Kagome rubbed her eyes tiredly. It had taken so long to fall asleep that she didn't feel like she'd gotten any rest at all. When she did sleep, she dreamt that Inuyasha was in the bed with her. Just laying there with her, nothing exciting, but it had been wonderful. She had been asleep on her side, and he was behind her, and…wait. She turned, or attempted to, finding a firm body behind her. An arm was wrapped around her middle tightly. "It wasn't a dream."
"I would hope your dreams are more eventful than sleeping," Inuyasha chuckled.
She wiggled under the weight of his arm, turning to face him. "You came back." If she'd thought about it she'd have remembered that she'd said that very thing in her "dream".
"Told you I would."
"But – I thought –"
"I found my answers," he murmured, leaning across her.
His kiss was gentle, and she could feel the longing behind it. Didn't matter that he'd only been away for a handful of hours, that wasn't uncommon for them. Considering the reason he left, she wanted to know why. It gutted Kagome to push against his chest because she wanted nothing more than to continue that kiss.
His bare chest, she realized.
"Are you naked?"
Inuyasha couldn't help the cheeky grin. "Do you want me to be?"
"I'm serious!" she squeaked, feeling her face heat up. She may not have gotten any decent rest, but she was wide awake now.
He laughed, kissing her cheek. "I have my boxers on," he replied. "Now why did you really stop me?" Inuyasha was pretty sure he knew the answer, but there was also that inkling fear that she didn't want him in her bed. He did come into her house in the middle of the night, strip to his underwear and get in her bed while she was sleeping. It had felt like such a good idea at the time, but now he was trying to swallow that fear that she was upset with him. He would not panic.
Kagome chewed her lip as she studied him. She wanted to ask so badly. Inuyasha did say that he'd gotten his answers. He didn't appear upset, so it couldn't be bad news. 'If I don't ask, he's gonna kiss me again and I'll forget –' "What did you find out? About everything yesterday?"
He hesitated for a second, settling back onto his side. "The change was because of my father's blood," he explained. "Because my mother was not born among our people, the strengths I've gotten from my father are just beneath the surface…markings included. My…anger yesterday tapped into that."
"But why all of a sudden?"
"Because the love I have for you runs deeper than I ever realized, Kagome. The thought of some man touching what will never be his made me see red." He grimaced inwardly at the choice of words, but he needed to get his point across. "You're the one my soul calls to. I want to spend my life with you, in any way that you'll allow me."
"Oh," Kagome breathed. That was not what she expected him to say, but now that he did…she wanted to cry. She'd tried to reason that he had acted as a jealous boyfriend after he'd left, but her heart said that wasn't the only explanation. For that…it had to have been something deeper. She couldn't contain the few tears that did escape, sighing as he leaned in and kissed away the stray tears. "Why does that sound like a proposal?" she asked softly.
"That's because it is."
"I-Inuyasha?"
He entwined his fingers with hers. "Kagome, I meant it when I said I wanted to spend my life with you. I want to marry you. Have a family with you. Grow old with you. You're it for me. If…if that isn't what you want, or if you don't want it with me, I still want to be a part of your life. No matter what happens Kagome, I want to remain your friend."
Inuyasha looked so nervous as he spoke. She squeezed the hand he held to reassure him. He was just as nervous about assuming things as she was apparently. "You're always going to be my friend, Inuyasha." Kagome felt a mix of giddiness and anxiety as she started to speak again. "I'd be a fool to turn you down. I've never been so happy than when I'm with you, Inuyasha. I want all those things too…with you."
The relief that crossed his face was adorable.
"I suppose now's a good a time as any to tell you about the merfolk traditions?"
Kagome snorted. "I assume laying in your girlfriend's bed in just your underwear is the start?"
"No, that goes against pretty much everything I was taught not to do growing up." He grinned as she laughed, propping himself up on his elbow. "What do you know, before I start?"
"Nothing actually."
"That makes things so much easier," he said dryly.
She poked him in the chest with her free hand. "You remember what I told you when we were kids. And your brother never explained either. Only said that it'd be best if you were the one to tell me."
Inuyasha grinned despite himself. "I hate when he's right. There's nothing…otherworldly about our traditions, really. We just have different ways of doing what humans do." His eyes widened as he realized how that sounded. "Not that! That's done like humans! Stop laughing Kagome!"
Kagome had only snickered at first, but the longer he tried to explain the funnier it became. Maybe she hadn't gotten enough rest, or maybe it was early, but his face had been hysterical. "I should hope you do," she teased. "Or we may have to find a handbook to figure out how to do that."
