One month later…
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather do this shopping with the girls?" Michiru looked through the clothing racks, pushing hangers to the side and making noncommittal noises at each design. "Not even Sango?"
Kagome poked her head up from the other side of the clothes rack. "You know what they're like, Mama. If I even so much as mentioned why I'm at the store they'd take it the wrong way."
Michiru couldn't argue that logic. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi were notorious for being nosy, but she knew that they only had Kagome's interests at heart. Still, the thought that her daughter chose to ask her over her friends to come clothes shopping made her smile. It had been a while since they had done anything, just the two of them, and it warmed her heart to know that Kagome wasn't "too old" to be seen around town with her mother. "Can I ask why we're looking around at swimsuits?"
"Um…" The clicking of the hangers stopped, and seconds later Kagome came around to her mother's side, blushing. "Inuyasha was talking about going swimming in the ocean this summer, and I…"
She didn't have to finish the sentence. Michiru nodded with a smile. Kagome was taking a big step, selecting a bathing suit, when she hadn't bought one since before puberty. She wanted to get something nice, that she'd be comfortable in if she chose to remove her covering. "I understand," she whispered, so as not to draw attention of anyone nearby. "We'll find something, I'm sure."
Kagome smiled shyly, blush still in place. This was why she had asked her mother. Her friends wouldn't have understood her thoughts as she sifted through the choices, but her mother had been there from the get-go. She had listened to Kagome cry in frustration in the beginning, shared in her triumphs as she progressed. It was only right that she be the one to help her find the perfect bathing suit after so much hard work.
Or maybe keeping her from chickening out was more appropriate.
The idea of buying a bathing suit now was both tempting and horrifying, because a small part of her still felt that she wouldn't look good in it. There were days where even going to the diner made her feel self-conscious. It was also those days where she'd remember that Inuyasha would say she was perfect. She didn't see how, but it must have been something if the kisses were anything to go by. They had been "together" for almost a full month now. Another reason she wanted some alone time with her mother.
"Mama," she started, clearing her throat. "I've got something I need to tell you."
"Oh?" Michiru returned the one piece she was looking at to the rack. The uneasy look on her daughter's face made her ask, "Is it that you and Inuyasha are a couple now?"
"Wh- How did you know?"
"Dear, we all knew it was only a matter of time before you two realized you cared about the other." Michiru laughed at her daughter's gaping expression. "And if it makes you feel any better I might have seen you two kiss goodnight the other week."
"So…who all knows?"
"Your father and I do, as well as Toga and Izayoi. There's nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Now that we have that settled, let's move on to more important matters. Are you looking at buying a one piece or a two piece?"
It had only been a month since Inuyasha had his first kiss with Kagome, and all he could think about most days would be when the next would happen.
It had been the day after that Miroku and Shippo had discovered this development, and within the hour of learning, both had to dodge Inuyasha's attempts to shut them up about it. He should have known that he couldn't keep it a secret for long. He had just wanted time to really let it sink in that she had kissed him back, that he was the guy she was interested in for the past couple years.
"And where are you off to?"
Inuyasha turned to see Miroku and Shippo swim up to him. "Where do you two think? To see Kagome."
"It was more fun teasing you when you denied it," Shippo frowned. Since he had admitted that he liked Kagome, it became more of a challenge to get a rise out of Inuyasha. Not that Miroku was one to back down from a challenge. He knew which buttons to push, and when to push them.
"When do we get to meet the lovely lady?" Miroku asked.
"Depends. Got anything planned today?" Inuyasha huffed at the incredulous stares. "You two are just as capable of meeting Kagome. She's got some stuff going on today that I'm going to help with, so if you two want to come along…" He didn't bother to wait for a response before he turned around to swim to shore. Either they'd follow him, or they wouldn't.
Keiichi watched his granddaughter put pen to paper and sign her name where required. "Are you sure that you're alright with this, Kagome?" he asked. "I don't want you to feel like I'm kicking you out because I'm getting old."
"Don't be silly, Grandpa. I love that house, and I'd rather you be comfortable because you're concerned about your health." Kagome smiled, sliding the stack of papers across the table to him. "If you want, we can think of it as me house-sitting for you."
He chuckled, tapping the papers neatly into a stack and sliding them in their folder. "I'll run these down to the office later today. But for now," he got up and walked around the table to her, placing a pair of housekeys in her hand. "You are the unofficial owner of your first house, Kagome."
Kagome hopped up and hugged her grandpa. "Thank you so much, Grandpa! You won't regret this!"
"I know I won't," he smiled, patting her hand. "You decorate it how you want. It's furnished, for the most part, but don't hang on to anything you don't like because of me. I was intending on putting that house in my will, but I hadn't anticipated that my old bones would do what they do." He neglected to mention that it would have been her he bequeathed the house to anyway, as there wasn't much point. His body wasn't as strong as he felt most days, and it had taken one stumble to make his decision easy. "So," he cleared his throat, "When's that boy coming round today?"
