Ton Up

by TheHatterTheory

Until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death. A Kouga/Kagome fic.

15. Chapter 15

Ton Up

By: The Hatter Theory

Chapter Fifteen

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Inu Yasha

AN: There was no censoring in this chapter because it didn't need it, so need to go searching my AO3 for the uncensored version.

---

"I can't believe it's already over," Yuka sighed, walking up the ramp. "It feels like we just got here."

Kagome was more willing to bet that her friend couldn't remember at least half of their vacation, and that was why it felt so short. The bags under both Yuka's and Eri's eyes spoke of long nights and little sleep. Kagome knew they had enjoyed it, for everything it was worth. Everything considered, she wouldn't say it had been the vacation she had been dreaming of, but she couldn't find any fault in what had happened, apart from the less than stellar bed partners her friends had chosen.

"It was a good vacation," Ayumi said firmly.

"I think so too," Kagome admitted.

"I still don't see why your man and his friends couldn't have waited a couple of days to go back," Eri yawned. "Seems like a waste."

"They had an order come in that they needed to take care of," Kagome defended, although she admitted to herself that she had already begun missing Kouga while telling herself it was childish to miss someone after only a few days. It had not kept her from practically babysitting her phone however, and she had fallen asleep both nights talking to Kouga and woken up to a text from him.

"Any idea what's going on when we get back?" Ayumi asked as they walked into their suite.

"Taki mentioned dinner, although I have no idea when that will be-oh!" Kagome gasped, remembering what she and Kouga had spoken about the night before. "The guys do volunteer work, working on building houses. I told Kouga I would like to help. Would you like to come?"

"Building houses?" Ayumi asked, eyes widening almost comically. Yuka and Eri were already walking to their rooms, saying only that they wanted sleep. Kagome went to her room, Ayumi following her as they dropped their bags onto the floor and getting on the bed. Since Ayumi had found out about youkai, both she and Kagome had grown closer, and Kagome felt like, for the first time in a very long time, she had a best friend similar to Sango. While the two women couldn't have been more different, there was an openness and and honesty that Kagome had lacked for three years, one she hadn't realized how desperately she needed until she had it again.

"Kouga says it's a chance for everyone to show eachother how incompetent they are," Kagome chuckled. "But it's nothing major on our end, we carry what they tell us to carry, that sort of thing. There are contractors that do a lot of the building."

"Oh. I think it would be fun then," Ayumi said, looking so relieved Kagome thought she would sag down to the bed. "What about your mom? Have you told her yet?"

"That I found a youkai from back then, got a boyfriend, or that I'm learning to ride a motorcycle?" Kagome asked, the enormity of the changes not lost on her. What had made for an amazing vacation and start to her adult life could easily be not quite so amazing to her mother.

"Any and all of the above?" Ayumi asked, growing pensive.

"Mom has always been really supportive," Kagome sighed, leaning against the headboard. "I'm hoping that extends to this. I mean, she didn't know everything about the past, but she knew it was dangerous and supported me then, so I'm hoping she does now. And as for Kouga, she never had a problem with Inu Yasha being a hanyou, or being a- a romantic interest, so she probably won't bat an eyelash."

"You're probably right. Your mom has always been really supportive."

"My grandpa on the other hand," Kagome groaned, already picturing ofuda flying. "He used to turn Inu Yasha into a walking plaster statue with the spell scrolls, so I'm worried about Kouga and the guys."

"Maybe having three of them there will keep him from focusing too much on just one, or even confuse him."

"Like he won't know which one to hit first?" Kagome snorted, imagining her grandfather staring at the three ookami with a mixture of shock and terror. "That might actually work," She said, thinking further on it. "Unless mom corners Kouga and Souta corners either Ginta or Hakkaku, like separating the herd."

"Divide and conquer," Ayumi giggled, hugging a pillow.

"It's going to be a disaster," Kagome groaned. A disaster, she reflected, that she hadn't prepared Kouga for in the least. Inu Yasha had been bad enough, how was Kouga going to feel about a shrine priest covering him head to toe in prayer scrolls and seals?

"You could always put your grandfather in the well house and lock him in there until it's over."

"You are so bad," Kagome gasped, surprised that her shy friend had been the one to say something like that. "Besides, he'd probably gnaw his way out."

The mental images the comment evoked were too much for either girl, and Kagome and Ayumi both cackled wildly, clutching their sides and coming up with even greater impossible images, all of them involving escapes that started at merely strange and ended bordering on deranged. It wasn't until Eri banged on the door and told them to keep it down that they covered their faces with pillows, smothering the laughter until it had finally died down to mere giggling.

"You know," Ayumi said, flopping onto her stomach. "If you had told me this would happen when we were on the ferry to Hokkaido, I would have called you crazy."

"I probably would have too," Kagome agreed, mimicking Ayumi's pose and laying her cheek against the pillow, smiling softly. "It feels like it's been a few months, but at the same time, it's like we just got there too."

"I know. I'm glad you faked being sick that day. I wanted to stay with you, to be honest."

"You knew I was faking?" Kagome stuttered, blushing hotly.

"Oh yeah, but you were trying so hard, and I figured you just needed a break from Yuka and Eri, so I exaggerated everything a bit to help you," Ayumi giggled, smiling widely. "I'm glad things worked out the way they did though. I never imagined being friends with youkai. Or that I'd have such a good time."

"It was pretty fun, wasn't it?"

"Mhmm," Ayumi agreed. There was a long silence, one that Kagome filled with contemplations of the vacation she was leaving behind, although she couldn't find any regret, knowing what was waiting for her in Tokyo.

"Hey Kagome," Ayumi eventually asked, casting a shy glance from the pillow before burying her face back in it.

"What is it?" Kagome asked, surprised by her friend's sudden bashfulness. After a few weeks of seeing Ayumi come out of her shell, it was strange to see her behaving like her old self, and the sudden change was worrying. Expecting Ayumi to ask about of of the youkai, as she had secretly suspected, she waited for the shoe to drop.

"Can I go with you to get your permit?"

Kagome could feel the abrupt halt of her thoughts as they piled on top of one another, crashing dissonant and becoming nothing more than a tangle of nonsensical, absurd half ideas that made no sense.

"What?" She asked dumbly, staring at her friend.

"I was thinking about getting mine, but I don't want to go by myself," Ayumi admitted shyly, blushing a vivid pink.

"Sure," Kagome said, snapping out of her stupor. "I'm just surprised."

"I like riding, but I saw you, I mean, I probably won't be as good or anything-"

"I'm not good," Kagome snorted. And she knew she had a long way to go. Kouga had pushed her on the track, determined for her to get the basics before she got back to Tokyo and got her permit, since finding empty spots to practice would be much more difficult, and he would be working as well. Her body had endured it, but barely. She had ended each night sore and groaning, soaking in a hot bath while they went over traffic laws.

Sex had taken the back seat as well, and she understood it, logically. It didn't keep her from feeling slightly hurt. Since the night Kouga had 'claimed' her, as Hakkaku called it, he hadn't attempted sex, and it had only been when he announced that she showed no signs of pregnancy that he had remotely relaxed. He would kiss her and cuddle her, but he seemed to be holding back from anything more intimate, and she had refrained, knowing he needed space and not wanting to push him.

"You're better than I'm going to be," Ayumi told her. "I don't know anything really, except what the guys told me."

"We'll figure it out. But I wouldn't mind if you went with me. In fact, we can keep it to ourselves until we have the permits, and then surprise the guys."

Ayumi's face lit up, and Kagome giggled, eying her friend mischievously.

"You know, this means you get to meet Taki, I bet. That should be fun."

"Will she hit me?" Ayumi asked, eyes shadowing with dread.

"I don't know. She only got me while I was wearing a helmet though," Kagome told her friend, not mentioning that Taki was as likely to see the two males falling over themselves and make a very blunt observation, as she had before. The mere picture of the two males blushing like Kouga had made her snort, she tried to hold her laughter but failed, giggling into the pillow and trying to hide it from her friend, failing miserably. When she looked up, Ayumi looked mortified, as if Kagome had told her she was going to be facing a fire breathing dragon.

"Taki is a bit rough around the edges, like the guys. But she's a good person."

"She sounds scary," Ayumi admitted.

"You'll be fine. I can go with you if you want."

"Do you think they'll actually teach me?"

Kagome wanted to say she'd love to see someone try to stop them, but refrained, knowing it wouldn't help Ayumi, who seemed to have actually labeled both youkai as only friends, eschewing any sort of romantic interest in either. Instead she nodded, giving the other female an encouraging smile.

"Do you know anything about the traffic laws yet?"

"Not much," Ayumi admitted.

"I've got a book and some notes I made, if you want to go over them with me."

"It would be an amazing help."

They spent most of their afternoon and evening going over notes she had made listening to Kouga explain traffic laws, as well as basic motorcycle handling. Kagome realized then that they were more thorough than she had thought, done well enough that even Ayumi could understand the basics of handling a motorcycle itself in theory. Even when they left their friends to their beds to go grab dinner, they continued talking about what Kagome had learned so far, and Kagome even began telling her friend the basics of engines.

Ayumi soaked everything up, and when they got back, Ayumi read through the book on riding skills Kouga had bought, and Kagome went over the maintenance book, both of them growing sleepy and falling asleep in the same bed, face first in the books.

---

Kagome woke up, feeling strangely alert, and looked around. Ayumi was snoring softly, the book she had been reading to her side and one arm under her pillow, the other under her face. Looking at the clock on the nightstand, Kagome saw that it was still very early, and grabbed her room key and cellphone off of the nightstand and left the room, then walked out of the suite, ignoring shoes and padding silently through the corridors, following the signs up onto the upper deck.

The sky was still dark, but the first hint of light tinted it slightly, and blurred the brightness of the stars. Blinking sleepily, she looked down at her phone, opened it, then reconsidered. She did this twice more before tapping a quick message onto the screen and hitting send, eyes going back to the choppy waters and the slowly lightening sky.

She almost dropped her phone when it began ringing, and she opened it, putting it to her ear as she leaned over the railing.

"Morning," Kouga said. He sounded awake, and Kagome wondered if he slept out of necessity, or if it was just a luxury for him.

"Morning," She replied softly.

"I tried calling last night."

"Ayumi and I were talking," She told him, hedging the truth so she didn't give away the surprise she and her friend were planning. "She would like to help on the house."

"Good, we could use more bodies," He said, and she could hear him make the half groan half sigh sound he made when stretching. "It's still dark here."

"Here too, but it's beginning to get a little lighter," She murmured softly.

Neither of them said what she felt was obvious, that they wished he was there, watching the sunrise with her and not having to catch glimpses of it through buildings and city lights and smog. Instead, they remained silent, although neither was willing to hang up, finding a sort of comfort in the connection, however distant and tenuous.

"I can't wait to see you," She finally said, smiling to herself.

"You're going to make me say it, aren't you?" He asked, and she could hear the wry humor in his voice.

"Nope."

"Which just makes me feel like a jerk."

"Not my fault."

"Fine," He groaned. "I'm going batshit because I miss you, and I can't wait to see you again."

"Your sincerity moves me," She chuckled.

"I lack finesse."

"As old as you are? Probably never get it then."

"Funny," He snorted. "Remind me to tell your mom you were flashing me before we started dating."

"I did not flash you," She muttered hotly.

"You even shoved me under your shirt."

"We were swimming," She hissed.

"She might not get that though," He chuckled.

"You just don't want to meet my mom," She retorted.

"Nah, I'm curious. Besides, you two are close, so I want to know her."

"She'll like you," Kagome said firmly. "Especially if you show her your tail."

"What?" He asked flatly, and she could picture his expression perfectly, giggling at the thought of his unhappy frown.

"Mom has a thing for cute animal youkai. Inu Yasha's ears were a huge weakness, she tried to rub them all the time. I'm sure she'd like your tail."

"Your mother is not petting my tail."

"Scared you'll like it?" She challenged.

"Smart ass. Get back in bed."

"Yes my lord and master."

"You know, as alpha, that isn't technically wrong."

"I will never say those words in seriousness," She promised as she walked back down the corridor.

"What about when I do that one thing?" He asked, voice taking a husky edge that made her stumble down the last stair.

"What?" She muttered, passing someone else walking by.

"You know, that thing you really love."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," She muttered.

"Sounds like you do," He told her, voice deepening. Kagome flushed hotly as she practically ran through the corridor to her own room.

"I am not calling your lord and master when you do that. I can barely talk when you do it anyway."

"Oh, I didn't think my massages were that good," He said, voice filled with innocent confusion that she knew for a fact to be contrived.

"That's not what I meant," She muttered, opening the door and stepping into the suite.

"Then what were you thinking about?" He asked, voice gaining a slyness that she could feel through the phone, tracing a claw down her spine.

"Nothing," She sputtered, walking to her room.

"Huh, awfully big nothing," He chuckled.

"Jerk," She muttered.

"You wouldn't have me any other way."

"Point," She sighed, walking over to her bed and laying down opposite Ayumi, pulling the blanket over herself and shuffling into the mattress.

"You in bed?"

"I am now."

"Then get some sleep. I'll see you soon," He promised.

"Can't wait," She said, the words getting lost in a yawn.

"Sleep well."

"G'night," She murmured, closing her phone and putting it on the nightstand. The ship rocked and she hugged her pillow, closed her eyes and imagined being back in Tokyo, and seeing Kouga again.

---

"I'm sleepy," Yuka sighed, walking down the ramp. Kagome couldn't help but be surprised. Yuka and Eri both had slept almost the entire trip, a solid fifteen hours, perhaps more. They'd even missed breakfast, grumbling when they finally had woken.

"Will you be okay to drive?" Kagome asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'll be fine after I finish my coffee. It's surreal, being back on the mainland. I feel like our vacation is already over."

"We still have a couple of months," Kagome told her, shouldering her bag and walking towards the valets.

