A gentle hand ran through brilliant silver at a tender, languid pace. Her half-lidded chocolate gaze warmly watched as the long strands fell silently before laying across his back, while her hand continued to sift through his soft hair from the top of his head to the very tips. She lay along their futon, relaxed though only partially covered, with her head propped up by her elbow. Her own raven hair spilling out around her in tousled waves over her shoulders.
Amber eyes fluttered open, his head tilting to face her, inadvertently pulling the silver strands from her hand, the ears on the top of his head straightening out and swiveling, searching for something.
"Did you enjoy your nap?" Kagome teased, a single brow raising in a cheeky challenge, undeterred while she continued to run her hand through his luxurious hair.
He rolled his eyes, letting his yawn serve as his response to her jesting. She always gave him shit for napping… as if she didn't sleep just as much if not more.
"What time is it?" He rasped, seeing that there was still plenty of light pouring into their home through the drawn windows.
Kagome half-turned her head but otherwise didn't stir, unworried over the sun's position in the sky. "We've got time," she answered, calmly while quietly enjoying the doting moment with her husband.
Inuyasha scoffed softly then looked back at her, a tranquil and sincere smile decorating his lips as he drank her in. She was focused on his hair, the pads of her fingers occasionally brushing against his bare back causing warm tingles to ripple under his skin. Over two decades after they'd met and her touch still made his heart stutter and race with an overbearing warmth.
His listless gaze dragged over her. His red robe hung over her shoulder, a corner of the fabric curving over her sloping hips, however the rest of her remained uncovered from their earlier rapture. Inuyasha shifted again, his weight resting on one elbow as he reached out to her.
Her gaze dropped, idly watching as the claw-tipped hands she loved brushed over the red robe, his amber eyes following them as he traced the arc of her shoulder before pushing the fabric off and watching it disappear behind her figure. "Oops," he feigned grinning over at Kagome, unashamed or embarrassed.
She rolled her eyes playfully and leaned in toward him, "looks like you did enjoy your nap… fully rested, huh?" She giggled, a hand coming up and teasingly, tenderly plucking at one of his ears.
He hummed, his ear flickering away from her tickling touch, inching closer to her as the pads of his fingers ran over her now bare skin. "Wasn't as enjoyable as what we did before that," Inuyasha murmured, ghosting his lips over her mouth and brushing his nose along the tip of hers.
Kagome shyly bit down on her bottom lip, chocolate eyes looking back at him with more heat than the entire sun, a warm, giddy shiver running down her body as his fingers continued to tenderly run over her skin, stopping at one particular indent and tracing that silverly-white line.
His gaze pulled from hers, flitting over to where his fingers lay smoothing over a scar on her shoulder.
"What is it?" Kagome murmured, tilting her head to view the blemish. Truth be told, over the years she had mostly forgotten that it was there. At first, the wound had been large and grotesque and she had fixated on the imperfection that marred her skin. It seemed silly now, especially whilst basking in Inuyasha's unrelenting love and adoration, that she would ever care or worry about the scar making her less… desirable.
But she had had a lot of worries in the earlier days that seemed ridiculous now.
He smirked, amber eyes coming back to hers, "I was just remembering when you got this thing."
She nodded. "I was too actually."
"I was so mad at you," he laughed.
"Excuse me?!" Kagome balked, "mad?!"
"Yes, mad! You were always reckless and careless! Just throwing yourself at danger like it didn't matter! You never liked to play it safe," He argued, thick brows lifting in challenge, as if daring her to tell him that wasn't exactly what had happened.
"That's rich coming from you," Kagome remarked, flicking him lightly with her fingers.
"Oh is that not how you remember it?" He pressed, his fingers running over the skin on her shoulders once more before sloping down and following the curves of her back. "Because I remember you begging to come with me on that job…"
"Mmmm," Kagome mumbled, "I remember missing you and wanting to be near you, even if that meant trekking in the rain. I remember… you being over protective but I do not remember you being mad…"
"Oh, really? So you thought I was happy?" Inuyasha questioned, dragging the tip of a claw lightly over her and tracing little circles in the soft flesh.
"Not quite," she answered thinking back. "I recall you being… scared."
