Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe, but I sure do love playing with them. The rest is mine.
Chapter 18
Inuyasha nuzzled into the soft pillow under his head, sighing in contentment. It was a bit firmer than he remembered it being though. And as he brought his hand up next to his face, he found himself wondering when he had started using a lace pillow case.
Wait…
He didn't use lace pillow cases…
His eyes snapped open and he was met with the navy blue lace of a bra. He jumped up, looking down at the still sleeping woman he had been sleeping on. Kagome…
That's right.
They had laid down in the grass after their little swimming adventure, wanting to dry off and warm up before they redressed, and they must have just...fallen asleep together. He smiled looking down at her. The way the warm sunrise bathed her in a golden light...spilled across her hair and cheek bones...Highlighted the peaks and valleys of her breasts...She was beautiful. Not even in a sexy way, though...yes. She was obviously that too. She was just...She looked like a painting, and he wished he could capture it.
He laid back down on his side, ignoring the temptation to use her as his pillow again. Instead, he settled for just watching her sleep, a contented smile spreading across his face. Coming to her last night had been…
Well.
He didn't know if it was the wisest choice still, but he had been right. Seeing her had put him at ease and comforted him, and it was just what he had needed. Talking with her. Smelling her. Holding her.
...Kissing her…
He felt his gut twist a little at that wonderful reminder.
Fuck.
What the hell was he doing?
Wait...what the hell was she doing? He was dating Kikyo! No...they weren't exclusive...and no...he wasn't even totally sure if they were still dating...But that didn't matter! She couldn't go around just...kissing him whenever she felt like it, damnit! No matter how much he liked it and wanted her to do it again, and more passionately...
His eyes widened at the thought and he internally groaned.
He was a mess, wasn't he?
Ever since Kagome fucking Higurashi walked back into his life...everything had been turned upside down. There was no other explanation for it. He was questioning everything. All of his choices. Entangling himself with her. Seeing her nearly every morning...wanting to see her every evening…
He was acting like he still loved her.
But that was impossible, right?
They weren't the same people they had been seven years ago, and seven years was a long fucking time. He should be over her by now!
He was over her!
That's why he was dating Kikyo. And he liked dating her! No, he wasn't going to go off and propose to her later today but...She was a sweet woman. Attractive. His mother really liked her...And...Well...why the hell not Kikyo? Kagome sure as hell wasn't an option. Not that he wanted her to be, anyways. She was going back to good ol' Cali.
Besides.
He had done the whole date and try to marry Kagome thing. That had worked out wonderfully last time.
So...yeah. Kikyo. In fact, he was going to call and ask her to lunch so he could apologize later today. Yeah. Tell her he was sorry...hadn't been thinking...just wanted to make it up to her for canceling on her...Just wanted to do something sweet for her...He just hadn't thought it all the way through, asking for Kagome's help. He should have tried to do it on his own before he accepted her help.
That would set things back on track for them...he was sure of it.
And then, he could focus on Kikyo and forget all about Kagome pulling him down for that kiss yesterday.
That kiss…
He sighed, and she rolled over, as if she were searching him out, missing the heat from his body. He felt himself smile softly, carefully moving to lay the length of his body against hers again, and she snuggled into him. It felt good. Their bodies still fit perfectly together. Just how he remembered it.
He internally groaned again.
Kikyo. He was focusing on Kikyo. After this and he took Kagome home, he needed to focus on what could be instead of wishing for something that could never be.
Not that he was even wishing for it.
Because that would be crazy.
Thinking about her kiss again would be crazy.
Thinking about how hopeful she had looked when she asked him if he was going to the chilli and barbeque cook off was stupid. Thinking about how excited he was to make plans to get paint samples with her for his house was insane. Looking forward to painting it with her was even crazier.
He was losing his fucking mind.
Only explanation for all of this.
Maybe...if he really did want to give things with Kikyo a solid chance, he should involve her a bit with the house too. She could end up living there one day, if things got serious between them. Which he should be trying to do. Make things serious.
The thing was…
When he was with Kagome, he was reminded of how good relationships could feel. Sure, things were still awkward between them sometimes...but...when he was with her, he was more himself than with anyone else. And he liked that.
He needed to make more of an effort with Kikyo to feel the same way.
Kagome wrapped her arm around his back - either intentionally, or unintentionally, and he closed his eyes. He just...Before he went off and started on all of this stuff with Kikyo, he wanted to just...have a moment of enjoying this with Kagome. Before he made himself pull away from her again.
Because he was getting the feeling that if he wanted things to work with Kikyo...he was going to need to separate himself from Kagome.
And he wasn't going to examine why the hell that made him so fucking sad. He wasn't going to dive into the depths of his psyche and analyze himself at the moment, though. Not today, and certainly not right now.
Kagome stirred, her shoulders shifting slightly as her eyes slowly opened.
Those eyes…
The way the sunlight hit them, he felt like he was looking at the ocean at sunrise.
He'd never need to go to a beach so long as he could look into those beautiful eyes of hers.