"My dad wants to have some time to hang out and go visit some other family," Yuka told her, face pulling into a grimace. "Probably my grandmother."

"It can't be that bad," Eri reasoned.

"Not as bad as Kagome introducing her bad boy boyfriend to her mother anyway," Yuka snickered. Kagome playfully flicked her friend, rolling her eyes.

"Mom will probably be thrilled I'm dating, and if she accepted Inu Yasha, Kouga should be more than fine," Kagome told her firmly.

"I hope so. Its good to see you being normal. Now all we have to do is find Ayumi a boyfriend," Eri giggled. Kagome looked to her quiet friend, surprised to see Ayumi flushing brightly, her whole face turning a deep shade of red.

"I don't need anything like that. Besides, I'm going to Toyama for school. It would be silly for me to try and date anyone in Tokyo, and when I go to school I won't have time for that sort of thing," Ayumi defended, shrugging her shoulders.

"Hey, at least you'll have other stuff to keep you busy, and we all promised to visit each other," Kagome reminded her. "You know we won't forget."

"I know," Ayumi said, immediately relaxing. "The idea of starting somewhere new scares me a little," She admitted. "It's going to be so different."

"Good different though," Eri said, watching Yuka walk over to the valet and give him her ticket. "We'll grow up, get jobs. But we can always have a vacation every summer, maybe go back to Hokkaido, or even someplace else!" She said, eyes already blanking as she turned inward. "Like America or someplace in Europe."

"Maybe," Kagome said, chuckling at her friend's antics. "We just got done with one trip, let's relax before planning another."

"Oh, but think about it. Paris in the summer. Amazing beaches and the houses of high fashion," Eri sighed happily, not even looking at her friends. Kagome nudged Ayumi and rolled her eyes, smirking. Ayumi giggled, covering her mouth to hide her own smile when Yuka called out to them.

They put their bags in the trunk and got in, and Kagome rolled down her window, watching Ayumi do the same.

"Our vacation isn't over yet," Kagome told them primly. "I want to have the windows rolled down and to sing with the radio."

Her friends agreed, and as they drove to Tokyo, they all sang at the top of their lungs with the windows down, dancing in their seats and laughing at one another. The little resentments that had formed during their vacation seemed to smooth out, disappearing in a tide of joy and relaxation.

Kagome smiled as the road flew past them, and she imagined, for a brief moment, riding her bike down the highway and straight into Tokyo.

"I can't wait," Ayumi whispered quietly, barely heard over the music and their friends singing.

"I can't either," Kagome whispered back, sharing a secret smile with her best friend.

---

A hand brushed her bangs out of her face. Murmuring sleepily, Kagome turned her face into the hand cupping her cheek and inhaled, nuzzling his palm and sighing softly before opening her eyes.

"Sneaking into a woman's bedroom is a crime in some places," She reminded him sleepily.

"Only if she doesn't want you there," He chuckled, leaning forward and bracing both elbows on her bed.

"So that's why you asked where I lived, to stalk me," She mumbled, pushing herself upright.

"I was actually planning on taking you to dinner," He admitted.

"What happened?" She yawned, stretching her ars and back.

"Something went wrong with the engine and we spent a while blaming eachother, and then a bit more figuring out how to fix it."

"Sounds exciting," She giggled, looking from him to her open window. "You know, I thought guys sneaking in stopped after highschool."

"I didn't think your family would approve of me using the front door when it was locked," He replied, standing and toeing off his boots. Kagome watched as she shed his jacket and shirt, then got under the covers with her, pulling her close to him.

"You couldn't wait until morning?" She asked, already cuddling into him.

"Wolves are notorious for getting lonely without someone to cuddle," He informed her, as if it was in fact an undisputed, documented truth.

"There was always a mutt pile," She joked.

"Not as nice as you. Besides, they get too cuddly in their sleep," He told her, squeezing her once.

"Too cuddly?" She asked, barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Go to sleep," He commanded softly.

"Not a problem," She sighed, closing her eyes again, soaking up his warmth and the feel of his hand under her shirt on the small of her back, solid and reassuring.

---

When she opened her eyes, Kagome knew two things. One, that she was alone. Wondering if she had dreamed Kouga's late night visit, she hugged her pillow and was assailed with his scent, which immediately relaxed her. He had been there, there was no other explanation for the undeniably male scent on her pillow. Smiling softly, she sat up and stretched, wondering if it would be too soon to text him, or if he was still working on the order from the night before.

A folded piece of paper on her nightstand caught her eye, her name written on it in a masculine script. Opening it, she scanned it, smiling as she read it.

'Heard your family start to get up, didn't want your mother to take my pelt for being in bed with her daughter without proper introductions. Call me around noon or one, and we'll grab some lunch somewhere.'

There was a lack of sentiment, although she couldn't blame him. The message itself screamed Kouga, even if he hadn't signed it, but that he'd taken the time to write it meant that he had been thinking of her before he left, and not just escaping before her mother became aware of his presence.

Wondering if it would be better to just go ahead and tell her mother what had happened, and what she had planned for the rest of her summer, she stretched and walked downstairs, following the smell of breakfast that was wafting in from the kitchen.

"Good morning Kagome," Her mother greeted cheerily, halving an omelet and slipping both halves onto plates. "Your brother is at his friend's house and your grandfather is out in the storehouse. I thought we could have breakfast together since we didn't get to talk yesterday."

Kagome nodded, unsure if she liked the bizarre coincidence or if the universe was trying to help her her along somehow. Taking it for granted that she had earned some luck and some peace after everything she had done in her relatively short life, she followed her mother over to the table and sat, listening as Nodoka chatted about little things that had occurred around the shrine and the neighborhood in the weeks Kagome had been in Hokkaido.

"Souta really set his room on fire?" Kagome choked, washing down the errant bit of omelet stuck in her throat by gulping down milk. Her mother nodded, obviously amused, although Kagome knew her mother well enough to guess that the initial reaction had been much, much different.

"He's missing a patch of carpet, but he didn't burn through the floor, thank goodness. I'm going to have to replace it soon, but until then I found an area rug."

"What was he doing?" Kagome demanded incredulously.

"Trying a science experiment of some sort. It was part of a summer project."

Kagome had a feeling she wasn't hearing the whole story, but let it go. The chagrin on her mother's face was becoming more pronounced, and the last thing she wanted was for her mother to be in a bad mood when she dropped the bomb, so to speak.

"So I met someone while I was on vacation," Kagome ventured after her mother was pouring coffee.

"A summer romance Kagome, that's wonderful," Nodoka said, face relaxing.

"It, um, not quite just for summer," Kagome mumbled.

"Oh?"

"He lives in Tokyo, I've seen him before." Which was an understatement if there ever was one. Kagome knew it shouldn't be so difficult to tell her mother she was seeing someone from then, after all, her mother had been a staunch supporter of her journey, and had, in many ways, been curious about the people she had met.

"He's a youkai."

"I didn't realize youkai had survived to this era, although I suppose after the things you told me, it shouldn't be a surprise."

Her mother's placid, unbreakable calm was almost unnerving, although it was all she ever seemed to be. Kagome couldn't pinpoint exactly why it was so nerve wracking suddenly, but it was making her stomach do very uncomfortable things involving sailor's knots and a mini ocean pitching dangerously.

"It's someone I knew from then. He recognized me and we sort of hit it off."

Another understatement, but she wasn't going to tell her mother that either.

"Oh?"

"Kouga, the ookami."

"An ookami?" Nodoka asked, brows rising in surprise. "That's-"

Kagome waited for the shoe to drop, but it didn't, her mother giggling quietly.

"What?" Kagome asked, defensive and worried.

"Strangely appropriate, given your history with inu youkai. I suppose he hasn't aged much?"

"Not really," Kagome sighed, grateful for the reprieve. Now to get the two of them to meet without Kouga cursing and everything would be fine, hopefully.

The world is a very strange place," Nodoka observed. "To have brought you two together in Hokkaido after all of these years. So tell me about him. I'm curious what kind of ma-youkai has gotten your attention."

"He's sweet, a bit rough around the edges still. A lot happened after I left, stuff that hurt him, I think," Kagome sighed. "He seems more human than youkai most of the time, but there are moments, they remind me of who he really is."

"You sound worried."

"There's just a lot I still don't understand about youkai," Kagome admitted quietly. "But he's usually really sweet, funny. He makes me laugh."

"Kagome, when you were traveling, I worried about you," Nodoka started, covering Kagome's hand with her own. "You seemed to worry and shout more than you laughed. So if he makes you laugh, I'm glad. You need more laughter in your life."

Kagome nodded, grateful her mother was taking it so well.

"So what does he do now?"

"He's a mechanic," Kagome hedged.

"A mechanic?"

"He enjoys it, it's something he loves to do," Kagome clarified. "He owns his own garage, and they build stuff for racing."

"That's impressive," Nodoka told her. "I never thought of youkai being interesting in cars."

"Umm, motorcycles," Kagome mumbled, watching her mother's expression carefully. "He 's a motorcycle mechanic, no cars, although he drives a truck," She added quickly, relaxing when her mother began to relax. "He's a really good person mom. We're going to work on a volunteer project building a house that he and a few other shops are sponsoring."

"A house?"

"It's for the habitat project," Kagome said, repeating what Kouga had told her. "He and a few other garages got together to sponsor one, pay for the materials and contractors, and to offer manual labor. Ayumi and I are going to go work on it with them."

"He sounds like a good person," Nodoka said, leaning back and taking another sip of her drink. "When do I get to meet him?"

"Soon," Kagome answered. "He's got an order he's working on right now, so he's been busy. We were going to go have lunch today."

"I'm glad you're having a fun vacation," Nodoka told her, smiling again. "And when he can find time to come for dinner, I would enjoy meeting him."

Kagome eyed her mother shrewdly, seeing a question there.

"What is it mom?" Kagome asked.

"Does he, is he like Inu Yasha? I mean, appearance wise?"

Kagome immediately relaxed, realizing she should have seen that question coming. "He's not like Inu Yasha at all. He doesn't have the ears, and his hair is black, and a lot shorter. His eyes are blue too. Ginta and Hakkaku-"

"There are more?" Nodoka asked, surprise breaking her peaceful expression.

"They're part of his pack," Kagome giggled. "His best friends. They all work together. I can invite them too, if you would like."

"I would like that. It would be interesting to meet more youkai," Nodoka chuckled. "Who would have thought. Ookami in this day and age. I suppose your life was always meant to be interesting."

"One big adventure," Kagome chuckled weakly, knowing she had not broached the most obvious topic with her mother, the one that she knew would probably make her mother angry. But maybe it was better to save that one for another day, she reflected quietly. Her mother could meet Kouga and form an impression free of that information, and hopefully it wouldn't be broken when she found out.

"I was going to go over to Ayumi's for awhile to work on something. Is that alright?"

"That's fine sweetie. Just remember to call and let me know if you'll be home for dinner."

"Yes mom," Kagome said, watching her mother gather the plates and go back into the kitchen. Quickly jogging back up the stairs and to her room, getting ready quickly and throwing her books and notes into her old school backpack before running back downstairs and calling out a hasty goodbye, pulling on her shoes as she went.

It was beautiful outside, the sun was warm on her skin and there was a light wind that blew across her skin. It wasn't Hokkaido, and she felt something strangely akin to homesickness, as if she'd made her home there in the few weeks she had been staying on the island. Sighing softly, she walked down the shrine steps and along the road, holding her bag straps and looking at the world as she passed it by.

Several people were walking in the area, enjoying the day. People walking their dogs, moms pushing strollers, girls walking in small groups giggling loudly and talking about boys. The bucolic peace was lazy, perfectly in time with summers Kagome had spent before. Except it felt too slow, too peaceful, and she felt antsy for some reason. Picking up her pace, she was practically running by the time she turned at the third block and continued until she reached Ayumi's house five blocks away, taking a sort of pleasure in the burn her legs felt.

Knocking on the door, she tried to calm her breathing, frowning as a stitch began to flare to life. The front door opened, Ayumi staring at her, still wearing her pajamas.

"You're early," Ayumi told her, stepping aside to let her in.

"I figured we could study," Kagome mumbled, trying not to gasp for breath. Reprimanding herself for being out of shape, she followed Ayumi up to her room and sat on the traditional futon mattress.

"I was looking on the net last night. There are some online practice tests for the permit. I figured we could study some and then do those."

"That would be good. It would let us know if we're not getting something," Kagome told her. Ayumi nodded, walking over to her desk and pulling a notebook from the shelf and pens from a cup holder before walking over and sitting next to Kagome.

Both girls began taking notes and taking turns reading aloud to eachother, pausing every now and again to ask questions or make a note in their notebooks. Kagome realized that riding in the city was going to be vastly different from the track, and wondered if she or Ayumi were up to the task. While she had a motorcycle waiting for her, Ayumi didn't, and splitting practice between one would be difficult, especially when it was staying at Kouga's, and the book reiterated, again and again, that constant practice was necessary.

Hoping to figure something out later, Kagome focused on the part of the book that talked about weather conditions, trying to imagine everything from rain to hail, and shuddering when she imagined hail hitting her helmet.

"It is a bit much, isn't it?" Ayumi asked quietly.

"I never thought there would be this much involved with riding," Kagome groaned, leaning back against the wall behind her and rubbing her eyes. "I have no idea how I'm even going to be able to pass the test."

"We could try the practice tests," Ayumi suggested. "It can't hurt anything."

"I guess," Kagome agreed, readying herself for a resounding failure as Ayumi walked over to her computer and opened her internet browser. She clicked a bookmarked link and Kagome watched over her shoulder, waiting for the page to load.

Two clicks and they were staring at a practice test, the first question make Kagome blink stupidly.

"What are the requirements for wearing a helmet?" She asked, voice raising an octave.

"Maybe it gets harder as it goes along?" Ayumi guessed, clicking the third answer, all passengers and riders must wear a helmet at all times' which, as Kagome knew it would be, was correct.

