A short story, written especially for Inuyasha White Day on Tumblr. Remember to brush your teeth after reading to prevent cavities, because this fic contains nothing but sweet sweet Inukag fluff.
"Please, please, please, please, please Kagome!"
She looked up from her laptop to roll her eyes at the dark haired man leaning over her desk, his violet eyes beseeching, hands together as if in prayer.
"You would think by now Miroku, that you of all people would know that when a lady says no, she means no", she said dryly, dropping her attention back to the computer screen in front of her. It was boring work, but if everything wasn't just so, the tender documents could be rejected, and she really didn't want to open that can of worms with her project manager.
"But Kagome", he continued pleading. "She's amazing, gorgeous, an angel!" His eyes misted over as he gazed off into the middle distance. "I think it's her. I think I've finally found the love of my life." Kagome snorted, and his eyes flicked back to hers. "You don't believe me?" he said with a wounded expression.
"Miroku", Kagome sighed, "you probably spoke to her for a maximum of what, two minutes, tops? And that was to order coffee. How is this girl any different from the temp secretary you took out on a date after the office Christmas party three weeks ago? Or that girl you abandoned me for last Friday night when we went out to karaoke? I'm not going to hound some poor woman minding her own business into giving you her number just because you have the unfortunate habit of falling for every pretty face you see!"
Miroku shook his head. "No, you don't understand. This was different. When my fingers touched hers, it was, like, I don't know, a spiritual connection." He sighed, leaning against Kagome's desk, his hand over his heart. "She owns me, body and soul."
"Oh my god Miroku," Kagome chortled, pushing his hip off her desk. "If you were any cheesier I'd need to run out and buy wine and crackers! You do realise that you sound like someone out of one of those trashy romance movies on daytime TV? Next you'll be writing sonnets and saying you were struck by Cupid's arrow." She got up from her desk to move over to the filing cabinet, rifling through the files. "I still don't see why I need to be involved anyway - just ask her for her number herself if you're so desperate!"
Miroku sighed, hanging his head despondently. "I've been banned. By her guard dog." Kagome looked at him questioningly. "The barista."
"You got banned from a café by the barista? What on earth did you do!?" She held up her hands, the file in them covering her view of Miroku as he opened his mouth to explain. "No, don't tell me, on second thoughts, I don't want to know!"
"Kagome, I'm begging you! Just talk to her. If she doesn't want to give her number to me, I'll admit defeat. I just need to know! What if I did all your filing for the next week?"
Kagome shook her head. "No way! I've only just got all my files back in order from when you meddled with my stuff when I was on leave."
"I'll walk your dog."
"I have a cat."
"I'll do your tax return for you."
"I'd like to stay out of prison, thanks very much."
"I'll, I'll… " Miroku looked around the office, as if searching for inspiration, his eyes alighting on Kagome's much loved pink coffee cup, sitting empty and forlorn on her desk. "I'll buy you coffee for the next month!"
Kagome stared him. "You're offering to buy me coffee for a whole month?" He nodded. "And this is whether she gives me her number or not?" Miroku nodded again. Kagome bumped the filing cabinet drawer shut with her hip, then placed the folders on her desk, turning back to him with a gleeful expression on her face.
Miroku's face fell when he realised exactly how much that this might cost him in monetary terms. Kagome loved her coffee; she was rarely seen without her favourite coffee mug in her hand. And she did a lot of overtime, often working back late at the office, weekends too when a tender was due.
Kagome grinned even wider and slapped him on the shoulder. "Miroku, my lovestruck friend, you've got yourself a deal!"
Kagome walked towards the tiny hole in the wall coffee shop a few blocks away from the office. It was literally only a door and a window wide, the exterior painted in matte black, with a white awning shading the customers waiting outside in the hot Australian summer sun. The business name adorned the glass window, a simple red circle with black text in a strong block font - Black Dog Coffee.
There was a line of people heading out the door waiting patiently, some chatting quietly, but most looking down at their phones. As she got further forward in the line, she was amused to notice that everyone followed the same pattern – a step towards the woman taking orders, stating their name and order and paying, then two steps to the left while they waited for their coffee. The woman at the cash register didn't take another order until the first one had been filled, yet no one complained. That was kind of odd, but the line was moving fairly swiftly, so she guessed it worked, even though it wasn't how cafés usually took their coffee orders. It was hard to see what was going on from her position in the line, stuck behind a tall guy in a business suit. She decided to look up reviews for the coffee shop online while she was waiting.
'This coffee is the absolute bomb, but don't piss off the barista!'
'Was recommended to me by a friend. Coffee is amazing.'
'Kinda weird. They only sell coffee, roast their own beans I think. The barista is something else!'
'Would wait in line all day for this coffee!'
'Worst experience ever. Got BANNED because I tried to order more than five things. And they have no food, just coffee. WTF! Pretty sure the barista was in the yakuza – that guy has tatts for days! 0/10 would recommend.'
'Follow the ordering protocol and you'll be sweet – best coffee in the downtown financial district.'
'OMG – best coffee EVER! I'm now a daily customer.'
Hmmm. She tried to peer around the tall guy in front of her, but she couldn't see anything; the afternoon sun was reflecting off the glass covered office building nearby, getting in her eyes and making her squint. She fanned her face with her hand. Man it was hot. You could fry an egg out here on the cement. She hoped the coffee was worth the freckles she was probably getting on her nose right now. The tall guy stepped forward to make his order, and she caught a glimpse of the woman behind the cash register.
