Author's Note: This chapter was a bitch to write because I want to make sure the pacing makes sense! As BADLY as I want the inukag dating to begin, I wanted to set the scene for how they'd grown close, especially after their first interaction was a doooooozie. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter regardless, and I will probably have the next chapter up pronto.

The chat screen was completely empty, only holding the name 'Kagome ?' at the top of it. Time had been lost to him when it came to how much he'd spent just looking at that very screen. The last forty-eight hours had him bouncing back and forth between whether or not he should even bother. After all, he'd shown her how much of a dick he could be - she'd probably only given him her number to appease their friends. Regardless of that, the amount of baggage he had, unresolved issues with not just himself but with others he was supposed to consider family. His ex couldn't have handled it, how could he expect someone (or anyone) else to?

Getting close to people had always been impossible for him, so to initiate a conversation, especially in the context of trying to -

What was he trying to do? Did he actually want to start dating again? Did he actually want to date Kagome? Or was he just desperate for some sort of sign of moving on?

The way she'd looked at him that night, that warmth her gaze held, it was the first he'd felt anything in a long time.

Miroku had told him to go for it, that there was no harm in just messaging her; no harm in saying hello and starting a conversation. But for him, there was harm. He wasn't a stranger to rejection, but that didn't mean he enjoyed the thought of it.

A frustrated growl left him as he picked his phone up from his coffee table for the third time, "C'mon. Stop being such a pussy," he scolded himself, finally managing to type out some sort of message before stopping short when it came to actually hitting the 'send' button.

So many insecurities ran through his head as he re-read his message, hoping to give a good impression but only having a whirlwind of doubts squander any semblance of confidence.

Why did he even care? He'd had countless hookups over the last few months, though it was very clear what the intentions were. None of the girls he'd slept with left a lasting impression, though it seemed he'd left one on some of them, much to his frustration.

Deleting the message he'd written, he closed the chat window before turning off his phone and pocketing it. It was easier that way, easier to pretend that their interactions had never taken place. From what he could tell, Kagome had a good heart that shouldn't be corrupted by him and the fuckery that was his life. Climbing to his feet, he walked to his room to grab his laptop, knowing the best way to distract himself was to dive into his work in any capacity - a trait passed down from father to son, one could only assume.

For an hour or so, he got lost in datasheets and payroll in a successful attempt at keeping his mind preoccupied. It seemed as though an hour was all he would get such reprieve, as curiosity struck him and, as much as he wanted to push such thought to the back of his head, he couldn't keep himself from opening a browser window. Clicking on his shortcut for YouTube, he typed her name in the search bar but hesitated to press the enter button.

It felt like an invasion of privacy to him, regardless of the fact that she'd purposefully made a part of her open to the public. He didn't want to seem like he was investigating her, or trying to feel her out through means other than face to face. The least he could do was try and set up a time to see her in person before making assumptions from what she posted online. If she said no, then maybe he'd let curiosity get the better of him.

For some reason, giving himself that ultimatum gave him the courage to pull his phone out and type out a message, only stopping for a breath before hitting send.

The ding from her phone had her thinking nothing of it, simply picking it up and assuming that it was an email from her management or a text from one of her girlfriends. When the name 'MechDaddy ?' popped up on the notification, she sat up straighter on the couch and (as gently as possible) pushed her laptop off and onto the cushion beside her.

[SMS received from: MechDaddy ?] - You never told me what you put my name as on your phone. (seen ✔️)

She paused for a moment, knowing for sure he'd seen that she'd opened it. It had been two days and, though she kept telling herself it was for the best that he didn't text her, that it was far too soon to be dating, let alone flirting, with someone else, she couldn't help but feel her heart flutter at the thought.

How the hell had he managed to turn the tide on her so quickly? He'd been such a jerk; but then his apology was heartfelt and their conversation had been pleasant. The way he listened so intently when she spoke - it had been a while since she'd felt so...special? Was that the right word? Perhaps a little strong of one, but she'd leave it at that for now.