Ayumi's assumption was only half correct, in that the questions got harder. Marginally. Both she and Kagome agreed each time, within moments, what the proper answer was, and each time, the website gave a green telling them that they had been correct.

"Maybe this is why so many people on motorcycles wreck," Kagome muttered. "The test is so easy."

"I thought it would be a lot more difficult, especially considering the amount of information in the book Kouga got you."

"I know, right? Maybe someone should petition for an overhaul of the test itself. I don't even understand how people fail this," Kagome muttered as she pointed to the second answer for the next to last question. "If this is what the actual test is like, then there's no way we can fail. It's all common sense stuff."

"Maybe the world is short on common sense," Ayumi observed, clicking the answer and going to the next question after a green light had flashed. Kagome made a rude sound, truly shocked at the simplicity of the test. There had been a few questions based on traffic laws, and a few based off of emergency situations, but most of it seemed to apply to common sense areas, such as how to carry a passenger and how to become more visible to cars.

"Want to go take it tomorrow morning?" Ayumi asked. "We can take the bus to the DMV and take our tests early, that way we get them out of the way and can tell the guys."

"Sounds good to me," Kagome said, walking back over to the futon and sitting down, eyes on the ceiling. "I wonder what they'll say."

"I'd like to think they'd be happy," Ayumi said, coming back to sit next to Kagome. "After all, you definitely need it, and I would like to learn, although I'll have to get a bike."

"We can trade off," Kagome told her friend, wondering if Ayumi would be gifted with something as large as a motorcycle. If she was, there would be no denying that there was some sort of attraction or that they were intending to bring her in as pack of some sort. And like before, Kagome didn't believe it was simple friendship. But she wasn't willing to push Ayumi on her thoughts again, remembering the conversation in the hotel.

"Kouga told me to call him around noon or one to grab some lunch. Want to join us?"

"Sounds good. I can't believe I'm studying during summer break," Ayumi sighed, getting up and walking over to her closet. "Do we need our helmet and jackets?"

"Probably not. Kouga made it sound like they've all been working on something, and lunch would be more of a break than anything."

"Well it's after twelve now, better figure out where he wants to meet us," Ayumi sighed, quickly changing while Kagome pulled her phone from her bag and dialed Kouga's number. Three rings passed before he answered. She could hear two people arguing in the background, one of them sounding like Ginta. The other however, sounded nothing like Hakkaku.

"Is everything alright? I can call back," Kagome offered.

"No, it's just a pissy customer with more money than sense," Kouga growled. "Any idea where you want to eat?"

"I've really only eaten in Shibuya," Kagome admitted quietly.

"If you want to go there that's fine. I just need to get out of the shop, the guys too."

"Ayumi-"

"That's perfect, she'll calm the guys down. Hakkaku's already stepped out to avoid torching the asshole."

Kagome wasn't sure what to make of that at all, especially considering Hakkaku was the calmer of the two, at least it had always seemed that way to her.

"We can meet outside of the 109 building and see what's there," Kagome offered.

"Wonderful. See you soon, I need to go take care of this," Kouga told her, not waiting before he hung up. Kagome pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it for a moment, completely dumbfounded.

"They're having a long day," She finally said, seeing Ayumi's questioning glance. "Or a bad customer."

"Oh, so are we still going?" Ayumi asked, seeming to sag at the possibility that lunch had been canceled.

"No, we're going to meet them in Shibuya. It sounded like they needed to get out."

"Oh. I wonder what the problem was," Ayumi wondered. "But if we're going to meet them, we need to get going."

"Yeah," Kagome said, getting up and stretching before grabbing her small wallet and slipping it into her back pocket and following Ayumi downstairs. "It's still strange, I heard Ginta yelling in the background, and even Hakkaku was mad."

"Really?" Ayumi asked, spinning on her heels and regarding Kagome through shocked brown eyes. "Upstairs."

"What- why?" Kagome asked as Ayumi began pushing her back up the stairs.

"If it's that bad they need something."

"Need what?" Kagome demanded as she tried not to trip up the stairs and fall face first into one of them. Ayumi's sudden shift in demeanor left her mentally listing, wondering what was going on as she was fairly shoved into the bedroom and Ayumi walked for her closet.

"We're almost the same size," Ayumi said, opening her closet and pulling out a sun dress.

"I know, but why does that matter, and why are you changing?" Kagome asked.

"We are changing."

"Why?"

"Because the guys are in a bad mood."

"I'm still not seeing or understanding your logic."

"Cute girls make guys happy," Ayumi giggled.

"You've been talking to Yuka, haven't you?" Kagome asked.

"Not funny. Now change."

Kagome reluctantly accepted the skirt and tank top Ayumi held out on hangers, grateful that the skirt was a modest knee length, flowing when she pulled it up her hips and zipped the side. Ayumi was pulling on a sundress and humming spinning once. The sundress flared and she giggled happily. Kagome watched, a brows raised in speculation.

"I love skirts that do that," Ayumi explained. "That one does too."

Kagome spun experimentally, watching the skirt rise and twirl with her movement.

"Fun, isn't it?"

It was, and slightly addictive, because Kagome couldn't stop herself from doing it again, giggling as she did so.

"Come on, we need to get going," Ayumi reminded her, offering her a pair of sandals, which were almost perfect, maybe a half size too big for her as she slipped them on and ran down the stairs behind Ayumi.

"Wait, wallet," Kagome groaned, running back up the stairs.

"I can carry it in my purse," Ayumi called up after her as she dashed back in the room and pulled her wallet from her jeans, then running back down the stairs, stumbling over the sandal as it slipped and falling down the last three, catching herself on her hands.

"Same clumsy Kagome," Ayumi giggled as she helped her up. Kagome blushed hotly, handing her the wallet and rubbing her hands, which had gotten a mild case of carpet burn.

"You'd think I'd have gotten over that with learning to balance on a motorcycle," Kagome muttered as they walked outside. Ayumi shrugged, shouldering her purse and heading for the bus stop, where two other people were already waiting. An older woman smiled at them kindly, working on knitting, and a teenage boy gave them both appraising an appraising once over.

"I feel silly," Kagome admitted.

"Why?"

"Dressing up like this."

"You're not really dressed up," Ayumi told her. "It's just looking nice instead of showing up in jeans. Kouga will like it."

"So why did you dress up then?" Kagome asked, immediately wishing she hadn't asked when Ayumi's smile faltered. But as if it hadn't wavered, she straightened and tilted her head, smile firmly back in place.

"All guys like having a cute girl around, even if they're not involved with her."

Kagome said nothing, wondering what that moment had been, and what it was she had seen, or not seen, in the moment that her friend's easy going smile had wavered. Resigning to a more in depth conversation later, when going to go see the topics of that conversation didn't loom, she waited patiently, silently, for the bus to come.

For most of the ride to Shibuya, both she and Ayumi were mostly silent, each lost in their own thoughts. But as they drew closer, an older gentleman got on, and Kagome couldn't help but notice him staring at her intently. At first she thought it was just a passing glance, maybe even a mild curiosity. But the longer the bus ran, the longer he stared, and the more uncomfortable she began to feel.

Shuffling closer to Ayumi, she noticed that her friend had noticed the stranger staring as well, and Kagome didn't protest when she felt her friend's hand searching for hers, clinging to it tightly and lacing their fingers together. The man did nothing, and his expression didn't change at all. He continued staring, almost as if he was studying her. It was an eerie feeling she didn't like in the least, and she regretted her decision to give in to Ayumi's demand concerning her clothing.

When their stop was announced, she tugged Ayumi forward to the entrance and quickly stepped down, tugging her friend with her. Breathing out a sigh of relief, she almost relaxed when Ayumi crowded next to her, hand tightening to the point Kagome flinched, pain shooting up from her carpet burned palm to her fingers jolting from being crushed between Ayumi's.

"He's following us," Ayumi whispered.

Knowing they would look slightly out of place, Kagome didn't care as she began to walk at a fast clip for the 109 building, casting out her senses and looking for Kouga. She couldn't feel him anywhere, but she knew that didn't mean anything, not if he was cloaking his aura, as he had before. Hoping to catch his attention, wherever he was, she let her own ki flare, hoping he would pick up on it.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw the man had picked up his own pace, brushing against people and not even taking the time to apologize. Knowing then that he was following them, she tried to send her aura out further, hoping that the distress she felt communicated through the waves she sent out.

"Kagome, do you know him?"

"No. Just keep walking. We might be able to lose him."

But the stranger stayed on their trail, and Kagome hoped that whatever it was he wanted, he wouldn't try in a crowd. Panic clogged her throat, kept her from turning and demanding to know what he wanted. Ayumi's fear, translating easily through her tight grip and the way she stayed close to Kagome's side, only worsened the feeling.

They were almost to the intersection, clogged with people, when she heard the tell tale roar of motorcycles. Praying it was Kouga, she walked faster, redoubling her efforts as they rushed for the intersection. She turned again, saw the man catching up to them, looking younger, hungry. Afraid of that look, recognizing it from a hundred youkai and humans she had come across before, each wanting the jewel or her, she sent out a panicked plea.

And jumped back form the edge of the sidewalk when a motorcycle came to an abrupt halt next to it, Kouga yanking his helmet off, concern etching his features into a frown.

"What's wrong?"

"Someone was following us," Ayumi started, voice trembling. Ginta and Hakkaku came in at that exact moment, one following the other as they stopped their bikes next to Kouga's.

"Where?" Kouga demanded, voice rough. Kagome turned, pointing in the direction of the man. The stranger had stopped, eyes wide, as if he'd been hit. Kagome could feel waves of Kouga's youki pulsing out angrily, buffeting against her skin as he did something, what it was Kagome didn't understand. But the whole world passed them by, as if nothing was happening. But she felt...Something. Like a physical wind needling into her skin.

And the stranger's expression gave away that he felt it as well, panic lacing with anger as he stumbled back into other pedestrians before turning and shoving past other people, running away.

"What, who was that?" Kagome asked, pole axed as the wind died down around her, leaving her whole body tingle as if it had fallen asleep.

"Smelled like incense," Ginta muttered, pulling off his helmet.

"Otoroshi," Kouga growled, still glaring in the direction that stranger had gone.

"What?" Kagome gasped, looking in the direction the youkai had run off in and then back to Kouga. "Kouga-"

"I can explain somewhere else," He told her, voice tight, then looked down at her. "You don't have your helmet."

"We thought you all would be busy, and we were only going to get lunch," Kagome started, feeling stupid for leaving them behind when he let out an exasperated sound. "I'm sorry," She added meekly.

"No, it's not you," He told her, gaze softening. "I'm glad you're alright. And that, whatever you did. You did good."

"Guys, we need to park," Hakkaku said. Kagome didn't want to leave Kouga's side, not when the Otoroshi, whatever it was, was still out there, and wanted her, for whatever reason.

"I will be right back," Kouga promised. "Stay right here. And if it comes back, if anyone approaches you that you don't recognize, run and do what you did before," He commanded sternly.

Kagome nodded, not opening her mouth because she was sure a distressed sound, something unearthly, would erupt as she watched them all pull away from the curb and weave through traffic. Ayumi said nothing, but Kagome could feel her friend trembling despite the warm summer sun bearing down on them.

Keeping her eyes on the crowd, she looked for anyone staring at her or coming at her purposefully. It was a tense, nerve wracking wait, one that had her counting each second, growing colder by the minute.

Kouga was easy to spot as he came closer, his aura still swelling impressively, Ginta and Hakkaku's rolling beneath it, like wind beneath lightning as they walked purposefully toward them, frowns on their faces. Wondering if they had come across it after parking, Kagome walked towards them, pulling Ayumi along behind them.

It wasn't until Ginta threw an arm over Ayumi's shoulder that Kagome felt the pressure on her hand ease, then release completely as Hakkaku came to her other side, his arm going over her shoulder to rest on Ginta's. Kouga did the same, pulling her close to his side in a protective embrace.

"Kouga-"

"Not here," He sighed. "Some place with fewer people."

They were in Shibuya, one of the busiest districts in Tokyo. She had no idea where they were going to find any place remotely appropriate for a conversation. But Kouga seemed to know a place, walking down the sidewalk and directing her to take a corner before they walked two more blocks, the road dead ending in a park.

There were people scattered about, but they were all far apart, islands of activity beneath trees or in the direct sunlight. Kouga walked them to a large oak, letting his helmet drop to the ground and sitting, tugging her down into his lap.

"I'm glad you're safe," He whispered, hugging her tightly.

"Who is Otoroshi?" Kagome asked as Ginta and Hakkaku spread their jackets on the ground for Ayumi to sit on.

"Not who, what," Ginta muttered.

"One of the few youkai comfortable on holy grounds," Hakkaku added.

"They usually stick to shrine grounds," Kouga sighed. "I don't know what one was doing here."

"But what is it?" Ayumi asked, eyes wide as she hugged her knees to her chest.

"They're said to devour the impious and the blasphemous."

"What?" Kagome asked, completely confused. "But why would it try to come after me?"

"You're a miko," Ginta said, almost delicately. Kagome still didn't understand, looking to Kouga for clarification. Nothing was forthcoming, only reinforcing the feeling of dread that had been tightening around her throat, making it difficult to breathe.

"To most that can see, it's obvious you're, ah, seeing a youkai," Hakkaku tried.

"What?" Kagome asked, feeling stupid.

"It's a sort of psychic scent, I guess," Kouga groaned. "It's inevitable when- It's noticeable," He finished flatly. "And an otoroshi would see a miko choosing a youkai as blasphemy."

"It wanted to devour Kagome?" Ayumi asked shrilly, making all of them jump. Hakkaku turned to her, taking her hand and making quieting sounds. Kagome felt Kouga's arms squeezing her again as he released a long, frustrated sigh.

"Can't I just purify it, if I have to?" Kagome asked quietly.

"I don't know," Kouga admitted. "It can live peacefully on shrines. I'm not sure reikon has any effect on it."