Long glossy brown hair with thick bangs, and a bright smile. Her brown eyes, highlighted by bright pink eyeshadow, sparkled with warmth; she was giving her total attention to the current person she was engaging with. She wasn't much taller than Kagome herself and the tight black t-shirt she was wearing with the name Sango embroidered on the pocket accentuated her generous curves.
Kagome sighed. Miroku was nothing if not predictable – he loved curvy ladies. But how was she going to ask for this woman's number without causing a disruption – everyone seemed to be on board with the ordering system, and if the coffee was as good as the reviews promised there was no way she was going to get herself banned from coming back.
She glanced down to the time on her phone, and then to the opening hours printed on the tiny shop window. It was almost closing time. Maybe if she hung back for a little while and caught the woman after they'd shut up shop? She groaned internally, trying not to think of the work still waiting for her on her desk. She should have held out for two months of coffee.
The tall man stepped to the side. Crap, she needed to order.
"Good afternoon ma'am. What would you like?" The woman's smile was wide and welcoming.
"Uh, a large latte please, no sugar", Kagome said, holding up her credit card ready to tap payment.
"Name please?"
"Kagome. That's K – A…"
"That's okay, I know how to spell it." Kagome watched with interest as the woman wrote her name on the coffee lid in curving characters. Was that hirigana? She vaguely recognised it was her name being written from the two terms of Japanese she did in high school. A grunt came from her left, and she realised with a little start that she was meant to move to one side.
She stood in front of the gleaming commercial espresso machine, eyes closing as she savoured the rich coffee aroma. It smelt amazing, rich and full. Not burnt. It was a little hard to see the barista; her view was blocked by towers of takeaway coffee cups in various sizes. But those reviews that mentioned him had made her curious now. She stepped to the side a little more. Ah, there he was.
He was taller than her - she guessed she'd come up to just above his shoulder, but then she wasn't exactly tall herself at 5'2". He had long dark hair, looped back in a low ponytail, with a choppy fringe and slightly longer forelocks on either side of his face, tanned skin that was complemented by the white collarless t-shirt he wore under a denim apron. His expression as he looked downward to make the coffee was stern, but she didn't see what he had to be so grumpy about. Maybe he was just hot? Maybe he just took his job very seriously? He moved out from behind the coffee machine and her eyes widened at the sight of his forearms, revealed by the shirt sleeves pushed up to his elbows. They were covered in tattoos from the wrist; dark sleeves of swirling black water flowing up his arms, broken only by pink and red cherry blossoms, with a hint of green and yellow. Then he looked up.
His eyes. They were hazel, for want of a better description, but such a light hazel that they almost looked golden. With the late afternoon sun behind her, lighting his face, they almost sparkled like citrine quartz. He placed the lid on her coffee, then set it down in front of her.
"Kagome."
He'd pronounced her name right. Ka-goh-meh. She was so used to the way most Australians butchered her Japanese name, a way for her parents to honour her Japanese grandfather, that she was immune to its mispronunciation, but he'd said it just right. Just. Right. His voice was deep and a little husky. He made that small grunting noise in the back of his throat again, his strong dark brows lowering a little, and she realised in embarrassment that she was staring at him.
"Uh, yes, I'm sorry, yeah that's me! I'm Kagome." Idiot. Of course he knew that, it's not like there was anyone else standing right in front of him waiting! She reached out for her coffee where he'd placed it on the edge of the counter, and then backed away, pink cheeked, as another person stepped to the side to wait for their coffee.
She moved to stand in front of the shop next door, taking out her phone for something to do while she waited for closing time, slowly sipping her coffee, which was glorious by the way. But she couldn't give herself over fully to her enjoyment of the taste, unable to control her wandering eyes.
'Oh my god, he's gorgeous! I've never seen anyone with eyes that colour before. And that's so much ink on his arms - that must have hurt like a bitch! I never would have picked that a guy would get cherry blossom sleeves, but they don't look girly on him at all - the exact opposite really. I wonder if they go all the way up his arms? God, now I'm imagining him with his shirt off - bad girl, Kagome! Maybe the cherry blossoms are a cultural thing? I think he's Japanese, and I'm pretty sure that's my name in hirigana on the coffee lid, but I don't want to make an assumption just based on that and his looks. I wonder what he's thinking about? He doesn't look unhappy or angry exactly, just… determined? Maybe he just has resting bitch face.' She snorted a little at that thought, then sighed. 'His movements are so graceful and fluid, it's like watching someone do tai chi or something. Oh, he has such nice hands - strong fingers. I could watch him make coffee aaaaall day.'
She gazed dreamily, sipping at her coffee slowly, the phone in her hand forgotten. Golden eyes suddenly met hers, one eyebrow raised in a puzzled expression. 'Oh shit, he's looking this way. He's noticed that I'm looking at him. Abort! Abort! Oh fuck… This is all your fault Miroku!'
She turned tail and fled, almost running back to the office. The reviews had been right. The hot coffee was amazing, but the hot barista? Yeah, he was definitely something else. She knew she would be back first thing in the morning to get another coffee. And it wasn't just because the coffee was amazing and that he was beautiful to look at. There was something about him. She wanted to get to know him better.
Miroku was waiting for her out the front of their office building. "So, did you get it?" he asked eagerly.
"What?"
"Did you get her number. Sango's number?"
"Uh…" Shit. She'd been so flustered when he had suddenly looked up and met her gaze that she'd turned tail and fled without remembering why she was waiting there in the first place. Damn. Heat washed across her cheeks, and she flicked her gaze away from Miroku's.
"Our calm and collected Kagome blushing? Oh, there must be a good story behind this – do tell!"
"No story. You've ordered coffee from there before – I didn't want to do anything to upset the system and get banned like you did! There just wasn't an opportunity today – I'll try again tomorrow."
