AN: I don't know how I feel about the flow of this chapter. Or lack thereof. Also, that is not how I wanted to format the texting conversation but FFN didn't give me a whole lot of options.
Chapter Thirteen
It was Kagome's day off. So why the fuck was her phone vibrating? It was still dark outside and her eyes squinted at the message on her too-bright screen. Her agitation only slightly diminished seeing it was from Inuyasha.
I: Did you see the news?
Naraku's big initiative this term was police reform. Except 'reform' made it sound like he was fixing a problem. In reality, Naraku was militarizing the police and increasing their presence in poor youkai neighborhoods. The history of demons and humans was messy and complicated. Hundreds of years ago they lived completely separate and rarely interacted. Demon culture was very traditional and they had no use for humans which was fine because humans were terrified of them. Unfortunately, fear was a strong driving emotion and it only took a handful of weaker demons attacking villages for humans to mobilize and start hunting youkai as a preventative measure. The demon population had always been smaller than the human one and, no matter the rumors around the communities, youkai were not invincible.
After decades of unjust and unprosecuted murders the youkai population dwindled even more. And then activists spoke up and the world started to change. And so with it the stigmas of integrated societies. But Shikon had been a stronghold. They had been on the precipice of a revolution and they could have tipped either way with the slightest push. Enter Onigumo Naraku. He was appointed Lieutenant Governor and a month later the Governor passed away in his sleep. Yeah, it was suspicious as fuck. Once in power, Naraku fed on the fear some humans still harbored towards demons and used it to fuel a human-first agenda. His administration spread thinly veiled racist propaganda and gave a charismatic figurehead to the human supremacists. Countless issues cropped up that previous legislature had outlawed—housing discrimination, biracial relationship prejudice and segregated schools.
It was the last one that caused the protest the previous night. Naraku had made a few comments in interviews about the benefits of "cultural learning" but the community wasn't stupid. And so a protest was held outside the state education building. Humans and demons gathered together peacefully to show their dissent against this archaic and racist idea. Then the police showed up. In riot gear. The videos circulating the internet were hard for Kagome to watch. Pepper spray and flashbangs could heavily affect any human but, to a youkai's advanced senses, they could be deadly. And then there had been a scuffle between two counter protesters and when the police stepped in it resulted in a human officer shooting a 26 year old male panther youkai in the back. The outrage was instantaneous and wide spread. The side that blindly supported the police argued that 'if he had just cooperated', 'if he had just followed the law', if he had just blah blah fucking blah.
It made Kagome sick. She closed the news app and reopened her messages.
K: Just saw. It's only going to get worse the longer Naraku is in power. What's the next move?
Kagome couldn't help the protesters on the streets but she sure as hell could fuck with any behind the scenes plans Naraku had.
I: We have members scouting the supremacist groups. We'll send them in with covers if need be.
K: And Naraku?
I: We train until we have a mission.
Kagome huffed in annoyance but felt her phone vibrate again before she could reply.
I: Relax. I'm waiting for intel.
K: "Relax" is not in my vocabulary when people are literally dying
I: We are doing everything we can.
I: How about I distract you?
K: What does that even mean?
I: Come over
K: Isn't it a little early in the morning for a booty call?
I: Jesus woman
Kagome was still on edge from the news but focused her mind on what Inuyasha had said. It had been two weeks since their date and they hadn't had much (ok, any) alone time since then. They were both already spread thin before they started this...relationship? (That word still made her uncomfortable but Inuyasha coming to her apartment while Miroku was home was exponentially worse.)
K: I have to train with Miroku
I: Totosai's Grill
I: 12:30
Kagome recognized the command and resisted a smirk.
K: yes sir
Kagome wasn't expecting March's weather to be so sunny. So when Rin got a morning mission assignment to a Heritage Alliance rally, Kagome jumped at the chance to tag along. 'Heritage Alliance' aka the human supremacist group that had grown emboldened by Naraku's human-first agenda. The group had gotten even more obnoxious after the shooting of the panther demon a few weeks before.