His ears flattened against the back of his head for a moment, a cold pang bumping against his heart. She was right. Inuyasha had been scared that day. Though the scar couldn't have been more than four inches (ten centimeters) in length, the actual wound had looked… much worse.
That day had started simple enough. The sun rose like it always did. They ate breakfast together like they had been doing since her return and had gathered their things, ready to embark on a new job. Though Miroku and Inuyasha usually went together on demon exterminating jobs, Kagome had kindly insisted that Miroku stay home with Sango and their new born. Inuyasha had scoffed a little at the strange terms she had been using - What the fuck did 'paternity leave' even mean? Why would Miroku be leaving? Where would he be going? He had a family… He wasn't going no where… - but Inuyasha had agreed with the sentiment.
After all, the job was supposed to be easy.
A single, clumsy, rude demon had been terrorizing a village not far from their own. It would be a quick walk over and back.
The pay promised was decent and for all intents and purposes it was expected to have been a quick job. They'd be home before dinner and give Miroku his share as a 'finder's fee' while the monk would get to spend the day with his kids for once without having to deal with other people's problems.
Though, Inuyasha's motives hadn't been entirely altruistic. Inuyasha had been excited too. Overjoyed really. At that time, Kagome had only recently returned to his era. Since her return though, the entire goddamn village had been gushing over her endlessly. It had felt obnoxious and stifling. She'd only been back for a couple weeks at most and spent all day most days training with Kaede while Inuyasha and Miroku worked. Then Inuyasha and Kagome would spend all night fending off villagers who wanted to awkwardly and profusely thank her for all she did and blah blah blah.
In the early days of her return, he'd found the near constant socializing and separation from her exhausting.
So when she'd asked him to come along on the job and give Miroku a break… Inuyasha only put up a tiny fight for appearances sake.
It was going to be a win-win.
Inuyasha would get to spend time with Kagome without the entire fucking world butting in, Kagome was going to get to practice some of her new techniques, Sango was going to be able to nap for the first time in… three fucking years, and Miroku was going to be able to corrupt his son in peace.
What could ever go wrong?
About midday, just after they had set off, the rain started. 'Whatever,' he had thought. 'Not a big concern.' Sometimes it rained… And really… What was wrong with the way Kagome's clothes ended up clinging to her skin as they meandered over to the village? He hadn't seen a problem at all.
But before long the grass had been coated in a slick mist. It barely bothered Inuyasha, but Kagome was still re-adjusting to life without modern amenities such as rain boots, with traction, and was slipping all over the place. At the time, Inuyasha hadn't thought much more about it other than thinking her his favorite klutz.
That was until she twisted her ankle on a branch that "showed up out of nowhere." He'd scoffed at that after checking to make sure she was okay. He'd asked if they should go back - as any good boyfriend would, already seeing her pale skin tinge red and swell around the joint.
But Kagome had been adamant. They were doing this together and they would not turn back. It was an easy job. Only a slight sprain. And Miroku deserved to spend time with his children.
Inuyasha had rolled his eyes but slowed his pace, keeping closer to her side as they walked.
They'd made it to the village despite the rain and Kagome's clumsiness but Inuyasha couldn't help but feel a little… apprehensive as they approached. His ears were so rigid, swiveling to and fro searching for sounds to compensate for his inability to smell properly in the rain while the hairs on the back of his neck stood straight out. Inuyasha had assumed that the shiver that ran down his spine had been from the chill of the rain and not a sense that things weren't all that they seemed. Still, he'd held Kagome back, stepping in front of her as they entered the abnormally quiet village.
His heart raced as his instincts had begun to claw at him.
Something was… off.
They hadn't had a lot of time to contemplate what though before Inuyasha's head whipped around, ears picking up on the heavy thud of a large, burly ogre's feet as it charged at them from the forest.
He hadn't been thinking. He hadn't questioned why the thing was running from the same direction they had just come. It hadn't occurred to him that…
Inuyasha had just acted, bounding over quickly, instantly putting distance between him and the village in order to deal with the demon near the forest. All he recognized was that there was a threat right in front of him and that had needed to be dealt with immediately.
