Born for Each Other

by The Monday Child

All Kagome wants is to enjoy the last year of high school in her small town and finally take things to the next level with her perfect boyfriend, but the first party of the year takes a bad turn. Having unearthed a passion she'd rather remained buried, it's up to her to decide whether the love that was right there all along is worth fighting for.

Note: I have watched exactly 3.5 episodes of One Tree Hill and that accounts for the sum total of my knowledge of basketball.

Born for Each Other

Kagome stormed up the stairs, heedless of the talking and kissing couples that sat and stood and draped themselves all over each other like it was an orgy instead of a high school house party. They were just obstacles that she couldn't physically move out of the way without consequences. Maybe she did poke them with the sharp toes of her shoes a little, fine, whatever. Their noises of discomfort fell on deaf, enraged ears.

She knew just where he was. She could feel him, she always could.

It broke her heart especially badly because she had always felt like he was the same. That they were in sync. Maybe they were, which made this an even worse betrayal. With renewed rage, Kagome didn't even try to open the door to the guest bedroom. She just kicked it and it flew open, hitting the wall hard enough to punch a hole in it.

"Kagome!" her former friend Ayumi said, looking more confused than anything else. "You said you weren't coming tonight."

She wasn't paying attention to her. No, Ayumi didn't matter. Never had. The only one who mattered was the only one who had ever mattered to her.

"Time to go, Inuyasha," she said, barely able to get the words out with how hard her jaw was clenched.

He was reclining on the bed like nothing was wrong, shirtless with his muscular arms folded behind his head. His long black hair was down and messy enough that she would have known what he had been up to even if his pants hadn't been unzipped.

"Nah, I don't feel like it," he drawled. "I have more fun when you ain't around, so piss back off to wherever you came from."

Kagome waited a second just to give him a chance. The two of them stared each other down, neither of them giving an inch with their matching stubbornness.

"Get out, Ayumi," Kagome said.

"But I—"

"Get out!"

The girl quickly scurried out, but not before she fixed her shirt. No, of course she couldn't lose her innocent image. Inuyasha smacked her ass on the way out and she squealed in a way that was far too delighted and made Kagome sick to her stomach.

And then they were alone.

"What the fuck was that for?" Inuyasha asked with a scowl.

She laughed out loud and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "Really? I should be asking you that. What the eff, Inuyasha?"

He looked behind her. "Did you seriously break the door?"

"Told ya cheerleading was a sport."

Kagome advanced, not letting his attempt at distracting her cool her rage. The closer she got, the more she noticed that underneath Inuyasha's nonchalant façade was an anger that matched her own. That decided it for her. There was no avoiding it any longer. She straddled him and he tried not to look too surprised.

"You are mine," she said, voice low and intense. Grabbing him by the hair, she brought his face to hers and kissed him as hard as she could. "Mine, Inuyasha."

His hands were already on her ass. "Thank fuck you came around, Kagome. Ayumi kisses like she's only ever had a hand to practice with."

"Let's go," she urged. "We can park at the beach and make up."

The two of them got to their feet and she helped Inuyasha dress. He seemed gloomier than usual.

"I told you I don't wanna be a secret."

Kagome sighed in exasperation. "I heard. If you can figure out a way to tell the world you're fucking your twin sister without any repercussions for either of us, let me know. But until then, we're more than secret. We are classified."

As she opened the door, he couldn't resist sneaking in a kiss to the side of her neck.

"I love it when you say the f-word."

Usually, Kagome didn't play with him when there were people around to hear it. But their fight had been big this time, and she couldn't resist.

"I love it when we do the f-word more."

Giddy and horny, neither of them realized the shocked pale witness to their twisted exchange who continued to stare at the broken door long after they had run off. She hadn't been invited to this party—or any party—but even if she had been, she doubted either of them would have noticed her. It had been years since they'd last thought of their best friend.

O\o/O

It had been a party much like the one they had made up at that Inuyasha and Kagome had first gotten together.

They were celebrating the first big basketball game of the year. It was their school's best sport and spirits were high. Kagome hadn't paid any attention to the game even though she was cheering the team on. That was Inuyasha's thing, and she knew that as long as he was on the team they were sure to win. All her attention was focused on her boyfriend up in the bleachers.

Hojo didn't play basketball but he did come to every game. That was how they had met. Every game he sat in the stands, staring down at where she cheered. At first, she hadn't noticed it until her friends pointed it out. Then she thought it was creepy. But after a dry spell, it seemed more cute than anything else, and they ended up getting together.

Tonight at his party she was finally going to seal the deal.

"You always have the best music, Hojo!" she said, leaning in to kiss him.

He turned at the last minute to smile at one of their friends and she ended up getting his cheek. "Great, you're here. I want to talk to you. I want to talk to everyone, actually."

Most of their friends were already gathered around. It seemed like they had been waiting for her. Her heart began to beat faster. Was he going to propose? That wasn't exactly the kind of intimacy she had hoped the evening would end in.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Look, this is really important to me, and I would appreciate it if no one interrupts me until I'm finished, okay?"

Nods all around.

He took a deep breath and held her hand. "This has been on my mind for a really long time and I'm so glad I've surrounded myself with people I know will understand. Everyone, I'm gay. I like men."

Kagome heard nothing but white noise as Hojo was swarmed by their friends with hugs and congratulations.

"You are so brave!" Ayumi said, tears in her eyes. "Thank you for trusting us. I feel like somehow I always knew, but thank you for including us."

"You're still one of the guys, Hojo," Kōga said, clapping him on the shoulder. "I hope it didn't even cross your mind that we would treat you differently."

Hojo looked near tears himself. "You guys are so great! This is the kind of coming out everyone dreams—"

"Sorry, what?" Kagome said, voice a little too high and making them eye her oddly. "You're what?"

"Your reaction was the one I was the most worried about, Kagome," Hojo said. "We've been together for months and you're my best friend. I hope you understand that I just don't see you like you see me. I can't."

"So you've been gay this whole time?"

"Well, yes. Ever since I can remember."

"And you knew that when you asked me out?"

He was beginning to look annoyed. "Obviously, yeah. Is there something wrong with me being gay?"

"Are you homophobic, Kagome?" Ayumi asked, eyes wide and questioning.

"No! That's not what this is—" Letting out a wordless sound of frustration, she rolled her eyes. "Hojo, I don't care. But you shouldn't have lied to me. You used me."

"Holy shit, Kagome, can I just have one moment to celebrate finally being myself? Why does everything always have to be about you?"

"I think it's best if you leave," Eri said to her, putting an arm around Hojo. "Come on, we can talk about boys together."

Hojo beamed. "Thanks, Eri. You're a true friend." Giving a targeted glance at Kagome, he began to walk away. "I know it's kind of basic, but don't you think Inuyasha is the best-looking…" The rest of what they said was swallowed by the noise of the party.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha was in a bit of a dilemma himself.

"You can't possibly know you're pregnant, we just fucked two days ago!" Inuyasha hissed.

"But I know," Nazuna said, pressing his hand to her stomach. "That'sh why we needa get married, Inuyajja. We hab a baby."

He grabbed his hand back and looked for help. "Even if you were pregnant, pretty sure you fetal alcohol syndromed that kid into oblivion just now."

"Bud we lub each other! Why wait?" Nazuna lunged at him, trying to throw her arms around his neck. Instead, she hit him in the eye.

"I don't give a single fuck about you!" Inuyasha yelled as he steadied her.

Unfortunately for him, that coincided with a pause in the music. Everyone turned to look at them.

Nazuna's eyes began to water. "Y-you don' luh-luh-lub me? Or our bay-beeeeeee?" she shrieked, sobbing like she was beginning to have a panic attack.

Her friends began to surround them.

"Stay the fuck away from her!" one of them shouted.

"You need help, Inuyasha."

The murmurs traveled like lightning all across the party.

"Did you hear? Inuyasha beat up Nazuna because she told him she was pregnant."

"What a fucking monster!"

"Yeah! And Kagome turned Hojo gay."

Inuyasha knew he needed to get out of there. Things were getting pretty uncomfortable, but stuff like that happened in a small town. This time, it was his turn. Everything would blow over by tomorrow, he was sure of that, but he needed to hide out until everyone was drunk and distracted enough that he could sneak out of the house.

So he went to the only off-limits place he knew of: the master bedroom.

It was occupied.

"Kagome?" he said, blinking in confusion at the sobbing figure on the bed. "What're you doing here?"

She sniffled and threw a pillow at him. "Get out! I need to be alone."

He threw the pillow back at her and sat on the bed. "Tough luck 'cause so do I."

"W-what happened?" she asked, blinking the tears out of her big eyes that were gray like his own but shades lighter. "Your hand started to hurt from all the high-fives? Need a break from how much everyone loves you?"

He snorted. "You're the attention whore in the family. I just like to play the game. They choose to watch."

That comment reminded her a little too much of how Hojo had claimed she was trying to take his moment for herself and she burst into tears again.

"Fuck, Kagome, I didn't mean it!" Inuyasha said. His hands hovered in the air above her, unsure of how to comfort her. "What's got you like this, anyway?"

Usually she was so, well, cheerful, making her perfect for the squad she led. They didn't talk much, and while they had friends in common didn't spend time together. From his point of view, she was the one everyone loved. Popular and beautiful and smart and in so many extracurricular activities it made him tired just thinking about it. So what had turned her into this snotty, crying mess?

Kagome sat up and dried her eyes, trying to compose herself. "You're gonna hear about it any minute, anyway, so I guess it's okay if I tell you. Hojo's gay."

He blinked. "Your boyfriend?"

The tears gathered again. "Yeah," she said in a small voice. "Well, ex-boyfriend. He didn't exactly break up with me, but I'm just assuming."

He thought for a moment. "Jakotsu's gay, isn't he? Do you think he was cheating on you with him?"

Kagome scowled at him and slapped his shoulder. "They're both bottoms, you idiot, that would never work."

"Are you trying to tell me you're a top?"

She laughed and the last of the tears disappeared. Inuyasha smiled.

"He likes you, you know. Remember when he showed up to every game and we thought it was for me?"

"Oh no." His stomach turned. "Was he…? When he was with you, was he imagining…?"

"I'd prefer not to think about it."

"Agreed."

"So what brought you here really?"

He thought about telling her he'd heard her crying and wanted to make her feel better, but she looked so sweetly earnest with her legs curled to the side of her just waiting for him to open up, and he realized that he wanted to be honest.

"Nazuna's drunk as hell and telling people I got her pregnant."

"Did you?"

"No!" he said immediately. "I mean, we had sex, but it was just once and it was two days ago and we used a condom. She's just caught up in spinning her own drama web."

"Don't worry about it. I heard she tried the same thing with a guy named Miroku at another school."

He felt a little relieved at that. "If you could spread that around to counter what they're saying about me, I'd appreciate it. And I'll let everyone know you didn't turn Hojo gay."

"They said I turned Hojo gay!?"

And then Kagome was sobbing again, flopped down on the bed with her face in a pillow.

"Hey! Come on, don't cry, Kagome. It's not true, that's not even a thing, and I'll make sure everyone knows it. C'mere."

Pulling her up, he gathered her in his arms for a hug. Inuyasha was surprised by how it felt to hold her. She was warm and soft and the way her breasts pressed into his chest when she took heaving breath after heaving breath made him feel things that were unnerving to feel when provoked by his sister.

Gradually, she quieted, but he didn't let go.

"Feeling better?" he asked. His hand was rubbing her back. Somehow during the course of her breakdowns, her cheer top had ridden up a little and he was touching her bare skin.

"Lil bit," she murmured. "You're really comfortable."

Inuyasha chuckled. "You ready to go back out there?"

Kagome whimpered and her eyes looked weepy again. "I wanted tonight to be special. I-I wanted… And now I won't have another boyfriend until college!"

"Please. I'll bet you anything when we go downstairs the guys'll be celebrating you being single. They're probably fighting over who gets to ask you out first."

"They'll be fighting over who has to sit next to me in class and no one will want to and everyone will hate me and they'll force me off the squad and—"

Inuyasha kissed her.

It lasted for just a flash of warmth before he pulled back and they stared at one another, wide-eyed. Kagome had been shocked out of her tears.

"I'm sorry!" Inuyasha said, breaking the silence. "Fuck, I'm sorry. I was drinking and you were sad and I wanted to make you feel better and I don't know—"

"Shut up."

He shut up.

"Do it again," Kagome said.

"W-what?"

"Do it again."

When he made no move, Kagome did. That brief contact from before had done something. Maybe it was the months she had spent lost in a sexual Sahara, but it felt different. She'd heard about sparks before but had always thought that was romcom bullshit. And then they'd touched lips for just a chaste tenth of a second and parts of her she didn't even know she'd had became electrified.

Kagome kissed him. It was hardly more than a mere press of the lips to start with, but that same feeling of electric something was there, growing and amplifying. She gasped at the newness and Inuyasha boldly flirted his tongue inside her mouth. That set her off like a stick of dynamite and she somehow found herself in his lap and grinding against him.

"You're hard," she said, unable to keep herself from teasing him. Just because they were acting like this didn't mean she stopped being his little sister.

