From Wells and Scrolls
Written for HalfBlackWolfDemon for the prompt "Special Summoning Technique"

It was a week later when Kagome heard the news. Though, "heard" wasn't quite the right action.

It had been another typical late summer day in Konoha. Even though fall was quickly approaching, the air in the village still carried that strange scent of sunshine and the familiar one of mugicha. And to Kagome, if serenity had a smell, it would be that smell. Even after all this time, it was still strange to her that in a world she was never meant to be in, she finally found a measure of serenity.

And living with Sakura was still good. Though it was getting awkward the closer Sasuke and she got. So Kagome used the slow mornings at Ichiraku in order to look through the classifieds in Konoha's new newspaper. If the two of them got any closer, there would be no way Kagome could sleep at night or look either in the face for a very long time.

Normally, Kagome would have a good few hours to herself to look through all the ads and circle the most promising leads on a place near to Sakura's. That was why she was surprised when she heard Naruto's voice coming closer.

Despite her own feelings, she smiled. Naruto just had that effect on people. But for her, not only was he a good friend, but he had such a familiar feeling about him. Again, normally, Naruto wouldn't come by until dinner, usually, or at least a late lunch. But the lunch rush had yet to start. So it was a nice surprise.

Until she heard feminine laughter follow after him.

And she told herself that her heart lurched only because he had said nothing of relationships since they last spoke a few weeks ago. Because that was what friends did: they told.

But the one thing that did not surprise her was that he was with Hinata.

She knew he took advice seriously, if not in his own way, that was why she wasn't surprised. If this helped him figure out his feelings, then so be it. (The hurt she felt inside, she told herself, was just the knowledge that someone might end up being hurt from this experiment of his.) And she smiled through the pain she knew was to come when he announced the news that they were dating.

She laughed and said, "Finally." As did the rest of their friends when the news broke to everyone over the next couple of days.

Unsurprisingly, it was Sakura who first noticed something wrong.

Two weeks after it came out that Naruto and Hinata were official, and just two days before Kagome was to move in to her own apartment, Sakura sprung the question on her as they were packing away her clothes.

"You like him, don't you?" Sakura didn't even bother looking at her, so sure she knew the answer. Which Kagome hated, because she didn't even know the answer herself. Not really.

Instead of articulating that, or that she liked him just fine as a friend, a harried, "What?" fell from her lips.

She could hear the smile in Sakura's voice even though she couldn't see it. "Naruto." And she said it so simply, so confidently. As if his name explained everything right with the universe. (Which, to Kagome, it kind of did. It was just who Naruto was. As simple and as complicated as that.)

This time she shrugged. "He's a really good friend."

Sakura snorted out some sort of laugh. Kagome was positive it was one of the many habits she picked up from Sasuke now that they spent so much time together. "Of course he is. He's Naruto. But you've been avoiding him. Not actively, but…" And for the first time in the conversation, Sakura sighed and lost her confidence.

It made Kagome sit down next to her, because she knew. It was so easy to be confident and tease someone on the surface, but the truly important, deep conversations seemed to open up a vulnerable side to the woman. Kagome knew, because she acted in the same way for the same reason.

"I did the same to him, too, you know. It seems like a lifetime ago. And he made it easier, because he left. For two years. But even when he came back, I still avoided him. Not actively or physically, but like you are. I spoke to him less, and never really about anything important. I couldn't tell if I loved him or Sasuke, or was a horrible person and loved them both."

Kagome sighed and put her hand on Sakura's shoulder. "But we're not talking about love here."

Sakura smiled at her sideways, lopsided and secretive. "Aren't we though?" And then the smile was gone and Kagome didn't know whether it was a good or bad thing. "Look, love is mercurial. People are too, that's why it is. It changes in ways we don't expect, or that we do. Don't shut him out or run away, because then you'll always end up missing out on something. Be it friendship or love."

"I'm not… I'm not running away. I'm just giving everyone some space," Kagome said, even though that defense sounded stronger in her head. And by the look Sakura gave her, she knew it too.

"Just… Don't do what I almost did, and give up. You'll at least miss out on a wonderful friendship. Naruto's loyal and steadfast, if nothing else."

"Yeah," Kagome whispered, more to herself. That was what she was afraid of.

Just so we're all clear, the pairing hasn't changed in this: it's still Naruto/Kagome. But thanks to canon, I can't and don't want to just ignore NaruHina happening. It's kind of hard not to, despite even Naruto forgetting about her for weeks/months at a time. And while I don't ship NaruHina, it just seems to me to be a disservice to break them up "just because" when there are so many ways to do that, especially given the characters they are. It's a relationship that I don't see working or lasting for any long length of time. So bear with me a couple of chapters as NaruHina breaks apart and Naruto/Kagome steps in, in a hopefully natural way.
Like it? Love it? Hate it? Abhor it? Don't be afraid to let me know! And thank you to everyone who reviewed!