Miroku poked her in the ribs. "But surely that wouldn't make you blush Kags! C'mon, spill."
"There's nothing to tell!" she spluttered.
Suddenly Miroku burst out laughing. "Oh ho ho, I get it. You were so busy perving at the guard dog making the coffee that you forgot what you were there for."
"Shut. Up."
Miroku grinned at her. "Aw, little Kagome finally got a crush on someone. Were you struck by Cupid's arrow?" he teased, throwing the phrase she'd used before back at her with a note of triumph in his voice. Kagome squirmed under his knowing gaze, and he chuckled. "Looks like Cupid's been pretty busy with his arrows around that coffee shop, huh?"
Kagome made a growling noise in the back of her throat, then the corners of her lips curled up in a knowing smile. She blinked at him innocently, raising her takeaway cup.
"You may be right Miroku. You may be right. And I'm thinking the best way to get to know him will be to buy coffee. Lots of coffee. I hope you're ready to pay up, buddy!" She sipped her coffee and patted him on his suddenly slumping shoulders as she walked past him into the foyer of the building and back to her desk full of filing, savouring every last drop.
Inuyasha pondered as he polished the already gleaming coffee maker. Sango had just left for the day, after balancing the till, and he was doing a final clean up, ensuring everything would be ready for 7am opening.
That girl. Kagome. She'd been staring at him. Usually that made him feel intensely uncomfortable. Growing up in an orphanage had internalised that being stared at was a bad thing, because pain caused by kids much larger and stronger than him usually followed close behind. That was until he'd been there so long that he was the large and strong one, handing out punches to anyone picking on the tiny ones. But he hadn't got that uncomfortable feeling from her when she'd stared.
He knew he was considered attractive by some people. But her looking at him hadn't given him that slimy creepy feeling that being ogled purely for looks gave him either. She had looked at him like he was a puzzle she wanted to work out.
He tried to picture her in his mind's eye, but all he really remembered was dark shining hair like a corvid's wing, and very blue eyes. She'd been small too, very petite. He rolled her name around in his head, as it tugged on a memory, and he suddenly thought of the rhyming game from his childhood about a bird caught in a cage. It was fitting – her mannerisms reminded him of a little bird - a wren, with bright inquisitive eyes. And when he'd looked up at her and caught her staring, she'd flapped her wings in fright and flown away. He chuckled. He hoped she wasn't caught in a cage of some sort. No one deserved that.
He shut off the lights to the tiny shop, and walked into the studio behind it, flopping down on his bed with his laptop, ready to spend another evening struggling through his online English class. A little orange fluffball of a kitten jumped on to his lap, trying to sit on the keys, and he pushed it off.
"Shippou! Dame!"
The kitten settled down next to his thigh, snuggling against him and purring, and he turned his attention back to the screen. It was hard, learning a language this way, but he was determined. He had escaped his own cage, and he was never going back.
Pat…
Pat pat pat pat pat…
Inuyasha grunted, blearily opening his eyes to the tiny orange fluffball currently sitting on his chest, one paw resting against his cheekbone.
Mew. Mew. Meoooow!
The kitten patted him on the cheek again with his tiny paw and then flexed his needle like claws for good measure. Inuyasha's hand shot out and grabbed the tiny kitten by the scruff of the neck and shook him very gently.
"Shippou, dame!" He glanced over to the clock resting on the small desk that acted as his study space, dining room table and general holdall for things he didn't have room for anywhere else. 5.59am. As he watched, the numbers ticked over and a tinny sounding alarm beeped at him. Time to get up.
He sat up and swung his legs around, stretching both arms up above his head and groaning in relief at the satisfying pops that got the kinks out of his back. He tried to ignore the excited kitten kneading his paws on his bare thigh, but the tiny pricks of those sharp little claws made it difficult. He cracked his neck from side to side. Sometimes he wondered if sleeping on the floor would be more comfortable than this lumpy mattress he'd found on the side of the road.
Shippou jumped down as Inuyasha stood, circling his legs with plaintive mews as he turned off the alarm then shuffled over to the small cupboard under the sink, retrieving the box of cat biscuits. Shippou's mews became even more frantic as he shook some cat biscuits into a small blue bowl then placed it on the tiled floor next to an identical bowl of water. The kitten immediately began eating noisily, his little paws kneading against the cold floor. Inuyasha couldn't help but grin at him.
It wasn't like he'd wanted a cat. But when he'd found the tiny kitten shivering near the back fence, covered in dirt and fleas with his little tail caught in a tin can, he couldn't very well just leave him there. He was sorta getting used to having the little guy around. Even if he was a little shit that bit him on the ankles every time he walked in the door. He was a little concerned about telling Kaede that he'd adopted a kitten – there wasn't a clause about pets on his lease, but he was hoping she wouldn't mind. She had already overlooked a lot of things when she'd agreed to take him on as a tenant - maybe just one more wouldn't hurt?
He popped a slice of bread in his toaster, then spread the hot toast with a lot of butter and the tiniest scraping of Vegemite. The salty taste was good for breakfast, but he'd learnt the hard way that it was better eaten in small portions.
Glancing at the time, he quickly pulled on his clothes, and pulled his hair up into a loose bun, trying to ignore the overflowing laundry basket in the corner. Sunday was laundry day, the one day that he didn't open the shop. He didn't like the laundromat, but washing it in his own sink and trying to get it all dry was worse. He got the impression that the older woman who ran it was always trying to flirt with him, and it made him uncomfortable, but there was nowhere else within walking distance, and going somewhere on the train or bus meant extra money, so he had to put up with it.
