... why was his heart pounding so hard he felt it in his own ears? Unless it was a humiliating circumstance, embarrassment didn't come with that. He would know, Inuyasha had been embarrassed so many times in his life since traveling, and now living among humans that there weren't enough numbers known to human, nor yōkai kind to list them all.

He'd felt an unfamiliar anxiety in his chest the entire walk, he hadn't shown the area he'd wanted to share to anyone. It was a location very precious to his heart. But if there be anyone in the world he wanted to share it with, it was Kagome. Despite feeling perfectly warm, his body felt frozen in time. As though his legs wouldn't follow his mind's commands.

"are you alright?"

"Huh?" The sound escaped without thought. "Oh, uh... yeah." A low sigh followed, a puff escaping his mouth as the warmth of his breath collided with the colder air. Eyebrows set, before he finally began walking. "Yeah. I'm fine." Inuyasha's voice carried more certainty this time. Maybe... some other time he could show her. Maybe next autumn he'd find more courage. It had to be autumn, and he had his personal reasons for why it had to be autumn. Not spring, summer, not even winter.

"You've gotta think ahead for this stuff if you're gonna go out by yourself." Steady as his voice was, Inuyasha's ears were partly folded. It was something a dog couldn't control, and he couldn't control it either. Ears reacted to emotions. Dog ears had muscles, Inuyasha could move them at will. But he couldn't change the truth that they still reacted to what he was feeling. The only time he could change that was when he didn't have them at all, and that was only one night each month.

"The weather can change in an instant. It coulda started raining just an hour after the sky was clear." Words spoken from experience. "I don't smell any rain comin', but y'still gotta think about that before goin' off on your own without tellin' anyone." Golden eyes were focused directly on the path he was leading her down.

And then his heart pounded again. It had been temporarily steadied by his own explanations on what it meant to be out on your own, away from civilization. Words he couldn't find it in himself to say.

I want to show you something. I want you to see something that no one else is allowed to see.

But none of it came out. Instead, Inuyasha became silent. Nothing more than a deeper furrow of his eyebrows, and a softer, more quiet sigh.

Is he...?

Even though Inuyasha sounded more certain, and now he was leading the way, Kagome couldn't shake that gut feeling that something was still not exactly fine. She appreciated his unconditional concern, the explanations about the weather and how quickly it could change. She listened carefully and didn't answer back just yet, allowing the fluent talk to continue as her gaze drifted to his ears.

That's it. The ears...

Kagome caught that small involuntary movement of his ears. They were partially folded. Unlike the familiar flicker of his ears that she was growing accustomed to whenever he listened to various sounds and voices, she knew this was something else. She was not an expert yet in understanding accurately what each meant, but she had a feeling of what it could mean. On top of that, Inuyasha didn't look at her.

"Yeah, you're right, I'll remember that. Old modern habits die hard..."

She took a quick glance at their surroundings. They had shared the scarf, so she had stayed the closest as they walked. A few seconds of silence stretched between them, other than the dry leaves being crushed under their feet and the sound of their breaths. Kagome touched the scarf with her fingertips, then she took a deep breath and lifted her eyes to Inuyasha.

"I can see something is on your mind," Kagome said with an earnest expression. "And it's not about me not wearing a scarf now." She wasn't angry. She cared deeply. Letting go of the scarf, Kagome pressed her shoulder against his as physical proof she was here, and the back of her hand touched his.

"Talk to me..."

No pressure. No frustration. The same softness that remained in her voice whenever it came to Inuyasha. Her sapphire eyes moved between his half-flattened ears and his face, synced with her intention.

There was nothing like summer, because it meant spending every day at the beach, and Kagome was extremely excited. She was consistent, too. Every day she was there, whether it was with friends, family, or by herself.

Mostly, it was by herself. The beach was like a second home to her; she would never get tired of the stunning view of the endless ocean, listening to its waves, and breathing in the fresh air while feeling the breeze on her skin. After a day like that, Kagome always felt refreshed and recharged.

Wearing a short navy blue skirt and white sleeveless top, Kagome was more than ready to have fun. Today her girlfriends had joined her, but soon enough they took their leave because it was getting late for them. For her, though, the best part had just begun.

Watching the sunset.

Kagome found the sunsets mystical and peaceful to watch. The vibrant colors washed the sky like flames, the burning yellow sun sitting at the edge of the ocean, and with its setting, the fiery sky morphed into cooler pinks and violets. Today was no different; Kagome would watch the sunset alone and take it in. She was used to it.

People were heading home, but Kagome continued her walk to the best spot to watch from. Her gaze fell on someone sitting there on his own. He was highly focused, even holding his breath from what she could see, and—

Painting? Yes, he was painting.

Taking a few steps closer to the artistic man, she peeked over, and the pointed dog ears didn't go unnoticed. The graceful movements of his hand proved he was surely a professional, and the colors on the canvas were forming a beautiful pic—

Kagome froze in her place when he suddenly turned. She had failed to notice that he noticed her, and the pair of golden eyes that found hers caught her completely off guard. But she also failed to hide her curiosity, and knowing she was the worst liar on the planet, she knew it was written all over her face.

