#inukag-week

Inuyasha chuckled. "Can't take a hint, huh?"

Kagome shrugged with a bitter smile. "I mean, he broke off the engagement. Not sure why he can't follow through with his decision."

She had expected sympathy, perhaps even empathy. That's what most people offered in a situation like this, when they didn't know what to say or how to react. But Kagome was caught off-guard by Inuyasha's next question.

"How long were you together?"

Kagome eyed him curiously, his honey gaze hiding a wealth of understanding. "Five years," she answered him, twirling a strand of her dark hair around her finger. "Planned our life together, put a ring on it, and even booked the venue. But… I suppose he got cold feet a long time ago."

"His loss. What kind of bastard would put someone through that?"

She hummed thoughtfully, but didn't answer. It wasn't in her best interest to start talking about the past now, and she would rather take the spotlight off of herself all together. "What about you?" she asked her barstool companion as she took another sip of beer. "Any lucky ladies in your life?"

Inuyasha chuckled mirthlessly. "Nah, not anymore."

Kagome arched a brow. "Dare I ask?"

"Not much to tell. Her career and ambitions drove a wedge between us, and she decided they were more important than me. Simple as that."

"Sounds high maintenance."

He grinned. "Something like that. I mean, she knew what she wanted and didn't care what stood in her way. Even me."

Kagome felt an ache beneath her breast for the man beside her. She knew the pain of rejection very well. "Put out in the rain just like a dog. Doesn't that bother you?" she asked, tilting her head.

He frowned at her choice of words, and Kagome knew she may have touched a nerve then, but the alcohol had stripped her of her filter apparently.

"Well, I guess we're all damaged somehow," he replied with a shrug.

She scrunched her nose. "That's a bit thoughtless."

"What can I say? Shit happens. Get over it."

And then Kagome suddenly remembered the arrogant, rude, condescending jerk she had met when she had sat down at the bar earlier in the night. She narrowed her eyes. "Why are you such an ass?"

Inuyasha smirked while bringing his beer to his lips. "You are what you eat?"

Kagome let loose a growl of frustration. She had only known him for a short time, but she had quickly learned that Inuyasha was the most infuriating human being on the planet! "Your immaturity is revolting," she stated matter-of-factly, waving down Kouga for another shot of whiskey. She was definitely not drunk enough to deal with the way the conversation had turned.

"I'm not known for my friendly disposition."

Kagome glared at the man sitting next to her. "Is it fun being a jerk to me? Does it satisfy you?"

Inuyasha chuckled. "Actually, it is pretty entertaining."

She rolled her eyes. "You know, Inuyasha. You can hide behind that fake bravado all you want, but I know you're just a big softie underneath."

"Keh," he grumbled, finishing off his beer.

Kagome threw him a glare. "What? No witty repartee?"

He set down his empty glass with a little more force than usual, grabbing Kagome's attention. "I know your type, wench," he snapped, his amber eyes boring into hers. "I know exactly the kind of person you are; all high and mighty, acting as if you're better than everyone else. You think you can show someone how great life can be and how fantastic it is if I would just try. Well, sorry to break it to you, sweetheart, but not everyone is worth saving, all right?"

His words left Kagome stunned into silence for a brief moment. How did their witty banter only a few minutes ago turn into this? This… This denied anger and unadulterated cynicism had Kagome reeling, her thoughts turning to what exactly had penetrated Inuyasha's life so completely that he had such a negative outlook on such.

She pursed her lips. "How much do you think you're worth?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Like twenty bucks. Or two twinkies." He grinned at his own comment, but Kagome didn't find it very funny.

If anything, Kagome felt pity for him. No matter how bleak her life became, she always managed to find the good in it. If a person couldn't do that… Well, that was a pretty sad way to live. "As much as I would love to hear you divulge all of your secrets, this is a great song and I feel like dancing."

"Look, wench," Inuyasha barked out, his anger palpable. "I'm not looking for your validation. I'm pretty fucking happy with my life of dirty pennies and whiskey bottles. We don't all need to be Barbie."

She looked over at him, the low dim of the bar lights shining off his silver hair, and found she could only nurse one wounded heart at a time. "I just wanted you to leave tonight and think the world is a little less horrible than you thought."

"Hey, pretty lady," Kouga greeted as he appeared at the perfect time with another shot of whiskey for her and a full beer, stealing her full attention away from Inuyasha.

Kagome immediately downed the shot and chased it with her beer, ready to forget half of the night and lose herself in the music pounding through the speakers. As the evening wore on, the bar became busier, and the DJ had started up a round of tunes that had half the customers on the dance floor.

Kouga watched her curiously, arching a brow. "You alright there?"