It was supposed to have been easy and quick.
Kagome had stood back, watching him, her ankle still hot and throbbing from her sprain, bow in hand just in case he'd need assistance, otherwise unconcerned. Her entire focus on Inuyasha.
That had been her mistake.
One moment Kagome was watching Inuyasha bring down his sword - admiring and revering his strength and the growth he'd made in the entire time she'd known him, her own defenses relaxing as the demon in front of them collapsed in a heap on the ground - and the next it was like an out of body experience. She could hear her own cry escape her from a blinding heat passing over her shoulder as she sunk into the ground but didn't remember or even realize she had done so. Her heart raced violently and her chest heaved, she'd dropped her weapons and reflexively reached for her shoulder not even sure she'd been hit. Her hand had trembled as it pressed against her skin and was met with a sticky, warm substance that shouldn't have been there. Her own blood dripping down her palm.
Kagome's eyes had widened in horror and fear, shock setting in before the pain finally washed over her like a tsunami forcing her to drop to the ground fully, tears streaming out both in surprise and as a result of the terrible physical sensation forcing all her thoughts to cease in an instant.
Her cry had torn through the air like a hot blade through flesh, ripping Inuyasha's attention away from his 'victory,' his gold eyes blowing wide and pupils shrinking to next to nothing as the vile stench of her blood broke through the rain and clattered around his nose. His feet had propelled him back toward her before Inuyasha had even been able to process what the actual fuck had actually happened. Looking up and at where Kagome had been standing, Inuyasha snarled loudly. His eyes connected with a larger, lumbering ogre, standing over her trembling body grinning and licking his chops, its beady black eyes flitting up to Inuyasha arrogantly unbothered by Inuyasha's advance.
The fucker had been over-confident, that was for sure. Inuyasha had made sure to watch the life drain from its face as it realized too late the error it had made in choosing to target Kagome.
Inuyasha sliced its head clean off and had called it a day, not even bothering to look around the village or get payment for their services. He'd have Miroku handle that mess later.
His concern was Kagome.
Only her.
Her blood had stained the ground and her breathing had been far too belabored when he landed next to her. His own hands trembled as he lifted her off the ground, muttering incoherent apologies under his breath before he tore through the forest back to their home not far off.
Every sob or shudder from the woman in his arms shattered his heart.
The rain had continued to trickle down outside their hut, the air still thick with moisture and a heavy tension when he had placed her down inside. He'd never been more grateful that Kaede had been so annoyingly present when training Kagome, as the old priestess and Kagome had offhandedly left a mess of medical supplies around his home with Kagome. Inuyasha had made a mental note to never again give Kagome shit for leaving the smelly herbs and the like all over the place for him to trip over or gag at.
On that day he'd just grabbed at everything around him.
Inuyasha had quickly pressed a cloth aggressively against the wound, both encouraged and agonized by Kagome's cries of pain. Her open whimpers and hisses had meant that she was still lucid, still conscious and likely not in too much danger if he worked promptly. Slowly, he had realized that Kagome wasn't in as much danger as he had feared. And he had feared…
As the adrenaline wore off from the battle, with both of them sitting in their home, it had all crashed back into him. Seeing her on the ground, smelling her blood in the air, it had caused a full mental shutdown. Inuyasha hadn't thought. He had no memory of his actions after her earlier cry of pain. The only thing he could remember was the panic, the all consuming dread that overwhelmed every other sensation.
It had triggered him. Thoughts of Kikyo dying twice looped around his mind threatening to force him to curl into a tight ball on the floor. Worse still were the thoughts of all the times in the past, before she'd returned, when he'd been too fucking close to losing Kagome too. He'd been sad, depressed even, when she had been sealed on the other side of the well, but… she'd been undeniably safer.
Her biggest threat being some weak demon called 'entrance exam.'
Here though?
Here she'd made it only a few weeks before having her arm almost sliced clean off because he had acted instead of thinking.
It had made him sick with worry and guilt.
His hands moved fluidly but firmly across her broken skin as she winced and bit down on her lip, trying and failing to bite back the hiss from the sting as he cleaned the wound she had been too nervous to look at initially. Inuyasha hadn't said anything to her since he'd brought her home. He'd been entirely absorbed in his thoughts and actions.
