Kagome sighed, leaning back on the bench and enjoying the fresher air that seemed to pervade the inner green space of the community center. She had found herself spending a lot more time there than she would have expected. The preschool where she worked was off for the week and she felt rather sluggish on top of the lethargy that came from not waking up for work every morning. It probably didn't help that Inuyasha had kept her up late almost every night. She smiled slightly and stretched her arms over her head.
While her overly rambunctious inuhanyou was in computer classes at the center, she had invited Sango to join her for lunch. Sango had happily accepted the invitation and they were going to a little American food place around the corner. Usually only a guilty pleasure, Kagome found herself looking forward to a hamburger in a big way. She didn't generally crave meat, certainly not red meat, but today she couldn't wait. "Hey you." Kagome turned and smiled.
"Hey. Long time no see," she replied, standing to give her friend a hug. Sango laughed.
"You are absolutely glowing. I'm glad you're sleeping better. I was getting really worried about you!" Kagome gave her a small dreamy smile. Sango's eyes widened and she grabbed hold of the smaller woman's shoulders. "You aren't sleeping better, are you?!" Kagome's smile only got bigger. "Higurashi Kagome! You told me there wasn't anything going on between you!" she whispered, poking her in the ribs as they turned to walk toward the restaurant.
"Well there wasn't. Then there was."
"Kagome-sama!" Both women turned to see Miroku jogging across the green space.
"Who's this guy?" Sango asked out of the side of her mouth.
"Miroku, the one who left the temple... Miroku, what's wrong?"
The ex-monk stopped in front of them, panting a little. "Nothing. I just saw that you were here and... May I ask who this radiant flower is?" Sango glanced behind her before she realized he was looking intently at her. She gave him a slightly incredulous look.
Kagome hid a grin. "Hoshimori Miroku, this is my dearest friend, Yamamoto Sango."
Miroku took Sango's hands in his own, bowing over them dramatically. "It is a true pleasure to meet you, Yamamoto-san," he crooned, making direct eye contact with Sango and giving her his most sincere smile. Sango looked stunned and blinked at him several times.
"I... it's nice to meet you too," she stuttered out. Miroku's grin only grew. "Um... Kagome and I were just going to get something to eat..." Kagome saw the moment her friend realized her statement had sounded like an invitation. Her brown eyes flipped to hers and Kagome shrugged. She didn't mind Miroku joining them. It meant Sango couldn't drill her about her relationship with Inuyasha. Not that she was hiding it, she just didn't have all the answers to the questions she knew her friend would be likely to ask.
"I would not want to intrude..."
"Not at all," Kagome cut in with a grin. "You're welcome to join us if you'd like." Sango shot a desperate look in her direction.
Knowing it had been a very long time since her friend had dated, she figured it wouldn't hurt for her to meet a handsome, intelligent, eligible bachelor. Sango had always been very tightly wound when it came to her heart. Kagome couldn't fault her for it, but she knew that Sango wasn't doing herself any favors by brushing off every offer for a date that came her way. "I would be honored to escort two beautiful women to lunch," Miroku said with a small bow. Kagome barely swallowed a snicker. Miroku was definitely trying to catch up in the romance department and his template seemed to be old school romances with bowing princes and damsels in distress. In some ways, he was behind Inuyasha when it came to interacting with the modern world.
Lunch ended up being more fun than Kagome could remember having had in a long time. Miroku was very obviously trying to woo Sango and her friend was not having it. Well... she seems interested, she just doesn't want Miroku to know that. Kagome smiled softly, mostly staying quiet while the two discussed the tajiya business versus that of a "career holy person" and why both had never been much interested in their expected family trade.
"You are sure that your family does not have anyone else of power in it?" Kagome grinned and shook her head at Miroku's incredulous tone. "I am quite surprised."
"Not the first time I've heard that. But if I'm…" She paused, glancing over at her best friend who had not exactly been let in on the tidbit that she was likely Kikyo's reincarnation. "I'm the only one in my family, don't tell my gramps." Sango laughed, not catching onto the tension in that brief moment. She teasingly told Miroku about Kagome's grandfather, who had been trying to teach Sango youkai extermination techniques since the moment he heard she was from a line of tajiya.