Everything looked like a normal Saturday morning until Rin parked the SUV two blocks from the state Capitol. Kagome walked around the back of the car and was met with a hat being shoved into her chest by her roommate. It was bright red with a Shikon state flag embroidered onto it. She threw her hair into a ponytail and threaded it through the hat and put her sunglasses on to try and blend in. As the two approached the Capitol steps, there were humans everywhere, far more than Kagome expected. Many of them were carrying Heritage Alliance flags or cardboard signs and some were even wearing ill fitting tactical gear with rifles strung across their bodies.
"Blend in, I'm going around the perimeter." Rin mumbled and then she was gone.
Kagome knew she wasn't in danger but she did feel uncomfortable being in the middle of this shit show. Some sixty year old human with a white goatee was yelling into a bullhorn but he clearly didn't know how the device worked because it kept cutting out and screeching with feedback. The crowd was chanting nonsense and there didn't seem to be any direction to the madness. Kagome searched the auras of the people around her and she was glad she couldn't sense anyone with demonic energy. At least there wouldn't be any more fights. An uptake in cheering drew Kagome's eyes back to the Capitol steps. A group had just exited the Capitol building and was heading towards the man with the bullhorn. It seemed strange to Kagome that any employees were working during the weekend. Until the crowd around her started chanting together, "NAR-A-KU! NAR-A-KU! NAR-A-KU!" Kagome's heart rate picked up as she scanned the faces of the new arrivals. She had looked through thousands of pictures on the internet and it didn't take long to find the man in charge. He was the one currently taking the bullhorn from the organizer.
"Thank you all for coming out today and exercising your first amendment rights." More cheering erupted and Kagome assessed Naraku more closely. He was even more slimy in person. His long hair was styled back into a wavy ponytail and his suit was immaculate as usual. "I love to see the passion of our community fighting for what is important to them." But something was off. Kagome search's his aura and...he wasn't fully human. What the fuck? Kagome had never felt anything like him before. It's like he was fuzzy to her and she couldn't pinpoint exactly what his youki was. But one thing was clear, I bet his devoted followers would fucking love to know he isn't human. Kagome thought bitterly. She was glaring at him from behind her shades, imagining a world where she could announce his fraud to the world (and someone would actually care), when suddenly his eyes were boring into hers. Ice flowed down her spine and she could no longer hear the people around her. "I will do everything in my power to take down those who oppose us." His voice flowed through her and it was like he was speaking directly to her. Kagome's vision tunneled and she was suddenly an eight year old in a vent again. Kagome didn't know how long it lasted but when her eyes finally cleared, Naraku and his entourage were headed back into the state building and the people around her were celebrating.
Rin appeared next to her as if by magic, "I got what I needed. You ready?"
"Yup."
Kagome had been the textbook definition of careful the past month. She never invited Inuyasha over to her apartment unless she was sure Miroku was out of the house for a long period of time (Kagome had her own theories of where he was going). And she refused to go to his place while she was on shift. That left them—currently—in the target range, together, alone and trying to focus on hitting the bullseye and not the person standing next to them.
They had just finished another round and as Inuyasha walked towards the wooden target to retrieve his knives, Kagome called out, "Do you trust me?" His posture didn't change. He didn't tighten up or stutter step. His shoulders just remained relaxed as he removed the blades from the target. And even though she had lied to him countless times, Kagome wasn't surprised to hear him say "Yes," without hesitation.
"Let's play a game."
Inuyasha turned with an interested look in his eyes. Kagome was tossing a small knife in her right hand and arched a challenging brow at him. He understood immediately and chuckled. "Trying to give me a haircut?"
"Only if you flinch."
Inuyasha dropped his set of knives and backed up against the wooden wall used as the target. He could tell she was trying not to smile as she readied her first blade. Without warning, she let it fly. Thud. It stuck in the wood a foot from Inuyasha's elbow. He scoffed, "Come on. You can get closer than tha-."