"I'm sorry," Inuyasha said again. That didn't stop him from continuing to kiss her, his mouth glued to hers as he rocked his hard cock against her core.

She moaned aloud. "You shouldn't be. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"We should stop," he said, gasping when Kagome bit his lower lip in punishment for taking his mouth away. "Fuck, Kagome, if we keep going…"

"What? I'll end up like Nazuna?"

He meant to laugh, but she shifted in his lap in a way that felt more like gyrating than changing her position and it came out as a hard exhale through his nose.

"It was just a kiss, Inuyasha," Kagome said. "I'll stop if you want."

"I never said I wanted to stop. Someone had to at least say we should, though."

The two of them stared at each other. Now that the initial passion had cooled somewhat and a bit of the alcohol had left their system, it wasn't as simple as just kissing an attractive person.

"This is weird, isn't it?" Kagome said. Still, she didn't leave his lap.

"Well, maybe it's not as weird as it could be."

"How? We're twins, Inuyasha. That's like twice as close as regular siblings."

"I mean, you're the hottest girl in school." Both their cheeks flushed at that one but since Kagome smiled he wasn't too embarrassed by his admission. "I'm point guard. Team captain. And I'm not bad-looking either."

She rolled her eyes. "Understatement. You know every girl has written about you in her diary at some point. But what about all that?"

"Well, if we weren't twins, wouldn't we be dating each other?"

Kagome thought about it for a second. "I guess. Yeah, we probably would be."

"Maybe that's why we've been having so much trouble with other people. Because we're not supposed to be with other people."

Something behind Kagome's eyes shuttered and Inuyasha could tell he'd gone too far. She got up to leave, but he pulled her back down on the bed so she was next to him.

"Wait, I'm sorry, don't go. Just… How about we try something?"

"What?" Kagome eyed him suspiciously. Being drunk and kissing was one thing, but Inuyasha was bringing up stuff that scared her.

"You liked kissing me, right?"

She nodded. Where was he going with this?

"Let's just keep going until we don't like it anymore."

Kagome was all set to refuse, but then his hand was on her knee and she couldn't stop thinking about how amazing it had felt before. She'd been with a few guys in the past, but things with them were nowhere near as good as this. Maybe it was a weird twin thing combined with sexual deprivation. Whatever the case, she was drunk enough and sad enough that she didn't care if it was wrong.

"Okay."

Inuyasha knew he had to be careful this time. Kagome had been ready to bolt, and he suddenly found he couldn't accept that. So he was gentle. Girls liked gentle. And he found that when he was with Kagome, even gentle restraint was something he could enjoy. When he cupped her face in his hands, her eyes fluttered shut, and he took a second to just study her before he dove in.

Their faces were alike, so he hadn't paid much attention to hers in the past. But whereas he had grown into his masculinity and inherited their father's strong jaw and thickly arched brows, Kagome was all sweet femininity. Her face was small and heart-shaped. Her nose was slightly upturned, a spray of freckles across the bridge that were nearly invisible unless someone was close enough to kiss her, and he felt annoyed when he thought of anyone ever being that close to her. Her lips were plush and naturally a kind of deep pink others could only achieve by eating berries and letting the juice stain them. There was a slight dip in the center of her lower lip that emphasized its fullness. Ducking down, he kissed her, his tongue flicking against that spot.

Kagome shuddered and he knew he had her.

Instead of overwhelming her with his own passion, he kept his kisses light. Slow. He held back, which wasn't in his nature. No tongue. Each time he pulled back, they came back together faster. Of her own volition, Kagome put her arms around his neck. She pressed against him, seeming to melt into him. He let her set the pace, let her think that she was in charge.

Before too long, Inuyasha found himself pinned down to the bed.

"This is going to sound so horrible," Kagome said. She was biting her lip and looking genuinely worried. "I don't know if it's a twin thing or a you thing or a not-having-sex-in-almost-a-year thing, but I'm so fucking wet, Inuyasha, and that never happens with just kissing. If I could choose any guy at this party, any guy in the whole school, to break my fast with, it would be you."

"Are you asking me to—"

"I'm telling you to fuck me."

Inuyasha couldn't get out of his clothes fast enough. Kagome had done no more than pulled down the zipper of her skirt when he was completely nude. She was too distracted by checking him out to continue to undress and he was glad. His hands had been itching to do the honors himself.

"You're so fucking hot," he said in a tone nearer to a whine than anything else. His hands ran up her sides and under her shirt until it was completely off, leaving her in just a bra and panties.

"I know," Kagome said, tugging him forward by the cock. "I mean, you too. Whatever. Fuck me. Please?"

"Fuck, you weren't lying about being wet." Her white panties had turned transparent and her inner thighs were damp.

She rubbed the head of his cock against the warm wet crotch of her underwear and they both moaned. Kagome could feel more juices run out at the contact.

"I'm so fucking horny that I'm going to spontaneously combust if I don't get you inside me soon."

"I'm gonna cum-bust if you don't stop jerking me off."

The two of them laughed and Kagome let go of him. "Undress me. And for fuck's sake, fucking fuck me already."

"I don't have a condom."

They could have looked in the nightstand drawers. He could have asked someone and kept his partner a secret. Above all, they could have stopped.

"I don't care." She had an IUD and usually used condoms anyway, but she wanted this more than anything.

"I was hoping you would say that."

Inuyasha dragged her panties down and threw them to the floor. Her bra was next. Her breasts bounced free and he grabbed his cock at the sight of them.

"You've got great tits," he croaked.

"Then feel them up instead of yourself."

He fell on them like a starving man, because in a way he was. A part of him had always wanted this. Her. The only one who was suited for him. Kagome cried out and arched her back as he widened his mouth, taking nearly half her full breast inside. His tongue flicked against her nipple and he felt just how hard it was, like a precious little diamond. Narrowing the circle of his lips, he sucked hard. Warmth hit his knee and he chuckled. There was a wet spot on the sheet and he hadn't even started yet.

Switching to her other breast, he reached between them and ran a single finger up her dripping slit, easily collecting enough of her sweet dew to soak the digit. Inuyasha left the breast with a pop and circled the nipple with her wetness. Then he paused, making eye contact with Kagome while he leaned down and took a single slow lick of her hard nipple dripping with her own pussy juice.

"Oh gods oh fuck oh Inuyasha!" Kagome chanted in a hushed tone like an awed worshipper.

He went back and forth between scooping her never-ending supply of pussy juice, pausing briefly to tease her clit, and rubbing her nipples with her own arousal. His mouth slurped up the mixture of that and his own saliva, his tongue making a show of playing with her tits for her visual benefit in addition to the physical sensation. Kagome's hips were jolting, trying to force him to stimulate her where she really wanted it, but for now he wanted to build her up a little more until the madness took over.

He knew it was time when she pulled his hair so hard it hurt and forced his face to hers for a savage, sucking kiss. After too brief a time, she pulled away, breathing hard. They were nose to nose.

"You will put that beautiful, big cock inside me right now and fuck me until I'm so dehydrated I'll need a fucking IV or I'll—I'll—"

He smiled. "You'll what?"

"Just do it!"

"As you wish." The Princess Bride was her favorite movie and he couldn't resist.

Leaning down to give her a quick kiss, he pulled away before she could bite or something. She had already spread her legs for him and they were parted so wide he could see inside. Fuck, but he could cum harder than he ever had in his life just by jerking off to this. Kagome started to squirm and she almost seemed near tears with how badly she wanted him in her. He knew the feeling. Finally taking pity on her, Inuyasha began to ease inside. Her entrance was so slick and warm and welcoming yet her pussy gripped him tight just the same. Little fluttering pulses kissed his dick on his way in and he nearly fell on top of her, overwhelmed by what she was doing to him without even trying.

But Kagome deserved more than drunken, sloppy sex.

When he was inside of her as deep as he could go, he stopped to kiss her. They were closer than ever now, even closer than when they had shared a womb. Kagome mewled and wrapped her legs around his waist while jerking her hips up, finding an angle that made her gasp. Inuyasha committed it to memory and rose up, unwrapping her legs and holding them beneath the knees while he reared back and slammed forward, hitting that same spot. This time, she released a sweet cry.

Letting one of her legs drop to the bed, he rubbed her clit with his thumb. The pink jewel was swollen and had been winking at him from between her sparse dark curls for too long. While he did that, he continued to thrust inside nice and deep, mindful of her spot. Kagome's eyes were screwed shut and her lips stayed parted. Every time he moved inside her, another cry was torn from her throat. Her hands were fisted in the sheets and Inuyasha watched as her tits jiggled with each of his strong thrusts.

The sounds of their sex added to his arousal and he found himself losing control. His heavy breathing, Kagome's impassioned noises, the smack of their flesh, and always how very wet she was. Her pussy was growing tighter around him and he could feel himself nearing his own end. He started to swipe his thumb across her clit faster, working it in circles before finally pinching it as he drove deep inside, aiming upward.

"Fuck, Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed as she grabbed for him.

Her pussy clamped down hard on him just as he lost control and unloaded the biggest nut he'd ever had inside her. His hips continued to move and he kissed Kagome, the both of them gasping as they drew out their orgasms. When he finally was able to withdraw from her and collapse on his back at her side, they stared at the ceiling for more than a minute in silence.

"Wow," they said at the same time, still in sync.

"That was different," Inuyasha said, smiling broadly. He'd never been that turned on in his life and he was confident it was the same with her.

"Definitely different." Her voice didn't hold the same relaxed and warm quality his did.

Sensing her trying to separate herself from him, Inuyasha reached to pull her back at least physically. Throwing one leg over her and one arm around her, he forcefully made her his little spoon. Kagome laughed a little and he kissed the side of her neck.

"You had fun?"

"…Yeah," she finally admitted.

"You liked it? All of it?"

"I guess."

This wasn't the enthusiasm he was hoping for. Inuyasha turned her over onto her back and searched her face. No tears, at least that. But Kagome was completely expressionless and that wasn't okay.

He'd have to rile her up a little.

"What's gotten into you? Other than my dick."

Kagome scowled at him. "Ugh, fuck off." Shoving him away, she got up and grabbed her clothes. "How are you okay with this? We had sex, Inuyasha. I just fucked my big brother. My twin brother. I'm pretty sure if Mom and Dad found out they'd kill us and then each other."

He shrugged, taking the time to enjoy watching his cum start to drip out of her. "So we don't tell 'em."

"We never should have done this!" she ranted. "Stupid fucking Hojo making me a beard and making me so sex-starved I'd even fuck my fucking twin. Ugh! Where's my other knee high?"

Inuyasha arched his back and grabbed the sock she was looking for, throwing it at her. She caught it.

"I don't get what you're so mad about," he said. "That was the best sex of my fucking life. I don't think it'll ever be better than with each other."

"That's exactly why we never should have done it!" Kagome said. "More than anything, we never should've done it because now that we have we know how fucking good it is and we're going to want it again."

"So we do it again, who cares?"

"I care!" Kagome yelled, stormy eyes flashing. "What happens when we go to college? When we start seriously dating people? When we get married? How the fuck are we going to come back from this? What if I picture you when I'm with my husband? What if I have to?"

He rolled his eyes. "Look, you're overreacting. Come back to bed and we'll talk through it and think of something."

"You know what I think?" She narrowed her eyes. "I think you don't care at all. Why doesn't this bother you?"

"Because." Inuyasha grabbed her wrist and tugged her forward until she was in his arms again. He kissed her until she stopped struggling. "You get me completely hard with just a kiss, Kagome. Whatever this is was there before the sex. No one else was ever going to do it for us. Why should I let it bother me when I can't change it? Maybe we were born this way."

She raised a brow. "You're crazy and we're never talking about this again. Okay? And don't tell anyone!"

And she left.

O\o/O

It took about a week before everyone forgot that Hojo and Kagome had ever dated in the first place. Nazuna ended up not remembering her confrontation with Inuyasha at all and moved on to her next obsession. Everything had more or less returned to normal.

Or it would have, if Kagome didn't share a home with her worst mistake.

She could avoid Inuyasha most of the time. Their schedules differed enough that she usually only had to see him in passing, and she avoided looking at him at all. Thankfully, he hadn't tried to say anything to her. Though it was kind of annoying that he seemed to be avoiding her, too. What the hell had she done? He was the weird one.

Her bedroom was on the second floor of the house. His was in the basement. They alternated dinners with their parents, choosing to take a meal in their rooms every other night. They went to school separately, him in his car and her with her friends.

The closest they got together was in the one class they shared, World History and Social Studies. The two of them sat next to one another due to the alphabetically assigned seating. Having him so close made the hair on the back of her neck stand up and it took everything in her not to fake sick and run to the nurse every single day.

"The story of Tanabata," Ms. Tsubaki began without preamble, "is ancient and does not originate in Japan, coming rather from China. You all know Tanabata as the night on which we hang tanzaku, have fireworks, food, games, and wear traditional dress.

"We celebrate Orihime and her lover, Hikoboshi. The two of them were so obsessed with one another that they neglected their heavenly duties, with Orihime no longer weaving her fine clothes and Hikoboshi allowing his cows to wander freely. Orihime's father, the god of the heavens, was angered by this and forbade them to be together.

