DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: This author has no financial or non-financial relation nor do they possess any right to "Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale" franchise. Full ownership of all characters is the sole intellectual property of Rumiko Takahashi.

Wherever You Will Go


InuYasha sighed as Kagome began to get up - missing her warmth immediately.

This past year, to be honest, seemed like a blur. He'd sleepwalked through his days until he inevitably succumbed to the brief escape sleep provided. Dragging himself on lead-weighted feet through the mundane responsibilities he had to take care of as he counted down the hours until he could close his eyes and shut out the world. When he forced himself to eat, the food was tasteless. Every time he lied and said he was fine, he could feel another piece of himself die inside. Nothing good ever happened to him. Every time it seemed like it might life swooped in to prove him wrong. It was exhausting to breathe. Exhausting to walk. To talk.

Even now, the feeling still lingered. Like he was subconsciously waiting for the axe to fall and reveal that this too was a cruel joke. Desperately wanting to be good enough for her but knowing he would never be. A small voice still mocking him in the back of his mind that he would inevitably destroy everything. That everything was already destroyed because of his selfish choices and inability to face the challenge that the well had presented him. The voice cooed in his sensitive ears that he was a failure, that he had failed her and that she would reject him once she learned he had given up on her. He would be alone in this world he didn't fully understand. Alone without even his friends to crawl back to like a dog with its tail between its legs. It was hard to get rid of the feeling entirely no matter how happy and relieved he felt in the moment. No matter how he tried to ignore it the voice stayed and continued whispering in his ear. This reunion had been a reprieve from the black that had been his life and now that the initial euphoria had faded the darkness began creeping its way back again.

How could he ever tell her he hadn't tried the well for a year now? Especially now that he knew she had still been trying.

A small piece of slick paper slid to the ground when Kagome opened the Well house door and with a small sigh, he knelt down to pick it up. The first word on the yellowing plastic was, of course, his name. Of course it was. Skimming over the rest of it, his heart began to sink. The second line was 'I love you' followed by instructions on how to find her if she wasn't at the shrine. He always knew she didn't think any differently of him. That she never believed he was the animal everyone thought he was but this...this was...

Oh god, he had messed up. He had messed up royally. He never should have stopped trying the well. That...that...

"Okay the coast is clear," Kagome giggled happily as she turned and gave him a breathtaking smile that faltered when she saw him reading the small laminated note.

"You assumed I could read," he muttered softly as his ears dropped and Kagome furrowed her brow in confusion.

"I didn't assume anything. I knew you could read," Kagome replied in a disconcerted tone as she slowly descended the steps and knelt next to him. He forced a smile onto his face and handed the note to her. Searching his face for a moment, Kagome cupped his cheek in her palm and stroked it lightly with her thumb, "Come on. Let's go home."

While they walked quickly across the shrine grounds, Kagome glanced at him a few times before grasping his hand in hers. When he squeezed, she seemed to relax a bit although the concerned glances ate away at his once again frazzled mental state.

"I don't live too far," Kagome hummed as she cast him a warm smile, "I didn't want to move too far away. I think you'll like it. I'm on the top floor and the balcony is right above the roof of the next building over."

Furrowing his brow slightly, Inuyasha tried to figure of her meaning before paling slightly when she continued.

"You know so you could run if you needed to," Kagome sighed happily, "All the buildings nearby are pretty even. I've been looking into buying something in the country though. I think you'll like that better and it'd be cheaper too. It's actually good timing. A teaching position just opened up in one of the prefectures that are basically giving away abandoned houses. They're older but that's probably for the best. More what you're used to. I think that'll be better."

Dread began slowly festering in his stomach as they continued walking and she continued talking.

"But we can do that in a few years," Kagome amended when she saw his face. Clearing her throat, she squeezed his hand lightly, "I teach physics at the local high school now. Oh, um, it's kinda like the study of how things work. I thought I could use science to open the well like an idiot but I mean...well you know."