"I live on a shrine. You walked onto it, you came into my house," She said, dots connecting in her mind. "That doesn't make any sense."

"There's more than one there," He admitted quietly. "But I didn't see them, only feel them. I don't know why they let me pass, I honestly didn't think too much about it. It's been a long time since I've come near one, but they're rare these days, and they've never been particularly strong."

"Do you think it'll try to go after her?" Ayumi asked, more calm than she had been moments before, but still visibly on edge.

"I don't know. They don't normally leave their homes unless they're chasing someone that defiled the shrine they live in."

"Do you think it was from my home, and following me?"

"When did it get on the bus?"

"Halfway down the line," Kagome told him. "We were coming from Ayumi's, she's only a few blocks from me."

"Then I doubt it. The behavior just doesn't make any sense."

"We've been out of the loop a long time," Ginta sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "Maybe they've changed with the lack of shrines. Maybe he was displaced. I've never heard what happens to one if it's home is torn down."

"That could be it," Hakkaku agreed thoughtfully. "It's the only thing that makes sense anyway. Maybe, maybe we could ask one."

"Oh yeah, because I'm going to waltz up to one and offer myself up," Kagome snorted.

"But the ones in your home didn't disturb you," Ginta tried. "And the youki would still have been present when you got back. It takes a while for it to fade. So obviously the ones at your shrine see something differently."

Kagome leaned into Kouga, sighing heavily. Of all the things that could have occurred, a youkai coming after her was the last thing she had expected, especially in the present era. That it was a youkai that wanted to hurt her for being with Kouga only scraped against a long forgotten nerve, one that had always been tender, given the attitudes she had come across in the feudal era.

"I want to do it. I want to figure out what's going on," Kagome said, proud that her own nervousness didn't echo in her voice. "Maybe they can tell us how to stop it, if my powers won't work."

"Well, didn't want to go back and deal with that piece of crap in the shop anyway," Hakkaku announced.

"The otoroshi will be easier to handle than that asshole," Ginta agreed.

"You're not-" Kouga began.

"Pack sticks together. Besides, it might try to go after you and Kagome, but it has no reason to come after us. And who would say no to extra hands?" Ginta asked.

"Except a headstrong idiot," Hakkaku agreed, voice meditative.

"I'm not leaving Kagome," Ayumi announced quietly.

"Now wait," Kagome began, stopping when Ayumi gave her a stern look, one that reminded her far too much of her own mother.

"I'm not leaving you."

"Ayumi," Ginta started.

"It's not safe for-" Hakkaku began.

"Kagome is my friend," Ayumi interrupted. "And she didn't have us when she was going to the past. I'm not going to let that happen again. I am not leaving her." Every word echoed with finality, and Kagome knew that while it might be dangerous, Ayumi wasn't blaspheming. At least she didn't think so. Which meant, hopefully, nothing bad would happen to her. And she couldn't help but feel humbled in the face of Ayumi's determination, knowing how frightened the other girl had been before.

"Thank you," Kagome murmured softly, taking Ayumi's nod as one of acknowledgment.

"No time like the present, I guess," Ginta sighed.

"But there's a problem," Hakkaku added.

"What?"

"We can't take you guys without gear," Kouga growled. "I'm not going through Tokyo with you on back knowing some of the psychotic assholes around here."

"We could all take the bus," Ginta began.

"You can't leave your bikes here," Kagome protested. "Who knows how long we'll be, or if we'll even be able to come back today? They could be stolen or impounded."

"I'm not leaving you alone," Kouga growled. "That thing probably didn't go far, and I'm not going to let it catch you without protection."

"One of us can go get the truck and hitch it to the trailer," Ginta finally said.

"It wouldn't take too long, at least to get to the shop, and we can drive to Kagome's."

Kagome nodded, finding no fault in the idea. It wasn't expedient, and she wanted to go find whatever otoroshi lived in her shrine that very second, but leaving the motorcycles in a busy area like Shibuya for hours was asking for trouble, and she wouldn't bring any more than they already had.

"I can go get the truck. I'll be back soon," Ginta volunteered, standing quickly.

"Don't forget your jacket,' Ayumi reminded him, shifting and handing it to him. "Be safe."

"Always," He joked, pulling the jacket on and zipping it up before accepting the helmet Ayumi held out. He walked away with quick, tight strides, belying his carefree remark and farewell. Everyone watched him go silently before turning back to one another, faces neutral.

"It's so strange, to suddenly know about all of this," Ayumi admitted.

"Ayumi, it's alright. You don't-" Kagome began.

"No," Ayumi said, eyes snapping to meet her own. "I meant what I said Kagome. When you told me about what happened, I felt badly that you couldn't tell us, that we couldn't really be there for you. You're my best friend. I- I don't want it to be like that time. We're friends, and friends are there for each other."

Kagome's throat tightened dangerously, eyes suddenly burning. The belonging feeling she had gained in the course of a month intensified with Ayumi's quiet declaration. That one of her childhood friends, her human friends, accepted her history and her life so easily, refused to run away when something clearly frightened her, meant more than Kagome could have fathomed.

"Thanks," Kagome mumbled again, determined not to cry.

"Kami, you're both going to start bawling, aren't you?" Kouga asked gruffly. Kagome elbowed him gently in his stomach, the tears beginning to recede at his seemingly callous statement.

"Jerk," She mumbled, leaning back into him.

"That was pretty rude Kouga," Hakkaku said, but he was smiling as he said it. Kagome knew both males had been getting uncomfortable, and that both her and Ayumi's moment had probably been too emotional, too open for both of them.

"Like a goddamn chick flick," Kouga grunted as Kagome elbowed him again.

"You know what that means though?" Hakkaku chuckled.

"What's that?" Kouga asked, shifting to accommodate Kagome more easily in his lap.

"Ayumi just claimed Kagome."

"I-I what?" Ayumi asked, eyes widening.

"She did," Kouga agreed.

"But I just told her she was my friend," Ayumi stuttered. Kagome cast a curious glance between both chuckling males, wondering if her assumption was correct, if they were insinuating what she thought they were, and what it would mean, if anything, to Ayumi.

"Kagome was claimed as pack in the old days," Hakkaku informed Ayumi.

"I don't understand," Ayumi said, face still a vivid pink as everyone stared at her. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Depends on how you look at it," Kouga snorted, but it held a note of mirth, lacking the edge of anxiety that had been present in his words since arriving in Shibuya. The lack of bite and the added softness of restrained laughter made Kagome relax, even knowing what was out there. She was with her friends, and she was safe.

"What do you mean?"

Even Kagome had to admit that Ayumi's confusion was cute, the girl obviously embarrassed at being put on the spot.

"Well, you pretty much just claimed someone as pack, by our standards. None of us is going to dispute it. And when you claim someone that's already in a pack," He started, trailing off, his delight clearly showing when Ayumi grew even more confused.

"You claim the whole pack," Kouga finished at last.

"Huh?"

"I think they're telling you, in their wonderfully confusing way, is that you're pack now."

"Like Kagome."

"Pack?"

"Ours," Kouga informed her. "Like family."

Ayumi blinked obliquely, the words not seeming to register at first. When they did, she cast a shy glance at Hakkaku, and then at Kouga and Kagome.

"You don't mind?"

"We didn't dispute it," Kouga told her. "Which means we're good with it."

"What about Ginta?" She asked, looking to Hakkaku. Kouga didn't restrain a half choked snort, something that, had the others not been there, Kagome was positive would have been laughter. She also knew she would have made a similar sound, had it not been for Ayumi's presence.

"He's alright with it," Hakkaku supplied.

"Oh," Ayumi said, looking back down at her knees.

"Don't worry, it's not like the old days where you have to go make a kill and present it to the alpha," Kouga told her, voice slightly rough.

"You never made me do that," Kagome pointed out, hoping he was joking.

"Didn't need to. The birds of paradise."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh," Kouga laughed.

"Birds of paradise?" Ayumi asked, confused once again.

"I could always let Hakkaku have this one," Kagome offered, seeing the youkai mentally bouncing and waving his hand in the air like a child in class with the answer and desperately trying to be picked.

Hakkaku's rendition of events varied not only from Kagome's, but apparently Kouga's as well, both of them sputtering and choking more than once, especially when Hakkaku described how Kouga swept Kagome off of her feet and took her to his cave, brows waggling so suggestively even Ayumi was blushing as she giggled. The story was spun to be humorous instead of frightening, and Kagome mentally thanked him, knowing it was helping to ease the tension and anxiety of what awaited, and almost completely obliterating Ayumi's fear.

Wondering if the ookami had mentioned the addition of pack as a way to divert her attention as well, she leaned shifted in Kouga's lap, leaning her head against his.

Hakkaku was impersonating a jealous, angry Inu Yasha when Ginta strode over to them, waving his arm. Kagome got up, offering her hand to Kouga, half expecting him to ignore it. But he accepted the offered contact and got up, grabbing his helmet and walking next to her, not letting her hand go as they followed the others over to Ginta.

The tension began to return as the youkai loaded their motorcycles into the trailer and dropped their helmets and jackets inside. Ginta and Hakkaku got into the back, Ayumi seated comfortably between them in the spacious seat, and Kagome got in the front with Kouga, who started the truck and pulled into traffic with ease.

The only saving grace during the drive and the traffic that slowed to a snail's pace was Hakkaku's announcement that Ayumi knew she was pack, which in turn delighted Ginta. Both began aping Inu Yasha and Kouga from the feudal era, poking fun at how they had acted and how difficult it had been to keep up with Kouga back then. As if determined to keep the atmosphere light, they made bigger and bigger fools of themselves until even Kagome was giggling, turning in her seat now and again to add in some tidbit they had missed.

At some point during the drive, Kouga had grabbed her hand, holding it on the center console and stroking the inside of her palm with his thumb. She squeezed it now and again, finding a reassurance in the contact as he left Shibuya and it's bustling crowds behind and drove into the outer limits of downtown, going deeper into the suburbs.

When he parked near the shrine, silence descended, stifling in the cab of the truck.

"Come on guys, I want to get this over with," Kagome announced firmly. The others nodded and they all got out of the truck. The walk was short, and they closer they got, the more Ayumi gravitated to her. Unwilling to repay her friend's loyalty with any sort of distance, Kagome wove her fingers through Ayumi's and held her hand, saying nothing when Ayumi's grip tightened.

"Why do shrines have so many steps?" Ginta sighed. "It's like they don't want people to come."

"Maybe it's to make sure only the truly devout come?" Ayumi guessed. "Or to keep the priests in good shape. They do sit a lot, don't they?"

"That makes more sense than some of the stuff my brother and I used to guess," Kagome laughed. "And it did keep us in good shape when we were going up and down them every day for school and to see people. Sweeping them was a major pain though."

"I remember," Ayumi laughed. Kagome knew it was nervous babble, anything to keep their minds from running away and projecting the worst possible outcome. When they made it to the top, Kagome looked around, casting out her senses and searching for the presence of youki.

"I don't feel anything," She admitted.

"They're here. There are four."

"Four?" Ayumi asked, voice trembling lightly.

"One for each building," Hakkaku observed.

"That's how it normally is. Looks like the house got one too."

"Where are they though?" Kagome demanded. "How can I get them to talk to us?"

"I guess we try to enter one of the buildings."

"Won't they try to hurt Kagome though?" Ayumi asked.

"That's why we're here," Kouga replied confidently, striding towards the temple, taking Kagome with him. Kagome followed, barely able to keep up with his steps as they drew closer to the temple. The others followed, their youkai rolling around and over her, meshing with Kouga's. Remembering what she had done before, she let her own ki slip free and curl and twine with Kouga's, hoping it would provoke one of the otoroshi into appearing.

Kouga was on the porch and reaching for the door when it slid open, a loud, shrill scream erupting and startling everyone back.

Ofuda flew through the air, sticking to all of them as her grandfather threw the papers with unerring precision. Prayers sang through the air, echoing as he continued throwing them before stopping abruptly, small eyes growing wide in his wrinkles.

"Kagome? You're not a demon," Her grandfather observed.

Kagome tried to keep a hold on her temper, almost afraid to look at Kouga. His youki spoke well enough for him, annoyance and mild surprise echoing through it.

"Hi grandpa," She greeted through clenched teeth. "You are correct. I am not a youkai."

"I could have sworn I felt the presence of something sinister," Her grandfather mumbled. "Hello everyone. Has Kagome brought you to tour our shrine? It's a very old shrine, very important. We have many stories-"

"Grandpa," She started, peeling ofuda off of her. "You've met Ayumi. And this is Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku."

"Are they demons?"

Kagome knew telling the truth at that exact moment would only result in even more scrolls flying though the air, and when she looked to Kouga, who was peeling the scrolls off of himself with no apparent ill effects, she saw amusement and frustration warring in his eyes, as if he wanted the ordeal to be over as much as she did, but couldn't quite suppress the laughing disbelief that her grandfather provoked with ease.

"Maybe this is a conversation best had with mom," She said firmly, crumpling the last of the ofuda in her hand, forming a large paper ball. "Let's go to the house."

Because one or the other would be delayed, and her mother would find out sooner or later. Her grandfather opted to stay in the shrine to 'find the evil presence' when she began leading them to the house, her face in her hand as she tried to come up with some explanation for her grandfather's behavior.

"Was he for real?" Hakkaku asked quietly, looking over his shoulder as they walked up the steps to her house.

"He seemed harmless enough," Ginta snorted.

"He's crazy," Kagome muttered, opening the front door. "And I'm sorry he did that."

"It's fine," Kouga laughed. "It's not like they worked."

Which Kagome was uttering a thousand mental thank yous for. Whatever force had gifted her with power, they had not seen fit to give it to her grandfather, and that was a blessing in and of itself.

"Mom?" She called out.

"In the kitchen dear," Her mother's voice echoed.

"Ayumi, could you show them to the living room, I'm going to go talk to mom. I'm not sure I want to spring this on her," Kagome murmured, casting an apologetic glance at Kouga. "You know, the tail would probably help."