Thud. Thud. Two more knives were impaled into the wood, one on each side of Inuyasha's shoulders, before he could finish his thought. Kagome's steel eyes sparkled at him and Inuyasha couldn't help the grin coming to his lips, "That the best you got?" He jeered. Kagome's eyes darkened and her tongue ran across her teeth. Even from this distance, Inuyasha could smell the tell tale hints of spice wafting off of her.
Without taking her eyes off of him, she held a knife in each hand, reared back and let them fly. Thud. If Inuyasha's hair hadn't been tied back, the blades now above his shoulders would have cut off a good chunk. It was one of the most impressive things he's seen in a while. And Kagome didn't even look like she was aiming.
Shewas trouble.
Fuck.
He was in trouble.
Kagome paused in her onslaught to smirk at him. He loved her confidence, how she carried herself. He loved how strong she was and he fucking loved how she looked with a knife in her hand. And, unsurprisingly, his gym shorts were starting to feel a little tight. He tried to adjust them without disturbing the knives lodged into the wood around him but Kagome—of course—noticed. Her cocky smirk turned absolutely devious as she spun a knife around her finger, "Problem?" She called down range to him.
"Fucking tease." Inuyasha mumbled. His eyes tracked the last knife as her fingers nimbly twirled it. Kagome laughed and the sound reverberated off the concrete walls of the range. If he didn't have demonic vision he never would have seen the last knife after it left her hand. But to him, it was like it was moving in slow motion. This one was aimed higher. At his head. He resisted the instinct to move, to dodge it. Air swooshed loudly in his ears and then thud. Without moving, he knew the blade was sticking in the wood above his head, right between his ears. His amber eyes refocused on Kagome's face and he was met with her self-satisfied glee. And then he snapped.
Using his enhanced speed, Inuyasha was across the range in half a second. He wrapped his arms around Kagome and her feet no longer touched the ground. The world around her blurred but she felt solid in his arms. When his movement suddenly stopped, her stomach took an extra second to right itself. Inuyasha's house front door slammed behind them and Kagome was pushed up against it roughly. Inuyasha had her wrists pinned above her head and his fangs scraped down her throat, "You think you're so cute," his voice was so harsh, "Teasing me—taunting me." His other hand moved down Kagome's body to push against the tight fabric of her leggings. "Is this what you wanted?"
There was a fleeting thought of how had she waited twenty-eight years to do this? but they were quickly replaced by her brain refocusing on Inuyasha's hand dipping below her waistband and she choked out a "Yes."
"Yes what?" He bit back, pausing his movements.
"Yes sir." Inuyasha had hated her calling him that months ago. It represented lies and resentment and guilt. But now, now, with her like putty in his hands, her center already dripping wet around his fingers, his inner youkai viciously stirred at her obedient submission.
"That's right, sweet girl." His carnal praise heated her skin and Kagome felt her inner muscles clench further. Being dominated by him-it was something she had never experienced. She had kept a strict control over herself for far too long. It was exhausting. But not with him. She wanted him to take over. To take care of her.
One hour and four orgasms between the two of them later, Inuyasha's house was effectively scented with their intercurse and Kagome was panting on his bed. And the bastard just smirked down as if he could go another round. The haze around her last orgasm finally cleared and Kagome realized what they just did. Even with a shower, any demon would be able to smell what happened between them tonight. Dammit. Kagome rolled over, buried her face into his duvet and groaned loudly.
"If it was so bad, I can always try again." Inuyasha joked as his hand smoothed down her bare back. He couldn't help touching her. All he wanted to do was touch her.
"My scent, you idiot."
Inuyasha leaned over her and pressed his nose into her hair over her bare shoulder, "I think you smell amazing." His voice was dark and Kagome had to really focus on her grievance or they would only make it worse.