It was clear she was trying to figure out why he seemed suddenly quiet and upset as she continued.

"But don't worry about what you'll do here, okay? I talked to Mama years ago. I know you'll probably feel idle while I'm at work all day so the shrine will hire you if you want. Gramps is getting too old to move things around and they've been wanting to hire someone for the past few years," Kagome laughed awkwardly, "They'd pay you under Sota's name. I opened a joint account with him last year just in case you came back. If you don't want to do that, we can figure out..."

Kagome finally seemed to realize that something more serious was afoot by how InuYasha's ears had dropped until they were almost flat against his head.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kagome asked softly as she stopped and cupped his cheek, "Hey. Sorry. You know I'm a nervous talker. I just..."

"No, no. It's not that. I'm just...just tired," he lied smoothly as he tried and failed to give her a reassuring smile. Truth was that hearing how she had built her entire life around him...how she planned on continuing to do so made him feel some type of way. On the one hand, hearing how she had never given up made him infinitely happy while, somehow, those same words made him want to crawl into a hole and die.

Because for the past year...he'd given up entirely. He sold everything he'd gotten for her. Surrendered his hut to a newlywed couple. Had not tried the well even once since that last painful time and had had no intention of ever trying again. Here she had been preparing for his arrival in every way...while he'd essentially pouted in a tree.

He could tell Kagome didn't believe him but she let the issue go and they walked together in companionable silence until they came to a stop in front of the tallest building on the block. It was only a few blocks away from the shrine but he honestly didn't remember it. He had to remember how to breathe when she informed him this was her new home.

His insecurity soared to new heights as Kagome stopped momentarily at someone else's door to inform the owner that she had a new roommate and needed a second key. He vaguely remember scribbling on a piece of paper. It was all he could do to stay calm as they entered the elevator and began rocketing upwards until they stepped out. There were two doors. On the one Kagome approached he couldn't help but notice the small white label underneath the number that read "This One". Every element of her life seemed to revolve around preparing for him to find her.

Every.

Single.

One.

She had studied the science of how things worked for years to try to open the well. Had chosen where she lived to make sure he would be happy and not feel too cooped up. Had stayed near the shrine. Had arranged for employment. He felt an overwhelming sense of dread as she sent him a heartbreaking beautiful smile and opened the door.

Of course she had traditional furnishings. Of course she did. He also noticed the faint scent of instant ramen floating around the kitchen area. Glancing at the wall length glass that led to the balcony his heart dropped at the sight of numberless plants that obstructed the view of the city. She had done all of this...for him...

And he hadn't tried the well in almost a year. He had given up while she obviously had no intention of ever doing so. For a brief moment, he very seriously almost vomited from nerves.

His self-loathing soared to new heights as she proudly showed him all the clothing she'd purchased for him. How she had fucking custom ordered a satchel with a hidden sleeve in the strap for his sword. There were other bags too and she sheepishly told him she had gotten a permit to carry a katana in public if it came down to it but...

"I've tried it out and it's still a little uncomfortable so I'm sorry about that," Kagome chuckled nervously as she finally realized how miserable he looked. Quickly placing it back into the hook from where she'd stored it, she cleared her throat, "But if you don't like it, we can figure something else out."

"Don't apologize," he mumbled as he moved to rub one of the cotton shirts between his thumb and forefinger, "I'm sure it's fine."

"I, um...they're all organic materials," Kagome continued nervously, "Cotton. Wool. I thought...I thought you'd like the scent better. We'll have to, um, go try on pants though. I only got some casual ones. I didn't know..."

"Stop," he interrupted softly as he let out a shuddering breath and dropped his hand, "Just stop."

Kagome flinched and stared up at him with wide, fearful eyes and he wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"I stopped trying last year," he informed her softly as he averted his eyes and folded his arms tightly across his chest.

Kagome fearful expression faded into one of confusion.

"The well. I stopped trying. I just..." he swallowed thickly, "I couldn't do it anymore. I was trying every three days and...and it got..."