[SMS sending to: MechDaddy ?] - I told you it's a secret. (seen ✔️)

The second that he'd sent the message, he'd put his phone face down on the table, knowing better than to obsess over if she'd read it and left it at that - no reply. He'd intended to start up on his work and had reopened a few of the excel sheets when he heard his phone vibrate on the table beside him.

That was fast.

Grabbing the phone, he saw the familiar 'Kagome ?' in the notification and he couldn't help let a ghost of a grin pull at the corner of his mouth. The hardest part was over, but that didn't mean it was easy for him to think of a response. How did actual dating work again? He'd been fine at initiating fuck-buddy conversations, but trying to actually woo someone into anything beyond that was out of his scope. If Miroku had been there with him, he'd have been able to help but Inuyasha wasn't about to call up his friend just for something as menial as that. Besides, he was a big boy; he should be able to figure it out.

[SMS sending to: Kagome ?] - What do I gotta do to find out? (seen ✔️)

Again, he planned to do what he did before, putting the phone face down beside him. Yet, before he could do that, a bubble with three blinking dots popped up at the bottom of the screen. It meant she was typing a response - was she waiting for him to respond?

[SMS received from: Kagome ?] - I dunno. I like movies, if that points you in the right direction. (seen ✔️)

He was smooth, as unexpected as it was to Kagome. She didn't know what she expected exactly, just like the first time she saw him. He was just full of surprises. It had been three years since she'd flirted, three years since she felt that flutter in her stomach. A feeling that only came from a flourishing crush with the promise of a relationship.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! Reign it in Higurashi," she silently scolded herself. A relationship? She just got out of one! There was no way that she was ready for a new one, especially with the man who she'd resented not two days ago. Yet, she couldn't ignore that feeling, it was unmistakable. It was that feeling that drove her to respond with the same amount of vague suave that he'd given her. Apparently, he had been waiting for her response, as it immediately went to 'seen' before those three dots came up.

That was absolutely the right direction; she had to have been hinting at some sort of date, right? Inuyasha had hoped so. Though he hadn't outright asked to go out on a date with her, it was very heavily implied that would be his next move. It felt as though it should have been odd to be having that conversation with her, but it didn't. It felt organic and easy, just like back during their conversation on the balcony. In the back of his head, he'd thought that maybe she was just humoring their friends because she was tipsy but it seemed to recall their conversation at least a little bit.

[SMS received from: MechDaddy ?] - Movies huh? Any new ones you wanna see? (seen ✔️)

A giddy smile formed on her face in response to his text, picking up exactly what he was putting down and happy to keep hold of it. It was obvious he planned to ask her out on a date, she wasn't blind or dumb, but the thought of being out in public with someone on a date in public so soon after her relationship ended didn't sit well with her. But the alternative - him coming to her place or her going to his - seemed daunting and gave an odd impression that she didn't know she wanted to.

She left him on 'seen' for a while while she tried to wade through the possible outcomes of her dilemma. Swallowing slightly, she decided to not respond, for now, feeling the need to ask for a second opinion.

Opening her contacts, she hit Sango's name before putting the phone to her ear, "Please pick up. Please pick up." A mantra she repeated until she the receiver pick up and Sango's voice flowed through it.

"Yo - what's up?"

"Inuyasha texted me," Kagome said bluntly and she didn't need to see Sango to tell she was grinning from ear to ear at the news. What else was Kagome supposed to expect? It was Miroku and Sango who had tried to construct their meeting n the first place. Kagome bet that her lifetime friend felt fairly smug at that moment.

"Oh yeah? What'd he say?" There it was, that playfully curious tone that told Kagome that Sango was interested in this new gossip - she definitely felt smug.

"He asked what I put his name as in my phone," she replied, obviously slightly panicked by the whole situation, "And I told him that it was secret."

Sango couldn't help herself, Kagome was the only person she felt truly comfortable going full gossip-mode with, "What did you put as his name?" Sango knew how Kagome liked to give people little nicknames in her phone - she still had Miroku listed as 'Pervert' from when she knew him before Sango came into his life.