Just grunts and growls expressing his displeasure passed over her in the quiet home.
"Ar-are you upset with me?" Kagome had murmured, turning her head slowly to the side, ignoring the ache radiating out from the wound that was settling throughout her entire chest. She had cast her eyes downward, tightly closing them as Inuyasha dabbed the large slash that curved around her shoulder and down her back one last time before discarding the rag altogether.
"No," Inuyasha had responded not unkindly but firmly, clearly focused on something else, doing little to quell Kagome's own bubbling anxiety. He was still nervous and more scared the he knew how to articulate, second guessing every decision, every moment of happiness they had shared since her return. Had he celebrated too soon? Had he been too naive to think that this could work? Should he… should he send her back?…
Kagome had rolled her eyes, huffing in frustration and self-consciousness. Her own anxiety and fear ate at her. She should have sensed the demon… she should have known better than to let her guard down. She had felt guilty…
She had pushed him into letting her come. She had fought Inuyasha on not turning around when she'd hurt her ankle. And it was her who hadn't paid attention to the bristling of the hairs on her arm as the demon had approached her from behind while she had been busy watching Inuyasha.
The signs had been there and she had just… not listened to them.
She had felt so ridiculous because really… she hadn't wanted to look away from him. Kagome had forgotten over her three year absence what it was like to fight by his side. How much she had enjoyed having his back and getting to see him. She had been so taken with his movements and gotten lost in her memories. Kagome had been thinking back to when she first met him and how much he'd grown not only as a fighter but as a person.
Every terrible and blissful memory from their journey and getting to watch Inuyasha become the man she knew all while falling in love with the man he was, had made her heart well with warmth and appreciation for the person she was so excited to be reacquainted with and be with again.
But… She had been so caught up, so stuck in her own head that she had missed the aura approaching. One moment everything had been fine and the next…
Kagome hadn't liked his silence. It had felt deafening and had made her anxiety double. "Then what is it? What's with the silence?" She had pressed nervously, wanting everything to be okay again and for him to still love her like she still loved him.
"Can't I think?" Inuyasha had hissed back at her, lashing out because his own pain was brimming over while he smeared the ointment and herbal remedies Kagome had made not two days prior with Kaede into the wound, his ears pressed flat back against his head as he had tried to block out the strangled gargled of a sound that Kagome made when he put even the slightest pressure on the wound.
Three years without her had felt more like a hundred. It was agonizingly lonely.
But the thought of her returning to him just to die did not sit well with Inuyasha. It had made him physically sick and ill tempered.
He didn't want to lose her…
It was selfish, even he could recognize that, but… Inuyasha wanted more time with her. He always had. As far as he was concerned forever wouldn't even be enough.
So… it would be cool… if she could maybe last more than a few days… Maybe even long enough to… become his wife. Which had been a conversation he had been struggling to work up the courage for.
He had known she loved him and he never doubted his own feelings for her, Inuyasha was just… shy. Nervous. Old insecurities having never fully died.
Inuyasha had pressed the bandages against her wound, grateful that the herbs smelled strongly, almost fragrant enough to dispel the scent of her blood. As Inuyasha dressed the wound, he had slowly come to realize that they were pretty lucky that time. Though long and ugly looking, the injury had been relatively shallow. It would heal quickly and without significant strain on Kagome. It had still been just a little too close of a call for Inuyasha to have felt giddy though.
Looking back on that day and night, and those that followed, as Inuyasha sat in their home tracing the silvery line of that scar along her shoulder, he could still feel that fear and worry but it was less so.
After all… Kagome had been through worse before and after that day.
And she was still there. With him. Big, warm, brown eyes looking at him with even more love and appreciation than she'd had back then, if that was even possible.
"I was scared," Inuyasha admitted to her. "You had just returned… I-I never wanted to lose you again."
Kagome ducked her head slightly for a moment before looking back up at him, a hand coming up to gently caress his cheek, a thumb tenderly brushing over his skin as she searched his eyes before giggling.
"What's so funny?" He asked dryly, not sure what about that day could be so light-hearted or cheerful.
