AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter was really fun to write, tbh. I really am enjoying the dynamic of Shiori and Inuyasha because they can be hanyou buddies ok!
Thank you again to everyone who has read, left kudos and comments, and subscribed to this fic. It's been such a wild ride so far with how much love it's been getting. I appreciate it more than I can say.
Thank you to lavendertwilight89, sapphirestarxx and horriblehowl for being my betas! You have no idea how many typos these ladies have to sift through.
If you want early teasers, you can follow me on tumblr omgitscharlie!
Kagome could do nothing but sit and observe, watching as the strange woman began to speak on the phone. As stealthily as she could, she let down her window just a crack and was able to hear the conversation much more clearly.
"Hi. I'm out front."
"Is she on the phone with Inuyasha?"
That knowing feeling in her gut clenched some, realizing just who that woman might be. She remained somewhat slumped in her seat, craning her neck over the steering wheel to try and see what was happening without trying to be too obvious. Something told her the woman had no idea she was even in the car and assumed it was just Inuyasha's parked in the lot.
"I mean out front of the shop. Can you unlock the door and let me in? It's cold."
Yup. She was definitely on the phone with him. A sudden tightness began in her chest, bringing the collar of the hoodie up over her mouth and below her nose. She could hear the slight irritation in the woman's voice, as if she'd expected him to just do as she asked.
"I want to talk. Please?"
"Talk? Talk about what?"
"I can see you. Just let me in."
"Please don't let her in..."
Kagome watched as the woman had peered through the window at an angle that supposedly could see into wherever her boyfriend was in the shop. It seemed Inuyasha was adamant about not letting the woman in, which kept Kagome's heart at ease.
"Why can't I just come inside?"
"Because he said no…"
Brows furrowed as she began to feel a sense of anger bubble in her belly. If this was who she thought it was, Kagome had half a mind to climb out of the car and give her a piece of her mind. Though, the other half (the more logical half) told her to keep to herself, that it wasn't any of her business, as much as she wanted it to be.
A few minutes past and the woman remained leaning against the door frame, looking down at her watch before folding her arms across her chest. Kagome looked at her phone, tempted to text him but figured that was the last thing he needed. Instead, she opened TikTok and started to watch videos quietly while she waited.
Hearing the front door open, she straightened some, though still keeping the hoodie up over her mouth as some form of comfort.
He looked pissed.
"Explain yourself? Is that it? A year and a half late, don't you think?"
That confirmed it. That was his ex. The one that had him hating himself. The one who wanted him human. Kagome could feel her jaw clenching, brows furrowed as she clenched her fists and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I don't know what the hell you're playin' at but I'm not buyin' into it. Go back to your fuck boy Suikotsu and leave me the fuck alone."
Her heart skipped a beat at that, eyes widening as she began to sink lower in her seat with her shoulders pressed to her ears. A sleeveーcovered hand was brought to her mouth at his next words, feeling tears brimming her eyes at the realization that this woman had done much more than he'd initially told her.
"So that's it? You're not even going to listen to what I have to say?!"
"Why should he?!"
"No, I'm not! You cheated on me, Kikyo. I left you. Why the fuck would I wanna listen to what you have to say?"
"Oh, Inuyasha…"
A hand began to sneak towards the door handle, prepared to open the door and step out to tell Kikyo (finally knowing her name) to get lost. Yet, right when she was about to, she heard Kikyo's next words and froze.
"I found a cure!"
Inuyasha had mentioned that previously, how she'd been looking for something to make himー
"You can be human…"
Kagome watched as Kikyo took his hand in hers as she spoke those words, Kagome's heart clenching as she waited for her boyfriend's reaction. To see another woman touch him like that, it seared into her chest as she let a few tears fall while sinking back into the driver's seat.
"You don't…"
A silent plea, trying to wordlessly convince him that he didn't need to change himself. Kagome loved him as he was and that was never going to change; she would never ask him to do something like that for her. Watching him wrench his hand from Kikyo's had her breathing a small sigh of relief, his words even moreso.
"I never wanted to be human ー that's what you wanted. Is this seriously why you came here? To tell me I could be human and somehow win me back?"
"I miss you."
There the hand went, covering her own mouth again as if to keep herself quiet.
"She misses him? After everything she did to him?"
For a half a second, Kagome felt a twinge of fear that he would respond with the same words, that maybe he would agree and he'd end up going back to her. But then she heard the exasperated anger in his voice and she knew t no hat he didn't feel the same. Another breath of relief left her then, eyes closing as she listened to him continue.
"You really think me that pathetic that I'd come crawlin' back to you just because you wanna change me into something I'm not?!"
As hard as she tried, she couldn't help but let a small smile form on her face, feeling pride in the fact that he was adamant about staying as he was.
"Puppy, pleaseー"
"Puppy?!"
The last thing she'd ever think to call Inuyasha was 'puppy'. For some reason she found it to be degrading. Sure, he was adorable but hardly did he give off the 'I'm lost and in need of a home' vibe. Kagome made a mental note to never call him that, not even in jest.
"Don't fuckin' puppy me."
Every word after that was low with Kagome unable to hear exactly what was being said. There was a strong desire to roll down the window even more but she knew that Inuyasha would hear it and, though she was sure he knew she was listening, she didn't want to make it too obvious. It didn't take long for the volume of their voices to go up once more, giving Kagome more context to the conversation.
"I thought it was what you wanted! To be accepted!"
"I am accepted."
Kagome could see his attention flicker towards her for a moment, catching his gaze over the top of the steering wheel. The expression on her face softened as he continued, feeling her heart swell as he spoke of how she'd accepted him. And she did. Every piece of him she'd accepted with open arms.
"She accepts me. I don't need you to feel acceptance."