He didn't sound angry, though. She wouldn't have blamed him if he did, but she decided to grab the opportunity with both hands and offered a bright smile in return.

"Hm, maybe I'll push you next time~" Kagome grinned, her smile growing more amused. "I've smelled much worse shit than paint, not that I'm a stranger to this smell either," she said casually.

A comment like that could have inwardly hurt in the wrong context. But it was easily clear it hadn't been said with malicious intent. Far better, this was a woman who could match playful comment for playful comment.

All the reason why he'd broken out into a laughter. Free in its own way, just as Inuyasha was a free spirit at heart. It wasn't drawn out, the man recovered within seconds, but there was no denying its authenticity.

"If y'do, be prepared for the consequences." It wasn't a lopsided smile anymore. His lips had become a full on smirk. "I got some fast reflexes. I go in, you're goin' in with me." Was it a bluff? A challenge? That was for her to decide for herself. "You're luckier than me when it comes t'that." His tone was less playful, more casual with those words as he set his palette down, and his brush on the edge of the easel. "Keh, guess it's close enough t'be considered done."

Inuyasha took a step to the side, so that his work could be seen in all its brilliance. The way his painting captured the sunset showed great realism. A near photographic image, captured in paints, rather than on actual photograph.

"Paint is a kinda shit smell that I can't breathe through. It's the artificial chemicals, chokes the hell outta me. Wish I had a human nose I could put on for paintin', and switch back to mine when I'm done." A lazy shrug rolled off his shoulders. "But whatcha gonna do?" His eyes went from her, to the canvas, arms folding loosely over his chest as he glanced over his own work.

"So, whaddya think? I think it says what I wanted to say." Plopping himself down on the wood, Inuyasha shifted his body, so that both legs were hanging off of the boardwalk, just above the water. Both hands were now on either side of himself, silver hair flowing in the ocean breeze. "You ain't kiddin', this is the best spot for the sunset. And now that I'm done with that, I'm gonna stay here a while."

There was an audible intake of air from his nose. Deep, every scent hitting him in one go. The beach was one of his favorite places, and in summer, everything smelled even better.

"You're welcome to join me. What's your name?" Looking back over his shoulder, the casual, lopsided smile was back. Golden eyes were reflective of the sunset. Golden eyes that resembled a sunset more than they resembled anything else in terms of how the sky changed colors throughout the day, and night. "I'm Inuyasha. Not so starving artist."

A flash of that one fanged smirk came back, before he turned his head back to the horizon. To the setting sun.

"I'm a tough woman, I can handle you. I'm sure of that," Kagome declared playfully, leaving a promise in her words. Had she really challenged a man she had just met? If she ever decided to push him as she said, would he really take her down with him? Her mind played dangerously, but she decided to save it for the next time she saw him.

... Next time?

Cleaning her throat, Kagome wanted to speak, but the moment he moved aside, the stunning painting stole her attention entirely. It was breathtakingly precise—almost like a photograph—with vivid colors pulled straight from the sky into the canvas.

"Wow!" she blurted out, completely forgetting the question she had planned to ask a second ago. She forced her eyes away from the painting to look back at him. "It's gorgeous. I'd take the suffering from the smell off your hands, if I could. I just hope it doesn't interrupt your work, because it would be a shame to make you stop."

Even if he hadn't invited her, she would have stayed—obviously waiting until he was done and left first, in case he decided to go. But she would have never given up the routine of sitting here—or standing, depending on the mood—and watching the sunset. She couldn't help but chuckle at his remark about the spot. "Of course I'm right, I come here every day."

Kagome sat down next to the inhuman artist. As much as she genuinely adored his talent, nothing matched the real sunset she had waited all day to witness. Closing her eyes, Kagome inhaled deeply and allowed herself to enjoy the breeze blowing through her raven hair; the salty air was as refreshing as she remembered. His golden eyes were much more breathtaking than the painting he had created, and if he hadn't turned his head, she would have stared into them for way too long.

But now that Kagome was thinking about it, she was sitting next to Inuyasha. Who could guarantee she wouldn't stare this time when he looked at her again? No one. She had never seen such unique color before, and she would be able to stare at them all day if she had the chance.

Just like a private sunset.

Her sapphire eyes caught the glowing sunbeams, the golden hour light brightening them slightly. Like Inuyasha, Kagome let her legs hang off the boardwalk and her hands by the side of each hip. Only after she took another deep breath did Kagome turn her gaze to Inuyasha.

@bornforhim

Autumn was a great time of year. Not Inuyasha's favorite season, but he considered it objectively the best. Bountiful harvests weren't even his favorite part. Neither was, in modern times, all the interesting autumn themed foods. There were far deeper reasons for why he loved it second best out of the four seasons. The quantities were food were nothing more than what made it objective in his eyes.

Because fewer people would starve in the coming winter, if everyone worked hard to make sure things were preserved in a way that was sustainable. Inuyasha could, and had been easily able to hunt for himself for decades and decades. Survival came before taste, and his regular presence meant protecting the villagers in any and every way he possibly could.