"He thought he could share a few pointers. It was cute," she explained. Kagome sat back and watched the two subtly (on Sango's side at least) flirting with one another. It made her realize that she and Inuyasha had never really gone through this phase. They had bypassed many of these earlier dating phases. Or did we? She thought back on the nights snuggled up on the couch watching movies or the occasional early morning chats on her balcony. Maybe they hadn't missed the steps, just took them two at a time.
As they were walking back after lunch, Kagome happily sated after her large burger - which both of her table mates had sat stunned while she ate - the other two were still talking animatedly when Sango's hand suddenly snapped out, catching Miroku's wrist in a nearly bruising grip. The ex-monk blinked at where Sango's far more delicate looking fingers wrapped around his larger wrist in a surprisingly unbreakable grip. "I do hope that wasn't going where I think it was." Miroku tried to look serene, which was ruined by the blush on his cheeks.
"I believe you misunderstand me, Sango-san. I was simply..."
He didn't get to finish as a deep growl was heard rolling behind them. All three whipped around, staring at the unfamiliar youkai who stood with his eyes locked on Kagome. Sango instinctively moved closer to her smaller friend, watching the male panther youkai with an evaluating look. "Where is it?" he growled.
"It? I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about." Kagome sounded calm, but her face showed how confused she was.
The panther snarled. His eyes were intensely green, sleek dark hair on his head. If it weren't for the pure anger on his face, he would likely have been considered very handsome. "The filthy half-breed mutt whose scent is all over you." Kagome simply blinked at him in disbelief. "Your aura glows like a lighthouse, miko. Better to destroy the weakling before it gets another chance to have a go at you." Miroku, who hadn't known for sure that she and Inuyasha were intimate, glanced uncertainly at her before hardening his features. It seemed fairly obvious that this youkai was aware of the prophecy and wasn't a fan. "I don't plan on killing a reiki bearer, let alone a female one, but if it keeps any spawn of a weakling like that out of the world..."
"Watch how you speak about my mate," Kagome growled, surprising even herself.
"Mate... Kagome?" Sango murmured. The panther youkai snarled at them and took a step forward. Kagome had a barrier up around the three of them before they could blink. Visibly startled by her strength, the furious youkai backed up some. He hadn't thought she would be much of a challenge… "You might as well move on. We don't want to have to report you." The youkai bared his teeth at Sango.
"Keep looking over your shoulder, miko," he said, turning on his heel and striding off, long black tail flicking behind him.
After a short while, the trio finally breathed and Kagome lowered her barrier. "Are you alright, Kagome-sama?" It took her a second to realize he was asking because she was shaking. She nodded, but Sango had to keep a hand under her elbow as they walked back toward the center. Halfway there she had to pull herself aside and lose the hamburger she'd eaten so enthusiastically in an alley.
"This is not good," Sango whispered to Miroku as she held Kagome's hair and rubbed a soothing circle on her back.
"It isn't," he agreed. "I..."
"What the fuck is going on? Kagome, what's wrong?" Both Sango and Miroku were startled by the abrupt appearance of the worried inuhanyou. "Mate?" he whimpered, gently pushing Sango aside so he could hold her himself.
Once Kagome got her breathing under control, she let Inuyasha pull her against his chest. "I'm alright. Just a little upset stomach." She missed the way the other two frowned, but Inuyasha didn't.
"What really happened?" Miroku stepped in to explain, trying not to rile the already concerned hanyou. "He threatened you and you're gonna try to tell me you're alright?" he questioned her. Kagome only buried herself further in his arms. "Look, thanks for helping her out, but I'm taking her home. Now," he told Sango and Miroku. Neither one could come up with an argument before he was gone.
Kagome stayed silent as they made their way back, still reeling from her stomach responding so violently. She'd never felt so frightened of anything before, so she understood that it might have affected her overly full stomach. Isn't that a defense mechanism for some birds? She thought in a slight daze. Some documentary about an island… She didn't think the panther had any intention of following her around, but he might tell others to look for Inuyasha. Her brown eyes flew up to his face, watching him as he navigated the rooftops. For all the childish pouts she had seen in the first few weeks of knowing him, this serious face showed her that her mate had some hardened edges she hadn't really seen yet.
"What's the look for?" he asked without breaking stride.
"I just... I don't want anything to happen to you."
"Me? I'm not the one who was just threatened by a youkai." Kagome frowned, clinging to his shoulders a little more tightly. "Kagome, he really freaked you out, didn't he?" he murmured, slowing down and nuzzling her cheek.