"Inuyasha…"
Drawing in a shaky breath, she watched as Kikyo moved from him and towards her car, though seemed to veer off in a different direction. A direction that was headed straight for ー
"Oh no."
Kagome sunk into the seat a little further, watching as Kikyo came up near her driver's side window. The way she seemed to loom over her, looking Kagome over before peering over her shoulder towards Inuyasha to give him one final glance before continuing her path around her car. As she did, Kagome released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, pushing herself up in her seat while keeping her attention on the other woman.
The resemblance between herself and Kikyo startled her some; she understood why Inuyasha had reacted the way he did when they first met.
It wasn't until Kikyo's car was backing up and out of the parking lot that Kagome opened the driver's seat door and hopped out. Not even bothering to close the door behind her, she jogged towards Inuyasha, seeing that he was intently watching the red Honda Accord speed off down the road.
"Inuyasha?"
Her voice brought him back to the moment, seeing Kagome standing in front of him, small hands reaching up to cup his cheeks, "Are you okay?"
That was the moment he understood Kagome's thought process when she'd called him drunk after seeing Koga. All he wanted in that moment was her ー he wanted her to make him feel better and remind him of what he had now. His hands gripped her wrists as he leaned into her touch and shook his head slightly, "I'm sorry you had t'see that, Kagome," he apologized, running his hands down her arms and down her back before pulling her closer.
"Hey. No. Don't apologize," she cooed, pulling his head down to press a kiss to the side of his mouth. The feel of his arms wrapping around her waist was paired with his head digging into the crook of her neck, "I'm sorry she did that to you…" she whispered, feeling Inuyasha give her a squeeze before drawing in a deep, calming breath of her scent. It mixed together with his own that had been left over in the hoodie she was wearing, easing his mind and bringing him back down to his new reality ー the one he had with Kagome.
"You apologize a lot," he teased, pressing a kiss to her jawline as he kept himself close to her. Kagome smiled softly at that, murmuring a soft 'I know' into his shoulder.
Pulling from him, she lowered back onto her heels as her hands ran down his chest, "Let's get you home." Taking his hand in hers, she led him back towards the car, Inuyasha following after her with no fight and a feeling of warmth in his chest. It was the petite woman in front of him that had made it so he could see his worth and turn down something that he would have simply settled for before. Kagome was his home.
The car ride home was tense, but that was to be expected. Kagome couldn't help the gnawing feeling in her heart that had been created by finding out that, not only did Kikyo not love him for who he was, she'd cheated on him as well. Very real anger sat deep in her gut, though she tried to keep it at bay. That piece of information he hadn't kept from her, per se, and she'd found out through him, so she couldn't be completely upset that he kept it from her.
"I didn't tell you because it really didn't affect me much," he muttered, causing Kagome to tense. Sometimes she really thought he could read her mind, "What happened wasn't even surprising to me. Deep down, I expected it to happen at some point and I guess that prepared me for when it did," his tone was flat, emotionless and almost distant, "I don't have that fear with you, Kagome. I trust you more than I ever trusted her, so I didn't think it mattered," he added, keeping his attention facing forward as he rested his elbow on the sill of the window and his head in his hand.
A gentle touch graced his thigh, knowing Kagome was attempting to comfort him. His attention turned toward her then, seeing her glancing towards him when she could as they drove down the highway, "It's alright," she reassured, tone gentle and warm, though perhaps holding an edge. It wasn't aimed towards him, not in the slightest. Was she still angry that he'd kept things from her? Yeah. But this was different in some way. Something told her that, if she hadn't been there, he would have told her exactly what happened.
Taking her hand in his, he lifted it to his lips and pressed a kiss to her palm, "How much did you hear?"
"Enough to know she used to call you 'puppy'," Kagome replied, hearing Inuyasha give a scoff of amusement before shaking his head. Pulling her hand from his, she only did so to turn a corner before placing it back to where it had been before.
"Never fuckin' call me that," his tone was serious, though the feel of Kagome's lips on he back of his hand after drawing them near dismantled any sort of real rage he felt.
"Wouldn't dream of it. It's...degrading," she explained honestly, Inuyasha finding his heart melting even more for the woman beside him, "I dunno. Doesn't suit you."
"And what does suit me?" he asked, rather curious now.
Kagome took a moment to ponder, thumb brushing over his knuckles as she kept her eyes on the road ahead, "I guess I don't really call you anything aside from 'babe' or 'baby'. Unless you consider 'idiot' a term of endearment."
"'Buster's' my personal favourite," he joked, letting a genuine smile tug at the corner of his mouth.
"When have I ever called you 'buster'?" Kagome countered, turning her head towards him for a brief moment before finding her eyes back on the road.
"When we first met, remember?"
Thinking back, she did remember.
"Now look here, busterー" her voice held a growl within it, "I don't know what kind of stick is up your ass, but if you weren't Miroku's friend, I would ask to speak to your superior about just how much of an absolute jerk you are!"
The outburst only had the man smirking, "Can't go up higher than me. I own this shop. So go ahead, do your worst."
A soft giggle left her at that, "Oh yeah. I suppose I did," she released his hand to pull up her apartment's underground parking. Bringing down her mirror, she pressed the button to tell the gate to open.
It wasn't until they reached her parking space that she realized that perhaps bringing him back to her place wasn't the right move, "Oh, I guess I should have asked if you wanted to go back to your place."
"S'okay. I don't have work tomorrow."
"I can take you home. I have some overnight stuff there already," she paused then, turning her attention towards him completely, "Unless you wanna be alone."
They had been together every day for over a week and, though Kagome wasn't complaining, she knew how Inuyasha preferred his alone time. Yes, they were sometimes alone together, simply sitting in silence and doing whatever, but it wasn't the same as having a space to himself completely.