"Cheeky woman." Not that he'd have her any other way. "As I was trying to say, when a merman has proposed to their chosen, their families will come together to hold a celebration to announce the merging." He frowned, looking for the right word. "I think humans call it an engagement party? Where humans will use rings to signify the engagement however, merfolk choose something that is significant to their chosen. It could be a ring, a necklace, even something like a piece of coral in some cases. It's presented in private; the formal announcement is more to commemorate the occasion. A date is chosen, and the wedding ceremony itself is much like a human wedding. Well…" he hesitated, frowning.
"What?"
"There's a special marking that's done before the wedding ceremony, it's like a tattoo of sorts. Each person carries the same marking-"
"Wait. What do you mean each?"
"Ah, right. I should have mentioned that first. Sometimes there can be more than two people in the marriage. It's…not unheard of –"
Kagome's mind was reeling. Were merfolk polygamous? Did Inuyasha expect her to...? Then it hit her, and she let out a yelp that had him leaning back in surprise. "Your parents! I thought your father had gotten a divorce with Lady Inukimi! You mean to tell me that they –"
"Yes," he said at last, blinking. "Merfolk don't have divorces, Kagome. That's part of the marking. It…binds those that intend to marry. Permanently. My father has been married to Lady Inukimi for many years before he met my mother. He loves them both equally, and when he met my mother he introduced her to Lady Inukimi. There are no secrets held between them, and they each needed to agree to the arrangement before my mother bore the marking they share. Marriage is not something our kind take lightly."
"Oh." For some reason Kagome had always figured that Lady Inukimi was simply the first wife who had a pretty chill outlook on Touga and Izayoi's relationship. It had never occurred to her that all three would be in a marriage arrangement at once. "Sorry, I guess I'm so used to humans…you know…"
Inuyasha smiled. "I understand, Kagome. When I was growing up I couldn't understand it myself when my mother explained it to me. I always thought that one day I would find one person, and I have. So unless you manage to clone yourself Kagome, I do not see following in my father's path."
Kagome returned the smile, a bit shyly as she said, "Same goes for you, though I don't know if I could handle more than one of you."
They fell into silence for a few minutes. Inuyasha lazily stroked the hand he held with his thumb as he asked, "Are you okay with this, Kagome?" He knew the marking might be a deal breaker, and that scared him. He wasn't certain if they could be truly married by merfolk customs if she didn't agree to the mark, and he started thinking of how he could approach his parents about the matter.
"I am," she said, startling him. "The idea of being tattooed makes me a little nervous though. What kind of mark is it? Does it go in a specific place?" That was her one holdup, but what knowledge she had about getting tattooed came from her friend's extended family members sharing their stories. Some said it hurt, some said it didn't, but all agreed that an area that doesn't have a lot of "cushion" would definitely hurt and only advised it if you had a high pain tolerance. "But…what about after? What happens then?"
The unsure look in her eyes told Inuyasha that she wasn't referring to the wedding night. Kagome wanted to know where they would live, start a family. "I…I haven't thought that far ahead," he told her honestly. "All I know is that you're my home, Kagome. Whatever we do, we have all the time to figure it out."
Kagome hummed in understanding as he let go of her hand to brush her hair back. As much as she tossed the night before, it must've looked a sight. "I almost asked if a marriage were possible between a merman and a human, but I'm looking at my answer," she grinned. "How did your mother become a mermaid?"
"I'm not sure of the specifics, only that it was a process. It has to be a choice made from the heart, is what she told me." He kept running his fingers through her hair lightly as he spoke. "You don't have to decide now, Kagome. We don't even have to tell our families just yet. Knowing that you've said yes is more than I could ask for, so if you want to wait we can wait."
"How did I get so lucky?" she murmured. His touch was hypnotizing, and she felt like she could fall back asleep if he kept it up. She lifted her newly freed hand to the beaded necklace, twisting its dark shells on the cord. Kagome looked up shyly under her lashes, feeling her face heat up even before she asked her next question. "Are there any traditions that say that – I mean –"
Inuyasha couldn't hide his grin as Kagome fumbled over her words. He knew exactly what she was trying to say. If he were feeling evil he'd make her say it. As it was, his desire to kiss her overruled that idea. "If there are, they're so ancient that no one follows them anymore."
The response had Kagome looking up just as Inuyasha leaned over her, rolling her onto her back. There was more heat in this kiss, and the sigh she let out was swallowed as it deepened. Kagome's arms came up around his shoulders, not wanting him to move away. She sighed his name as he trailed kissed along her jaw to that sensitive spot beneath her ear. That was evil; he knew that did things to her. Good things. Tingly things. He nipped the spot lightly with his teeth and she whimpered, arching up against him and the hand that had dipped under the hem of her tank top. Kagome's eyes flew open as his fingertips ghosted across her stomach.