"No," Kouga said flatly.

"Tail?" Ayumi asked, a smile beginning to tilt up the corners of her lips as her eyes widened in curious adoration. "You guys have tails?"

"Our natural forms do," Ginta said, smiling widely.

"Can I see?" She asked excitedly, walking to the living room.

Though they were out of sight, Kagome could tell when Ginta or Hakkaku, possibly both, revealed that part of their anatomy to her friend, because there was a happy, high pitched squeal of delight followed by loud, adoring cooing.

And a disgusted sound from Kouga.

Steeling herself, she walked further down the hall to the kitchen, where her mother was working on dinner.

"Hi mom," She greeted cautiously.

"Hello sweetie. I didn't expect you back so soon," Nodoka said, chopping some potatoes. "Didn't you have a date this afternoon?"

"It um- I did."

"Did it not go well?" Nodoka asked, putting the knife down and turning to Kagome, wiping her hands on the towel that had been resting next to the cutting board.

"Something happened in Shibuya. It's sort of a long story," She sighed, rubbing her forehead. She had not wanted her mother to meet the others with any sort of situation occurring. In fact, she had been hoping her other would meet Kouga in a stress free environment, with warning. Lots of warning.

"But Kouga and the others are here," She chirruped brightly. "We decided to come back to the shrine."

"That's nice. Are they staying for dinner?"

"I don't know yet," Kagome said, not knowing when, or if, they would be able to talk to one of the otoroshi. It had been mentioned that one guarded her house, and all of them walking in together had provoked nothing, which meant walking into the temple itself might not result in anything but walking in.

"We can ask them then," Nodoka said, face serene as she followed Kagome down the hall and into the living room, where Ayumi was sitting on the couch between Ginta and Hakkaku, her face flush with happiness as she stared down at the tails resting next to each leg. The two ookami were blushing lightly, barely visible beneath their tan skin, but there all the same when they waved weakly at Kagome and her mother.

"Mom, this is Kouga," Kagome introduced first. Kouga was still standing, looking awkward and out of place in her living room. He bowed slightly, eyes widening when Nodoka extended her hand. He shook it hesitantly, as if unsure of the gesture itself.

"It's nice to meet you Kouga," Nodoka said warmly. "Kagome's told me about you."

"She has?" He asked, suddenly looking panicked. Kagome watched as he awkwardly tried to compose himself as quickly as he had let the anxiety slip, and she couldn't restrain the giggle that escaped into the silence.

"She said you make her laugh," Nodoka chuckled lightly, releasing his hand. "I'm grateful my daughter has met someone that does."

"Oh, um, thank you," He mumbled, flushing under her mother's intent stare.

"And this is Ginta and that's Hakkaku," Kagome finished, watching as both youkai stood and shook her mother's hand lightly.

She did not miss her mother's eyes lighting on their tails.

Neither did Ayumi.

"Aren't they cute?" Ayumi breathed, smiling widely.

"Do you," Nodoka started, looking at Kouga, who had not dropped his disguise as the others had. He was visibly hesitant, and Kagome walked over to him, smiling widely and affecting the best cute stare she had.

"Sh-uh, yeah," He grumbled, his disguise fading to reveal his true self.

Including his tail.

"Oh my. I understand now," Nodoka said, a hand coming to her lips to half cover a smile. "And you are an ookami?"

Kouga nodded, blushing under the inquisitive gaze.

"Are you all staying for dinner?" Her mother asked next.

"I think we need to talk about something," Kagome sighed, looking to her mom. "There's a bit of a situation, something we have to take care of."

"Is everything alright?"

"There's a youkai here in Tokyo. It's-" Kagome started, unsure of how to tell her mother.

"It disapproves of a miko and a youkai becoming involved," Kouga finished. "It followed Kagome today, and until it's gone, or subdued, I don't feel comfortable leaving Kagome alone."

Kagome didn't know if it was a mode her mother slipped into, or if her mother was just that good at hiding her true feelings, but she nodded serenely and accepted the explanation without a hint of anger or fear.

"And fighting it here would be safer than fighting it in the city," Nodoka guessed.

"Actually, we were hoping to try and find out information about it, try and figure out how to deal with it without having to use violence," Kagome supplied quickly, not wanting Kouga or one of the other youkai to give the blunt, quick yes that might prove to tip her mother's favor into something less than pleasant.

"Your grandfather is the only one I can think of that would know," Nodoka supplied, her expression questioning when Kouga and Kagome both made a disagreeable noise.

"We've already met grandpa. He covered all of us in ofuda."

"Oh, well, he always had a strange way of greeting youkai."

"He didn't know they were youkai," Kagome grumbled sourly.

Nodoka sighed, although it was an amused sound.

"I need to go to the store to get more for dinner. I suppose I can take him with me while you do what it is you need to," Nodoka offered.

"That would be amazing," Kagome admitted.

"I'll go get him then. Do I need to take Souta as well?"

"If it's possible?" Kagome tried weakly, offering an unsure smile. It felt like she was pushing her luck, but knowing that if her brother came down and saw three ookami, any hope of getting something done would be lost.

"It's fine dear. Just promise to stay for dinner so I can get to know your young man and friends better."

"Yes momma," She nodded as her mother called out for Souta to meet her outside to go shopping.

"Your mom called me young man," Kouga choked.

"Well, it's not like she's really thinking about how old you are, cradle robber," Kagome snorted. "And I told you, the cute animal parts are her weakness."

"Hear that, she called your tail cute," Hakkaku snickered.

"I don't see either of you protesting the fan between you," Kouga muttered, coloring even further.

"Alright Kagome, I'm going to go get your grandfather now, Souta is already outside," Nodoka said from the entrance before walking away. Kagome called out a goodbye and looked to her friends, who all looked out of place in her living room. Groaning, she walked over to the loveseat and plopped down onto it, staring at the ceiling and wishing for a pillow to scream into.

"Could be worse," Kouga said, sitting next to her and pulling her close, until she was tucked into his side.

"How?"

"Well, you could have fallen in love with Sesshoumaru instead," He offered, earning a theatrical shudder not only from her, but from both Ginta and Hakkaku as well.

"No thanks," Kagome muttered. "But you guys are in the house, so the otoroshi is alright with you, I guess."

"Yeah," Hakkaku sighed, tipping his head back.

"I noticed too. Not that I'm going to complain. Explaining that to the crazy old man would have been difficult."

"Impossible. It would have been impossible," Kagome informed them. "But I can't think of any way to get it's attention. I know nothing about them."

"We could always go talk to them," Ayumi suggested.

"We can't find them. Their scents are everywhere, and they're damned good at hiding themselves," Ginta groaned, rubbing his face with both hands and exhaling gustily.

"Can't hurt to just go talk," Kagome told them. "The worst that happens is we look stupid talking to air."

"Anything's better than sitting around," Kouga agreed. "Give your family a few minutes to get some distance. If anything does happen, I'd rather it not happen while they can hear. It's bad enough your mom had to meet me like this."

"She likes you," Kagome informed him smartly.

"Oh, how can you tell?"

"She invited you to stay for dinner."

"Taki did that. And she hated me."

"My mom and Taki are very different people," She snorted. "I'm not sure who would win in a fight."

"Taki, hands down," Kouga answered immediately.

"My mom can outnice anyone, and she's got the patience of a saint. Trust me, I've tried it often enough."

"Taki would eat her alive."

"She would try, my mom would just be nice and sweet and probably confuse her," Kagome giggled, imagining the two meeting. That would be an awkward conversation, maybe even an awkward month, for Taki at least. Kagome wasn't sure her mother knew how to be awkward.

"Fair enough. Maybe we'll have a huge get together sometime," Kouga told her.

"That sounds nice."

"Oh god, can you imagine everyone together?" Ginta laughed.

"Taki really would eat your other friends."

"I might pay to watch that," Kouga chuckled, earning a light elbow to the stomach. "What?" He asked, shrugging. "You have to admit your friends didn't do a lot to endear themselves to us."

"True," Ayumi admitted. "I think they were in love with the idea of a perfect summer vacation."

"They'll be lucky if they didn't bring something back," Kouga muttered.

"They did," Kagome told him. "They went shopping, we all got outfits and everything."

There was a long silence, and curious, she looked up to Kouga's face, surprised to see that not only was he blushing a vivid, bright red, but he also looked highly uncomfortable.

"What?"

"Nothing," He muttered quickly.

"Kouga," She started, voice filled with warning. He was obviously keeping something from her, and she instinctively knew she wouldn't like whatever it was.

"You don't want to know," He muttered.

"Kouga, if something is wrong," She began, eyes narrowing.

"They're fine. I'm surprised they're fine," He muttered, beginning to shift away from her.

"Meaning?"

"I think Kouga means that Yuka and Eri were lucky there were certain things they didn't get on vacation," Ayumi mumbled quietly. "Considering how they were acting with the guys."

Comprehension came down on Kagome like a ton of bricks breaking over her head one by one, and she groaned, covering her face with her hands to hide her blush.

"I feel so stupid right now," She said to no one in particular.

"Don't, it didn't occur to you, and I'm an asshole for bringing it up."

"An honest one though," She sighed. "You're right. Actually, I'm more surprised they didn't somehow get pregnant."

There was another long pause and she shot Kouga a quick, panicked glance.

"No! No," He told her, putting both hands in front of himself as he shifted even further away. "Not that I could tell."

Kagome relaxed, trying not to think about how much sex her friends had been having the last few days in Hokkaido, as if they would never get it again after leaving.

"Maybe now is a good time to go talk to the air and ask if it's listening," Hakkaku pointed out calmly. And then he, Ginta and Ayumi quickly made their way outside, leaving her and Kouga alone.

"I'm sorry. I seem to bring up-"

"Completely valid points," Kagome interrupted.

"Like an ass."

"It's fine. You're only being honest," She sighed, getting up. "It is surprising something didn't, that they didn't- Anyway. They're probably still sleeping off their massive hangovers. Let's just go find one of the otoroshi and get this over with."

She was walking to the front door when his hand circled her wrist, stopping her.

"There is another option," He offered quietly.

"If you're about to suggest what I think you're going to, I will zap you so hard you won't be able to disguise yourself for a week," She told him, turning to look him in the eye. "I have had to deal with youkai far more powerful and frightening than some bigoted spirit. So no, there aren't any other options."

Kouga relaxed, visibly sagging and giving her a small, reluctant smile filled with gratitude. It struck Kagome that in just a few weeks she and Kouga had gone further, grown closer than she had thought, and that the idea of giving him up to appease the spirit wasn't only ludicrous, it hurt to contemplate. That he suggested it infuriated her, made her want to find the spirit and physically beat sense into it.

"I wanted to make sure," He told her, looking unsure of himself, almost awkward.

"I wouldn't have brought you to meet my mom if I wasn't," She told him, smiling cheekily. "Although I'm sorry about my grandad. And my brother."

"Your brother throws sutras too?" Kouga asked as he followed her outside.

"No, he'll just hero worship you."

"I think I can deal with that," Kouga chuckled. Kagome made a smug sound, already picturing Souta harassing Kouga about the past and demanding to see what cool powers he possessed. They spotted the others already standing at the entrance to the temple, waiting patiently.

"Want to try this again?" She asked.

"We could always try having sex in there," He offered.

For a moment Kagome wasn't sure what to say, not only because having sex in her family's shrine, in the shrine her father had served at and been eulogized in, was incredibly forbidden in a very non tempting way, but because they hadn't had sex since the morning after he had claimed her, and that was something that she had spared more than passing thought.

"With out luck, my grandpa would come back and cover us in ofudas before worrying about my virginal integrity," She quipped.

"Probably," He chuckled.

Kagome wondered if he'd even realized what he'd said, or if it had been a joke uttered without any thought to the way that part of their relationship was going. That was to say, not at all.

"So, what now?" Ayumi asked when Kagome and Kouga had joined the trio. "Do we just start talking to it? Like a kokkuri board?"

"Kami, I hope not. Those things are hokey. Contacting spirits and everything just seems like a-"

"Youkai dating you?" Ginta supplied.

"Very funny," Kagome said, rolling her eyes. "Maybe going in the temple would offend them more than going into the house?" She asked, hoping to avoid asking the air questions. Something about speaking to nothingess and making herself look foolish didn't appeal in the least, and she almost hoped going into the temple with Kouga would incite some sort of random violence.

"We can try," He said, taking her hand and walking up to the door again. This time Kagome knew her grandfather wouldn't be waiting, and slid the door open confidently before walking in with Kouga.

"Sense anything?" He asked. She shook her head, casting out her senses and looking for anything, even the tiniest blip on her radar. But she could feel nothing. No malevolence, no youki, not even ill intent or a cold draft.

"Can you find them?" She asked quietly.

"No, the scents are too confused. The incense is killing my head," He admitted.

"Let's get out then. Obviously we're not tempting them into a confrontation this way," She sighed, walking out and sliding the door shut after him. The others watched, expressions neutral, except for Ayumi, who looked faintly relieved.

"Talking to air then?" Hakkaku asked.

"Sure," Kagome sighed. "There's not much else we can do."

"We could always get an exorcist," Ayumi tried, grinning as she said it.

"No. No exorcists. Most are con artists and the ones with any talent would recognize us for what we are, and that is something I am not willing to chance," Kouga muttered. "I'd rather grab a kokkuri board."

"Okay," Kagome announced in a defiant voice, looking up at the sky. "I have had it up to here with youkai messing with my love life. If you are here, and he says you are," She added, looking at Kouga before looking at the sky again, as if addressing one of the kami. "Then I want at least an explanation. It's a youkai like you out in the world, riding on buses and stalking me. I have done my best to be a good miko, and I know I have not always been the paragon of virtue. But I refuse to let anyone call my relationship blasphemous just because it's with Kouga. So a peaceful way to solve this and avoid conflict would be nice," She finished, dragging in a deep breath.