Kagome's cheeks flushed as she remained quiet, giving her friend the impression that the name she gave him was slightly embarrassing, "I won't tell him," Sango continued, trying to make Kagome more comfortable confiding in her. The silence continued, which Sango realized was because Kagome was waiting for a second name. An audible sigh could be heard on the other side as Sango gave in, "Or Miroku."

"You promise," a forceful tone that was filled with passive threat, having Sango laughing softly and agreeing. Kagome waited a beat before finally saying, "MechDaddy."

"You didn't," Sango replied, her voice almost an active higher with giddiness, "Daddy, Kags?! I knew you were getting cozy on the balcony."

"Shut up," Kagome protested rather pitifully before she continued, "He asked what he needed to do to find out what it was." The statement had Sango giving a long, teasing 'oo' sound.

"Look at him, being all suave," Sango added before continuing, "Didn't know if he still had it in 'im, considering the fact that he'd been out of the legit dating game for so long." Sango continued to wander aimlessly around her apartment as their conversation continued, Miroku sneakily trying to eves drop on the conversation that he knew was about their little pair of problematic faves. Sango wasn't an idiot, jerking her head behind her with a scowl to see him watching her walk around. Miroku threw his hands up defensively before turning away to continue on with watching whatever it was that had come on the television.

Kagome paused for a moment before letting curiosity get the best of her, "How long?"

"Oh no, no. You tell me what you said next. We're not changing the subject."

"Uh-" Busted. Kagome shouldn't have expected anything less, "I told him I liked movies if that pointed him in the right direction," she stated, running a hand through her hair out of that same panic, "Then he asked if there were any new ones I wanted to see."

"That's great!"

"No it isn't!" Kagome interjected, "That's why I'm calling. I haven't responded, yet. I don't know what to say."

Sango was confused by her dilemma - he was asking her on a date, what dilemma could there be? It seemed as Kagome was interested in her boyfriend's childhood friend. All signs pointed to the obvious answer, "How come?"

"Because - it's complicated. I don't want to go out in public because-" she released a heavy sigh, feeling entitled and as if she were more important than she was. Imposter syndrome was still something she experienced daily, especially when people would come up and ask for a picture, "Koga and I just broke up - if someone saw me on a date with another guy, you know how drama channels are."

It clicked in Sango's head then, completely understanding what Kagome was saying, "Ooooh, okay. Yeah. That makes more sense," Sango agreed before giving a sigh of her own and making her way to her bedroom.

Somehow having ended up sitting on her kitchen island, Kagome continued, "And I could invite him over or whatever, but I don't want him to get the wrong idea. Or-" a slightly more frustrated sigh left her, holding grit to it before Sango interrupted.

"You could just...tell him you're not ready for anything like that. Y'know that's an option, right?" Sango stated as if it was the most obvious option but Kagome hadn't even thought about it. She could just say no or that she wasn't interested in anything like that, yet.

But then a great wave of disappointment crashed over her at the thought of saying 'no' to him, "I-I didn't even-"

"Or, you could just have a little fun. I'm sure if you tell him where you're at, he'd be understanding. He's not a bad guy, Kags. I know you had a-" Sango paused to give a bemused scoff, "rough start with him. But, I dunno - I think you'd have fun with him, if nothing else. Live a little!"

Live a little.

Was she implying to just sleep with him? No strings attached? Kagome wasn't familiar with such arrangements, having never had a one-night stand or a friend with benefits. She was a thoroughly monogamous person. Even throughout high school, she'd always had boyfriends, one of them lasting after high school and into her late teens. When she'd turned twenty, she found Koga and, for the last three years, she'd been in that relationship.

She knew rebounds were a thing, that people did them all of the time. Though she wasn't one to judge, it just wasn't something she ever saw herself doing, "Sango! I can't just-"

"Why not?" Sango didn't even let Kagome finish her sentence, "You're a big girl with big girl needs. Just see what happens." There was silence on the other end of the phone, Sango still able to tell that Kagome was on the line by hearing her footsteps.