Kagome hugged him even closer. "He said he didn't want to kill me, he wanted to go after you. I couldn't..." A sob cut her off. "You have to be careful, do you understand me?" she whispered desperately.
Inuyasha sighed as they landed on her balcony, sliding into her room. He locked the door, pulled the curtains and took her back into his arms. "Kagome, I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
"Not me, you!"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes since she couldn't see. "I'm not going to let anything keep me from protecting you, how about that?" She didn't respond verbally, tugging his face down to plant an intensely fear-driven kiss on his lips. He could feel her desperation and struggled with the way his youki spiked in response. His youkai wanted to assert dominance, not over her, but over her fear. Unfortunately his youkai tended to get a little out of control and the last thing he wanted to do was scare her more. A growl rolled in his chest as he gently lifted her onto the end of the bed, kneeling between her knees and resting his forehead against her stomach. He tried to let her scent fill his nose and soothe him. Kagome's hands found his ears, not helping his control any. "Kagome..." he breathed against her.
"You're afraid to let yourself be you," she murmured. "I will never be afraid of you. No matter what happens, I will never be afraid of you." Inuyasha still fought his youki down even as his body relaxed and his youkai half purred at the level of trust his mate had in him. She'd never seen him the way he could be, had never seen the beast he could become.
He hadn't lost himself to his youkai for a long time. Even before he was trapped, it had been over a decade. But that had been a situation in which his life had been in danger. This time it was Kagome who had been in harm's way. Unacceptable. He felt his fangs lengthen slightly at the thought of the big cat threatening her and he snarled at himself for his weakness. I should have better control than this! Kagome gently touched his cheek, bringing his eyes to hers. "Careful," he growled. She only looked him over and smiled softly.
"You don't want to hurt me," she stated. He knew fear shone in his eyes at the very thought. "Then you won't. You have to believe that as much as I do." She showed him what she believed by kissing him again, pulling him into her arms as he moved forward into her kiss. He hovered over her on the bed, tasting and exploring her mouth. Her heels pressed into his ass, pushing him down into her embrace. She gasped against him when the hard ridge of his arousal met her heat.
"Mate," he snarled, gently mouthing her neck and the mark that made her his to soothe his youkai half. His tongue swept out to taste her, lingering on the pulse beating solidly in her throat. Her fingers found the fly of the jeans she'd talked him into wearing, freeing him from their constricting hold. He sighed in relief while peeling her out of her clothes, shimmying out of his pants as Kagome struggled with his shirt. "I wanna be gentle, but..."
"Shut up, Inuyasha," she growled, pulling him down against her and introducing his tip to her heat. He grimaced at the pleasure before groaning as he slipped into her. She didn't let him hold back for even a moment, lifting her hips up to meet his if he hesitated. He barely kept himself from pounding into her, the feel of her heels against him grounding him, giving him a limit in range that kept him from being too rough. When his release washed over him, he bit his own lip to stifle a howl. Kagome was hardly a beat behind him, not bothering to muffle her cry. He panted into her neck, intermittently licking and kissing her soft skin as he came back to himself. Kagome was gripping his shoulders tightly to keep him close and it warmed his soul that she so clearly wanted him despite his glaring flaws.
"I love you," he murmured in her ear. Her grip tightened for a moment.
"I love you too." He took a deep breath and was finally able to pull free from her, cuddling her against his chest as they curled under the sheets. He soothed her to sleep then, knowing she needed the rest after everything she'd been through that day.
With her resting more or less peacefully in his arms, Inuyasha allowed his mind to drift to the problem they were faced with. It was clear that this panther bastard had smelled him on Kagome and had assumed, however accurately, that they were together. While it had been exactly as he'd feared, he was a little surprised it had happened so soon after they had taken that step. What surprised him further was Kagome's ability to protect herself. While she'd become vulnerable afterward due to the shock from her initial fear, in the crucial moment - from what Miroku told him - she'd easily protected herself and her friends from a potentially dangerous youkai attack. Now had it been a human, he didn't know if the situation would have ended the same.