Shippou was now contentedly sitting on the windowsill above Inuyasha's bed, diligently washing his face with his tiny paws after finishing his breakfast. He'd been so bony when Inuyasha had first found him two weeks ago, frighteningly so, but now he was beginning to fill out. His orange and white striped fur was now fluffy and clean, and his green eyes sparkled with mischief. The tray of cat litter was still unused that morning, so Inuyasha turned to leave, giving Shippou a final glance.
"Be a good boy Shippou", he said, his english slow and careful. Shippou paused his ablutions to blink at him, his tongue still poking out mid lick, and Inuyasha snorted. At least he didn't have to worry too much about making a mistake in front of his new flatmate; Shippou wasn't the best conversationalist either.
He yawned again as he jogged down the steep staircase that led from his studio to the shop, then pulled up the metal security door that covered the shopfront, letting in some cooler morning air. 6.30am. Just enough time for him to make himself a coffee before…
"Good morning!"
He turned in surprise. There was the girl from yesterday. She was leaning over, with her hands resting on her knees, panting a little. His eyes roved appreciatively over her petite form, dressed in what was obviously her running gear – ¾ leggings, a cropped misshapen t-shirt with some unintelligible english words that showed an enticing sliver of pale skin, and bright blue running shoes. He watched as she tugged the earbuds from her ears, shoving them in a tiny pocket in her leggings. Wait, what had she said again? Still half asleep, he racked his brain for the right words – it had been a greeting of some sort, he was sure.
"Hullo Kagome", he said cautiously.
The smile she gifted him with as she suddenly stood upright rivaled the warmth of the summer sunrise behind her.
"You remembered my name!" He smirked at the excited wriggle she did, shuffling her feet on the footpath. "I have to know yours now!"
He blinked at her.
"Uh…" she tapped her lips with her forefinger as if thinking for a moment, then pointed to herself. "Kagome", then gestured towards him and looked at him expectantly.
He hesitated for a moment. What name should he give her? The english one that he'd been putting on all his documentation since he came to Australia, or his real name, the name he'd mostly left behind with his old life. After looking at her open friendly face for a few more moments, he came to a decision.
"Inuyasha." He bowed forward a little.
Kagome smiled. "That's Japanese, right?" He nodded. "Yes, I was right!" she said with a grin. "Hajimemashite Inuyasha."
"Hajimemashite Kagome", he grinned. He breathed a sigh of relief. Another person he could speak to besides Kaede and Sango. Although, she'd said that a bit hesitantly, like she was trying to remember it. "Nihongo wo hanasemasuka?" he asked.
Kagome held up her forefinger and thumb close together, and shrugged. "Only two terms in high school. And words I picked up from anime. And the swear words Souta and I learned to tease Jiji."
Inuyasha shrugged back. From the general jist of what he'd just understood, her answer was 'not much'. He latched on to the last bit of of information. "Jiji? Grandfather?"
Kagome beamed at him and nodded. "Uh huh. My grandfather is Japanese." An alarm beeped on her phone, and she reached into the small pocket it was wedged in. "Aw crap, I gotta run, otherwise I won't have time to have a shower before work." She tucked the phone back in her pocket and put her earbuds back in her ears. "Jā matane Inuyasha!" she called out as she jogged away.
"Yeah. See you Kagome!" he called back with a wave. He couldn't help smiling as he walked back inside the shop. That had been nice. He'd spoken english to her and she hadn't tried to correct him or tease him, just been cheerful and supportive. He moved over to the coffee machine and switched it on, ready to start his day. But he couldn't help glance up in the direction Kagome had gone. He hoped he would see her again soon.
Kagome's cheeks burned with embarrassment as she jogged the few blocks back to her apartment. She'd wanted to see him again, but not like this! She'd only wanted to double check what time they opened to see if she'd have time to buy a coffee there on her way to work, and of course he would choose that moment to open the shop.
She groaned, internally cursing her bad luck. She'd looked a sweaty, out of breath mess and he'd looked… pretty damn delicious actually. He'd had his hair up in a bun. And his shorter sleeved t-shirt showed a little more of his toned arms and the tattoos continuing up toward his shoulders. Her stomach gave a little flip. And he'd remembered her name. She pushed down the urge to squeal out loud. Oh god, how old was she, fifteen? They'd only just met and already she was crushing on him like a high school girl. Get a grip woman!
She gave herself a mental shake, trying to concentrate as she turned into her street, taking smaller strides now there were more people to avoid on the footpath. She was doing this for Miroku, to see if Sango would be interested in passing on her number. Last night she'd sat down to write a small note to pass to Sango, explaining the situation and letting her know a little bit about her friend, including his mobile number. Then the rest was up to Sango. There was no way she was going to push for information; she didn't know the woman or her situation - she would pass on the message and that was it.
But there was nothing to stop her going back to the coffee shop after she'd passed on the note, was there? I mean, Miroku owed her coffee, and Inuyasha made amazing coffee. She worked hard, she deserved the best right? She sighed, blushing a little again as she went over their conversation and the few Japanese words she'd remembered – they'd probably sounded terrible! She suddenly regretted her rebellion against learning Japanese in high school – people had assumed she'd be good at it just because her grandfather was Japanese, and she'd done her best to prove them wrong, only doing enough to scrape a pass as a show of defiance.
She'd been an oddity in the tiny school in the small country town where she'd grown up; the only one with jet black hair and slightly slanted eyes in amongst the blondes and brunettes with a caucasian heritage. So as a form of defense she'd tried to be as Aussie as possible, pushing back against her grandfather's attempts to teach her his language and culture. But that was in the past right? There was no reason she couldn't learn now.