"So you're telling me to invite him over?" Though it sounded like a question, it was obviously more of a statement.

"I'm suggesting that, yes," Sango corrected with a grin, "But maybe you should ask to go over there unless you intend to shove all of those unpacked boxes into your spare room."

"Shut up," as hard as Kagome tried to sound offended, there was an unmistakable overtone of amusement. Though, as soon as that amusement came, it left shortly after, "Fine. Okay, I'll-I'll ask if he wants to come over."

"That-a girl!" Sango praised, able to practically hear Kagome rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, okay. Whatever."

"Fill me in after-"

"Bye!" Kagome stated abruptly before hanging up her phone and finding herself back in her living room, staring out of the window over the skyline. Looking down at her phone, she pulled up the conversation she'd been having with the very man that she and Sango had been discussing.

Fifteen minutes and no response. It had taken him two of those minutes before he placed his phone face down, a wrenching feeling in his gut. Perhaps he'd come on too strong and scared her; she'd mentioned an ex and, by the tone of their conversation, it hadn't been long since the relationship ended.

Each second felt like an eternity as if his clock had stopped working altogether and time was just standing still. The last time he felt that much anxiety was well over four years ago, when he actually cared if someone replied to his text in the context of courting. After the eighth minute, he closed his laptop and walked to the fridge to grab a beer, knowing that he wouldn't be able to concentrate on work. Leaning against his kitchen counter, he convinced himself to take easy sips instead of knocking back the whole thing. If we really wanted to feel anything, he'd need something strong - much stronger.

The thought of calling Miroku crossed through his mind again but was swiftly shoved away out of the pure conflict of emotions that raced through his mind. Plus, he'd never hear the end of it, if he did.

The sixteenth minute began with the sound of vibrating on the table and, with more excitement than he'd intended, he pushed himself off the counter towards the table. His feet moved with a little more urgency than usual, though Inuyasha denied it, placing his beer on the table and picking up his phone from it.

[SMS received from: Kagome ?] - There's a new Netflix Original that seems good. I can't remember the name, though. (seen ✔️)

Tensing, he tried to interpret just what she'd meant by her text. Was she insinuating that they just watch a movie at home? It seemed like she was offering a very literal 'Netflix and chill' situation. In those situations, he knew how to maneuver them well, but it was different considering the fact that Kagome was friends with Miroku and Sango. He sat back in his seat at the table, just simply staring at the text as if it were hieroglyphics and that he needed to decipher it to unlock exactly what she meant.

After a good minute or so, he decided that he better answer with something. May as well tap into and incorporate the typical confidence he had when it came to his 'dating' escapades.

[SMS sending to: Kagome ?] - Are you asking me to Netflix & Chill, Higurashi? (seen ✔️)

The text she received from him had her blushing to herself, a bit of anxiousness sitting in her stomach as she stayed curled up on her newly purchased sectional. Looked like he had read through exactly what she'd insinuated - or rather, what she thought she was insinuating. There was a part of her that was questioning why she was so afraid to just tell him the situation, that she didn't expect anything when it came to the longevity of what she was asking. She didn't want a relationship right now, and from what Sango had hinted at, Inuyasha may have been at the opposite side of the spectrum.

She was usually such an open book about what she was going through, able to communicate her feelings almost too well. The thought of telling him what was going on made her feel that she'd scare him, something she usually didn't care about. When it came to Inuyasha now, she was almost afraid to scare him, which made zero sense, seeing as she'd gone over a month doing nothing but resenting him. Sango's words resonated in her head, "I think you'd have fun with him, if nothing else. Live a little!"

Kagome's thumbs pushed against one another, twiddling as she kept her phone in both hands. Biting on her lower lip, she managed to type out some sort of response,

[SMS sending to: MechDaddy ?] - If you mean to come over and watch a movie together while we carry out a conversation, then sure. ? (seen ✔️)

She was teasing him now, giving Inuyasha some mixed signals though, judging by the winky emoji at the end, he could only assume she was joking. Before he could even think of some sort of response, he received a second text.