"Hey," she smiled shyly, rubbing her eyes before yawning.
Just like that, his brain shut up, giving him a moment of peace for the first time since he had woken up.
"Hey sleepy head," he whispered, running his fingers through her hair to move it away from her face.
"Were you up long?"
"Nah...just woke up a few minutes ago. I think it was because of the sunrise. I've been watching it." Kind of. More like watching her bathed in it's light.
"Sunrise," she murmured, her brow wrinkling in confusion before smoothing, her face breaking out in excitement. "Oh!" she gasped, sitting up to look at the sky. It was on fire. Beautiful pinks and oranges surrounded the cliffs, making the whole world glow.
"You should have woken me up - I would have watched with you," she gently scolded, and he shrugged.
"You looked peaceful. I wanted to let you sleep after last night."
"Thanks," she smiled shyly. "I was exhausted. I guess we kinda fell asleep here, huh?"
"There are worse places to fall asleep, and with worse people," he reasoned, making a sweet blush spread across her cheeks.
"There are," she agreed, running her hands up and down her arms a few times.
"Cold?"
"I—"
He didn't wait for her to respond, pulling her to him and depositing her in his lap, wrapping his limbs around her until he cocooned her nearly naked flesh.
"Yash," she laughed. "I could have just gotten dressed!"
Yash. For once...it made him smile.
"And missed the sunrise? It will be over before ya know it and then you can get dressed 'n' we can get outta here. Make some bacon and eggs at your house? Cup of coffee? Maybe pick out some paint colors?"
"Mmm…" she sighed, leaning back into him. "I kinda like the sound of that. Breakfast and paint samples. You know how to sweet talk a girl."
He barked out a laugh at that.
"I wouldn't say it's sweet talking, but since I gotta take ya home anyways…"
"What, you don't want to abandon me twelve miles from home?"
"...I mean, it's certainly crossed my mind before…"
She lightly swatted his arm, knowing he was teasing, yet not caring all the same. It was nice. Joking like this...it felt like old times.
He felt her melt into his arms as the looked out at the cliffs, the flowers gently swaying in the early morning breeze. It was peaceful. Relaxing. He didn't want it to end, honestly...and he wondered if she felt the same way.
"I missed the sunrise over the cliffs," she murmured contentedly, and he rest his chin on the top of her head.
"Nothing quite like it, huh?"
"There really isn't...There's something about just...sitting back and appreciating nature's beauty...I wish I did it more."
"Not a lot of natural beauty to appreciate in LA?"
"Smog kind of ruins what little there is," she bemoaned, sighing. "Besides. LA doesn't have anything quite like this anyways. Wide open fields...lakes...cliffs...rolling grassy hills…"
Montana was one of the best places on earth. He still didn't get why anyone would want to leave...but...he was too happy and content to voice that opinion. He didn't want a fight. She'd made her choice. They were moving on. And she was back. For the next month and a half, at least.
Fuck.
Was it really a month and a half?
It felt like he'd just found her again...found their friendship again...and he was going to lose her as soon as he blinked. Were they going to keep in touch this time? Or was she just going to up and leave? See her maybe during the holidays. Occasionally see a new photo of her on facebook. Watch her start dating other guys on social media. Could he do that?
Or would they really talk? Text each other about their day, talk on the phone sometimes...watch movies together from time to time over the phone. He could already hear her yelling at him to wait for her to put the popcorn in before hitting play. He'd yell at her about why she was taking so long. She'd complain about this or that...and he'd listen and let her vent...and then swear because her popcorn bowl was dirty because she hadn't done dishes yet. So he'd tease her about never being ready on time...About being a slob...About how he had gone to the kitchen, grabbed a beer, and made it back to his room...and she still wasn't ready...
"You didn't change your number," he commented, rather out of the blue. To her at least. She had no idea the chaos swirling around in his head right now.
"Huh? Oh! No...why would I?"
"I don't know...I guess...I just thought that you might have. When you switched phone plans or something."
"I'm still on my mom's plan. I pay my share of it, because I insisted...but it's cheaper for all of us if I stayed on her plan so...I never changed it. I probably would have moved my number anyways," she shrugged. "I liked it. And everyone has it saved anyways. Just easier. Why?"
"I...Tried it last night. When I came over. You didn't pick up, though."
She didn't say anything - keeping her eyes on the sky.
"I wasn't sure," she whispered after a moment. "I thought it might have been...but...I also thought my mind was playing tricks on me. That maybe I was just seeing what I wanted to see."
"Does...that mean...You deleted my number?" he asked hesitantly. He had done the same. He shouldn't have been surprised if she had as well.
"It hurt too much, looking at my phone. Seeing that text history. It felt like...I was letting go, by doing it. I was trying to start a new chapter of my life. It felt like a good way to start that new chapter."
He said nothing - just letting her words roll around in his head. Take purchase in his being. Hearing about her after...it helped flesh those missing years out for him. Helped fill in the blanks of who she was now. He liked hearing about it. The good and the bad and the painful.