"In the version we're most familiar with, Orihime begs her father for them to be allowed to stay together, and he agrees—under very specific circumstances. Only on the seventh day of the seventh month can the lovers be reunited. Orihime must cross the river of the Milky Way with a flock of magpies making a bridge for her. If the weather is poor, the magpies do not come, and the two must wait another year. That is why we always wish for good weather on that day.

"But in the original version of the story, Orihime's father refuses the lovers a reunion. They fall into despair and commit suicide rather than separate. Their bond is so strong that they are reborn as twins. In many cultures across history, twins of the opposite sex were thought to be star-crossed lovers who had missed their chance at being together in a previous life and so were reborn together in the next. Some cultures even married twins together to satisfy their souls.

"Aren't you glad society has progressed beyond such silly superstitions, Inuyasha and Kagome?"

The class laughed and Kagome felt herself turn absolutely red. She refused to look at Inuyasha though she just knew he was staring her down. Keeping her eyes on the open textbook in front of her, she counted the seconds until class was over.

"We need to talk," Inuyasha muttered the second the bell rang.

Kagome pretended she hadn't heard him.

Inuyasha raised his voice. "We need to talk about what happened at the party when we—"

"Fine!" Kagome said, rounding on him. "Just not here."

He nodded. "I'll drive you home, come on."

"No way." She didn't want to be alone with him. "I'll meet you at home."

"Whatever. My room."

Kagome didn't go straight home. She couldn't after that. There was no cheer practice that day, but she still got changed and went out on the green. After a few hours of some stretches, routines, running laps, and one very long cold shower, Kagome was ready.

There. Now she had punished her body enough and it wouldn't want to do anything it shouldn't.

It was dark by the time she made it home. Kissing her mother on the cheek and giving her father a distracted wave, she hesitated only the slightest bit before descending the basement steps. Inuyasha used to have a room next to hers once upon a time, but had asked for the basement at the start of their teen years for privacy reasons. It had coincided with their father giving up his hobby of woodworking, which he himself admitted had never been very good yet. So now Inuyasha had a spacious room and bathroom all to himself.

The door opened before she could even knock.

"Took ya long enough," Inuyasha said.

"I needed to think," Kagome said, pushing past him.

"Did you need to stink, too? Fuck, have you heard of deodorant?"

"I went for a run." Even though she knew she didn't smell, she flopped down on the bed just to spite him. "Say what you need to say so I can go."

"Here." He handed her a beer. "Things have been weird and I don't want that. We shouldn't be awkward around each other, Kagome. We're twins."

She glared at him suspiciously but took the drink anyway. It might make things easier. "…Fine."

"Wanna watch a movie?"

"Fine."

It was her favorite movie, The Princess Bride. At first, she was a little put off, remembering when he had quoted part of it to her when they had done what she had been trying not to think about. But as the movie went on, she figured maybe he was just trying to be nice. It was her favorite movie, after all. And they had watched it tons of times before. There was nothing super sexual in the movie and he was sitting all the way on the other side of the bed not even looking at her.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" she asked suddenly about halfway through.

"What? You've had one beer."

"You've got the lights down, you're giving me alcohol, you turn on a romantic movie, and we're all alone. I'm not stupid, Inuyasha."

"But I haven't even looked at you!"

"Exactly!"

"You're acting like you want me to touch you."

"You're acting like you want me to want you to touch me because you do because you're stupid and you want to—"

With a growl of frustration, Inuyasha crashed his lips to hers. Kagome let him push her down on the bed. It felt so good to have him settle between her legs, so right. When he pinned her hands above her head in one of his, she wasn't scared at all.

"Why'd you take your bra off before you came in here?"

"Who cares? It's my house, too, and I wanted to be comfy."

"That's all? You didn't want me to stare at your hard nipples through this sheer fucking shirt and remember what they taste like?"

"If your mind goes there, it's because you're twisted."

"Twisted…" His eyes were dark and glittering with greed and he stared at her chest, how her breasts rose and fell in a quickening rhythm. "I think I will."

Reaching out with his free hand, he pinched her right nipple. Kagome let out a shuddering breath.

"Kiss me," she begged. "Kiss me again, Inuyasha, or else they'll hear me."

He smirked down at her. "Room's sound-proofed, idiot, remember? Back from when it was Dad's shop. But I'll do it anyway."

His hand reached under her shirt and when the calloused skin of his fingers made contact with her achingly hard nipples, she felt a kind of thrill so intense go straight to her clit and pussy that for a second she wondered if it was a small orgasm. How was it possible that the smallest of touches felt this damned good?

"Tell the truth," Inuyasha said between kisses. "You wanted to tease me. Tempt me."

"I can't stop thinking about it," Kagome gasped as he pressed a hot kiss to the hollow of her throat. "About what we did. About you. But I couldn't be the one to come to you."

"Fuck, I thought you hated me. It was killing me, Kagome."

Something about the tone of his voice made her wrest her hands free and cup his face. "I could never hate you, Inuyasha. I love you."

It took him too long to say anything. His face seemed to go through dozens of different emotions almost too fast for her to track let alone identify them.

"I love you, too. I love you, Kagome."

She smiled at him and poked his nose. "So get back to work."

His grin was goofy and it made her smile even wider. That smile turned into a gasp when he lifted up her shirt and planted his hungry lips on her nipple. Her back arched all on its own and her hips rubbed against his for more stimulation. He was hard, she could feel him through his thin basketball shorts.

"Fuck, you're so wet I can fucking smell it," he said, still working her tits.

Rearing up on his knees, Inuyasha grabbed the waistband of her shorts and underwear together and yanked them off in one move. For a moment, he just stared at how she spread herself for him even wider, angling her pelvis in a silent plea for more. Inuyasha knelt on the floor and grabbed her ankles, dragging her all the way to the edge until her pussy was pressed up against his face. Finally, he took his first taste of her directly from the source. The sound she made almost had him coming in his shorts.

A knock on the door had them both scrambling apart and away from each other. Inuyasha shot to the other side of the room to his desk chair and put, of all things, a baseball cap in his lap to cover his erection. Kagome somehow ended up tangled in the sheet and hiding halfway under the bed.

Their mother opened the door.

"Uh, yeah?" he asked.

"Dinner's ready!" she said. "Come on up. And go upstairs and tell your sister to come down."

They waited until they heard her footsteps going back up the stairs to even breathe.

"Fuck," they said at the same time.

Kagome peeked over the side of the bed. "That was scary."

"That was hot." Inuyasha licked his lips that still shone with her pussy juice.

"Gods, we were so stupid. What were we thinking?" Kagome said as she grabbed her shorts and underwear.

The hat shifted in his lap as he watched her bend over. "We were thinking that we had fifteen more minutes."

"Be serious." Her hands were on her hips and she stood in a power stance, but her cheeks were still flushed pink, her hair was half out of her ponytail, her lips were still swollen from his kisses, and her nipples were still hard. There were even damp spots on her t-shirt from his saliva.

"You better grab a hoodie before you go upstairs. You're still very perky." To emphasize his point, he reached out and tweaked one of her nipples.

Kagome slapped his hand away, cheeks flushing a deeper shade. Inuyasha pulled her into his lap and kissed her. It stole her breath away and she felt lightheaded, her eyelashes fluttering closed and all thoughts of why they shouldn't be doing this melting away to nothing in her head. His shoulders were broad and her hands explored them while his drifted from her waist to cup her ass.

"We're not done. Not even close."

"You better save room for dessert," she murmured.

This time, he was the blushing one.

It just so happened that she was in front of him when they went up the stairs and that her shorts were riding up and showing off most of her ass. Inuyasha had already tucked his cock into the waistband of his shorts and made sure his shirt was long enough to cover his crotch entirely, but this had him wondering if his dick was strong enough to rip through the material.

They sat at the table and made the usual small talk with their parents. Grades, friends, romantic interests. Their parents had been overjoyed when Hojo was suddenly out of the picture and were planning on setting Kagome up with one of their friend's sons, which of course he wasn't going to allow. Inuyasha shoved food in his mouth, going as fast as he could so he could go back to eating what he was really craving.

"I know it's last minute, but your father and I have wanted to do this for a long while and this is the only time everything has lined up for us. The two of you are adults now, and we trust you, so we figured now is as good a time as any to take a second honeymoon."

"My boss is getting divorced and couldn't go, so he gave me the tickets for almost nothing," their father bragged.

"How romantic," Kagome said with a laugh.

"How long will you be gone?" That was all that mattered to him.

"Two weeks," their mother said. She was smiling like she hadn't in he couldn't even remember how long. She really did need that vacation.

"And when do you leave?" Inuyasha asked.

"Monday," their dad said. "But the rules of the house are still in place as though we will be here. No parties, no drugs, no misbehaving."

"You can trust us," Kagome said.

"Yeah, we'll have twin time." He couldn't resist touching her inner thigh under the table, running a single finger up and down her soft skin. It made her squeak and he wondered what kind of sound she'd make when he did it with his tongue later.

"What movie were you watching?" their mother asked.

"The Princess Bride. My favorite."

"Oooh! I love that one. Let's watch it tonight together. We should spend as much time as a family as possible before we go."

"No!"

Everyone turned to look at him. Kagome glared.

"Why not?" she asked, her eyes bugged out in warning.

"…Uh, it's a dumb girl movie?"

"Nonsense. Come on, everyone into the living room."

Inuyasha nearly groaned aloud. The only thing that stopped him from hitting his head on the table was Kagome's hand on his. That one bit of contact soothed his soul and suddenly blue balls didn't seem so bad if he was still getting to spend time with her.

O\o/O

When Monday rolled around, they got up at the crack of dawn to see their parents off. After more than a few hugs and unnecessary reminders from their mother on how to perform basic human tasks, they were finally gone. Their parents had given them permission to take the day off from school to rest up. Their grades were good, there were no tests that day, and neither of them were prone to playing hooky, so it was okay.

They were alone. They hadn't been alone since they had learned about the cruise.

Inuyasha reached for her hand. Kagome sidestepped it.

"Not yet. We're in public."

He groaned. "I've been waiting nearly a fucking week to touch you again, Kagome."

"Then you can wait ten more minutes."

"You're a bitch today."

"That's because I'm so fucking horny I can't think straight, so you better floor it on the way back home so I have you inside me even sooner."

"Or we could fuck in the car."

"Inuyasha!"

"Fine."

He broke every traffic law he could on the way back. It was so hard to keep from touching her so once they were inside the privacy of their home he was all over her the second the door clicked shut. To his immense relief, Kagome let him. He hadn't been sure before, because she had been acting like a total bitch just like he'd said, but the second their lips touched he knew she must feel the same way.

They didn't even make it to the bed.

Kagome pushed him down on the couch. There was a mischievous look in her eyes and he didn't know whether to be turned on or scared. He decided the latter didn't prevent him from feeling the former, so he yanked down his shorts and let his erection bob freely.

"Aw, I missed you, little guy," Kagome said, bending down to kiss the head of his cock.

"Don't call him 'little'."

"He's lucky I call him at all."

Kagome kissed the frown off his face and he instantly forgave her for the bad joke.

"Are you a boobs man or an ass man?" she asked abruptly.

"Uh, what?" Was this one of those trick questions girls asked where no matter how you answered they ended up crying and fighting with you?

"Boobs," she put one of his hands on her breast over her shirt, "or butt?" She put the other under her skirt cupping her ass.

"Both," he said instantly. "With you, I like both. They're perfect. You're perfect."

Kagome smiled and kissed the tip of his nose. "Good answer."

Straightening, she took off her shirt and stood there in just her tiny pleated skirt and red balconette bra. Inuyasha couldn't help himself and reached for her, pressing kisses to the fullness of her revealed breasts, his face buried in her cleavage. At the same time, his hands ran up the back of her thighs and grabbed her ass cheeks, squeezing the firm globes. There was a decorative mirror on the wall across from them and the sight of her in his lap was so fucking hot, especially when he flipped up her skirt and saw the matching red thong she was wearing.

"Take it off," he growled.

Suddenly obedient, she briefly left his lap to wiggle out of her skirt. Inuyasha grabbed her back before she took her lingerie off. Their kiss was magnetic, the two of them drawn to one another on a level they could never possibly experience with anyone else. The way she moved her hips and humped against him was as instinctual as it was intentional. Kagome was turning him on and it was turning her on. She had perfectly positioned herself and her pussy was pressed up right against his cock. They were separated only by the tiny scrap of nothing that was her thong.

One of her fingers dragged down a bra strap and he followed the path with his lips. Reaching behind her, he fumbled around until the bra was undone and threw it to the side. Then her tits were free and bouncing in his face and he nearly sighed aloud in adoration at how absolutely beautiful they were.

First, just a kiss. A simple, lingering peck to each nipple. Both of them were hard and pointing about half an incredibly sexy inch. Wrapping his lips around one, he sucked, his tongue coming out to circle the areola and play with the nub. Kagome mewled and tangled her fingers in his hair, pressing his face into her breast. Meanwhile, his hands continued to palm her ass. He felt along her thong and shuddered at how wet she was. He could feel the warmth of her juices on his cock and it was almost too much.