"N-no! Don't look!" she yelped, reaching for his wrist.
Inuyasha nearly jumped out of his skin. She had responded so well, and now this? "What's wrong? Kagome? Did I hurt you?"
"I…I'm sorry…" she mumbled, feeling sick to her stomach. Why did those words have to come out? Why couldn't she have kept her mouth shut?
"Kagome?"
"It's nothing. I was just being stupid."
Inuyasha frowned as he looked down at her. "That didn't sound like nothing, 'Gome. Did I do something wrong?"
She shook her head, unable to meet his gaze. "It's…me." Kagome wanted to cry, feeling a lump form in her throat. 'I thought I was past this. Even with yesterday I haven't felt like this in a long time…' "I just got scared."
"I upset you- Kagome, we don't have to rush anything –"
"No," she cut him off. One glance told her that he misinterpreted what she said. "You didn't do anything wrong, Inuyasha. It's not that. I… I got scared because… it's light out and.. I didn't want you to see-" Kagome could feel the tears build and tried to blink them away before he could notice. She really didn't need to cry on top of everything else. "I'm scared I won't look like you want because I used to be fat –"
"Kagome, you've never been fat." Inuyasha felt a wave of anger come over him and fought to keep it down. Now it made sense. She was still self-conscious after all this time. "You have nothing to worry about. I love you. Every inch of you. I couldn't care less if you were covered in scars, because you'd still be beautiful to me."
The little sniffle he heard didn't sound assured. Words wouldn't be enough to convince her, it seemed. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I'm trying not to –"
He leaned down and kissed away the tear that rolled down her cheek. "You have nothing to be sorry for. If you don't want me to see you just yet, it's alright," he told her gently. And it was. He'd wait a hundred years if that was what it took for her to be ready. He started to leave soft kisses across her cheeks, making her laugh. "So I can touch and kiss you where I can see you? That's alright?"
"Of course," she replied. Kagome stifled another laugh as his kisses followed the column of her throat and down to her shoulder. They were so light they tickled, but the laughter became a sigh when his kisses traced her collarbone, moving down to the neckline of her top. She shivered when his tongue darted out, quickly tasting the skin before he moved to pepper her arms with kisses. "Inuyasha…"
"Hm?"
He was moving down the bed, taking the blankets with him. Kagome felt his lips press against the inside of each wrist before he paused at the exposed bit of her belly. Not breaking eye contact, he left a lingering kiss just beneath her navel, and she sucked in a breath. That look…she'd seen that look before, and it did the same things to her that his kisses did. He desired her. Her. There was no denying it anymore, no more trying to believe that it was all a dream that would end, and he was proving his words. Inuyasha moved further down, beginning to pepper kisses along the top of her left thigh. Kagome whimpered as his touch moved down the length of her leg, to the top of her foot, and to the instep. That had especially tickled, and she'd let out a choked laugh that made him grin.
"Ticklish, huh?" he teased, moving to her right foot. "I wonder where else you're ticklish."
Kagome's laughter stopped when he began to move up the inside of her right leg. "I-Inuyasha…ah!" She bit down on her lip as his lips brushed against the inside of her thigh. This was different, and she was both excited and nervous. She wasn't sure she was ready for him to keep going on that path, but she also didn't want him to stop either. Inuyasha must have picked up on the small noise she made as he hooked his arm underneath her leg, bending it at the knee.
"I wonder," he mused, slowly raising her leg up. "Are you ticklish here?"
"Wha-" Kagome let out a squeal as she felt Inuyasha duck underneath her raised leg and playfully nipped the back of her thigh, just beneath where the hemline of her shorts stopped. Her back raised up off the bed and she tried to get away, but his grip was too strong. "Inu – Inu- InuyaSHA!" her squeals were mixed with more laughter as he continued to assault the back of her thigh. It tickled like hell! She had no idea she was ticklish there! In her peals of laughter she never noticed that Inuyasha had let up and lowered her leg back to the mattress.
When Kagome could find her breath once again she was startled by how Inuyasha appeared. The sunlight coming through her window cast a glow against his tanned skin as he watched her on his hands and knees, his dark hair loose and falling around them. He wasn't even attempting to hide the evidence of his excitement either, and she found her cheeks getting hot again. Then she met his gaze and her insides did a flip. There was that heated look again, and did his eyes look brighter, or was that a trick of the sun? "Inuyasha…"
She had no idea he could move that fast.
It was days later when they got a day off work. Inuyasha had gone back to the kingdom to visit with his parents, and Kagome had been asked to come to brunch with Sango and the girls. In their words, she was "always busy" between work and having a boyfriend, and she never did anything with them anymore. With the tourism slowing down as the summer holidays ended, they knew it was the opportune moment to ask, because she couldn't get out of it. Yuka and Eri were going to be taking college classes in the fall on the mainland, so it was another reason to take them up on the offer. She did want to spend time with her girl friends before the realities of growing up kicked in full force with the change of the seasons.