"Dance with me?" she called over the bass pounding through the speakers. Oh yes, it was now the time of the night in which she had no qualms for asking for what she wanted.

He chuckled and glanced over at the other bartenders who appeared to have things under control. "You can steal me for a few minutes."

Kagome grinned and giggled like a school girl, leaving Inuyasha behind without delay. Kouga met her at the end of the bar and took her hand in his as she pulled him out onto the dance floor.

Some upbeat dance music blasted through the speakers. Kagome moved and swayed through the bodies crowding near the DJ, the vibrations of the music becoming part of her energy, raising her up several levels at once. Gone were her heartbroken wallows and the biting arrogance of her barstool companion. Her mind buzzed with pure joy. She moved in her dress like her hips were made to sway, the black sequins catching the disco ball that twirled above, causing her to glitter on the dance floor.

Kouga pulled her close, his strong hand pressed against the small of her back, his chiseled chest pressed against hers. She ran her fingers through her messy hair and pulled it to the side, feeling the beat of the music pound with each beat of her heart. Bodies pressed in tighter all around them. Kagome felt the part of her that was really her come out to play, to feel the vibe of the music and let her body go free.

"You're beautiful," Kouga's voice whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

His lips looked soft and very kissable, and Kagome knew her decision-making skills were indeed hindered by the alcohol that buzzed through her veins. And then his attention was caught by something else, his royal blue eyes pulling from hers to the outskirts of the dance floor. He said something to her, attempting to shout above the music, but his words were swallowed up by the electric beat that kept her entranced.

Kagome felt his hands slip from around her waist and he disappeared into the crowd. She didn't bother to follow, her hands playing with her hair, her hips moving to the music as she lost herself within it. This was what her heartbroken soul had fiercely needed; a night to forget all the troubles of the day.

Large, meaty hands found her waist, but they were unfamiliar and too warm to the touch. Kagome felt a warm flush find her cheeks as she gazed up to meet a stranger's hazy stare. He pulled her in close - too close - and even in her alcohol-ridden mind, she felt mild panic begin like sparks in her abdomen.

She tried to push him away, first gently and then forcefully, pretending to laugh at his behavior. "Thanks for the dance, but I need some fresh air."

"C'me on, baby," he slurred, pulling her tighter to his sweaty frame, his hot breath rolling over her skin. "We just met. Let's dance s'me more."

Kagome frowned. "I said no." Before she could stomp on his foot and fight her way out of the throng of dancers, the man was forcefully pulled away from her. They became separated by another man, one with very familiar silver hair who had his back to her. She didn't hear the words exchanged, but whatever was said was enough to send the man scampering off to the other side of the bar.

Inuyasha turned around, his piercing honey eyes studying her expression, before his hand gently wrapped around her waist. His grip on her wasn't strong like Kouga's, or possessive like the stranger. Inuyasha's hand was warm against the small of her back, and the anxiety she felt moments ago melted away.

"You okay?" he asked, swaying his hips in tune with hers as they continued to dance to the beat of the music.

She grinned up at him. "Were you worried about me, jerk?"

"Keh," he grumbled, his lips pulling into a smirk. "I despise you more than any other human I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. You're loud and wild and apparently have no sense of self-preservation. You also act like you have the mental capacity of a five year old."

"Are you flirting with me?" she barbed in return.

"Maybe."

His hand found the back of her neck, his fingers finding purchase in her hair, his hips grinding against hers. Warmth pooled into the pit of her stomach, his breath caressing her skin, and she moved her lips to find his.

Kagome barely had a moment to react before he pressed his tongue to the seam of her lips and delved inside her mouth. It was a very sloppy kiss with the strong scent of beer being exchanged between their billowing breaths. Her arm reached up and tangled around his strong neck. She pulled away and arched up into his broad chest, letting a moan escape in the contact of body heat against her own, before she drew back into his lips.

She could nearly taste the slight bitterness of the beer as it rolled off her tongue and seeped down her throat with every push of his tongue against hers. The kiss coupled with the beer and whiskey humming through her system obliterated every thought. For the first time that day, her mind was locked into the present. Her usual concerns for her life were suspended, and she had no wish for the kiss to end.

And he wanted her to throw it. Every fiber of his being screamed with an almost overwhelming desire to see that blunt instrument soar through the air and land a fair distance away. He didn’t know why he wanted that so badly and honestly, he didn’t care. It just needed to happen. It needed to happen now.

“Inuyasha,” Kagome’s voice vaguely registered in his mind before she experimentally lifted the pencil up and down a few times – highly dilated amber eyes following its every move. With each motion, his heart beat a little faster. This was agony. Why couldn’t she just chuck the damn thing already? He was dying here!

