Author's note: Thank you for your patience. I'm so sorry it took so damn long. And to those of you who reached out to check on me, I'm fine, just riding out the shitshow rodeo that 2020 has been. Hope y'all are doing as best as possible all things considered and staying safe and healthy.
Quotes:
"Love is as much trust as it is devotion."
–Mercedes Lackey, Winds of Fury
"I know that if I get to know my pain
I unlock a hundred different doors to better days
This is not my punishment
This is my catalyst, for growth
I know I will survive this
I'll be the strongest person I know"
–Tonight Alive, "World Away"
New Orleans, Louisiana
Shippō hadn't even fully closed the front door before he heard the slap of bare feet on hardwood striding toward him purposefully.
"Shippō Renard!"
His wife, Grace, rounded the corner and stood in the hallway, a hand fisted on her hip. Her peridot-green eyes were narrowed behind her glasses, auburn hair piled messily into a bun atop her head. Normally, the T-shirt she wore—one with a cartoon fox sandwiched in between the words "No" and "Given"—and the fact it was beginning to stretch over her growing baby bump would have made him laugh, but the tone of her voice and the expression on her face gave him pause.
Oh hell. Did I leave the toilet seat up? Forget to take out the trash? He was in the proverbial doghouse, err…foxhouse, that was for sure. The question was why.
"Hey, cher. What's wrong?"
"Don't you give me that 'Hey, cher' crap!" She whisked a stack of papers from behind her back and smacked him in the chest with them. "What have I told you about meddling in my research?"
Shippō took the papers from her, flipping through them as he fought to keep a grin off his face. It wasn't that he'd meddled per se—it was that his wife adored doing research, and someone doing it in her stead was, as she'd put it, "doing all the good parts."
The documents in question were a mixture of things tenuously related at best. There were some articles from Japanese news sites mentioning missing persons or animal attacks in the city. Then there were two from less-than-reputable tabloids: "Disappearances: Government Conspiracy?" and "Alien Abductions in Your Tokyo? It's More Likely Than You Think!" The last three pages were printouts from two different forums; one was a paranormal investigation site and the other was from a vampire site, specifically several threads where people were searching for donors or those who desired to be donors for a "sanguinarian"—blood-drinking—vampire.
Shippō had been doing the research at the request of Sesshōmaru, who'd wanted to know a bit more about the situation in Tokyo before entering into negotiations with the Nuragumi leader. Unfortunately, it would appear his folklorist wife had also taken an interest in the topic.
Grace tapped one foot as her three tails swished impatiently.
"Aw, Gracie, this was for Sesshōmaru, you know that! 'Sides, I thought you were still working on that fairy-tale project," he said. Then, he reached a hand out to caress her stomach. "How's our lil man doing?"
"It won't work, so don't even attempt to change the subject," Grace said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Also…'2foxxxy4u'? Really, Shippō? Really?" Her lips twitched, revealing then that she wasn't nearly as upset as she wanted him to believe.
"What's the matter, cher?" He wrapped her up in a crushing hug, prompting indignant squeaks and tail slaps. "You don't think I'm foxy?"
She wriggled free and poked his chest. "I think you're a goober, one with a ridiculous username, and that if you keep stealing the fun parts, your son's gonna to be born without a father. Also, quit calling it a fairy-tale project—investigating fairy folklore, the differences in fae ki versus youki and reiki, and the history of yosei in Japan is not the same thing as researching the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen. Not that there's anything—"
Hooboy, he'd heard this lecture before. "I know, I know," he interrupted. "Sorry 'bout that. But listen…" Shippō gestured with the papers he held. "You sure you still want to do this visiting professorship thing? There's something going on in Tokyo right now, plus there's that miko involved with the Nura clan, and I dunno, Gracie… With you being pregnant, an' all…"
She rolled her eyes. "Pregnancy does not equate helpless, Mister Renard." Sparks of foxfire shimmered around her. "And it's not exactly my first rodeo either. I've told you this repeatedly—I'll be fine."
Shippō started to say it had been nearly a century since their second daughter was born, but wisely kept his mouth shut. He'd learned his lesson with daughter number one: No arguments will be won with the pregnant wife.
"And you and Rin will be there before I join you, so if anything's actually amiss, you'll have plenty of time to warn me. Pretty sure you're being overly protective—from what Rin claims, the miko shouldn't even be an issue."
