"You're still holding back!" Inuyasha grumbled, but he couldn't keep the grin off his face. He never could. Not when his soulmate was wearing so few items of clothing and was growling at him like this.
"You try to punch someone after an 8 hour shift, Inuyasha!" Kagome exhaled, throwing much more of her weight from her gloves into the pads he was wearing. "Just let me take the gloves off and have a go at you barefisted."
"Patience, kitten," Inuyasha purred, absorbing the jab into the pad.
Two weeks ago, Inuyasha woke up whole. He was himself—human and demon—for the first time in decades. But no, it was more. His soul was whole. Because of the wonderful, feisty woman that was currently not punching him hard enough. That she was only wearing a sports bra and cute little soccer shorts was not helping his concentration.
"I'm gonna uppercut your face if you keep calling me that, asshole!" Kagome countered, but her radiant smile gave away just how big of a lie that was. She fucking loved when he called her 'kitten', and he fucking loved when she called him 'asshole'.
"Just picture… someone you need to punch. Channel the anger and stop worrying about hurting your opponent." Inuyasha bounced around her, trying to get her to match his energy.
"You. I am picturing you," Kagome snarled, sweat beading down her neck. Fuck, how he wanted to lick it off of her.
"Looks like you don't want to punch me as hard you used to," Inuyasha barked out a laugh, which only served to make Kagome's adorable eyebrows knit and her adorable nose scrunch.
Fuck, he was a goner.
"You know what tonight is, asshole… and… I need to have some words with that side of you," Kagome countered, thrusting her gloved hand with a force that threw him a little backward.
As a coach, this was exactly the type of hit he was looking for. As the man who was going to be on the receiving end of whatever rage made her punch that hard, not exactly what he was looking for. But, well… that side of him deserved to be punched.
"I can already feel that side of me stirrin'," Inuyasha answered, and he could.
He was… excited. But he was also scared. True, he had all his memories back now. The night his dumb ass got run over by a cab really had fused him back together. But still he wondered. What if for the rest of his life there would be a night he couldn't be himself? A night… someone else got to be with Kagome?
"You'll be fine," Kagome reassured, taking her gloves off. "I'll be there. So even if you dissociate, I'm sure I can keep you behaving."
"I don't even wanna think about what you'd do to tame him. Erm… me." Inuyasha scowled, but as soon as Kagome's arms roped around his bare torso, and she leaned her sweaty body into his, he couldn't bring himself to be mad.
"You know what Kikyo said." Kagome let her head fall on his shoulder. Fuck she smelled good. He was having trouble resisting the urge to bend her over right there. "It's very very likely that this change is permanent."
Kagome was right, because Kagome was always right. She'd insisted that he reply to Kikyo's more and more frantic text messages to him. And Kagome was there when he'd finally sat down to explain to Kikyo how it all happened. Kikyo had brought a tape recorder and took prolific notes, but at the end of the conversation, seemed satisfied that it was a brain thing, and promised him that she'd get in touch if she ever wanted to turn him into a scholarly paper (both he and Kagome growled at that suggestion).
Still, he was worried.
"Hey Dr. Jekyll," Sango's voice came through the door of the gym's private lessons room, "You two decent?"
"Yes!" they shouted in unison.
All it took was that one time when their lessons got… heated… for Sango to always check... and always needle them. Also… for them to have decided to… use the staff showers, which could lock.
"We're good tonight Yash if you want to get home." Sango peeped her head through the door. "You probably have enough time before sunset still?"
"Thanks Sango!" Kagome said, arms still roped around Inuyasha's body. "You ready?"
"Keh." Inuyasha wanted to try to tell her not to come with him. But… not only would he never win that argument, he also knew, no matter what, he wanted Kagome there.
Her presence reassured him that everything was going to be okay: through her scent, through her touch, through her voice. He also knew there was no way in hell that he'd be parted from her for long. If he transformed but was still him, he'd immediately seek out and find Kagome. If he transformed and was still dissociating, he'd immediately seek out and find Kagome.
Kagome gave him a little smirk, kissed his lips, then rushed off to the locker room to change. Inuyasha did the same, not bothering to shower. He was cutting it closer than usual this time, because he was… caught up in watching his beautiful soulmate get stronger, more precise, better. It was nice to know he could do something to help her protect herself, although she too would obviously always need his protection (and he would always protect her).
"Train or superman?" Kagome asked when she emerged from the locker room, now dressed in sweats and a tank top.
"Which do you think?" Inuyasha smirked, and Kagome squealed with delight.
He knew he shouldn't be doing it so much. He was going to get reprimanded. But flying from rooftop to rooftop with Kagome clinging to his back had become one of his favorite things to do. She'd gasped the first time he'd leaped, then he could hear her laugh with delight as they flew through the sky, and she clung to him with a strength that made him wonder if she had some demon blood herself, and he fucking loved it.
