Yoruko: Sorry it's been so long. When I actually work on updates I tend to concentrate on The Female Regulars & my series of oneshots Amore.

Kyou: What's with that stupid title anyways?

Yoruko: I wanted something that fit a romance and also wasn't like the usual titles for the series of oneshots staring Kagome.

Shigure: That makes sense. After all, originality is very important when it comes to writing.

Yoruko: Yup! Momiji, if you please?

Momiji: Sure! Yoruko-chan doesn't own anything you recognize.

Yoruko: Thank you, Momiji.

Momiji: You're welcome.

Kagome: Shouldn't we get on with the story?

Yoruko: True.

Ch. 2: It's About Time!

Kagome rolled over in her sleep, trying to avoid the sunlight. She'd had trouble falling asleep last night. She was thinking about Shigure. It was strange- all of her friends that truly knew and listened to her that weren't Sohmas had expected her to end up with Hatori if she ended up with one of her best friends. (Ayame, of course, being out of the question- he was a really nice guy, but not her type- besides, they just didn't click like that.)

Well, except Ayumi, who after her friendship temporarily fell apart with Yuka and Eri after she finally got fed up with all of the attempts to set her up with Hojo and told them off stayed by her, apologizing for being a bad friend. Eventually, she realized that Kagome couldn't have ever really been sick except with a cold or something. So she admitted that something came up when she disappeared on her fifteenth birthday and that she ended up having to travel with some other friends she had made to take care of something. She still stood by her. Ayumi had always said during girl time where Kagome actually let herself be submitted to boy-talk that if Kagome ended up with one of the Mabudachi Trio she thought that it would be Shigure.

Her family and her other friends all thought that she would fall Sesshomaru or Naraku after it was made clear that she not only never had romantic feelings for Inuyasha but he betrayed them, but accounted for if she ended up falling for someone else instead it would be one of her three best friends and thought that it would be Hatori. But that was never the case. He was nothing more than a friend who was like the older brother that she never had. No, even when she was only a child the only guy who she could ever see in a romantic sense was Shigure, even before her interest in boys and romance and her crush on him. Yes, you heard her right- she had had feelings for Shigure since they were children, her about to approach her pre-teens. They had always had a connection on a deeper level than their friendship with Hatori and Ayame. They had both simply failed or refused to realize and acknowledge this until Kagome's first year of Jr. high. That was when Kagome noticed something subtly different in Shigure's flirting with her… and the way he looked at her sometimes, with that expression on his face that just about took her breath away. All three had always and would always be there for her, she knew it- they had proven that more than once, the real proof starting when her father had died. All three were handsome- most of the Sohmas she had met were unusually good looking- but there was just something different about Shigure.

If anyone were to actually ask if she loved Shigure, she would not deny it. She did love Shigure- very much. If the question they actually bothered to ask was either if there was something between them or if they were dating, she would be honest- yes, there was something between them but they weren't a couple. (Yet, anyway.) Oh, yes- she could tell that the feeling was mutual, that he felt what he felt. There had always been a spark between them that they just hadn't noticed for a while, a spark that they had felt at times since their early teens. And the moments they sometimes had when alone or practically alone… if it hadn't been for her 'quest' and misadventures in Feudal Japan she knew that the two of them would have been a couple by the time she graduated, they would probably even be engaged by now or even married. What was between them was different from other teens, even other couples in general.

If what was between them was mutual, one might ask her why she hadn't confessed or done anything to get them together yet. If he didn't seem like he was going to confess any time soon, then surely she should take the initiative. But she even had an answer to that: she hadn't seen him that much since she started time travelling, and she wouldn't even if that had never happened. Yes, she had been able to tell for a long time now that Shigure could feel whatever was between them since before they could properly put a name to it, just like she could. But she wouldn't make the first move, no matter what. She wanted- needed- him to move first, to know how exactly he felt and if he felt as strongly for her as she did him.

Giving up, Kagome rolled out of bed. It was about time she got up- if she wanted to make breakfast instead of Tohru, she needed to hurry. It was the second day since she'd moved it, and there was no way she would let Tohru cook for her- so she would make Tohru and the boys breakfast before Tohru, Kyou, and Yuki left for school.

