AN: Yeah I gave Kagome our modern tech instead of canon 90's tech because I'm uncreative and it was easier, I'm sorry. Also the 'Facepage' thing is more a nod to Wacdonalds in Inuyasha, I always chuckle when I see it.

Chapter Two

Hojo looked right at home in the kitchen, stirring her beverage with a domestic air and leaning his hip slightly against the counter. The action was strangely endearing in a perfectly ordinary way.

When he glanced at Kagome and gave a smile, she caught sight of the tired lines beneath his eyes.

"R-remind me how long this shift lasted?" she pretended to rub the sleep from her eyes, yawning.

"Hmm…let's see, initially it was only for 12 hours but I stayed on. I think I've been awake for 28 now."

Kagome started violently and made a noise, hurrying over and batting his hands away from the cup. "What the hell?! Don't bother with me, go and get some sleep! You should take better care of yourself," she snapped.

Hojo's eyes were wide, expression confused. "Kagome? What's gotten into you? You never swear, and I don't think we need to have a talk about my work at this hour, do we?" he chuckled weakly. "You must've awoken from a deep sleep. Here, drink up. It has hidden health benefits!"

Kagome stared, feeling the cup be placed onto her hands. She curled her fingers around the hot mug, frowning slightly.

He looked so tired. And his wife wouldn't pester him about it? SHE wouldn't pester him about it? Kagome Higurashi, number one at concerned nagging?

"I'm going to shower before hopping into bed. Do you need anything else?"

"Ah, well-" Kagome paused, not wanting to stop him from getting rest. "No, I'll uh...drink this before joining you," she muttered, heat suddenly shooting to her cheeks. "In bed! Not in the shower- hahaha!"

Hojo laughed it off, not seeming concerned about her squeaky voice. Kissing her cheek, Kagome jolted badly when he rested a hand on her flat stomach.

"Don't forget to take your vitamins in the morning, I put them out just now so that you wouldn't forget. We want them to grow big and strong now don't we?" he chirped.

Kagome reeled, panic erupting in her throat. "A-ah...yes! The baby! The little kipper, the rascal and light of our lives!"

He blinked at her sudden enthusiasm yet soon smiled and nodded, patting her stomach. Kagome automatically unclenched when he left, relaxing.

I'm pregnant? She collapsed into a chair. Married she could somewhat deal with, but pregnant? Kids?

Putting a hand on her stomach, Kagome frowned. She must've been in the early stages of pregnancy. How many years had they been married?

Remembering the wedding photo, she checked the current date on a digital clock and crept back upstairs. Hearing the tell-tale noise of the shower behind a door she assumed led to the bathroom, Kagome ducked inside the bedroom again. Peering at the wedding photo, she squinted. Success! It had a date.

Doing some mental calculations, Kagome arrived at the conclusion that they'd been married 3 years and must've been dating for just half a year. Wow, this Kagome moved fast!

Fidgeting, she glanced at the entrance to the bedroom. Should she feign sleep? No way would he try to...do stuff after so long awake. Right?

Passing by a mirror, Kagome froze, backing up and touching her hair. Shorter than she was used to, and tamed. Touching her arm curiously, she gasped.

I have guns!

Squeezing the bigger, firmer muscle than she was used to, Kagome tugged up her pyjama shirt. "I have abs!"

Okay so they weren't rock hard or anything but they were there. "Ohmigosh wow," Kagome grinned, poking them. "I've never had abs before! Gahh I've always been so jealous of Sango's. I'm liking this, but…" she paused. How much time did she dedicate to the gym?

Hearing the shower turn off, Kagome squeaked and dove under the covers. Trying to make her breathing natural despite the panic fluttering in her chest for no reason, blue eyes squeezed shut.

There was nothing to fear though. Hojo took his time drying before entering the bedroom and dressing for bed. Climbing in beside her, he kissed her cheek, promptly falling asleep the second his head hit the pillow.

Deflating like a balloon, Kagome remained awake. Too afraid of disturbing him and having to answer awkward questions, she remained in bed. Eventually, she drifted to sleep.