He let out another shuddering breath and tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"InuYasha," Kagome breathed as the scent of her tears nearly knocked the wind out of him, "Don't..."

"I wasn't...I'm sorry. I just...I sold everything and I gave up and I'm sorry," he choked miserably and whined, "I'm so sorry."

"I didn't try the well more than once a year after the first one," Kagome comforted as she gave him a reassuring yet guilty smile, "I know how much it hurt. I understand. I..."

"Don't you get it? I gave up," he argued a little too aggressively as his nerves got the better of him, "And you've been...all of this..."

"InuYasha. It's okay," Kagome sighed but InuYasha couldn't bring himself to believe her.

"It's not though," he argued as he tightened his arms and began to spiral into despair, "You were here all this time waiting while I..."

"Come here," Kagome ordered softly and he complied wearily. She took his hand and led him to the bed before gently forcing him to sit down. Expertly plucking at the ties that kept his suikan cinched shut, she gently pushed it over his shoulders once undone before pulling it and his undershirt out of the confines of his hakama. Deftly and finally removing both as he sat there frozen, she smiled and raised a hand to scratch at the back of his neck.

"How many times did you try the Well?" Kagome asked softly before cupping his chin and forcing him to look at her when he tried to turn his face away.

Letting out a shuddering sigh, he closed his eyes and winced, "Five hundred twenty nine times. But I know that's..."

"Way more times than I tried," Kagome finished for him as she pushed him back on the bed and moved to straddle him. Staring up at her with wide confused eyes, InuYasha tried to control the sudden pounding of his heart before shivering when she leaned down and began placing long lingering kisses against his throat. He tried to fight against the sensations that shot through him but his body won out and a soft moan escaped before he could squash it.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," she whispered against his skin, smirking when he began to lightly pant, "We're here now. Together. That's all that matters."

InuYasha forgot how to breathe when she pulled away and suddenly it was bare skin that pressed against him.

"You're just..." he managed to chuckle shakily before inhaling sharply when she rocked her hips. Letting out a shuddering breath, he smirked up at her and finished a little more hoarsely than he would've liked,"You're just trying to avoid...We...we need to talk about..."

"No," Kagome cut him off as she leaned down and pressed her lips firmly against his and rocked again. InuYasha whimpered despite himself before scowling playfully, "Woman I feel bad. You can't just..."

"I can and I will," Kagome teased as she gently kissed down his jaw and his body traitorously tried to adjust to give her better access to his throat.

"But..." InuYasha tried to protest even as he knew the battle was lost when her lips found a particularly sensitive bundle of nerves. His mind was becoming increasingly fuzzy and he was fast losing control over his reactions to her tokens of affection, "But K-Kagome we never t-talked back then a-about how w-we felt a-and I don't w-want to m-make the same mi-mistake n-now."

Pulling back, Kagome looked down at him with a mildly amused, mildly annoyed smile.

"Look I'm trying to seduce you here," Kagome teased as she gave him a somewhat patient look, "Are you seriously going to try to stop me?"

Blushing, InuYasha looked guilty for a moment before he smiled, genuinely smiled, and rolled his amber eyes. The nagging little voice was still there but he wasn't to let a little guilt and shame get in the way of this.

"Guess not," he laughed shakily before he fluidly moved until he was the one on top and she was beneath him, "Go ahead. Seduce me then."

Several hours later, Kagome came back from her much needed shower and smiled softly at the image of a dead to the world InuYasha sprawled out on her bed quite literally laying how he fell. One hand dangling off the edge of the bed. One across his stomach while his legs were curled slightly and the shadow of a blissful smile still played on his lips. She took note of the way his ears subtly twitched in time with his heartbeat but failed to react to her movements. His chest rising and falling as he slept more soundly and more deeply than she'd ever seen him sleep before. It brought her a small sense of pride to know she'd worn him out so completely but more than that she felt happier than she could ever remember feeling.

He was here. Their lives could officially begin.