"We could draw this out," he gasped as she continued to dry hump him, "or we could just get down to it and fuck. We've got two weeks, Kagome. There's gonna be time to take it slow."

"Yes," she moaned as her hips worked faster. "Two whole weeks to get this out of our systems."

That made him pause. "Out of our systems?"

"Yeah. I figure if we fuck like rabbits while Mom and Dad are gone, we'll get tired of it and we can go back to normal."

It took him a second to get back in the mood after that. Just a second. Two weeks. That would be enough time to bring her around.

Inuyasha moved the crotch of her thong to the side, cursing when he felt how wet she had gotten since he'd last touched her. His knuckle ran up her slit and nudged against her hard clit that seemed to pulse with want for him.

"I can't take it anymore, Inuyasha. I need you."

"Ditto."

Kagome's eyes were glazed over and with how her lips were parted and her sweet panting breaths puffed against his face, he knew she had definitely lost control and was acting on pure feeling. For the first time in so long, his cock met her opening, parting her dripping wet lips on the way inside. It was too much cock too fast. Her legs shook and she fell forward a little, breasts smashed against him as she searched for the best angle. Inuyasha took the opportunity to kiss her slowly and firmly, guiding her back to sanity.

"Thank you," Kagome murmured, smiling into the kiss.

"No problem. Feel better?"

She nodded. "Being with you can be…overwhelming. I like it too much."

"I get it." His brow creased as he tried to find the words. "You… When I see you, I have to touch you. Even if we're just holding hands. I need the contact or I go crazy. Once I felt that spark, I couldn't go without it."

"Touch me, then," Kagome said. "Because I need it, too, Inuyasha."

They stayed like that, kissing and touching, until Kagome began to move. She studied his face, how his darkly enchanting gray eyes were thickly lashed and focused on her breasts. Grinning internally, she took his hands from her waist and brought them up to cup her tits, her nipples peeking out between his fingers. His hips jerked up at the contact and she moaned, her pattern going from circle-circle-circle-bounce-bounce-bounce-grind to mostly bounces.

It was cruel that he filled her so well. Ever since he had brought it up at the party, she couldn't stop thinking about it. If they weren't twins, they'd be together. It made so much sense. And now that they were doing things a couple did, it was kind of scary. Those eyes of his met hers again, and as if he knew her thoughts, his face softened from its horny intensity and he kissed her. And she just melted. It felt so intimate that Kagome wanted to cry.

To distract herself, she ran her hands over his chest. He was built from all the training he did with his teammates with well-defined pectorals. Once, she had been embarrassed about this particular memory, but she had seen him practicing from far away before she'd gotten contacts and thought he was the hottest guy on the team. Now she could definitely admit, at least privately to herself, that he was. With a naughty smirk, she squeezed around him just so while she pinched his nipples.

"Fuck!" he cursed, his hands instantly flying to her hips and bringing her down while he thrust up. "Fuck, Kagome!"

She released his nipples, rubbing them until they were hard little points. Then she did it again.

"Fucking shit, I'm gonna—!"

Inuyasha interrupted himself with a growl and pushed her to the ground. One of his hands was underneath her head and the other gripped her ass so she wasn't injured. The instant she realized they were on the floor was the instant he lifted up her hips and began to slam inside her like a wild man, her heels on his shoulders. Kagome knew the urgency in his erratic thrusts and rubbed her clit to match his pace, just as close as he was. With every pointed push inside her, her back arched a little more, and soon he couldn't even see her face, just her wildly bouncing tits and her hand getting herself off.

Neither of them could tell who came first or if it was even at the same time. Kagome's orgasm hit her so powerfully that she was pretty sure she lost consciousness for a fraction of a second. And Inuyasha came so hard that he thought he was blind before he realized he had just closed his eyes and buried his face in her neck.

"Wow," Kagome breathed.

"Fuckin' wow," he echoed.

"Two weeks of this."

"Two weeks of bliss."

She giggled at the rhyme. "We should have a safe word. Something we can say in case either of us wants to stop before the two weeks are up."

There was no danger of that happening on his end, but he played along anyway. "Okay. Got anything in mind?"

It was kind of hard for her to concentrate when he was still inside her and on top of her and his face was so close she could see every precious pore. Kagome felt herself grip him, an instant reaction in response to studying his handsome face, and their breath hitched in unison.

"How about Shikon?" she suggested.

He wrinkled his nose. "From the story?"

"What, you don't like it?"

Their mother had named them after characters from her favorite fairy tale. They'd heard it so many times growing up that it almost felt like they'd lived it. A miko and a hanyō fighting side by side to save the world from an evil villain and the treasure everyone was after. They accomplished their goal, but died in the process. What made it extra awkward growing up was that the two characters were lovers. It was the equivalent of being named after Romeo and Juliet and so incredibly cringy.

"I like it if you like it." Inuyasha kissed her. "Let's call out of school sick tomorrow."

She started to nod before she shook her head. "No, too easy. I'll pretend I'm sick and you tell everyone you're nursing me to health. Maybe we can get three more days out of it."

He smiled and tugged on one of her stray wavy locks that clung to the sweat on her neck. "I made you a bad girl, didn't I, Kagome?"

"You made me a very, very, very happy girl," she purred, unable to keep herself from kissing his already kiss-swollen lips.

Inuyasha felt his cock twitch inside her. "I think I can go again right now. Would that make you happy?"

She gasped as he moved against her. "Yes. Very."

O\o/O

Their two weeks went by even more quickly than Inuyasha had anticipated. On the morning of their last day, he lay awake in his bed staring down at her, his heart beating fast with anxiety.

It hadn't been just sex. Sure, there had been a lot of that. More than a lot. But they'd cooked together. Watched movies together. Talked. Laughed. Kissed. Held hands. Sat together in silence and looked up only to find the other staring at them and then they'd laugh and that would lead to…

Kagome sighed and rolled over, blinking at him sleepily. She smiled at first, but then consciousness caught up with her and she remembered what day it was.

"Mornin'," he said.

"What time is it?" She sounded so formal. Distant. He couldn't stand it.

"We've got enough time to get ready and time to spare. Let's talk."

She avoided meeting his eyes. "Okay." Kagome sat up, the sheet wrapped around her as tightly as she had clung to him last night. "Talk."

"I don't know how else to say this, so I'm just gonna say it. I don't wanna stop."

Her lower lip trembled and her grip tightened on the sheet. "But we have to."

"Why!?"

"Because this was supposed to end already, Inuyasha, not get even more tangled!" Kagome said, her voice breaking on his name. "We've already messed up so badly by giving in the first time, but fine, we did, that's done with. Our curiosity has been satisfied. Now we're just doing it because we like it. For how long? Until we finish high school? Until we graduate from college? We can't just keep going on like this. Can you imagine family reunions in twenty years? Picture introducing me to your wife, or meeting my husband. It's not like a normal hook-up, Inuyasha. We can't just not see each other again."

The thought of Kagome ending up with someone else had him feeling like someone took a dull knife to his guts.

"I want you more than ever. Two weeks wasn't enough. Until college isn't enough. It's never going to be enough." He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "I meant it when I said I love you. I'm in love with you, Kagome. I'm never going to feel this way about anyone else because there's no one else who was made to be my other half. It's always been you."

Tears were running down her face and hit his skin. It almost burned him. He never wanted her to cry, let alone make her cry, but it needed to be said. He needed to make her see.

"You don't mean that. You can't. It's just hormones and alcohol and maybe even weird twin stuff, but not that."

"But you said you loved me too!"

"I did! And I do. As a brother. Because you are my twin—brother." Kagome pushed away from him and left the bed, taking the sheet with her. "The two weeks are over. This is over. I'm going to pretend I didn't hear any of what you just told me, okay? I just want things to go back to normal."

"Our normal was thrown out the window the second we had that fucking twincest kiss!"

"Don't ever speak to me about what we did again. It's done. It's in the past. I'm going to get ready for school."

She left and Inuyasha blinked at his shut door. He couldn't believe it. How had they gone from talking all night and unable to bear not touching each other and being so close it felt like they shared a soul to this. This was worse than nothing. He would have rather they never started than to have her rip out his heart like this.

O\o/O

Like Kagome wanted, things went back to normal.

They went to school separately. Their social circles mixed but they didn't personally mingle. They ate meals as a family and didn't make eye contact. They didn't talk. They didn't touch.

Everything hurt inside.

"Hi, Kagome!"

She smiled as brightly as she possibly could. "Hey, Kōga!" She continued to walk down the hall without noticing he was still talking to her.

"Are you okay?"

She turned the same smile on the person who asked, not quite recognizing the pale face through the blur of tears.

"I'm great, thanks!"

They'd been apart now for longer than they'd been together. She thought it would get better, that the ache would ease, but it somehow got worse. And of course he didn't seem to be suffering at all. Inuyasha was exactly the same, laughing with his friends and surrounded by girls and being adored by fans that watched him play basketball and cheered for the whole team while she cheered only for him.

"You're fast!" Kōga said, catching up to her. "Didja catch what I said?"

"Sorry, what?" Her eyes were on her phone. Only a couple minutes to her next class. The one time a day she was close to Inuyasha.

"I asked if you were coming to my party. Inuyasha never gives me a straight answer, so I figured I'd ask you directly."

"When is it?"

"Tonight."

She thought about it. Alcohol. Rooms with locks on the doors. Loud music to cover up loud moans. Inuyasha.

Kagome shook her head. "I can't. I've got to study. Next time, though."

He looked as dejected as if he had thrown the entire party just for her. "Aw, dang. But okay. I get it. School comes first. That's what I like about you. You're smart."

"Thanks for inviting me! See you later."

Kagome slid into her seat just as the bell rang.

"Why were you talking to him?" Inuyasha muttered.

"What?" she asked like an idiot.

"What was Kōga saying to you?"

Was it her imagination, or did he sound pissed off? "He was asking if I was going to his party."

"And?"

"And I'm not."

"Probably for the best."

It was almost enough to make her cry. Was he planning on hooking up with other girls? Fucking her out of his mind? He didn't want her there. And if he was going to be with someone else, she didn't want to be there either.

The rest of the day dragged after that. Kagome went straight home and directly to her room. Her mother knew exactly what the look on her face meant and baked cookies, delivering them hot to her door with a bowl of ice cream. Kagome was already in her pajamas by the time she arrived, her face cried clean of makeup. Her laptop was playing The Princess Bride and it didn't comfort her like it used to. Now she only saw Inuyasha's face when she heard Westley's famous line.

She didn't come out of her room when her dad got home from work. She didn't come out of her room for dinner. She didn't come out of her room when her mom knocked on the door to say goodnight. She didn't come out of her room even when it was past midnight and Inuyasha still hadn't come back.

Kagome cried herself to sleep.

An indeterminable amount of time later, she was woken up. It was still dark out and the reason for her sudden consciousness soon became apparent.

"Shit, where's the fuckin—Shit…"

Kagome turned on her bedside lamp. "Inuyasha?"

He blinked at her blearily. "You awake?"

"Obviously." She sniffed in distaste. "Gods, you're drunk. Why are you here?"

"Came in through the window. I missed you."

It was such a simple and sincere statement that when he crawled into bed beside her, she didn't do anything to push him away. Kagome lifted up the comforter for him, but he ignored the offered opportunity to snuggle and shoved the covering to the side.

"Hey! I'm cold."

He snorted "'Course you're cold. You're not wearing anything."

"These are my regular pajamas." She looked down at her crop top and boy shorts, what she usually wore to bed.

His hand cupped her breast and she arched into him automatically, her hard nipple poking into his palm.

"Kōga wouldn't shut the fuck up about you. It was driving me crazy. He thinks he has a chance."

"What about you?" she asked. "Don't even try and tell me you didn't hook up with someone else."

Inuyasha kissed her. "Stop being stupid. You know what you are to me, Kagome." The kiss deepened and his hand snuck under her top, thumb brushing across her nipple directly.

"Don't," she whispered. "It's not like before. We're not in your room. They'll hear!"

"So what?" His lips trailed down her throat and soon replaced his fingers in teasing her nipples. Kagome gasped aloud at how hot his mouth felt. His palm was grinding against her clit over her underwear. "I need you. It's too late, they're out cold. Just give me five more minutes and we'll both—"

There was a knock on the door.

"Kagome? I heard voices. Are you okay?"

She shoved him off of her, sending him tumbling to the floor, and scrambled for the blankets, covering herself back up. Her mother didn't need to see the wet spot on her panties.

"It's just Inuyasha!" she said. "That's all."

"I was just telling her about the party."

Their mother opened the door and peered inside. Was it her imagination or was she looking at them with suspicion?

"It's late. You should both be sleeping. You've got the game tomorrow afternoon, remember?"

"Yeah. Just a minute," Inuyasha said.

Their mom nodded and shut the door before Kagome could think of a reason to ask her not to.

"Get out!" she hissed instantly. Her heart was still beating like a hummingbird's. "You can't just do things like that. What the hell were you thinking!? You almost got us caught! I can't believe you!"

"What the fuck makes you think that literally anyone would suspect what we're doing, huh, Kagome?" He glared down at her. "It's just your guilty conscience. If we ever do get caught, it'll be because you're acting weird."