Inuyasha had to acknowledge his gratitude that the monk and slayer had been there to defend Kagome when he had not. Both of them, despite veering off from their family paths, still had the skills necessary and had been willing to use them. He cursed his need to take the required classes to acclimate him to the technology of this time so he could properly support his mate. She's staying inside the center next time. His heart couldn't take another jolt like the one he'd felt when his nose picked up on his mate's fear-filled scent and that of a raging big cat nearby. He would not let anything take her from him.
Sango sat dumbfounded for several moments, opening her mouth as if to say something and then closing it again. She finally let out a shuddering sigh. "So you're maybe…"
"Probably."
"Fine. Probably Kikyo's reincarnation and you're just… fine with all this? And Inuyasha is fine with it?" Kagome looked up, sheepish. "And on top of it there's some crazy old prophecy that says you two are... what? Going to pop out the savior of the world? And there are youkai and humans alike out there who want nothing more than to keep you apart." The miko winced. "Baggage, my ass. Kagome, this is a moving truck full of baggage."
While she understood that her friend was a bit shocked and that it was indeed a lot of information to take in at once, she did not appreciate the borderline disparaging commentary on her relationship. "Sango, slow down. I know it seems like I jumped into this without thinking. I knew about his lifespan, the mating bond, the prophecy and even the fact that I am probably the embodiment of his dead ex before I let things go this far. My eyes were open."
Her friend blew out a long breath and shook her head slightly. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do, Kagome. I just want you to be careful. I don't want to see you hurt."
Kagome smiled and nodded goodnaturedly. Sango was like the best combination of the sister and the overprotective older brother she'd never had. Always looking out for her physically weaker friend yet encouraging her to continue her miko training when she'd wanted to give up. "I know you don't. Obviously I don't want any of us to get hurt. I just… I really love him, Sango," she whispered. "I can't even say 'it just felt so natural' because us being together seemed to happen even with both of us trying to deny it."
"Like fate?" Sango teased.
Kagome chuckled. "Something like that."
"And this prophecy?"
"I don't know how much I really believe. But obviously, there are those out there who believe it enough to be dangerous. Inuyasha wants us to lay low and not broadcast our relationship too much, just to be safe." Kagome shrugged. "I don't love it, but if he thinks that's best, I'll respect his decision for now."
The taller of the two women gave her friend a musing look for several moments, trying to decide what she wanted to say. "I think you suit one another, actually. You balance each other out. You needed a little livening up!" Her mischievous grin left no question as to what part of Kagome's life she'd felt needed more excitement.
"Sango!" Kagome giggled, playfully tossing a pillow at her friend. The two laughed and teased one another, Kagome bringing up the flirting happening at lunch the other day. She was glad to see turnabout was indeed fair play as Sango flushed and stammered about how Miroku had made her laugh. "He's still learning, but he's very suave."
Sango rolled her eyes. "He has all the subtlety of a freight train!" Kagome couldn't help cackling.
"Poor Miroku. But you're right." Kagome lowered her head and gave Sango a sly look. "I'm sure he could figure out this whole romance thing with a little coaching. Some practice?" She barely held in her laughter as she could almost see her friend trying to think through that scenario. When it came to a natural conclusion, Kagome would see that too in the way Sango's ears turned red. "Why Sango, are you thinking of something dirty?"
The spluttering and denials that followed were more than enough evidence in support of the accusation and the pillow fight that followed wore both of them out. "Ne, Kagome?" The miko hummed that she was listening as they both lay on the floor, catching their breath. "What did your mom say? About you being mated and everything?"
Dark brown eyes flew open and she sat up so fast, her head spun for a moment. "Oh kami…"
"Kagome, you haven't told your mom yet?!" Sango nearly shrieked.
"Told your mom what?" came a deep voice from the front of the apartment as Inuyasha walked through the front door. Kagome just sighed and dropped her head into her hands and sighed. I can't believe I forgot to at least call Mama.
"Hooo, boy. I'm gonna go. You guys have a lot to talk about." Sango slunk out of the apartment and tossed Kagome one last sympathetic look before shutting the door behind her. Kagome could tell by the angle of Inuyasha's ears that he was feeling anxious.
"What's wrong?" he asked, a concerned lilt to his voice.
Kagome turned to face him and gave him an overly bright smile. "Soooo... you ready to meet my family?"
Title comes from:
"O sleep, O gentle sleep, Nature's soft nurse, how have I frighted thee, That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down And steep my sense in forgetfulness?" -William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part I