At Shigure's house

It was still pretty early, if anyone was up yet they were probably getting ready. So Kagome snuck in, and made her way to the kitchen to make breakfast. Naturally, Tohru was the first down. She started to enter the kitchen, but stopped short in the doorway.

"Nee-san? What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm making breakfast. There's no way I'm letting you cook when all you should be worried about is getting ready for school." Kagome said.

"Bu-but I don't mind. I don't want you to go to all of the trouble!" said Tohru.

"No buts, Tohru. It's no trouble at all. Besides, you're still just a kid in a way- you need to relax more and have some fun." said Kagome.

"Kagome's right, Tohru-kun. You're not a maid. You don't have to work so hard. If Kyou and Yuki can't keep their own rooms clean or take care of their own lunches for school then it's their problem. Not that I blame them- nothing they could come up with could possibly compare."

"Quit rambling, you stupid dog." said Kyou.

"Kyou, I have a point and you know it." said Shigure.

"Yeah, whatever."

"So where's Yuki-kun?" asked Kagome.

Just then, Yuki stumbled into the dining area, where they had all made their way because Kagome was done making breakfast. Of course, he was half asleep as usual. Kagome rose an eyebrow at the site.

"Not a morning person I take it?" she commented.

Kyou snorted. "That's an understatement. The worst part is he's at his best when he's like this."

"At his best?" Kagome questioned.

"Ayame probably told you, but Yuki started taking martial arts lessons a couple of years after Kyou and Haru. He's unusually good, and Kyou has yet to manage to defeat him. However, a sneak attack when he's like this won't do any good- he's at his strongest half asleep." Shigure explained.

"Ah."

"That's not the worst of it, Kagome! The damn rat is called The Prince or Prince Yuki at school, gets straight As without putting in any effort, has a fan club that Hanajima and Uotani say won't leave Tohru alone, and he acts like everyone except Tohru is beneath him or something. And the damn rat keeps forcing me to eat leeks."

'In other words… while Ayame is like a king or a prince, Yuki is a dark prince famous at his school for his 'perfection'.' Kagome thought.

Just then, Yuki kicked at Kyou without warning. He was about to go through a wall yet again. Destroying Shigure's house yet again. But something happened that no one accounted for. Kagome caught Kyou. Yuki looked at her, clearly surprised, perhaps even shocked.

"What was that for, you damn rat?" Kyou shouted.

"That was for running your mouth, stupid cat." Yuki retorted.

Kagome hit Yuki on the head. "Stop that. Kyou is a bit hot-headed, and still needs to learn how to react to things, but he is not stupid. You look a lot like Ayame, but you're certainly nothing like him, and not all the ways you're different from him are good ways."

Yuki's eyes widened. What was she implying? Kagome noticed the look. She turned to Shigure.

"No one's talked to him or scolded him about his attitude before, has he?" she said.

"You've met his mother, and you know what sort of methods He would use if taking a page out of Her book." Shigure said.

"… So in other words… you're saying that he's got some complex or something and thinks that his life was so miserable when it should be a known fact- proven by Tohru- that there's always someone worse off than you are?" she deadpanned. 'Great. My life turned into an anime, switching from one kind to another.'

"Please refrain from speaking about me as if I'm not here." Yuki said.

"… And you're supposed to be your school's Mister Popular with a fangirl problem?" Kagome said.

"Um… It's true, Nee-chan. There's even a Prince Yuki Fan-club." Tohru said.

"...Shigure."

"Yes, Kagome?"

"Remind me never to bring a wooden sword or something if I ever go to their school."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Shigure asked.

"No. I know fangirls. They probably give Tohru problems for being so close to Yuki-kun, their beloved so-called prince." Kagome said, "And I want to be properly prepared to deal with them."

Tohru mentally panicked at that, but didn't say anything. She didn't want anyone hurt but knew that it probably wouldn't do much good trying to talk Kagome out of it. Kyou just sweat-dropped, somewhat used to Kagome's methods when it came to people she cared about being bullied or hurt. She was the one who beat up the only bullies to ever try to pick on him because of his hair color, after all. Yuki looked somewhat shocked but then also sweat-dropped.

