This chapter is named after the song "Not With Haste" by Mumford & Sons!
Chapter 5: Not With Haste
The two days they spent traveling to Higo were uneventful for the most part.
Inuyasha could sense a lightness in Kagome, and he wondered if the reason was her excitement for hanami or his admission of their newfound friendship.
Whatever the reason, she smiled a bit more and seemed even more chipper than usual, which Inuyasha didn't even think was possible.
Inuyasha stayed rather quiet, his statement about them being friends sending him into an embarrassed quiet.
It made Kagome happy, but…
He was a little nervous about it. Memories of his friendship with Miroku were flooding his mind, of how it had taken over a year for him to finally open up to Miroku, and how he'd learned nearly everything about Inuyasha over the remaining two years they'd traveled together.
But somehow, Inuyasha had opened up to Kagome in just under two-and-a-half weeks, and it made him uneasy. It seemed unfathomable.
Kagome was just so kind and understanding about everything, it seemed, so it was almost too easy for him to be a little more open with her than he'd initially been with Miroku.
And the smile she'd give him when he told her something about himself, like the paintings he and his mother did...no one had ever smiled at him like that.
He didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.
Probably a bad one...because he wasn't with her to be smiled at, or to have her be kind to him, or to be friends with her, of all things.
He felt like an idiot.
A guilty idiot.
Inuyasha made a resolve to pull back a little. He couldn't let her in any more than he already had. He couldn't show her any more of the softer parts of himself.
Even though...he found himself wanting to.
The day before they arrived in Higo, Inuyasha lay on the ground, staring up at the sky. He recalled the moment between him and Kagome under the stars when he admitted their friendship, and it only made his stomach lurch.
It was too much, but somehow not enough.
He looked at her where she was laying down across the dying fire. He sighed and rolled over with his back to her, uncertain of the thoughts that were muddling his mind.
Inuyasha didn't sleep at all that night.
o.O.o
The day of hanami, Kagome woke up with a smile.
"Today's the day!" Kagome said excitedly when Inuyasha woke her up just after dawn. "I could barely sleep last night because I was so excited."
Inuyasha shook his head, knowing full well she'd crashed as soon as her head hit the ground the previous night.
He tried to keep himself from thinking about his conflicted feelings that he'd spent the night pondering, deciding to instead focus on what they needed to get done before hanami.
"I need to gather some herbs and stuff," she said as she stretched and stood up. "Then I'll make a few remedies and sell them in the town. I need money for a new yukata."
Inuyasha nodded. "Alright."
Kagome grabbed her bag and smiled. "I'm going to get ready for the day down at the river and gather some things I need to make the remedies. I'll be back soon."
Inuyasha nodded again before Kagome set off.
The hanyo sighed and got to work making a fire. He hoped it would be the last time he'd have to go about doing the task with rocks; with their trip into the nearby town, he could probably buy some matches. He also needed to buy a kosode for his hakama and haori set.
When Kagome returned from the river, her bag was slung over her back and her hands were filled with what looked like herbs and plants.
"I'm back," Kagome said. "It'll take me a little while to make the poultices and remedies, but I'll do it as quickly as I can." Inuyasha nodded.
Inuyasha watched as she grabbed a small wooden bowl and wide stick from her bag and began crushing up some of the plants. Her eyes were narrowed in concentration as she worked, and Inuyasha was more than a little transfixed as he watched her go about her task.
Her fingers worked quickly and nimbly, with great skill and familiarity.
Inuyasha wondered if doing that reminded her of her mother…
When Kagome was finally finished, she grabbed a small pouch from her bag and put the remedy in it before starting the process all over again.
"I'm done," she said a while later. "Are you ready to head into town now?"
Inuyasha nodded and grabbed his bag before they got up and began making their way toward the town.
"So...what kind of remedies did you make?" Inuyasha asked as they walked.
"There's one for fevers," she explained. "One for a cough, and one for headaches. They're pretty complex so I can sell them for decent prices."
Inuyasha nodded. "Oh. That's good. How do you find people to sell them to?"
"I typically find an apothecary or herbalist," she replied. "Then they buy it off me and sell it to other people."
Inuyasha frowned. "How do they know you're not making fake crap?"
Kagome laughed. "A true apothecary or herbalist can always tell when something is real, and the stuff I make always is."
