Bittersweet

Doesnt' suck like all the Inu fics since Demonic Lust.InuKagHojo triangle. Ultimately, InuKag. But Kagome has a future, colleges to get into, a life. To be practical, the Feudal Era isn't where she belongs. It's up to InuYasha to find a way for them.

Disclaimer- I do not own InuYasha or any other alluded materials in here, just the plot

Chapter Three:


"InuYasha, I know you have feelings for Kagome. She loves you, as I'm sure you're aware. Here, in our world, our time, though, she has a life. She's going to go to college, get a good career, a husband, and a family. She had all those things as goals for her life. Yes, she has a duty to her heart and to you with the Shikon Jewel. She has other duties as well, though," Mrs. Higurashi said, sitting down at the dining room table with InuYasha sitting across from her. Both looked extremely serious. Mrs. Higurashi did have her normal sweet, sunny, understanding way about her, but this was her daughter she was talking about. "Do you love Kagome or not?"

InuYasha looked up in surprise at the woman in front of him. No one had been so blunt when it came to Kagome and him before. Maybe Kouga, but he refused to think about that mangy wolf. "I-" InuYasha stuttered. Why should he have to say it out loud? And to her! She wasn't Kagome; this didn't concern her. Even as InuYasha thought the words he realized that they weren't true. Just like his mother, Mrs. Higurashi wanted to protect her daughter. InuYasha looked down, letting his bangs cover his upper face. "I do."

"You do what?" she asked, smiling.

"Damn, she's not going to make this easy," he thought to himself. "I do love Kagome."

"Do you want what's best for her?" Mrs. Higurashi replied, the smile still there.

"Of cour-" InuYasha stopped, thinking about the words. What's best for her... Kagome had a whole life here. He loved her, but he couldn't just force her to give this all up, could he? "I get it," he said. "I understand. You've made your point."

"Good. I'm not saying you shouldn't be with Kagome, InuYasha. Understand that. I just want you to think about what the implications of your love means to her. Love isn't enough; you know that from experience. You two would have more things to think about than the average couple. It wouldn't be just where to live, but when to live. Not just when to get married, but how. You don't have any paperwork whatsoever. You don't exist in this time period. Yes, you could get those things. It's just a lot of logistics to work out," she explained. InuYasha nodded, comprehending the gist of what she was trying to say.

"I...I have to think about it. Would you tell Kagome I came by and that- that I want to give her more time here, to catch up on her life?" InuYasha asked, getting up. Was he really ready for this? Could he really choose this hard life with Kagome over Kikyo? He needed to think. He needed... InuYasha looked up at the night sky. He needed a nap. "Is it all right if I go up to Kagome's room?"

"Of course, dear," she smiled. InuYasha went up the stairs and smelled Kagome's scent one last time before disappearing back down the well.

That had all been over a week ago, but InuYasha couldn't get it out of his mind. He didn't know what to do. He sat up in the Sacred Tree all day, thinking. Kagome or Kikyo? A whole new world or death? Both were equal in his mind. Equally terrifying, equally wonderful. He didn't know who to choose. Why did he have to? Why couldn't he have bo- InuYasha shook his head. He was pretty sure monogamy is the only thing he was capable of anyway. Anything more would kill him. Too many people to protect and all. InuYasha looked down. That was just it.

He had promised to always protect Kikyo, but how do you protect someone who is already dead? He was pretty sure that debt was paid. Kagome, though... Kagome had been there for him and loved him as he was... a half demon. "I love you just the way you are..." Her words floated through his head. Kagome still needed him. Even if she wasn't constantly being pawed at by Kouga in her world, there were plenty of dangers just waiting to get her there. Those big metal machines? Evil. It was his job to protect her still, right?

InuYasha jumped down from his branch. He would love Kagome. Implications, logistics, all that stuff Mrs. Higurashi was talking about- they could figure it out. They could make it work. Kagome and he had something that he and Kikyo had never had- trust and acceptance. They could to it. Even if it was...really hard and weird. InuYasha thought about the hat thing he had to wear with recoil. He'd have to learn the customs of her world. Or die trying.


"Kagome? Did I tell you InuYasha was here the other day?"

"WHAAAT?! You didn't say that, Mom! When? Did he say anything? Why didn't he wait for me?" Kagome gushed all at once, leaving her surprisingly light backpack on the floor.

"The other day. He said that he'd decided his mind about you and that you could go back when you were ready. Oh, and not to be worried about anything!" Mrs. Higurashi said with a cheerful smile.

"What does that mean?" Kagome thought, pondering the idea that maybe InuYasha had actually chosen her. "Nah. I mean, this is Kikyo we're talking about! The love of his life. He was going to become human for her even..." Kagome shook her head. "Thanks, Mom. I'm kinda tired. I think I'm actually going to take a nap now," she said, smiling her creepy, fake smile at her mom.

"Of course, dear. This is your fourth date with Hojo, right?" her mother said while thinking, "I really wish she wouldn't do that; it looks painful."