“Fetch?” she asked and he whined in frustration before grinning when she threw the pencil as hard as she could. Next thing he knew he was moving, rushing forward, and landing with a soft thud in front of the chucked wooden stick with a silly smile on his face. Quickly clutching it in his hand, he rushed back and presented the pencil with a proud little grin before he blinked a few times and furiously shook his head.

“Wait, shit, why did I…” Inuyasha breathed in mild horror before nervous amber met adoring blue, “I…I...I didn’t…”

“Why are you upset?” Kagome hummed happily as she reached up and scratched the base of one ear, “Because you wanted to chase a stick?”

Inuyasha seemed to look even more nervous and dare she think a little heartbroken.

“I’m not a dog,” he blurted and Kagome wrinkled her nose.

“No duh. I know you’re not,” she teased as she returned to her book, “I can throw it again if you want. It’s okay to have fun, Inuyasha. That’s not a crime.”

That response didn’t sit well with him. It wasn’t about having fun or not. Whatever just happened caused his higher reasoning to vanish. His impulse control to vanish. Every sense he possessed hyper focused and of one mind. Over a stupid pencil! This was so much worse than the time on the beach. So different. Yeah he’d chased the stick then but he hadn’t been sitting there memorized like an idiot cat.

And then Kagome not so innocently fanned the flames of his mindless behavior by saying....

Amber eyes narrowed and a jaw was set.

“You told me to fetch,” he accused as he sat crossed legged in front of her, “Like a dog.”

“You were looking like you wanted me to throw it. I was teasing,” Kagome sighed as she marked the page and lowered the book onto her lap, “Besides you are part dog demon. Its okay if you sometimes want to chase things. Its really cute honestly.”

“Cute,” Inuyasha repeated numbly, “You think when…when I do dog things its cute?”

Kagome took a breath and opened her mouth to speak when he cut her off.

“Is that how you see me?” he hissed as insecurity clouded his judgment, “Is that all I am to you? Some fucking lap dog?”

“Of course not. I see you as Inuyasha,” the miko replied in a confused tone, “Besides, if you were a dog, you’d be like a German Shepard or Rottweilier. Not an itty bitty lap dog. Have you seen those?”

“What in the modern...that’s not the point! You told me to fetch,” he huffed as he gave her a withering glare.

“Okay I’m sorry I told you to fetch,” Kagome groaned and Inuyasha had to consciously fight back the sudden urge to check if she threw something. This was hell.

“Don’t use that word anymore. I’m not a fucking dog,” he demanded - hoping his anger would prevent future utterances of that strangely hypnotic word.

“I think thou doth protest too much,” Kagome teased good naturedly, “I told you how I see you and you clearly have some issue with that. Do you want me to see you as a dog?”

“No!”

“Then why are you harping on this?” Kagome sighed heavily before her expression shifted and she sent have him a curious once over, “How do you want me to see you then? Because the way you’re talking it’s like you don’t want me to see you as Inuyasha.”

Starting slightly at the question, Inuyasha was the one to gape for lack of words. What did she mean by that? Of course he wanted...

Stupid woman confusing him on purpose.

“Which way do I want you to see me?” he asked with purposeful emphasis and she nodded. Holy shit she was genuinely curious. She wanted an actual answer. Swallowing thickly, he averted his eyes and shrugged.

“As a friend I guess...,” he cleared his throat before he tried to pluck up his courage given the opportunity to maybe push things in the desired direction, “Or maybe…maybe like…like someone you might…one day, ya know…”

His extremely limited courage faltered as he trailed off and huffed in frustration.

“Just a friend,” he amended lamely, “An equal.”

“What do you mean someone I might one day, ya know?” Kagome teased – completely missing what he was going to say. He wanted to say he wanted her to look at him like he was a potential partner. Of the romantic variety but chickened out. Yes, she sometimes acted like she might be interested but when he tried to feel her out, she usually got upset over something random and he’d eat dirt. And he tried to be romantic, okay? He provided for her and stood close to her and...and all sorts of things but she never seemed interested. Then again her time was different. Maybe people were more direct. There was also the possibility she was just completely oblivious or worse...not interested at all.

“Are you really that dumb?!,” he snapped angrily– reverting to his usual way of handling insecurity, “Sorry you’re too stupid to figure it out.”

Blinking rapidly, Kagome tried to figure out this sudden mood swing before rolling her eyes and sighing when he stormed off. So what if he occasionally wanted to play fetch? That wasn’t the end of the world. Sometimes she got random impulses too. That didn’t mean…

Wait….

Maybe it wasn’t a matter of wanting to play fetch so much as he felt a compulsion to play fetch. Some dormant instinct kicking in and he couldn’t control himself. That would explain why he seemed upset and confused. Why he’d been so adamant about the fact that he wasn’t a dog. He literally couldn’t control what he’d done.