They reached the town shortly after and began their search for an apothecary or herbalist.
Well, Kagome did. Inuyasha had never been to an apothecary, so he just trailed behind her as she walked.
When she found one, she was able to sell her remedies for a price that made Inuyasha's eyes widen.
She can sell them for that much? That's way more than I thought she would get.
Once the transaction was finished, Kagome tucked the money in her bag and smiled at Inuyasha.
"Do you want to get something to eat first?" she asked as they resumed walking through the town. "I'm buying." She grinned and patted her bag.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Makes three sales and suddenly thinks she's invincible."
Kagome laughed and nudged him with her shoulder. Inuyasha couldn't help the smile that came to his face.
They opted on stopping at a small food place. Kagome bought them each a few pieces of fruit that they munched on while walking.
"I need to get a yukata," Kagome announced as she finished her first piece of fruit. "Do you want to come with me or is shopping not really your thing?"
Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't care."
Kagome smiled. "Okay. You can hold my bag for me while I look at stuff." Inuyasha couldn't hide his chuckle.
They stopped at the first shop they found when they'd finished eating, so Inuyasha followed her inside.
He wasn't entirely sure what she was looking for, so he just trailed behind her with her bag slung over his shoulder.
Luckily, it didn't take her too long to pick out a yukata. Inuyasha didn't pay much attention to it, but he saw a flash of green before she went to pay for it.
Once she'd finished, she took her bag back from Inuyasha and put the new yukata in it.
"I'm good to go," she announced as they left the shop. "Is there anything you need?"
"I actually do need some things," Inuyasha said. "So...we'll have to make a couple of stops."
Kagome nodded. "Okay. What do you need?"
"First a kosode," he replied. "But I need to make some money first."
Kagome laughed lightly. "Am I finally going to find out how you make money?"
"I have a, uh, skill," he lied. "So...I can do that sort of on the spot and people pay really well for it."
Kagome raised an eyebrow. "And what is this 'skill?'"
o.O.o
"So you're a conman."
Inuyasha glared at Kagome from where she was walking beside him.
"I'm not a conman," he replied as he shoved the newly-earned money deeper into his bag. "And it's not conning. It's...creativity."
Kagome shook her head. "Inuyasha, you're pretending to see people's future by reading their palms. That's just crazy."
He would never forget the look on Kagome's face when he'd offered to read the palms of two women walking past them. They'd been eager and more than willing to pay for his... services.
"How do you know I'm faking?" Inuyasha shot back. "Who said I'm not clairvoyant?"
Kagome gave him a look, obviously telling him she knew he was lying.
"Okay, fine," he replied. "But it's a quick way to make money, so...who cares? Besides, when you put someone in a good mood by giving them a good fortune, they're more likely to have a better day." At least, that's what Miroku said.
Kagome laughed. "Where did you learn to do that?"
Inuyasha hesitated. "I used to travel with someone who used that tactic. I learned from him."
He thought back to Miroku counting out money after they left a town, explaining how he managed to make so much money from it. Inuyasha had always rolled his eyes, but now he was somewhat grateful for the boasting. He at least knew how to do it himself.
"You used to travel with someone?" Kagome asked. "I thought you were in hiding."
"I'm hiding from other youkai," Inuyasha corrected. "The person I traveled with was a plain old human."
Kagome frowned. "Why don't you guys travel together anymore?"
Inuyasha thought back to the years he'd spent traveling with Miroku and how it had all changed upon him meeting one woman.
He thought about how he'd first met Miroku in the forest, and the determination he'd seen in his eyes had him stopping when Miroku offered to read his palm.
Inuyasha had declined, of course, but he and Miroku had talked for a while after that and figured out they had the same goal. Miroku's father had been murdered by Naraku, so he was just a simple guy wandering around, trying to find revenge.
Or find someone to help him do it. Inuyasha fit the bill perfectly.
They traveled together for three years, but then that woman came along and ruined the whole thing.
"He fell in love," Inuyasha explained curtly. "Then he married the girl and settled down. That was over a year ago. I haven't seen the idiot since."
"Oh," Kagome replied. "Well, falling in love isn't such a bad thing. It's wrong that he left you like that, though."
"Falling in love is a bad thing," Inuyasha shot back. "It just leads to...disappointment."
He looked away from her, not wanting to get into such an intense conversation so soon before what Inuyasha was expecting to be an actually enjoyable evening.