"I'd also like to point out," she continued after a beat, "that this is a rather strange conversation to be having in our underwear."
"As I recall, it's because someone wanted to go swimming last night."
"And you loved it - don't lie," she teased. "Are you...feeling better?" she asked nervously, turning around in his arms to look at him as best she could.
"Yeah - I think so. I think...I'm gonna call Kikyo later today. Apologize. Ask her to lunch. Apologize again. I think I don't wanna throw in the towel yet."
"Oh? When did you decide this?"
"This morning? Before you woke up? I was thinking about it. What I wanted to do."
"I thought you were just watching the sun rise," she joked, but it sounded a little...hollow.
"I was. And I was thinking. She's a good woman. And she's smart and funny...Works with kids...She's active at church...Ma really likes her...And she's pretty...And she's smitten with me. It was one bad date. I don't want to let that get in the way of something that could be good, ya know?"
"Yeah," she breathed. "I...Yeah." She said nothing for a moment, and he rest his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes and breathing her in. Sadness. She smelled of sadness and concern.
"You think it's a mistake?"
"I think…" she began slowly after a moment, "that you need to do what you think is right for you. I think, you think, that she could be right for you, and I think, if you think she could be the one, then you're right. You need to apologize and see where this takes you."
"But do you think it's a mistake?" he pressed, unsatisfied with her response. That was a politician's response. He wanted a real one. Not this bullshit.
"How can I think something is a mistake if I'm not a part of it," she swallowed. "I just...Want you to be happy, Inuyasha. Nothing more, nothing less. If she makes you happy, then no. I don't think it's a mistake."
"Ok then," he murmured, tilting his head down to rest his forehead where his chin had been on her shoulder.
"Ok then," she replied, and they spent the rest of the sunrise, curled up together, watching the sun climb higher and higher into the sky until the reds and oranges disappeared.
Inuyasha hopped off of Bessie, removing the tack from her back. Breakfast with Kagome had been...Everything. They made it back to her house, and her mother greeted them with a knowing look and a hot pot of coffee.
"You two are up early," she passively commented as they walked through the front door.
"Yeah," Kagome had blushed, pushing her hair behind her ears. "Inuyasha came by and we decided to go for a ride."
"I see," her mother smirked, pouring them each a cup of coffee. "I suppose it's a good thing I made all this extra bacon and eggs this morning then, isn't it?"
Extra. As in her mother already expected him, and knew he would be coming for breakfast somehow.
"Thanks Mama," Kagome blushed, taking her cup from the woman and drinking from it. Her head rolled back onto her shoulders, a contented sigh parting her lips.
"You're welcome Dear," she grinned, watching Kagome place her mug onto the table as she began making a play for herself and Inuyasha - her mother having left the bacon and eggs out on the stove.
"And here's one for you, Dear," Mrs. Higurashi smiled, handing the cup to Inuyasha, but she didn't let go right away when he went to take it from her. "Inuyasha…" she whispered so only he could hear. "You have a key now. You don't need to sneak into my daughter's bedroom anymore. You're both adults now, and I'm a bit worried about the structural integrity of my window sills."
He probably looked like a fish in that moment - mouth hanging open, eyes slightly bulging...Mrs. Higurashi hooked a finger under his chin and encouraged it to close as his brain went reeling with the knowledge that they really had known. All these years...He hadn't been nearly as stealthy as he had once though, had he?
"You knew…And you never said anything?"
"We trusted you both. Perhaps more than we should have...but we always thought you would be our son one day," she smiled sadly. "Just use the front door from now on, alright Inuyasha?"
He nodded, watching her leave the room, his mind still in a complete state of shock.
After that...He and Kagome had shared a pleasant meal, filled with conversation with the two of them making plans. Plans to meet up for a little bit at the cook off...Plans to pick up paint for his house...And he told her he liked her article. The way she portrayed him, and what he was doing and his experience...it was nice. Honest. Personal. It was really rather good.
He understood why her bosses were giving her a little leeway, letting her work remotely at the ranch. It made sense.
Now he was home again, and he was dreading going inside. He couldn't shower and change at the Higurashis' house, so he knew the second he set foot inside, he was going to get looks from his father about the way he smelled. And if he was lucky, it would only be his father, and not Sesshomaru verbally piling on.
He was sure his whole body smelled like Kagome. Kagome and the lake and grass and dirt and Bessie...and he was supposed to smell like Kikyo, and nothing else. They knew he had a date with her last night.
Coming back smelling like another woman…
Yeah. He was in for it. And he really didn't want to explain anything to his mother.
Inuyasha sighed, making sure Bessie had enough to eat and drink before locking up the stable behind him.
If he was lucky, he could sneak inside, sneak into the shower, and stash his clothes for about a week until the smell went away.
Unfortunately, he wasn't lucky.