"Better get on then. Last thing we'd want is the asshole appearing while I'm on a skyscraper somewhere near 41st Street…" Inuyasha chuckled, and Kagome immediately obliged.
Six minutes, many rooftops, and a dozen or so confused onlookers later, Kagome was dismounting him gasping delightedly for air, still high from the ride. Inuyasha pulled out the keys to his apartment, and unlocked the door.
They only had about a half hour to wait before the biggest question would be answered.
"You… worried?" Kagome inquired, gently squeezing his bicep.
"Yeah," Inuyasha answered honestly. The days of lying to his soulmate were over for him. Forever.
"I'm here," Kagome said, feathering the lightest of kisses to his jawline.
"I know," Inuyasha replied, not being able to resist pressing a kiss to the top of Kagome's head.
As they walked into his apartment, Inuyasha looked around. Tonight he wouldn't try to bike lock himself to a treadmill. And tomorrow, if he smelt of his soulmate, it wouldn't upend his world (although if the asshole got to fuck her, Inuyasha was going to please her better than the asshole could ever hope to.)
"And now we wait…" Kagome mused.
Inuyasha only then saw the concern lines in her forehead, the way she held her arms like she was hugging herself, a slightly haunted look in her eyes, and he realized that she was worried too. For him. True, when Sango found out his secret, she'd started to text him to check in. But, this was different. Inuyasha was part of a team now, a team that would not give up on him if his… dissociation was still present.
Her worry was what cemented it for him. He didn't have to be afraid. Not anymore. Not after he heard her voice reassuring him on the night of the new moon. Not when she forgave him his stupidity so quickly (and let him make it up to her in the bedroom.) The asshole found her, but… he was the asshole and the asshole was him. So even if he dissociated and transformed, it was abundantly clear that the asshole would never do anything to upset his soulmate. And Kagome would be there to keep him in line, then would be there for him when he woke up.
"I love you." Inuyasha didn't know why the words rushed out of his mouth.
"What?" Kagome's eyes widened, as surprised at his admission as he was.
"Fuck. It's too soon to say shit like that, isn't it?" Inuyasha drooped his ears, both because, well, shit, it was too soon, but also because he knew that nothing brought Kagome's affection faster than when he did that.
But instead of frowning, or running away, Kagome smiled.
"You're full of surprises Inuyasha Taisho," she beamed, "And fucking hell. I… I love you too."
Inuyasha closed the distance between them, pulling her in for a deep and avid kiss. He could taste the salt of her sweat from their bout on her lips, and he let his nostrils be invaded by her scent of cherry blossoms and vanilla. He was also overjoyed to smell the accompaniment of ginger and absolutely zero scent of fear or apprehension.
As they kissed, Inuyasha began to feel the change that he feared for so long. His yōki thrummed under the surface, getting stronger and stronger and stronger, until it buzzed around him. This was the moment that he usually blacked out, only to wake up the following day having no idea what his full demon had done.
Today though…
Today, he felt his claws and fangs elongate. He felt the proud stripes of a full inuyōkai snake across his body. He felt his eyes turn sharper and more predatory. And he felt… Kagome's lips still on his. He felt wild, untamed but also completely and utterly content to continue claiming this woman's lips. His woman. The only woman he would ever need.
"Soulmate," Inuyasha growled, trying to keep from ripping Kagome's clothes from her body in his unfettered glee. He was still there. He was himself even as his instincts broke through the surface.
"Inu-yasha?" Kagome pulled away, which made him whine. But the look in her eyes was full of concern. His mate wanted to take care of him.
"Still… here," Inuyasha rumbled. "All of me…"
Kagome shrieked and threw herself into his arms. Fuck had her weight against him ever made him this hard? He wanted to bite her neck and hold her down while she keened and cried his name. But… even now… when his yōki was flaring at its brightest, still he had control.
"I wanna fuck you," Inuyasha purred, squeezing his mate's perfect ass. "You smell so fucking delicious that I am gonna be running my tongue all over your body, Ka-go-me."
"Dirty dog," Kagome giggled. "And only if you fuck me in the shower. We both stink, Inuyasha."
"Delicious," Inuyasha insisted. He didn't want her scent mixed with stupid soap and water. He wanted to taste her musk.
"Shower," Kagome snarled, then bit his neck.
He fucking loved it. His mate was so fiery he would do anything she said.
"How are you gonna make it up to me?" Inuyasha thrust his hips into Kagome's thighs, both to let her know how excited he was to be with her and to give her a few ideas.