Kagome rolled again out of reach of his touch and gathered a blanket over her naked body, "You know what I mean. Every youkai is going to know."
Inuyasha paused for a moment and focused back on her face, "Yes, but don't forget my heritage. It's in my nature to want you marked with my scent. I want every demon in the tri county area to know whose bed you sleep in."
Kagome cocked a brow playfully, "Yours, hmm?"
Inuyasha rubbed his hand over her mouth, "Is that too possessive?" Was that self-consciousness she was sensing?
Kagome answered his question with one of her own, "So you're fine with all the youkai members knowing what's going on between us? That's not a conflict of interest?"
Inuyasha scoffed, "To be honest, I don't give a flying fuck what they think except that you're off limits." He watched as Kagome rolled her eyes but still looked worried. He continued to look across his crumpled bed sheets at her and his heart pulled at some unknown force. Even though his inu blood wanted his scent covering every inch of her, she was worried and the instinct to comfort her was stronger.
Kagome watched as Inuyasha got out of bed, threw on his discarded sweats and left the room. Her worry only duplicated as she thought she had said something to insult him. She didn't know how to navigate this situation! She was effectively sleeping with her boss and didn't want to make this harder on either of them! When she heard him rummaging around in his den, her worry turned to curiosity. And when he returned with two bracelets in his hands, Kagome quickly understood. She was glaringly familiar with the scent concealing jewelry but she just never thought to use them for personal reasons.
Inuyasha returned to the bed and kneeled in front of Kagome's now sitting form. He took one bracelet and slid it on his wrist and then took the second one and her hand, "I want you to know that I would scream my feelings about you from every rooftop in Shikon. But I will wear this until you're comfortable with that idea." And then he slipped the bracelet over her hand. Kagome felt no different, just like every other time she wore the jewelry. But the response from Inuyasha was instantaneous. A groan that bordered on a whimper escaped his throat, quickly followed by a forced cough. Kagome smiled up at him. She knew this was hard for him, "Thank you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his body back down on top of hers.
"But I swear, if Bankotsu looks at your ass one more time I can't be held responsible for what happens to him," Inuyasha grumbled into her neck, searching for his scent that was no longer detectable.
Kagome laughed and slipped the bracelet back off of her wrist behind his back. She laughed harder when the hanyou on top of her noticeably relaxed and buried his nose deeper into her throat.
"That's my good girl."
Now that they had the bracelets, Kagome was far more liberal with seeing Inuyasha at the compound. They had even created their own little stealthy routine this last month. Business as usual until bedtime when Kagome would wait until all her roommates were asleep and then Inuyasha would text her when the downstairs was empty so she could sneak over to his place. They had to wake up early enough for training anyways that no one was ever the wiser.
Tonight the couple was snuggled up on Inuyasha's couch, a fire blazing in the hearth and The Princess Switch: Switched Again queued up on Netflix. Vanessa Hudgens really was unmatched in these holiday rom coms. But instead of starting the cheesy film, the two were in a heated discussion.
"The ramen? Really?" Kagome asked in confused humor.
"And you had that baggy t-shirt on with those little shorts." Inuyasha groaned at the memory and bit his lip, "I could have taken you on that kitchen island if you just said the word." Kagome didn't miss the sideways glance he gave her. She bit the pad of her thumb slyly as she contemplated a new setting for their more pleasurable activities. But then asked the question she had been wondering for months instead, "Tell me what you thought of the hotel room."
Inuyasha sat up straighter and looked at her more seriously. "I knew I was in trouble the moment you kissed me."
Kagome didn't know if she blushed from his words or what she was about to ask, "Did I do an ok job?" She inwardly cursed at how stupid she sounded.
Inuyasha quickly remembered that Kagome was not as experienced as she came across. But, fuck, was all the practice paying off. "I can, without a doubt, tell you you were the most perfect thing that night. Replaying it-" Inuyasha groaned again and scrubbed his face, "let's just say, my thoughts of you after that night were not always so honorable."