"Anyway, I just need the kosode and one other thing," he said, changing the subject. "Maybe I'll find us some sweet buns for dinner or something."
"Yum."
o.O.o
Inuyasha got his new kosode and a box of matches, eager to use them instead of having to use the stupid rocks to light a flame.
Kagome found her favorite type of tea in one of the shops, so she'd asked if they could boil some water over a fire so she could make them a few cups before they went to view the hanami celebration.
Inuyasha liked the tea, so he didn't complain.
Their plan was to eat their buns and drink their tea before heading toward a nearby park that was filled with sakura trees.
As Kagome pulled out a small kettle she'd purchased and filled it with water, Inuyasha grabbed his box of matches to start the fire.
When he lit one, Kagome gasped.
"What is that thing?" she asked incredulously as he lit the wood and got the fire started.
Inuyasha was surprised. "It's a match. You've never seen one before?"
Kagome shook her head. "No. How did you make it catch on fire like that?"
"Uh, friction," Inuyasha guessed. "I think. They're still kinda new here but they're really helpful."
"Can I try?" Kagome asked eagerly as she set the kettle down. Inuyasha nodded and handed her the box.
Brows knit in determination, Inuyasha watched as she pulled a new match out of the box and attempted to light it.
"You have to do it quickly," Inuyasha instructed. "Like how I did it."
Kagome nodded and did just that; she gasped when the match lit up.
"Wow!" she exclaimed. "I did it!" She held the match up in front of her, peering at it.
"Wait, don't hold it straight up like that," Inuyasha warned. Kagome frowned.
"Why not?" she asked.
Before Inuyasha could argue, the flame licked down the match toward Kagome's fingers.
She shrieked in pain when it reached her skin and tossed the match onto the ground.
"Stupid!" Inuyasha scolded as he got up to stomp out the flame. "I told you not to hold it straight up. The flame goes down. You have to hold it to the side to keep it from moving down as fast."
He smelled the saltiness of tears and froze.
"Why are you crying?" he asked, panicked.
Kagome sniffled. "Because that hurt, idiot. I just got burned."
Inuyasha softened a bit and reached out to take her hand.
"Let me see," he said, lowering his voice. He gently gripped her hand and peered at her fingers. They were a bit red, but there were no signs of blisters or swelling.
"Sorry," Kagome said meekly. "That was my fault."
Inuyasha shook his head. "Calm down, woman. It was an accident. I think you'll be okay. It doesn't look like the burns are that bad."
He looked up, accidently locking gazes with her. Kagome's eyes widened a bit before she smiled at him.
"Thanks," she said. Inuyasha felt his heart skip a beat, which he was pretty sure had never happened to him before.
The way the sunshine fell on Kagome made the blue of her eyes even more piercing than usual, giving her a radiant shine as she smiled at him.
Her chocolate-cherry scent became deeper and warmer, and Inuyasha's grip on her hand tightened without him realizing it.
Before he could open his mouth to say anything or run away from such an unfamiliar feeling, Kagome spoke.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice quiet. Inuyasha broke himself from their eye contact and let go of her hand.
"Uh, yeah," he lied as got up to move away from her.. "Just...maybe you should put some water on your fingers so they don't get swollen."
He stoked the fire a bit, keeping his eyes on the flames as he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.
What was that? he mused, purposefully trying to avoid eye contact with Kagome. I've never felt so...weird and fluttery before.
"That really hurt," Kagome said as she stuck her fingers in her mouth. "I didn't think the match would burn me like that."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "The match doesn't burn you. The flame does."
Kagome looked at him. "Yeah, but the match created the fire, so technically I was burned by the match, not the flame."
Inuyasha shrugged. "Whatever."
For some reason, her words stuck with him.
Because he knew…
He would be the one to burn her soon.
o.O.o
Once they'd finished their tea, Kagome suggested they start getting ready. Inuyasha looked away when she pulled the clothing from her bag.
"Uh, I'll turn around," he said as he moved so he was sitting with his back to her. He heard her laugh quietly before the sounds of rustling fabric became the only noise between them.
After a few moments, he heard Kagome hum in satistication.
"Okay, you can look now," she said.
Inuyasha turned around, setting his gaze on her as his eyes widened.
