It was a particularly hot day. The suns unrelenting rays burned against the white fabric of her hakui, her fingers deftly plucking herbs from the small garden. Kagome sighed, wiping her brow free of sweat and leaning back on her haunches. It's been nearly 3 months since her return to the Sengoku Jidai and Inuyasha had made exactly zero effort to move forward with their relationship. I mean it's not like she expected things to immediately go back to the way they were but she expected, I don't know..well, something? At least she'd hoped some sort of discussion would be had with her hanyō about their relationship.
The first month had been what she had expected, a few gentle kisses here and there with little actual discussion. Other than catching up they had mostly avoided the subject of their relationship. Then about a month after she'd returned Inuyasha had distanced himself, and it was getting worse as the summer progressed. Perhaps his feelings for her had changed. She felt the familiar bubble of uncertainty in her gut.
Kagome let another sigh escape her lips, pursing them together as she stood, herb basket held tightly against her hip. In attempt to push the thoughts away, she let her fingers run through her hair, sticking in the few tangles that had made their home there.
"Ugh, it's so hot." She spoke out loud to herself, as she approached her hut; their hut truly. Though Inuyasha opted to sleep in a nearby tree most nights,leaving Kagome to her own thoughts. Thoughts that almost always included Inuyasha.It's not like she wasn't dropping hints. She started with flirtatious looks, and had moved to a peck on the lips when he'd allow it, before he could scurry off.
She pushed aside the thick cords that hung blocking the entrance of their hut, placing the small basket on the entry way table. She smiled wistfully, letting her fingers gently graze the rough wooden furniture. She'd been shocked and moved when she realized Inuyasha had made modern styled furniture pieces for their home, like an entry way table similar to the one in her home in Tokyo.
She only wished he'd actually come spend time with her. This was their home after all…She stretched her arms above her head, opting to slip out of her traditional garb and into a summer yukata. She'd already finished picking the garden and had assisted with two births in the small village, and it was barely a quarter past noon.
'I'll just take a trip down to the stream and cool off.' She quickly adjusted her summer yukata when a creak on the roof alerted to her hanyō's presence. She shuffled out the entrance, glancing to the roof in hopes of catching him. This time she was lucky; there he sat, arms folded into the sleeves of his suikan and legs crossed underneath him. His eyes were shut, but his ears were trained to her every move, twitching as she shuffled outside fully.
"You know, you can come down from there." She squinted at him, eyes shielded by her hand to avoid the suns harsh light but with little avail.
"Feh, I was just checking in." He turned his head to the side with feigned disregard but his golden eyes side glanced at her as she frowned. She narrowed her eyes, but couldn't help pushing further. She needed to speak with him, but he certainly wasn't making it easy.
"Inuyasha, I'm going to go to the stream and cool off. You could come with me? " her voice was hopeful, but the frown remained on her lips.
Inuyasha felt the heat rising to his cheeks at her question, his pupils dilating at the possible intention behind her question.
True, he had built this hut for them, with Kagome in mind, but at the time he never thought he would see her again. Sure, he held out faith but now that she was truly here he had no clue what to do with himself. It's not like he had exactly properly courted Kikyo when she were alive, and Kami knows Kagome definitely deserved better than some halfbreed.
So he'd stayed away, sort of. Of course he was always nearby, but he'd resolved himself to stay away and let kagome make her own decision on what she wanted. Kami knows what the villagers might say, and he couldn't bear it, the thought of Kagome being shunned like his mother had for being with a demon; a half demon no less.
Baka, the voice in his head echoed, she has already made her decision. Do you not see our mate? She calls for you. We hear her in the night, calling out our name.Inuyasha's face flushed crimson, he could not think about that right now. So instead, he ran. Flinging himself off the roof and into the trees without a second thought.
He couldn't be thinking like this, especially not with Kagome in the state she was currently. The summer months were the most prominent mating season for Inu-Yokai and Kagome just so happened to be in her peak fertility this month. So, he resolved to himself that he would talk to her as soon as her peak had passed. Unfortunately, it would seem that his Miko would have a very different plan in mind.
Kagome groaned, lolling her head back in frustration, but none the less made her way toward the small stream near their home.
She knew he would be watching her, and this time a thought stirred inside her. Inuyasha was clever but he was also very protective. She grinned to herself. She would get him to join her this time and actually speak with her.