A horrible blaring noise deafened her ears, beeping continuously. Kagome instinctively shoved a hand out, smacking the button of the alarm cut off the obnoxious noise. Hojo shifted beside her when she curled back into the toasty warmth of the covers.

"Uh, Darling?"

"Hmmn?" Kagome purred, snuggling into her pillow.

"I think the alarm means you have work today."

Kagome froze, eyes shooting open. "Eh whu- what? Work?"

Hojo chuckled and turned over in bed, showing his back. "You're so funny. Have a good day at the office."

The office?!

His voice mumbled out once again after a few moments. "Are you alright?"

"Totally fine!"

Scrambling out of bed in a cold sweat, Kagome thought for a moment. Carefully sliding back the wardrobe door, she breathed out a sigh of relief. At least her work clothes were already hanging up in preparation. That just left finding her place of work and doing a job the entire day without any prior training. No problem.

Grabbing her clothes and getting changed in the bathroom into a grey pencil skirt and matching blazer, Kagome buttoned up her shirt and hurried downstairs to make breakfast.

"What are you doing?"

Yelping and whipping her head in Yua's direction, she glared, scrambling some eggs. "Going to work."

"I do not see how this will give you information on your husband."

"Listen if I'm sampling married life with Hojo then I need to take a look at my job, even just once. Marriage isn't all romance all the time. Sometimes a relationship only works if you can manage everything else around you too."

Yua's dark, questioning eyes threatened to draw her into an abyss. Kagome glanced away, quickly eating her breakfast. For a spirit that seemed to 'see all,' there were many things the child didn't seem to grasp easily.

"How do you intend to find your 'job?'" the child asked in an indifferent tone.

Smiling, Kagome picked up her purse, taking out what she correctly assumed was her phone. "Ohh my gym membership card is in here too. Least I know where that is."

Yua observed as Kagome pulled up her search history. It seemed Hojo's wife regularly visited a website called 'Pyro enterprises' and a quick glance at her Facepage profile confirmed it. She definitely worked there. Opening up online maps, Kagome searched around for things to take with her, picking up a folder she assumed was important and her pink laptop in case it was needed. With that done, she nervously left the house and took the underground subway.

Yua appeared every now and then like a flickering light, ever the silent observer. Kagome told herself she wasn't running away from Hojo. This was fine. Totally needed. Besides, it wasn't like she could fake being sick to a damn doctor. While on the train, Kagome quickly looked at her friend's list on Facepage and took notice of anyone who worked at the same company.

"Kyle," she muttered, trying to memorise. "American. Likes martinis, the gym and has a boyfriend. Ooh Ashita, he's cute and majored in tech. Looks like I went to a party with him and Kimi. Then there's Rika, Tadasuke, Erika…" Kagome began to sweat. On second thought, I… I don't think I can do this!

Stepping out onto the platform once she arrived at her stop, the miko took a breath. 'No consequences' Yua had said. Maybe not for her, but certainly Hojo's wife would be impacted if Kagome acted badly.

Still...one week of weirdness won't ruin her entire life, surely? Swallowing, Kagome stiffly made her way to a tall office building. Lingering in the lobby, she bit her lip, gnawing on it as she looked at the different floor numbers and departments. No idea which floor I work on…

Deciding to take the plunge, she messaged Kyle, asking if he were working today. He pinged back, saying he'd be there in a few minutes.

Kagome grinned, waiting.

A blonde-haired man strode through the double doors soon enough, coffee cup in hand. Trying to act naturally with a complete stranger, Kagome waved.

"Did you wait for me? Aw, that's sweet," Kyle chuckled.

Flushing red, Kagome tried not to make it obvious she was following him, shadowing his footsteps to an elevator. "I-I was just wanting to greet you this fine morning!" she laughed thinly.

Raising a brow, the man looked at her. "Uh-huh? Did you get enough sleep? Those bags under your eyes are yeesh."

Kagome stopped, somewhat sad her friend seemed more perceptive than her apparent husband. "No, I didn't," she confessed, stepping in with him and noticing which floor he pressed. "Actually, it was a really terrible night. So if I seem weird, go easy on me."

Kyle nodded and hummed as the elevator took them up, "shame. Guess this means you're not coming to the gym today with me and Ri-Ri?"