His brows furrowed at that; the last thing he wanted was to be away from her, not after what had just happened, "No. I don't wanna be alone," he then realized maybe she was hinting at something, "Do you?"
"No. I just know how much you like time to yourself soー"
Her words were cut off by his lips, having leaned over to the driver's side and cupped the back of her head to make sure he could indulge in her taste. Inuyasha couldn't help himself; she was so considerate, attentive and patient. The soft shriek of surprise that left her soon fell into a hum, cupping his neck with both hands as she sunk into the kiss.
It lasted for a few moments, the two of them lost in the taste of one another until Kagome felt the need to break it, "Do you want me to take us back to your place?" The words were spoken through heavy breaths as she watched him shake his head.
"Nah, I'm fine stayin' here," he murmured, trying to bring himself back to reality after indulging in her taste.
"Okay," a smile spread across her features, running a hand up to his cheek before gently patting it, "Let's get upstairs before you get any ideas." The light tease had Inuyasha scoffing, feeling her slip from his grasp as she opened the door and climbed out.
It'd been a long time since any of them had been to a lights festival, Inuyasha in particular; and he remembered why. The sounds and smells overwhelmed him as the four of them lined up to grab their tickets to go into the gardens. Not that Kagome could see, but his ears lay flattened against his head beneath his beanie, trying to drown out some of the noise. As comforting as it was to have his hand interlocked with Kagome's, he knew that there would be a much smaller cap on his tolerance than the other three.
She knew him too well, peering up at him with an expression of understanding as her other arm wrapped around the same bicep she was holding the hand of. There was no need for words, Inuyasha having leaned down to press a kiss to the crown of her head in response to her gentle comfort.
All four of them were dressed in winter gear, Kagome wrapped in a thick, emerald peacoat, white scarf and red beanie topped with a bobble while Inuyasha wore a maroon peacoat of his own, jeans and a pair of black Doc Martens. Kagome could have been a little more prepared, wearing a black, wool skirt beneath her coat, black stocking covering her legs and black thighーhigh, lowーheeled boots.
"What time did Jak and Shiori say they'd join us?" Sango asked, keeping close to Miroku as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and hers wrapped around his waist. Wearing a thicker, muted pink bomber jacket, a dark magenta scarf and green beanie, Sango complimented Miroku's outfit of a black, thin but still padded jacket with a dark grape scarf and black beanie. Always the practical one, Sango wore a pair of black skinny jeans and combat boots, with Miroku following suit.
Shrugging, Kagome rolled her eyes mockingly, "Jak said seven thirty, but that could mean nine o'clock for all we know." Jak was notorious for running on his own time, which meant that he was often fashionably late. It got to the point that Kagome typically told him the time was an hour earlier than it actually was. Why she neglected to do it this time, she didn't know.
"Yeah, but Shiori is usually pretty punctual," Sango pointed out, "Doesn't she usually keep him in line?"
Shaking her head, the other woman gave a negative response, "No. Jak over rules pretty much anyone's sense of time. It'll be a miracle if we see them byー"
"Kagome! Sango!"
All four of them peered over their shoulders, seeing the exact people Kagome had been talking about. Both Shiori and Jak were dressed rather stylishly. Jak himself looked as if he'd walked out of some sort of fashion magazine, with Shiori wearing something similar to Kagome. Kagome stood there stunned, her expression mirroring exactly what she felt with wide eyes as if she was a deer caught in the headlights.
"Huh...would you look at that…" Kagome murmured before snapping out of her daze and offering a bright smile, "Hey, you two!"
Kagome and Sango watched the two of them jog across the street before they slid past through the crowd before joining the rest of the squad. With warm greetings, Jak, Sango, Kagome and Shiori all shared hugs with Miroku giving a wave, "It's been a while."
"Too long, I say," Jak stated confidently before turning and seeing the silverーhaired man standing at Kagome's side, "And who is this tall glass of water? Are you the badーboy Kagome's told me about?"
"Jak!" Kagome scolded, shooting him a glare as said man let out a giggle of amusement.
"Kagome has told me all about you," Jak continued, holding out a hand for Inuyasha to take in greeting. Inuyasha remained his rather unreadable self when it came to meeting new people, though he was somewhat surprised by the forwardness of the man in front of him. He could see Kagome's cheeks flush with embarrassment as she lifted a hand to her face, "Jakotsu, nice to meet you."
Taking Jak's hand, Inuyasha gave it a shake as well as a small nod, "Inuyasha. Nice to meet you, too."
Before the other girl could be introduced, Inuyasha gave her a knowing look; it was rare for him to be in the presence of another halfーdemon, let alone one that was so open with their identity. Shiori gave him a warm smile, Kagome having debriefed her not to mention or draw attention to the fact that Inuyasha held similar blood to herself. An unspoken comradery was built in that moment, watching as Jak took the girl's shoulders and pushed her closer towards Inuyasha.
"This precious little gem is Shiori," Jak purred, turning his attention towards Kagome before teasingly scolding her, "It's alright babes, we'll introduce ourselves."
Kagome rolled her eyes before looking to Sango and Miroku, who had rather amused expressions on their faces. None so much more than Miroku, finding it entertaining to see Inuyasha around someone as flamboyant as Jak ー the complete opposite of the hanyou's stony exterior.
"Nice to meet you," Shiroi greeted, shaking the other hanyou's hand gracefully with Inuyasha returning the sentiment with a nod of acknowledgement.
"Same to you."
Just as the introductions finished, all of them found themselves at the ticket counter, Inuyasha paying for himself and Kagome (much to her disapproval). As they walked through the gate, Inuyasha's arm draped over his girlfriend's shoulders, he gave a playful grin, "Badーboy, huh?"