She sprinted into the lobby and pushed the number for her floor in the elevator. She'd have to hurry if she wanted to make it back in time to buy coffee. Her bag was ready by the door, her outfit carefully chosen the night before. Not that she was trying to impress him or anything. She rolled her eyes at herself as she pulled off her sweaty running gear and jumped into the shower. She was totally trying to impress him.
Finally dressed and ready to go, she nearly tripped over the chubby calico cat mewing for attention, twining around her legs as she bent to pick up her bag in the hallway. She reached down to pet him a little, scratching around his ears as he squinted at her in delight.
"Sorry Buyo, gotta go! I'll give you extra scritches tonight, I promise!"
The line at the coffee shop was already out the door when Kagome arrived, and she sighed. At least she didn't have any important meetings to go to this morning – if she was a little late, she'd just make up the time later. Her hand curled around the folded note in her pocket, ready to hand to Sango. Was this a good idea? She bit her lip, beginning to second guess herself a little. She felt like she was back in school, passing notes in the playground. 'So and So wants to go out with you.' 'He says that she says that you're dropped.' Dammit Miroku. Why on earth had she agreed to do this again?
She tugged at the back of the forest green skater skirt she'd chosen to wear today. It was perhaps a teeny bit shorter than what she'd usually wear to the office, but it was summer, right? Sweat was already beginning to gather underneath her collar, and she was glad she'd chosen to wear her dark hair up in a high ponytail to keep it off the back of her neck.
The line moved quickly, and soon she was there at the front. Sango smiled at her.
"Hi, what can we get you today?" she said. Her voice was soft and sweet, her eyes warm and friendly, and Kagome could see why Miroku was smitten.
"A long black please." Sango wrote her order on the takeaway coffee lid as she pulled out her card to pay. Kagome took a deep breath and slid the note across the counter. Sango picked it up with a puzzled look.
"What's this?"
"A friend asked me to pass on some information to you. No pressure or anything, just read it when you're ready", said Kagome in a rush, tapping her card on the reader to pay for her coffee quickly, then stepping to the side.
She watched as Sango shrugged and put the note into her back jeans pocket, ready to take the order of the next person. Kagome breathed out a sigh of relief, glad that was over. She really wasn't cut out for this kind of thing; she was sweating up a storm and her heart was beating double time. She almost squeaked out loud when she heard Inuyasha's voice coming from behind the coffee machine. She moved further to the side so she could see his face.
"Do you run all day Kagome?" he asked, his words slow and careful.
She looked at him with a puzzled expression for a moment, and then noticed the blush creeping onto his cheeks and the bunched muscles in his jaw, and she felt a wave of empathy. He'd realised he'd made a mistake – he'd probably meant 'every' instead of 'all'. She smiled at him and shook her head.
"I run at night, after work", she replied cheerfully. She pointed at the opening times on the glass window. "But today I wanted to see when you opened, so I could buy coffee before work."
Her answer elicited a frown and a grunt. She watched as he popped the lid onto her takeaway container, then grabbed Sango's pen for a moment to scribble something on her lid. He slid the coffee towards her, looking at her intently for a moment.
"Be safe at night, Kagome", he said hesitantly, then turned his attention back to his next order.
Kagome picked up her coffee cup and headed off towards work with a spring in her step. It was only when she'd rounded the corner that she noticed he'd drawn a flower on the lid of her takeaway cup, similar to the many sakura flowers that patterned his own arms.
She pressed her finger over the flower, a shy smile blossoming over her face, her heart rate picking up again. She didn't know if he'd meant anything by drawing it for her, but… she liked it.
Kagome couldn't help but smile as she reached absentmindedly into the back of her desk drawer to find her stapler, and her fingers encountered the pile of plastic takeaway coffee cup lids instead. Maybe it was childish, but the first time Inuyasha had drawn on her coffee lid, she'd had the sudden urge to keep it, rinsing it off as soon as she'd finished her coffee and placing it in her desk drawer at work.
The next day, on a sudden impulse, she packed two of the raspberry coconut muffins she'd baked the night before for Inuyasha and Sango. She'd gone extra early, arriving as they opened so she wouldn't hold up the line. Handing them over as she bought her coffee with a slight blush, unsure if what she was doing was weird, she'd held her breath a little, wondering what would happen. Sango had thanked her effusively, but it was Inuyasha's response that made her heart turn over. He'd immediately pounced on the paper bag, grabbing out a muffin to take a huge bite, and moaned appreciatively at the taste, his eyes closed as he chewed and swallowed the mouthful. When he'd handed over her coffee cup, there was a little muffin drawn on the lid, surrounded by a heart, and she hadn't been able to help the little giggle she'd let out, especially when he'd arched one dark eyebrow and grinned at her roguishly.
Over the past two weeks, her collection of coffee lid art had grown; flowers, cats, stars, and this morning a little dog with the kanji (which she worked out after a little bit of googling) for inu. Her baking repertoire had also increased, especially when Sango explained for Inuyasha that he didn't have a kitchen in his little studio apartment above the coffee shop when she'd asked him if he liked to cook. She'd baked cookies, brownies and little apple pastries, but it seemed to be muffins that he liked the best. Last night she'd decided to experiment with Japanese flavours a little, and the matcha and sweet azuki bean muffins she'd handed to Sango this morning had got her best response yet – he'd actually come out from behind his counter and given her a hug, lifting her up off the ground as he squeezed his strong arms around her and spun her around, making her laugh.