How it turned into an interrogation about her love life was something she couldn't figure out.
"I don't see where it's anyone's business but me and Inuyasha's."
"We're your friends," Yuka pleaded, "Do you really want Eri and me to go off to school in a few weeks knowing that you're not being taken care of?"
Kagome nearly choked on her drink. She hadn't missed the suggestive tone in that question, and if they weren't sitting in a public setting she may have chucked something at her friend. If Yuka wanted to be that nosy, then she was gonna get it. "What makes you think that Inuyasha isn't taking care of me?" It had the desired effect of shocked faces, but her plan backfired when the other four leaned in.
"You two have slept together?" Ayumi looked surprised.
"Ah…well….not exactly. I mean we have slept in the same bed…or on the couch…but it was just sleeping –"
"She really hasn't," Sango added.
"Thank you –"
"I'd have done said something if she had."
Kagome slapped a hand to her face, trying to suppress the groan. She loved her friends, but sometimes she wondered why she agreed to these outings. It was making the concept of becoming a hermit all that more appealing. "Look, it's not that big a deal."
"Kagome, a girl's got needs!" Eri pointed out. "Surely you've…I don't know…done something, right?" her face scrunched up in frustration as she looked around. "If we weren't in the middle of town I'd be clearer. Done some product testing? A hands-on experiment? Hell, even an unboxing –"
"Alright, I get it!" Kagome hissed, wishing she could duck under the table. It was obvious they weren't going to let this go. They meant well, and they had the best intentions. They might not have understood her deepest insecurities, but they knew enough that maybe talking about things wouldn't be awkward. And they'd shared stories of their past boyfriends and dates with her, so why not return the courtesy? She let out a sigh, bracing herself. "We haven't exactly…seen things, but… there's been some…ah… product testing?"
A chorus of curious "Oh's" and "Really now" came from all around the table. Kagome thought she could get away with being vague but decided against it. Even she wasn't entirely sure what she meant when she said "product testing", so in hushed whispers she described the events of the morning that Inuyasha came back. Only Sango knew relatively what she meant when she said that Inuyasha had to visit his parents about a family matter the night before that, but the others took it at face value. She went on to tell them what Inuyasha had said – save for the details about their engagement, because they hadn't even told their families yet – and the things he did. She told them about her minor freak out about him seeing her in the light of day and the way he proceeded to show her his appreciation.
It was when she told them about the way he had made her scream his name – again and again – that their jaws dropped.
"How many times did you..?" Yuka couldn't finish the sentence.
Kagome was blushing madly as she slowly held up three fingers. In truth she felt better telling them, even the watered-down details, because she was still having trouble processing it herself. Inuyasha had been thorough, and that was putting it delicately. He'd never pushed for more than she was willing to give, asked if something he did was okay, and was she comfortable. They hadn't really done more than they had on previous occasions, but he was determined to make sure she was satisfied.
"Is that why we couldn't reach you?" Ayumi wondered. "Your phone kept going to voicemail each time I tried to call you."
"Oh that," she laughed nervously. "I had my phone set to vibrate, and I think an app notification went off and it buzzed when Inuyasha was…you know. Long story short we had to stop by the store to buy a new one before going into work that afternoon. We might have…thrown it across the room."
No way was she going to tell them that it had been Inuyasha that had flung the phone after the first buzz. She'd been so close to that first one that she'd been too far gone to care that it had ended up in pieces as it bounced off the door frame. Surprisingly, the case was in one piece.
Eri sat back in her seat, shocked. "You need to marry him. No – don't even wait for him to ask. I don't care how you do it, do not let him get away."
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Did you not hear me say that I'm it for him? Inuyasha told me that if I never wanted to take things further with him, to not shut him out –"
"Fine, fine," she waved the words off. "But when you get home, if he's there, jump his ass and ride that pony til you both see stars –"
"Eri! What the hell!" Kagome squeaked, looking around the restaurant. Fortunately, no one was paying them any mind, and the music playing through the speakers was able to drown a lot of conversations out.
"Don't mind her," Ayumi stated lightly, stirring her drink. "Her boyfriend's going to basic training when school starts back and she's still waiting on her "long distance adapter" to arrive in the mail."
"Wait, you mean you ordered a –"
"We don't all have generous boyfriends that live with us," Eri retorted.
"You opted for the all-girl's dorm room," Sango pointed out.
"Yeah well with Hojo enlisting it sorta sealed the deal. If I'm going to be miserable and wanting, might as well commiserate with the other girls."