The yukata she'd gotten was a deep green with a red obi. It was simple, with no designs on it but no less lovely, and it hugged her body in a way he hadn't seen yet. The way the colors somehow managed to make her blue eyes even brighter was a mystery to him.
He was used to seeing her wear loose-fitting yukata or the occasional simplified western-style dress, but never anything like what she had on at that moment.
She was distracted as she tried to put her hair up in a pin, so she didn't notice Inuyasha's attention on her.
She looks...beautiful. Kagome is beautiful.
Once her hair was pulled up in a twist, Kagome glanced at him.
"Aren't you going to change?" she asked. "I thought you said you had something you could wear."
It's been a long time since I wore it, so maybe I should just wear my usual clothes. I would feel pretty stupid wearing it, especially since I have to wear a cloak with a hood to cover my ears. It's not like anyone would be able to see it anyway.
Inuyasha hesitated. "Eh...I changed my mind."
Kagome smiled. "Don't leave me hanging, especially after you did all that conning just to get money for a new kosode. Go change!"
"It's not conning," he argued, repeating his words from earlier. "It's...never mind. I'll change."
Inuyasha adjusted the bag on his shoulder and went to step behind a tree to change.
With his view off of Kagome, he could focus a bit better.
As he changed into his clothing, he tried to relax.
It's just Kagome. I don't know why I'm getting all... weird about something as stupid as what she's wearing.
Once he was dressed, he glanced down at himself and felt a burning sense of nostalgia fill him.
It had been a long time since he'd worn it.
A vision in red, he stepped out from behind the trees and avoided eye contact with Kagome.
"You look great, Inuyasha," Kagome said when she saw him. "That's a really nice set of clothing. What is it?"
"It's a robe made from wool of the fire rat," he explained quickly. "My, um, mother made it for me when I was a kid."
"It looks really nice on you," she said. "Do you want a pin for your hair, too, or are you going to leave it down like usual?"
Inuyasha paused. Maybe I could pin it back enough to cover my ears...then I won't have to wear my cloak.
"I'll put it up," Inuyasha replied. "Do you have an extra pin?" Kagome nodded and dug around in her bag until she found one.
Inuyasha thanked her when she handed it to him before he started tying his hair up.
He cursed softly as he tried to tame his hair, unable to work through the thick locks enough to arrange them over his ears, especially with his claws in the way.
"Can I help?" Kagome asked. Reluctantly, Inuyasha nodded.
Kagome smiled and pulled a comb out of her bag.
"I've been dying to touch your hair," she said as she walked over to him. "Sit down on the ground in front of me, okay?"
Inuyasha huffed but did as she said. Kagome knelt behind him and began running her comb through his hair.
The hanyo winced as the comb began working through the stray knots in his hair. Once she was finished with the comb, he expected her to put the pin right in, but then he felt her fingers dive into the locks.
She was still just as gentle with her hands as she smoothed through his hair. Inuyasha nearly melted against her, daring to lean back the slightest bit to get a little closer.
"Your hair is so soft," she mused. "It's nice."
"Thanks," he replied, barely a whisper.
"But don't worry," she said. "I won't touch your ears."
Inuyasha's eyes drifted closed as she continued to run her hands through his hair.
"You...you can touch them if you want."
Slowly, he felt Kagome's fingers tentatively stroke one ear.
It had been so long since someone had touched his ears...he forgot how comforting it was.
Kagome moved her other hand up so she could rub both at the same time.
"They're like little dumplings," she murmured. "They're so soft. It's a shame you always have to hide them."
Eventually, Kagome's exploring hands wandered back down to run through his hair a few more times before she started to gather the long locks into a single plait. He felt her incorporate a few pieces of his bangs as she adjusted them to hide his ears.
After a few more moments, Kagome smoothed out the last bit and stood up.
"Finished," she announced. Inuyasha didn't miss the hint of a blush that was on her cheeks.
She grabbed a mirror from her bag and held it out to show Inuyasha.
To his surprise, he looked...almost human. Aside from the silver hair and the golden eyes, of course.
Kagome had managed to cover his ears completely with several pieces of his bangs while still making sure to keep the spots covered where human ears would have been.
"Wow," he said. "That's...surprisingly good."
Kagome smiled. "I miss your ears, but you do look nice with your hair up."
She took the mirror back and put it in her bag before smiling again.
"Are you ready to go?"