Feeling heat rising to her cheeks, Kagome shot him a sad excuse of a glare that Inuyaha only found adorable, "Don't kid yourself, everyone here knows you're a softy."
With them being the first to get through the gate, Inuyasha took the opportunity to reprimand the woman beside him by pulling her close against his side with a jolt and pressing his lips close to her ear. Kagome gave a soft gasp at the sudden motion, moving to rest her hand on his chest to ground herself as she felt his teeth nip at the shell of her ear, "You wanna play that game tonight, babe?" A shiver ran down her spine at that, teeth taking her lower lip between them as her fingers gripped his jacket, "'Cause I'm more than happy to show you how bad I can be when we get home."
The spike in her scent told him everything he needed, giving her temple a gentle kiss before loosening his hold on her.
"Kagome! We're gonna take a group selfie!" Jak called before jogging past her while grabbing her wrist, tugging her along with him. Inuyasha relinquished his hold on her, watching as the three girls and Jak walked to one of the many fantastical displays of lights before making a formation that could capture all of them in a photo.
With Miroku and Inuyasha off to the side, their hands in their pockets, Inuyasha couldn't help but make a comment about Jak, "He sure is uh...outgoing," he stated, hearing Miroku chuckle lowly in response.
"Perhaps, or maybe you're a little too stiff for your own good," Miroku chided playfully, seeing his friend give him a side glance with a scowl on his face, "Jak's harmless. Just a little touchyーfeely, which I know makes you squeamish."
A low grunt of reluctant agreement left him, he hated being touched without knowing the person well. Hell, the only people he let touch him were Kagome, Miroku and Sango ー two being his good friends and one being his girlfriend. Sure, he'd give hugs at parties, but again he usually knew the people he was hugging (and he often didn't have a choice in the matter). Jak hadn't touched him yet, but Inuyasha had a feeling that those boundaries were going to be crossed at some point in the night.
Seeing the squad take a few selfies and go through which ones were best, Inuyasha couldn't help but feel as if he was completely outside of her world. He'd yet to really dive into her life as an influencer, meeting Jak and Shiori being the first people who were a part of that life. She was so outgoing and carefree when it came to her personality, something Inuyasha envied as well as revered.
How he'd managed to win her over was beyond him.
"You have that look on your face."
The sound of Miroku's voice pulled him from his thoughts, turning his attention towards his friend with brows furrowed, "What look?"
"The one that says you're thinking too hard," Miroku teased, only to see Inuyasha roll his shoulders while releasing a deep sigh.
"S'nothin'," the hanyou dismissed, shaking his head slightly before shifting his feet as he looked down at the ground, "Jus', I'm not a part of her world, y'know?"
"I think that's what she appreciates about you," Miroku stated almost instantly, already knowing where the hanyou was taking the conversation.
"Would be easier for her if she was with someone who was, though," Inuyasha countered, lifting his head and turning his attention towards Miroku, seeing a rather reassuring expression on his old friend's face.
"And yet she's with you ー happily, I might add."
A small huff of amusement left Inuyasha as he nodded, "Yeah. Dunno what I did to deserve that."
"Inuyasha!"
Kagome's voice had him snapping his head towards her, seeing her jogging towards him before tugging him towards a gazebo that sat on the edge of a pond, "Come take some pictures with me!" Her voice was filled with giddiness, hearing Sango say something similar to Miroku.
Jak and Shiori followed them, catching up just as Kagome handed Sango her phone as she was the only one able to get Inuyasha to cooperate when taking pictures. Kagome helped with some, simply moving his arms where they should go before managing to snag a cute snapshot of her grabbing his face and pressing a kiss to his cheek.
Public displays of affection wasn't something Inuyasha was opposed to, but it seemed Kagome was much more comfortable with the idea than him. That was just how she was, wasn't it? Open, carefree, and trusting. She pushed him to come out of his shell, something he knew he needed to thank her for more often.
With enough images that Kagome knew she could make a cute instagram post with, she pressed a chaste kiss to her boyfriend's lips before pulling away and making her way towards Sango.
Taking the phone back, she scrolled through her camera roll to see if they needed to take more, "These are cute!" she chirped in approval. "Babe, come here and look," she called, lifting her hand and gesturing for him to come closer. The way Inuyasha did so without any sort of retaliation was amusing to Sango and Miroku, recalling how he used to find things like this a major inconvenience in past relationships.
Gently resting his hand on the small of her back, he peered over her shoulder to see her scrolling to the right, "We make a pretty cute couple, don't we?" she chirped, lifting her free hand to cup the cheek farther from her and press a kiss to the one closest.
"Uhー" Inuyasha started, feeling her lips against his cheek and reluctantly letting a blush rise over his face, "YーYeah, I guess."
Kagome took no offense to his indecisiveness, knowing that he was around people he didn't know and that alone made him more uncomfortable and stiff than normal. Giving him another gentle kiss to his cheek, Kagome heard Sango ask to have the favour returned. Pocketting her phone, she pulled from Inuyasha and turned, grabbing Sango's phone to start taking pictures for her and Miroku.
Inuyasha gave space, taking a step back before hearing a gentle voice from behind him. Peering over his shoulder, he saw Shiori coming up close to stand beside him, lavender eyes looking up at him as if she expected an answer.
"Sorry, did you say somethin'?" Inuyasha asked, only to see Shiori offer a warm smile as she shrugged.
"I was just asking if you've ever been to a light festival before," she repeated, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets as she stopped just at his side.
With Shiori the same height as Kagome, Inuyasha needed to crane his head downward to not come off as rude, "Oh. Uh, yeah. Once," he stated shortly, having never been one to be good at small conversation.
"I've never been. This is my first one. It's pretty magical looking, isn't it?" Shiori voiced rather listfully, looking around at the hundreds of thousands of lights that surrounded them at every turn.