Shippō frowned. "Rin is also eternally optimistic. I'm reserving judgment till I meet her. Just 'cause she's descended from Inuyasha and Kikyō and appears to like yokai doesn't mean she's not a potential threat. On the other hand…"
Hazy remembrances of a time in the distant past. Memories that were impossibly vague, perhaps artificially so if Sesshōmaru's theory about their memories being erased was correct. A mysterious miko who had been a friend, like an older sister to him—at least from the things that he could recall—and who had vanished after the destruction of the jewel. He hadn't thought of their journey to collect the shikon no tama shards in easily over a hundred years, not until Rin had brought it up recently.
Cool hands framed his face, and Shippō opened eyes he hadn't realized he'd closed. Grace stood on her tiptoes, moving her hands to wrap her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "I know it's weird, sweetheart. Wish I could use my scholarly resources to find out what happened back then for you. Or to restore the memories you lost. But whether she's a miko or not, this girl has nothing to do with any of that, right?"
He nodded slowly. Then, Grace's stomach let out an abrupt and rather loud growl, and as she turned beet red, Shippō laughed, shaking his head. "Forget to eat lunch again? Tch, what am I gonna do with you, woman? Starvin' my son…"
A well-aimed fist to his gut did nothing to quell his laughter, and he scooped up his petite wife, heading for the kitchen, grinning as her tails lashed and she hissed and threatened to murder him in his sleep.
"Be glad you can cook, you big hairy research thief!"
Disappearances: Government Conspiracy?
By: STAFF
Shocking new evidence expose a government cover-up—police and city officials alike ignoring the threat running rampant in Tokyo:
Zombies.
A secret underground army of the undead plagues our fair city, yet due to the mainstream news sources either neglecting to cover the story or laughing it off as the latest fad caused by popular TV shows and fictitious works, this serious problem is going unchecked.
Covert investigations uncover innumerous missing persons cases swept under the rug and gruesome murders chalked up to so-called animal attacks when evidence suggests otherwise. One social worker, who wished to remain anonymous, states that every attempt to report the disappearances of homeless or transient people they work with, disappearances occurring at an alarming rate, is turned away as an overreaction. "I'm told they must have moved on without my knowledge, that they're called 'transient' for a reason, or that they may have overdosed on drugs, or didn't pay their debts and well, you know…" the social worker told our investigator. "No matter who I spoke with, my legitimate concerns were always brushed aside!"
But is this highly disturbing information made public? Of course not!
Speculation for why the government might hide such a dangerous menace lurking around reveals something nearly as sinister as the zombies themselves: high-ranking officials must be conducting experiments with the zombies, experiments that surely do not bode well for the public. Others theorize that the yakuza may also be in on it, using the situation to abduct people for their own devices, including black market organ sales and human trafficking. Whatever the case, people must be made aware, and something must be done to stop the growing zombie horde.
Updates to come as this story develops…
Kagome woke to the sound of the shōgi door opening and voices, one of which she immediately identified as Natsumi. Right, I'm in Rikuo's room at the Nuragumi clan house.
Everything that had happened earlier was a blur— disjointed fragments involving in the cat sanctuary alley, Rikuo showing up in the nick of time, and then nothingness; coming to in a strange room, her head feeling like someone was using a jackhammer in it, and then discovering she'd hurt Rikuo with her reiki; healing him…and then puking on him; explaining what she remembered happening while Zen examined her and then him giving her some foul-smelling yet mild-tasting concoction to drink that had settled her stomach, soothed her aching head, and evidently lulled her to sleep. Kagome vaguely recalled Rikuo talking on the phone to someone, Ryūji perhaps? She wasn't sure.
Kagome sensed Tsurara's presence, her youki, in the room before she heard recognized her voice, and terrified of potentially hurting any of the Nuragumi should she lose control again, Kagome put a stranglehold on her reiki, refusing to let even a sliver of her energy sneak out.
I can't believe I hurt Rikuo. I can't believe I didn't even know I was hurting him. Pathetic…
Then, something Natsumi said caught her attention.
"I'm telling you, Tsurara-chan. Kagome isn't going to hurt him."
Images of a ghastly burn seared into his forearm, then healing it—mostly—filled her mind, and her stomach twisted.
Natsumi was wrong. She had hurt him.
Kagome swallowed hard, forcing back tears. From the sounds of it, the two women were behind her, and she was thankful they seemed to think she was still asleep. She wasn't sure she could face Tsurara at present, not with so much fresh guilt.
"I don't mean physically, Natsumi-chan," came the yuki onna's slow reply. "Rikuo-sama clearly cares about her a great deal. It's my duty to protect him, but…" A huffed exhale, the room chilling slightly. "How do I protect his heart?"
