CHAPTER 2
Kagome groaned as she climbed out of the well in the present time. How was she going to talk to Mama about her scent? Kagome toed her shoes off outside the door and padded into the kitchen silently. She had learned long ago to check the kitchen first since that is where Mama always left notes if she was going to be gone. Sure enough, there was a note on the table stating her, Souta, and Grandpa had gone to visit Mama's cousin, who was giving birth. The date showed that they had left 2 days prior. For once, Kagome was elated that her family wasn't home. Whew, dodged that bullet, thought Kagome as she wiped the pretend sweat from her brow. Tossing her bag into the corner of the laundry room, Kagome headed upstairs to her bedroom. What am I going to do about my scent? I can't wear perfume. Poor Inuyasha gets woozy smelling strong smells. If I wear perfume in battle, Inuyasha might not be able to hunt down the demon. Plus, adding to my scent could make my predicament worse. What if Kouga likes the smell of my perfume and comes around even more? Inuyasha really will kill him!
As Kagome hit the top of the stairs, she began to get some slight cramping from her period. Wincing slightly, Kagome had a flash of brilliance. Ayumi! Ayumi had really bad periods and had bragged about getting on some birth control that was supposed to make her have only 4 periods a year. Spinning around on the top step, and almost tumbling to the bottom when she lost her balance, Kagome raced downstairs and yanked the portable phone of the stand in the hallway. Dialing Ayumi's number as she paced back and forth in the hallway, Kagome muttered prayers and even threw in a plea to Midoriko.
"Hello?"
"Ayumi? It's Kagome. I wanted to know about the birth control you are on. What's it called?"
"Kagome, why would you need birth control? Are you and your boyfriend getting serious? I'm so excited for you! Are you sure you're ready for this step, though?"
"Slow down! My boyfriend and I aren't together right now and I don't want birth control to have sex. I've…I've been having really bad cramps and I thought I would give them a try since you liked them."
"Kagome Higurashi! You are full of crap! You have never had cramps with your period, at least not bad enough to even need a Midol! Tell me the truth girl!"
"…"
"Higurashi! I know you're there. Answer me!"
"Okay, the truth is…I go camping a lot. Yeah, camping! Anyways, it sucks getting my period while I'm outdoors and lacking access to hygiene products. Not exactly a fresh feeling if you know what I mean. I thought if I could get my periods down to just 4 times a year, it would be easier on me and my camping buddies."
"…Makes sense, I guess. However, should you be camping all the time? Remember how sick you used to get in middle school and high school?"
"Actually, my doctor recommended more exposure to the outdoors and fresh air."
"Fresh air? In Tokyo? How do you manage that?"
"Heh,…let's just say the way we camp shows me a whole new Tokyo."
"Okay, whatever you say, Kagome. Want the name of my doctor? It's one of Hojo's relatives. I swear that whole family tree is full of health nuts!"
Thinking of Akitoki, Kagome muttered "You have no idea."
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Sure, I'll take his name."
After getting the name and number, Kagome called and scheduled an appointment. Turns out it was actually Hojo's aunt. Kagome was a little relieved. She wasn't sure what Inuyasha would do if he ever found out she had thought about seeing a male doctor for feminine issues. Her appointment was in two hours (apparently Hojo's aunt had heard of her and was interested in meeting Hojo's friend/health project) and Kagome quickly changed out of Sango's robes and back into modern clothes.
Kagome left her appointment an hour after it had begun and she left with a prescription for Seasonique. Deciding she didn't want to use her normal pharmacy (Grandpa was friends with the pharmacist), Kagome headed to a pharmacy 2 blocks over. The pharmacist handed Kagome her pill pack with instructions to take the pill at the same time every day, and to watch the heat because some people had sensitivity to the heat. Deciding she was better safe than sorry, Kagome grabbed some sunscreen before she left.