His father was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper on his phone and drinking a cup of coffee. He had gotten him a digital subscription a few years back for Father's Day so that the paper wouldn't have to be delivered all the way out here. It wasn't even on time, half the time...coming in the early evening's instead of the morning like it was supposed to. His father had resisted it at first..but quickly grew to appreciate the joys of a digital paper instead of a physical paper copy.
Touga looked up at his son as the storm door clamered shut behind him, and Inuyasha winced.
"Mornin'," his father greeted, picking up his cup of coffee and taking a long, slow sip from it.
"Hey Pops…"
His father put the cup down and carefully looked his son up and down. It was pointed. Calculated. Completely silent.
"Ok then," his father decided, nodding his head, and turning his attention back to his phone.
"Aren't ya gonna yell at me?"
"Bessie back in one piece?" his father countered, not looking up from his phone.
"Yeah."
"Then nope."
Inuyasha felt the air he had been keeping captive in his chest woosh out, giving his father a small smile of thanks before rounding the corner and heading for the stairs to go shower.
He was too slow.
"Baby! You're home! How did it go last night? Did you and Kikyo have fun?"
Straight into the jaws of the beast herself. Fuck. What the hell was he supposed to tell his mother?
And his father was sitting right there...He might keep his mouth closed about some things, but if he outright lied to his mother...he was going to be screwed. His dad would be able to smell the lie all over him.
Ok…
Did he and Kikyo have fun…
He thought back to when she poured him a drink, laughing at a stupid pop culture referance he had made.
"Yeah. We had fun."
The whole evening might not have been a dream come true, but there had been parts that he had enjoyed.
"Oh that's wonderful! I said you must be! You were out all night," his mother beamed, dragging him back into the kitchen to sit at the table with his father. "What did you do?"
"Dinner? Movie?"
"Is that all?" she pressed, giving him a knowing look, and he felt his cheeks burn bright red.
"Ma!"
"I just want to know how your relationship is progressing baby! You don't know how happy I am that you two are tagether," she explained, a grin spreading across her face from ear to ear.
"We don't need to know every detail of his life though, Sweetie," his father replied. "Give the boy a little privacy - some things a man don't wanna share with his Ma, Love."
Inuyasha shot his father a grateful smile, and made to leave, but his mother stopped him yet again.
"Did you eat yet Baby? Are ya hungry? I can whip something up for ya!"
"I'm fine Ma, I ate before I came home."
"You did, did you…"
"Ma!" he groaned. "I'm gonna go 'n' shower. I'll see you both later," he mumbled, standing from his chair and slipping out of the room before his mother could ask any more prying questions. This was a conversation he had never wanted nor needed to have with her.
He sighed as he entered the bathroom, trying to get his conversation with his mother out of his head as he flipped the switch and turned on the water in the shower. God he really needed a shower. He slipped his shirt over his head, the act of lifting his shirt caused the fabric to wrinkle...and in turn...it made Kagome's scent flood the bathroom.
Kagome…
The image of her redressing that morning flooded his head as he toed off his socks and shoes. He was reminded of her the way her breasts nearly spilled out of her bra as she leaned down to pick up her shirt. He unbuckled his pants, pushing them down his legs as his blood rushed south from the memory of that navy blue lace against her skin. The look of her panties framing her ass.
No.
Stop it.
He wasn't supposed to be thinking about her like that. Shouldn't be remembering the look of her breasts as she dressed the other night. Shouldn't remember the patch of curls between her legs…
"Fuck," he sighed, looking down his body at his cock. He wasn't full mast, but it was getting there...And it had been a while since he had indulged himself. Of course his body was reacting. He shook his head, pulling back the curtain and hopping into the shower. The warm spray of water from the shower head coated him, running down the hard plains of his body and drenching his hair. He picked up a bar of soap, running it over his chest and his eyes closed, his lust making his nipples pebble as his fingers unintentionally brushed against them.
Fucking fuckety fuck!
This wasn't helping...He wanted to ignore it...but he couldn't keep himself from absently palming his cock, the image of Kagome floating past his mind's eye again. The desire was too strong to overcome. His erection was there in full force and he knew there was only one way to get rid of it now.
He couldn't jerk off while thinking of her though. He couldn't. If he was going to do this, he should at least be thinking of something else. Someone else.
Kikyo.
He should be thinking about Kikyo.
He closed his eyes, remembering the way she looked in her red jumpsuit the night before. The way the low V of her neckline exposed the edges of her breasts...He should be focusing on that. He thought about her hands on his skin...her lips pressing kisses to his neck before moving lower, and to his back.
'Let me help you with that…' she purred into his pointed ear, sucking at the tip. 'That looks so painful...Let me help you get rid of it…'
He placed the soap down, allowing his hands to smooth over his body, indulging in his fantasy. Coaxing his body to respond to her imagined touch.
'God I want to taste you...Want to feel you in the back of my throat…'
He wrapped his hand around his shaft, giving it a tug, imagining that it was her hands on him instead of his own.
"Yes," he breathed, his head rolling back onto his shoulders. God it had been too long since he had touched himself. It felt so fucking good.