She took that lid out of her desk drawer and examined this morning's drawing with a smile - a little dog with a serious expression and one arched eyebrow, reminding her of the man who drew him. She sighed, replacing the lid and grabbing her stapler, tapping it on the desk in irritation. She'd been trying to get up the courage to ask him out. She'd been going to do it this morning, but every time those amber eyes met hers, she was suddenly lost for words. She was pretty sure he liked her, that hug this morning had been a little longer than strictly necessary for someone who'd given a small gift of baked goods. She closed her eyes, imagining those strong arms around her again. A sudden tap on her shoulder nearly made her fling the stapler into the air in fright.
"A little jumpy today are we? I hope it's nothing more than a wicked plot to steal extra post it notes from the stationary cupboard."
Kagome whirled around and slapped her sniggering friend in the side with the back of her hand. "Miroku – don't sneak up on me like that!" He snorted.
"Believe me, there was no sneaking involved. I'd already called out your name twice."
"Oh."
"Daydreaming of burly baristas again? Why don't you just ask the guy out if you're so hung up on him?"
Kagome sighed. "It's not quite that easy. He's still learning English, and I've only just started learning Japanese again." She'd started an online course, but only had time to study on the weekends at the moment until the end of month budget was done.
Miroku grinned at her. "News just in Kagome – tonsil hockey and the horizontal tango require no words at all."
"Ugh. Remind me why I'm friends with you again?"
"Because I'm an adorable scoundrel."
"Says you." She grinned at him. "Which reminds me – it's Friday – time to pay up." Miroku groaned and reached for his back pocket, retrieving his wallet.
"How many coffees this week?"
"Twenty."
"Twenty!" He stared at her, aghast. "My god Kagome, how do you not have a heart murmur or something!" he exclaimed, counting out the notes and plonking them down on the desk in front of her. "Thankfully, my dear Sango is worth it."
"Wait, she actually went out with you again? I thought you said she slapped you!"
"It was a misunderstanding", he said smoothly, "all good now." Kagome raised an eyebrow at him and he chuckled. "I'm meeting her after work tonight – going to one of her classes actually. She teaches akido a couple of times a week."
Kagome grinned at him. "How do you know this isn't an excuse for her to take another swing at you?" she teased. But she was glad. Sango was lovely – they'd gradually been increasing their short conversations when she bought coffee when it wasn't too busy, and she seemed like someone who could be a good friend.
Miroku leaned against her desk, seemingly ready for a chat. "Apparently it's where she met Inuyasha – he'd put something on the notice board at the gym about needing someone to work with him at his coffee shop who spoke Japanese. Why don't you come do the class too? You've barely left your desk all day."
Kagome sighed and shook her head. "Too much to do. This has to be finished before I can leave tonight."
Miroku stood, giving her a commiserating pat on the shoulder as he left her office. "I'd better let you get back to it then. Don't let them work you too hard Kagome!"
Kagome panted as she headed back towards her apartment after her run around the park, jogging a little slower now to cool down. It was late, much later than she would usually go for a run, but she knew she wouldn't sleep well if she went straight to bed after sitting at her desk all day. Maybe it might be time to invest in a treadmill for nights like this? She'd been hyper alert the whole time she'd run around the park, but it had been fine – the park was well lit and she'd had no trouble. Now she was only a block from home. She jogged on the spot as she waited for the lights to change. Nearly there. She couldn't wait to get in the shower and let the heat penetrate her tired muscles.
She didn't even have time to shriek when the hard sweaty hand went over her mouth and she was dragged backwards into the alleyway. She kicked out, trying to stomp on her attacker's feet, but her soft running shoes did little, only making the hand around her mouth tighten. She gasped as she was shoved up against the damp brick, the back of her head connecting with a solid thud. The hand over her mouth shifted downwards so that it was pushing back on her neck, the sharpness of broken fingernails digging into her skin, and her eyes widened as the light glanced off the steak knife suddenly shoved in her face.
"Money! Gimme your money!". The voice was male and agitated. She couldn't see a face in the darkness, but she could see the hand that gripped the knife was sweaty and shaking.
"Don't have money", she managed to wheeze around the hand constricting her throat. "Only my phone."
"Stupid bitch!" The hand tightened around her throat again, pulling her head forward and slamming it backwards against the wall behind her again, hard enough for her to see stars. Before she could react the hand was gone, with only the sound of sprinting feet letting her know that her attacker had left. She slumped down the wall, sliding to rest on her behind in a grimy puddle.
She knew she should get up and go home, but she was shaking so much she couldn't move. Her ears were ringing a little, the back of her head was throbbing, and when she moved her hand to touch her throat, her fingers came away wet with blood. Not much, but enough to make her whimper in dismay. The thought of going back to her apartment and being alone filled her with fear.
Suddenly she had a memory of strong arms holding her, lifting her. Staggering to her feet, she began to walk, then run in the direction of the coffee shop, and the man that was beginning to take up large portion of her heart.
Inuyasha rubbed his eyes in frustration, leaning his elbow on his desk and pushing the laptop closed. Time for a break. English had to be the most irritating language on earth – as soon as he learnt a spelling or grammatical rule, he'd come across something that seemed to state the exact opposite. At least Japanese sentence structure was logical.
He moved over to his sink to get a glass of water, and spied the muffin left over from this morning that he'd saved to be a study snack. Sango had let him have hers, not being the biggest fan of sticky red bean filling.
It still amazed him how stable his life seemed now, compared to how it had been not that long ago in Japan. He was living in one place, he owned a business for fucks sake, and had an employee – can't get more stable than that. The orphanage and everything that had come after it was beginning to seem like a distant memory, only troubling him now and then in his dreams.