"Or because you decide it's okay to finger me with only a cardboard thin wall between us and our parents, you fucking psycho!" Kagome pushed him away by the shoulders and he fell again, this time right on his butt. "Get out before I throw you out the window."

"You are such a bitch," he growled. "I can't believe I ever wanted you!"

That cut her deeply. Inuyasha didn't slam the door, but the way he closed it felt like he did. Like he was shutting the door on the two of them forever. It made her stomach hurt so bad that she didn't experience a deep sleep, just short dips into nightmares that still weren't as bad as her waking life.

It was Saturday and the home game was against a rival they were sure to beat. Even if she wasn't so ridiculously confident in her twin, Kagome wouldn't have worried this early in the season. But the game dragged on longer than it usually would have. Their team wasn't scoring as often as they could. It wasn't because their rivals had better players or had busted out a new strategy.

Inuyasha was distracted.

They ended up winning, but just barely. Half the team, Inuyasha included, jogged off to the showers while the rest spent time being congratulated by friends and family. Their parents approached and she hugged them both.

"Great routine! You were the best one," her dad said.

"You looked so beautiful!"

Kagome laughed. They always did a great job of making her feel like they came to see both of them. Even though Inuyasha was the star with the athletic scholarship who could probably go wherever he wanted, to their parents at least, it was never all about him.

"Since when have Inuyasha and Kagura been an item?" her mother asked, sounding amused.

Kagome turned her head so fast her ponytail whipped her cheek. What the fuck was Inuyasha doing talking to that groupie?

"I guess he's gonna be late to dinner."

She forced herself to smile. "Kagura's getting a group of us together to get ice cream to celebrate. I'll see you at home, okay? Love you!"

"Don't spoil your appetite too badly, dear! We're having oden tonight."

"My favorite!"

Kagome followed her prey from a distance, making sure they wouldn't sense her presence. It wasn't like it was hard. With how wrapped up the two of them were in each other, she doubted they would have noticed a freaking earthquake. It was sickening.

When Inuyasha unlocked the car with the remote, she ran ahead of them and got in the passenger seat, locking the door and holding it shut.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he shouted at her from outside.

Kagura looked even angrier. "Find another ride, this one's mine."

Inuyasha continued to pull on the handle. "Get out, Kagome. This isn't fuckin' funny."

"No! I'm staying."

"Fine. Then we're leaving."

"Wait!" She flung open the car door and grabbed his jacket sleeve. "I... Uh, I have a twin thing to talk to you about and it needs to be now."

His brows came together in anger. "You can't just act like I don't exist and then pull this shit!"

"Please, Inuyasha! It can't be anyone but you."

That seemed to get through to him and he relaxed a little. He looked at Kagura, who was already fishing out a cigarette from her jean pocket.

"I'll wait fifteen minutes. Grab some condoms on the way back, I'm out."

He got in the car and they sat there in silence before he broke it. "Well? What is it?"

"Do you really think I'm going to talk with Kagura giving me a death glare the whole time? Drive somewhere private."

He muttered something under his breath about her bossing him around, but he did it. It began to rain on their way and he pulled into a lot at the fairgrounds. It was autumn so the summer fair was over and the fall one was yet to start. They were completely alone.

"Did you mean what you said?" she whispered.

The rain was coming down so strongly now that he could barely hear her. "I've said a lot of things, Kagome. What exactly are you talking about?"

She tried to scowl at him but her lip was trembling too much. He had to know what she was referring to. How could it not be at the forefront of his mind like it was hers?

"When you said you were in love with me. Did you mean that?"

"I wasn't lying."

Kagome started to cry. "Why did you have to say it, Inuyasha? Why did you have to kiss me?"

He wasn't able to do anything else but take her in his arms. "I'm sorry," he murmured, kissing the crown of her head. "Don't cry, Kagome. I thought... I thought you felt the same way. That it would make you happy. I didn't want to hurt you. Look, we only have to live together for the rest of the school year, okay? Then you never have to see my face again."

She started to sob. "That's even worse, you idiot!" Drying her eyes, she cupped the back of his neck and brought him down for a kiss. "I love you too, too much. And I know I shouldn't and I tried not to and this is going to be so hard, but I love you more than any of that scares me. If we have to move away and never see any of our friends and family ever again so we can be together, I'll do it. I'll do it for you. I love you."

Inuyasha said nothing and Kagome was suddenly afraid she had said way too much. Oh gods, she had gone overboard and started talking about forever. What if he was just like any other guy their age? It wasn't like they'd even been on a date or anything official like that. He had probably just wanted a regular relationship or maybe even just sex and here she was talking about cutting everyone else off and eloping—

"Thank you," he said, crushing her against his chest. His voice was tight.

"...Are you crying?"

He didn't say anything, just continued to hold her tight, but she felt something damp in her ponytail.

"It's okay," Kagome soothed, her arms wrapped around him just as tight as he held her until it felt like they were one. "I love you, Inuyasha. Forever and more. I'd even cross the Milky Way without magpies for you."

He choked out a laugh. "And I'd fight a hundred demons even without a ridiculously huge sword for you."

When he was ready, they pulled apart, though their hands stayed connected.

"What are we going to do?" Kagome asked.

"Whatever it takes to be together," he said like it was that simple. "We'll apply to the same schools, get an apartment together, and get married."

She raised a brow. "You didn't even ask."

Inuyasha grinned at her. "I'm waiting for the right moment."

"You ruined the surprise. How would we even do that, anyway? We have the same last name and we look alike. We're twins."

"I don't know. Make-up, hairstyle changes, maybe even plastic surgery. And I'm sure there's someone out there who can make a fake ID that would hold up to scrutiny."

"Are we really gonna do a whole Face-Off thing? That could get us in real trouble. What if we just lived together?"

He smiled at her and his face was so gentle, so soft like she had never seen it before. He was usually angry, wound up and tense. It was his leadership qualities that attracted people to him, but he could be difficult to be around. That had never been the case for her, however. Inuyasha tugged on one of her waves.

"You think I don't know you? I know what dress you want, the red bottom shoes, the exact style of hair, the designer of the ring. You want a big party. And I want to give that to you."

Tears filled her eyes again. "Inuyasha... You looked at my Pinterest?"

"I thought we already established that I'm in love with you."

It only took her a second before she made her mind up. "Put down the seats in the back."

His brows rose. "Are you saying—"

"Do you want the skirt on or off?"

He thought about it. "On."

Kagome put her feet on the dash and slowly slipped her panties off. Giving him a flirty look, she put them in the glove compartment. Inuyasha laughed and went outside to put the seats down as commanded while Kagome climbed in the back. It took only a few seconds but when he got back in he was drenched.

"Take off your shirt!" Kagome said, hands cupped around her mouth. She knelt and waited for him.

With a roll of his eyes and a smile on his mouth, Inuyasha did. A long tendril of wet hair had slipped out of his man bun and clung to his sculpted abs and chest and Kagome couldn't resist touching him. First with her hands while she kissed the life out of him and then with her mouth. Her lips pressed kisses to his chest, feeling his warm skin and pausing over his heart. Her tongue came out to flick his nipple and his mouth dropped open.

"Now you," he said. "Take off your shirt. I wanna see some boobs."

That made her laugh so much that he ended up doing it himself, getting impatient. Kagome unhooked her bra and flung it with her cheer top. The both of them shared a bare-chested kiss, their bodies pressed together so the only gap between them was the one they would fill before long. Kagome ran her fingers through his damp hair and brushed against the shell of his ear. A shudder ran down his spine. He always liked that.

Inuyasha kissed her jaw, her throat, and then right between her breasts. He weighed her breasts in both hands, brushing his thumbs against her hard nipples. The left one got his mouth first, and he plucked at it with his lips. His tongue ran circles around it before giving it a quick suck and then he was on to the other one. Fuck, but he had missed this. He had dreamed about being in bed with her, his face pressed between her beautiful tits, her nipples growing hard in his mouth.

"Lay back," Kagome said, gently directing him until he was in the position she wanted.

The look he gave her was pure adoration and Kagome couldn't help but to kiss him once more. Then his chin. Then down his chest. Her tongue dragged a hot trail down his stomach, feeling every miniscule twitch of his muscles. When she got to the band of his basketball shorts, she grabbed onto them with her teeth, dragging them down until they were around his ankles before throwing them at the foggy windshield.

A whimper caught in his throat as Kagome grabbed him by the base of his hard cock. Sticking out her tongue, she licked him, following one vein from the bottom all the way to the top. Then she did another, working slowly. Then another. Next, she ran the flat of her tongue over his balls before taking them in her mouth one at a time. When his thighs began to shake, she kissed her way up his cock until she reached the precum-slick head, where she swirled her tongue around him like a lollipop.

"Ffffuck," he hissed. His hands went to her head and he tugged the tie out of her hair, watching the inky black waves crash around and obscure his forearms. He guided her at the pace he wanted, tenderly cradling her scalp and pulling her hair at turns.

Her plush lips tightened around his mushroom tip and she sucked until her cheeks hollowed. Her tongue ran up his slit and then back down and she bobbed her head another inch lower. With every movement forward, she sucked and massaged him with her tongue. Then she'd pull her head back up and suck his balls, jerk him off, tease him until he felt like he was going to explode.

Finally, she got him all the way down her throat, taking him so deep that her features were partially hidden by his bush. He could feel her nose grind into his pelvic bone as she swallowed, her throat muscles working on him. Spit was running down his sac and she cupped his balls while she began to moan, the humming vibrations further stimulating him. It was too much and he blew his load. Kagome swallowed it all greedily and as soon as he could see straight again he pulled her up for a kiss.

"You're amazing," he said. "More than anything, I wish we could just run away and be together now."

"It's not even a whole year, Inuyasha. It will give us time to save up and plan."

"...What if you don't want me by next summer?"

Kagome put a hand on either side of his head and glared down at him playfully. "Inuyasha, in my eyes, you're the most handsome man in the whole entire world. Loving you has broken my brain. You know I hooked up with Sesshomaru before he graduated?"

He wrinkled his nose. "Ew."

"You're a million times better than him in every possible way. And he models now."

"Kiss me so I can forget about everything you just said."

"Gladly."

Their lips came together in what was at first a warm, chaste meeting. Kagome was the one to take it further when she nipped his lower lip and licked it, making him gasp. She took the opportunity to slip her tongue in his mouth and he met it with his own, the both of them moaning at the contact. Between her hot mouth, the feel of her hard nipples pressed into his chest, and her wet pussy humping against him, it wasn't long before he was fully hard again.

Kagome knelt above him and used one hand to raise her skirt while the other grabbed his erection and ran it across her slit. Her eyes were on his the entire time, watching him watch the two of them. Inuyasha's nostrils flared and with how intense his gaze was he almost looked angry. She knew him well enough to know that was just his extremely turned on face.

"Get on your hands and knees," he said, voice hoarse.

She did as he asked without question. For once, she liked it when someone else was dominant. She knew her turn on top would come soon enough and she'd get him back a hundred times for what he was about to do to her.

His hands immediately went to her ass, squeezing the globes and pulling them apart. He ran a finger down her crack and she shivered, letting out a small yelp when he slapped her cheek hard.

"That's for breaking up with me," he said.

Kagome glared at him over her shoulder. "Better watch it or I'll do it again."

He grinned and pressed a kiss to her spine. "You know you love it."

She sighed in exasperation and leaned down on her elbows. "No, I love you."

The kisses continued and he flipped her skirt up. "Love you, Kagome. Everything about you." He straightened and lined up his cock with her waiting pussy. "It just feels right. It fits." At that, he entered her, and the both of them cried out at the glory of their reunion.

After a second of just enjoying the feeling of being inside her again, he reared back. His hands were on her hips and he scooted her back at the same time he thrust forward. Kagome's arch was perfect and her ass was the most gorgeous thing he'd ever seen as he pounded into her. Every time their flesh made contact, her cheeks would bounce, still pink from the spanking and growing pinker from the fucking. Inuyasha was hitting something deep inside her, that place only he had ever reached, and it was driving her crazy. Kagome sobbed his name in between moans, twisting her hips back against his as she rubbed her clit frantically.

Inuyasha was close. Sweat dotted his brow and the only thing holding him back was the fact that Kagome hadn't gotten hers yet. Moving his hands from her hips to her waist, he lifted her up and back so her back was pressed against his chest.

"Look down, Kagome," he murmured as he brushed her sweaty tangle of hair from her ear. "Watch me fuck you." He started slow, with shallow thrusts as his fingers circled her clit. Kagome whimpered and moved her hips against his demandingly. "You're so fucking hot. So greedy for your twin brother's cock. What do you want, Kagome?"

"To cum!"

He sped up his fingers. "And who's the only one who can fucking do it for you?"

"You, Inuyasha." She moved his other hand to her sweat-slicked breast and he pinched her nipple until she gasped and he felt a gush of her arousal coat his dick. "Cum inside me. When I feel you lose control, when I know I'm the one that did that to you, that's what gets me off."

With one sharp thrust upward, Kagome got her wish, and the both of them were lost to the waves of their climaxes. Inuyasha had at some point taken her shoulder into his mouth and bit down. It wasn't until they had both calmed that his jaw unclenched.

