Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but I own this story/concept...I am the judge, the jury, and the executioner.
Rated for profanity.
Summary:
There are some things that can be taught and others you can only learn through experience. Some subjects you can master and others you can completely fail at. No one ever said love was easy, but damn, no one ever told Inuyasha it was THIS difficult. Love in his 30's is harder than he thought. Can he get an A+ in the subject of love?
Learn It by Heart
Home 101
A lesson in what truly makes a home a home
I'm a man.
Inuyasha reminded himself as he looked at his reflection in the mirror.
A MAN.
He gently sprayed what was left of the cologne that he typically used. Damn it, he would have to get more soon. Why was this small unconventional setback making him more nervous? He was a man and shouldn't be dripping in so much sweat right now or letting such a small thing impact his nerves.
Mannnnnn.
A man with control over himself and the ability to control his emotions under pressure.
So why the hell am I panicking? !
Beep Beep
"Oh dear God!" Inuyasha clutched his heart as it threatened to leap out of his chest. "She's here."
A week had passed since Kagome had asked him to meet her family. The two had easily agreed to go to her hometown the following weekend. She would come to his apartment in the morning, they'd spend time at her family house, and then they would start heading back by 5pm. If he was lucky, she'd agree to go out to dinner with him again. The week had been fairly normal. The same calls and texts were exchanged along with the same chatting when they had time. The only real difference was that Kagome had eaten lunch with the group on Thursday, stating that she wanted to eat with them when she could. Other than that, the only notable difference was that they were much more comfortable around each other.
The only problem now was that Inuyasha was uncomfortable, very uncomfortable.
She wants me to meet her family.
Were those wedding bells he heard off in the distance?
Ring Ring Ring Ring
Inuyasha pulled his phone out of his back pocket. Sure enough, it was Kagome calling him to let him know she had arrived in case he hadn't heard the beeps.
"Moshi moshi," Inuyasha greeted. "I know you're here, I'll be out in a sec."
"Okay." She laughed as she hung up.
Inuyasha checked himself in the mirror. He wore a simple light green and cream-colored crew shirt with black joggers. He would have dressed up had Kagome not told him to dress extremely casually. She made it a point to say she wanted him to feel comfortable while relaxing at her home.
I look fine, I feel fine. Okay that's a lie, I'm going to throw up. Inuyasha left the bathroom and grabbed his wallet, keys, and gift bag he had prepared.
It was time for him to go. Why did it feel like he was walking to his execution?
As he exited his house and jogged down the stairs, he couldn't help but feel even more nervous. It was bright and sunny outside, though overcast with clouds hovering and floating about. The weather was literally perfect with the sun not beating down on them. Definitely the perfect weather for something good to happen, right?
Kagome stood outside of the car as she waved to him. "This is a pretty nice apartment complex," she said while ogling the place. "I can't believe it's so close to my place, but feels like I'm in a completely different area."
Honestly, it was a pretty good place to live. Despite rent being fairly expensive for the condo he lived in, he liked the area and resources around him.
"Keh, it's not that nice. I'm still on a teacher's paycheck."
Kagome rolled her eyes. "You saw my place, I'm sure you can see the difference between our living situations."
Inuyasha remembered her apartment very clearly. It was definitely smaller than his condo, but it was nice and comfortable from what he saw. Inuyasha patted the car and whistled. "I see all your money is going into this bad boy."
Kagome shook her head as she jangled the keys. "This is a rental, I don't own a car. I typically take the bus into town but I wanted to have a relaxing mini trip with you."
"You didn't need to rent a car." Inuyasha had no idea she had even thought of renting one. When they talked, she had made it sound like she had a car with how easily she offered to drive to pick him up. "I have a car we can use...at any time. I'll drive today." It was his original plan to do so anyway.
Inuyasha went to take the keys from the tip of her finger but she pulled back. "No, sir. Just relax in the car. I rarely get to drive, so it'll be nice for me to get behind the wheel."
There was something about the way she said it that made him queasy. With how kind and considerate she was being, just how could they balance out how much she was doing for him? She had invited him to her family home, the least he could do was drive.
"I can-"
Rather than answer, Kagome locked eyes with Inuyasha as she got in the driver's seat and slammed the door shut behind her with a playful smile.
This girl.
He could admit defeat this one time as he slipped into the seat beside her.