And he was afraid she’d see him as a dog because he wanted her to…

Inhaling sharply, Kagome finally realized what he had tried to say. Setting her book down, she was up on her feet and running before she could stop herself.

“Inuyasha!” she called out and she saw him turn to face her with a somewhat dejected expression. An expression that quickly turned to alarm when he realized she had no intention of stopping.

“Wait, wait, slow…” the half-demon tried before she glomped him and pressed a long, lingering kiss on his lips. When she finally pulled back, amber eyes were looking at her with a mixture of longing and alarm.

“What the fuck…” he breathed as he tried to steady himself and balance the still clinging Kagome, “Why?”

“Maybe I want you to see me as someone you might one day, ya know…” she cooed and Inuyasha’s heart melted. She wasn’t so stupid after all.

Well thank god for that because he probably would’ve need at least another month to recover from the shame of chasing the pencil before trying to feel her out again.

“Really?” he asked with no lack of awe before nuzzling her cheek and teasing, “That doesn’t mean you go jumping on people.”

Kagome is not afraid of being hurt. 

She approaches him cautiously yet trustfully. Youkai InuYasha is able to control himself around her. 

We can see that the rest of the InuTachi is (rightfully) frightened. Kagome’s trust and calmness is thus highlighted. At least, we know she’s not scared of being physically hurt by InuYasha.

When Kagome hugs him (and we see you blushing, InuYasha!!) the relief is apparent on her face.  

Here is where Kagome admits that it was not his form that scared her, but the fact that she felt like she was unable to access his heart. One of the most important aspects of this manga (and Kagome’s character) is that she sees InuYasha for who he is inside, and loves him for it. InuYasha, who’s been ashamed of being “half” the strength of a youkai and has never fit in because of his mixed parentage, is much less accepting of himself. It’s a moment of clarity for him when he realizes that in becoming a full youkai, he may lose the woman he cares for.

Long after InuYasha has decided to remain a hanyou and accept himself, he still struggles with losing control of the beast within when he releases tetsusaiga. 

In terror, Kagome runs through acid to prevent InuYasha from losing his heart. She cares for him so deeply that she would risk anything to save him from himself. 

Kagome’s love for InuYasha is pure. Her only fear (in the face of a rabid killing machine) is losing the person whom she loves most. InuYasha fears many things throughout the manga (losing Kagome, losing Kikyou, defeat by Naraku, never being accepted) but Kagome’s deepest horror revolves around the safety of InuYasha’s soul.

Sidenote: lookit these 2 knuckleheads bein all cute n stuff.

“It’s not important.”

Kagome huffed “The hell it’s not important, it has you in a sour mood. And soon everyone is going to catch that mood from you!”  

One of the corners of his mouth twitched. That was her favorite excuse why she was in a bad mood, “I caught your mood” she said even if he had a good day and she was the only one with a nasty disposition that day.

“It’s something from this town? We can go to another one before sunset” she offered looking around, studying the attention they kept attracting just by talking, “It’s them, right?”

She was the one giving the other humans the murdering looks, and in spite of the situation he found a little humor. She was a still a fierce and protective woman.

“What are they doing?” her voice was almost a whisper, confident he was able to understand.

“Talking shit...” Inuyasha answered with a matter-of-fact tone, causing Kagome to turn back at him with her brows knitted in confusion.

“But they always say mean things...” it was said as an statement, he knew it was a question, and without thinking it through his words spilled “It’s not about me... exactly.”

Kagome’s lips opened   a couple of times before she pursed them in a thin line looking around glaring before her eyes halted on him, or specifically on the sling on his chest. Her face changed from annoyed to disappointed, to hurt, ending on anger again.

Too many things were hiding behind her stormy grey eyes when she looked into his eyes and gravely whispered “what are they saying?”

Inuyasha shook his head again. “It’s nothing! Let it go...”

“What is it?”

“Nothing...”

“What--” Her question was interrupted as his face charged close with a low growl, so deep in his chest that she felt the vibration more than she heard it. His eyes were almost tormented.

“I’m not going to repeat it!” he said through his teeth.

Kagome’s fighting stance relaxed as her face softened. “You don’t have to repeat it” her hands raised, one to his cheek, cupping his scowling face, and the other to stroke the precious cargo on his chest.

A long, tired, and slightly bitter sigh told her she has won this little discussion. “...It’s the usual, about them not wanting me around, fearful of me. But now they think I kidnapped you or put a spell on you...”  