Kagome snorted to try and cover the aggressive blush sneaking up her neck and face. Apparently, they were putting everything out there tonight so why not ask the other question that had been plaguing her? "Is it common for your youki to take over?" She had never had sex with a hanyou (or anyone else for that matter) and demon fornication was not in Mushin's education syllabus. She hadn't felt his youki again like she had the first night so she was curious.
Confusion suddenly replaced the teasing grin on Inuyasha's face, "What are you talking about?" His voice was as serious as his expression.
Kagome knew something was wrong but now she was even more curious, "That first time, when you were, um...behind me." damn this fucking blush on her face, "I felt your energy, like you were transforming into a full demon."
Inuyasha pulled back from her in panic. "What?!"
Kagome didn't like the new space between them, "You didn't know?" she asked.
"No." Inuyasha looked away from her in shame but Kagome resisted the urge to comfort him, "I usually have a good hold on it. But you- I- did I hurt you?"
"Quite literally the opposite." She teased trying to lighten the mood. Inuyasha inhaled through his nostrils and his youki stirred within him just like before. Kagome sensed it and looked at him with interest.
"I- my inner demon...ugh, he- me- I, um…" Kagome stayed silent. "Jesus, it is too soon to have this conversation." He mumbled and then Kagome knew.
"Your youkai wants to bite me." Saying the M word was just a little too much for her right now. The alarmed look on Inuyasha's face told her he thought the same thing. When he stood from the couch and started pacing in front of the fire, Kagome could only watch. After what felt like an eternity of silence she added, "I used some reiki before you could." As if that would help the situation.
Inuyasha's hands came up and rubbed vigorously at his face, his hair, his neck. He never stopped moving, but he also refused to look at Kagome. She hated this. She hated the visible stress he was under and she hated that she didn't know what to do. But she tried again, "I don't know anything about demon, um, practices. Will you tell me about them?"
Kagome really didn't expect him to respond as quickly as he did, "Inu youkai are a little different than other demons when it comes to- to ugh…" God it was too early to be having this conversation, "...mating." Goosebumps shot down Kagome's legs at the taboo word but she forced herself to focus. "There are signs to help us realize who our true mate is—scent is a big one." Check he thought anxiously. "But the biggest indicator is during sex. We can still enjoy sex with someone who isn't our mate but when it's with them it's...different." His voice was hollow, like he was repeating something he read in a textbook.
"Different how?" Kagome whispered.
Inuyasha stopped his indecent pacing and barely turned his head towards her, "Like fire is flowing through my veins in the best type of way." Kagome swallowed. She didn't miss the 'my' he used, "Oh."
Inuyasha sighed, they were already having the discussion so why hold back now? He turned fully to Kagome now. He stood in front of the fire and the light illuminated his body to something otherworldly, "My demon accepted you that first night. Well accepted isn't the word I should use. More like demanded. Demands that I mark you every time we're together."
Kagome's throat was painfully dry, "And how do you feel?" she managed to croak out. Inuyasha took a step forward. She was happy to see the shame and stress gone from his shoulders but if he came any closer, she wouldn't be able to think straight.
"I should clarify that my inner demon and I are the same. He can be a bit more adamant but we want the same thing." Kagome inhaled sharply. "I know that's a lot!" Inuyasha rushed out and kneeled in front of Kagome before she could respond. "I don't expect anything from you. I won't do anything, I promise."
Kagome looked at him. Really looked at him. He was so gorgeous it was stupid. But what was taking her breath away wasn't how he looked, but how he looked at her. Solar systems and galaxies swirled in his amber eyes promising her more. And maybe, for the first time, that didn't terrify her, "And what if I wanted you to?" Inuyasha visibly recoiled at her question but she continued, "I don't know anything about love. About being in love. But I want to. I'm not saying I'm ready...yet but-"
Inuyasha surged forward to kiss her, "I will wait as long as you need."