And waited expectantly, as did the others. In fact, there was a solid five minutes of silence where all three youkai scanned the area, eyes darting to and fro, searching the nooks and crannies, especially the higher places. But nothing happened, and nothing answered.

"Someone else gets to try next," She muttered, sitting on the edge of the porch wrapping around the temple.

"Whatever you all think of our relationship, I don't care," Kouga snapped angrily, obviously growing frustrated. "I don't want to kill again, but I will to protect Kagome. If you want to protect one of your own kind, come out and tell us how to solve this!"

Another long silence, and still nothing answered. Kagome focused on the sense of youki around her, feeling Kouga's the most, and Ginta and Hakkaku's beneath it, almost as strong. But there was nothing else. Whatever the ookami could sense, she couldn't. If the otoroshi were there, they were able to escape her detection.

"I don't know why I thought youkai would be cooperative," Kagome sighed, getting up and walking past the others, towards her house. "Most of them are stubborn, mule headed completely arbitrary creatures!" She finished her tirade by shouting at the sky, stalking back to her house.

"I take offense to that," Kouga told her, easily catching up to her.

"Only because you resemble it so much," Hakkaku laughed, although it was a strained sound.

"Kouga? Stubborn?" Ginta asked, voice full of fake disbelief. "Never!"

"Alright guys," Kouga muttered. "Didn't have to run with it."

"They have a point though," Kagome tried, although she was still too frustrated to really laugh. Kouga shrugged, following her into the living room where she sat on the loveseat. He sat next to her, toeing off his boots before leaning against the arm and pulling her into his chest, situating the both of them so that she was cradled between his legs, back to his chest and his arms wrapped around her.

And then there was a camera flash, making both of them jump for it's abruptness.

"The hell," Kouga asked, blinking several times.

"Was waiting for something like that," Ginta chuckled, showing the screen on the digital camera to Ayumi and Hakkaku, who both nodded in approval.

"They're glowering though," Hakkaku said, frowning slightly.

"I'm going to be doing a lot worse if you don't stop," Kouga growled.

"What? I know you would like pictures of you and Kagome to plaster all over the shop," Ginta snorted.

"Maybe he was hoping for the more traditional photo booth type first, then the sweet couch cuddle ones," Hakkaku offered.

"I think he was hoping for one of her on his bike," Ayumi said in a decidedly firm voice, her grin shattering any effect her words would have had. "And Yuka got us these outfits, I think it would be perfect for that sort of picture."

"Ayumi, no," Kagome muttered, blushing hotly. "Yuka is insane and I will never wear that in public. It was a joke."

"You would look like one of those calender girls," Ayumi teased lightly.

"Oh, that sort of outfit," Hakkaku said knowingly, giving Kouga and Kagome both a sly smile. "I think Kouga would like one. Ayumi would have to take the picture though."

"He'd never let a male live after seeing her like that. He'd even keep the picture in his wallet. Or over his be-"

The rest of Ginta's sentence, whatever it would have been, ended with an abrupt yelp, Kouga's boot flying in his direction and landing with a solid thump into the ookami's midsection. Ayumi stared, owl eyed, looking at the boot and then at Kouga, then at the pained expression on Ginta's face.

"He's quick," Ayumi stated simply.

Kouga smiled a smug smile, one that made Kagome roll her eyes, although she couldn't help but laugh a little. The room was mostly silent as she relaxed into him again, bit by bit sinking into his warmth and away from the thought of the otoroshi.

"Until this blows over, you know I'm not leaving you alone, right?" Kouga asked.

Kagome ran through a list of immediate complications, the least of them being that she and Ayumi had wanted to surprise the youkai with their permits and the greatest of which was her mother allowing her boyfriend to sleep under the same roof as her.

"I'm not sure how mom is going to feel about that," Kagome sighed.

"We can do it like a sleepover," Ayumi tried, immediately understanding the dilemma. "Like when we stay here. We'll bring the futons into here and sleep as a group."

"You're kidding," Kouga groaned, tipping his head back. Kagome could feel it more than see it, and she shifted to look at him, wondering if he had been wanting to do something again, now that they had distance between themselves and Hokkaido.

"I'm pretty sure mom will hit the roof if I try to take you to my room," Kagome informed him. "As a group, there's less chance of her trying to brain you with a frying pan."

"Slumber party it is," He commented, voice dry.

"Oh come on," Kagome wheedled, turning until she was facing him. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but she desperately wanted to see his expression. "I want to see what a mutt pile is like."

"You told her about mutt piles?" Ginta choked.

"I can't even remember the last time we did that. Before we left the mountains," Hakkaku added.

"What's a mutt pile?" Ayumi asked, looking at Ginta and Hakkaku curiously.

"Back when the pack was bigger, we'd all sleep next to each other for warmth," Ginta explained carefully.

"It usually ended up as a huge dog pile since no one stayed still while they slept," Hakkaku sighed.

"The sounds so cute!" Ayumi fairly squealed.

All three youkai colored vividly, groaning as Kagome and Ayumi giggled helplessly.

"I could toss you off of the couch," Kouga threatened when the giggles turned into body shaking laughter.

"Then I'd just go sleep in my room with Ayumi and you'd have to deal with the guys trying to cuddle you," She retorted quickly, unable to keep from giggling as she said it. Her comment only earned her a glare when the front door opened. She quickly scrambled to sit upright, not wanting her mother to see her sprawled all over Kouga.

"We're home," Nodoka's voice called out.

Two sets of feet fairly thundered down the hall. Souta, who had grown into a tall, lanky teenager, ran into the room first, eyes wide as he took in the group.

"More youkai?" He asked, looking excited. "Like Inu Yasha?"

"I am not like that sh-"

"Kouga, language!" Kagome snapped. Immediately Kouga stiffened and his mouth slammed shut, his error realized a second too late.

"More youkai!" Her grandfather's voice boomed, or tried too, sounding more like a creaking door opened too quickly. "I knew I sensed the presence of evil!"

"Grandpa don't you dare throw those," Kagome started, glaring at her grandfather. He stopped, sutra filled hands suspended in the air.

"Kagome, he is a youkai-"

"I'm well aware. Kouga helped me defeat Naraku and he is a good youkai," She told him, mustering the most commanding tone she could, given her mortification. It was no easy feat to sound threatening, but she managed somehow, plowing on ahead. "You will not try to exorcise, seal, or purify any of them. Or else you'll make mama mad, since she invited them to dinner."

Her grandfather immediately deflated, the threat of angering Nodoka an even bigger peril than having three youkai in the house.

"Do you have a sword?" Souta asked, gaze swinging between the three youkai excitedly.

"I did," Kouga answered, straightening.

"Where is it?"

"I didn't use it, so I put it away."

Kagome realized that she never had seen Kouga use the sword that had been tucked into his sash, and wondered if it had been a keepsake of his father's or something the leader carried. Maybe it had just been for effect, something to make him look tougher.

"Kagome said the powerful youkai had swords."

"Souta, I was talking about Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru, and they were idiots over their swords," She muttered, flushing hotly.

"That's okay, I got something better," Kouga declared, smiling at her slyly.

"What's that?" Souta asked, looking disinterested. Kagome wanted to smack her little brother, or at the very least, find some way to lock him in the wellhouse. But her thoughts abruptly halted when light flashed next to her, and she blinked to clear the dots from her vision before she saw the source.

"Wow," Souta breathed, eyes going wide and attention firmly fixed on Kouga's hand. A clawed gauntlet gleamed wickedly with it's own light, light glinting off of the surface of each long claw and the chains that clicked together before ending in a cuff.

"I remember that," Kagome murmured. "I never got to ask you about it though."

"The ancestors allowed me to take it. It's the Goraishi."

"Much more fitting for an ookami," Hakkaku said, smiling.

"Wolves don't use swords."

Kagome stared at it, mentally completing the sentence. 'Not like humans.' She wondered what Sesshoumaru would have said to that, but pushed it to the back of her mind as Kouga flexed his hand and the gauntlet disappeared.

"Where'd it go?" Souta gasped, blinking rapidly.

"Dunno," Kouga shrugged. "It didn't come with an instruction manual. I The best guess we got is that it fused with me when the ancestors allowed me to have it. It comes when I tell it to, goes away when I tell it to."

"You make it sound like a machine," Kagome commented dryly.

"Sh-eeahm, better," He said, catching the profanity that almost escaped and awkwardly fumbling.

"So what do you do? Do you fight youkai in this time and kick the bad guys as-erm, butt?" Souta asked, as if catching onto the profanity filter. Kagome looked at her little brother in askance, wondering when he had picked up that sort of language.

"I'm a mechanic now," Kouga chuckled. "Most youkai clans police their own. My pack doesn't cause too much trouble, so I can focus on other things."

"A mechanic?" Souta asked flatly.

"He works on motorcycles, including racing bikes. They all do," Kagome told her brother, less than enthused by his reception of the realities of modern youkai life.

"Motorcycles? Do you race them?"

And there it was again, and this time it was a conversation all three youkai participated in, and Kagome looked at Ayumi, nodding to the kitchen. They both got up and waved the guys off, walking down the hall to join her mother.

"I thought we could have yakiniku," Nodoka said, smiling at Kagome and Ayumi as they entered.

"Sounds good," Kagome answered, remembering the way the ookami ate with her and Ayumi, sharing their food and reaching around. Grilling the food on a hotplate would offer room for manners normally eschewed as rude, and Kagome wouldn't have to worry. Although it would mean chopsticks. She couldn't wait to see Kouga's face when he saw them.

"Did you all find out what you needed to know?" Nodoka asked, handing Kagome a squash to cut up on the spare cutting board. Kagome accepted it and grabbed a knife from the block.

"No. The only other thing I can think of is grandpa, and I don't think he'll be able to help us," Kagome sighed. That and she didn't want to subject everyone to a three hour long story about otoroshi that would have the three youkai rolling their eyes or holding in laughter.

"He might be able to help, depending on the youkai," Nodoka tried, offering Kagome an encouraging smile before seasoning the beef in a bowl.

"Mom," Kagome started, realizing she was about to have the conversation she dreaded while her mother was holding a knife.

"What is it sweetie?"

"Kouga doesn't want to leave me alone while the otoroshi is still out there. I know he's a guy, but we were think all of us could sleep downstairs, in the living room," She said in a single rush of air. Kagome wondered if her mother had been able to even understand what she'd said, she had barely been able to.

"All of you?"

"Ayumi, Ginta, Hakkaku, Kouga and I. That way we're all together if something happens." Kagome hoped it sounded innocent, because it really was. The last place she would attempt anything was under the noses of the pack. Not only would it be utterly mortifying, but she was positive she would never hear the end of it, and youkai had long lives.

"I don't see why not, as long as everyone sleeps downstairs," Nodoka said, turning to look at Kagome, her smile replaced with a neutral expression. "Kagome, how serious are you about Kouga?"

She could feel the blood draining from her face and her brain slowly being replaced with air as she tried to search for an answer. Not because she was afraid to tell her mother she was very serious, but because she knew Kouga and the others could hear, and she didn't want to say something that might upset him for being too cavalier or too serious.

"I care about him, a lot," She finally said, blushing hotly and praying Kouga forgave her for being so vague.

Nodoka continued to stare at her, and Kagome could feel the sweat forming on her forehead.

"Alright," Her mother finally said, turning back to the cutting board.

It was as vague as her own answer had been, and Kagome didn't know if that denoted approval or disapproval. It worried her, because her mother had always been forward with her, and the sudden vagueness was strange and unwelcome, especially at that moment. Chalking it up to her mother's discomfort about letting males sleep in her house, with her daughter, she turned to the cutting board and began slicing the squash, letting Ayumi toss them lightly in the oil mixture her mother had prepared.

When they finished, Kagome called out to the males, all of which walked in, Souta following Kouga. Kagome could almost see the stars in his eyes, and for a moment she relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief. Her brother had obviously latched onto Kouga as a new male role model, and Kouga hadn't gotten too frustrated with him, or if he had, he was hiding it well.

Until Souta spotted Kouga's tail. Kagome saw him reaching forward, saw Ginta and Hakkaku opening their mouths to give warning, but it was too late, her warning turning into a shocked gasp when Souta grabbed it and Kouga stepped forward, pulling the appendage taught.

"Goddamnit!" Kouga shouted, shoulders hunching and hands clenching into fists at his sides. Souta blushed hotly, immediately dropping the tail and stepping back, stumbling into Ginta and Hakkaku, who helped right him.

"Shi-Sorry!" Kouga hastily uttered, looking straight at Kagome's mother, who was staring at him with open mouthed shock. "I'm really sorry, just, umm, reflex," He finished lamely.

His tail had disappeared completely.

"I understand," Nodoka said, voice soft but expression tight. "But please try to watch your language."

Kagome imagined, for a moment, falling face first into the hotplate and diverting everyone's attention away from Kouga's slip.

"Dinner," She finally squeaked, putting the plate of chopped and sliced vegetables on the table.

Kagome could not remember a more quiet dinner in her house. Not even when she'd been studying for finals could she remember it being so quiet. It was almost loud, in a sense, ringing in her ears and making her want to scream, to dance, anything to fill it with something besides the incessant ringing.

"Kagome told me you two met in Hokkaido," Nodoka started.

"Actually, I saw her in Tokyo first," Kouga admitted quietly, voice respectful and bland. "I recognized her too late, and I missed her. I saw her again and she didn't recognize me, so I left. In Hokkaido is when I got the courage to talk to her."

"You talked to me the second time," She reminded him. "I was just being obtuse and not seeing you."

"I probably should have told you my name or something," He chuckled lightly.

"Oh?" Nodoka asked, curiosity obviously piqued.

"I was buying stuff for Ayumi's party and ran short on money. He happened to be in the store at the time, and helped pay for it," Kagome said quickly, not wanting to bring up the subject of condoms after asking if Kouga could stay. With the way things were progressing, she had little doubt her mother was beginning to regret her agreement.