[SMS received from: Kagome ?] - Maybe if you behave, I'll let you know what your name is in my phone. (seen ✔️)

[SMS sending to: Kagome ?] - Oh, I see how it is. You're not gunna make it easy, are you? (seen ✔️)

[SMS received from: Kagome ?] - I DID say that it would only point you in the right direction. ? (seen ✔️)

[SMS sending to: Kagome ?] - Well played, Higurashi. (seen ✔️)

[SMS sending to: Kagome ?] - So, what time is this movie showing? (seen ✔️)

[SMS received from: Kagome ?] - The soonest one is tonight 7pm. The next would be Wednesday 8pm. (seen ✔️)

The conversation had flowed fairly easily for the last few texts, with hardly any wait time between responses. Unbeknownst to Kagome, she had been smiling like an idiot the whole time, enjoying the playful banter back and forth. Honestly, she hadn't intended to invite him over that night (a few hours from then, in fact), but something had compelled her. She wanted to see him sooner rather than later, and that realization had her stomach drop out of a multitude of emotions. Fear. Excitement. Confusion. All of them at once.

Tonight? Inuyasha was shocked and even a little intimidated by the sudden forwardness. If it'd been anyone else, he wouldn't have even needed to think about it and would have been in the shower getting ready to head out. Something stopped him, though. A silent restraint that told him that he needed to wait. Patience was never his strong suit, but he may as well try to start practicing it now.

[SMS received from: MechDaddy ?] - Busy tonight. Wednesday's open. (seen ✔️) [SMS received from: MechDaddy ?] - Seeing as you're providing the tickets, I'll bring the popcorn and drinks. Wine work for you? (seen ✔️)

Not tonight. A small sense of disappointment fell over her as she realized she would need to wait; but then she thought to herself how it was most likely for the best, "Well, gives me time to unpack more..." she murmured to herself.

[SMS sending to: MechDaddy ?] - Wine sounds great! (seen ✔️)

She was about to send 'it's a date', but she had to stop herself from choosing that word. Kagome didn't know exactly what it was supposed to be, but maybe putting a label on it wasn't the smartest idea. Or maybe, she could just ask him.

[SMS sending to: MechDaddy ?] - What should we call this 'movie and talking'? (seen ✔️)

Finishing off his beer, he was still looking down at his phone screen even as he knocked his head back. Gaze narrowed at the words she'd sent him, again taken aback by them and not knowing how to respond right away. He wasn't sure what she wanted him to call it, but he didn't think it was any sort of 'trap'. Kagome didn't seem like the type of person to be capable of such things, even if her temper could be frightening.

[SMS sending to: Kagome ?] - How about we call it my redemption? (seen ✔️)

[SMS received from: Kagome ?] - You already apologized. Twice. (seen ✔️)

[SMS sending to: Kagome ?] - I know. (seen ✔️)

Kagome released a wistful sigh as she rested her head in her palm, elbow perched on the arm of the couch. Perhaps that was the best thing to call it, for now.

[SMS sending to: MechDaddy ?] - Alright. We'll call it that then! Wednesday 8pm. I'll send you my address before then. (seen ✔️)

[SMS received from: MechDaddy ?] - Looking forward to it. (seen ✔️)

The instant he'd sent that, he palmed his face, not wanting to seem too excited to see her. The last thing he wanted was to come off desperate, which he wasn't really. He figured that was the end of their conversation for the night but, before he could finally take a breath of relief and try to think about something else, he received another text message.

[SMS received from: Kagome ?] - So, what're you busy with tonight? (seen ✔️)

The last couple of days had been spent unpacking her things while consistently checking her phone in between. Ever since that Sunday, she and Inuyasha had been texting back and forth, getting to know each other a bit better. The conversations were still surface level, asking simple questions that only Kagome would be able to come up with. A part of her was sure that Inuyasha felt like he was constantly answering a game of twenty questions; if he did, he must have been slightly entertained as he answered almost every single one. It was shocking to her, that their first meeting had been so sour, as their conversations had dragged on from right when she woke up and she'd end up going to sleep excited to talk to him again the next day.