"You can what?" Kagome asked as she started the car with a laugh.
Inuyasha placed the gift bag he had brought in her lap. "I meant I could have sent a limo to drive us," he joked. "Let me drive on the way back though." He'd steal the keys from her if he had to.
"Alright, alright." Kagome said as she happily took a peek inside of the bag. "Awwww, flowers. Inuyasha, that's so sweet." Kagome gently placed the bag of pink and white roses in the back seat before strapping it in to make sure it didn't spill over.
Inuyasha could feel his face flame up. "It's whatever." As Kagome began to pull off, Inuyasha slipped on his seatbelt. "Where exactly are we going?"
Kagome drummed her nails on the steering wheel as she waited for the security gate to open. "Don't worry about it. You didn't tell me anything last week, I'm not telling you anything either."
So she was a petty person now was she? Could he even argue with her about this though? At least he knew they were going to her family home, he hadn't told her anything when she attended the charity event.
"Can I at least know who exactly we're meeting from your family?"
"You can just relax and enjoy the next hour in the car with me," she said as she turned on the radio but set the volume low.
Enjoy...with her? Oh, he was going to enjoy it alright. He had to be the first teacher to get this close to Kagome. It wasn't every day that he could spend the weekend with her and he wanted to really take in every second. She was the girl of his dreams after all, it would be a sin not to.
"An hour of your driving? Do you like to drive?" He really wanted to ask if she was good at it, but not at the risk of sounding sexist.
She shrugged her shoulders. "It's alright. I like driving when I don't have to rush to get anywhere. Taking a drive around the sea is pretty relaxing, I've only done that once though."
Inuyasha leaned back in his chair as he tried to picture what that must look like, her driving around the beach, shades on and her favorite songs playing about. He could see her smiling while singing at the top of her lungs in the car.
"So you like the beach?"
"Mhm, so I'm very excited for the school trip. A lake isn't a beach, but it's close enough for me," she said as she smiled in excitement.
Ah, yes the cursed school trip. Considering how big her smile was, he didn't want to dampen the mood, but he was dreading it. It would be his very first school trip and he wasn't sure what to expect. All he could picture were rambunctious students trying to run around the city and wreak havoc. Inuyasha hoped and prayed that he would get a nice little vacation rather than having to babysit, but that was just wishful thinking.
Kagome halted to an abrupt stop as it occurred to her. "This will be your first field trip, right?"
Inuyasha clutched his heart as he turned around to make sure there weren't any cars behind them. Was she crazy? "...Yes."
"Oh you're going to love it," she said as she picked up speed once more. "My high school field trips were always fun."
"Did you go on the last school trip?"
She flipped on her blinkers before looking at Inuyasha. "I came in late July, so I just missed the field trip."
She's just barely even worked a year here…
It would be both of their first times to experience a field trip with this school. He wasn't sure what to expect, but as teachers, it couldn't be all that fun, right? Well, he knew the schedule considering that they had to report back to Tsubaki about every little detail pertaining to the trip, but other than that, he wasn't sure what to expect.
Kind of like how he wasn't sure what to expect for today.
"So who exactly am I meeting today?" He'd try to ask one more time.
Meeting her family meant meeting her parents, right? She mentioned that her brother lived with her but he wasn't in the car with them. Was he already there? Didn't she see how nerve-racking this was for him?
"Mr. Takahashi, I promise you I'm not saying a single word about where we are going, who we are meeting, which you already know actually, or what we are doing."
She was really trying to get back at him. This wasn't a war she wanted to start, she'd surely lose.
"Just lean back and enjoy the drive," she continued. "You can even take a nap if you want, we're supposed to relax on the weekend. I suggest you stay up and look at the scenery though, we'll pass through a pretty nice area as we get closer." To signify how they were meant to relax, she turned up the music a bit more.
A soft pop ballad song Inuyasha didn't know played on. Inuyasha watched her profile as she tapped along to the beat. It definitely seemed like she was dead set on having a relaxing day with him. Who would he be to derail her plans? It wasn't every day that he got to ride along in the car with a friend, might as well take advantage of it, right?
The drive was relatively peaceful. At times a nice quietness passed between them, at other times they just enjoyed talking to each other during the short drive. Somewhere along the way, Inuyasha had dozed off, feeling much too comfortable in the warm car.
"Inuyasha, we're here."