Her head tilted to the side in confusion, and his face blushed. “Um...They are talking about how those are the only explanations for these”.  His hand pointed at the bundle on his chest that had just started to fuss. Nap time was over. And then he pointed at her belly.

Her hands reached for the baby on his chest as she said one of the darkest curses he had ever heard from her. In other circumstances he would have teased her about her potty mouth, but it was fitting in their current situation.

“Ok, so this town is stupider than others...” she whispered before kissing the baby’s head and placed him on her shoulder as he kept  looking around and sniffing the surroundings. She knew she had some time before his attention returned to her.

Inuyasha looked at the setting sun, adding another worry. “Well, we can go if you want. But it will be night time before we reach the next village.”

“We are staying. We are NOT going to let them ruin our first trip.”

Now she was wearing her determined face and he knew from experience there was nothing a mere human could do to deviate her from her goal. “Wait here” she said before handing back the cooing baby to him. “I’m gonna find a room and some food”.

After her husband nodded and retreated to find some shade, she beelined to the closest food seller. “I would like to buy some bread,” Kagome tried with the brightest smile she could muster.

The man scowled to her, “How many?” he said as he stretched his hand to ask for the cloth where to put the bread, the sengoku’s version of a plastic bag.

“Eight... no, wait. Make it ten please.”  

The man huffed this time, “Do you have the money for it?” he asked giving her a mocking look as he only served two pieces on her cloth.

So this man was testing her patience now, she thought. And with the most dramatic mannerisms she could force her arms into she took her share of the money she and Inuyasha had on them and gave the man what she expected to be the double of what he was going to charge for the bread.

“I don’t really know, will this be enough?” Kagome asked with her most innocent voice, hiding her smile when the man’s eyes glinted at the sight of money and started to put more than ten pieces of bread on her makeshift bag.

After thanking him and taking her bread she walked to the next little seller. Inuyasha kept an eye--and ear-- on her as she strolled the little street, smirking with every remark she gave to the people. If they said they were not going to sell their products to a youkai-loving whore, she stopped, corrected them about him being a hanyou and announcing he was her husband, and declaring their products were not good enough for her to be interested.

By the fourth little transaction, Kagome had the string of money hanging from her wrist, letting everyone know how much she could pay for something. His wench was making them compete now, to find who was going to be the one making deals with her.

He was laying down beside a tree, with his back partially resting on the cool bark, their baggage was beside him and the crawling baby was playing with his haori, cooing, growling and gnawing at it.  

“Aren’t you having fun wrecking my clothes?” he whispered, enjoying how his fluffy black ears flicked at the sound of his voice along with a bunny-like smile, with only front teeth showing.

“You are drooling all over me, pup...” he said a his hand raised to wipe the liquid off the baby’s chin. Which by the glint in those golden eyes and the yip he let out, it was time for him to fight ‘the hand’. As he tried to keep those too sharp teeth away from his skin, Kagome finished her transactions.

“Do I really look that fat?” was the first thing she said when she was close enough for her not to be heard from someone else.

Kagome’s mood went a little sour when instead of answering with a “of course not”, he tilted his head to study her figure.

“I am, aren’t I?”

Inuyasha raised a hand to ask her to sit beside them, “it’s not that you are fat, it’s just obvious you are with child, Kagome.”

She accepted the help to sit down, still looking at herself. “I dunno, people didn’t look at me this way when I was this far along with Masaaki...”

The urge to say things like ‘you’re crazy’ or ‘you’re being dramatic’ had disappeared almost completely during her first pregnancy, when she usually glared at him and threw whatever she had in sight yelling “don’t lie to me”. He knew she was carrying bigger this time, that it was more noticeable now. He had a few theories about it but, unless she asked about them, he was not going to say peep about it because knowing himself, he was going to hurt her feelings saying something wrong... and that only left him with careful phrased half-truths...

“Maybe your clothes have something to do with that...”   His eyes were on the pup, but his ears were solely focused on her.

“You think these clothes make me look fat?” She asked with a tone that was half angry and half hurt.

“Yeah, I  mean. No they don’t... It-it’s the obi.” He tried to explain, waiting for her questioning eyes. “The obi of that kimono, being thin and right below your breasts makes it more obvious than when you have the priestess clothes...”

She gave him that special smile that was only reserved for him, filling his chest and bringing butterflies to his stomach.

“You are sweet,” she whispered as she leaned closer. And even after those two years of Kagome doing that, he blushed.

“...they are staring...” he whispered almost breathless, not really remembering why that was supposed to be important.

A mischievous glint came to her eyes as she kept inching closer. “I don’t care,” was whispered a heartbeat before her lips touched his.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Turns out Kagome, being the great negotiator she was, had gotten them a very good room in inn  closest to the woods, and the room was the only one with a tree right in front of the gate. The woman knew him too well.