She'd been quick to respond to his texts, perhaps too quick, but she couldn't help herself. That is, until she had managed to drag out something that brought her back to the reality of her situation. A picture frame that held a selfie of her and Koga, her lips pressed to his cheek as a beautiful backdrop of Santorini sat behind them. A pang of sadness pierced her heart, falling from her kneeled position and onto her ass. Legs loosely straightened in front of her and spread shoulder-width apart as she surveyed the picture. She was twisting the knife at that point, allowing memories to flood back in and overtake any semblance of happiness she'd felt just a moment ago.

So many thoughts reeled through her mind, only to be pulled back from her thoughts at the sound of her phone vibrating. In the last few days, Inuyasha's texts had her forgetting why she'd been so upset the last month and a half - how heartbroken she'd been. A part of her tried to rationalize the fact that they didn't explicitly state that what they were doing was a date, though it was heavily implied. Tears threatened to leave her eyes then, welling up in their ducts as she put the picture down and reached for her phone.

[SMS received from: MechDaddy ?] - I think you can tell a lot about a person by what slurpee flavors they choose. (seen ✔️) [SMS received from: MechDaddy ?] - Istg if you like banana, idk if I can be seen in the same room as you. (seen ✔️)

Another answer from their aimless conversation that had brought her much amusement and some joy.

"Fuck..." she hissed, swallowing back her tears as she climbed to her feet and made her way to her bedroom. How was she supposed to handle this - how could he? If she wasn't able to keep her emotions in check when seeing a picture of herself and Koga together, was she ready to find solace in someone else? That wasn't fair. Not to Inuyasha. But he was supposed to come over at 8 pm that night; he was supposed to have his redemption.

Falling facefirst into her bed, she whimpered out of pain and confusion holding her phone in her hand. Maybe canceling was the best course of action, as much as it pained her to. Gripping some fabric of her shirt near her collar, she covered her index finger so she could press the knuckle of it against her inner corner t stop any tears from actually falling.

[SMS received from: Kagome ?] - Can I call you? (seen ✔️)

That text seemed to have come out of nowhere, leaving Inuyasha perplexed as his heart wrenched with uneasiness. Something within him told him that there was something wrong. He'd decided to end his day earlier and had just gotten home to get ready and mentally prepare himself for their little meetup. Tossing his keys in the dish on the side table in his entryway, he slid off his leather jacket and kicked off his boots before walking into the living room and taking a seat on his couch.

[SMS sending to: Kagome ?] - Sure. Everything okay? (seen ✔️)

Not three seconds after he hit send did he see her name flash up with the option to accept or decline. A very primal part of him, a part of him that felt like he knew exactly what the call meant, didn't want to accept it. Yet, his thumb hit the green phone icon and swiped it to the right before pressing it to his ear, "Hey."

"Hey," her voice sounded meek and instantly, Inuyasha knew that they wouldn't be meeting up that night.

"You...okay?" There was no way he couldn't ask her, it seemed like her mood had shifted as if someone had flipped a switch.

"Uhm-" she couldn't get much farther than that, not really knowing how to start the conversation without getting too deep and scaring him off. A part of her felt like that was for the best - maybe he would just not talk to her again and it would make it easier.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," he answered for her before continuing, "What's goin' on?" Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his thighs, his free one hanging loosely between his legs.

The last thing she expected was to hear his voice so gentle in his attempt at prodding her, trying to get some sort of answer for the phone call. A pang of guilt built in her stomach as she rolled onto her back and swallowed back more tears, letting a sniffle escape.

"Kagome? Are you crying?"

"No!" it was unintentionally defensive and very obviously a lie.

"You sure about that?" Undeterred by her outburst, he kept his voice as calm as he could make it, both concerned and slightly irritated that she'd shouted at him like that.

"Shut up..." that time wasn't nearly as defensive, voice shaky as she sniffled, "Just-" she shook her head and drew in a shaky breath, "Give me a second."