Pretending to know who that was, Kagome decided the stress of her unknown job would be enough for one day. "You guess correct, sorry."

"No biggie," the elevator slid to a halt, doors opening with a dull noise. When Kagome made to follow him- Kyle gently tapped her shoulder. "Ah, you're two floors up, sweetness," he winked, stepping out.

"Oh! Ahahaha! I was just wanting to see the uh...new water cooler on this floor."

He chuckled good-naturedly while Kagome hurriedly bowed and thanked him, skittering backwards until the doors closed.

Things continued on in this manner. Once she'd reached the desired floor, Kagome hugged her folders to her chest and made for the coffee machine. Since she didn't know which desk was hers, lingering there for an embarrassing amount of time felt like the only opinion. Luckily, someone she didn't recognise from Facepage approached.

Pretending to feel dizzy, she asked if her desk had been moved. 'Saito' gave her a puzzled look and gestured to a cubical near the rear of the room.

"No? It's where it's always been."

"Riiiight- silly me. You know, that tie is amazing!-" quick glance at his wedding ring "-did your wife buy it for you?"

Saito launched into such a long-winded spiel about his wife that he ended up following Kagome to her desk during the conversation and she managed to gain his absentminded help with setting up her computer. Once he left, however, Kagome faced a silent, uncompassionate screen. The machine hummed loudly, almost accusingly.

Hearing the frantic tapping of keyboards all around, a cold sweat broke out on the back of her neck.

Higurashi Kagome. You are an idiot.

Why did she think she could do this? On what planet had this been a good idea?

Running both hands down her face, Kagome tried to peer over to see someone else's screen. No luck there, they seemed to have opened a document though. Following their example pulled up a spreadsheet with plenty of figures, but there was no way to make heads or tails of them. What did this company even specialise in?

I do this...all day? After adventuring in the past and being a hero, this is what I decided to pursue?

The cold grey walls, sad single air fan and the bustling city stretching out behind the window to her left felt so removed. So artificial. There was nothing wrong with an office job but it hadn't been something she'd ever pictured for herself. Like a glove that felt two sizes too small.

After sitting and sweating for a good 45 minutes, she decided to check her phone for the umpteenth time- only to see a message notification pop up.

'Taisho' had asked her if they were still on for Saturday at the Space Station.

That's a few days away.

Frowning, Kagome checked but found no profile matching him in her friend's list. Scrolling up through their previous messages to one another, it seemed he had a crisp, no-nonsense tone even through text. He didn't send emojis or shorten words, writing like he were responding to a letter.

His speech, even written down...why does it feel familiar to me?

Something caught her eye then, a message Hojo's Kagome had sent; "I like talking about the past with you."

Who was this guy?

"Mrs Matsubara."

Kagome frowned down at her phone screen, scratching her chin.

"Mrs Matsubara, are you well?"

Jolting, Kagome looked up at a cold-looking woman. Crap, I forgot that's my surname now. "Y-yes! That's me! But uh...no, actually...I'm feeling very sick. I'm so sorry, I thought I could work today."

"Hm. Next time perhaps you would be so kind as to call ahead and not subject your co-workers to any possible illnesses. Do you need a Doctor called?"

Declining her most gracious offer, Kagome rose and apologised, making her speedy exit.

Catching sight of a mournful figure out of the corner of her eye, she sighed and passed by Yua outside. "Don't you breathe a word. I tried my best under the circumstances. At least I know what my job is like now."

"Is it acceptable?"

"Maybe for some people, but I can't see it being a thing I'd ever enjoy. Wonder why I chose it as Hojo's wife…"

Checking her watch and wilting at the time, Kagome estimated from what she'd glimpsed of her work time table that she was supposed to be there for another 7 hours. Deciding to go to a place that was always a safe haven in times of turmoil: she headed straight for Higurashi Shrine.

Mama always made her feel better. It was just a natural thing. So much could go wrong in her life but Mama would be an uncomplicated breath of fresh air, wrapping her in a hug that smelled of fresh laundry.

"We weren't expecting you today," Mrs Higurashi smiled. "Don't you have work?"

"I uh… didn't feel so good," Kagome fibbed.