Said woman was currently laying down and using part of their luggage to slightly raise her feet. He narrowed his eyes as he grumpily said “You told me you were not tired.” He plopped beside her and brushed the bangs away from her eyes and she opened one eye.

“I’m not tired-tired, just my feet.”

“You should have said something...” He mumbled as he reached from the crawling baby that was getting too close to the open door and softly dragged him close to them as the little boy giggled.

He felt her hand rest on his thigh and squeeze softly, “If I said something every time I feel some discomfort, we wouldn’t go anywhere... ever.”

Inuyasha huffed “You make me sound as if I was some kind of over protective mess.”

Kagome stifled a laugh “And...”

“Haha...”

His fake laugh always made her laugh and he knew it, that made him happy. He laid down beside her as their son looked at both of them trying to decide who was going to be his climbing wall first.

“But seriously, if you don’t feel good you need to tell me.”

“And I will... when I feel bad enough.”

“Kagome...”

“Inuyasha...”

“How can I protect you if you don’t tell me these kind of things?” he asked with a strained voice. Too many possibilities and problems filled his head to leave the subject alone.

Kagome turned to face him and scooted closer until she was hugging him the closest she could, considering their seven months-old playing with his father’s feet at the moment.

“Whenever I need protection or think I’ll be needing you, I’ll tell you, OK?”

Inuyasha made an uncommitted noise and pulled her closer.

They remained like that, reveling on each other’s presence, giggling when Masaaki crawled in-between their bodies until he was safely between his parent’s chests, purring and ready to go to sleep.

Inuyasha didn’t realized they had fallen asleep until  he jolted awake. His eyes scanning the room and his ears flicking around. Something was wrong.  

Softly he shook Kagome awake.

“Wha-”

“Something’s not right” he whispered in her ear, and both knew what it meant.

They had to take Masaaki, their weapons and be ready. She stood up and searched for the sling to put the still sleeping baby. Inuyasha was in front of them with their small luggage already on his back and his sword ready to be unsheathed.

Her bow was in her hands, with an arrow ready, her heart racing and her hands tingling.

Inuyasha’s ears were swiveling and flicking around, he could hear men walking closer. Their hushed tone made it clear that they were trying to make a surprise attack. Well that was not going to happen.

The door opened slowly and soon a man with heavy robes, that were somewhat familiar, stepped in.

“Demon! Stop your despicable actions!” the man yelled as he threw a sutra that landed on Inuyasha’s forehead, stopping him mid-action as he tried to unsheath his swear.

Inuyasha could only stared at the men walking inside their room, trying to get to Kagome, unable to do anything. The hatred he had for those damned things was

“Bring her to me” said the monk.

But the villagers around him realized, it was not an easy task. The woman had circled the immobile youkai, raising her bow with a glowing arrow in place, shielding the silver haired monster behind her from any kind of attack.

Kagome’s hands were sweating. She could not hold her stance and take that awful thing off him. She could feel his emotions, the need to do something, the helplessness and the fear coming from him in waves. She made a decision.

“I’m not going anywhere!” she yelled.

The monk took the opportunity to throw another sutra yelling “Relinquish your hold on this woman.”

Kagome felt the paper stick to her forehead. Just what the hell was he trying to do?  With the sutra still on her forehead she said through her teeth “Stay away from us!” and she shot the arrow  to the floor, right between the monk and them, illuminating their forms with its pink light.

As the men took a couple of fearful steps back, she turned around and took the sutra off his forehead. The shift of power was instantaneous as a snarl erupted from his throat and it was her turn to be shielded.  

His aura flaring around them, he started to walk towards the monk, laughing darkly as the men around started to scatter.  “You are not taking them anywhere!”

The monk walked back with his sutras ready to be thrown. “I will not let that innocent girl continue to be a slave to your youkai lust.”

Inuyasha raised his sword at the same time Kagome gasped outraged.

He could hear her walking closer--stomping would be more accurate--until she was standing beside him with her bow in one hand and an arrow in the other.

“Why is it so difficult to understand? I want to be with him so I am, what is the problem?” Her anger was so great that the danger they were still in was not in her mind anymore. They were insulting them, insulting her family and even the right to have one.

Inuyasha braced himself for the answer, knowing it was going to be one of the arguments his own mind still threw at him from time to time.

“It’s not natural for a human woman to be with a... an animal. That need you feel is part of what he is doing to you. Bending your will to his desires... and obvious carnal needs. You need to wake up--”

Another arrow landing close to his feet interrupted his self-righteous speech, looking lost at the power display. It looked like holy powers, not something that a youkai could control.

“I don’t care what you think about us! I don’t even want to hear the rest of your stupid reasons!”

