Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

Chapter 6

"I appreciate the lift, Pops," Inuyasha thanked, picking up the small, jam mason jar of flowers by his feet as he got out of the truck. "Souta is gonna drop me off later, so ya don't need to get me."

"You sure you want to do this, Inuyasha?" his father asked as Inuyasha closed the door to the truck. "You don't have to."

"Yeah...I do. It's how you raised me," he chuckled.

"I don't remember raising a masochist," his father joked lightly before adding more seriously, "But I do remember raising a hell of a fine young man. I'm proud of you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah...Stop being all mushy. I got things ta get done. I'll see ya later?"

He watched his father give a nod before pulling the truck around and driving off back towards their ranch, and Inuyasha sighed. It had been one thing doing this when she wasn't here. But she was now...and that…

That messed with him.

Knowing she was up there made this harder somehow.

He reached into his back pants pocket to pull out the key to the Higurashi's house, opening the door and heading straight for the kitchen. He quickly filled the mason jar with more water and placed it in the center of their table. It was just a bunch of brightly colored wildflowers that grew on their land. Nothing that spectacular...yet he found himself fussing over them anyways.

He didn't know what had gotten into himself. He just...came back from dropping Kagome off at her car and went for a ride on Bessie to clear his mind. He didn't realize he had ridden to "their" spot until he was there, looking out at the cliffs and the water of the lake. He didn't know why he had done it. Maybe it was because seeing her had taken him back and left him with a bitter sweet taste in his mouth...and on his lips.

Either way, he was there, and he was going to the Higurashis' the next day and see Kikyo...And before he knew what he was doing, he was breaking out his Tessaiga brand switchblade, cutting wildflowers like he had lost his mind.

He heard light footed padding come down the stairs and he quickly backed away, turning around to wash his hands as he heard them enter the kitchen.

"Inuyasha?"

Kagome…

His chest squeezed a little and felt his heart move up to his throat as he turned around. She wore nothing but a tanktop and a pair of sleep shorts. Her eyes were still sleepy and her hair was voluminous and wavy.

She had never looked more beautiful.

No.

He wasn't doing this again.

"Yeah?" he replied gruffly, crossing his arms over his chest. "What're ya doing up?"

"I heard something…" she replied, her eyes slowly becoming more alert. "You're here so early."

"I have a busy day," he shrugged, shifting his eyes away from her as she crossed one arm under her breasts to pull the other closer to her body, creating the perfect little shelf for them.

"I know. Mama told me…" she began, trailing off, and he noticed her look away, her face darkening in shame. "She never told me…" Kagome began, shaking her head. "I can't believe…" she sobbed, bringing her hands up to her mouth as she hung her head.

The acrid scent of tears filled his nostrils and he was across the room before he could process what he was doing, gathering her into his arms.

"Hey…" he soothed, rubbing her back as she began to tremble. "It'll be alright. Always is."

Her hands wrapped around him and her face buried itself in the crook of his neck as she brokenly asked, "what if it's not?"

"It will be," he said more firmly. "Takahashis and Higurashis don't just roll over and give up. You know that. We're made of stronger stock than that." He felt a warm gust of air wash over his neck as she let out a breathy laugh, and he held her that much closer, tenderly rubbing her back and letting out a soothing growl. He felt her relax in his arms, her tears slowing down until they stopped altogether when she had calmed.

She didn't move away from him, though. Instead she stayed there, clinging to him as he continued to rub her back. He hated himself for it, but he missed holding her. He couldn't let himself fall back into old habits, however. He couldn't handle that kind of heartbreak again. He slowly disentangled himself from her once he was sure she was fine, and moved away from her.

He needed to put some space between them.

"Well…" he began awkwardly, "I'm gonna go get started…"

"Can I make you breakfast?" she blurted out, and he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I mean...Mama said she always makes you breakfast. And she's not up yet, so I just thought…"

"...Yeah. That'd be nice," he nodded, and she quickly moved to the fridge, looking through it for ingredients.