Patiently, he remained quiet as he heard her take another deep, shaky breath. He usually preferred silence, preferred the solitude of it, but this was almost suffocating him, especially since he felt so helpless in the situation. Hearing her clear her throat, he perked up some, "I-I don't know if you would come over. I'm sorry - I'm really-"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," he interrupted, causing Kagome to freeze and her heart to drop, unbeknownst to Inuyasha. Closing her eyes, she wiped away the remnants of a tear that had, managed to break free, "Is everything okay, though? Are you okay?"

That question could have had her breaking down into heavy sobs, the pressure in her chest building, "No," she whimpered, sniffling again as she felt another tear escape, "I'm not and that's why I don't think you should come over. I wouldn't uhm-" she swallowed back as many tears as she could, as many sobs that threatened to bubble up, "I wouldn't be a lot of fun, so-" she stopped herself from rambling. Closing her eyes she shook her head, brows furrowed realizing that, if anything, she should have been honest about how she'd been feeling in the first place.

"Kagome-" he began, only to be cut off by her.

"I was actually looking forward to tonight. I don't want to you to think that-"

"Kagome-" he tried again, wanting to break her train of thought to keep her from rambling, but it didn't seem to be working.

"I'm thinking of some sort of excuse to not have you come over. Something just-"

"Kagome!" The bark of his voice had her stopping in her tracks. Hearing silence on the other end for a moment or two had Inuyasha taking his chance to try and get a word in edgewise, "I told you, you don't need to explain it to me, alright? It's fine. We don't have t'hang out tonight."

" Or ever, if that's what you want."

The fact that he was being so understanding made the guilt build just that much more within her chest. Why couldn't he have been like he was at the shop? If he had been a total dick to her like then, it would have been easier for her to just hang up and let it be done with. She wasn't sure what else to say, mind reeling with the attempt to find the right words all while wading through every emotion she felt in that moment. On the one hand, she almost wanted him to come over still, as it would have been a good distraction; but would that all he'd be to her then? A distraction? Kagome didn't want that, or did she?

"You still there?"

His voice brought her from her swaying thoughts, going from one end of the spectrum to the other, "Yeah," she managed to croak as she continued to try and wipe her eyes with the collar of her shirt, "Sorry I called you, I guess I could have just texted. I don't know why-" she sniffled then, clearing her throat right after, only to have Inuyasha's rugged tenor interrupt her again.

"Yeah, you could've," he replied, sounding heartless before he continued, tone even and holding a sense of understanding and relatability. He had a hunch as to what had happened, as he'd gone through something similar when his own relationship had first ended. He'd lost count of how many times he'd catch a glimpse of an image of her, or a remnant of her scent would catch his nose and he'd be unable to handle anything else for the rest of the day. It took him a good while to be able to feel as though the foundation beneath him was stable enough to stand on, but even then it was riddled with potholes, "But, something obviously shook you enough to call me. You don't need to tell me what it was but-"

"I found a picture while unpacking," she stated bluntly, unable to keep her lips from moving. Her voice was clearer as she swallowed and drew in a shaky breath, releasing with the words, "Just brought back a lot of memories."

Why was she telling him this? If someone had told her a month ago that she would have been confiding things in Inuyasha (douche nozzle from the mechanic shop), she would have laughed in their face. Yet, there she was, on the phone with him crying and confessing the reason why. A part of her told herself that this part of her was already out in the public, that he could have watched her break up video for all she knew.

A pang of empathy ran through him, realizing that his suspicions had been right. They had more in common than they'd first thought, Inuyasha realized, "Ah. Yeah. That shit fucks with your head," he stated honestly and earnestly, remaining silent for a moment in case she wanted to tell him anything else. When she didn't, he couldn't help but ask, "How long?"

A questioning hum from Kagome was all he got on the other end of the phone, "How long has it been since...y'know-" he didn't know how to word the question without it coming across too nosy or possibly crude. He'd never been eloquent.