Steam filled his bathroom the longer he stood under the shower's spray, working his hand up and down his erection. It felt muggy. Hot. The thick air swirling around him, lifting Kagome's scent off his clothing. It infiltrated his senses. Submerged him in her presence.
'Inuyasha,' Kikyo whimpered, coming to stand before him, and he imagined her slowly stripping off her red jumpsuit to reveal navy blue lace underwear. Her black hair became shorter. Curlier. Completely different from how she wore it the night before. When he looked at her face, he was staring at someone else.
Kagome...
'You like what you see, don't you,' she smirked. 'You want to touch me, Yash?'
He did...He really did…
'Give me a show first...Stroke that cock of yours for me…'
"God," he whimpered, as he imagined her hands reaching behind her back to remove her bra. Her breasts bounced free from their confinement, and he bit the inside of his lip. So perfect...Kagome was so perfect…
His hand gave himself another teasing tug, picturing Kagome before him. Her hands on her breasts...pinching her nipples…
'Show me how much you want me, Yash…'
He wanted her. He wanted her so badly. He imagined her slipping those navy blue lace panties back down her legs, her hand sliding over her pussy as she absently palmed it.
"Kagome…"
'Show me…'
He picked up his pace as she spread herself for him to see, her fingers coming to her clit and rubbing it slowly. Sensually. Teasingly.
More. He needed more.
Fuck it was so good, but it wasn't enough.
His mind helped him.
They were suddenly back at their spot, both completely naked. She was no longer standing before him. Now, she was on her back...the moonlight highlighting every dip and curve of her wet, glistening body as it had the night before. Her head rolled backwards, causing her to arch. He wanted to taste her breasts as they were thrust into the air. Wanted to run his tongue over her pink nipples.
'Show me…' she begged, her eyes racking down his body as her hand continued to swirl around her clit.
'Mmm...Do you like what you see? Do you like watching me as I touch myself? I want you to watch me. I want you to see how wet you make me. Can you smell how turned on I am by you?'
His hand slipped between his legs to his sack as the other palmed the tip of his cock. He rolled his balls between his fingers, gently tugging and fondling his sack just the way he liked it.
"Kagome…" he breathed, picking up his pace. He moved his hand faster - tugged his shaft more firmly.
'Yash…'
He couldn't take it anymore. His mind was done teasing. He climbed over her body, pulling her hands away from her dripping cunt, and he pictured himself rubbing the head of his shaft across her. He coated himself in her juices before he imagined sliding into her body.
'Oh! Inuyasha!'
"Kagome," he panted, leaning forward to rest an arm against the wall of the shower.
He began thrusting inside her, her legs wrapping around his waist.
'Yash!'
"Kagome…"
He was so close...his blood was burning as he stroked himself harder and faster until finally the coil inside himself snapped.
"Kagome!" he whimpered as his orgasm ran through his body - thick ropes of cum painting the side of the shower white as he spilled himself over it. He planted both hands on the wall before him, his back curling as he leaned forward, panting and eyes pinched closed.
What...What had he done…
"Fuck," he whimpered, disgust and anger and disappointment washing through himself as he opened his eyes, looking at the proof of his pleasure slowly sliding down the wall.
"Kagome...Fuck…"
He had meant to do this thinking about Kikyo...but...Somehow that sneaky woman had infiltrated his thoughts instead. And he was left feeling disgusted and ashamed of himself. God...What the hell was wrong with him? Did he like torturing himself?
Clearly he must, since he thought about Kagome like that again. It wasn't the same as when he was a kid. He shouldn't be thinking like her like that anymore. Hadn't thought like her like that in...years.
Why was he doing this to himself? Was it because of last night? Because he had…
He sighed, leaning his head back against his shoulders, looking up at the ceiling above through the swirling steam of his shower.
He should have looked away last night. Shouldn't have gone swimming with her. Shouldn't have held her wet body to his...Shouldn't have welcomed her kiss…
She was plaguing him. God help him, she was plaguing him. She was consuming his every thought, infiltrating his fantasies...stirring his blood…
"Best friends…" he mused, a wry smile curling his lips upwards.
Yeah.
Best friends didn't jerk off thinking about one another.
Not unless there was something more there.
And there couldn't be more there. He needed to remember what had happened the last time he had tried to have a relationship with her. He needed to remember that she was leaving in a month and a half. Needed to remember that he had a woman here who had no intention of leaving. A woman who liked him and wanted him and treated him with kindness and respect...a woman who lusted for him…
A woman he was hurting.
"Fuck," he sighed, his ears lowering to his hair.
He needed to get his head on straight. Clean up...call her...make amends…
A knock came from the door, but he couldn't hear it over the rush of water around him. Instead, he started cupping his hands to wash his mess off the side of the shower before Sesshomaru could use it and smell it.
"Inuyasha? Baby?"
He thought he heard something, but he wasn't sure, so he continued washing himself - grabbing a bottle of shampoo and squirting a dollop into the palm of his hand before working it through his long silver mane.
"Inuyasha?"