She took another step closer to the monk, shrugging off the clawed hand that darted protectively.  There was nothing that could stop her from giving a piece of her mind to the man before her.

“If I want to spend the rest of my life with the man I love. I will do it! Can your small little head understand that?”

“You don’t know what you are saying.” The male voice sounded desperate, as if he was trying to convince himself along with Kagome. “You don’t know what you are doing, you are still being controlled by the spell the monster has casted on you! That is why you are willing to bear the children of an abomination”.

Kagome wanted to screech and yell. How dare he say something like that? She was not going to stand there listening to his stupid words as if they deserved to be heard.

“...Kagome...” Inuyasha said softly behind her, but she ignored him and kept walking.

The hanyou blinked a couple of times as she gave another couple of steps, the soft pink that had been surrounding her since she prepared the first arrow. The pink that was almost invisible for his eyes--and he knew it was invisible for most humans-- was starting to glow and even slightly fanning the tips of her hair. It was enough to say his wife was furious.

“Your head  must be clouded by the presence of his evil youki” the man that had tripped and fell on his ass tried to convince her.

“I told you! I am under no spell, youki-or-whatever-induced control!”  

Kagome noticed something was different when the monk in front of her shrieked without her pointing her arrow at him. Quickly she turned to Inuyasha expecting to find him with his sword raised trying to look extra intimidating, but she found him closer than she expected and with his arms crossed on his chest with his sword sheathed.

The almost relaxed stance bothered her. His brows shot up inquisitively. “What? He’s not screaming ‘cause of me” he gave her a wicked smirk.

“It’s the youki that infects you making itself visible...” The man shouted, looking around, finding himself alone.

Kagome looked down at her hands and found them glowing. Along with one of the two sets of golden eyes she loved. And as soon as her son found his mom’s eyes on him he started to giggle and coo, wanting some attention. She smiled at him and caressed his head. He was such a good baby.

“Your filth is coming to the surface! That is why that color is oozing out of you!”

Another flare of her power, this time it was visible for her, and she controlled it to appear like a barrier. Smiling to herself she patted her own back. The lessons with Kaede had payed off.

The monk had one last hope, that maybe her energy was pure and it would vanquish the evil before him, but after the second flare of that pinkish light covered the youkai man entirely, he knew his time was running out. He knew that at the same moment that energy touched, he would be the one to perish.

The glowing woman walked to him, keeping her energy--he was not going to call it light-- away from him.

“Even if you kill me woman, the monstrosities you have done will not disappear.”

Kagome kneeled down very close to the man, but not close enough to be at an arm’s reach. She was angry, not stupid.

“Enough. I have not done any kind of monstrosities, and if you meant my children I’m gonna let him” she pointed at Inuyasha, who was now grinning. “Punch you, and I mean it... Ok let me explain something to you before you say another stupid thing and I forget why I wanted to explain this to you... So keep quiet.”

Kagome decided she was going to keep the glow on to avoid any kind of stupid actions from the man. “I am a priestess, I am, not was. And yes, this is my son and that one behind me is my husband... No, I’m not a dark priestess, and the power you see is my own spiritual powers...”

She flared one more time, now engulfing him too.

“It is some kind of human’s spiritual energy.”

Kagome smiled brightly as the light went away. “I told you! I am a priestess, and there is nothing wrong with me... with us... and I will really appreciate if you leave us alone from now on, ok?”

Inuyasha had to bit his tongue not to laugh at the extremely stupid and baffled expression on the monk’s face. Following Kagome’s  mercurial emotions and understanding the reasons behind them took time, and being at the receiving end of Kagome’s anger and then smile left anyone feeling--and looking-- stupid.

Before the man had another chance to make her angry, he walked closer to her and stretched his hand close to her shoulder, confident on her understanding. “Let’s go Kagome, I think we need to look for somewhere to sleep”.

Kagome nodded and took his hand to help her stand and let him guide her as the walked away from their room.

The monk’s jaw fell as he looked back and forth between them. “Priestess Kagome? The last guardian of the Shikon no Tama?”  He shouted at the retreating figures.

Kagome turned around and smiled at him, “I guess that is me,  and this one is Inuyasha, the last protector of the shikon no Tama” She wanted to say something else but the now blushed Inuyasha kept pushing her from the lower back, so she only waved goodbye to the man.

-.-.-.-

“You got really angry back there...” Inuyasha whispered into her ear.

They were securely resting on a thick branch, in one of the biggest trees around. Inuyasha sitting on the branch and hugging her back with his head dipped in the crook of her neck, as the now tired Masaaki slept clinging to her kimono His face was relaxed and the perfect image of pure innocence and trust. She caressed the side of his little head smiling at the way he seemed to like it enough for him to purr in his sleep.  