Shit. He hadn't even noticed he had fallen asleep.
She seemed fairly upbeat, very excited to be at her parents-
"Where is this?"
Now that Inuyasha was coming to, there were many things that he was noticing. One being that they were not near anything that looked like the shrine she had told him about. The second being that they were in a wide parking lot in front of a big building. A hospital to be exact.
Central Hospital was displayed in giant kanji in the very front of the grey building. Kagome had yet to answer him as she got out of the car and stretched.
"Why are we here?" Inuyasha asked as he followed after her.
She rolled her eyes in playful annoyance. "Didn't I tell you I wouldn't say a word? Come on."
The two walked into the hospital without another word. Inuyasha was instantly hit by the cool air of the hospital and an array of different smells that made his stomach churn as they approached the elevator. He never did like coming to hospitals and he just may have objected had he been given the choice. Hospitals just felt weird to be in and they smelled like cleaning and medicine and death half the time, it really unnerved him.
"Are you okay with hospitals?" Kagome asked as she drew back. It had just occurred to her that he may be queasy about these kinds of things. "If not-"
"I'm fine," Inuyasha said as he looked around the drab place. It was okay to lie every now and then. He was fine technically, just a bit uneasy.
If they were here, that meant a family member was here, right? Inuyasha was genuinely curious about her family dynamic and wanted to know just what was going on. She had mentioned a grandfather taking care of the shrine. If you're old and have a nasty fall, wouldn't you end up in the hospital?
Kagome gave him a warm smile as she pressed the button on the elevator. "Thanks. We'll only be here for 5 minutes."
Were they picking up medicine if they would be here for such a short amount of time? Inuyasha watched Kagome carefully to gauge how she was feeling.
She doesn't seem sad about being here. Inuyasha carefully watched her lips. They weren't curved in a smile, but they weren't even slightly down in a frown, her lips just looked like a nice plump straight line for lack of better term. I guess this is an everyday routine for her to come here. He couldn't tell if it was bad or good that she had no reaction at all to being in such a place.
With the ding of the elevator, the door opened and Kagome stepped out. She was quick to walk to the front desk and sign in. Inuyasha watched as the lone nurse at the front desk stopped tapping her pen and smiled at them.
"Everything alright today?" Kagome asked as she handed the clipboard back to the woman.
"Absolutely wonderful, it's been a rather peaceful day with all patients on this floor."
"That's great, we'll be on our way."
The woman smiled a smile that showed she was happy for the small bit of interaction with Kagome. Inuyasha had to wonder if the two would've carried on a conversation if he hadn't been with her.
He had a good mind to ask Kagome what the hell was going on again, but he had no doubt he'd find out very soon. He hated being this antsy and full of anticipation. Inuyasha couldn't wait to get her back for this.
Once she finally stopped at a door, a smile gradually came to her face. She gave two knocks before opening the door and walking in. Inuyasha was surprised as she all but ran and threw herself around a woman lying in bed.
"Mama."
Inuyasha watched from the door as a frail-looking woman wrapped her arms around Kagome.
This is...her mother?
She had never mentioned her mother being in the hospital. The woman's eyes noticeably softened as she gently stroked her daughter's hair. Her mother's eyes were a deeper shade of brown than Kagome's but they had the exact same facial features and bone structure, much like how Kagome's younger brother and her looked exactly the same. They all looked like replicas of one another. Copied and pasted. It was kind of strange. Inuyasha really had to wonder what her father looked like.
He watched as her mother's eyes drifted up from her loving daughter to him. Inuyasha could feel a new sense of nervousness set in as she sized him up.
"Kagome, who is this?" Her tone was straight, though very heavy with curiosity.
"Oh, he-"
"Your boyfriend!" Her mother cut her off. "Oh, I knew you'd bring me a good gift, I've been waiting for this day."
"Mom!" Inuyasha could only see the back of Kagome's head from where he stood. Would her face be as red as his currently was?
"Oh, he's not?" Her eyes danced with pure innocence. "Soulmate?"
"Mom!" Kagome lightly slapped her mother's arm. "We will leave as soon as we came!" Kagome threatened. Kagome finally turned to Inuyasha with an apologetic wry smile. "I'm so sorry."
Her face is so red, much redder than mine. It was taking everything in Inuyasha not to burst out laughing at her embarrassment. Right off the bat, Inuyasha could tell her mother was the most lovable person. The jokes already made him feel less nervous about being here. "No worries, Kagome."