Kagome could appreciate the concern, and her own heart sank at the thought of how Rikuo's clan would react when they learned Kagome was not only a miko, but the shikon miko, and how that would affect him. A small part of her would almost rather they didn't find out. But she had decided no more secrets, and she was determined to stick to that, no matter the outcome. Hopefully, the Nuragumi would give her a chance.
"Rikuo's heart?" Natsumi snorted. "Please. I know you don't know Kagome-chan, but it's obvious she's in love with Rikuo-kun, so trust me. You've got nothing to worry about."
"What?!"
What?!
Natsumi wasn't wrong, but Kagome hadn't realized she'd been so transparent. Or was this just one of those occasions where Natsumi was uncannily attuned to her emotions?
Before Natsumi could respond to Tsurara's outburst—and Kagome's mental echo—the bedroom door slid open.
"Shitsurei shimasu," said a cheerful voice that Kagome didn't recognize. "I brought you girls some tea! Is she still asleep?"
"Hai, Wakana-sama. Zen-san said she needed rest."
Kagome heard the soft swish of clothing and the sound of someone kneeling next to her. Wakana… Rikuo's mom? Then cool fingers brushed strands of her hair away from her face.
Kagome opened her eyes slowly, seeing the friendly, smiling face of who she presumed to be Nura Wakana before her.
"Um… Nura-san…"
Rikuo's mom giggled. "Wakana is fine, really."
"Wakana-san…um…" What do I say?
Thankfully, Wakana seemed to sense her uncertainty, and although her smile never faltered, her soft brown eyes—eyes painfully reminiscent of her son's when in human form—filled with concern. "How are you feeling, dear? Can you sit up?"
Kagome allowed herself to be helped into a seated position, and she took a quick inventory before answering. Her headache was completely gone, and she no longer felt like she was going to throw her toenails up. "Actually…I feel a lot better than I did before, thanks."
"Kagome-chan!" Natsumi said, relief evident in her voice. "I'm so happy you're okay!"
Physically, sure. Mentally and emotionally? Kagome swallowed reflexively, uncomfortable, and forced the corners of her mouth upward into a semblance of a smile. "Mmhmm."
"How's your stomach? Are you hungry? Thirsty?" Natsumi asked. Normally the rapid-fire questions would've made her laugh, but at present, it was overwhelming.
"I, um…"
"Would you like to freshen up first?" Wakana asked. "Perhaps take a hot bath?"
Kagome nodded. She appreciated the offer, and it was a convenient excuse to have a few moments of privacy to collect herself, as much as was possible given the circumstances at least.
"Good idea, Wakana-san! I'll fix you something to eat for when you're done in the bath, okay, Kagome-chan?"
Without waiting for her reply, Natsumi had hopped up and left. With Wakana's help, Kagome stood, and they walked out of Rikuo's room and along the engawa. Tsurara followed, despite Wakana's assurances that she could handle it alone, the yuki onna citing her need to fulfill Rikuo's orders to protect Kagome. And from the determined set of Tsurara's jaw, arguing was clearly pointless.
The sun had set hours ago, before she'd even left the cat sanctuary, and now, the moon was obscured behind gauzy clouds from the earlier storm. Muted light from inside and flickering lanterns outside illuminated the pathway and the house's spacious courtyard. Along their way, Kagome thought she caught sight of a few yokai peeking here and there, but she didn't dare use her reiki to sense them. Instead, she continued to keep her powers locked down tight, rendering herself all but blind to any energies—youki or otherwise—around her.
Wakana stopped suddenly when they were near a pond by a sakura tree. There, Kagome spied what appeared to be a kappa lounging, hands behind his head, and…was he wearing headphones?
Yes. Yes, he is.
"Tsurara-chan," Wakana said, "should we update Rikuo?"
Tsurara rested her hand on her lips, thinking. "Probably. Rikuo-sama might worry if he returned and no one was there. Kappa!" she called. "Can you do me a favor?"
Despite the headphones, Kappa seemed to hear her, eyes popping open as he straightened. He cocked his head to one side. "Yes, yuki onna?"
"Could you please let Rikuo-sama know that Kagome-sama is awake, and that Wakana-sama and I are taking her to have a hot bath?"
"And Natsumi-chan is going to get her something to eat. Oh, and since Tsurara-chan is with us, he needn't worry or rush, okay?" Wakana chimed in.
His gaze strayed to Kagome, lingering briefly before he bobbed his eggshell-covered head in a nod. Seeming satisfied, Tsurara gestured to Kagome and Wakana to keep going.