"That's nice," Nodoka nodded before taking a bite of beef. "And you didn't recognize him?"

"I don't normally go in public like this," Kouga explained. I do little things to hide my identity. I offered her a ride home and she said she didn't take rides from strangers. I admit I was being stupid and not thinking, so I left without explaining."

"At least we saw eachother in Hokkaido though," Kagome murmured, offering a small smile. "It made the vacation a lot more fun."

"What did you do?" Nodoka asked. Kagome gave Kouga a warning glance, hoping he would interpret it correctly.

"Mostly went to the beach. I have a friend that lives there and he let us camp out on his land, he has a private lake. Nothing too exciting," Kouga said.

"And you three are all a pack?" Nodoka asked, listening intently.

"We are," Ginta said, not without a hint of pride.

"Kouga is the best leader the packs had seen in a long time, and the youngest," Hakkaku added.

"There are more of you?"

"Most have moved further apart with their own families," Kouga told her, skirting over the truth. "The guys and I started a business together."

"Like you could get rid of us," Ginta laughed.

"He tried a couple of times, foisting us off on women and such," Hakkaku chortled.

"Never gave him the satisfaction."

"Or the peace."

"Or my sanity," Kouga sighed, looking highly uncomfortable.

"You stuck with us when it mattered most, and did your best for the pack. We're not going anywhere any time soon," Ginta told him flatly.

Kagome saw her staring at Kouga, gaze assessing. It was a curious gaze, one with an underlying worry that Kagome couldn't pinpoint, and in a startling moment of clarity, realized she didn't want to. Her relationship with Kouga still felt too new to handle nay saying, and she worried that was what her mother would do, given a chance and some time alone between them.

"You sound like you're doing very well," Nodoka finally said.

"I like to think so," Kouga said, meeting her mother's gaze evenly. Nodoka only nodded and went back to eating. Kagome shifted uncomfortably next to Kouga and, desperate to break the silence that had descended again, turned to her grandfather.

"What do you know about otoroshi?" She asked, knowing she would regret it within five minutes but needing to break the tension. Hopefully her grandfather's antics would help.

"They hang from shrine gates and devour the impious," He said simply. "At a shrine of the faithful, they've been known to breed. Our shrine has one."

Kagome tried not to make a disbelieving sound. According to three super sensitive youkai noses, they had four. Not one. But she continued listening, hoping for something that would make some sense. But with each tidbit her grandfather tried to pass off as fact, the story grew beyond the bounds of believable, even taking her current situation into mind.

"What about ones that have lost their shrine?" Kagome asked quietly, when he was pausing to take a breath.

"I assume they die. Otoroshi are guardians. Without a place to guard, they either die or move on to some place new, I suppose."

Which didn't help at all. Sighing softly, she helped her mother and Ayumi gather the dishes and take them into the kitchen, rinsing them and putting them in the dishwasher. Kagome wanted to ask her mother's opinion of Kouga, but wasn't willing to risk Kouga hearing a possibly negative answer. Not yet at least. She hoped that with some time her mother would warm up to him more. Whatever rough charm Inu Yasha had possessed, her mother seemed to have grown immune to it, and that left Kagome feeling slightly adrift.

"Maybe there are some scrolls in the storehouse," She sighed, putting the last dish into the dishwasher and closing it. "Is it alright if we go and look?" Kagome asked, looking to her mother.

"That's fine dear. I'll get Souta to help bringing the futon down. Did they need anything to sleep in?"

"I didn't even think of that," Kagome groaned. "Ayumi, you can borrow some of my clothes, but I don't think anything we have will fit the guys."

"One of them can go grab their stuff," Ayumi offered, obviously picking up on the underlying tension and speaking softly, as if afraid to provoke it.

"Probably. Are you sure you don't need help mom?"

"Souta and I can get it. You go look through the scrolls."

"Thank you," Kagome murmured, making a swift exit. Hakkaku was already at the door, shrugging on his boots when Kagome walked into the hall.

"Heard you loud and clear. I'll be back soon," He promised, waving before slipping out the door. Kagome noticed that he had changed to a human, half expecting his tail to get caught but seeing nothing there.

Walking into the living room, she saw Kouga and Ginta both sitting on the couch, leaning forward with their elbows braced on their knees and hands bracing their chins. Their poses mirrored one another's so perfectly that Kagome couldn't help but giggle.

"You guys want to help us out? We're going to look through storage to see if there;s anything there."

"Sounds good, Kouga said, although his voice was flat, emotionless. Kagome sighed softly, going forward and tugging at his hand. He looked up at her, eyes filled with genuine worry that made her sigh again.

"Come on, let's go hunt through dust and cobwebs."

"Sounds exciting," He mumbled, although he tried to smile this time as he followed her out. Ayumi and Ginta followed them outside, but when Kagome walked into the small storehouse, they both veered off to walk around the side, giving at least the illusion of privacy as she and Kouga walked in and she pulled the chain for the light, flooding the room in a sickly yellow glow.

"Your mother hates me," He groaned.

"Mom doesn't hate you," She promised softly. "She just doesn't know what to make of you, I think."

"She hates me," He retorted flatly.

"She doesn't. You;re just not what she expected."

"What was she expecting?" He asked, running a hand through his hair and mussing his ponytail.

"Probably something more feudal," Kagome tried. "The last youkai she saw was Inu Yasha, in fire rat robes and with his sword at his side. Not in riding pants and as a mechanic."

"I couldn't exactly keep the loincloth," He muttered, staring at the ceiling. Kagome wrapped her arms around his waist, staring up at him as she squeezed his middle gently. His arms wrapped around her and he leaned down, touching his nose to hers.

"Probably not. Although I wouldn't mind seeing you in one if the mood strikes," She joked, hoping to lighten his mood.

"Fresh out, although I might be able to talk Taki into making something."

"A biking leather cod piece?" Kagome asked impishly, earning a derisive snort. She had no trouble missing the choking laughter erupting from the back of the storehouse, through the wall. Ayumi's giggles joined it a second later.

"She might for shits and giggles. Bet I could get her to make ones to match the armor."

"No!" A voice shouted, and two seconds later Ginta was looking into the storehouse, eyes wide in horror. "You know her, she'd make us model them and get pictures somehow!"

"I could even the deal," Kagome offered. "Ask her to make matching bikinis for Ayumi and I."

"I'm pretty sure if I saw you in something like that I'd die laughing before ever finding it sexy,: Kouga snorted.

"That's the point," She giggled. Ayumi walked in, hand covering her mouth as she tried to smother her own laughter and failed. Kagome gave her a sly smile. "So Ayumi, think you're up to an armor bikini? I bet Taki would make them for us if we promised to pose. Not to mention it would get the guys into the-"

"No way. Nothing doing," Ginta muttered, flushing brightly.

"I might," Ayumi giggled. "If the guys held up their end."

"What end? I'm not agreeing to anything," Ginta said, voice cracking in his panic. "Kouga, do not mention this to Taki. You know what will happen!"

"She wouldn't really do it, would she?" Kagome asked, looking back up to Kouga, who had begun smiling.

"She would," He chuckled. "Taki's got a screwed sense of humor."

"I'll make sure to mention it then," Kagome promised, giggling when Kouga growled and leaned down to kiss her lightly.

The camera flashed again, but neither of them moved apart, ignoring the other two as they nuzzled one another.

"Want to try and find that scroll?" He finally asked.

"Well, since we have an audience and the idea of sending dust flying isn't appealing," She sighed dramatically.

"I can see it now, sneezing with every-"

"You won't finish that unless you want me to tell Kouga what you told me," Ayumi warned. Ginta immediately quieted, casting a wary glance in Ayumi's direction.

"What did you tell her?" Kouga rumbled, looking the slightest bit annoyed as Kagome pulled away and walked over to one of the walls holding the thin boxes used to protect the scrolls from dust and damp.

"Nothing," Ginta supplied quickly.

"I bet," Kouga rumbled, but let it go, walking over to stand next to Kagome. "These each have a scroll?"

"Sometimes two or three," Kagome sighed. "There wasn't enough storage space, so sacrifices were made. Grandpa's system is completely beyond me. I don't even know where to start, I haven't been out here in years."

"I guess we just pick a corner and work our way out," Kouga sighed, staring at the wall and looking more than slightly intimidated by the number of slim boxes awaiting them, then at the second wall.

"We'll start here," Kouga said, pointing to the right corner of the storehouse, where he and Kagome stood. "And you guys start there," He said, pointing to the opposite corner of the other wall of slim boxes. "And hopefully we won't have to meet in the middle."

The storehouse fell into silence after that, the only noise that of the small boxes opening and scrolls rustling as they were rolled open. Most Kagome was able to glance over, skimming through the older print in search of anything related to the otoroshi or shrines, even miko and youkai in general. A great many of the ones she looked through were poems based on different battles fought against human and youkai foes alike, but none of them touched on anything to do with otoroshi.

Scroll after scroll, box after box. Kagome didn't know how much time passed, not paying attention to the open door or the sky outside of it as it began to grow darker, the yellow light seeming to glow all the brighter for the darkness. The other were just as intent, scanning the scrolls they unrolled before putting them back and quickly moving to another.

It wasn't until Hakkaku came back and offered a quiet hello that she even looked up from another dusty text, determined not to sneeze and send dust flying everywhere, knowing it would only start a sneezing fit involving everyone and sending more dust flying.

"Still nothing?" Hakkaku asked quietly.

"No," Kagome sighed. The others echoed her sentiment quietly, but continued reading. Hakkaku joined the others, sitting down and working from a low shelf, easily falling into the silence. Kagome continued devouring texts, some so smudged with time she had to squint to make out the characters before realizing it wasn't what she wanted.

She and Kouga had made it halfway across the wall when Souta walked in, eyes wide.

"Mom sent me out here. It's almost midnight," Souta said in a quiet voice, blushing when he caught Kouga's gaze.

"About earlier, sorry I snapped," Kouga started.

"No, I shouldn't have grabbed your tail. But Inu Yasha was cool with us touching his ears. I didn't mean to hurt you," Souta stuttered, eyes on the floor.

"It's fine. Kagome warned me, I should have listened," He chuckled. Souta seemed to relax, leaning against the door jam, forehead creased in thought.

"You're going to protect Kagome, right?" He finally asked.

"We all will," Kouga told him confidently.

"But you especially, right?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Don't hurt her," Souta warned before turning on his heel and walking away quickly, as if, once the warning had been said, he had lost the courage to add anything else. But the gesture still touched Kagome, who smiled softly at her brother's retreating form before he disappeared around the corner of the temple.

"That's probably one of the sweetest things he's ever done," Kagome giggled.

"He's a good brother," Kouga observed quietly. "But we should probably call it a night, give this fresh eyes in the morning. Pull out the next row of boxes to read so you don't lose your place," He told them. Everyone shifted boxes slightly and left several sticking out, marking their places.

"We need showers. The dust in here smells bad," Ginta groaned as he stood and stretched.

"Musty," Hakkaku agreed, running a hand through his hair and then stopping to check it, realizing too late that he'd gotten dust woven through his hair. Ayumi shrugged and walked ahead of them, leading them back to the house. Kagome reached up and pulled the chain to turn the light off, blinking in the sudden darkness.

"I hope we find something," She sighed as they walked out, closing the door behind her and taking Kouga's hand as he helped her step off of the porch. "What will you do about the order?"

"I want to set the whole thing on fire," He sighed, pulling her close as they walked to the house, taking their time and moving slowly. "The guy saw a ducati and had to copy it, but instead of some chrome and black, he wants the whole thing to be chrome. It's awful. Like a giant ugly metal penis to cruise down the road on."

Kagome couldn't help but giggle at the image as he continued.

"I can't imagine anyone would be able to ride it once the sun hit it, and kami, other drivers, they'd be blinded. It wouldn't be so bad if he would tone it down, but everything that can be chromed, he wants chromed. I want to kill whoever made the bike that inspired it. A bunch of flashy trash."

"But he's a customer."

"And that's the only reason I haven't crashed the damn thing," He groaned. "I told him today it would be at least a few days since we had to take the whole thing apart. I'll make up some bullshit about something of mine breaking and offering to give him a discount or something."

"I'm sorry about this," Kagome sighed, wishing she hadn't suggested Shibuya, that she'd just asked to take a bus to his work or met him somewhere else, like a nice park.

"It's not like you did it on your own," Kouga snorted. "But I'm sorry too. This wasn't how I pictured spending today."

"At least you won't have to sneak in my window," She pointed out, earning a light laugh as they walked inside and closed the door. Kagome locked it, feeling strangely paranoid as she did so, and followed Kouga to the living room.

"We only have one shower," She apologized. "So it might take awhile. "You guys go first, since your noses-"

"Ladies first," Kouga told her, tone leaving no room for argument. "Worst comes to worst, we can use the hose," He added with a fanged grin.

"Only if I can watch," Kagome shot out before turning and walking for the stairs. Ayumi followed her quickly, walking with her into her bedroom.

"You first?" Kagome asked. Ayumi nodded quickly, accepting the simple cotton pajama bottoms and tshirt.

"Thank you, for letting me stay today," Ayumi said, voice so quiet Kagome barely caught it.

"Thank you for staying. It's nice to have a friend that knows," Kagome admitted quietly. "I didn't realize it until you did it, I was so used to keeping it all to myself. Thank you for not freaking out."

"Is it always like this?" Ayumi asked, voice a little louder than before, but still barely above a whisper.

"Dusty scrolls and youkai enemies?" Kagome asked, giggling when Ayumi nodded slowly. "I hope not. I like the peace. Having an enemy again just, it's frustrating. I wanted to introduce Kouga to mom under better circumstances, and I want us to be able to hang out, have fun. Not worry about something coming after us."

"Same here. It's exciting, knowing ookami and being a part of their pack," Ayumi admitted, blushing lightly when she said the latter. "But enemies and hunting through old scrolls for hours, not as fun."