"I don't know what you mean, Grandpa-"
"Don't try and pull the wool over my eyes, Kagome. I know that Inuyasha has been hanging around you more now than ever."
Kagome bowed her head, feeling guilty. "I was gonna bring it up soon…"
Keiichi scoffed. He wasn't upset. "You think you're the first? Your parents were dating for twice as long before they officially said anything to me, and I knew after three weeks! Your grandpa knows these things. It's how I knew that your mother's family had rejected her before she even brought it up. I might not be able to catch fish like the best of them, but I can tell when someone in my family has something they want to say."
"So…you're not mad?"
"Of course not, child! I'll admit that my granddaughter dating a merman is odd, but he's a good young man. He makes you happy. That's what's important." A sudden knocking at the door caught both of their attention. "And dollars to donuts that's him."
Kagome hadn't paid her grandpa much mind as she sprinted to the door. She knew it was Inuyasha even before she reached for the doorknob; he had said that he would come help her and Grandpa move the bulk of his things to the house today. What she hadn't expected was seeing two guys standing behind him looking around curiously.
"Hey Kagome," Inuyasha started, jerking a thumb behind him, "I hope you don't mind these two coming along with us today. Miroku and Shippo have been talking about wanting to meet you."
"And it is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance," the slightly taller one said, taking her hand in his. "I'm Miroku-"
"And I'm Shippo!" The auburn-haired one piped up with a wave. "Inuyasha's said so much about you!"
Kagome dared a glance at Inuyasha, who looked embarrassed by Shippo's admission. "It's nice to meet both of you as well. Inuyasha's spoke highly of both of you." She turned call back into the house. "Grandpa, Inuyasha's here!"
A few minutes later, Keiichi appeared at the door beside Kagome, nodding to Inuyasha. "I see you brought some extra hands with you today," he said. "That'll make this go a lot faster."
As everyone was ushered out of the doorway and onto the porch, Shippo had to ask Inuyasha, "What does he mean?"
"Oh, I didn't say?" He had a hard time suppressing the grin that threatened to form. "Kagome's grandpa is moving into her parent's house, and Kagome's going to be living in his old house from now on. He's got the stuff packed. I told him I'd help him and Kagome get everything moved." The gasp of outrage from the younger one almost made him snort as he walked alongside Kagome to the old man's truck.
"You tricked us!" Shippo hissed.
"No I didn't," he looked over his shoulder at the frowning boy. "Both of you wanted to come along today. You never asked what it was I was helping Kagome with, so don't get bent out of shape."
One week later…
Sango shifted the greasy paper bag from her right hand to her left, wiping her palm on her jeans before knocking on the door. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi were a step behind her on the porch, looking around at the house that Kagome had been given. It was the first time that they were all able to get a free day to come visit Kagome, and they wanted to do it proper with a housewarming gift and some greasy fast food from the diner. Sango knew she was busy unpacking and rearranging; since she moved the bulk of her things, they'd both been working longer hours and crashed each evening. She could hear talking from deeper in the house, along with the shuffling. Who could Kagome be talking to? Her parents were busy, her grandpa was unpacking himself, and Souta avoided chores whenever possible. Unless…
The door opened to reveal Inuyasha, dressed in a tank and shorts with his hair pulled back into a messy bun.
Inuyasha blinked before giving them a smile and calling over his shoulder. "Kagome, it's the girls!" He stepped back to let them in with a jerk of his head. "Been a while, Sango."
"So it has," she grinned. Sango couldn't put her finger on it, but something was different, and it had nothing to do with the new house. It wasn't until Kagome came into view did she ask, "Sooo…what's going on you two?"
For a split-second Kagome's face shifted, and Sango knew something was definitely going on. There was a telltale blush she fought down as she took the offered food and led them into the kitchen. "Isn't it obvious? Inuyasha's helping me get the house in order-" A trio of squeals cut her off, spinning on her heel.
"NO WONDER YOU'VE BEEN HIDING HIM FROM US!"
Kagome looked to Inuyasha, horrified at her friend's outburst. "No one's been hiding anyone from anyone," she bit out. "It's not like he's been avoiding you three; he does have other things to do you know-"
Eri fake coughed into her hand, and Kagome was certain she heard "you" somewhere in there. She chose to ignore it. If she took the bait, they'd never cut them any slack.
Inuyasha tried to save face, having heard what the short haired woman had muttered. That was something to be examined at a later time, and not while under the scrutiny of her other childhood friends. "I'm sorry it took us this long to meet," he told them. "Like I told Sango, it seemed that fate was not on our side until recently."
Ayumi shook her head. "It's alright. Kagome's told us so much about you through the years it feels like we should know each other just as if we had hung out. Now, let's eat. We stopped and got some food from the diner for lunch. Your dad said you hadn't come by today, so we figured you hadn't eaten."