Kagome giggled and shifted until she was on her back. "Are you hungry? Since when are you a biter?"

He laughed and kissed her shoulder in apology. "Not sure. Just something I've been wanting to do for a long time."

She put her arms around his neck and drew him forward for an embracing kiss. "I'm really glad we're back together. If you had actually gotten with Kagura, I would have lost my mind."

"I don't think I coulda gone through with it. Pretty sure you reprogrammed my dick and it only answers to you now."

"The lil guy knows who its true owner is."

He scowled at her but there was laughter in his eyes. "Don't call it that. His name is Tessaiga. And I think he got cum on your skirt."

Kagome looked down and pouted. "Dang it. Oh well. I told Mom we were going out for ice cream so I guess I'll just say I got vanilla."

"Ouch. You really think I'm vanilla?"

"Whatever you are, you're my favorite flavor."

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's chin and looked deeply into her eyes before kissing her. "You're mine, too. No matter what."

O\o/O

That the two most popular kids in school were perfect in every way wasn't exactly shocking. That was the way of the world, after all. It was a small town, but even in a much larger community, they would have drawn scores of followers. That was just the kind of people they were. The fact that they were twins didn't exactly seem fair. All that divinity in one genetic line? Ridiculous.

And now they were secretly fucking?

Kikyo wondered if anyone else knew. Everyone else at the party was either too drunk, stoned, or distracted to have noticed the muted exchange. She had been all by herself, loner as she was, and had not even been invited. But it was the last year of high school, among other things, and so she decided to at least experience a little of what teenage life had to offer.

In a way, it made sense. Kagome and Inuyasha were always mentioned in the same breath. Lately, they were always together. Kagome was smart and popular. Inuyasha was athletic and popular. If they weren't twins, they would have been the It Couple.

And it looked like they were the It Couple behind closed doors (or not all the way closed doors).

Kikyo knew she didn't have a right to be jealous. Not really. It wasn't like they were friends anymore. And even though she still counted Inuyasha as her first and only boyfriend, did anyone else even take first grade "relationships" into consideration?

A long time ago, Kikyo had been pretty.

When they were kids, Kikyo and Kagome had been inseparable. They both had long black hair and gray eyes and pale skin. Back then, whenever anyone found out Kagome was a twin, they assumed her sibling was Kikyo. And sometimes they led people to believe that was the case. They spent the night over at each other's houses, they made each other friendship bracelets, and they told each other absolutely everything.

That lasted until middle school.

Kikyo had gotten sick. What had started as just feeling tired turned into a cold that never went away and then she had to go to the hospital. She was there for a long time. Kagome had visited her, of course. Inuyasha had even tagged along once. That had been the best day. But the longer she was in the hospital, the worse she got instead of better. And it seemed like Kagome wasn't very eager to get her back. She talked about her new friends, how she had made the cheer squad, all the boys who asked her out. It was all about her, her, her.

Eventually, she'd asked her grandmother to tell Kagome she was too sick to have visitors. And she was sick, just sick of her. Kagome tried texting, but Kikyo didn't reply. Eventually, she got the picture. By the time Kikyo was discharged from the hospital, she was a shadow of herself. Even if she had wanted to keep up with Kagome and pretend to be twins, she could no longer do so. Now she was the Before in She's All That and Kagome was the After in The Princess Diaries. That's right, they were two completely different fucking movies.

After that, they hadn't talked at all. They were in different classes and ran with different crowds. Until a few months ago, when Kagome had been crying in the hallway and Kikyo had asked if she was okay. Kagome had looked at her like she was a stranger and lied to her face.

Kikyo couldn't figure out why everyone was so crazy about Kagome. She wasn't that good-looking. Hell, if she bothered she'd still probably look just like her. All she'd have to do was spend an ungodly amount of time on her hair, pluck the strays from her eyebrows, and figure out how to wear make-up. Then they'd be the twins again instead of her and Inuyasha.

That gave her an idea.

Abandoning her untouched solo cup in the hall, she left the house. The shops were still open and she popped by for a few necessary items. Ideally, she'd visit a professional for her hair like Kagome did, but time was of the essence.

Her parents had died when she was young, so she lived with her grandmother Kaede. A few years ago, she had gone completely blind, though she was mostly self-sufficient. She knew the only thing keeping her grandmother around was her. As soon as she went to college, she was going to sell everything and go to a retirement community with her friends for a much-deserved rest.

"How was the movie?" Grandma Kaede asked as she entered.

"It was…surprising." Kikyo leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Thanks for waiting up for me. I'm kind of tired, so I think I'll just head right to bed."

Kaede frowned. "You shouldn't push yourself, Kikyo."

She ignored that and went up the stairs to her room where she dumped her purchases all over her bed. Make-up, hair products, and a few new outfits. She had used almost all her savings, but that was okay. This was better than anything else she could have possibly spent it on. All night, she stayed awake watching YouTube and TikTok tutorials. Hair. Make-up. Clothes. How to talk. How to act. How to walk.

Normally, she wore glasses because contacts freaked her out, though she did have a pair. She watched a video on how to insert them painlessly. Then she cut her hair, which was homeschool long, until it fell just below her shoulder blades. It was still stick-straight, but she kept it that way, adding bangs for extra style. Her pallor was taken care of with three layers of foundation, bronzer, and blush. Her brows were gelled and sculpted. The push-up bra she bought made her look like she had an actual chest. The new dress flirted with breaking the school dress code.

When she was done, it was dawn and she couldn't recognize herself.

Kikyo almost cried. This was her. This was who she should have been all along. This was the girl who had been Kagome's best friend. This was Inuyasha's first crush. All those years spent in apathy and suppressed anger, feeling cheated when she was the one who had cheated herself. Now she could have it all again.

She was taking her life back.

O\o/O

Inuyasha met Kagome by her locker. They had both stayed late after school, him with the basketball team and her with the rest of the cheerleaders. It was twilight now and the rest of the students had gone, leaving only a lone janitor somewhere in the building.

"I've been wanting to do this all damn day," he said. Putting a hand on either side of her head, he boxed her in and kissed her, pressing his body against her.

Kagome moaned and tugged him even closer, her hips grinding against his. They had grown bolder the longer they'd gone without getting caught.

"You didn't get enough last night?"

"I could never get enough. Not of you." He grinned. "You fuck like a wildcat when you're jealous."

Her eyes narrowed. "Is that why you keep going off with other girls?"

He glared back. "No, I keep going off with other girls because you keep getting paranoid if I even look at you and then you start fights with me and tell me to leave my own fucking house so I figured why not ease your mind a little and publicly make out with someone!"

She laughed out loud. "Wow, okay! Great job putting my mind at ease. I'm really secure in our relationship now."

Kagome turned to leave but he didn't let her. "Stop!" he hissed. "Fuck, Kagome. I'm sorry, okay? You hurt me, I hurt you. It's wrong. Let's not do it anymore. It's not worth it. We love each other, right?"

"I thought we did."

"Right?"

She sighed and put her arms around his neck, meekly kissing his chin. "Right. Just don't do it again. Let the punishment fit the crime."

Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her a little for a proper kiss. "You better learn to like spankings, then."

"We need to talk."

The both of them jumped apart at the voice. Inuyasha immediately colored while all the color drained from Kagome's face.

"You're not supposed to be here!" was all he could think of saying.

It took Kagome a moment. The girl was dark-haired and her blue dress was a little shorter than what was allowed, and heeled sandals were definitely banned. She looked polished. Pretty. Like someone she'd hang out with.

"…Kikyo?" she asked, doubting herself even as she said it.

"Kikyo?" Inuyasha repeated, looking at Kagome like she was blind and then looking back at the intruder.

"You remembered," she drawled, flipping her hair back over one shoulder.

"It wasn't what it looked like!" Kagome said quickly, her voice coming out high and tight like she was about to cry. "We were just hugging. I'm just tired and stressed and he was comforting me. It wasn't anything weird or wrong, I swear. You're not going to say anything, right? You wouldn't do that to me. We're friends, aren't we?"

She raised a brow. "You were kissing. On the lips. And he just talked about spanking you."

"Go ahead and say something," Inuyasha dared, standing in front of a nearly hyperventilating Kagome. "No one will believe you."

She shrugged. "Maybe not. It's a small town. People talk. But it plants a seed. And it's just so scandalous. People won't ever forget it. And good luck getting any alone time after that."

"What do you want?" Kagome asked, standing on tiptoes and peering at her over Inuyasha's shoulder.

"I want things to go back to normal."

That was exactly what Kagome had thought she'd wanted. But there was no normal, not anymore. She was beginning to think there never had been.

"And what does that mean?"

She looked down and actually seemed to blush a little. There was a small, sad smile on her face and for a moment she was heartbreakingly beautiful.

"I want Inuyasha to be my boyfriend again."

They couldn't think of anything to say and the silence stretched on until Kagome wondered if she had just imagined it.

"That was first grade, Kikyo," Inuyasha said, sounding almost concerned. "It didn't even last a week."

She smiled. "I remember. You pulled on the necklace my mother gave me when we were playing tag and broke it. So I pushed you and you scraped your knee. We were both crying and Kagome screamed at both of us and made it worse."

He chuckled. "She ended up taking your side, though. But why? Kikyo, you could get anyone you want. You're gorgeous." He didn't see how Kagome glared at the back of his head, but Kikyo did, and it gave her life. "Why would you want a guy who's been fucking his sister?"

She cringed at the blunt way he put it. "That doesn't matter to me. It's always been you, Inuyasha. And I think that with time you'll feel the same way."

Kagome laughed and pushed past Inuyasha. "Wow. You don't talk to us for five years and you think that somehow you and Inuyasha are soulmates? No way in hell. You have no idea what we've had to struggle through to get here, and we're not giving up."

They stared each other down, woman to woman, neither one of them giving an inch.

Finally, Inuyasha put a hand on his twin's shoulder.

"What are your terms?"

Kikyo blinked, looking surprised like she truly hadn't believed she'd get this far. Kagome wore a similar look herself.

"One date out a week. Lunch together. You take me to and from school. And we go to the end of the year formal together."

"This is insane! There's no way—"

"Fine. But you keep your mouth shut."

"As promised. It starts now. Take me home." She gave Kagome a look. "She can walk."

Kagome grabbed his hand, tears running down her face. "Are you just going to let her do this?"

He looked at her, tears pooling in his own eyes. "Kagome," he said, his voice rasping on her name in a way that usually made her weak in the knees but this time just made her cry. "I said I'd do whatever it takes."

His hand came up to wipe her tears away and she turned to kiss his palm. Her soul was in anguish. Loving him hurt so much, but losing him hurt a thousand times more.

"Don't do it," she whispered. "We could still go away."

Inuyasha kissed her forehead and lingered there, hands smoothing her hair. "We've come this far. Let's finish strong. If we leave now, there will be no summer of travel before school, no help with an apartment and paying for college. And I won't do that to you. I won't cut you off from everyone. Not before we're ready."

Her breath hitched and the tears fell down her face faster. "Doesn't matter. I want you. Just you."

"Hurry up before I change my mind!"

"I'll see you at home."

Kagome cried by herself in the hall until the lights went out.

O\o/O

Inuyasha chewed on his straw while Kikyo talked about a book report she had written last year.

"…and even though I know it deserved an A and was college-worthy, Mr. Naraku gave me a B-minus due to 'penmanship'. Can you believe that? Penmanship!?"

"Yeah, that's crazy," he mumbled. Kagome still wasn't in the lunchroom yet. She had been avoiding him ever since the whole Kikyo thing. How couldn't she see that he was doing this for them?

"Has he ever done anything like that to you?"

"Uh huh."

"Like what?"

"That's crazy."

Kikyo sighed. "Giving the door school shooter face isn't going to make her show up any faster."

"Sorry. I'm just… I miss her," he admitted.

The look on her face was almost sympathetic. "Has she been avoiding you because we're together?"

He nodded glumly and blew bubbles in his chocolate milk. It was worse than avoiding him. She acted like he didn't exist. She refused to speak to him, look at him, or be in the same room with him. She stayed out with her friends as much as possible and rotated spending the night at their houses. Even their completely oblivious parents had picked up on it and told him to apologize to her.

"When did you first start to feel things for her that weren't, you know, regular twin feelings?" she asked, sounding like she didn't really want to know the answer.

"Always, I think," he responded instantly. "Whenever I was with a girl, it was fine and I liked it and everything, but I thought something was wrong with me because I just didn't care about them. And whenever there was a rumor about Kagome with a guy, I got mad. I thought it was because I'm her big brother or maybe even because she's the hottest girl in school and there wasn't an equivalent option for me, but that wasn't it. I was jealous. And then we kissed for the first time and everything just made sense. It was her. I love her. That's why it wasn't working with anyone else. It couldn't, because she was already what I wanted and there was no room for other girls. When I'm with her, I can relax and laugh and talk in a way that I can't do with anyone else. She makes everything fun."

"That's actually kind of sweet."

"What were you expecting? It's not just a kink or something. It's real."

The implication was clear and she opened her mouth to say something but then the doors burst open and a loud group of people came in late. Inuyasha scanned them and almost instantly found what he was looking for. And a little something extra.

Kagome was holding hands with Kōga.