She stayed with her family for the rest of the day, finding that not much had changed about them. Souta was toying with the prospect of moving out but there were no concrete plans yet.

"Mama," Kagome had piped up while in the kitchen with her, drying some dishes thoughtfully. "Do I seem… happy, usually? With Hojo I mean."

"I think so?" there was a pause. "Perhaps he works a lot but at the very least you seem happy with the security."

Kagome's stomach tightened. What a shallow sounding reason to stay with someone.

"Besides I think his attentiveness when you started dating was just what you needed since the well closed."

Kagome's eyes widened and she grasped Mama's arm. "What?" she said thinly. "The well reopened though? I-I went through…"

Concerned brown eyes roved over her face, gentling. "Yes, when you were 18. But then about 3 months later it closed again while you were on this side. You made the choice to stay here, Kagome. Don't you remember? Since that whole business with Inuyasha didn't work out, you told me that you wanted to start a new life here."

Sadness curdled like a festering wound. Kagome turned away, swallowing thickly. So that was how she'd ended up with Hojo.

"Yeah, I remember."

Walking out into the shrine courtyard sometime later, she spared the sacred tree a glance yet inevitably moved on to the Well House. As Mama had said, not a flicker of magic brushed her skin. Kagome remembered experiencing the three-year gap when she was 15. How elated she'd been to jump through the well again and into Inuyasha's arms. It...hurt, thinking about the prospect of being cut off from everyone once more. Willingly choosing the future over them.

Wryly shaking her head, Kagome smiled sadly. "Here I am romanticising the warring states era. What's wrong with me?"

As she returned to Hojo's home only to find it empty, however, Kagome knew it wasn't really romanticising the past. She didn't care about those wars and clans fighting, she cared about protecting her friends and the weak. About the life she'd had there. Sure it was far from perfect and life was hard, with none of the comforts she'd been used to from the future, but the work had been honest and she'd been allowed to be herself. Reiki thrummed, pressing too close to the surface of her skin, unused, bottled up.

Brushing a hand through short, neat locks, Kagome collapsed onto the sofa. Falling onto her side, a vibration from her pocket had her checking her phone.

It turned out to be Kyle, asking if she was doing alright. After replying, her thumb hovered over the mysterious Mr Taisho's message. Something about it gave her pause, though realistically there was no need to be suspicious. Putting off replying again, Kagome snooped around her home.

Nothing about it stuck out, very ordinary. No hidden bodies in the basement, no illicit love letters from secret lovers. Despite how nice the place looked, it held an air of coldness. Like it hadn't been lived in enough. Hojo's section in the bookshelves was dedicated to health and medical science. Some memorabilia from their high school days lingered on the shelves.

Though the decorating certainly held her personal touch, Kagome felt that none of the items in the house belonged to her.

Doing some cleaning and taking some trash out to the recycling, she stopped. Reaching down, Kagome inspected one of many wine bottles laying within. All the same type.

"Yua, are these mine?" she asked quietly.

The spirit replied as unsympathetic as ever; "yes. Sometimes you drink out of boredom in the evenings."

Frowning, Kagome silently closed the lid. She resolved to try then. To really dig in and try to see the heart of their marriage.

That night when Hojo returned from work, the miko rolled over in bed and reached out into the darkness. Her fingers grasped his sleeve, curling tight. "Hey, do you have any time off this week?" she asked softly. "Want to...go on a date?"

He paused, blatant confusion in his tone, "we're going to my parent's house for dinner soon."

Wincing, she pressed on. "That's nice but- we should do something together. Go ice skating, to the movies, or even just for a walk, please?"

"Well...alright, I suppose we could before my shift starts tomorrow," a charming smile curled in his next words; "A walk sounds nice."

Kagome beamed, accepting his arms when they wrapped around her. She'd obviously chosen him for a reason, and Mama had said he'd been attentive. Sure the marriage wasn't perfect but if he was willing to make time for them, maybe it wasn't so bad.

This cloud-like state of contentment lasted until the next morning where, after getting showered and dressed and waiting with happy expectation, Kagome stiffened when Hojo abruptly hurried downstairs.