"I was thinking of getting something," Yuka mused. "I was going to ask if you'd like to order something with me, but I guess you've got more than you know what to do with, huh Kagome?"
"I'm fine!" she squeaked, blushing again. Sango's snickering gave her pause. "Although Sango might take you up on that offer. I doubt those kinds of places would have anything I could use."
"Oh they have all sorts of things!" Eri stated. "They've got costumes –"
"Handcuffs?" Yuka offered.
"Vi –"
"Confidence!" Kagome cut Ayumi off quickly. "Confidence!"
The four looked at each other, then back at her. She wasn't too thrilled with the varying degrees of concern on their faces. Sango was the first to speak. "I don't understand. After what you said Inuyasha did…"
"I know. I know Inuyasha said that we could go slow, but I don't want to disappoint him when it does happen. He's been so patient with me, you guys. He's given me so much, and I know he wants to – and I definitely want to – it's just…"
"You're nervous." Eri said. Kagome was surprised she wasn't teasing her over this. "Everybody's nervous their first time. It's extremely intimate and you're baring everything to this person. Neither one of you has done it, and I'd bet my favorite boots he's just as nervous too. You know what Kagome? You can't screw this up. It will be awkward and it won't be perfect, but if you're with the right person it's not going to matter. And from what I've heard about Inuyasha, he's the right person."
"Eri…I don't know what to say…"
"Plus," Eri continued, without missing a beat, "If that last tumble was any indication of his prowess, he's not gonna stop until you get yours."
Kagome groaned, covering her face.
Sango patted her shoulder, trying not to laugh. "Try not to worry about it too much. You'll know in your heart when the moment is, and I think Inuyasha will know too if you try and rush it."
"Yeah, I suppose."
"Oh!" Eri smacked the table as a thought struck her. "Right! You really don't want to rush it, trust me. I thought I was "ready" one afternoon for a quickie, and it turns out I wasn't as ready as I thought I was. Mistakes were made."
Kagome wasn't sure if her laughter was because of Eri's expression as she said this, or if it was an attempt to hide how horrified she was by that image.
Hours later, Kagome let out a relieved sigh as she stepped through the front door. Brunch with the girls had somehow switched to each of them giving her advice based on their personal experiences. It had been…informative. She'd learned more about her friends' exploits than she'd ever wanted to know. 'They did mean well,' she thought, dumping her purse on the nearest chair. 'All in all, I guess it wasn't the worst thing, talking about this with –'
She'd made a beeline for the kitchen, with every intention of starting dinner early, but the sight of Inuyasha stopped her in her tracks. Not only had he'd beaten her to dinner prep again, but he was giving her a delightful sight to behold. All of that long black hair was pulled up into a messy bun, baring the back of his neck. Her eyes traveled down, admiring how the muscles flexed beneath his skin as he moved. She wasn't sure when he'd begun to go shirtless around the house more often, but she wasn't complaining. His jeans hung low, giving a small peek at the waistband of his boxers. She was more fascinated by how the muscle cut deep lines over each hip, and just like the other morning, she wanted to let her fingers trace those lines.
A thought of how unfair that would be slammed into her, preventing her from moving. Inuyasha openly walked around half-naked with the knowledge that she would ogle him. And there she was, so insecure about herself, that she couldn't let him lift her shirt a few inches. It wasn't fair at all. Kagome thought about what she'd told her friends. If she were in Inuyasha's place, she wasn't sure she could've been as patient, and she had to wonder if he was nearing his limit. Hers certainly was – with herself. She was tired of being afraid to…
"You're back," Inuyasha's voice broke her from her thoughts as he turned around, smiling. "Good day?"
"Oh. Uh, yeah. It was…was good." He'd crossed the kitchen in a few steps, pulling her against him and kissing her on the cheek. The kisses moved to her jaw, then dipping to her neck. Kagome shivered and tried to stay focused. "H-how was…you day?"
"Good," came the simple response before he nipped her skin, laving it with his tongue afterwards. Inuyasha started to walk her back to the counter, gripping her hips and lifting her up to the edge. "Missed you though," he said between kisses.
Kagome let out a soft whimper. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
He grunted, and she took that to mean no. Inuyasha wasn't in the mood to tell Kagome about how his own friends had cornered him when he arrived in the kingdom, wanting to know everything. They'd managed to get him to spill about everything but the engagement, and he'd thought that would've been enough to satisfy them. Oh no, of course not. That had led into new territory where they found it fitting to educate him. To make things worse, Kouga had been traveling from his realm to meet with Touga, and had heard the news. Inuyasha had been filled with more information than he ever needed to know just from Kouga alone, who felt that of them all he was most qualified. It had taken everything in him not to boast that even being inexperienced he could still make Kagome fall apart in his arms, but he held his tongue. He was more than ready to leave after that talk.