"Please come meet my mother, Inuyasha," Kagome said as she gestured between the wide gap between him and her mother.
"Oh, this is Inuyasha?" Her mother asked, practically dancing in her seat at hearing his name.
Oh? She talks about me. Did Inuyasha still need more signs than what was already obviously going on between him and Kagome? Hell yes he did. If she was telling her mother stuff about him, that was an incredibly good sign. Minus the first drunken night where they talked together, Inuyasha had been nothing but charming to her.
"Inuyasha Takahashi, it's a pleasure to meet you," Inuyasha said with a small bow. Shit. This was bad. He had been so thrown off when he woke up and saw they were at a hospital. Showing up with no gift was the worst way he could have introduced himself to his future mother-in-law. "I-I would've brought something if I had known." Don't stutter now, you idiot.
Her mother took his hands in hers. Inuyasha could feel just how small and thin her fingers were as she clasped on to his. "Mama Higurashi is just fine to call me. Your presence is the perfect gift, dear. I'm happy to finally meet you." Despite how small her hands were around his, the amount of warmth her words and gesture gave him were big. When was the last time he had felt a mother's touch like this? Instantly, Inuyasha could feel how loving and nurturing Kagome's mother was.
"Kagome, my dearest," her mother asked as she turned wide brown eyes to her daughter. "Can you go down to the second floor and get me that pudding cup I like?"
Instantly, Kagome's eyes narrowed on her mother. "What stunt are you trying to pull?"
Kagome's mother looked at Inuyasha with feigned hurt. "Do you hear how she talks to me?"
"Oh no no no," Kagome said as she stood between Inuyasha and her mother. "Don't make that face at him."
"Well it's not like I can get it myself and the second floor is the only one that has the pudding cup I like. The one with the caramel."
"I know." She grunted.
Inuyasha had a good mind to laugh at the two. "I can ge-"
"I asked Kagome," her mother cut off with a tight smile directed at Inuyasha. "Off you go before all the other monsters here eat them up."
Kagome stood on her tiptoes and pulled Inuyasha close. Inuyasha's heart nearly stopped as Kagome brought her face closer to his. Just as soon as the moment came it passed as she drew herself closer to the ears atop his head. "Scream if you need help, I'll come running back."
Inuyasha broke out in a nervous laugh. He wasn't quite sure if it was out of embarrassment for thinking she'd really grab him and kiss him in front of her mother or because she seemed genuinely nervous to leave the two of them alone. What was the worst her mother could say to him?
Oh God, what is the worst she could say to me? If Kagome was this worried about them being alone, what was her reason to get Kagome out of the room? What the hell had Kagome said about Inuyasha to her? Yea mom, a drunk idiot stayed at my house and then he aggressively yelled at me when I said I didn't want to talk with him. He could picture her spilling all of his flub-ups. Why were all of the worst things coming to mind now?
"I'll be on my best behavior, scout's honor," her mother said as she pointed to the door and motioned for her daughter to be off.
"Dead silence in here. Just sit and enjoy each other's company and don't embarrass me," Kagome said as she narrowed her eyes on her mother once more before walking out.
Inuyasha's eyes lingered on the door as she walked away. It was the smallest of things that he noticed but the light swing of her hips and bounce in her step showed she was really happy to be here. She might as well have been a dog wagging her tail with her body language. He couldn't help but smile. She had mentioned she was a real family girl, but actually seeing her interact with her mother slightly warmed Inuyasha.
Inuyasha turned his attention back towards Kagome's mother with a content smile on his face. Oh God! He hadn't expected her to be wide-eyed and grinning up at him in such an open manner. Where was the subtlety in her actions?
"She's cute, isn't she?"
Inuyasha swallowed a lump in his throat. "Who?" Who the fuck else, idiot?
"My daughter," she said as she raised her eyebrows suggestively.
"..." Was he honestly supposed to answer this?
"Are you married?" She asked with a tilt of her head.
"No…" Should he be happy that she was asking this question? "She's a lovely young woman." Inuyasha finally answered. It's not like it was a lie and he might as well earn some brownie points with her mother. "I'm lucky to have a friend like her."
Her eyes roamed over Inuyasha very carefully. Under her scrutiny, he could feel himself sweat. This was such an odd situation for him to be in, he just wasn't sure of what to do or say.