"I'm sorry, Darling- I got called into work. Next time though!" cramming his shoes on, he fled out the door with a hasty goodbye.

Kagome stood in the hallway, feeling like a whirlwind had blown past. Sighing, she rubbed her forehead and decided to take Kyle up on his offer to visit the gym together.

After calling into work to say she'd be off ill again, Kagome made a Doctor's appointment, hoping they'd give her a note for some time off. The last thing she wanted was to get Hojo's wife fired. Luckily the doctor believed her oscar worthy performance, having made herself sweat on purpose and faked symptoms.

Getting on a treadmill finally with Kyle and 'Ri-Ri' beside her at the gym, Kagome grinned widely. Putting it on a high setting, she began laughing and bounding on the machine. "I can run so fast now! Kyle! Kyle look at this! See how quick?"

"Yes, Kagome, that's...great," he gave a thumbs up, exchanging a puzzled glance with Ri-Ri.

It carried on to the weights, where Kagome belly laughed at how much she could lift. The rest of the quiet gym seemed very uncomfortable with her energy but the miko didn't care, blazing through a workout and feeling like she'd hijacked Sango's body. So cool!

She then stopped, putting a hand to her stomach. "Ah...I just realised, do you think those weights were too heavy? Do you do lighter ones when pregnant?"

Ri-Ri gasped, "you're pregnant? Congratulations!"

Kyle held up a hand, gaze flat. "Wait a second, are you actually or is this that dumb Hojo thing?"

Frowning, Kagome took a drink of water. "What Hojo thing?"

"You know, that new age crap he sucked you into where it's 'wish for what you want by implementing it into your daily life and it'll happen.' Tricking your mind into thinking you're pregnant before you actually are by pretending to already be with child."

Bristling, she stared ahead of herself uncomprehendingly. "Huh."

Swallowing, Kagome forced suddenly heavy fingers away from where they'd been resting on her flat stomach, letting them fall to her side.

A part of her regretted getting the Doctor's permission to be off work, finding she had little to do at home.

When Hojo did finally skitter in, Kagome shoved the doctor's note in his hands to explain her presence at the house. Her husband checked her forehead attentively, looking mildly perplexed by the symptoms but ultimately believing her. Seemed she'd had no reason to fret after all.

He'd always believed the wild stories Grandpa had concocted, maybe that should've been a tip-off.

"Hey, you're not wearing your sandals," Hojo said to her one afternoon.

"In the house?" Kagome muttered, dusting. There was no point in being irritated with him about the fake pregnancy and yet she couldn't help it. Logically she knew Hojo's wife hadn't been lied to but she felt foolish and embarrassed.

He laughed, "not your regular sandals, the memory foam ones that are meant to be good for your feet! You'll need them as soon as you start gaining weight with the baby."

"Let me guess, they have-"

"They have hidden health benefits too!" Hojo insisted.

Wanting to try something, she lifted a careless shoulder. "Actually I don't feel like it."

"But KAGOME!" deep blue eyes enlarged, alarmed she would dismiss such a thing. "They improve your posture and have a reputation as some of the best sandals in Japan. Leading experts in the field agree, they're unmatched for comfort and style-" she highly doubted that, looking at the plastic monstrosities. "-besides what with your history of bunions, they're well suited to YOU, specifically-"

Biting back a groan and silently cursing Grandpa for that particular lie, Kagome stuck her feet forcefully into the shoes and continued dusting, cutting off his tirade.

"Ah, thank you, Darling," a chaste kiss was planted on her cheek. "You know it's because I worry for your health."

Perhaps his attentiveness in certain aspects should've been seen as sweet. Yet to Kagome, willful, wry and playful, his unyielding, earnest personality only came off as grating.

Kagome snuggled with kitsunes, laughed with con-artists, rolled eyes with slayers and argued with foul-mouthed half-demons. Despite being a priestess, the young woman was far from saintly in her tastes.

During another uneventful day at home, she messaged Mr Taisho back.

'Sorry for the late reply, I'll be there.'

Walking into the Space Station, she glanced around. Having no idea what Mr Taisho looked like she intended to walk around and pretend to be distracted by the exhibits, hoping he'd approach her first.