So he ate less from the one village he could say he belonged in, and hunted twice as much. Enough so that the residents could dry the meat as preservation, while simultaneously satisfying his own personal hunger.

No one would starve on his watch.

A soft crunch came with each step. Total silence was an impossibility with the mixture of golds, and reds settled on the grass. Late autumn was a time of year that even he, whose blood naturally ran hotter, felt chill in the air. A striped scarf, yellow and red, had been lazily draped around his own neck.

If only they made ear warmers for dog ears... keh...

Yet he'd found exactly who he'd been looking for. Inuyasha couldn't say he was particularly surprised she was by herself. When it came to strength alone, she was definitely on par with him. What bothered him was a certain other detail.

"Oi. Kagome. What the hell are y'doin' out here without somethin' covering your face?" Even he hadn't been that thoughtless to his own health. A sharp sigh followed, frustration, not directed at any one person. Not even the woman he was now standing next to. "Get over here."

Inuyasha wasn't one to wait patiently when it came to matters of importance. The second she was standing, he pulled her wrist firmly. The scarf around his neck was now one shared, albeit, in a more sloppy fashion. He was still figuring out how to properly wear one for himself, let alone how to share one.

The hand that had gripped Kagome's wrist was now a one armed hug. She needed the warmth more than he did, and he had a good body for providing that.

"We're... going back to the village. The herb stuff can wait." A softer tone of voice, and a pair of feet that hadn't moved just yet. A hesitance, because there had been a very specific reason why he'd sought her out. But... her safety came first. Even before something as big as what he'd wanted to share.

When did time fly?

Adapting to her new life in Sengoku required learning, and Kagome was determined and studious, in addition to her natural curiosity. She pushed herself, and did her absolute best to follow Kaede's guidance. Kagome knew it was also her obligation to assist with preparations for winter, but she didn't mind it at all and she was more than glad to assist the villagers.

In Tokyo, one wouldn't need all this storage. If you missed something, you went and bought that at a local store; food, clothes or whatever else you wished to have for a warm winter. There were available medications as well in pharmacies. However, the pace was slower and the season changing was more than a change of temperature… it was tangible.

Food had to be preserved, clothes were sewn by hand—a skill Kagome was starting to acquire—and medications were made with herbs using specific instructions for each plant species. The changes of seasons were displayed by red and gold leaves falling from the trees and endless fields that waited to be harvested.

The days were not too cold yet, but nights were chilly. One round of herb collecting was a success in the morning. Kagome was able to pick up an impressive amount and left them at Kaede's hut. Just as she did with the food, Kagome didn't exclude herself and Inuyasha. However, because she was rushing for the second round in the afternoon, Kagome forgot to add a layer to protect her from the wind as her miko clothing alone wasn't warm enough at all.

"It's windy now…" Kagome muttered quietly to herself as another shiver crossed her spine. She sensed a familiar presence, but Kagome was so focused on her actions that it was not until his voice called her name that she lifted her eyes from the herbs she had just put in the straw basket.

"Hi!" Kagome stood up to greet Inuyasha properly, but he immediately spotted the lack of warm clothes on her body. She knew he was worried about her, so she tried to explain. "Earlier it wasn't as bad as now, I promi—"

The rest of the now meaningless words died on her tongue the moment Inuyasha gripped her wrist, replaced by a soft calling of his name. His scarf was now shared with her loosely, yet the instant warmth came from being hugged closer to his body more than the scarf. "Thank you…" Kagome smiled softly and attempted to fix the scarf better on his neck, or at least his part of the scarf, her knuckles briefly touching his jawline.

With Inuyasha mentioning the herbs, Kagome glanced quickly at the basket; even though she didn't like the idea of stopping in the middle, she didn't collect much and it was getting colder by the hour. Therefore, she didn't argue.

"Alright, let's go back," she wrapped one arm around Inuyasha too so she could enjoy his warmth while walking next to him. Taking another look at Inuyasha, Kagome examined him, focusing on his ears before she returned to look at his face. "Hmm… I will make something for your ears so you can keep them warm too."

But when Inuyasha stood completely still instead of walking back toward the village, Kagome caught his gaze and her voice went softer.

But... When I Saw Your Face... Somehow... I Felt Inspired. Like My Strength Was Returning. And Then I Realized... ...I Want You By My Side.

Independent Selective Inuyasha from "InuYasha: A Feudal Fairytale" This Inuyasha is mostly Manga Based! Has Canon Divergence, and Headcanons! Dark Themes will be present OC - Crossover - Multiship (With Chemistry!) Has Verses based in canon, and AU verses! Loves plotting, but winging it is fun too! All of it's fun! Pre established relationships must be discussed! All interpretations of characters are welcome here! OCs and Self Inserts are just as welcome as canon characters! If you have a Verse/AU for his universe, I'd love to hear about it! If you'd like to make a Verse/AU with me, I'm all dog ears! Please read rules before interacting! 🎶 Lost In The Thoughts Of Cap'n 🎶

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