When she arrived at the small stream, she couldn't help the smile that manifested. The water was clear and tinged warm from the hot sun. It was time to put her plan into action. Carefully, she made her way over to the rocks lining the edge of the stream. She braced her self as she climbed the tallest one, still dressed in her yukata. She let her normally concealed reiki out in small bursts, calling out to any Yoki nearby before letting her body slide down the rocks into the marshy bank, scraping her thighs as she went. She hissed in brief pain followed by the feeling of the strong body of Inuyasha against her, pulling her up and away from the ground.
"You idiot! What are you doing letting out your reiki like that? Do you want every demon in the area coming for you?" He was growling now, a deep low rumble in his chest and she was laughing? A small chuckle bubbling into full on raucous laughter.
"Wench! I'm serious!" He scowled as her laughter simmered.
"No," she grinned at him, shoving him backwards with her full body weight. His face morphed from scowl to confusion," there's only one demon I want coming for me. Inu-ya-sha." She annunciated
the syllables of his name as he lost his balance in the soft banking, tumbling back into the water.
Inuyasha croaked, sputtering against the water as he landed on his backside, arms propped up behind him in the shallow edge of water.
"What the hell Kagome!" He growled even louder, his eyes narrowed at her. The grin never left her face, as she tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.
"I told you I wanted you to join me." She shrugged nonchalant, as if it were obvious what her motives were. "Now you can," her eyes softened sadly before the next words left her," don't you want me around?"
Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock, of course he wanted her around! He'd waited three years for her return and even built them a hut! It's just that she deserved better than what he could offer. He scoffed, blowing his wet bangs out of his eyes with an exhausted sigh. She was oblivious of how he felt, and as much as he hated being wrong. It was his fault they were here like this now.
"Is that the, 'I want to kiss you look' or the ' I want to kill you look' ? " Kagome's cheeks flushed as she asked the question, "because I was sort of hoping it was the 'want to kiss you' look."
Inuyasha felt his cheeks burning the same crimson as the woman in front of him. His body moving before he could stop himself, pulling her flush against him, one arm hooked around her waist.
"Baka, what makes you think I don't want you around?" He tilted her head back, his hand cradling the side of her face gently. His gaze was serious and wanting.
"Well, it's just you've been so distant and I thought we were really making progress," her voice cracked as tears filled her eyes," I just want you with me. Always." She finished her statement, her face leaning into his touch with tears flowing freely against his palm. His heart clenched at the sight, he had been a fool to try and keep her at arms length.
Inuyasha inwardly groaned, her closeness leaving nothing to the imagination as his wet clothes soaked through her yukata.
"You have no idea how you make me feel kagome." He leaned forward resting his forehead against hers, his warm breath fanning across her face. His thumb brushed the tears from her cheeks.
"Then why have you been avoiding me?" Her eyes were quizzical, the flow of tears slowing.
Inuyasha blushed again, mumbling his reason. "It's uh..mating season for Inu-Yokai and you..uh..you're-" he coughed in embarrassment, but Kagome kept that same adorable confused expression.
"I just can't be around when you smell so good. Everything in me wants to be with you, like this," he pulled her closer to him to emphasize his point," but it's shameful to be with someone like me. I just want to do right by you especially if you are to spend your life with a hanyō." He nuzzled his nose against the crook of her neck, letting his tongue lave against the skin there briefly.
"I love you." The words were a whisper against the shell of her ear. "I'd put my mating mark here," he emphasized again letting his fangs graze where his tongue had just been.
A shiver ran through her at the contact from his fangs, involuntarily tilting her head to the side, her hands locking behind his neck. He continued, " but first, I want to marry you. If you'll have me?" He leaned back to look at her, his golden eyes were full of hope and what she could only imagine was a fear of rejection.
" Now who is being the idiot?" She grinned as she pressed her lips to his. "I want everything with you. Ive never cared what anyone thinks. You will always do right by me.You should know by now I love you, Inuyasha. You; the half demon as you are. Nothing anyone says will ever change my feelings for you."
This time it was his turn to press his lips to hers, moving fiercely in rhythm with her own. They pulled apart briefly, breaths coming in short puffs. Then Inuyasha got an idea, fighting the urge to grin at her wickedly.
"You should cool off," he urged, a fang popping out over his lip with a lopsided grin as he pulled her back into the stream with him. She sputtered, pushing her way back up from underwater.
"Inuyasha!" She started to express her displeasure, but was stopped, his arms pulling her close for another kiss.
"Come on woman, let's finish up, we've got a wedding to announce and plan" He grinned again splashing her and nuzzling her nose with his own. The pair trudged out of the water onto the bank, hand held with fingers laced together. She tilted her head, wringing out her hair as he did the same. Together they started back toward the village, Kagome letting out a laugh at his next words
"Oh, and by the way? it was definitely a 'I want to kiss you' look."