"Need help?" He asked, coming to stand behind her after a moment, instantly regretting it. Her shorts had ridden up a bit more than he would have thought possible, and he didn't need those kinds of images plaguing him for the next seven years like his old ones had.

"I'm ok," she replied, finding the bacon she had been searching for and grabbing the eggs before closing the fridge. "Why don't you sit down while I get this started?"

"Are you sure?" he tried again, standing behind a chair at the table. "I don't mind…"

"Please, Inuyasha. It's the least I can do," she replied, stooping down to open a cabinet drawer and locate a pan. She quickly lit the stove and let it heat as she poured some water into the coffee maker.

He silently nodded his head and pulled the chair out from the table, sitting down and watched as she froze.

"Do...do you like coffee?" Kagome asked uncertainly, turning around as she was about to put the filter into the machine. "I just kind of assumed…"

"I do," he smiled weakly, and she nodded, going about starting it before adding the bacon to the pan. It sizzled as the meat touched the hot metal, and the room slowly began to smell of frying bacon.

"So...When did you start drinking coffee?" she asked, washing her hands in the sink.

"Some time after graduation," he shrugged, not sure when. He just knew that she wasn't here for it. The bitter taste had felt good at the time. It matched his heart, and as a melodramatic post break up teen, that had been quite satisfying. Now he just liked it for the caffeine. "You're making enough for you too, right?"

"Coffee?"

"Everything."

"I…" she began hesitantly, looking away as she smoothed her hair behind her ears. "I can."

"If you don't mind? I don't like eating alone." Why was he doing this to himself? He should just eat and run and get his shit done so he could get his shit done at home. He really did have a busy day since he was helping Kikyo and the school set up for graduation...and then the Rusty Bucket after.

"I will," she smiled, turning around to flip the bacon and add a few more pieces to the pan. "So, listen...Inuyasha…"

Fuck. In his experience, any conversation that started out with "so listen Inuyasha," was not a good conversation. And she wanted to have it before the coffee even finished brewing? He was well and thoroughly screwed.

"Mama told me that Souta would really like it if you came with us to his graduation. It's just lunch at Ottwell's and then bowling. You don't have to, but it would mean the world to him."

"And you're fine with this," he asked skeptically.

"It's Souta's graduation. If I can survive dinner last night, I can survive a few more hours in your presence for his sake."

"Well excuse me for making dinner so difficult," he replied sharply, and she turned around, frowning at him.

"I didn't mean it as an insult, Inuyasha."

"Yeah? Then how should I have taken it?" There went his good manners this morning. Fuck. He really should have had coffee before he came. Maybe it would have put him in a better mood for this.

"I meant that...being around you is hard, ok? It's just a reminder of a lot of things I tried to outrun."

"Like a proposal?"

"Born only from my father dying," she snapped. "You never would have done it if he hadn't. Maybe eventually, but not then. Don't lie," she bit out as he opened his mouth to refute it. "I was spiraling, and you were trying to hold on...and it just made me push that much harder to scramble away faster."

His jaw clenched and unclenched as he ground his teeth again.

He had done it for more than just that. He had been thinking about it long before her father had passed. He loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Yes. His timing could have been better...but she was leaving everyone behind for that fucking university!

He didn't know what else to do.

He wanted to show her he was committed to her, and if that's what she needed...he'd support her. He just wanted to make sure she remembered that he was waiting for her. He knew she was the one. Proposing had just felt so...logical and right at the time, and he had been so ready for it. He had loved her for nearly eight years at that point.

Why wouldn't he propose? There was no one but Kagome.

"Kagome...it's too damn early in the morning for this shit."

"I agree," she huffed, removing the finished bacon and flipping the new pieces. "And I don't want to fight anymore than you do. I'm done fighting with you, Inuyasha. I'm sorry if that came out wrong...but Souta would love for you to come, and I think you should. You've always been like a brother to him, and a male role model...please think about it," she encouraged, removing the rest of the bacon before cracking open the eggs into the pan. "Over easy, or scrambled?"

"Over easy," he sighed, running his hands through his hair as she plucked two pieces of bread from the bread box and added them to the toaster.