"I guess," he replied rather flatly, following suit by scanning the area and taking in the amount of effort that had been put into the gardens for such an event. Shiori seemed unperturbed by Inuyasha's rather bristled demeanor, still peering over the decorations with a smile on her face.
Silence fell between them after that, lingering for a few moments and letting the sounds of crowds bleed through.
"You don't have to worry, y'know," Shiori stated suddenly, though rather lowly and casually, causing Inuyasha's brow to quirk up as he gave the small woman a side glance, "It's getting better for people like us."
"Kagome put you up to this?" Inuyasha half snapped, though there was hardly any force behind it aside from general annoyance.
Shiori shook her head in response, "The opposite. Told me not to say anything." Her head turned towards him with that same rather innocent, genuine smile. The inu-hanyou scoffed before drawing in a deep breath and releasing it rather sharply. He admired the pint-sized woman beside him ー a woman who had yokai and human blood, openly accepting her. Not only that, posting such a thing in front of millions of people to give their two-cents, should they feel inclined, was something Inuyasha couldn't even fathom.
"You're a brave li'l squirt, I'll give you that," he murmured, offering a small grin to tell him he was trying to make light of the conversation.
Shiori gave another shrug, "I wasn't always. It's tough but I had Jak to support me; then I met Kagome and she really pushed me to do more. She's always been really open-minded," the komoriーhanyou explained, turning her attention towards the woman she'd just spoken about. Kagome was deep in influencer mode, taking enough pictures at different angles and poses to make sure that they were aesthetic enough to be posted.
"That doesn't surprise me," Inuyasha replied, suddenly hearing Jak's voice ring out as he came closer, carrying two cups of hot chocolate. Peering over his shoulder, Shiori followed suit and watched as Jak waltzed over to them with the confident swagger he seemed to always hold.
"I got you some hot chocolate, babes," he called as he neared the pair of hanyous, stopping beside Shiori and handing her a cup. Thanking him, she took the cup in both hands to warm them while pushing up on her toes and pressing a kiss to his cheek. Jak looked content at that, draping an arm around Shiori's shoulders while moving his attention to the tall, silverーhaired man, "I hope you're ready to take more pictures," he teased, offering a playful smirk, "No one is more adamant about instagram than Kagome."
"That's fine," Inuyasha stated honestly, shrugging to emphasize his apathy towards Jak's statement, "I'm used to it, by now."
"What a good boyfriend!" Jak chirped, "You'll be her Instagram husband in no time!"
"Husband?"
The word left Inuyasha much more forcefully and disbelieving than he'd intended, taken aback by the term. It had only been six months. How did people think that they were already getting married? A slight sense of panic crept up into his chest, marriage not even being on his radar; not even just in the sense of being with Kagome ー it was more so a 'never gonna happen with anyone' notion to him.
In short, he didn't believe in marriage.
"It's just a saying, silly!" Jak corrected, tone still light and playful, finding amusement in the way that Inuyasha seemed to tense up, "Just means you'll be helping her with things." Jak waved his hand towards Inuyasha flippantly, as if trying to shoo away any sort of questioning the other man had.
Inuyasha, desperate to change the subject, looked down to the cups that the other pair were holding, "Where'd you get that, anyways?" He asked, letting his attention fall back onto Jak.
"There's a stand just around the corner there," Jak answered, gesturing behind himself with his head as Inuyasha followed the gesture to see the faint view of a line of people.
As he turned back towards Kagome, he noticed she'd finally finished her little photoshoot with Miroku and Sango. With a short 'thanks', he began to make his way back towards the other couple, "Hey, Kagome," he called out to her, aiming to just grab her attention.
Kagome had just handed Sango's phone back to her when she heard Inuyasha's voice, "Yes, my love?" Turning her head towards him casually, she spoke those words just so, as if it were the most natural thing to say.
It stopped him in his tracks, eyes wide as his cheeks flushed a deep red at the sentiment. The pace of his heart sped up, seeing her look at him with doe eyes filled with expectancy, waiting for him to continue what he'd meant to call her for.
"UhーIー" he sputtered before clearing his throat and gesturing back towards the direction Jak had with his head, "Wanna grab a drink?" Her face morphed with a bright smile, almost skipping towards him as she reached out and grabbed his hand.
"I'd love to!"
Tugging him to follow, it didn't take long for Inuyasha to easily fall in stride with her before feeling her linking their arms together. Happily, he walked alongside her, turning his attention to her as they did so, "How're you feeling?" Kagome asked, checking in to see how his tolerance was holding up. She was well aware of his aversion to crowds and large gatherings, it overwhelmed him.
"I'm alright. It's not as packed as you said it'd be," he assured, feeling her lean against him as they walked. A permanent smirk was plastered on his face, letting Kagome's words ring out through his head. They way she'd called him that seemed completely second nature to her, and she had no idea the impact it had on him.
"I'm surprised, really. Usually this close to Valentine's Day, most places are packed," she pondered as they walked, resting her head on his shoulder for a moment before lifting it at the sound of a scoff.
"You don't celebrate that stupid hallmark holiday, do you?"
Kagome's face fell into one of disappointment and offense, "Well, I'd planned on celebrating it with you but, if you think it's so stupid, I'll celebrate it by myself ー take myself on a date," she snapped, releasing her hold on him and preparing to stomp off ahead of him. Before she could get too far, Inuyasha reached out to grip her wrist and pulled her back towards him. Spinning her enough to have her back his chest, he had arm crossed over her chest, making it easy for him to wrap both of his arms around her front.
With her locked against him, Kagome squirmed defiantly, still frustrated and annoyed at his abrasive dismissal, "Don't get all pissy," he chided rather calmly, "Just mean I don't need a day to tell me to take you on a date or treat you special."
