A/N: I appreciate your feedback – please be as constructive as possible. And enjoy!
……
Kagome yawned and leaned backwards over her chair back, stretching the muscles and popping the joints. Inuyasha had been content as ever to nap in Kagome's bed, taking comfort in the lack of imminent danger that was the present. Kagome tipped her head towards him as she popped it, wondering what it would be like if he was her boyfriend. And human.
First of all, she thought, he probably wouldn't be in my room, and even less likely sleeping in my bed. I don't think it would fly too well with Momma or Grandpa. I don't really understand why a half-demon with a hot temper and sharp claws is given more liberties, but there it is.
At least a human boy like Hojo (actually, especially Hojo) would be willing to give her a neck rub after the marathon homework session. Oh well. Her English homework hadn't exactly been difficult, as it was just continuing the fiction short stories series they were all assigned. Other than having a common theme and a set minimum length for each, there were no other requirements. Kagome had all the inspiration necessary when writing her own "fiction" stories about a time-traveling high-school girl who goes around with a hanyou, a demon exterminator, and a monk, searching for a mystical jewel. Finding a main antagonist was no problem, either.
Kagome sighed. Sadly, her adventures were just inspiration – she tended to stray a bit from the truth when she wrote for class. Inuyasha wasn't nearly the jerk he was in real life, and Miroku and Sango had taken much better to her devious little "let's get together" matchmaker plotting. Naraku could be killed with a sharp glare, if she so chose. And Kikyo? Hell, Kagome hadn't even bothered to pencil her into the storyline.
Her friends, who only knew Inuyasha's name, were a little taken aback when they read her stories.
"You write sweet fantasy fiction about that two-timing jerk?"
"Um...well…"
"He probably made her do it to prove her love to him, or something ridiculous. Kagome, did your boyfriend put you up to this?"
All she could do was sigh inwardly and blow them off with her usual cheerful manner.
"No, guys! I told you Inuyasha wasn't really a terrible guy. I just wrote some cute what-if situations for my short story assignments. Quit reading so much into them!"
Inuyasha rolled over and Kagome was torn from her musings as she turned around to watch him for a brief moment during this little oasis of Inuyasha quiet time. Her friends would be even more shocked if they knew the truth about her "fictional characters." But it wouldn't be the same if it were easy like my stories, I suppose. It wouldn't mean anything to any of us, and at the end I wouldn't realize the value of their friendship and would just go back to living in the present time, the Feudal Era would fade into a dream and I would have a normal life again…Wait. Isn't that what she was planning on? Once she collected the jewel shards, Kagome was free to return to her era for good, leaving Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and, hell, even Kouga behind? Not to mention good riddance to Kikyo.
Her brain didn't even register having to leave Inuyasha. Maybe because he could travel through the well and she figured (hoped?) he might still, after everything was finished. Maybe because she couldn't even face the idea of never seeing him again…
Again she was given the opportunity to ignore the inevitable as Inuyasha rolled back over to face Kagome, to find her watching him with kind eyes.
"Hey, Inuyasha, did I wake you," Kagome inquired quietly.
Inuyasha huffed. "Not really. When your pencil stopped scratching, I woke up."
"Oh. Well, you could go back to sleep for a while, if you want. I'm just going downstairs to stretch my legs and get a bite to eat."
"There's plenty to eat and miles to walk back home, and the air doesn't stink. Let's go already."
She fixed him with a glare. So much for peaceful, sleeping puppy boy. Seems like the rest did nothing to improve his mood.
"I told you, I'm going to school again in the morning to turn in all this work and get another bunch of assignments and notes. If you want to go back without me, then stop sulking and go already."
"I'm not leavin' you here, Kagome," Inuyasha said roughly. "If I do you'll end up going out with those friends or that weak human boy you always talk about, on a 'date' or whatever you call it. You'll stay gone so long that the stupid fox kit will start whining and I'll be the one to blame when he "accidentally" ends up with a split skull. As soon as you get home from school tomorrow you're grabbing some ramen and I'm dragging you home. Maybe there will be jewel shard news by the time we get back."