He took a big bite of the muffin, savouring both the sweet filling, and the sweeter memory of the woman who'd made it for him. He knew that they still had a lot to learn about each other, but he was eager and willing – very eager. Even though the words they spoke to each other were still limited, Kagome was the sort of girl who wore her heart on her sleeve, and every emotion she felt was reflected on her face. Already she had him wrapped around her little finger; he'd do anything to see her smile. He still wasn't sure what to tell her about his past, and the reason why he'd left Japan, but he'd work that out later. Right now, he just wanted to get to know her better.
He grinned, remembering her excitement when she'd handed over the brown paper bag of treats this morning. It was now his favourite part of the day, not only because she was an excellent cook, but because no one had ever gone to that kind of trouble for him before, and the emotions that played across her delicate features were as enjoyable as the baked treats she brought him. He could tell before he even looked in the bag this morning that she'd baked something special for him, wanting to make him happy, and he was surprised and delighted when he'd seen the familiar matcha green. He'd wrapped her up in a tight hug without even thinking about it, earning him one of those adorable giggles. He'd almost kissed her as he swung her around, but had caught himself just in time.
A sudden sharp pain in his ankle snapped him out of his reverie and he glanced down to see a small ball of orange fluff attached to his leg – Shippou had snuck up on him again. He put down his half finished muffin and picked Shippou up by the scruff of his neck, cupping his other hand under his little back legs so he was supported, and gave the tiny kitten a hard stare.
"Little shit…"
Shippou gave him a slow blink, and Inuyasha sighed, tucking the kitten into the crook of his arm while he went to check on the little food and water bowls on the floor. He'd eaten all his biscuits, so Inuyasha reached into the back of his small bar fridge to find the raw chicken wings he'd bought, snapping off a small section and putting it into Shippou's bowl. The kitten nearly levitated out of his arms in his eagerness to get down, and Inuyasha plonked him on the floor in front of the chicken before Shippou's needle sharp claws came into play – damn cat ate better than he did.
He washed his hands at the sink, snorting at how noisily Shippou was enjoying his chicken dinner. He wandered back over to his desk with the rest of his muffin, ready to get back to work, when he heard a repeated clanging noise down in the street below. He stuck his head out the window, ready to yell at whoever was disturbing his study time, when he saw someone huddled against the metal roller door covering the front of the shop.
"Hey!", he called out, assuming it was just some Friday night drunk who'd decided his doorstep was a good place to sleep it off, when the head tilted backwards to reveal a face he knew very well. He grabbed his keys and shot down the steep stairs, unlocking the door and sliding up the metal security shutter to find Kagome curled up against the door frame, a running shoe in her hand that she'd obviously been using to bang on the metal to get his attention.
"Kagome?" He squatted down next to her, trying to work out what was going on, because there was obviously something very wrong. She was wearing her running gear, knees drawn up under her chin with her arms wrapped tight around her legs, and when he reached out to gently squeeze her knee she flinched in fear. It was only when she lifted her head properly that he saw the bloody scratches and reddened mark around her neck.
"Fuck", he muttered, moving his hand to tilt her head slightly, stroking her cheek with his thumb.
The blue eyes that looked into his seemed even larger than usual, magnified by the sudden tears that filled them.
"I'm sorry", she whispered. "I was scared. I was so scared." And then she burst into tears.
Inuyasha bundled her gently into his arms, and when she didn't protest, but buried her face into his chest and wound her fingers into the soft fabric of his t-shirt, he lifted her up, ducking under the door and nudging it back down with his foot, unwilling to put down his precious cargo. He climbed the stairs to his apartment carefully, cradling her against his chest.
He was having difficulty sorting out his emotions at the moment – he wanted to comfort her, but at the same time he find out what had happened and pummel whoever had done this – one punch is all it would take; he'd never lost a fight. But comforting her was what he needed to concentrate on right now - she was upset and frightened – he could feel her whole body shaking against his, and she felt so small in his arms.
"Daijobu Kagome", he repeated over and over, keeping his voice low and steady. Walking through his open front door, he carried her over to the bed, the only place to sit in his small apartment apart from his hard wooden desk chair. Seating her gently on the mattress, he squatted on the floor next to her, keeping one hand on her upper back, stroking gently. She was still crying, but her sobs were calming now, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Watching her cry uncontrollably was making him feel frantic, like he was failing her somehow – he didn't know what to do, and he didn't have enough words to ask.
He watched her take deep breaths, trying to calm herself as she looked down at him, managing a small smile through her tears. Silently he reached a long arm over to his desk and managed to grab a box of tissues, holding them out to her. She took one, blowing her nose noisily.
"Kagome?"
She shrugged, still sniffing a little. "I'm okay Inuyasha. I was frightened more than anything else. He had a knife, and there was no one else around."
Inuyasha made an irritated noise borne of frustration, then suddenly moved over to his desk to grab his laptop. She watched as he opened a translation app and handed it to her. "Please. Kagome."
Her hands still shaking a little, she typed out a brief description of what had happened, and he snarled as he read over her shoulder, taking the laptop back for a moment to type. When Kagome read it, she shook her head.
"I'm okay, I don't need to go to the hospital."
Inuyasha glared at her, then gently tilted her chin up to look at her neck again. Neck injuries could be dangerous, especially if there was internal swelling. She'd said she didn't lose consciousness, but still. He disappeared into the bathroom for a moment and came back with a cool wet cloth which he used to carefully wipe away the blood, his expression clearing a little when he realised the scratches and bruising weren't too bad.
"Where?" he asked, tapping his own head. Kagome reached for his fingers and guided his hand to the back of her skull. He gingerly felt the sizable lump on the back of her head, grimacing as she hissed in pain, then went to his small fridge, retrieving a bag of frozen peas and an unused dish cloth from under the sink.