Sitting down before a large accurate to-scale model of a rocket, Kagome smiled to herself. Papa had loved space travel. She could recall him doing this funny thing in the car where he'd drive around roundabouts a ridiculous amount of times. The momentum would make Kagome slide in her seat and she'd laugh and close her eyes, pretending to be on a spaceship. 'Space travel, space travel!' she'd used to shout.

Hearing slight scribbles and drags of a pencil over paper, long lashes fluttered open. Kagome turned to face the bench a little ways away, also facing the rocket. A man sat upon it, drawing something from what she could tell.

Long dark hair had been collected into a low ponytail. He wore glasses and a dark dress shirt, the material clinging about his defined upper arms and shoulders.

Dark eyes slid to her and Kagome flushed red, glancing away. Strangely enough, his aristocratic features had looked familiar.

"It is common practice to greet one another when meeting up, miko."

Jolting hard, her nervous system exploded into overdrive. Heart hammering in her chest, Kagome whipped her head back to the regal featured man as he removed his glasses and levelled her with an achingly nostalgic haughty look.

"S-sesshoumaru?!"

The demon lord arched a brow. "You were the one who belatedly answered my message yesterday, were you not?"

Kagome picked her jaw up off the ground and nodded. "Yes."

"Strange, since you are acting as though my appearance is a surprise," he pointed out.

"Ah- not at all!" Kagome stood, waving her hands. "I'm just a little off today," she giggled breezily, feeling like she'd be repeating that like a mantra in the coming weeks.

Sesshoumaru arched a brow, glancing her over and inhaling. "You seem perfectly fine. Exceptionally skittish though," a sharp fang flashed. "Do I make you nervous?"

Stopping, Kagome felt alarm rush through her. "W-what? Ha!" Bravado returned, welcome and fierce. "You wish, jerk."

His eyes were sharp and intent, lips curving slightly.

Shaking herself, she approached. Choosing not to focus the strangeness of the situation as a whole, she instead looked at the very real, very modern Sesshoumaru sitting before her. Amiable. Talkative. Friendl- wait was she friends with Sesshoumaru here?

This universe is weird.

"Whatcha drawing?" she said, gasping and making a noise of appreciation upon spying the page. The exact replica of the rocket she'd been staring at looked beautiful on paper, with excellent shading. It seemed a little like a diagram instead of something expressive and arty yet it was still impressive.

Sesshoumaru glanced at her, humming and continuing to sketch. "Sit."

"Huh? O-oh, right," she took a seat next to him. Smoothing her skirts, Kagome sighed. She had to be careful now. Sesshoumaru wasn't Hojo or her Mom, who willingly overlooked little blemishes in her memory. His attention felt heavy and watchful. It always had. Perhaps he didn't speak much but the Daiyoukai listened and observed very keenly. Predators did that.

She decided to start out with something easy, glancing at him. "So how are you doing?"

"Hn."

Frowning, she tried again, gaze sliding down to his long-fingered hands. A ring caught her attention. "And your…spouse?"

His pencil stopped. Sesshoumaru's gaze flicked up to the rocket before he continued shading. "Adequate. Yours?"

"Cool, great, fantastic!" pausing to wring her hands, Kagome's lips thinned. Some sort of madness seized her, a culmination of feelings that had built up over the past few days. It loosened her tongue around the most unlikely person possible. Somehow though, Kagome wasn't afraid. There was nothing to fear from Sesshoumaru's disapproval, because he was a stranger to her, even in this life. And Kagome would always let the opinions of strangers roll off her back like water.

It was her friends and loved ones that held her heart, yet they could also unleash the most damage to her. Make her fear and worry she wasn't being the best version of herself for them. Kagome didn't need to be that version with a stranger like him.

"It's… bad to want a person to spend time with you when their job is literally saving lives, isn't it?"

Sesshoumaru continued sketching, "you are very open today."

Kagome floundered. Shit. Was she not usually?

"No, I do not think so," he rumbled after a time. "More a sign that you wish for a spouse whose profession is not…that."

"Right, and I'd never ask him to give it up!" Kagome insisted quickly. "It's something he clearly loves doing. Putting a baby bandaid over the problem won't fix it."