She smiled more broadly, "nothing in particular just… I had blamed myself for being careless and it sounded like… you blamed yourself."
"Of course I did! You left a safe home for here!" He barked, looking at her incredulously. "I turned my back! And you got hurt!"
It briefly crossed Kagome's mind that although the modern era didn't have demons running around that it likely wasn't as safe as Inuyasha probably assumed it was. She let that thought drop away though as it likely wasn't going to be a fruitful line of discussion, especially so many years after the fact. And, she realized, it wouldn't have addressed his fears. Still, Kagome leaned forward and kissed him softly, cupping his cheek before letting her hand sift through his hair and pulling back incrementally to look at him again. "I'm never safer than when I'm with you. You have never let me down. I wasn't paying attention that day. It wasn't your fault."
He was pretty sure that was an exaggeration as there were several instances he could immediately recall where he hadn't been at his best or had misstepped.
They all seemed so trivial now though.
After all, since that day she had accumulated more scars and marks that decorated her body, each, he thought though, added to her beauty because each one came with it a memory and a story of their lives, together. Even that day when the demon had split her shoulder wide open had had a decent ending.
Many of the villagers and their friends had heard about her injury and kept visiting the house when she was decent and patched up. But Kagome had been tired and had still felt weak from the blood loss. She hadn't wanted to see anyone.
Even Miroku and Sango had been exhausting her.
So… she'd asked for a favor.
"Anything," Miroku had stated without hesitation while Inuyasha had been busy pulling one of the twins off his ears again as Sango chuckled at his annoyance and apologized.
"I just want a few days alone…," Kagome had squeaked, her cheeks burning bright red as she asked, her chocolate eyes looking away from the monk whose inquisitive and concerned expression had quickly morphed into a cheeky grin that still had Kagome blushing for days. "With, uh… I-Inu-"
"Say no more, Kagome," Miroku had smirked confidently sparing her from further embarrassment and placing a hand tenderly on her good shoulder before winking. "Children! Love of my life! Let's go! Aunt Kagome is very, very tired and would like some rest." He had emphasized the words with a healthy sprinkle of mischief before walking over and grabbing his girls and ushering everyone out of the home with almost a rude pace.
Kagome had waved bye awkwardly to Sango as the woman wiggled her eye brows suggestively making Kagome think that Sango had spent a little too much time with Miroku in the three years she'd been away. Still… Kagome had been grateful that even if they would grill her later and would make fun of her for being so embarrassed to ask for time with Inuyasha that her friends had been so understanding and accepting.
Inuyasha had been sullen and resigned, their friends having temporarily distracting him from his own perceived failures. All of which had come crashing back down on him when the reed door swung shut, leaving him alone with the evidence of his inadequacy openly visible on her shoulder, mocking him silently.
"I, uh," Kagome had begun, slowly stepping over to him and shyly reaching out with her hand to wrap around his fingers. "I'm sorry."
His head tilted to the side, eyes blinking rapidly, not even sure what to say and more than a little concerned to know what she was sorry over. It had never occurred to him that she would be feeling like she had failed or let him down. Instead he had worried that she… that Kagome had also been thinking it would have been better for her to return.
Inuyasha had swallowed hard, his hear resuming its earlier hammering as his chest filled with the bitter sting of panic, his lungs constrict and tears pricking at the back of his eyes.
"I wasn't paying attention earlier," Kagome had continued, worrying her lip and staring at the ground, fidgeting with her feet, waiting for him to yell or something. The silence had been killing her and all she had really wanted was to be in his arms. "I felt the demon's presence and I should have, um, I should have…" She paused, water brimming her eye line as she began recalling the look of anguish on his face. "I wasn't thinking and I-"
"You think what happened is your fault?" He had interrupted, the anxiety falling away and releasing its grip over his lungs and voice as Inuyasha perceived her with nothing short of total bewilderment.
She had nodded meekly, fingers circling his before squeezing on his hand. "I-I'm sorry… I-I know it was dumb, I should have been paying attention! And-and ugh," Kagome had whined. "I just don't want you to think I'm useless or dead weight! I've been trying so hard to re-adjust and I was so excited to go with you again and I just… please don't be mad! Next time I promise I won't get distracted!"