"She's a good girl, I'm sure you can see that." She gently patted the spot on her bed, inviting Inuyasha to join her. Inuyasha sat down without a word. "She's such a sweet girl and is always trying her best for others. I'm not just saying that because I'm her mother."
Inuyasha could see it in her eyes, she really loved her daughter. It wasn't a surprise at all, Kagome seemed to be a very lovable person, anyone that got around her felt attracted to her. Not every mother loved their daughter the way Inuyasha could see Kagome's mother loved her.
"She is." He was still trying to get a feel for Kagome, but from morning until night, spending time with her and being able to speak with her on the phone and see her at work added a new light to his day that Inuyasha hadn't seen in a very long time.
"Were you nervous to come here today?" She asked suddenly.
The question had completely caught Inuyasha off guard considering they were just talking about how sweet her daughter was.
"...She didn't tell me we were coming...here," Inuyasha ended awkwardly. "I thought we were just visiting your home honestly."
Her eyes drifted to her legs. "After a stroke, it wasn't so easy for me to get around." She laughed, though her voice held no humor. "I had a seizure about a year and a half ago. I was in the process of recovering when I had a stroke soon after." She gently patted her legs. "I can't use these very much right now, but I'm in the process of recovery in the rehabilitation center on this floor. I had surgery to remove a tumor not too long ago, so after I finish with recovery, I think I should be okay to get out of here."
Inuyasha didn't know what to say. Her tone was light, as if this were just an everyday conversation for her, but Inuyasha couldn't even begin to imagine how much frustration she felt. For the last year and a half, she's been trying her best to stay healthy and recover in hospitals and recovery centers. It must've been hard to be away from her children and miss part of their lives.
He didn't want to say "I'm sorry for your situation" because no one would want to hear that given the circumstances. He also didn't want to say anything that may seem like pity or sadness for her. From being around her for the last 10 minutes, one thing was clear. She was a happy woman and was grateful for what she had been given in life no matter the difficult days she's had.
"When you're better, there's this nice restaurant I took Kagome to. We'll take you there and you can eat the best ramen of your life."
Kagome's mother was silent for a few seconds before she broke out into a gentle smile. "You're the first friend she's ever brought to visit. Her friends around town drop in every now and then, but you're the first person she's actually brought to see me. I can fully understand why."
I'm the first? Inuyasha could feel his heart do a small summersault. Kagome hadn't made it seem like such a big deal for him to meet her family. For him to be the first to actually be brought here felt like somewhat of an honor. He knew his intentions with Kagome and how he wanted the relationship to progress, could she want the same thing?
"You're blushing," she called out in glee.
Inuyasha could feel his face turn a deep shade of red. "Keh, she probably just brought me because she felt pity about my family background."
As soon as the words left Inuyasha's mouth, Inuyasha felt a small sense of dread enter him. It wasn't just because he had just revealed a bit about himself, there was something about these Higurashi women that just caused him to open his mouth and talk. No, in the few seconds he had after his mouth closed, he thought about how that may have sounded to her mother. He was in the process of trying to court Kagome and would hopefully get the chance to date her. What mother wants to hear that their daughter is going into a shitty family? Besides, he wasn't in any position to complain about anything seeing as he wasn't the one in a hospital bed.
Her mother placed a gentle hand on his. "No matter your background or family, you are always welcome in our family. Kagome bringing you here says that in itself."
Without warning, she pulled him into a warm hug much like how she had done with Kagome when they first arrived. Despite her body being frail, she used much strength to convey one message.
You're a part of our family.
The last time a mother had held him like this was when his very own mother had done so before passing. Kagome's mother was such a warm and gentle human being, he couldn't help but feel bittersweet about his own mother now. She pulled back before rummaging around on the nightstand next to her.
"Do you need something?" Inuyasha asked as he watched her fumble around.
She scribbled something down on a sheet of paper before placing it in Inuyasha's hand. "This is my cell phone number. Kagome would lose her mind if she found out I gave this to you haha. You're always welcome to visit, with or without Kagome."
Inuyasha looked at the neat numbers she had scribbled so quickly. "I will." He actually meant this. Not just because he thought it would make her happy but because he genuinely felt he would enjoy more time spent with her. Her mother made it a point to tell him that Kagome's friends come to visit her at times, it wouldn't be so strange if he took her up on her offer.