She liked the place, it was calm and cozy in its own way. And she liked the position they were in, it only took a turn of her neck to reach his lips, or any part of his face for that matter.

“I think I got mad, but he was talking shit about my family.”

Inuyasha let out a deep chuckle.  looked like his wench was picking up his bad habits. “And you went all out...” he said in an amicable tone.

“I had to protect my husband’s honor. Being controlled by something my ass” She declared proudly before pecking his temple. “But you were pretty relaxed though.”

Inuyasha growled low as he nuzzled her neck “By the time you were glowing, the man was alone there, no other human was around us..” his voice went lower, huskier, “I knew you could take him.”

“You knew, huh?” She let her head fall back, feeling truly relaxed for the first time during that day.

“Absolutely, and If you messed up, I was ready to jump and rescue you”.

It was Kagome’s time to chuckle “Good to know we got each other back.” She pecked his jaw and let herself fall into the calm darkness of sleep, with his strong arms around her, and her own around their baby, and on her lips a soft smile.

Ta-dá! This is my first contribution (hope not the last one for one of my favorite weeks of the year!

Thank you for reading :D

Now let’s tell my friends know about this :D @kuddle-cakes@grapefruitwannabe @keichanz@vividxdreaming @purekagome @mustardyellowsunshine @stoatsandweasels @mmhinman@ryupioupiou @vixenfoxpaws@gypsin @meido-zangetsuha @little-known-artist @inukag-4ever @sakurasubinita @pink-sango 

She awoke with a start, blinking into the darkness and turning to read her alarm clock: two in the morning. Screwing her eyes shut, she grasped at the smoky edges of the dream she’d been having. Something about a boy who wasn’t quite a boy, and a sky littered with glittering white diamonds. The image of the light-prickled night sky hit her so vividly, she scrambled out of bed to catch a glimpse of it from her bedroom window.

Blank darkness met her eyes, and she sank to the floor. Tears brimmed her eyes as the image of her boy – what is his name? – looking up at the sky like a wondrous child slipped through her fingertips. She sobbed into her pajama  sleeves until she exhausted herself, and this time she slept uncomfortably on the wooden floor and dreamt of nothing and no one.

***

Having shaken herself from the faux life Magatsuhi had crafted for her, Kagome curled in on herself against the cold eternal plane inside the Shikon Jewel. In the pitch blackness, her eyes searched for any pinprick of light, but all she could see was the blinding pink gleam of the arrow-pierced Jewel. Don’t make a wish, she thought. Don’t look at it, don’t speak to it, don’t let it win.

She opted instead to face the other direction into the darkness and pretend to see the expanse of stars in the void ahead of her. When she closed her eyes, she could almost picture how Inuyasha’s eyes reflected the stars at night, could almost feel his arm brush against her to reassure himself she was really there safe with him.

All she wanted was to be safe with him, under an infinite night sky.

***

After a long night of studying, Kagome climbed out her bedroom window and up the rope ladder she’d affixed to the second-story roof. It had been two and a half years since she’d been back to the Feudal Era, and still nothing relieved her stress like laying on the roof beneath the stars at three in the morning – even her suburb of Tokyo quieted during the witching hour.

She’d brought a pillow up with her to support her back against the roofing tiles, but as always, it took mere minutes for her to curl up with it in place of the boy – man now, if her own looming adulthood was any indication – that she had no intention of replacing. Maybe someday, she thought in spite of herself, when I can’t remember the slope of his nose or the glint in his eye and love is a stranger again, it will reintroduce itself.

There were no more tears; the pain had reduced to a dull, ever-present ache, and it no longer manifested as a lump in her throat. So, she gripped her pillow and looked at the stars, pretending they were even half as clear now as they were five hundred years ago, or as beautiful as the boy who would never love her as a man.

***

His warm breath tickled her ear, and she settled further into his chest. The branches of the Goshinboku were enough to hide them while providing them a perfect view of the night sky. Her fingers entwined his, and his arms cradled her to him.

The stars themselves held her attention for awhile, but her favorite part about gazing with him was how they’d sparkle in his eyes, so she craned her neck back to see his face. For a moment he didn’t move, almost as if he thought if he did, she’d slip through his fingers again. “Inuyasha,” she whispered.

He looked down at her, furrowing his brow inquisitively.

She pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, grinning a bit against them. “I missed you.”

“Me too,” he murmured into her mouth, so quietly that she barely caught it.

Nodding, she settled again into the familiar position of her back against his torso. She took a long breath of crisp, clean air, and looked back up into the sky, smiling. I’m going to savor it this time, forevermore.