Kagome went home and quickly filled a glass with water and took her first pill. Taking the pill packet upstairs, Kagome placed it in the top drawer of her desk, next to her old diary. Running her hands over the cover, Kagome let a sentimental smile drift over her face as she thought of all the entries she had put in there of her imagined future with Inuyasha. Of course, she had been young and naïve then and had freaked out when Inuyasha had tried to kiss her all of those years ago. Kagome thought of that moment and imagined that if Inuyasha had tried that right now, she would grab his forelocks in both hands and tug his face down and she would plant the hottest, wettest kiss on him that she could. She would work that boy for all she could get and when she was done, she imagined standing up, brushing off her skirt, and sitting that dog into a crater for all the crap he's been giving her. She was so frustrated with him, on so many levels. No matter how mad he made her, she was still hot for him. As she had matured, she had begun to appreciate his masculinity, his dominating presence, and holy gods, his body was amazing! At fifteen, she had loved his eyes, and his face, and had loved the image of him in his haori and hakamas bounding after some demon. As she had begun treating his injuries, she slowly got an idea of what he looked like underneath those robes. Those last three years had done wonders for his body (either that or all the ramen she fed him…) and Kagome couldn't help but picture how he looked now.
Two weeks before, he had been injured and Kagome had nagged him until he let her check his wound. Her miko powers had progressed until she could provide some temporary healing relief. Inuyasha had balked at taking his shirts off, but Kagome had deftly tugged them down and off both shoulders before he could protest. He had quickly averted his face, but not before she caught the slightest blush. She had been shocked because he had stopped blushing after a year or so of this routine, but she figured he was caught off-guard with how quickly she had stripped him. Kagome had quickly assessed the damage and let her healing powers hum through her fingers onto his skin. Once she was finished, he had quickly drawn his shirts back up and bound outside to his tree, without ever saying a word.
Kagome lay back on her bed and fantasized about the way Inuyasha's body had matured. His shoulders and chest had broadened; he no longer looked as youthful and slim, but had filled out into the inverted triangle shape that Kagome loved. To her there was nothing sexier than a man with broad, muscled shoulders and a narrow, defined waist. Kagome wasn't too picky about a man's chest, preferring one that didn't bulk out to look like the man constantly had lungs full of air. She preferred a more defined, leaner chest (like Inuyasha's) – it was still powerful looking and felt solid and safe, but it was also just firm enough to be a pillow for her head. Of course, nothing looked better on a lean man than the wiry, ropey abs. Inuyasha's abs had lost the youthful definition – the kind that looked like they were defined because he was merely going through a growth spurt. Inuyasha's had the knotted definition derived from physical activity and training. His pants didn't ride as low as the modern time dictated, but Kagome could imagine what he would look like in a low rise pair of distressed denim with the waistband riding below his pubic bone. She imagined him bare-chested with his arms crossed, shoulders bunching, biceps flexing, and pecs swelling. His abs would look like knotted ropes running down his sides (and Kagome was more than willing to attempt that rope climb) and his belly button would be tight and round and the perfect dimple for her to run her finger into. Kagome had never seen a happy trail on him, but she imagined it would change color when he switched from being a hanyou to human. She pictured it as a light dusting of silver hair, trim and narrow and providing the perfect divination of his superb abdominals. She figured he had the muscular definition tracing his hips, forming the perfect grip for her dainty fingers to grip onto while she lay beneath him. Kagome had definitely thought about what he looked like in a pair of jeans!
Kagome slowly came back from her fantasy and thought about her hanyou. No matter what happened, regardless of how often they fought, she still considered him hers. She had been there for him, had comforted him, been comforted by him, and shown him how to trust others by first placing her trust in him. Kagome thought about what she wanted out of the next three months while her period would (hopefully) be pushed off. Kagome realized she wanted to touch Inuyasha (as evidenced by her detailed fantasy of a jean-clad hanyou) but she wanted to regain the closeness they had when they traveled. She used to sit with him under the night sky and just watch the night float by, or ride on his back as he ran so quickly she felt like she was flying, or even when they just made eye contact at camp and his eyes would soften just that tiny amount. She missed her friend. Kagome vowed to get her friend back as she drifted to sleep.