That time he heard his mother, and he nearly jumped out of his skin when she opened the curtain, and his hands flew to cover his dick on reflex.
"MA!"
"You have a visitor downstairs, baby. Two of them."
"So you needed to come in and interrupt me when I'm showering?!"
Oh my god...if she had come by a few minutes earlier…Thank god his hard on was gone now!
"I do so you will hurry it up!" she replied. "You've been in here for a while."
"GOOD BYE MA!"
He pulled the shower curtain closed again, pinching his eyes shut as he continued washing himself.
He really needed to finish his fucking house.
Inuyasha nervously took the stairs two at a time, grabbing the first clean clothes he saw as soon as he got into his room. He had no idea why the hell he had two visitors, but the fact that his mother had barged into his shower meant that it probably wasn't good.
"In here, Inuyasha!" his brother called rather gleefully, and Inuyasha felt his blood run cold as smells began to register in his brain.
Oh hell.
Kagome and Kikyo?!
What had he done to deserve this?
Who had he fucked over in a past life?
Could they call it even? Please?
Inuyasha nervously entered the livingroom to find his entire family sitting there, talking with the two women. Glasses of lemonade had been set out along with a plate of cookies...yet Sesshomaru sat at the end of the couch next to his father with a bowl of popcorn on his lap. The shit eating grin he had plastered across his face…
Sesshomaru was really enjoying this, huh?
"You have some visitors," Sesshomaru informed him, his eyes dancing with excitement, and Inuyasha had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. No shit. "We've been entertaining them for you while you've been...showering."
He needed to finish his fucking house.
He needed to finish his fucking house.
No more side orders.
No more social life.
He woke up at the crack of dawn, worked the Higurashi's ranch, came back here and worked their ranch, and then it was working on his house until he fell asleep nailing the hardwoods down.
Rinse.
Repeat.
"I didn't realize now would be a bad time," Kagome began nervously, and Kikyo shot her what could only best be described as a death glare. "I didn't think you'd be showering right now."
"I, uh...was just...feeling like I needed it. Kinda gross and dirty. Pretty hot out there, today."
"Are you feeling any cleaner now?" Sesshomaru smirked, and his father smacked him upside the head, doing his best to keep from laughing. Great. They both knew.
"Yes...thanks for asking," he ground out, trying to ignore the confused looks the women shot him.
Really. Had he been forgiven yet? Could whoever he pissed off in his past life please forgive him? What would it take? Seriously? Because at this point he was more than willing to do it to get this to stop.
"This is, uh...unexpected?"
"But not unwelcome," Sesshomaru grinned, picking up a few pieces of popcorn and munching on them.
He wouldn't kill his brother...his father would kill him.
"No...not unwelcome," he slowly agreed, looking back and forth between the women. "Have you been waiting long?"
"Well, you were in the shower for a long time, Inuyasha…"
He shot his brother a glare, clenching his hands. Why couldn't he kill him again?
Right.
His father.
Who was doing everything in his power to not burst out laughing right now.
He was glad his social life was so fucking funny to everyone. A grand ol' source of entertainment.
Then again, if they knew what he had been doing int he shower, it was likely that they had heard him call Kagome's name while he's supposed to be dating Kikyo...Oh god...Oh fuck him…
"It's fine, Inuyasha," Kikyo smiled, standing from the chair and taking his hand. "Can we...go somewhere to talk? Just the two of us?"
"His bedroom should be pretty clean," Sesshomaru offered, and this time his father placed a hand on Sesshomaru's knee, trying to give him his best 'enough is enough' look. It doesn't quite land when you look like you're about to burst out laughing, however.
"Why don't we go outside?" he offered, catching the nervous look in Kagome's eyes as he took Kikyo's hand. Was it because he was going to talk to Kikyo and she had no idea what it was about? Or was it because he was about to leave her alone with his mother, who now hated her guts, and his brother who was a lunatic, and his father who was doing his best to keep his shit together?
He shot her an apologetic look, and her eyes softened, giving him a small nod.
She would be ok.
Uncomfortable.
But ok.
He led Kikyo out the front door as Sesshomaru asked Kagome how her night was last night, and he had to fight every instinct in his body begging him to go back in there and slap Sesshomaru upside the head himself this time.
The storm door clattered shut behind him as Kikyo sat down on the bench outside the front door. She moved her hair behind her ears, looking at her lap before looking up at Inuyasha, determination set in her gaze.
"Why is Kagome here?" she demanded, and his stomach was instantly in knots.
"Honestly? No idea. Didn't know either of ya were coming or I wouldn't have showered when I did."
And that was the truth too.
He just had to jerk off. First time in forever, and this was what happened when he did? Next time, he was gonna take Bessie, ride to the middle of fucking no where, and just do it in a fucking feild. It was worth it if he could avoid this mess.
"I'm glad you came though," he continued, running his fingers through his still damp hair. "Listen...I wanted to talk to ya about last night—"
"—Me too," she interrupted, guilt blossoming across her features and in her scent. "I...Inuyasha, I over reacted."