"Anō…" Kagome began. "I… Well, I realize it is dark, but…I couldn't help but notice there's not as many yokai around as I expected?"
It was Tsurara who answered. "Oh, there's more around than you can see—but surely you can sense them? Anyway, those ones are just trying to be sneaky in order to spy on you. Others are out doing jobs for the clan, but most are in the meeting with Rikuo-sama."
"The entire clan is quite curious, you know. None of them will bother you. They're inquisitive but harmless," Wakana added.
When they reached a door that led into an interior hallway, Wakana said, "This area was added for Rihan's mother to give her some privacy—something I thought you might need."
Right, of course. Kagome nodded in understanding. Rikuo's grandmother had been human, and presumably the first human member of this clan. Kagome wondered how she'd adjusted. For that matter, how had Wakana herself adjusted?
Instead of entering the hallway, however, Wakana turned to the two women with her. "Tsurara-chan, would you mind giving me a moment with Kagome-chan? I'd like to have a word with her privately."
Oh holy hell, that sounds ominous. A lead weight dropped into the pit of Kagome's stomach. What the hell was this about?
"Of course, Wakana-sama! I'll wait out here, and then when you're finished with your bath, Kagome-sama, I can escort you back, okay?"
Kagome tried to muster a smile in return to the one Tsurara offered her, but it was weak at best as she mentally twisted herself in knots worrying over whatever Rikuo's mom wanted to discuss with her.
It's because I hurt him. She knows, somehow. She's going to tell me I can't keep dating him, or that I'm not good for him, or—
"Kagome-chan?" Wakana placed her hand on Kagome's arm, tugging her gently toward the door. Once inside the hallway, she closed the door, leading Kagome a little farther down the hall. Then, she faced Kagome. "Now, then. What's wrong? I can tell something is bothering you. Would you like to talk about it?"
Kagome felt guilt wash over her. Here was this woman being so generous and kind to her after she'd hurt her son. Not that Wakana knew that or anything, but…
For some inexplicable reason, Wakana's question crushed the fragile boxes she'd stuffed all her painful thoughts and emotions about the whole ordeal into. And once Kagome's careful compartmentalization fell apart, so too did she.
It all came out in an incoherent stream of word vomit—a fact that later Rikuo would find incredibly amusing, that she'd literally puked on him and then proceeded to verbally barf on his mom. But at present, Kagome was too distressed and speaking too rapidly for the connection to even occur to her. Everything spilled out, from how ashamed she was of hurting him, to how scared she was of hurting anyone in his clan, to how nice everyone was being to her and that she wasn't deserving of such kindness, to topics not even remotely related to the situation at hand, such as how she couldn't decide whether to stay in her apartment or move back to the shrine when her lease was up in a few weeks.
While she rambled, tears flowing freely with intermittent hiccupping, Wakana just listened quietly, nodding and making soothing noises here and there. Then, finally, as Kagome's babbling wound down, Rikuo's mom wrapped her up in a hug without warning, and Kagome tensed. Then, Wakana pulled back, wiped away some of Kagome's tears, and placed her hands on Kagome's shoulders, looking at her intently.
"Sweetheart, as a yokai yakuza clan leader's wife and mother, you learn that some things are beyond your control. And sometimes bad things happen. But I know you didn't mean to hurt him…and it wasn't your fault. So please don't fret over it, hmm?"
An undignified "Tch!" rasped out of Kagome, though not on purpose. "Do intentions really matter when harm is done? The road to hell and all that, you know? I mean, what if I do it again? What if I lose control even worse this time? For gods' sakes, I'm the shikon miko, I could kill him, hell maybe even the whole clan, if I'm not careful! What if… And what is the clan going to say when they find out? About, about…everything! There's no way they'll want Rikuo to be involved with me, the shikon—"
As her brain caught up to the words that had spewed forth of their own volition, she went rigid, snapping her mouth shut. A slow-moving sense of dread oozed through her, the panic that followed in its wake causing her stomach to clench. Holy hell, what had she done—no, what had she said?
But Wakana appeared oblivious to the change that had come over Kagome, waving a hand and breezily responding, "Shh, shh, it's fine… Everything's gonna be okay, I assure you. First of all, if you lost control because of being drugged, then aren't the odds pretty slim it'll happen again? Second…can't say I understand the significance of you being this 'shikon miko,' but I can tell you that the Nuragumi's way more accepting than you might believe. My husband and father-in-law were considered to be very unorthodox as yokai, and my son is no different. Because of that, the clan itself is a bit unconventional. But you're worried they'll think you're…what, a threat? An enemy?"