"You know," Kagome pushed lightly on his shoulder to get his attention. "one of these days you're gonna have to let me fix dinner for us."
"We've got time," he grinned, leaning in to capture her lips. It didn't take much effort on his part to coax her lips to open for him, and he groaned as her tongue met his. Right then, he didn't care if the food burned. He was right where he wanted to be.
Her stomach growling disagreed.
Inuyasha looked down at Kagome's stomach in amusement. "Did you not eat?" he teased.
"Well when your friends start talking about their sex lives you kinda lose your appetite for lunch."
He frowned. "You have eaten something today, at least?" Inuyasha stepped back and returned to the stove to check the pans in the oven. "You sit there," he added, pointing at her when she started to slide off the counter.
"I did. Got a hash brown plate with all the stuff. I dunno, I guess listening to them talk about all their dirty details mixed with the grease killed any hunger I might've had during lunch." Kagome intended to get down to help him, but from the pointed look he shot her way when she attempted again, he'd put her back on the counter. "I keep having to remind myself they mean well…"
Inuyasha closed the oven. It'd be a few more minutes before they could eat. "What'd they do? Give you advice?" he joked, but the expression on her face made him pale. "They didn't…"
"Yup," she said, feeling her face heat up again. One of these days she'd forever have a blush, she just knew it. Kagome shook her head, trying not to think about what Eri said about riding him like a pony. If her face reflected it, he'd ask, and she couldn't bring herself to repeat the words out loud. "Anyway," she sighed, hoping to change the subject. Her mind went to something else, and before she could stop herself she asked, "What are you doing tomorrow? Do you have any plans?"
He looked thoughtful, scratching the side of his neck. "Don't think so."
This was it, now or never. "What do you think about…going to the beach? Maybe go swimming?" At his perplexed look her resolve started to crumble and the words began tumbling out in a mess. "I mean I know you just came back from the beach, and swimming is something you've done all your life. I was thinking that…you know since the summer's coming to an end why not. I mean there's not a lot of tourists now cause they're going back to the mainland so we wouldn't have to worry about you being seen by anybody. And I might have bought a bathing suit like…a month ago, and it'd be a stupid thing to let it go to waste this season if I didn't wear it once…"
Inuyasha walked back to where Kagome sat, bracing his hands on either side of the counter. "Kagome," he said softly. "If you want to go to the beach, we can go to the beach. You know I'm not going to object if you want to show me your bathing suit."
The purr in his voice made her briefly consider following Eri's advice. He was already halfway naked as it was… "I think our dinner's done," she said, trying to refrain from laughing at the look of disappointment in his face. He'd been leaning in, wanting to continue what they'd started, but she could smell the food from where she sat.
She was hungry.
'I don't know what I was thinking. Why did I think I could do this? Why couldn't I have just said let's get naked and stay indoors, Inuyasha. I'm sure he wouldn't have objected to that. At least then I wouldn't be walking practically naked out in public…'
Kagome pulled her cover up tighter around her middle. She'd thought she'd be okay with wearing her bathing suit under a pair of shorts and the gauzy oversized button down she'd pinched from Inuyasha's closet. They'd chosen to walk down to the beach instead of taking the bikes. The weather was nice, and they had nowhere to be. She'd done alright up until her feet hit the sand as she stepped off the boardwalk. Then she started to panic.
It wasn't so much that there were a lot of people around on the boardwalk or the beach either. It was her paranoia kicking in, making her think that everyone and their brother would be watching her as soon as she undid the button up. She looked around, noticing that of the few that were lounging in the sand, they were absorbed in their own worlds, soaking up the last days of summer before the magic faded and they'd have to accept that fall was approaching. Inuyasha had guided her along by the hand to "their spot" beyond the rocks, just like he had back when they were kids on the day he revealed his secret to her. A lot had changed since that day, and not just between them. The stone wall that acted as a divider and housed bins of clothing to change into had been reinforced over time. A small version of a pier was built with the guise of being used for fishing, but it was actually a platform the merfolk would use to dive into the water. It wasn't needed per se, but it had multiple functions aside from being used by what would appear to be nudists to the oblivious passerby.
Such as a place to sit without getting sand in the shorts, as Kagome was currently doing. She sat with her feet dangling off the edge and into the water, trying to talk herself into removing her coverups. From behind her she could hear Inuyasha remove his clothes, leaving them in a pile by her beach bag next to the stone wall. The sound of footsteps running towards her was the only warning she got to cover her face before she heard a splash and felt salt water sprinkle on her legs. "Was that necessary?" she huffed.