Inuyasha took the notepad and wrote down his own number. "Anytime you get too bored or want something more than pudding, just give me a call."
A mischievous look graced her features as her lips curved into a Cheshire cat grin. "These old eyes see things, and I can see you're quite smitten with my daughter."
"I-I-I-"
Inuyasha didn't even have a chance to deny it as she broke out laughing at his floundering for words.
"Your secret is safe with me," she said with comforting pats to the hand. "It makes me happy to know my daughter is in safe hands. Take good care of her."
Before he could respond, the door flew open. Kagome seemed to have her hands full as she closed the door behind her.
"I brought three pudding cups for you, mama. And I got us some sandwiches, Inuyasha. I figured we could eat a bit here if that's okay?" She asked.
Not that he had any intention to say no, but he wouldn't deprive her of the chance to spend more time with her mother. Inuyasha nodded his head. "Okay."
She directed her attention to her mom as she jiggled the bag around her arm. "I also stopped by the car. These are flowers Inuyasha bought for the shrine. Aren't they lovely? I figured since you love flowers, we could leave them here. I think they'll really brighten the room up." Kagome placed the flowers in her mother's hands with a bright grin as if she was the one that had brought them for her.
Her mother smiled fondly at the flowers before smiling at Inuyasha. "You've definitely made the right choice."
Whether she was talking about flowers or choice in wanting to be with Kagome, Inuyasha didn't know. He just knew that at this moment it felt like he truly had a family.
Such a foreign feeling.
They stayed and talked with her mother until late afternoon time before actually making their way to her house. Inuyasha couldn't pinpoint exactly what he was feeling after talking with her mother, but he could say he felt...good? Warm inside? When was the last time a mother had talked to him like that? The way they so easily laughed with him and included him in the conversation, he truly felt like they were a family.
Before they entered the car, Kagome stopped him with a somewhat nervous look. "Soooo, I have a little favor…" Her face was covered in a light pink sheen. "But feel free to say no!" She rushed out.
What the hell could she possibly ask of me while looking like that? His mind raced with all types of ideas. "What's up?"
"Well," her eyes drifted to his arms before she lightly pressed a finger to his upper arm. "You're pretty strong right, you've got some muscles there."
Inuyasha could feel himself tense up at her touch. "Yea?"
"I haven't had a big strong man around in a loooong time and since we're going to the shrine now...I just figured we could...you know…"
No, I don't know, Kagome. Spell it out in long ass letters so I can properly understand. If she was talking about doing what he was thinking...Well let's just say he wasn't opposed but he felt he was completely missing the mark.
"Okay, let's do it."
He didn't care what the hell she was asking him to do, he'd do it.
"Harder!" Kagome screamed, much glee in her voice. "Go faster!"
Without missing a beat, Inuyasha went harder and faster, as fast as he could go. He kept going until he felt he had done a satisfactory job. "We done?" He asked through his heavy breaths.
"Done!" Kagome clapped as she began to take the hanging sheets down.
Inuyasha wiped a bead of sweat that had pooled on his head as he set down the paddle he had used to hit the sheets and comforter. Kagome was trying to throw his back out, he was sure of it. That little favor she had asked was certainly one he hadn't expected.
"You're every housewife's dream," she said as she placed a glass of fresh lemonade in his hands. "Thank you so much for helping me clean."
Since coming to the shrine, the two had done nothing but clean. It had been two hours of nonstop cleaning and straightening up. Kagome hadn't asked Inuyasha to do too many tasks, but the ones she asked of him were fairly long or required more strength.
"No problem," he said before gulping down the liquid.
"Come on, let's go relax for a sec," Kagome said as she waved for him to follow after her.
Inuyasha trailed after her, watching the back of her head carefully. He knew she had to be just as tired as he was considering all of the stuff she had been running around doing. Sure, he had done lots of strenuous stuff, but with his strength he wasn't as tired as he could be. On the other hand, Kagome had taken care of hundreds of smaller chores that probably would've tired him out. Wiping down the statues, mopping all the floors, organizing the charms, and probably all kinds of other things that Inuyasha hadn't seen her do as he walked past her while doing his own chores.
She brought him to the side of the shrine, exactly where there was a bit of sun peeking through all of the clouds.
"Oh."
Somewhere between them doing chores, Kagome had laid out fruit for them to eat.
