Inuyasha is tense and grouchy, his coat rumpled and suitcase dragging sleeves from his super speedy repack. His toe taps quickly on the pavement and acid churns in his stomach at Kagome's sad but resolute expression.
"No inuyasha, I'm not coming with you. I'm happy here. Just go ahead and go before Sesshomaru calls you back and bites your ears off through the phone. I'll let you know the minute I come back for a visit, or you can even come back again when Shippo visits next month. But I'm staying here and that's final."
He sighs, displeased but resigned.
"You're sure this guy's what you want? Creepy dead ex walking around ain't souring things for you again?"
She smiles wryly at him and crosses her arms.
"No. He chose me. That's... new, and awesome and... yes I'm sure."
Guilt swallows him. This girl was so special to him, and yet he continued to do wrong by her.
"Hell Kagome. I'm... so sorry. You're my best friend dammit, I don't mean to..."
She throws her arms around him, smiling brightly and brimming with happiness.
"Your my best friend too, you big idiot. I forgive you, you know that. And its more than him. I told you before that I never wanted to be a big Tokyo business woman. This place here is exactly what I was looking for. I'll be happy here, not just successful. I will never be able to thank you and Sesshomaru for everything you've done for me, but it's just time for me to move on."
"Well if you need anything don't hesitate to call either of us, got it wench?"
"Got it!" She hugs him again, and then he has no choice but to turn and leave, his phone already buzzing angrily with his brother's thousandth call.
He answers it with a harsh bark.
"I'm coming you bastard, stop blowing up my phone!"
He glances back to give Kagome one last wave, and then releases her to her happiness.
————-
Olive's birthday party is a sweet, friendly little affair, and Kagome is touched to be included. She shows up with a box of pink, handmade mochis, the kind with the strawberry inside, that seem to be Olive in dessert form. Ned is already there waiting for her as she'd sent him on first so she could finish her treats. She hops up to him and Emerson who rolls his eyes at their snappiness, but happiness suffuses every inch of her and she just doesn't care.
"Hello! I missed you."
He leans his tall frame over and gives her a sweet kiss, blushing and awkward and still getting used to their new reality.
"Did Inuyasha give you anymore trouble before he left?"
"No actually! He may come back to visit next month, but I think he's done trying to boss me around... for now."
Emerson cuts in before things can spiral any further and he's forced to watch these two idiots be any grosser. He was relieved they were both alive and he'd be spared the awful "can't touch no matter what" tension that came with Chuck hanging around, but that didn't mean he wanted to get stuck in the middle of a PDA circus either.
"Alright witchy, here's the deal. We're gonna let you join our little detective team if you use your magic powers to help us out. We'll even split you a cut of the profits. Deal?"
Beaming, Kagome squeals and latches on to Ned's arm, bouncing like a hyper puppy.
"Well I'm not actually a witch but yes! That's so exciting! When do we start?"
Emerson holds up a newspaper clipping dated to that very morning, the gleam of adventure and mystery and money making his eyes shine.
"We start... now."
A.N.; thank you all so much for following along on this little piece of fluffy self indulgence! This has been pure fun and I'm so happy some others have enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it.