"Yeah, that's right," she chirped and rushed up the stairs. As soon as she was in her room she shut the door, slumping with her back against it once having heard the tiny click of the lock. She went and sat on her bed. She really was tired, but now she felt overwhelmed, too. "Oh, no! What am I going to do!" she thought.

She'd wanted an answer from InuYasha, had wanted him to come get her, and wished that he would perish without her at the same time. She loved him, whether her heart was broken or not. She just couldn't decide if it was worth watching him with Kikyo again and again. She thought she'd made the decision once, but now... Kagome started suddenly, not expecting the tear that fell from her face and landed with a cool plop on her hand. She wiped at her face hurriedly. "Great. Now I'm going to look like something the dog dragged in." Her face fell at that. "Oh, InuYasha. What can I do?" she said aloud. There really wasn't time for a nap. She had to get ready for Hojo. "InuYasha, I swear you better make this worthwhile."

Once Kagome had finished getting ready, make up, short navy blue skirt, and yellow short sleeved blouse- she looked in the mirror. She'd go see InuYasha after her date with Hojo and hear him out. Then, she'd decide what to do after knowing his decision. She'd quest on for the Shikon Jewel, of course, but she needed to know about them and not get any more confused, mixed signals before that. Kagome slipped on her white, laceless tennis shoes and looked out the window. Hojo was just pulling up. She raced down the stairs. "Bye, Mom!" she shouted as she went out the front door. She really just wanted to have a good time now and not think about Naraku, the Sacred Jewel, or even InuYasha. They'd been through so much together, but sometimes, she just wanted to be NORMAL.

"Hey, Hojo. I like the color of your shirt today," she said, bouncing forward to give him a peck on the cheek. Hojo didn't blush, though, like he had the date before when she first did it. Instead, he gave her a big grin.

"Well, you said red was your favorite color..." Hojo shrugged, the red t-shirt clinging to his chest quite attractively.

"Wow, I guess all that health food really pays off," Kagome thought, shaking the thoughts from her mind. Once they got in the car, Kagome felt herself feel like the normal teenager she wanted to be with all the responsibilities she had in the Feudal Era lifted. "Maybe...maybe I'll wait a little longer to see what InuYasha has to say," she thought, smiling carefreely as Hojo sang along to the music on the radio.

"Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight. It's hard to let it go..."


"Why hasn't Kagome come back yet, InuYasha?" Shippo whined in InuYasha's ear. The hanyou hit the little demon across the head, his back leaned up against the wall of the hut.

"Shut up, will ya? I don't know why!" InuYasha shouted. He really had no idea. Shouldn't she have come back by now? Just to see him, at least? Or the others? Kagome was almost the glue that held the group all together. InuYasha shut his eyes. True, they all got along well enough, but Kagome was the one Sango opened up to, who took care of bandaging everyone up, and looking after Shippo. They all needed her. "I need her," he said quietly.

"Then, I think you know what you must do, InuYasha," Miroku said, entering Kaede's hut where Shippo lay on the ground crying next to InuYasha. He cracked an eye open and cast the monk a sly look.

"Who asked you, Miroku," InuYasha said, not really wanting an answer.

"Well, actually, we all took a vote on it, and you need to bring Kagome back, even if that means swallowing your pride," Miroku said, sitting across the hut at an almost safe distance from the half demon.

"Well, it ain't-" InuYasha stopped. Arguing was useless. He knew that himself, and he would have to go and do it soon. "Tonight, Miroku. Okay? I'll go later tonight." Sango came in, hearing the last bit of InuYasha's words. She looked from the monk to the half demon and back to Miroku again. Miroku gave her a nod.

"Oh, good. I was hoping you'd say that. We really need to get going looking for the shards and Naraku," Sango said, looking off out the door. Kohaku was on her mind, as usual. She really missed her brother a lot more than she let on.

"I said I'd get her, okay? Leave me alone," InuYasha walked out of the hut and to the Sacred Tree. He needed to think of what he was going to say. What could he say? "Hey, Kagome, I just thought that you know, you should come back since I treated you so well all this time and never made you feel second best to Kikyo," InuYasha said, letting the sarcasm fill his voice. "Yeah, that'll go over real well." He sighed loudly. This was going to be hard and awkward. They were both so stubborn and angry. He knew he always let his temper get the best of him, and Kagome definitely had her angry side, too. He rubbed one of the beads of the necklace of subjugation between his thumb and index finger. He'd been a victim of her temper many times. He looked up at the dusky night sky and the stars jsut beginning to shine out. "Gods help me. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to do." He looked down at the necklace. "Maybe Miroku's right..." He laughed. "Yeah, right. Like he knows anything about women. The pervert." InuYasha jumped down from the tree, making his way toward the well.

He'd be there when Kagome got home, but he wouldn't go inside again through the main door. He didn't want to risk seeing her mother and have another "fun" encounter. He wanted to talk to Kagome, alone, out in the night air. "We'll make it work, Kagome. If you want to."


This was for Amy J. Who told me she'd murder me if I didn't keep writing it. Yes, I returned to fanfiction after ever so long. Don't worry. More will come. Or I'll die. And I rather like living. Love ya, Amy. We'll deff hang fourth of july-ish.