"I figured you could use a snack for all your hard work," she said before plopping down on one of the cushions she had set for him to sit on. She swung her legs over the edge of the raised platform and allowed them to dangle down as she patted the spot next to her. "Join me."
She definitely looked tired as she let out a jaw-cracking yawn, but more so happy to be off her feet.
"You do this every weekend?" Inuyasha asked as he sat next to her.
She shook her head no before taking one of the apples and eating it. "Almost every weekend. I try to come back at least once or twice a week. Sometimes on the weekend, sometimes just for a few hours during the week to keep things tidy and listen to peoples' prayers." She patted a kink in her shoulder. "It's a lot of work, so I really appreciate you helping me."
Damn. She came back here after work at the school too? Inuyasha could barely do the bare minimum after a long day of work. To think she did this kind of stuff when she had time was a bit beyond him.
"How often do you went a car to come here?"
"Not very often. There's a bus stop close to the bottom of the stairs we took earlier. The only thing that's a bit of a hassle is that the closest bus stop to my apartment is about a twenty minute walk in the middle of an area that isn't so frequented. I hate coming back at night. I do like that the bus stop here is practically right outside the shrine though."
Twenty minute walk, about an hour and thirty-minute bus ride most likely considering that the bus has multiple stops. And then another twenty minute walk plus waiting for the bus.
And what about the times when she just comes to visit her mom? She has to do all that? Inuyasha was getting a headache just thinking about her commute.
"Anytime you want to come back out here or need help with the shrine, we can go together." Inuyasha could feel his heartbeat quicken at the hopeful look in her eyes. "Keh, I mean...The commute is too long, you waste a lot of time and I don't mind coming out to this area. Besides, this is a lot of work for one person."
"Thank you, Inuyasha. It means a lot." She twisted a toothpick holding a pear in her hand. "It is a lot of work. My brother helps when he can, but I just tell him to focus on school work and to leave it to me these days. I'm probably going to start holding interviews for extra help with the shrine in a couple of weeks. I really don't think I can keep this up without actually moving back here," she spoke honestly.
Inuyasha thought back to what he knew about her brother. He knew they looked a lot alike and that her brother was in high school, but other than that, he didn't know much.
"Your brother is around Kohaku's age, right?"
"Yea, they're actually in the same grade." She pushed the plate of fruit closer to Inuyasha, insisting he eat more. "Since I started talking more with Sango, I found out we have a lot in common, one thing being our brothers."
"When did you guys get so close?" It was something that had completely boggled Inuyasha's mind. He couldn't pinpoint an exact time when they were getting close to each other. One second, Sango barely knew the girl, the next, they were going to the park and talking together. Was this how his relationship with Kagome looked to Miroku without any detail?
"When you and I became friends," she laughed. "Remember that day with those girls and your niece, Rin."
Even though Inuyasha knew Kagome had found out that him and Rin were related, they hadn't exactly talked about it. It was completely brushed over and he had actually forgotten about it. Since most people didn't know they were related, it still sent a jolt of shock throughout him to hear her address Rin as so.
"Yea."
"And remember Kohaku was the one defending Rin?" Inuyasha nodded his head. "Like I said, I told him to just go home as if he weren't even involved. I didn't want him to get in trouble. At the time, I didn't know who he was or that he was Sango's brother. I guess he told Sango about it and after she thanked me for it; we just started talking more and more after that."
That...makes sense….. Inuyasha wasn't sure why he hadn't thought of that as being the reason for the two women to get closer. Inuyasha genuinely liked Sango's younger brother. The kid had his head screwed on right, no doubt thanks to Sango's raising and he was always doing well in school. Inuyasha had a new found respect for Kohaku after seeing him defend Rin and had thanked him for it. It felt like it was so long ago despite it only being about a few weeks ago.
He watched Kagome closely. In this moment, he felt they were equal. Not as human to human, but with how they talked about one another. There was a fair balance of what he felt he knew about her and what he had told her about himself. This gradual way of learning about one another was new to him. With Miroku, he had all but forced Inuyasha to open up and talk about himself. With Sango, they had hit it off so well in the beginning, it only took a matter of days for them to become best friends; most likely due to Miroku talking about them so often, they already knew a lot about each other and felt familiar when meeting. With Kagome, things just felt calm and like an ebbing wave. He gave information about himself, she took it. She talked about herself at times, he latched on to each word.