"Jerk," Kagome muttered. "Always the damn jewel shards."
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
"Kagome, I woke up when your pencil stopped scratching. I heard you." He wiggled a finger sarcastically at his fuzzy ears. "And of course I care about the damn jewel shards. As soon as we get them and I kill Naraku, and that mangy wolf just for sport, I can ditch this sword for good, because I won't be needin' it. Maybe I'll give it to Sesshoumaru, right after I rip off his other fool arm off. And then I can do whatever the hell else I please, because I'll be able to break this damn subduing spell."
Inuyasha didn't notice the tears that were welling up in the corners of Kagome's eyes. He was too busy spouting off at nothing, having jumped out of bed and wandered over to the window at the start of their conversation, stuffing his hands into opposite sides of his haori in a huff.
That is, he didn't notice until he heard Kagome's voice break mid-sentence.
"If it's so t- terrible being here with me, but you won't go home on your own, then you can just sit around and wait until I'm done! Without ramen!"
At that, she stormed downstairs, leaving Inuyasha slammed facedown into her plush carpet, and a very confused Souta with one arm raised ready to knock and let them know it was time for supper.
……
Kagome didn't go straight downstairs after her quarrel with Inuyasha. She stopped in the bathroom on the way, splashing her face with cold water. It helped get rid of the flush in her cheeks and the tears in her eyes, as well as wash away some of her exhaustion. When she looked in the mirror, she tried to put on a cheerful face so that momma didn't know she'd been arguing.
But Mrs. Higurashi knew everything that went on in her house, and moreover she knew her daughter very well, despite their infrequent contact of late. When Kagome came downstairs, she simply put an arm around Kagome and gave a quick squeeze, followed by some well-received normalcy.
"All done with your homework, Kagome? Did it go well?"
"Yes momma, I got caught up on everything, finally. I'm going to get next week's homework at school tomorrow then I'm heading back." Kagome always appreciated how her mother didn't ask her to talk about things from the Feudal Era. Though Kagome realized she probably was taking the "ignorance is bliss" path for her own sanity.
"Good for you, dear. Are you ready for supper? Is Inuyasha coming to eat? I made him some ramen."
Kagome tried to keep her face bright. "Uh, yeah! He'll be down soon. As soon as he pulls his jerk face off the floor." She muttered that last sentence.
"What was that, dear?"
"Oh, I said, 'as soon as Souta tells him dinner is ready, I'm sure.'"
Kagome snickered. So did her mother. Although Kagome had never really spilled the details about the subduing spell, Mrs. Higurashi knew the look on a woman's face when she'd asserted herself to a man. Women in Japan may be more traditional than in other parts of the world, but when it came down to it they had things well in hand.
Inuyasha came down a few minutes later. He glared at Kagome. Kagome stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her eyes, acting goofy. Inuyasha rolled his, then plunked (rather impolitely) onto the floor. Mrs. Higurashi snickered again. Ah, to be young and in love.
……
The next day, after Kagome had gone to school and lied…erm…explained to all her friends that she had to go to the hospital over the weekend for some tests, she got ready to say goodbye to her family before heading down the well. Her mother leaned in and whispered in Kagome's ear.
"I put some ramen in the bottom of your bag for when Inuyasha starts behaving again. Oh, and also a travel size coloring and puzzle book for the little fox boy," she said, then leaned back with a wink. "Try to stay out of trouble," she said out loud, looking at Inuyasha poignantly.
"Your damn daughter doesn't know the meanin-"
-slap- Kagome's hand went over Inuyasha's mouth.
"Thanks a lot! We'll be safe, and I'll be home again as soon as I can."
Inuyasha flicked his tongue out and licked Kagome's hand before darting off towards the well, making her squeal and give her mother an exasperated look before darting off after him.
Mrs. Higurashi just smiled her all-knowing smile as she watched her daughter disappear into the well house for what she hoped (as she did every time) would not be the last time.