Kagome nodded.
Wakana shrugged, a smile forming on her lips. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I've got a funny feeling some of them might see you more as…" She cocked her head to one side, humming. "A conquest? A prize?"
Kagome startled. "A what?"
Her yelp elicited some giggles from Rikuo's mom. "Strength is important to yokai, you know! Here, let's see what Tsurara thinks—without revealing your secret," Wakana added as Kagome began to panic once more.
Wait…I didn't tell her it was a secret…how the hell did she know?
Wakana walked down the hallway and opened the door. "Tsurara-chan? Could you come give us your thoughts on something please?"
Kagome's panic hadn't subsided at all. For all she knew, Tsurara didn't approve of her relationship with Rikuo and was only protecting her because she'd been ordered to do so. What if she secretly had feelings for him and hated Kagome? What if—
Stop it, Kagome. You're being ridiculous. Everything Rikuo has ever said has indicated they're like brother and sister. Quit borrowing trouble.
Her heart was still racing anxiously when Tsurara reached them, though. And Wakana's subsequent words did little to allay her nervousness.
"Tsurara-chan, you know how Kagome-chan is a miko?" Tsurara's brows furrowed, but she nodded. Wakana continued, "And miko are kind of like onmyoji in that they're typically enemies of yokai, right?"
Yellow-gold eyes darted over to Kagome and then back to Wakana as if trying to gauge how to respond. "Yes?" she replied hesitantly.
"Well, Kagome-chan is concerned about how the clan will feel about her and Rikuo's relationship. I told her not to worry, but maybe you can give us your perspective?"
"I-If, if you want to, that is!" Kagome said, her voice coming out higher-pitched than normal. She cleared her throat and then looked down, studying her feet. "I just… I don't want to cause him problems. I know most yokai don't trust me, given my abilities, and—"
"I trust you," Tsurara interrupted, and Kagome's head jerked up instantly. Tsurara looked oddly fierce as she continued. "Rikuo-sama trusts you and has assured me that you're not a threat to the clan. Therefore, if Rikuo-sama trusts you, then I can trust you."
Wakana smiled. "And while not everyone in the clan will share her level of confidence, many will. Also, Tsurara-chan, what about Rikuo being in a relationship with a miko, a very powerful miko?"
Tsurara thought for a moment. "Well… Being powerful is a good thing, worthy of respect, even if technically a strong miko would be a threat. But you're certainly not the first dangerous friend Rikuo-sama has had. I mean, look at the Keikain. Ryūji-san is formidable, yet we cooperate with him, and Yura-chan is even more powerful than him."
"Exactly!" Wakana said cheerfully. "Something else I was thinking about, Tsurara-chan, related to that idea. So imagine that along comes this strong enemy, and not only does the yokai"—she gave a cough that sounded suspiciously like her son's name—"subdue said enemy, but he also seduces her."
"Ehhhhh? W-Wakana-san, no, that's… He didn't… I wasn't… T-That's not…" Kagome started waving her hands in front of her increasingly warm face, and Wakana held up a hand, grinning.
"I know, I know, that's not really what happened. But speaking hypothetically?" she said, looking at Tsurara.
Tsurara pursed her lips. "Wakana-sama makes a good point. So…" She paused, thinking. "So, if Sandaime has now 'conquered' the powerful enemy and made her his woman… Then…that's something to be proud of. Um…" Pink suffused her cheeks, and she covered her mouth with the sleeve of her kimono, mumbling, "Um…like…bragging rights?"
It was a surreal sensation, simultaneously wanting the floor to swallow her up while also feeling immense relief. Kagome knew her own face had to be neon red by this point, as hot as it felt, and all she could do was squeak, "Oh."
Wakana placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder and squeezed gently. "See? Nothing to worry about. Just…when you're ready to talk about things with the clan, I think you'll find them more open-minded than you expect. Okay, so, I'll show you where everything is and then let you get washed up. And thank you, Tsurara-chan."
Her head spinning, Kagome said thank you to the yuki onna, who inclined her head with a small smile, and then followed obediently behind Rikuo's mom. Wakana showed Kagome the toilet, dressing room and sink, and the bath.
"Just leave your clothes out here, and I'll bring you some clean ones. Make yourself at home, and take as long as you need."
Kagome nodded. "I really appreciate this, thank you."