"Oh-" Kagome began before she thought about it, "About a month and a half now." She admitted; had it really only that long?

The wound was still fresh and Inuyasha didn't blame her, a month wasn't that long of a time, especially if it was long-term. He gave a hum of acknowledgment before speaking, "That's not that long ago, hey?"

"No, but it feels like forever ago and just yesterday at the same time," she explained, having managed to climb off her bed and make her way back to the kitchen, where she had composed herself enough to pour herself a tall glass of wine.

"Oh man, nailed that on the head," he explained with a soft chuckle, trying to lighten the mood; and it seemed as though he'd succeeded by hearing a scoff of amusement on the other end of the receiver, "So, I guess when you came into the shop, the wound was still fresh, huh?"

"Very," she replied honestly before taking a sip of her wine. A pang of guilt radiated through him at the realization and confirmation that she'd been hurting when he'd treated her so poorly. Before he could fall into a deeper sense of remorse, Kagome continued, "Being that angry had distracted me from it, though," she stated honestly before biting down on her lower lip, "So, I guess I can thank you for that."

"Pfft," the sound left him rather abruptly, shaking his head as he retorted, "Are you always this much of a silver-lining person?"

"Unless I'm dealing with a dickhead mechanic who accuses me of using men for money? I've been told, yeah," she teased, taking another sip before making her way back to the couch, avoiding the box she'd been rummaging as she knew the photo had been discarded, facedown on the floor.

Inuyasha couldn't help but roll his eyes at that, finally standing and making his way to his own kitchen, "Hey, tonight was supposed to be my redemption, remember?" he joked as he opened one of his upper cabinets to grab a whiskey glass. Kagome could hear the soft thunk of cabinets closing and squeak of one opening. All the while, she felt her stomach drop with that familiar guilt of telling him not to come over.

"I know, I'm s-"

"You apologize a lot," he stated before she could even say the word, "And for shit you don't even need to apologize for." He added, pouring himself a glass of bourbon before heading back to his couch and audibly taking a sip. What he couldn't see what Kagome looking down into her drink, as if she were trying to find some sort of answer to the whole situation. As crude as Inuyasha was at times, there was obvious genuine care in them, as much as he tried to hide it.

"I guess it's force of habit," she defended, though rather weakly. A smirk formed on her face before leaning against the arm of her couch, "You don't apologize much, do you?"

No. He didn't. Too stubborn and prideful at the best of times. The world had been unforgiving towards him and for that, he felt as though it owed him something. It was a flawed way of thinking, but it had been conditioned within him - his own difficult habit to break.

"Not so much that I don't apologize as there aren't a lot of things I feel the need to apologize for," he stated with a slight smirk, taking another sip of his drink. Seeing as she didn't want him to come over, he could indulge a little, even if even hard liquor didn't affect him as much as he wished it did.

Now it was Kagome's turn to roll her eyes, though it was playfully, "Wow. I should feel pretty special then."

"If you wanna call it that, knock yourself out," he added swirling his glass and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees once again, though that grin never left him.

Slowly, throughout their conversation, she was beginning to feel that sense of distraction that he'd offered her previously. They'd gone a little deeper than she'd intended when it came to her own situation, but for some reason, she felt safe telling him. A part of her wanted more - a big part - wanted to continue the conversation and have him come over as they'd planned. The conflict had her silent for a few moments, trying to weigh the options of whether or not she should extend her invitation to him again. After some thought, it became obvious that it was best to leave it as it was, with them spending the night in separate places.

But that didn't mean they had to end their conversation, did it?

"By the way," she began, thinking back to the text message he'd sent before she asked to start the call they were currently on, "I think banana is the most useless Slurpee flavour," she explained honestly, hearing his bark out a laugh at her words.

"Thank christ," he replied, having been lost for a half a second before he realized what she was referencing, "Thought I'd have to block and delete your number."

Before the two of them knew it, it was past midnight by the time they said their goodbyes and hung up. After hanging up, she immediately found herself in bed, curled up an almost immediately passing out.

She hadn't slept that well in over a month.