Inuyasha shot to his feet so fast that he upset his tray and flipped it over. Even in the raucous cafeteria it was noisy and soon what felt like everyone was staring at them.

"Sit down," Kikyo hissed, tugging on the hem of his shirt.

He did, but only when his knees gave out as he watched Kagome reach up on her tiptoes to kiss Kōga on the mouth. His stomach was in knots and even if his food wasn't on the floor he wouldn't have been able to eat.

"She said she didn't like him. She said he was annoying."

"It looks like she likes him quite a bit," Kikyo observed. "Maybe even enough to get kicked out of the cafeteria for PDA."

"I'm gonna head to the bathroom. Need to throw up."

"Feel better!"

He nearly ran out of the room. Fuck, he had known it would be painful to be apart from her, but he had been willing to do it since he knew they'd be together in the end. What was the point of it all anymore if she wasn't going to be there waiting for him on the other side?

He didn't even make it to the bathroom.

"How does it feel?"

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks, his heart rate increasing in response to her voice.

"What the fuck, Kagome!?"

"How—does—it—feel?" She stood with her hands on her hips and fuck, if she hadn't been wearing Kōga's jacket she would have been so beautiful he'd sell his soul to have her.

"Get over here!"

Inuyasha grabbed her arm and tugged her kicking and punching into the cleaning closet a few feet away. It smelled like mildew and bleach and he felt his stomach lurch again.

"What do you think you're doing? My boyfriend's waiting for me."

"Boyfriend!? I'm your boyfriend!"

"That's what I thought but then you left me for her!" Her chin trembled and he wanted to kiss it.

"You know why I did that. It was for you, Kagome, for us."

"Then why is it that whenever I see you together, you look… You look like you like her." She said it like it was the worst thing in the world.

"I do like her," he said. Inuyasha knew immediately that it was the wrong thing to say by the shattered look on her face. "Not like that! It's just we've known each other forever and she can be fun to talk to. But we mostly talk about you, Kagome. Because I love you and you're all I think about."

Kagome finally put her arms around him, laying her head on his chest which acted like a balm to his soul. "Is it selfish for me to want you to only want me? Sometimes I think the best thing for me to do would be to let her have you. That if it weren't for me, you would love her. Then at least you could have a normal life. It would be easy with her."

"Damn it, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't love at all!" Inuyasha took a chance and kissed her, nearly crying when she kissed him back. "It wouldn't be easy because she wouldn't be you. Be as selfish as you wanna be with me, Kagome. You own my heart, my soul, my body. Everything I am is yours."

They took the time to kiss and hold each other. They would need the memory of this stolen moment to keep them strong until graduation.

"Don't be jealous of Kōga, okay?" she said. "He's just my Kikyo. A way of people not suspecting we're together."

"Wait, you're still gonna go out with Kōga?" he asked, looking at her in offended disbelief.

She nodded. "Well, yeah. We only just started going out so it would be mean to break up now. And he's sweet. But we won't do anything together."

"It's not the same, Kagome! Kikyo is blackmailing us. Kōga's wanted to get into your pants ever since he knew what that meant. You're gonna have to break up with him."

"No way! That would be awful. He really likes me."

"But I really love you." To further emphasize his point, he kissed her again. She was wearing a skirt today, thank the gods, and Inuyasha slipped a hand between her legs, feeling her silky soft skin and running his fingers over her lacy panties. "You really need me to convince you to leave him?"

"Stop it, Inuyasha. I've been gone too long, I have to go back."

"No."

When she tried to leave, he pinned her to the wall by her neck. His thumb ran over her lower lip, remembering all the times he had kissed and sucked it. How many times had she used those lovely lips to lie to him? To say the same words she told him to someone else, with sparkling eyes whose sincerity he would have staked his life on? He slipped past her panties and made contact with her core, sticking a finger inside and pumping it.

"Inuyasha, please. You're scaring me," she said tremulously. "Let me go."

"Scaring you? You sure about that? 'Cause it looks like I'm turning you on." He pressed his lips to hers only to get bitten. Quickly withdrawing from her, he took a stumbling step back, a hand pressed to his bloody lower lip. "What the fucking fuck, Kagome!?"

She was looking at him like he was a stranger. "Stay away from me, Inuyasha."

"Don't go." His voice was broken and must have sounded as pathetic as he felt because she paused. "Please, Kagome. You started this. You did this to me. Don't end it. Don't take it away."

But she did. Kagome left anyway.

O\o/O

Kikyo's relationship with Inuyasha only got better as time went on. He became more attentive and she was ushered into his group of friends. The girls invited her to hang out and she even caught a few of the guys checking her out. Kagome, of course, pretended she didn't exist and made it clear she wouldn't associate with anyone who did, which severely limited the possibilities, but that was okay.

Ever since she was little, she had dreamed of a big wedding. She and Kagome had spent hours upon hours planning the perfect wedding. They would have a double wedding with twin princes and wear matching dresses and go on a honeymoon all together. While a wedding was out of the question, she could still get a dress. It took the rest of her money and then some, but she finally had the most expensive, most flattering, and most perfect dress she would ever own.

It was a strapless white piece with gold beading on the bodice and fell to her feet in misty, fluttery swaths of nearly transparent cloth. To go with it she chose sparkly gold pumps. A smoky eye, a natural lip, and hair sticks completed the look.

Grandma Kaede was smiling as Kikyo descended the stairs. She could see the tear tracks and how they'd just been hastily patted dry.

"I really wish I could see you, Kikyo. I know you're beautiful, I can feel it, but I wish I could see it just once more."

Kikyo held up her grandmother's hand to her face so she could feel her smile. "I'm happy, Grandma. Tonight is going to be the best night of my life."

She couldn't hide the tears that fell now. "The best night yet, let's say."

"I'll be back late. Inuyasha will be dropping me off."

She smiled and it was mischievous. "If you don't make it back, I'll understand."

Kikyo laughed aloud. "Grandma!"

"Better hurry. Your carriage awaits."

On cue, there was a knock on the door. Kikyo ran to it, not even feeling her feet touch the ground. It was Inuyasha, as expected. He waved at her grandmother even though she couldn't see it.

"Hey, Ms. Kaede! I'll have Kikyo back by midnight."

"Or not!" she said. "Have fun."

The two of them laughed and he offered his arm for support. It was such a genuinely boyfriendly gesture that Kikyo smiled. There was no one around to see and he was still acting that way.

"How's Kagome?" Kikyo asked.

Inuyasha tensed and then started the car. "Wouldn't know. You wanna grab some burgers before or after?"

Kikyo bit her lip. Why did she have to bring her up? "We could just go straight there." Most of their group was going to stop for food beforehand, Kagome included, so maybe if they went straight to the dance there would be time for him to loosen up and enjoy himself.

"Fine by me."

Hardly anyone was there when they arrived. The music was echoing and the room looked almost ridiculous with so few people in it. Unfortunately, a couple of the people were Kagome and her date.

Kagome and Inuyasha locked eyes instantly and it was obvious that Kagome had the same thought she did and had been trying to avoid running into them. Her dress was the palest pink and hung off the shoulders but also had gold beading on the bodice in a similar floral and vine design to hers. Kōga didn't notice them, his attention completely absorbed by Kagome. Even Kikyo could admit that she was stunningly beautiful tonight.

"You wanna dance?" Inuyasha asked suddenly.

"Yes!"

Even though the song was fast, they danced close, and it felt so intimate that she blushed. For song after song, Inuyasha danced with her, holding her close and making her feel like a princess. It was magical, and even though she was tired and her feet hurt so much she knew they were worse than bruised and her lungs ached from all the laughing and exertion, she wished it would last forever.

The music stopped and the principal smiled at them from the stage.

"Thank you, Seniors. Today, we recognize our young people…"

Her ears were ringing from the sudden loss of the music and she wrapped her arms around one of Inuyasha's, laying her head on his shoulder to steady herself. It was a speech he probably gave every year that didn't matter at all. They'd hear a nearly identical version on graduation just a few days away. A slideshow was shown with various photos that had been in previous yearbooks and they all laughed at the memories. Kikyo wasn't included at all, yet Inuyasha and Kagome had been featured a combined total of thirty-four times. And then they got to the current year.

Everything was fine until they got to the superlatives.

A lot of them were predictable. Kagura won Biggest Flirt. Inuyasha won Most Athletic. Yura won Best Hair.

Kagome and Kōga won Cutest Couple. The picture used was of Kagome sitting on Kōga's lap, smiling broadly while he kissed her cheek. Everyone awwwed and clapped and she looked up to see the two of them recreating the photo at one of the tables where Kagome seemed to be resting her feet. The muscles in Inuyasha's arm tightened and she glanced down to see his fist clenched.

"Need some air," he muttered, and gently disengaged himself from her.

Kikyo trotted after him, holding the skirt of her dress in one hand so she wouldn't trip over it. By the time she made it outside, he was already drinking from a flask. She hadn't even known he drank, let alone that he'd had any alcohol on him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, wishing she knew of anything else to say to him.

He snorted. "You know I'm not." Inuyasha sat down on the steps and took another drink.

Kikyo sat next to him. "I know you won't believe me, but it wasn't my intention to break you two up. I mean, not permanently."

"It's not your fault," he said softly. "I'm the one who lost her."

Carefully, she put a hand on his. "I'm sorry. I know you love her, and I know what it means to love someone who doesn't love you."

The pain in his eyes was illuminated by understanding. "Kikyo…" he murmured. "Since when?"

She smiled. "As long as I've known you."

And then came what she had been waiting for all her life: Inuyasha kissed her. It was her first kiss. Her best kiss. Her eyes widened in shock and then fluttered closed. It didn't matter that he tasted like whiskey or that those same lips had passionately kissed his own sister. Inuyasha was finally kissing her, and it was everything she had ever wanted.

After a moment, he broke away. "I promise to try," he said. "I think you and I can make this real. Just because we didn't start out like that doesn't mean it has to stay that way."

Her heart was beating so fast and she felt lightheaded, like she was the one who had been drinking. Kikyo blinked away tears, not wanting to destroy the makeup she had so carefully applied.

"Okay," she croaked out. "I… I would love that. I really do love you, Inuyasha."

He smiled. "And I'm gonna try my damnedest to love you back, Kikyo." The smile faded. "But right now, I need to be alone. I'm gonna head home. Do you want me to take you home or would you rather stay here and have more fun?"

It wasn't going to be any fun without him there, but she didn't mention that. "You go ahead. I'll go home with one of the girls."

He nodded and kissed her cheek. "Tell them I got sick. Have fun."

Inuyasha gave her a wave over his shoulder and off he went, his car speeding out of the parking lot like he couldn't wait to get away.

Kikyo stared up at the stars. This night had been more than she could ever have realistically hoped for. It was almost overwhelming and she wanted to break down and cry, but she had promised herself that would be for later. With a sigh, she shakily got to her feet, only to come face to face with Kagome.

"What're you doing out here?" she asked, though it was obvious.

Kagome was pale and shaking, one hand held to her mouth. Her breath was hitching and she seemed like she was in the throes of some sort of emotional episode.

"Why did you do it?" she asked. "I was never anything but nice to you, Kikyo. We were friends and first you cut me out of your life and then you came back and took the only thing I cared about from me. What did I do to deserve that?"

Kikyo was unable to suppress a roll of her eyes. Of course something like this had to happen to even out all the perfection from earlier.

"It's always the Kagome Show with you. When I was sick in the hospital, it was all about you. When I'm having a private conversation with my boyfriend, it's about you. Believe it or not, Kagome, my feelings for Inuyasha, like most things in the universe, have nothing to do with you."

"Well guess what, Kikyo? Whatever feelings he has for you have everything to do with me. You're just a rebound. I only have to look his way and he'd come running back!"

"He's done with you, Kagome," Kikyo said. "Did you really think it was going to last forever? It can't. Get over yourself. And more importantly, get over Inuyasha. He's mine now. I'm going back inside to dance."

Kagome stayed outside. When did Kikyo get this confident, this bitchy? And Inuyasha… Her mind kept replaying what he'd said to his supposedly fake girlfriend. That kiss had been real. That kiss and those words had been sincere. She had experienced enough from him to recognize them.

This couldn't go on.

O\o/O

Inuyasha had already thrown up twice. The first time was all over his suit shirt and he had thrown it in the general direction of the trash. The second time was in the trash which he had mistaken for the toilet. He had since pulled himself together enough to shower, put on some clean boxers, and brush his teeth. He didn't know what time it was or how much he'd had to drink or what he was drinking now, but he was pretty sure he'd popped an Ambien at some point in an effort to try and knock himself out. All he knew was that the pain and churning in his stomach wasn't due to drunkenness but something else entirely.

Kagome had lied to him. Over and over she had thrown lie after lie his way and he had caught them like a dog with a frisbee and believed every single one of them without question. And even now all he wanted was for her to come back and keep lying to him. The kind of love he felt for her was never going to be surpassed.

Everything hurt so much, his entire chest a yawning chasm yearning to be filled by her returned love. Was it just going to keep going on like this forever? It wasn't like a normal relationship and there weren't any advice threads on Reddit or anything for a situation like this. The closest his drunken Googling had gotten him was a bunch of porn, which yes, he had masturbated to, but it wasn't helping.