I'm…not sure what just happened. The woman was oddly intense yet comforting, and somehow, Wakana's maternal aura had gotten her to spill her guts…and she felt a million times better for it.
When she conveyed that, Wakana gave her a broad smile that lit up her warm brown eyes. "I'm just happy I could help. Besides…" Kagome could have sworn a hint of almost yokai-style mischief crossed her features. "You and Rikuo would make me some lovely grandchildren!"
Kagome blinked, the shock of Wakana's statement rendering her speechless. But before Kagome could gather her scattered wits to reply, Wakana tilted her head toward the bathroom, saying "Go on," and then vanished out the door to the hallway.
I seriously have no idea how, but with some kind of motherly magic, she knew I needed to talk…and she got me to talk. In that way, she reminds me of Mama… Not even going to think about the grandchildren comment, however.
An errant thought crossed her mind: how would her family react to her new hanyō boyfriend? Another was hot on its heels before she pushed it away: did she even deserve to call Rikuo her boyfriend after what she'd done to him?
Nope, she wasn't going to go there. She was exhausted, mentally and physically, and her emotions were just as trashed as the rest of her. Though, she thought, I definitely feel better than I did, thanks to Rikuo's mom.
Kagome entered the dressing area and stripped out of the borrowed yukata, folding it and setting it aside. She showered quickly and then soaked in the tub, though for far less time than she normally would have. Kagome was grateful for both the opportunity to clean up and the privacy, but she wasn't going to linger. It felt rude to do so, no matter what Rikuo's mom had said about making herself at home.
As promised, when she finished, there were clean clothes awaiting her as well as a comb, a brand-new toothbrush, and other assorted toiletries. Typical mom move. Hers would have done the same.
She towel-dried and combed her hair, putting it into a ponytail, and then styled her bangs as best as possible. Then, grimacing, she gingerly removed the damp bandages on her neck and, though she would have preferred not to, faced herself in the mirror.
She was unusually pale, with prominent dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes, and her lip was slightly puffy where it had split. She prodded it with a finger. It was sore, but it likely wouldn't take too long to heal. Her neck though…
Distinctive, deep red bite marks where he'd punctured her skin, and scrapes where his teeth had torn flesh as she had struggled, the surrounding tissue swollen and inflamed. A nasty, ugly-looking thing that, she realized with disgust, would very likely scar. And it would take some time to heal, even with her slightly accelerated healing. She'd discovered years ago after returning from the past that her injuries seemed to heal in about half the time of a normal human.
Normal human. Hah. She hadn't been one of those in a long time…
Kagome reached up to smack her cheeks lightly. "All right, that's quite enough of that self-pity," she said aloud. "So you'll have a scar. So what? You're not exactly human…so what? And today…last night…whatever…has royally sucked and this wasn't the way you wanted to meet Rikuo's clan? So. Fucking. What." She glared at the mirror, as if daring her own reflection to argue. "You had a nice long cry in the bathtub, so quit wallowing. Put on your big girl panties and deal with it."
For all she knew, the worry over an ugly scar was a moot point—maybe Zen's concoctions would help it heal more quickly and prevent scarring. Whatever he'd put on her injuries earlier, which had numbed all of them amazingly well, it was now beginning to wear off, and her neck in particular was starting to throb. She knew Zen would probably reclean and rebandage it now, so Kagome dressed quickly, looking forward to having the discomfort alleviated soon.
She gave one last glance in the mirror to fuss with her damp bangs and to remind herself that yes, tonight had been fucked up, but after all she'd lived through, fucked-up shit should be her wheelhouse, and if anything the sense of familiarity should be comforting.
The thought made her snort, a wry grin twisting her lips as she stepped into the hallway. Then, a sound made her startle, and Kagome spun on her heel, heart pounding.
Notes:
Thanks for reading! I hope y'all enjoyed it! It is a little shorter than originally planned, and a LOT later than planned, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ it's 2020. I'm just happy to even be updating.
I know where I need to get to for the next couple parts, it's just getting there that's taking a bit of time. Sigh. Patience is a virtue? Or something like that? Idk, never been very good at being patient.
Oh, and a tiny bit of shameless self-promotion: If you like AUs and Kagome in non-canon pairings, such as paired with Kōga, pop on over to my one-shot The Faery Bride. It's a Halloween-ish piece of silly fluff. Yeah, I know, not exactly seasonally appropriate. If you want something more Christmas-related, there's a KogKag one-shot called A Merry Masquerade.
Happy Holidays if you celebrate; happy whatever day it is that you're reading this if you don't.