Dammit. How was he so sweet while being such an ass? Kagome pouted, trying to keep up her faux annoyance but feeling it start to slip when he pressed a kiss to her cheek, "You're a jerk," Kagome pouted, not holding much weight behind the statement as she leaned into the affection he gave her. Inuyasha couldn't help but give an amused scoff at her words, feeling her hands rest on his forearms as she conceded.
Inuyasha began walking forward, Kagome needing to do the same as they continued their way to the cart, "That a new term of endearment?" He teased, feeling Kagome smack one of his forearms in a scolding manner.
When they got to the line, Kagome pulled from his arms to turn around, arms wrapping around his neck as she pressed her chest against his. Inuyasha's own arms loosely wrapped around her waist, craning his neck down and she did the same upwards, "I would like to do something, though," she emphasized, seeing her boyfriend roll his eyes as he lifted his head up and turned to the side.
"Like what?"
"Don't act like I'm holding you hostage!" Kagome retorted, brows furrowing as her expression fell back into one that lacked impression.
"You know I don't do flowers or chocolates or any of that shit," he reminded her, though Kagome was already highly aware. She didn't expect much from him when it came to romantic gestures, she'd come to accept that Inuyasha was far from the type to buy flowers or chocolates. It was more so in his actions that he showed his affection and love, something she'd come to understand early on in their relationship.
It wasn't as though Inuyasha thought flowers and chocolates were stupid (okay, maybe he did), but he found them extremely trivial. He didn't understand the point of getting a trinket or gift that was just expected with no thought behind it. Valentine's Day had always been a day he'd dreaded, as Kikyo had always wanted some grand gesture; Inuyasha didn't do gestures of grandeur ー she never seemed to understand that.
"I know that," she countered, "We don't need to plan it right this second, but I would like to do something a little more than what our usual dates nights are."
As oblivious as Inuyasha typically was, he could sense her disappointment by his attitude towards the situation. Amber hues peered over her face as is hands ran up her back and down to her hips in a soothing manner, "D'you want that type a'stuff?" He asked rather hesitantly, seeing Kagome's expression soften some in response.
"I don't need any gifts, Yash," Kagome emphasized, head shaking to bring the point home, "I just wanna do something a little moreーI dunnoーspecial that day, is all. Doesn't need to be much."
Running her hands down the front of his chest, her head tilted to the side as she kept her neck craned back to get a better look at him. Releasing a heavy sigh through his nose, Inuyasha brought a hand to her cheek and cupped it. Damn. He'd do anything for this woman.
"Mkay, we'll plan somethin', then," he agreed, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips as if to seal the deal.
Kagome held onto his wrist with both hands, keeping his hand pressed where it was even as they broke away, "Your hand's so warm," she hummed, leeching the heat from it to warm that one side of her face. Without any prompt, he lifted his other hand to her opposite cheek, leading Kagome to lean into his touch with a wide smile of content.
"Your hands are freezing," he countered, feeling her bare palms against his wrist and noticing the contrast in their temperatures, "Why didn't you bring gloves?"
"I forgot," she half-whined, "I left them on the coffee table before we left."
Gripping both of her hands in his, he brought them to his mouth to blow some hot air on them before rubbing them, "Doesn't help that you aren't wearin' any pants, stupid," he teased, seeing his girlfriend pull a face that he couldn't help but find completely adorable. Brows furrowed and her bottom lip partially jutted out, Kagome was tempted to pull her hands away but was far too comforted by the heat his gave off, "You're gonna get sick one-a these days."
"I'm plenty warm! It's just my hands that are cold," she defended, watching as her bad-boy hanyou boyfriend placed a gentle kiss on one of her palms.
"Y'want me t'hold your hand the whole time?" It was slightly mocking, offering her a devious, playful grin as she gave him a very definitive nod.
"Yes! It's your duty as my boyfriend, y'know!"
"Oh, is it now? Don't remember signin' a contract," he continued with his sarcastic, slightly mocking tone. It reminded her of when they'd first met, when he'd asked her if she was slow.
"Y'know, 'cause of the rain and all."
However, instead of taking it personally, she simply straightened, tilting her head in an expectant and challenging way, "Well, keep this up and I'll make you sign one," she countered, only to see his lips pull into an amused smirk before realizing that they were next in line.
"Thank god," Kagome hummed, wrapping both hands around the warm cup after they'd ordered, "Happy? Now I don't need to hold your hand."
"I never said I didn't want to!" Inuyasha countered, shooting her a glare, only to see Kagome give him a soft giggle as she brought her drink to her lips. Letting go of the cup with one hand, she reached out to take the one he'd shoved in his pocket, lacing their fingers together.
"Better?"
A flush crossed over Inuyasha's cheeks, realizing he'd unknowingly shown a sliver of vulnerability in public. His lips pursed into a scowl as he (contradictorily) happily laced their fingers together and averted his gaze from her with a small nod. Kagome rolled her eyes casually at his response, unsurprised by his tough-guy facade that he tended to keep up when they were in public. Sometimes she'd forget that the soft side she got to see truly was just for her and no one else.
As they neared the group, the couple noticed a small group having formed around Shiori and Jak, Miroku and Sango standing on the outskirts as people seemed to 'wait in line' to take a selfie with the two influencers.
Kagme stopped them in their tracks, Inuyasha taking a step forward before realizing she'd stopped and turning his attention towards her, "What's up, babe?" He asked, seeing a slightly panicked look on her face as she turned her attention back to him.
"Uhーmaybe we should split up from the group for a bit," Kagome suggested, seeing a perplexed look on her boyfriend's features. However, before he could inquire further, they both heard an unfamiliar voice call out towards them.
"Is Kagome here, too?!"
There was extreme excitement in the feminine voice, followed by another with the statement, "Is that your new boyfriend!?"