Next time.
It hit him like a rock to the skull. Kagome didn't want to leave. She had been worried that… that he would make her stay behind.
"Can you just yell at me now!" Kagome had exclaimed, as he stood there trying to process all of his thoughts and feelings at once.
"No," he had finally murmured, wrapping his fingers around her hand and stepping forward, using his free hand to gently tilt her head up to face him. "Kagome, I don't want to yell. I don't want to lose you. I just want to be with you."
Kagome had fallen silent, sniffling and swallowing, her nervous, bloodshot chocolate gaze feeling reassured as she finally met his amber eyes. It had been at that moment she saw it. The fear that she remember to this day and the hints of sadness and worry that made his normally bright gold irises seem dull. She had hated that expression then and now.
But it had also, in a strange and terrible way, reassured her that Inuyasha did still love her as much as she loved him.
She had nodded, sniffling once more, a wan smile breaking through as she leaned forward for a hug, making sure to keep her bad shoulder pointed away. They had spent the rest of the evening in each other's arms and, after Kagome had healed, she had also secretly employed Miroku to help her have more alone time with Inuyasha.
Like today.
It had been a while since she and Inuyasha had had a chance to just be together. So… earlier in the morning she had snuck out to see the monk. He had smirked at her and shook her hand excitedly, tossing her some lewd comment about tiring out the notoriously energetic half-demon.
Inuyasha, it seemed though, was none the wiser to Kagome's pact with Miroku as his fingers continued to dance along her skin.
Her soft, fleshy body was littered with little blemishes in addition to the one on her shoulder. Some of which, Inuyasha rather enjoyed toying with. There was the one on her wrist from when she had fallen in the woods - those pesky branches just coming out of nowhere again! There was the one on her knee from when Sango's twins had accidentally tripped her. But his favorite marks were the ones on her abdomen.
Kagome had hated those too when they first appeared. He never had though. Not a single time.
She giggled as his feather light touch skimmed over her stomach.
"What?" He teased, smirking at her, knowing full well it tickled her. Inuyasha could feel the muscles beneath his finger clenching as Kagome shook her head at him.
"You're ridiculous," She murmured, pressing a firm kiss against his lips and draping her arm over him then pulling him closer.
"Oh I'm ridiculous?" He cajoled playfully before wrapping his arm around her and pulling her flush against him like she'd been earlier that day.
Kagome pressed her self against him, capturing his lips and running her hands through his hair, wrapping a leg around his hip as the red robe finally fell completely off her. "Very," she whispered in a heady hush.
He rolled his eyes, less interested in giving her an actual answer and more interested in enjoying whatever alone time they had left before they had to go back to their other responsibilities. Inuyasha certainly found the supple softness of his wife's skin and the enticing dance of her lips far more entertaining and thrilling. Especially when her hands traveled down along his body, pushing off the thin blanket that had partially covered him during his earlier nap.
His hands held her firmly in his embrace, ears fixating on the steady increase in the rhythm of her heart and the breathless puffs of air between her fervent kisses, while he inhaled the deliciously intoxicating scent of her desire. Inuyasha smiled as he returned every ardent kiss and felt her grip him tightly in return.
She could give him as much shit as she wanted for napping or being 'ridiculous' as long as he could hold her like that until the end of their days.
Kagome was the love of his life.
His favorite vice.
"I'm back! Did you miss me?!"
Her voice tore through the air, ripping Inuyasha's attention from his wife, gold eyes blowing wide while his pupils shrank to next to nothing. Kagome's eyes also widened in horror and fear as she pulled away from Inuyasha. Before she even fully registered what was happening, her body immediately dove for the same blanket she had just tossed off Inuyasha.
While it was true that Kagome was the love of his life and favorite vice, she was also the mother of his child…
His child that was home early.
"Hey!" Said child announced cheerily, pushing the reed door to the side, grinning broadly until her brown eyes that mirrored Kagome's noticed her parents on the futon. "Wha-what are…"
"Napping," they both replied in unison, awkward and strained smiles plastered on their faces.