"You were the one who wanted to come to the beach," he grinned.
"A canon ball though?"
Inuyasha laughed, swimming towards the edge of the pier, catching the lip with his hands. He studied her face and frowned. "You alright, 'Gome? You don't have to do this if you aren't ready."
"I…" she sighed. "I am. Believe me. I need to do this. I think…maybe once I take this stuff off I'll feel better? Do you think?"
He shrugged. "I can't tell you that, but I'll support whatever you decide to do."
Kagome nodded, probably more to herself than in agreement with what he said. "I'm being stupid," she said firmly, standing up. Taking a few steps back and forth across the pier, it was obvious that she was trying not to talk herself out of unbuttoning the shirt. Her fingers shook a little as the first three buttons came unhooked, but as she kept going she felt a little calmer. It was just her and Inuyasha out here in this part of the beach. There was no one around to stare but him. Certainly no one to call her that horrid nickname anymore. She had to resist snorting at the memory. If Inuyasha had anything to say about it, no one would call her that ever again. The shirt fell open, and she took a deep breath as she let it drop off her shoulders, feeling the heat of the sun on her bared skin. 'Now the shorts, Kagome. Don't chicken out now.' Her hands had no issue with undoing the button and zipper of the shorts, letting them drop to her ankles before she stepped out of them.
The entire time she kept her eyes downward, not looking anywhere but at herself. A small part of her was nervous about what Inuyasha would say. She knew it wouldn't be bad, but she wasn't sure how to take any response from him. With one fluid motion, Kagome squatted to grab the shorts from the pier, stood and retreated to the beach bag where she dropped the items. She took a second to steady her breathing before she turned around and started to walk back to the edge of the pier where Inuyasha waited quietly.
Too quietly.
It was enough to make her want to run back to grab her coverings.
Almost.
The look of adoration in his eyes was the only think keeping her moving forward. He wasn't leering, or making crude jokes, or saying anything. He was simply watching her, his lips curved upwards in a smile. He'd braced his forearms on the edge of the pier, propping his chin on them as he looked at her. If it weren't for the tail that would occasionally poke out of the water, it wouldn't have looked out of the ordinary.
"Do I… does this look okay?" she asked softly.
Inuyasha made a deliberate expression that made her laugh, as if he were thinking hard about the question. He raised his arm slightly, motioning for her to turn around in a circle, grinning as she continued to laugh. That's what he wanted, to hear her laugh. She'd looked so scared as she turned and went to the bag that he'd almost expected her to run back to it and throw her clothes back on. The relief he'd felt when she kept coming towards him…it was indescribable. He didn't want her to hide away anymore, so it was a big step. The sight of her walking towards him in that green bikini though… he'd been ashamed to admit that he'd let out a small whine. Fortunately for his pride she'd been too far away to hear it.
"You look beautiful, Kagome." The ability to say just how beautiful she looked to him was lost. Inuyasha wasn't sure if he could even put it into words. There were no flaws on her skin that he could see, and certainly no stretchmarks as she seemed to think she'd have.
She came to sit on the pier before him, tucking her legs under her as she dropped her weight to her right hip. "I still feel exposed," she said shyly. "Hey!"
Inuyasha reached down and scooped a handful of water up, flicking it at her. "You're here with me, so don't worry about it. Just the two of us…" A wild thought crossed his mind as Kagome wiped the water from her face, and he couldn't suppress the wicked grin. He braced his hands against the lip of the pier and pulled himself up from the water, letting his tail hang over the edge as he sat in front of Kagome.
"What's that look for?" she asked suspiciously. "Every time you look like that you're up to something."
"I'm not up to anything," he continued to grin, leaning forward. "I was only thinking that since we're alone…"
Kagome could taste the saltwater on his lips as Inuyasha cupped the back of her head, pulling her to him. He didn't hesitate to trace her bottom lip with his tongue, coaxing her to grant him access. She let out a sigh as the kiss deepened, forgetting about everything. She no longer cared if she was wearing a bikini for the first time since hitting puberty on a public beach where anyone could see her if they took a notion. All that mattered was that Inuyasha was here, with her. Every fear, every concern she'd had for years was white noise. Her hands were just coming up to brace herself against Inuyasha's shoulders when he'd pulled away, grinning even bigger.
In his left hand was her bright green bikini top.
"Inuyasha!" she shrieked, throwing her arms over her bared chest. "What are you doing?! Give that back!"
"Why? We are alone after all," he continued to grin, holding his arm out of reach. He'd seen her make an attempt with one arm to grab for it, but he wasn't having it. "I'm not wearing anything to cover my chest. See?"
"That's different!"
"How?" he challenged.