He knew he should do it. He loved the brat too, and after Kagome had left, somehow they had only gotten closer to each other. This was a big day for Souta. Hell...it had been a big day when he and Kagome had graduated.

Souta was bigger than their problems...and she was right. If they could put aside their differences for one evening...well...mostly put their differences aside for one evening...then they could do it one more time for the kid.

He didn't deserve any hostility from the fall out of their split seven years later.

Inuyasha looked up as Kagome placed his plate and a cup of coffee in front of him before putting her own down across the table.

"Cream or sugar with your coffee?"

"I take it black," he replied gently, shaking his head and she nodded in recognition.

"Me too," she smiled weakly, pulling out her chair and sitting down.

"Really? Woulda pegged ya as a caramel, frapi, venti something Starbucks girl."

"Oh I like those too," she replied, her smile becoming a bit stronger before saddening again. "But I like my home brewed coffee black, like Papa."

"Oh…"

"Yeah," she shrugged. "It's bitter...but it's comforting."

He nodded and picked up his mug, taking a sip from it.

"Well, you certainly know how to make a damn good cup of coffee - I'll give ya that."

"Thanks," she grinned before her brow furrowed as her gaze landed on his small mason jar. "I don't remember those flowers being here yesterday."

"Ah...ha. That's 'cause they weren't," he replied nervously. "I brought them today."

"Really?" she whispered, her eyes and expression softening dramatically. "They look like the ones that used to grow by the cliff."

"Yeah. They are. Ended up riding out there after you left and picked a bunch for Kikyo and ya'll."

All of the softness from her face instantly hardened, and he regretted telling her the second it had.

"I see. Have you brought Kikyo out there yet?" her voice was much colder than it had been a moment ago and he internally winced.

"Nope. Don't know if I ever will. We'll see."

"Why not? I'm sure she will love the view."

"'Cause."

"Because why?"

"Because maybe I don't wanna, 'kay?"

She rolled her eyes and sipped more of her coffee.

"Fine. Don't then. No one is going to make you one way or another."

He watched her pick up a fork and jab it into her eggs, the yellow yolk running everywhere as she cut off a small piece. She was really pissed at the idea of another woman out there with him. Or maybe it was the idea of Kikyo out there with him. She had never liked her, for reasons he had never understood. Frankly, he didn't care either...but he did care that it was bothering her so much.

"I'm not going to take her to our spot, Kagome," he finally began, and she looked up from her plate. "It's our spot. I wouldn't do that."

Her face softened again and she nodded, a small smile kissing her lips.

"Ok," she thanked him, and he nodded, starting his own breakfast.

"So...how long are you here for? I'd imagine you're leaving the day after graduation ends."

"Actually...I'm not. I'm here for the week, but I was going to contact my boss about working remotely for a while later today."

He paused with his fork in midair, egg yolk sliding down it and dripping onto his worn, red henley t-shirt.

Kagome saw it and rolled her eyes, rising to get a sponge from the sink.

"It's that surprising?" she asked, coming around to gently undo the first few buttons of his shirt and work her fingers under the soft fabric. She accidentally grazed his skin as she pulling it away from his chest so she could dab at it and clean off the yolk, and he ignored the way her touch still made his skin tingle.

"Well...yeah...I mean...shit...Why are you doing that?" She shot him a knowing look, and his ears flattened to his head. "But...I thought you loved your job…"

"I do. And there's no reason I can't write for the magazine from here while I help get this place in order."

"But what if your boss says no?"

"Then I'll figure something else out. But I'm not gonna run from this now that I know it's going on. Why...is me staying here for an extended period of time a problem?" she demanded, pulling away from him and crossing her arms under her breasts. The action pushed them up and together in that delightful way again and made him look away.

"No. It won't be."

"Good," she nodded, returning the sponge to the sink.

"That's why you're up, ain't it? Couldn't sleep 'cause you were stressing 'bout the ranch."

"How did you know?"

"I know you, Kagome," he smiled gently. "And some things...some things never change."

A/N: Again…Highly encourage you to reread everything!