The door opened. Hadn't he locked it? He blinked at the blurry figure illuminated by the dim nightlight.

"Kagome?" he asked hoarsely. She was the only one with a key.

"You're drunk," she said. "Scary drunk."

She approached the bed and he didn't even care that it was pathetic, he grabbed for her and settled her beside him.

"Please don't go," he begged, burying his face in her hair. "You came to me even after everything, so you must love me still."

A pause. "I do."

"Y-you do?"

"That hasn't changed."

"Thank the gods," he said, drunk enough to cry a little. "Kagome, you can't do that. You can't just not talk to me. You don't know what that does to me. I wanted to die."

"What about Kikyo?"

"She's not you! I want you." He kissed her. "Only you. My other half."

"Inuyasha, I—"

"Don't. Please don't say anything. I need you tonight. Please, Kagome, I've been in hell without you."

He reached down her bodice and plumped up a breast, teasing a nipple. Kagome gasped and arched into him. They had been apart for so long and he had been so convinced that he had lost her forever that he was frantic. In contrast, Kagome seemed hesitant to touch him intimately, trembling hands tracing his lips, his shoulders, his cheekbones, like she was memorizing him.

"Here," he finally said, bringing her hand to his erection. "You know it's yours. Touch me."

She did, her fingers exploring him like it was the first time, her warm palm wrapped around him and squeezing until he hissed.

"Put me inside," he said. "Please, Kagome, I can't wait. You can ride my face after, whatever you want, and I'll buy you a hundred more dresses, but I need this."

"Yes, Inuyasha," she said. "I'd do anything for you."

With a grateful kiss, they both guided him inside her. It felt so good and he sucked on her neck, staying still in an effort not to cum. Kagome kissed the side of his head and moved her hips, taking him further inside. Carefully, he began to move. He was still dizzy and also it had been a while for the both of them. Inuyasha didn't want to scare her again.

Every thrust was a promise. He wasn't going to fuck up again. He wouldn't hurt her again. He wouldn't leave her. He would always love her. Always support her. Do everything to keep her. With every vow, he went a little faster, a little deeper, a little harder. Soon she was clawing at his back and wailing like a banshee.

"What the fuck!?"

Inuyasha came to a stop and squinted at the door. "Two Kagomes?" he slurred. Ah fuck, was this a dream?

The Kagome under him bucked her hips up and her orgasm washed over her, coaxing one out of him as well. The one by the door slammed his door before falling against it and sliding down.

"How could you do this?" she sobbed. "I thought—I thought—Do you love her?"

Inuyasha looked at the Kagome by the door and then down at the Kagome squirming underneath him. Then he did it again. Blinking, he withdrew from Kagome and rolled over onto his back. Kagome sat up and fixed her dress, taking her hair out of its updo and fixing it around her shoulders.

Straight hair.

"Kikyo?"

She just smiled. "Thank you. You made my night really perfect." She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Stunned, Inuyasha pushed her away, a good percentage of his intoxication melting away in horror. "That's not—You know I didn't know what was going on."

Kagome was sobbing in a ball by the door. "I broke up with Kōga. I came here to tell you that. But I guess it doesn't matter." Shakily, she got to her feet, intent on leaving.

"Kagome, no!" He got up to stop her, but Kikyo got there first.

"Don't leave, Kagome," she said. "You should listen to him."

"I don't want to hear it!" she shrieked. Her face was pink and tearstained but she was still so, so incredibly beautiful. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her, but he had been the one to hurt her. "I don't want to hear how in love the two of you are. I can't take it, I would rather die. You already made me watch, so just let me leave."

Kikyo grabbed her hand. "No," she said, suddenly stern. "Kagome, where are you planning on going?"

Inuyasha could tell by his twin's face that she almost wasn't going to say. There was more pain and hurt than rage there, but it was still there, and it was powerfully present. But then it melted and she looked like a little girl again.

"I… It hurts too much," she said with a sob. "If we can't be together, I don't want to be. I tried. It doesn't work. So for him to have a good life," she said, finally meeting his eyes, "I need to go away for good. If you're happy, Inuyasha, that's good enough. But I can't be here to watch it."

Kikyo sighed. "You always were dramatic. I'm going to head out. I left something for you on your pillow, Kagome. Promise me you won't read it until the two of you talk."

She left, making sure the door was locked this time before she closed it. It hadn't been her plan to lose her virginity to Inuyasha tonight. All she'd wanted to do was check on him, maybe get one last kiss, and say goodbye. But he had been crying. And the love in his eyes was real when he'd looked at her, and at last she understood.

Kagome was loved so intensely, so passionately, and so earnestly that it took her breath away. It was wrong for them to be together, so wrong. They were twins, for hell's sake! It wouldn't even be as wrong for her to take advantage of his drunkenness to steal a little of that love for herself. Just for one night. Not even a whole night. One instant of perfect, complete happiness.

Kikyo was so tired. She couldn't believe that she had intended to walk the rest of the way. It was only a couple of blocks, but still too much. Even though her account was in the negative, she got an Uber, ignoring the odd looks and questions from the driver. Yes, her dress was bloody. Yes, her nose had started to bleed. Yes, she was crying and mascara was running down her face, the black mixing with the red and staining skin and cloth alike.

When they got to the emergency room, she was smiling. Not even this could take away how she had, for once in her life, felt like a princess. Even if it wasn't really her, she had been loved, and she had known how beautiful it was. Even if that wasn't real, at least the kiss had been, and she would cherish that.

Kikyo limped up to the nurse's station, all the noise around her combining into one loud buzz.

"I'm ready to die."

O\o/O

"Please, please look at me," Inuyasha begged.

He was on his knees and Kagome was curled up on the bed, silent and facing away from him.

"I didn't mean it," he repeated for what felt like the hundredth time. "Kagome, please. I thought she was you."

She flipped over abruptly. "That just makes it worse."

"How? I thought I was with you! I was telling you I loved you."

"Because it's like you don't even know me! Why would you think that after everything I'd just come in here and have sex with you without a really long talk beforehand?"

"It's happened before!"

"Uggggghhhhh!" She rolled over again.

He punched the bed. "This is ridiculous. I'm getting whatever Kikyo left you. Maybe that'll help."

Kagome rolled back over after he left. For the first time, she noticed all the bottles of alcohol. Her brow creased in concern. Were they all from just tonight? Then there was the open bottle of Ambien. Had he taken that, too? While drinking?

That explained a lot.

Inuyasha came back and handed her a thick envelope with her name on it. "Here."

"How are you still standing?"

He shrugged. "I like to party."

Kagome rolled her eyes and opened the envelope. A few cards fell out and she stared at them in confusion. But before she could puzzle them out, some of the words in the letter caught her eye.

Dear Kagome,

I didn't tell you back then when you visited me in the hospital because I thought things would go back to normal and I didn't want to say it out loud, but I had leukemia. And now I have it again. I've been getting more and more transfusions and it's just not working anymore. Grandma doesn't know. Now that I'm an adult, I've chosen not to tell her. I've also chosen not to continue treatment for this last month.

Even when we were kids, I loved Inuyasha. But I loved you, too. You were my twin, my best friend. For a long time, we only had each other. But then you made other friends, and it hurt to share you, so I decided I'd rather not have you at all. And then I was alone. I wasn't sick, but I was still living like I was, sequestering myself away from everything and everyone. And then the cancer came back and I saw you and Inuyasha at the party and I decided that my death was going to give me life.

After I say goodbye to Inuyasha, I'm going to the hospital. I gave your number as my emergency contact. I want to be cremated and sprinkled in the ocean like my parents. This is the important part:

Here's my ID, my social security card, and my bank card. Grandma Kaede is blind, as you know, and you're enough like me to get away with being me. Any suspicions she'll explain away because she'll so badly want me to be alive and healthy.

For a month, Kagome, I lived your life. I had your friends and your boyfriend. If it's not too much to ask, for the rest of your life, I'd like you to live mine. Go to college. Take care of my grandma. Marry Inuyasha. Have kids. Do all the things I always wanted to do in my name.

I love you both,

Kikyo

They were both crying by the time it was done.

"This can't be true," Kagome said. "Kikyo can't die! She's our age. It can't be real."

"We need to go after her," Inuyasha said. "She's gotta be at the hospital nearby. Let's go."

Kagome's phone began to vibrate. The two of them looked at it, expecting Kikyo. But it wasn't.

"Hello?" she said, sniffling. She put it on speaker.

"Is this Kikyo Takahashi?"

"…Speaking."

The caller began to speak very fast. "We have Kagome Higurashi here at General Hospital. Can you make it down as soon as possible? It's an emergency."

"Is she dead?" Inuyasha asked, taking the phone from her.

"Kagome Higurashi passed at exactly midnight. I'm so sorry. It looks like she was suffering from aggressively advanced leukemia and had a stroke. Please come by and make arrangements when you are able."

Kagome grabbed the phone back. "Yes. Yes, we'll be there."

She ended the call and the two of them stared at each other.

"She's dead," Inuyasha said, tears running down his face. "She was just here, and now she's gone."

Kagome looked through her clutch. "She stole my ID. Inuyasha, Kikyo stole my identity."

He thought for a moment. "It's not like that. She did us a huge favor. We'll do right by Kikyo and carry out her last wishes. That includes taking care of Kaede and getting a degree and getting married. You see, Kagome? She gave us a way to be together."

She reached for him and he embraced her. "I'd rather have her here. She really was my best friend, Inuyasha. We always said we'd marry twins so we'd really be sisters. And now she's just gone."

Inuyasha kissed her. "She's always going to be with us, Kagome. Now let's go see her."

O\o/O

Ten Years Later

Kagome nervously tapped the park bench seat. It had been a while since she'd seen who she was meeting and her stomach was tangled in knots. This was a big step, one she hadn't wanted to take.

"Kagome!"

"Mom!"

Kagome stood up to hug her mother for the first time in years. Her mother's hair was graying a little at the temples but she was still beautiful, even when she was crying like her heart was breaking.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she said. "It's just you've moved all the way across the country and you're always so busy. And it's not just you, but Inuyasha too! Busy all the time with that construction company of his. Have you heard from him at all, by the way? Oh, don't answer that. Tell me about you."

Her smile was thin-lipped. She guessed she should just get right down to it.

"Well, actually, I spoke with him just before you got here. He—"

Her mother grabbed her hand. "Wait, wait, wait. What is this?"

Kagome turned red. Oh hell, she had completely forgotten about that. "Oh. Yeah. That."

"Are you engaged!? For how long? Who is he? Do you have a date yet?"

"Um, actually, I'm married." She chuckled awkwardly. "We've been married for five years."

Her mother stared at like she was crazy. "Five years. And you never mentioned it to me."

"We have two children."

"I have grandchildren?"

"Kikyo—we call her Kiki—and Moroha."

"Does Inuyasha know?"

"Inuyasha's their father."

And so Kagome told their mother everything.

The older woman sat back and looked a mixture of stunned and stupefied.

"Are you going to say anything?" she asked, trying her hardest not to cry. "I know you probably don't want to speak to me again, but I promise there's nothing—different—with the kids. They're exceptional, even. And they want to meet their grandma. Inuyasha and I are normal, Mom. And we love each other. We have a beautiful family."

"Did I ever tell you why I named you the way I did?"

That puzzled her. "Yeah. You liked that old fairy tale."

She shook her head. "When I was trying to get pregnant, I visited the shrine of the two lovers. It was said they'd grant wishes if they were pure. Nothing's purer than a child, I thought. So I made my wish. And that very night I had a dream about them. Inuyasha and Kagome. They were holding hands and they asked if I meant my wish and if I'd always love my babies. I said of course." She smiled. "Nine months later, the two of you were born. Holding hands."

Kagome was crying. "You never told me that."

"I always had a feeling… You know what they say. Some people are just born for each other. You and Inuyasha took that a little more literally than most."

She dried her eyes and laughed a little. "Thank you, Mama. There were a lot of ways you could have reacted, and just… Thank you."

Their mother hugged her again. "Let me try and break it to your father. I don't think he'll be as understanding, but give it time. Is Inuyasha nearby?"

As if on cue, down the trail at the far end of the park came Inuyasha with Moroha on his shoulders and Kiki skipping beside him. Her strong, handsome husband had yet to see them, too busy keeping an eye on one kid while listening to the other prattle on about something. He was the perfect father, the perfect brother, the perfect partner. Tonight, she planned to tell him that their family was going to grow yet again. They were going to have twins.

Kagome rose to her feet and Inuyasha's eyes met hers instantly. Her heart swelled while the rest of her yearned to touch him, the magnetic force that drew them together still going strong. He had been the one to push for telling their mother, saying he was tired of the lies and secrets, though she suspected he just wanted a free babysitter like the rest of their parent friends. Whatever the case, she was glad she had allowed him to convince her. Her price had been pretty steep: she got to visit him at his company whenever she wanted and he had to drop everything and let his employees handle things so he could satisfy her cravings, which were definitely on the rise now that she was pregnant again. Unsurprisingly, he had readily agreed.

"Mama, I'd like to introduce you to the love of my life."