"B-because…" she blushed. "Humans…"
Inuyasha grunted, twirling the stringy garment in his hand. "I can't say I know from experience, but Sesshomaru's been to other realms on foreign relation business, and he's told us that there are humans who don't treat nudity as something shameful."
Kagome looked away, chewing her lip. "That's a different culture –"
"So?" he cut her off. "You have nothing to be ashamed about, Ka-Go-Me. You're perfect in every way." And at the moment he thought she was adorable. The flush in her cheeks, the way she tried to cover herself, it made him want to pull her close…among other things. He swallowed thickly; this wasn't the time to think like that. Inuyasha scooted back from Kagome and held tight to her top. "You really want this? You're gonna have to come get it."
"Wait! Hey! Inuyasha!" she almost raised her arms to cover her face from the water splashing her until she remembered that her chest was exposed. Kagome wasn't mad at him for pinching her top; more that she was impressed he'd done it without her feeling anything. 'Then again he had me distracted,' she thought, pursing her lips. He'd gotten her to forget about everything with that kiss, including her ability to be worried about the dumbest things.
All so he could steal her top.
But that wasn't the only reason, was it? Inuyasha wasn't leering at her as he floated along the surface of the water. He looked…expectant. He wanted her to come after him. To own up to what she looked like, to enjoy herself at the beach for once. He'd seen her waste years on the sidelines and decided that it was time to take control.
She huffed, puffing out her cheeks. "If that's how you want to be…" Kagome stood up, letting her arms drop to her sides. This time she kept her eyes trained on the merman watching her with a slack jawed expression as she jumped off the pier. She wasn't sure if that look was because she'd called his bluff or that he was that surprised she'd done so without much hesitation, but it was delightful to see him caught off guard for once.
Inuyasha had been on his back, but the moment Kagome stood up and he saw that determined look in her eyes, he righted himself. Sure he could outswim her easily, but he wasn't sure he wanted to if she started a chase. That expression was fiery, and he liked it. If he took off like a shot she'd wear herself out, and it would've ruined the fun of the day.
Kagome kicked her legs underneath her to stay afloat, pushing her wet hair out of her eyes. "Alright," she breathed, "give it back."
"I lost it."
"No you did not!" she squeaked, real panic in her eyes.
"No I didn't," he grinned, holding it up to show her. "Just go without it for a bit? There's no one to see us. Look, I'll set it on the pier –" with a calculated toss it landed in a wet plop on the wood. "See?"
Kagome frowned. "You cheated."
"Okay maybe a bit," he conceded, swimming close to her and wrapping an arm around her waist. "But you have to admit there's a freedom to this."
Inuyasha had pulled her flush against his chest, and while he whispered that he had her, she was trying not to think about the feeling of her bare skin pressed against his. Kagome felt him guide her arms around his neck, tilting backwards until he was floating along the water once again. He had a firm grip on her waist, so she tried to relax as her legs floated listlessly beside his tail. Her head was resting against his chest, feeling his heartbeat softly. It was incredibly calming, and before she could realize what she was saying, Kagome asked Inuyasha to let her float next to him. His arm still curved around the small of her back like an anchor, but she didn't mind.
"See what I mean?" he grinned, peeking at her from the corner of his eye. Kagome looked so peaceful, and the content smile on her lips made being sneaky worth it.
"You're right. This is wonderful, Inuyasha. Thank you."
"For what?"
"You gave me confidence. If I'd never have met you, I don't think I'd ever be floating in the sea topless." She snorted. "And certainly not with a merman at that."
He laughed. "You did it, Kagome. This is all you."
"You had a big part of it though," she said softly. "My friends from school have never been able to get through to me like you have. And I…I don't think I have the same faith in them like I do you. I trust you with my life, Inuyasha."
Knowing that she had that much trust in him was one thing, but to hear her say it in those words was something else. Inuyasha pulled her back to him before bringing them both to an upright position. He held tight to her as he leaned forward to catch her lips with his. He couldn't find the words to respond to her, because an "I love you" didn't sound like it was enough.
If he hadn't been prepared for her to say that, he sure as hell wasn't for what she said when he pulled away.
"It's time."
"Wh-what?" He swallowed. Had he heard her right? Surely he was just imagining things. That could not mean what he thought it meant.
"I mean, it's time." Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck again, pulling him forward so that his forehead rest against hers. "I don't want to wait anymore, Inuyasha. I want to be with you."
A/N: And with that...well you pretty much know what's coming next. The M-rated special Beach Please will *hopefully* go up before the end of the month, for those of you interested. If not, no worries cause this story will remain with a T rating.
Also wanted to thank you guys that voted for this story in the latest IY Feudal Connection Awards! I'm still trying to wrap my head around that - because there were so many good nominations!