He sat down next to her on the bed and carefully held the wrapped peas over the bump, tilting her head backwards and forwards as he peered into her eyes, trying to make sure they were both evenly dilated. They seemed fine. "Ten minutes", he said, checking the time on his laptop. Kagome winced, but smiled at him gratefully.
"How do you know what to do?" she asked. "What, are you secretly a doctor or something?" He chuckled.
"No."
He didn't have the words to explain how many times he'd received a blow to the head on the underground fight circuit, and had to hold a bag of ice to his own injuries. Just because he'd never lost a fight, didn't mean he was never injured. And he still wasn't sure what to tell her about his past. It definitely wasn't a conversation for right now anyway.
Kagome relaxed against his shoulder as the coolness helped the throbbing in her head, then yelped in sudden surprise. "My foot! Something bit me!"
Inuyasha made an irritated grumbling noise, then dropped to the floor, his arm reaching around under the bed. He pulled out a hissing ball of orange and white fluff and shook him slightly.
"Shippou! Dame!"
Kagome was instantly all smiles.
"Oh my goodness, you have a kitten! And he's so fluffy! Kawaiiii!" She reached out her hands in a grabbing motion, obviously wanting a cuddle.
Inuyasha snorted and rolled his eyes as he handed Shippou over. She'd said the word 'cute' in the exact same high pitched tone that a Japanese girl would have said it. He watched her as she stroked Shippou with a pleased smile on her face, her fear and injury forgotten for the moment. Shippou immediately began kneading her leg with his little paws, then turned a circle and cuddled into her lap, purring up a storm. Kagome turned her brilliant blue eyes up to his, and he couldn't help it, he had to say it.
"Anata wa kawaī Kagome." She blinked at him.
"Did… did you just call me cute?!" He nodded, grinning, reaching forward to push a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She smiled at him shyly. "How do you say 'I like you' in Japanese", she said softly, looking up at him hopefully.
He kneeled in front of her and leaned forward, so he could almost whisper in her ear, feeling her shiver a little as he breathed against her neck, his voice deep, bordering on a purr. "Anatagasuki Kagome."
She leaned her cheek against his, rubbing against his face. "Anatagasuki Inuyasha. Very much!"
He moved his head slightly to place a soft kiss against her cheek, then drew back a little to judge her expression – he very much wanted to kiss her properly, press his lips against hers and find out if her sweet mouth tasted as good as he thought it would, but she'd just been through something terrifying. He sighed, leaning back a little. Maybe he should back off for now. But she didn't let him move away, closing the gap herself and placing her lips against his own. He hardly noticed Shippou leaping off Kagome's lap in disgust.
One small soft kiss - a taste that wasn't nearly enough. And then another. And then he lost count, abandoning himself to feeling the softness of her lips, the warmth of her breath, relishing the wet heat of her tongue against his. His hand moved into her hair, to adjust the angle of her head to pull her closer and she whined as he unthinkingly pressed his fingers against the bump on her head.
"Sorry, sorry, Kagome, gomen'nasai", he murmured, his forehead against hers, drifting featherlight touches to soothe over where he'd accidentally hurt, reaching for the bag of peas again. He held it there gently as he stroked her cheek with his other hand, then leaned back a little so he could look at her face again, smiling.
"What?" she said. She was still panting a little from their kisses, her lips now stained a slightly darker pink from his attentions.
He rubbed his thumb against her lips. "Word?"
"Do you mean what is the word for this?" she said, tapping her fore finger against his mouth, then giggling a little as he kissed it gently. "You could say mouth, or lips."
"Soft lips", he murmured, stroking hers again, then grinning as she gently nipped the meat of his thumb with her little white teeth. He moved his hand upwards and stroked near her eye. "Word?"
"Eyes", she whispered, unable to take her own off his.
"Pretty eyes."
"That's not fair, I don't know enough Japanese to tell you anything", she pouted, placing her palm against his cheek. "But I'm going to learn Inuyasha. I want to be able to tell you what an amazing, thoughtful, sexy man you are." Inuyasha snorted. He'd definitely understood at least one word she'd said.
"Sexy, huh?" he grinned toothily, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh yes", she purred, stroking her fingers down his cheek. "Very sexy." And then she yawned, blinking at him blearily. "I'm sorry. It's been a very long day."
"Tired?" he asked. She nodded. It was obvious she'd reached her limit. He still wanted to know more about why she'd been out so late at night, but she seemed exhausted. It could wait until tomorrow. He wasn't going to let her go anywhere else tonight. She would be safe here with him - he just had to convince her of that.
Inuyasha turned on the little lamp next to his bed, and moved over to the main light switch near the door, turning it off. He sat down on the bed, propping up against the pillows so he was sitting up a little, then patted his chest. "Here."
Kagome gave him a pleased smile. "You want me to stay?"
He nodded. "Stay." He crooked his finger and beckoned her forward, then patted his chest again. "Here, Kagome."
He watched as she kicked off her remaining shoe, then crawled up the bed, snuggling into his side and resting her head on his chest. "Thank you so much Inuyasha. I didn't want to go home by myself." She closed her eyes, smiling as he gently pulled out the hairband that held her ponytail, then carded his fingers through the loosened curls. He reached out his arm to switch off the light.
"Goodnight Inuyasha", she whispered. He curled his arm around her shoulders, dropping a kiss to the top of her head, and settled himself down against the pillows.
"Goodnight Kagome."
Well, that's it for now. But More Than Words will continue on AO3, in a much darker form as Inuyasha struggles to outrun his past. The rating there will be much higher, due to eventual smexy chapters and violence. If old enough to read it, hope to see you there!