"Hmm… How about… we go back to my place. And I show you the gift I got you," Kagome breathed.
"Don't need anything but you." Inuyasha squeezed Kagome's ass in congress with his thrusting.
"Ohh. I think this present may change your mind," Kagome purred. "Shower? Then my place? Then your present?"
"Better be an amazing fucking present." Inuyasha whined.
That his dick was still not inside of Kagome was bothersome.
"Remember the first time we met… you asked me if I had a sexy nurse outfit?" Kagome giggled, pressing a kiss into the underside of Inuyasha's chin. Fuck. She was killing him. "Well… I have one."
Kagome: his nurse. In a naughty nurse uniform.
He thought it would be a difficult decision to agree.
It was not a difficult decision.
"As long as I get to fuck you in the shower," Inuyasha relented.
"You have a deal!" Kagome laughed, and she pressed her mouth back to his.
Inuyasha carried his soulmate into his bathroom. Even obscured by the fragrances of shower gel and shampoo, Kagome still smelled delicious. And as long as his cock was between her legs and his tongue was tasting every part of her, he would be satisfied.
He loved her. He said the words and they felt good. And now, he wanted to love her with his body.
So he spent the next couple hours doing just that, migrating from the bathroom to the bedroom. He worshipped his perfect soulmate's body with his claws, with his fangs, with his tongue and with his cock. He teased his name from her tongue with his practiced licks. He made her arch her back and whimper incoherently by pressing into her with the perfect rhythm at the perfect angle. And when she'd had enough and let out a satisfied sigh, he pulled her close to him to remind her: he was hers and she was his.
"Hey Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. Her naked chest pressed into his as she sat up from on top of him, "Still interested in that naughty nurse uniform?"
"Fuck yes." Inuyasha tried not to spring out of bed too excitedly, but Kagome's laugh was enough to tell him he'd failed.
He was getting his second...third...eighth? wind, and nothing sounded more enticing than seeing Kagome dressed like the nurse out of his fantasies, especially when he realized he would probably get to use his elongated claws and fangs to rip that outfit off of her. So intense was his fantasy that he was not even concerned about all the time he'd lose out on fucking her more to get to her apartment in bumfuck.
"You coming?" Inuyasha grinned, passing Kagome the clothes he was now relieved he hadn't ripped.
"Not quite yet, asshole. Pretty sure that going outside requires clothes," Kagome replied, still naked, a twinkle in her eye as she wriggled into her underwear, followed by the rest of clothing. She looked a goddamn dream, clothed or unclothed.
When they left his apartment, Inuyasha held Kagome's hand and stared up at the full moon. He could remember the first time he caught her scent, the first time she gifted him with her fire, the first time he kissed her. And for some reason, he delighted in the idea of re-experiencing their fated train ride, and Kagome's apartment as a full demon, but also completely himself.
"I really do love you, kitten," Inuyasha said, feeling the words reverberating through every part of him.
"I know, asshole." Kagome answered, and squeezed his hand. "And god help me, I love you too. Even though half the time I want to punch you."
"The other half you want to kiss me," Inuyasha countered, still delighting in the euphoria of his yōki swirling around him and his soulmate's hand in his.
"Well… you stopped smoking for me, after all," Kagome laughed, and Inuyasha joined in.
She wasn't wrong. In fact, Inuyasha hadn't thought about cigarettes at all, even with his full demon back. Except… that a cigarette is what brought Kagome into his life. And now, her scent, her laugh, her touch, her wit, her, was everything he would ever need: full moon night, new moon night, and every night in between.
Before they descended the subway steps, Inuyasha pulled Kagome in for one more kiss. Sure, he could say the words 'I love you' until his face turned blue, but… kissing her to tell her that was so much better.
"Come on. I will punish you if we miss our train." Kagome poked him playfully.
"Ya promise?" Inuyasha rumbled, taking the opportunity to nip her ear in that way that made her shudder.
With a giggle, Kagome grabbed his hand and down the steps they both went.
The A train was surprisingly quiet that night. The usual bar-goers were more subdued than normal, choosing muted conversations with friends over the oft-raucous cacophony that accompanied all subway trains at that time of night. The conductor called out stop after stop, heading further and further away from Manhattan, and further and further into Queens.
But two people on that train, a raven-haired woman and a silver-haired demon, didn't notice anyone else around them. They whispered and giggled at jokes only they seemed to understand. They leaned into each other, holding hands and proudly displaying their matching soulmate marks. But the marks were not needed to tell people these two were in love. The way they touched each other, looked at each other, smiled the moment they caught sight of the other's eyes was enough for even the most unobservant subway rider. Wherever they were headed on that train, the last train of the night on the Far Rockaway line, they were going together.
The End