Inuyasha stood up and nodded. They hid their bags nearby before setting off.
They made their way toward the public park that Kagome recalled from her previous travels in Higo, and as soon as they reached it, Inuyasha heard her gasp.
"It's so beautiful!" she exclaimed.
Inuyasha looked around, taking in the sight of the sakura trees, and his eyes widened.
He felt the ghost of a hand taking his, squeezing his fingers.
He remembered his mother taking his hand when he was just a little tyke.
"Don't wander off, my darling. Hanami is best enjoyed when you're with those you love."
Inuyasha felt a lump in his throat as the memory filled his heart.
He looked down, realizing that it was Kagome's hand that he felt. She was gently tugging him along.
She smiled as he followed her before squeezing his hand and letting go.
When his hand was empty again, he almost felt...disappointed.
The sakura trees were overwhelmingly beautiful. The pink and white blossoms littered the ground like a soft carpet under their feet as they walked through the park.
"We should have brought a picnic," Kagome commented as she took in the sights. "Oh, well. Maybe we can bring one next year."
Next year…
He wanted to argue, to say that there wouldn't be a next year because once he had what he wanted, he would go back to being on his own.
But he didn't say that because...the thought of not being alone was nice.
He shook his head. Maybe the scent of the blossoms was making him a little crazy.
A light breeze rustled the branches of the trees, causing petals and blossoms to rain from the limbs.
Kagome reached up and caught one in her hand before reaching out and catching another.
She smiled at Inuyasha as she tucked one behind her ear.
"My mother and I used to do this during hanami," she explained. "Here, yours is long enough."
She took a moment to settle the blossom in his hair, trying to not dislodge the bangs that were hiding his ears.
She managed to tuck it safely on the side, right behind a concealed ear.
She smiled at her handiwork. "That looks nice. It's the perfect touch."
Inuyasha blushed and looked away. "Keh."
O.o.O.o.O
Kagome tried to keep her eyes on the sakura trees, but she couldn't help the glances she made at Inuyasha.
He looked really good in his red clothing.
He had his arms crossed in his sleeves as they walked, and the red color somehow seemed to make his silver hair glow brighter as it hung down his back in the ponytail.
The only thing missing was the presence of his ears, but she could tell he was relieved that she'd been able to hide them.
As they walked throughout the park Kagome had visited in the past, she saw Inuyasha's eyes widen.
There was a beauty in the way his golden eyes took in the sights. His mouth opened the smallest bit in surprise as he looked around the park, and Kagome wondered what sort of memories the sight might have been stirring at that moment.
"Wow," Inuyasha said quietly. "This is…"
"Amazing," Kagome finished when he trailed off. He nodded in agreement.
As they stopped in front of a particularly large tree, Kagome smiled at Inuyasha.
"Do you have a favorite hanami memory?" she asked.
To her surprise, he nodded immediately.
"Yeah," he replied. "It was one of the few times my half-brother went with us. I was young, so I don't remember much about it, but...I know my mother smiled a lot that year. I think I heard her say something about 'togetherness' or some other crap like that."
Kagome saw his face soften a bit.
"But...it was nice," he finished.
Kagome smiled. "That sounds really special."
Inuyasha shrugged. "Keh. What about you?"
She paused to think for a moment. "Hm...I suppose it would be the first hanami we attended after my brother, Sota, was born. His birthday was in the summer so his first flower celebration was the iris festival, so he was almost one by the time his first hanami rolled around."
She laughed lightly as she reflected on the memory. "He was still teething and he cried almost the whole time. But then a blossom fell from a tree and landed right on his little nose."
Kagome closed her eyes, remembering the moment.
"It surprised him," she said, her voice growing a bit softer. "So he stopped crying for a second. He looked so cute with his little sakura blossom nose...but then it blew away and he started crying again. That's my favorite hanami memory."
She opened her eyes and smiled up at the flowers above them.
"But it's nice to make new memories," she continued. "This hanami will always be a good memory." She turned to look at Inuyasha. "Because...it's the first time in years that I haven't attended one alone."
Golden eyes widened, the color nearly burning her as their gazes locked.
"Me, too," he finally replied, his voice quiet. "This hanami ...me, too."
Kagome smiled a final time before they resumed walking through the park.
As the sun began to set, several lanterns were lit and kept the park bright.