It was late in the evening when Kagome was able to get her friends to head home. After lunch they had insisted on helping unpack, or at the very least getting the boxes sorted into the right rooms to be rifled through later. As much as she wished she could have avoided the judging eyes and raised brows, they still discovered that the guest room across from hers was Inuyasha's. She had feared that Eri would be the one to make a comment, but to her surprise the girl was quiet on the matter. Then again, with how comfortable Inuyasha seemed to be in the house, it probably wasn't a surprise at all to them.
"Honestly I thought you two would be sharing a room, but whatever," Eri had whispered, hugging Kagome goodbye on the porch.
They were barely a couple for a month, and one of her longtime friends just assumed that they'd be further involved than they were. Yuka wasn't any better, having mouthed "get it girl" behind Inuyasha earlier in the day, and she'd had to play off the strangled noise she made once she deciphered the lip reading. At least Ayumi was giving them a break. She'd simply smile, delighted that one of her friends was happy.
And she was. Kagome was extremely happy.
So why was she standing awkwardly in her own house? Right, because it was late and her boyfriend was standing about three feet away from her, and her thoughts were a mix of "get it girl" and "sharing a room".
Inuyasha mistook her stance for being tired as she rubbed her temples. "Is there anything else you want to move tonight?"
"Hmm? Oh…no, I think we took care of the bulk of it. Why do you ask, Inuyasha?"
He motioned to the door. "I was going to go and let you get some rest. I know you have work tomorrow."
Kagome blurted out "No!" before she could help it. "I mean," she stuttered, "you don't have to go, if you don't want to."
Inuyasha looked startled as she fumbled over her words. He knew what she was referring to, but everything in his being was conflicted, having grown up used to merfolk customs. It was an innocent invitation, but most of his people would have been appalled that she had offered at all as an unwed maiden. "It…wouldn't bother you?"
"Of course not! I did suggest it a month ago," she rambled, twisting her hands together. "And it's not like we're sleeping in the same bed- not that that would bother me- I mean-" Was her face getting hot? Oh god, did he think she was being presumptuous about them? Was it being presumptuous to think about their future so soon?
Her flushed cheeks and the rapid-fire stream of consciousness that she was blurting out was both adorable to him and managed to ease his mind. She was just as nervous as he was. Inuyasha closed the gap between them and grabbed her hands, covering them with his larger ones and squeezing gently. "Take a breath," he whispered, fighting the urge to laugh. Inuyasha pressed his forehead against hers, waiting until she was calmer before he continued. "We don't have to do anything neither one of us is ready for. If it will make you feel better, I'd be happy to spend the night."
Kagome let out a breath again, feeling her shoulders relax. "It's just…I don't want to screw up, you know? I don't know what I'm doing. I don't…want to leave you wanting…you know…more."
This time he felt his cheeks heat up, and Inuyasha was thankful that it was dark outside. He knew exactly what Kagome meant, and honestly? The thoughts were there, but they sent his mind into a panic if he pulled that thread too much. He swallowed. "I don't know what I'm doing either, you know. We'll figure this out together. We just gotta…talk…and stuff. So we know what the other wants and we're not walking on eggshells around each other."
"I'd like that, Inuyasha."
A "good" rumbled from his chest as he ushered her upstairs to her room. On the way to the staircase he'd glanced at the clock and knew that if Kagome didn't go to bed soon, she wouldn't get enough rest before she had to go to work. Unfortunately – perhaps out of habit more than anything – he had nearly followed her into her new bedroom, only to catch himself and quickly turn to the left to go into his room. It was sparsely furnished, but it was apparent that it was his. Kagome hadn't wanted to make any décor decisions for him, so she'd made sure he had furniture that would hold him until they worked out how he wanted his room to look. They'd spent some of the time through the week getting him clothes to have on hand in his room so he wasn't limited by the chests of clothes tucked away on the shoreline. He pulled on some sleep pants, opting to go shirtless.
Inuyasha was undoing the hair tie and shaking his hair loose when he heard a knock on the doorframe of his room. Kagome was standing there, changed into her pajamas. "I came to make sure that you had everything you needed before I turned in."
"I think so," he replied.
Kagome fidgeted before stepping into the room and walking towards him. "I guess I should let you get some rest," she murmured, feeling a blush rise across her cheeks. It hadn't escaped her notice that he was only in pants, but she tried to pretend it did as she stood on her tip toes to kiss him softly. "Well, goodnight Inuyasha."
She had taken two steps back when he had grabbed her hand, pulling her back to him. "What's this?" he asked, not expecting an answer. Inuyasha leaned down and returned the kiss, lingering just long enough to hear the whimper of delight come from the woman in his arms. "Goodnight, Kagome," he smiled at her dazed look. As he watched her slowly walk out of the room, he couldn't help but think that maybe spending more nights here wasn't such a bad idea.
Hell with the customs; they weren't in the sea anyway.