Shigure, who knew her best and therefore knew full well that after her time in the Feudal Era she wouldn't take any nonsense from anybody, only shook his head. If someone messed with her or someone she cared about there would be hell to pay and no way to escape it. Nor did he think that it was over-kill. Contrary to what those who knew him may think because of his fondness for girls/perverted nature, he did not care about what happened to those girls. He was a man and even he thought that they gave women a bad name. If Kagome ever thought punishment in the form of violence/physical pain was what they needed, then Shigure knew that whatever they had done will have made them deserve it.

The rest of the morning before the trio of high school students left passed with the semi-chaotic peace that was the norm for Kagome, Tohru, and the Sohmas. Yuki, who only knew Tohru's cooking and food that came from a restaurant now that he was away from the compound, had clearly been surprised that Kagome's cooking was at least as good as Tohru's. Kagome waved it off, saying that it would only make sense- she'd started learning to cook earlier than Tohru had (her mother insisted) and she was also older, so she had more experience. After leaving, the three teens got their things together and left for school.

Kagome shook her head. "They must be a handful. It seems like Kyou and Yuki rarely listen to you, even when they realize or should realize that you're being serious. And Tohru's a good girl, but she pushed herself to hard and tends to overreact a lot.

Shigure just chuckled. "They rarely even pay attention to what I'm saying. They seem to be under the impression that I'm only capable of being perverted or joking around. And Tohru… well, I try to get her to go easier on herself, but I've learned that she rarely listens when it comes to something like that. She even thinks that it's her fault that her mother died, you know."

Kagome looked up from her drink. "What?"

"She seems to think that she died because she slept in and couldn't see her off. She refuses to take it easier at work or with school because she refuses to let anyone else pay and she seems to think that missing just one or two days if she's not feeling well can hinder her chances of graduating like she promised her mother." Shigure explained.

"Poor Tohru. I wish Kyouko would have let us help her out if not move in with us."

"Kyouko sounds like a remarkable woman, the way Tohru describes her. Obviously very wise, from the things Tohru says she said. But she also seems like she was very proud. Her desire to make up for her mistakes a teenager probably got in the way of her letting your mother help out." Shigure said.

Kagome's bangs were hiding her eyes somewhat now. "She was remarkable. Fun-loving and unusually kind, yet hardworking and wise beyond her years. She was someone who understood just about anybody. Tohru couldn't have gotten a better mother, even if she ever thought about asking."

Shigure moved from his seat, going to Kagome and pulling her into his arms.

"…Shigure?"

"It's all right Kagome. You're here for her now, you came as soon as you knew, and that's all that matters. She'll be all right. She has you now and she already has quite a few Sohmas ready to be there for her or protect her as needed even though it hasn't been very long. And… I'm here for you." He said the last part quietly, any quieter and she would have had trouble hearing him.

She looked up at him. He had an expression on his face that was familiar, yet different from any that she'd ever seen before. "Gure?"

She just looked too beautiful, and he couldn't stand the sad look on her face. Shigure couldn't help himself anymore. He'd already put it off for far too long. He grasped her chin in his hand gently, leaned down… and kissed her. Her eyes widened for a moment before closing and she responded. The kiss was chaste, but so sweet and better than either had imagined.

"Shi… gure?" He knew what she was asking.

"Kagome… You might already know… we know better than anyone that we've always had something between us… but… I've waited far too long, and I can't hold myself back any longer. I love you."

She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you too, Shigure."

"Please say you'll be mine."

"Silly Shigure… I already am. I always was."

And they both knew that it was true. They'd always had a connection, and had realized it a bit before she was even in Jr. high. They had realized by the time she fell down the well that they had feelings for one another, somehow being able to tell that the feeling was mutual. And they had long since realized that they'd found their soul mate, the one they were meant to be with, and said person had been there all along.

The two cleaned up, then made their way to the living room to watch movies, just enjoying each other's presence and the fact that they were finally together with the person that they loved. Yes, both had waited far too long indeed.

Owari

Yoruko: There you go! Next chapter, the hot spring trip and Tohru's meeting with Akito. How will things be different now that Kagome's in the picture, changing the story? Find out next time!

Tohru: That was wonderful, Yoruko-chan! The ending was so sweet.

Kyou: A bit short, wasn't it?

Yoruko: I was going to include the hot springs trip in this chapter, and a certain something I've had planned out for a while, but I decided that it's better this way.

Kyou: Whatever.

Yoruko: Ja ne, minna! Hope you enjoyed it.