"No," he disagreed, sitting beside her and taking her hands in his. "I was an ass. Trust me. Sessh will agree," he smiled weakly, and it made her lips turn up ever so slightly around the edges.
"Maybe," she agreed, "But...So was I. You were trying to do something really nice and special for me...and you were going out of your way to make me a nice dinner and not screw it up…"
"I could have asked anyone for help though...it didn't have to be her."
"No...it didn't…" she agreed slowly, almost as if she were calculating what to say next. "But I'm assuming...history aside...that it's because she works for that magazine? I heard she does a lot of cooking for it? She was talking about it a little, while we were waiting."
Oh hell. He hadn't even thought about what all they might have talked about when he wasn't there.
Why oh why oh why did he choose to shower when he got home?
"Yeah," he nodded. "She has a lot more experience with it than I do. They ask her to do these comparison recipes and shit all the time...Little tips 'n' tricks…"
"...So she mentioned," Kikyo nodded slowly, her lips pursing together. Was she upset that he knew about her job?
"Listen…" he began nervously, running his thumb across her knuckles. "I really am glad you came. I was gonna call you 'round now anyways. I wanted to apologize for being an unthinking, insensitive ass...And also ask if you could find it in your heart to forgive me, and give us another go?"
He watched Kikyo's shoulders slump in relief and a genuine smile broke out across her face.
"I'd like that, Inuyasha. We're still...relatively new? I think some fighting is to be expected?"
He sighed, bringing her hand up to his lips, gently brushing them against her knuckles.
"Yeah," he breathed. "We're still figuring it all out. Seeing how we fit."
"Pretty well so far?" she asked hopefully, and he shoved the part of himself screaming 'NO!' down and away.
"You think so?" he replied, turning the question around onto her as his stomach nervously twisted.
"I think so...I think...it's worth fighting for, at least."
The look she gave him was serious. Heavy. It made him swallow.
"I agree," he replied, trying his best to not make his words sound strained. "Do you maybe wanna grab lunch tomorrow? Call it a fresh start, so to speak?"
"I'd like that," she grinned, leaning forward to kiss his lips. It was chaste and sweet...and wrong. He felt himself immediately remembering his kiss with Kagome from the night before.
He shouldn't be thinking about his kiss with her, when kissing another woman.
Kikyo leaned in to kiss him again, trying to coax him into responding, and he reluctantly did so, allowing her tongue to slip into his mouth. As he kissed her, however, he felt like it was half hearted. Like he was just indulging her.
He needed to find that flame of desire in himself for her again. The one he had had before…
...Before Kagome had come back. Before they had made amends. Slept in each other's arms. Kissed.
Was spending time with Kagome like pressing a self destruct button?
And if it was…
Why did he want to push it?
When Kikyo pulled away from him, she looked up at him through the fringe of her lashes, trying to look coy and sweet...and it just...didn't quite hit the mark for him. It looked…
Desperate.
Was she? He knew she liked him, but she couldn't be desperate to be with him could she?
"You're always such a good kisser, Inuyasha…"
That...hadn't been a good kiss. Either her experience was really lacking, or she was just saying what she thought she wanted him to hear. If it was the last one, it made his stomach twist in a way he just didn't like.
"Glad you think so," he replied, genuinely unsure how to respond.
"I think a lot of things about you," she blushed, moving one of his hands to her knee before sliding it upwards.
"I...do too…" he replied, swallowing hard. "I...we should probably go check on everyone else though? Since we cleared the air and all."
She released his hand as he removed it from her leg, standing up.
"I can't...I actually need to get going," she replied, glancing down at her watch. "I'm helping set up for the festival. You're coming, right? Lots of great food...drinks...music…"
"Yeah. Wouldn't miss it," he reassured as she stood, placing her hands on his shoulders.
"Then it's a date. I'll see you there and we can wander around together. It will be fun!"
"I'm looking forward to it," he nodded, trying to swallow the lump in his throat as they kissed again before he walked her to her car and bid her farewell with another chaste peck.
When he could no longer see her car as she carefully peeled down the driveway back to the main road, he turned around and looked at his parent's house, his stomach filling with dread.
He'd put one potentially raging fire out.
Now he had another one to deal with. And he really wasn't looking forward to it. He could feel his stomach twisting painfully with each step he took until he was staring at the four people he had left alone while he had spoken with Kikyo.
Kagome's hands were nervously fidgeting with her nails, while Sesshomaru could hardly contain his excitement. It looked like he was about to burst.
"Hi Baby," his mother greeted, and he was slightly taken aback by her cool tone. "What did Kikyo want?"
"She just…" he began, unsure of what to tell her. He had lied to her that morning, to a certain extent, when she had asked how his date had gone. What was he supposed to say now? They had made amends and were going to give dating another go?
Fat fucking chance. That would just lead to a conversation about where he was all night...which wasn't a conversation he was in the mood to have right now.
Or ever.