"Can we get a selfie?!"
Inuyasha froze at the sudden ambush, eyes wide before feeling Kagome take a step in front of him, "Hey! I'd love to take some selfies! Why don't we take some with Jak and Shiori? Then you can have all of us in one picture!" Kagome chirped, trying her best to diffuse the situation and take attention away from her boyfriend, immediately able to tell that he felt uncomfortable.
Speculation was still mostly prevalent around Inuyasha's identity, the two of them avoiding a public announcement until Inuyasha had gotten used to the idea. It was odd, he'd been out with Kagome a few times and, sure, some fans would come up, but they'd never been as unabashedly needy as these ones. Being ambushed wasn't an understatement, and it left him feeling a little exposed ー something Kagome was well aware he wasn't a fan of.
The group surrounding Jak and Shiori seemed to only grow, watching Kagome join them and hear an explosion of excitement when the rest of the mob noticed her.
When he finally found his footing and began to make his way towards Sango and Miroku, he almost felt like he had to sneak, rounding the group widely to make sure he didn't get detected.
"Haven't seen a mob this big in a while," Sango mentioned casually, Miroku giving a nod with a somewhat bored expression on his face.
"I think it's because it's all three of them together," Miroku replied before both himself and Sango turned their attention to their friend as he took a stance beside them, "I'm sure this is a regular occurrence for you, isn't it?"
Inuyasha shook head, eyes slightly wide, "Not like this and definitely not as pushy," he explained, "Maybe one or a pair of 'em but they're always super quick and on their way. This is a different level." Miroku could see the slight shell-shock expression on the hanyou's face as his attention turned back to the mob that was beginning to scatter.
"This is normal," Sango assured, though it seemed to have the opposite effect.
Normal.
Normal?
"How the fuck is this normal?"
His mind reeled for a moment, only really brought back to the present at the feel of Miroku's hand on his shoulder, "You alright there, friend?"
"Uhー" Inuyasha was dumbfounded at how many people had gathered - there had to be at least twenty people crowded around the three of them, "Y-yeah."
It was hardly convincing.
When the crowd finally dissipated to nothing, the trio standing on the outskirts made their way towards the three influencers. Kagome had a somewhat distressed and apologetic expression on her features as she found her boyfriend nearing them.
"Maybe it's best we split up for a bit," Shiori stated honestly, knowing it was probably because all three of them were in the same vicinity that the mob got larger than usual.
Jak gave a nod in agreement, Kagome following suit as her attention fell back to Inuyasha. Reaching a hand out, she took his within it and gently tugged him closer. When he was close enough, she pressed her head against his chest, feeling his arm wrap around her shoulders and rub her bicep.
"Meet back here in thirty?" Miroku suggested, seeing the rest of the group give approving nods. Taking Sango's hand, he laced their fingers together and pressed a kiss to the back of it lovingly. Sango's cheeks flushed at the romantic gesture, moving to lean against him, releasing his hand to wrap an arm around his back. With such close proximity, Miroku couldn't help but place a kiss to the top of Sango's head as they walked.
With Jak and Shiori taking a different path, walking side by side with drinks in hand, it left Kagome and Inuyasha alone in the same spot. Pulling away from him, she let her head crane back so their gazes could lock against one another, "Guess we're going that way," Kagome stated, gesturing to the opposite direction of the two other couples.
Breaking away from one another, Kagome took his hand in hers, leading them down one of the many paths that seemed to wind around the gardens effortlessly.
A silence fell between them, but it was far from comfortable. Inuaysha's head was reeling; Sango had said that type of thing was normal and that overwhelmed him to no end. To have so many people surrounding her, aiming to surround him as well, it left him uneasy. Even without himself in the equation, so many strangers circling her had him feeling somewhat protective - there was no way to tell what type of people she was surrounded by.
If he were added into the equation, which was a very real possibility, it made him feel cornered and claustrophobic ー he didn't like crowds. It made him start to think, if it were that bad without them knowing full well he was her boyfriend, what would happen once she openly introduced him?
The sound of a thud had him back in the present, ear twitching as he realized Kagome had thrown out her cup while they passed by the garbage can.
A few more moments of silence remained before Inuyasha, for once, was the one to break the silence, "You okay?" The question was posed as casually as he could afford, having an idea as to why she was so quiet.
"Hm?"
Kagome sounded as if she'd been pulled out of a daze of her own, lifting her head and turning it towards the mad she walked beside.
"Are you okay?" Inuyasha asked, expression pensive and more guarded than normal, the tone of his voice mirroring that.
"Ohー" Kagome forced a smile that Inuyasha could see through completely, "That? Yeah. That's nothing new," she tried to explain flippantly, brushing it off as if it were nothing. Yes, it was normal and nothing new to her ー Inuyasha was a different story entirely. Seeing that miniscule twinge of panic in his eyes when those girls began to get close, Kagome felt guilt gnawing in her stomach.
Taking a few more steps, she found her arm suddenly tugged against an immovable force. With a confused expression, she peered over her shoulder towards their hands, both of their arms outstretched as it seemed Inuyasha had stopped while Kagome just kept walking. A wide-eyeds look of confusion passed over her face as she found her boyfriend's rather unimpressed expression directed right at her, "What's up?"
"I should be askin' you that. What's with the face?"
Gently, he tugged her closer while taking them off the path to lean against the railing that circled the entirety of the giant pond in the middle of the gardens. As he did so, Kagome released a heavy sigh and simply stood in front of him, their fingers still laced together, "I can tell you're spooked."