I just wish this Kagome could see that. Why did she bury her head in the sand so deep and pretended everything was fine?

Feeling a little vulnerable, she rubbed her arms. "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, I'll be back to normal next week, you'll see."

"I do not wish that for you."

Starting, Kagome shifted to find midsummer golden eyes fixed on her face, whatever human glamour he hid behind peeled away slightly. "This is the most introspective I have seen you in some time, miko."

Blushing slightly and trying not to let everything slip, to tumble from her mouth in an ungraceful swan dive into consuming emotion, Kagome took a breath. "Maybe you should remind me of it next time we meet up. Just in case the epiphany slips my mind."

"Hn," he finished up sketching and put his pad away.

Fiddling with her hair, she smiled. "So do you want to get a cup of coffee or-"

"Kagome."

She stiffened, feeling like she'd never heard her name from his lips before. Glancing at him, Kagome's mouth went dry.

Sesshoumaru stared back with a cold, languid stare. She'd seen that look before, on the battlefield.

"This one has explained beforehand that I am not married but wear a wedding ring because it is 'easier' to fend off unwanted attention with it. Though people still try," he hummed, shifting his weight closer. "In fact, we have spoken about it many times. What's more, you never address me as 'Sesshoumaru' but as Taisho. You also always ask after my children's health."

"Ch-children?"

"Adopted. I have eleven," he shifted a knee up onto the bench, brushing her thigh.

"That many?!"

"Hn, you know each of them by name. They are of varying ages, the eldest being 70," blunt nails enlarged into lithe claws before her very eyes, brushing through dark locks. "Who are you?" he purred in a velvety tone, like silk whispering over flesh.

"I'm Kagome!" she insisted, feeling hot breath fan over her mouth as she bent backwards on the bench, Sesshoumaru following. Her lips stung from the tease of attention. "R-really! I just bumped my head and forgot a few things. I'll be back to normal next week, I promise!"

"That is highly specific of you," inky black hair spilt down beside her. "You lie, and act almost reminiscent of how you used to be. A bratty, firey miko..." understanding dawned on Sesshoumaru's face, seconds before Kagome panicked and slammed both hands into his chest, unleashing a blast of pent up reiki.

His body was thrown off her while she scrambled up and panted. "Yua!"

The child appeared and levelled two fingers at Sesshoumaru's forehead just as he righted himself.

"Don't-" his hiss was cut off.

Yua froze him. The Daiyoukai just suddenly stopped, as though put on pause. Calmly adjusting her clothes, the girl glanced at Kagome over one shoulder. "Was I correct in assuming he would've threatened your marital experience with Hojo?"

"Y-yeah," Kagome mumbled, feeling strange. "Don't hurt him though."

"He will interfere again the second I release him. Perhaps I should simply wipe his memory of this encounter."

"No! No, just...I only have a day left in this world, maybe let him go once I'm out of here," she sighed. "There's no way I can leave early, is there?"

Yua shook her head.

"Let's get these next 24 hours over with then," Kagome muttered, hugging her arms and walking away.

She never did get that date with Hojo, but perhaps that in itself was indicative of how he'd always be. Kagome wanted to write a sprawling, poetic epic to Hojo's Kagome. Something about not settling into a routine just to satisfy other people or try to run from the past. Ultimately though, Kagome could only guess how the woman was feeling, and she was there to sample the world, not change it. In fact, it was highly possible Kagome was projecting her own feelings of dissatisfaction onto Hojo's wife, and that wasn't fair.

So, she left a few simple lines in a desk draw. Easy to pass over, but there all the same; If you're unhappy, leave.

After gaining Yua's assurance that she'd released Sesshoumaru from the binding spell, Kagome felt something atop her head. Reaching up and plucking a second daisy from the crown, Kagome fell into nothingness, anticipating her new husband.

A hard shove from a foot being lodged into her ribs had Kagome squawking awake and wheezing. Snarling soon after, she whipped her head up, finding a grumpy hanyou standing over her.

"Took ya long enough to wake up!" Inuyasha huffed. "Get outta bed, lazyass. The kid needs feeding."

Staring at him, Kagome dropped her head back to the futon and groaned loudly.