"We're going to meet up at the festival. She left to go help set up for it. She just wanted to come ask if I could help with it too, but I told her I had to work on my house today."
Sesshomaru was practically snickering, and his father poked him in the side before picking out a few pieces of popcorn from his son's bowl.
"I like that about her, you know," his mother continued, leaning back slightly in her chair as she picked up a glass of lemonade. "I like how involved she is in this community. She's a beautiful smile everyone recognizes for her good deeds here. Always willing to lend a hand when needed. Never thought about running out on her roots. She's planting them firmly in our soil here."
The loud crunching of his father and brother eating popcorn was the only thing to break through the awkward silence that had filled the room.
There was no second guessing who her statement had been aimed at. They all knew it.
"Well, Ma, sometimes it's nice to get a better view of the world too so you can help improve your community with new ideas and experiences."
"I suppose that's true," his mother relented. "If one intended to come back with those ideas and experiences to implement them."
"And sometimes, you don't need to live here to implement them," he replied, coming to stand behind Kagome. He placed his hands on her shoulders, and the crunching of popcorn immediately stopped from his peanut gallery.
It was a silent declaration to his mother, and they all knew it.
Back off.
Kagome reached up to place one of her hands over his, and he shifted his grip to take her hand, winding his fingers between his as he stared at his mother to say something about it.
"Speaking of implementing changes," Kagome began awkwardly, I came by with some paint samples? I thought we could look at them so we know what to do?"
"We," his mother, began, sipping from her lemonade. "There's a lot of 'we' talk going on. Would you care to share why?"
"Because she's helping me with my house, Ma. And I asked her to."
"I thought she was only helping you with some lights."
"I asked her to help with all of it."
"Oh shit," his brother muttered from the sidelines, voicing his genuine surprise.
"I see."
"You said you had some samples?" Inuyasha pressed, and Kagome nodded, opening her purse to pull out a bunch of color cards.
"I picked these up from Anderson's earlier," she explained, handing him the colors.
"Hey, these are actually pretty nice! I love 'em Kags," he beamed, sitting on the arm of her chair, ignoring the look of bewilderment from his mother.
"I tried to go off what we had discussed when we were looking at pictures online…"
"Yeah, no...You did great. Thanks," he grinned down at her, and she tilted her head up to look him in the eye.
"Since...since I dropped them off with you, maybe I should take off? Let you go over there and look for yourself?"
"There's no need," he replied, handing them back to her as he caught his mother's eye. "Why don't you come with me and pick for me."
"I…" Kagome began nervously, glancing from Inuyasha to his mother, back to Inuyasha. "I don't know…"
"Why not? You're my best friend, aren't ya? I value your opinion. Besides," he soothed, rubbing her knuckles. "You have really nice taste. And it will be good for your articles."
"Well, if you have the time…"
"Sure I do," he nodded, standing up and all but pulling her from the chair. "'Sides. It sounds like fun. Picking out colors with my best girl...It will be great."
His mother's hand was clenching the glass so hard, he was worried she was about to break it. And so was his father, if him plucking it from her hand was any indication.
"Go have fun, you two," his father encouraged, taking his wife's hand while shooting his son a look that said clear as day, 'what the hell are you thinking, boy?'. "Can we expect you for dinner?"
"I'll call," Inuyasha replied before leading Kagome out of the house, the weather door clamering shut behind them as they made their way over to her car.
"Inuyasha…"
"Nope."
"Inuyasha…"
"Nuh uh."
"Yeah huh," she stopped, grabbing his shoulder. "Your mom is furious - did you really want to push her buttons like that?"
"Did you really want her to talk to you like that?" he pressed, and she looked away. "Yeah. Didn't think so. Ma is...she's holding onta the past, and we're trying to move on. She needs to accept it, and I ain't about to let her talk to ya like that no more. It ain't right. It ain't fair. We're better than we've been in years, and...And I wanna keep it that way. So if she don't like it...well...tough."
He watched Kagome bite the inside of her lip for a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck. He buried his face in her, deeply inhaling her intoxicating scent. It soothed him. Cooled his blood. Helped ease the angry beast inside of him...made him stop snarling at his mother who would dare come for his sweet Kagome…
His eyes widened at that thought, and he slowly pulled away from her, moving to the passenger's side of the car.
"Alright then," he coughed, opening the door as se followed suit. "Let's look at some paint."
A/N:
Y'all are AWESOME! You beat the clock again! I'm not going to play that game again...(you can still read 19 and 20 early though - deets on my tumblr!) BUT. I LOVE all of your reviews. Even though I don't have the time to sit down and respond to them, I read each and every single one of them. They are reminders that you love this story. You love what I do. You want more. It encourages me to keep going and posting...So to everyone who reviews...all I can do is say THANK YOU! They all brighten my day and mean the world to me!
Also, did you play the Halloween Smut game? Did you have fun? Do you think I should do it again?
I'll upload it eventually again, but I hope you had fun! And if you played...I hope you caught all of the easter eggs!
Until next time!
-LL