"Kagomeー"
"I should've known better than to think that coming here was a good idea. I justー"
"Hey," Inuyasha cooed, placing his cup on the railing before reaching his other hand out to take her free one within it. Gently, he pulled her closer, taking both of her hands and resting them on his chest, taking note of how cold they were, "I mean, yeah. I'm a littleー" he didn't know what the right word to use, shrugging as his mouth opened and closed a couple times, "I dunno, caught off guard is the best way to put it, I guess."
Silent, Kagome allowed him to bring her closer, peering up at him with apology as the heat of his hands warmed her own. All she could do was nod in understanding towards him, knowing full well that he had every right to feel as he did.
"We've had people come up to us, sure, butー" his eyes widened for a brief moment to portray just how unexpected it had been for the group to grow so large while he released a breath through partially closed lips, "That wasー"
"I know. It's a lot," Kagome finally managed to say somewhat frantically, holding an edge of panic within her words, "I really didn't thinkー" That's right. She didn't think. Of course that would have happened if herself, Shiori and Jak were all in the same place, as it often did. All she could really think about was being able to spend time with her friends and boyfriend all in one place. It'd been something she'd been looking forward to the last couple of weeks, but now she felt like it would have been best to stick to someone's house.
"Does that really happen often?" The question left him a bit more desperate than he'd intended, "People just swarm you like that?"
Kagome shrugged while nodding, gently gripping the fabric of his jacket, "Sometimes, yeah. If I'm somewhere busy."
"When you're alone?"
"Yeah."
She answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Don't you think that's a little dangerous?" He was trying to wrap his brain around the thought of her so openly allowing people to circle around her like that when she was out alone. To him, she would be surrounded by strangers that could have ulterior motives ー it put her at risk of getting hurt.
"Dangerous?" She asked incredulously, brows furrowed as her head flinched back slightly. That face morphed back into one of reassurance, lips pulling into a small smile while her brows relaxed, "Their my followers. They wouldn't hurt me."
"No. They're strangers, Kagome."
The tone he used with her, firm and authoritative, had her genuinely on the defensive, "Look, I understand you were uncomfortable, but that doesn't give you the right to judge," she countered, holding a little more irritation in her tone. Here she was, concerned for his well being and he turned around and decided to give her some sort of lecture!
"What? I'mー" Inuyasha straightened some before offering a nervous scoff, "I'm not judgin', I'm just sayinー"
"I've been doing this for almost four years, Yash. I know what I'm doing," there was venom in her words then, protective of those who followed her and couldn't fathom anyone questioning their motives when they met her.
It was obvious he'd struck a nerve, releasing his hold on her hands so he could lift them at either side of him in surrender, "Alright, fine," he stated rather unconvincingly. Instead of placing his hands back on hers, he shoved them back into his pockets, turning his head away from her as he shook it.
An awkward silence fell between them then, Kagome moving to put her hands back in her pockets as she closed her eyes while drawing in a deep breath. Releasing it, she let her head hang forward and her eyes open, swallowing once as she tried to find something to talk about to break the silence.
"I guess I just...I don't understandー"
Inuyasha's voice had her head snapping up, thinking she'd catch his gaze but noticed he was still looking to the side.
"You don't have to."
"You sure about that?"
His gaze flitted to the side, catching hers for a brief moment before looking off down the path before them.
He was trying, Kagome could see that clear as day; he was trying to understand her lifestyle, her job, but in the process it seemed to her that there was some judgement.
"Can we not do this now?" She half pleaded with a slump of her shoulders, head tilted to the side, "I just wanna have a nice time with you and our friends."
If it had been six months ago, he would have openly welcomed the opportunity to get into an argument with her, regardless of it being in public. She'd scolded him like he was some sort of child, and that never sat well with him, but he also knew he really didn't have business telling her how to live her life. She was right, she'd been in the game for almost four years and there hadn't been an incident.
Yet.
There hadn't been an incident, yet.
A gnawing feeling sat heavy in his gut, telling him to try and make a point and to try and get her to understand.
But she was right. Not now. That could be a conversation for a different time.
Turning his head back towards her, he looked down at her with his hands still in his pockets, "Please?" He heard her beg, suddenly feeling her hands on his cheeks and her lips at the corner of his mouth.
Well, that was one way to dismantle him.
Turning his head ever so slightly, he did so enough to capture her lips in his, pulling his hands from his pockets to place one on her hip while the other cupped her neck. Kagome easily sunk into the kiss, attempting to melt away the awkwardness that had built between them within the last few minutes.
Deepening the kiss, she let her tongue brush over his lower lip, immediately gaining entry by Inuyasha opening his mouth. The kisses were slow and languid, sometimes breaking with a small, wet smack before they dove back in for more. They were in the middle of a somewhat busy pathway, something apparent to him after a few moments. Breaking the kiss, he gently cupped her chin with his index finger and thumb, giving one more smaller, chaste kiss to her before reminding her of where they were, "You're not playin' fair, baby."
Oh, thank god. A pet name.
Kagome relaxed into his hold a little more, pleased to realize that they'd managed to push past the tension that had managed to insert itself unwelcomely.
"I just wanted a kiss, is all," she murmured, their faces still close enough for her to do so against his lips. His response was a hum of false convincing, knowing full well her intentions and getting away with them fully, "Wouldn't mind a little more when we get home, though."
His ears almost gave away their position, standing stick straight at her very obvious insinuation as to what they'd be doing when they got back to his place for the night, "Oh, yeah?" A wily smirk passed over his features then, running his hands down her waist, "I think I'm startin' to feel a li'l antsy, what with the crowds 'n all."
Kagome smacked his chest playfully with a shake of her head, "Nuh-uh. You're not gettin' outta this that easy."
That smirk he had pulled into a full-blown grin as he leaned forward and pressed a small, but wet, kiss to her lips, prepared to move once they broke. However, when Kagome placed her hands back onto his neck, he flinched, "Jesus, woman. You're hands are still fuckin' cold."