"Yeah. Well, go shower. We need to sleep sometime, and we've got an early day ahead of us."

Ayumi nodded, making an affirmative noise when Kagome pointed at the linen closet for towels. Closing the door after her friend had disappeared into the bathroom, she went to hunt for the most prosaic, least sexy pajamas she owned, going so far as to consider the cow pajamas her mother had gotten her for Christmas, but immediately disregarding them because they were flannel, and would be stifling even if the air conditioning was blasting.

Which left her with her favorite pair of purple pants and a shirt or shorts, which would be preferable knowing she was going to be sleeping next to Kouga, but she knew her mother wouldn't look favorably on them if she happened to see them.

Sighing, she threw her purple pants on the bed and looked for a baggy shirt, pulling one of the ones Kouga had loaned her from her bag and throwing it over it. Which left her with plenty of time to pace her room, trying to figure out if her mother was simply tolerating Kouga, or if it was truly just a case of being surprised and a little put off by the coarse language he'd exhibited.

Groaning, she resisted the urge to fall onto her bed, knowing she would send the dust on her clothes all over her blankets. Growling softly to herself, she ran a hand through her hair impatiently and wished again that things had turned out differently. Her books were still at Ayumi's, so she didn't even have those to distract her, but her helmet was still in her bag on the bed, and she walked over to it, pulling it out of the bag and staring at it.

For a moment she saw her reflection glinting off of the shiny surface and saw herself distorted. Wondering what her mother would say if she saw it, she firmly resolved to keep her motorcycle lessons from her mother until it became necessary to tell her. She had enough to purchase insurance until she found a job when school started, and to pay Taki for new gear, should she need it.

Ayumi knocked quietly on her door, poking her head in and announcing she was finished. Kagome nodded, leaving her pajamas on the bed and grabbing a towel from the linen closet. Her shower was warm,but she couldn't help but wish for Kouga to be in there with her, despite the possible consequences. Knowing it would only make things worse, she kept from using her aura to call to him as she had earlier in the day and quickly bathed, making sure to thoroughly wash her hair twice before conditioning it and scrubbing her skin until it was pink.

Quickly drying her hair, she wrapped the towel around her middle and scrambled across the hall, calling out a hasty done before closing her door. Deciding not to tempt fate, she dressed quickly and finished towel drying her hair before tossing the towel over the back of her desk chair and gathering her blankets in a large bundle and carrying them downstairs, taking care not to trip.

Ayumi was already on the futons, stretched across the two mattresses and hugging a pillow. Ginta was explaining something to both her and Souta, who was sitting on the loveseat, knees pulled to his chest and listening with wide eyed awe. Kagome realized after a moment that Ginta and Hakkaku were taking turns telling the story of the Goraishi as they had seen it, and how Kouga had given up the weapon to save them, and earned the weapon itself for his willingness to put pack first.

She and Ayumi began arranging the extra blankets, listening as the two ookami talked about the three headed guardian and the ancestor's speaking to them. What had been only bits and pieces before became a whole story, and Kagome wondered, if she had heard the story then, what she would have felt about it. At the time she had only been aware of a change in Kouga, but mostly concerning the jewel shards in his legs. In retrospect, she wondered if there hadn't been a shift in his demeanor as well.

"Stop telling fairy tales," Kouga grumbled form the doorway as he walked in, damp hair hanging in rings around his face and shoulders. He was wearing his normal boxers but with the addition of a shirt, making Kagome breathe a little easier.

"Have you got a bag for these, I don't want to send dust flying through your mom's house," He explained quietly. Kagome nodded, quickly running to the kitchen and grabbing trash bags, knowing the armored pants would never fit in a smaller bag. She handed one to Hakkaku, who was heading up the stairs, pajamas in hand.

"Thanks," He murmured quietly. Kagome nodded, walking back to the living room when he said her name quietly.

"Is everything alright?" She asked, going back to the stairs and leaning against the railing, looking up at him.

"It is. I just wanted to say thanks. I heard Kouga offer you an out. Thanks for not taking it."

"I wouldn't," Kagome snipped, somewhat offended that he was thanking her for not doing it, as if he had expected her too. "Kouga-"

"Has had a lot of people leave him. It probably cost him a lot to do that. I'm glad you didn't take him up on it."

It was sincere, heartfelt gratitude, and Kagome nodded, unsure of what to say in the face of the ookami's conviction. Hakkaku nodded once, walking back up the stairs and leaving her alone.

"I heard that," Kouga said, just loudly enough for her to hear.

"I know boss," Hakkaku said, although much more quietly. Kagome chuckled lightly at their antics and walked back to the living room, surprised to see Kouga blushing. Walking over to him and sitting down next to him on the futon, she offered him a smile, one she hoped conveyed the depth of her own gratitude.

"You guys are about to be sappy, aren't you?" Souta asked, making gagging sounds.

"Not now," Kagome laughed. "I'll spare you. This time."

"Good. I don't want to see you making kissing faces at eachother, it's gross."

"Give it a few years," Kouga laughed, leaning back on both hands. Kagome leaned against him, smirking at her brother.

"Souta's already had at least two girlfriends," She informed everyone, launching into the story about her younger brother's first crush, much to the teenager's dismay. By the time Hakkaku came downstairs and Ginta walked out, Ayumi was hugging a pillow and laughing into it as Kagome told them about her brother buying flowers and chocolates for the other girl.

When Ginta came back, Souta was glowing, rebutting every other statement Kagome made, only earning laughter in response. But what shocked Kagome was that Kouga offered his own tips, based off of things he had learned not to do, a great many of them bringing personal memories of their past to mind. Souta seemed somewhat mollified by these pointers, never once asking if they applied to her, and she was grateful. She wasn't sure she could deal with her brother knowing Kouga had claimed her as his woman and kidnapped her, along with calling Inu Yasha every awful name in the book.

"Alright, time for bed," Kouga announced. "You're not allowed to growl at me when I wake you up early."

"I don't growl," Kagome muttered flushing hotly.

"Says you," Kouga snorted as Souta bid them all goodnight. Kagome muttered something uncomplimentary under her breath, but pulled a blanket over herself and didn't protest when Ayumi lay next to her.

It would have been a normal sleepover, except for the fact that instead of Eri and Yuka, there were three youkai. And instead of them cuddling pillows and passing out to the sound of a movie, Kagome could feel Kouga's arm go over her waist and his chest at her back.

"Go to sleep," Kouga commanded gruffly.

"You too," Hakkaku said as Ayumi yawned. Kagome couldn't help but roll her eyes at her friend and giggled lightly.

"Goodnight everyone," Ayumi said in a quiet voice.

"Goodnight," Kagome answered, snuggling closer into Kouga's form. A chorus of goodnights followed. Kagome yawned once and exhaled deeply, eyes drifting shut as she soaked up Kouga's warmth.

And then she was asleep, content that, no matter what else was happening, he was there, and so were her friends.

---

When she felt someone shaking her lightly, she grumbled something under her breath and buried her face deeper in the warmth surrounding her, intent on sleeping. But the shaking grew more insistent, and with bleary eyes she looked up at Kouga, who was giving her an amused smile, rolling his eyes.

"No growling, remember?" He asked.

"What time is it?" She groaned as he got up and tugged at her hand.

"That time. Come on."

She allowed herself to be pulled from the warm futon, limping because at some point in the night her foot had gotten pinned beneath Ayumi's leg. Looking back at the tangle of blankets, she realized she couldn't honestly tell who had slept where anymore, limbs peeking from the edges, heads buried beneath the covers.

"It really is a pile," She observed as Kouga unlocked the door and led her outside into the darkness.

"Told you," He snorted.

"And you guys did that with more people?"

"Yup," He answered absentmindedly, scanning the shrine before nodding. Kagome didn't protest when he picked her up, not even asking before he was launching himself into the air, landing on the roof of the house with a noticeable thump. She prayed they weren't over her mother's room.

Kouga sat and let her shift until she was comfortable in his lap, eyes fastened on the skyline. Trees and buildings rose higher, making it seem like the sunrise was slower in coming as they waited. But little by little rays began to peak over the horizon, the sky turning myriad colors. It wasn't the sunrise on the ferry, but it was still a sunrise, and given the circumstances Kagome couldn't help but savor it.

Even Kouga was relaxing, as if the day before still hadn't occurred to him, hadn't happened as he held her, keeping her warm in the chill of dawn. Kagome breathed a soft sigh, looking up at him and nipping his chin lightly. When he smiled down at her, she felt her heart trip and skip a beat, stumbling almost painfully before he was kissing her, making her forget the sharp pain completely.

"Now that you're alone," A voice said, breaking them apart abruptly. They both looked around, eyes wide as they searched for the owner of the voice. A moment later Kagome felt a spark of...Something. It reminded her of youki, but it wasn't. The owner began to materialize, sitting near them on the roof.

A female youkai, her long dark hair floating around her white clothing and pale face. Dark eyes stared at her and Kouga without any hint of feeling, instead seeming like pools of black in her otherwise white face.

"You're an otoroshi?" Kagome asked, eyes wide as she felt Kouga's arms tightening around her.

"I am the guardian of your home," The youkai said, nodding lightly. Her voice was soft even after she had solidified, as if she had left most of it behind somewhere. "Don't worry. I have no desire to harm you."

"But one of you does," Kouga growled.

"Not any that guard this shrine, ookami. But I do not discount that others do not see as we do."

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked, staring at the beautiful female. She looked more like a ghost than most of the spirits she had seen, and there was something inviting about her, like an old friend she had forgotten.

"We have seen love between youkai and miko before, and observed how the world reviled it. But how could something as sacred as love ever be blasphemous?" The otoroshi asked, smiling softly. "Perhaps it is because of the people we have guarded that all love is a gift, no matter the partners."

"I-" Kagome started, blushing hotly at the otoroshi's words. The word love had not come up in her relationship to Kouga, had not even been something she had thought of. If anything, it seemed too soon, too much to think about.

"In time," The spirit laughed, a surprisingly human, throaty sound given her earlier tone. "All things in time."

"But what about the other one?" Kagome asked, needing to change the subject before she burst into flames in Kouga's arms. She was, in that moment, grateful they weren't able to see each other's faces, because she was sure they'd both die from embarrassment.

"If one of my brethren has been displaced, he will find a new home or fade. It will not take long."

"Define long," Kouga demanded.

"Weeks, if that. Without purpose, we easily become wind. It is the order of things."

"What if he's using Kagome as a purpose?" Kouga asked. "Could that keep him here longer?"

"Perhaps, although it is a self destructive purpose. We cannot devour those blessed, as she has been."

"Blessed?"

"You have gifts that have aided you before."

"But I don't do anything like that anymore," Kagome mumbled, hoping that she wouldn't have to adopt the life of a miko to hold the thing off, whatever it was.

"Your gifts are to do with as you will. Just because you don't use them does not make them any less. You are safe. Should an otoroshi try to devour you, they will be unable to, instead destroying themselves."

"What about Kouga?" Kagome asked.

"Oh, he'll be safe enough," The spirit laughed. "His own spirits guard him well, and gifted him his own gift to protect himself. It lays beneath the skin, ready should he need it. My kind are weak in comparison."

"So you're saying I don't have to worry?" Kagome asked, relaxing.

"You do not have to worry."

"Why should we believe you?" Kouga asked, still tense and holding her protectively.

"Because we have guarded this shrine and this family for centuries. Names change, blood is diluted, but it remains true. We love the people here as much as we love the shrine itself. And we respect the divinity of love. It is a rare thing, and not to be ignored or cast aside lightly."

"Thank you," Kagome murmured. "This helps, a lot."

"You both care very much for one another. In time, who knows how great your love could be. I watched you ache for the hanyou. I would see you given another chance to find your happiness."

Kagome didn't know what to say to that, to a spirit that seemed to have so much vested in her happiness when she didn't even know her, had never even considered her existence before.

"Thank you," She said again, smiling softly as the spirit nodded and began to fade into a dim outline of herself before disappearing completely.

"That was-" Kouga trailed off.

"Unexpected," Kagome agreed. "But not unwelcome."

"Explains a lot," He chuckled.

"Like what?" Kagome asked, brows knitting together at his sudden amusement. After what they had just experienced, she felt like curling into a ball and thanking the kami she didn't have to worry anymore. But laughter, that seemed entirely out of place with the experience itself.

"Maybe it's the spirits here," He told her, squeezing her gently. "Maybe they rubbed off on you, and that's why you seem to find us."

"Maybe," Kagome murmurred, doubting it. "Either way, this means I'm safe, and we don't have to stay glued at the hip."

"Too bad, I was kind of looking forward to it," He joked, laughter rumbling in his chest still.

"Including having to eat dinner with my family every night?" She asked archly, giggling when his laughter stopped abruptly.

"Alright, you win," He sighed. "This means I have to go finish that chrome nightmare, doesn't it?"

"If you want to get paid," She reminded him.

"Breakfast first?" He tried.

"Out. Let's eat out," She told him, laughing as he got up, bouncing her in his arms before jumping to the ground and setting her on her feet.

When they walked in Ginta and Hakkaku poked their heads from under the covers, blinking sleep from their eyes.

"Everything alright?"

"One of the otoroshi spoke to us," Kagome told them softly.

"And?" Hakkaku asked, sitting up quickly. Ayumi groaned beneath the blankets and rolled, pushing them back and looking up at everyone.

"You all wake up too early," She yawned, stretching and pushing herself up. "Did something happen?"

"I'm safe from otoroshi because of my powers," Kagome told them softly. "And Kouga is safe since he has the Goraishi."

"Guess that means no more sleepovers," Hakkaku sighed dramatically. "At least I got pictures."

"You got pictures?" Kagome asked flatly, eyes narrowing.

"I did," Hakkaku laughed.

---

AN: An anon poked at me over on tumblr and so this happened. Thank you anon! Have a happy new year guys!