It made everything even more lovely, which Kagome hadn't thought possible.
And Inuyasha…
Inuyasha looked lovely, too.
O.o.O.o.O
Inuyasha had never been to a hanami in Higo, and it filled him with mixed emotions.
His mother would have loved it.
He could tell Kagome was feeling a similar pain; they were more alike than he was ready to admit, but it helped him feel less alone. There was a comfort in her presence and in her smile as they walked through the park together.
Inuyasha didn't want the night to end.
But it did eventually, and as they walked back to where they'd hidden their bags in the forest, Inuyasha couldn't help but admire Kagome in the moonlight.
The light of the lanterns in the park had created a brightness that reflected in her blue eyes, but now the moon was creating a softness in the irises, making them appear more gray than blue.
Her hair had mostly fallen from the pin, so it tumbled down her shoulders and back in soft waves, but the sakura blossom was still tucked securely behind her ear.
She looked ethereal.
Inuyasha tried to keep the thoughts from his mind, the thoughts of how beautiful she was and how big and lovely her smile had been throughout the whole evening.
"I can see your ears," Kagome said, catching his eye. "Your bangs fell back down. Oh, well. No one is around anyway."
She smiled. "The sakura blossom managed to stay in, though. It looks nice, especially now that your ears are showing."
Kagome reached out to him, brushing a lock of stray hair from his face.
Inuyasha blushed. She paused right after, obviously realizing what she'd just done.
But surprisingly...Inuyasha didn't mind it.
She took a step back and pulled her own pin from her hair, releasing the rest of it.
"I'm glad we went," she said. "It was a lot of fun."
"Yeah," Inuyasha agreed quietly. "It was." Kagome smiled a final time before grabbing her comb out of her bag and running it through her hair.
Inuyasha remembered how nice it had felt when she'd done it to his, and he wondered…
He waited until she was finished with her combing. Before she could put the comb away, Inuyasha spoke.
"Um, you know," he began, "I haven't worn a pin in my hair in a while. It's probably...really tangled now. It might just get worse when I let it down so it might be a bad idea if I...leave it like that."
Kagome frowned at him before realization lit up her eyes.
"Oh! Do you want me to comb it out for you again?"
Inuyasha shrugged. "Keh. I don't care."
Kagome laughed and sat down against the trunk of a tree. She patted the ground in front of her, encouraging him to sit down.
Once he was seated comfortably, Kagome pulled the pin and flower from his hair before slowly working the comb through the locks.
Inuyasha allowed his eyes to drift closed as Kagome worked.
Eventually, she switched to running through his hair with her fingers, comb abandoned on top of the bag next to her.
It felt so good, so soothing and familiar, that Inuyasha felt himself starting to drift off to sleep.
O.o.O.o.O
It was one of the best hanami celebrations that Kagome had ever attended.
Seeing Inuyasha's eyes light up at the sights warmed her heart in a way she'd never felt, and he looked…
Handsome.
He looked really handsome in his traditional robes and his hair pulled up in a sleek ponytail.
She was half-anticipating that she'd have to drag him around with her, but he'd seemed just as pleased to walk all around the park, even though he was a bit quieter and softer about it.
When Kagome would squeal at the sight of a large tree, Inuyasha's eyes would widen a bit and his face would soften.
And the memory he'd shared with her...it made everything even more special.
It was an evening Kagome knew she'd never forget.
Especially because he more or less asked her to comb his hair again.
Which she didn't mind in the slightest. She loved his hair.
As she combed his locks, she dared to swap the comb for her fingers, softly trailing her nails across his scalp before slowly running her fingers through the locks.
She heard him sigh, soft and content, a sound she'd never heard from him, and she smiled.
Eventually, he started to lean back, so Kagome figured it was a silent encouragement for her to continue.
But then he leaned all the way back so he was practically laying on her. His head was tilted back, falling to the side a bit as his cheek came to rest against her neck, and his arms were crossed in his sleeves.
Eyes wide, she glanced down at him and saw his eyes had closed.
He'd fallen asleep.
Kagome blushed at his closeness.
He smelled so good, even better up close, even better than she remembered from when he'd carried her on their journey to the swordsmith's cave.
And he was warm. He was soft and warm.
Kagome couldn't remember the last time she'd been so comfortable.
She smiled.
This...this is the moment I know I won't forget.
To be continued...