Inuyasha stretched before leaning all the way back and laying down. "Rin." A smile naturally came to his face when thinking about his loving niece. She was honestly the highlight of his life.
"She's the sweetest thing," Kagome stated as she laid down next to him.
Her face was so close to his, Inuyasha couldn't help but stop breathing for a few seconds. "Remember how I told you I had a reason for coming to the school, aside from needing a job after quitting work with my family. She was my reason."
Only those that knew Inuyasha well, AKA: Sango and Miroku, knew of why he had really accepted the job Miroku had helped him get.
"When I didn't have a job and was….down…." Inuyasha refused to say he was sad or depressed during that time. "She would drop by often with meals or to just cheer me up. She'd come by almost every day. Even though she came to cheer me up, I could tell she wasn't as happy as she used to be."
An onset of anger built up in him just thinking about it. His niece deserved every happy thing coming to her, to think there were people at this school that went out of their way to destroy that angered him incredibly.
"She always smiled," Inuyasha continued. "Every time, she came to me. I've known her since she was a kid and I know when she isn't happy. She had begged my brother to go to this school. Rin was homeschooled like me before she transferred, so I think she didn't want to talk about it with my brother because she didn't want him to pull her out."
A few times when he was younger, Inuyasha had wanted to go to a regular high school. No amount of begging would have gotten him into it, so he never bothered. In that sense, he kind of envied Rin for being able to go. Inuyasha never would've thought his brother would let her go in a million years. For her to actually be able to go was sheer luck in his opinion.
"So she stayed quiet." Kagome mumbled sadly.
"As shitty as my brother is, he wants Rin to be happy and he's extremely protective of her. He would've forced her to go back to homeschooling without a doubt. He's on business trips most of the time, so I'm not surprised he didn't notice. I did though and when I asked her, she would just get real quiet, like she wanted to say something but couldn't."
"So that's when you decided to join the school?"
"No. That's when I told Miroku to find out what was going on or else I'd go to the school and beat the shit out of whoever was messing with her." Inuyasha stated with ease. He didn't give two shits about any excuse anyone could make for bullying someone else. There were too many kids that suffered permanent trauma or even committed suicide because of it. He'd be damned if he let that happen to his precious niece. "He took care of it. She seemed really happy after, but you saw her. She's so small and cute, plus she's my brother's kid and some students know that. She basically has a target on her back."
He always made fun of her, calling her a midget since she was barely even 5 feet despite being 16. He chuckled just thinking about her. Damn did he love her as if she were his own.
"So...why?"
"Because I worry and want to know what's going on with her. She's not going to say anything if something happens. I can keep a close eye on her if I'm here and I can also talk some sense into any kid that even looks at her funny. She really does like public school." Inuyasha would be damned if he let anyone infringe on Rin's happiness. She never asked for much, so the fact that she wanted to attend school with other people and make friends said a lot. "After Sesshomaru got the call from the school the other day, he was ready to pull her out. Rin and I had to beg him to let her stay. He really gave us a hard time about it. Those kids are lucky you were there first instead of me." He grunted.
Kagome smiled. "So you're the protective type too, eh?"
He certainly looked the type. It warmed her heart to hear him speaking so lovingly about someone he cared about. Kagome's initial thoughts about Inuyasha were that he was the tough guy type and she had certainly been right. Tough, but a big teddy bear under all of the layers of fluff.
"Keh, I take care of what's mine."
"So...can I ask….is she…?" Her eyes drifted towards his ears ever so slightly.
"Demon?" Kagome nodded her head shyly. "No, she's adopted."
Kagome sucked in a breath. She could clearly remember Rin mentioning something about being different. Is this what she meant? Her forehead wrinkled in thought about him. Inuyasha's family seemed a bit complicated, at least much more complicated than hers.
"She's lucky to have an uncle like you," she yawned. "I can tell you really care about her."
That was an understatement. Inuyasha hated his brother, but the one thing he could say his brother did right in life was adopting Rin. To have such a sweet girl like Rin be in his life was a blessing that he would be thankful for each and every day.
"I try to be."
The two fell into a comfortable silence as cicadas provided some bit of sound around them. Inuyasha fell into deep thought as he stared at the sky above them. Was this what it was like to be a married couple? Visiting family together, doing chores together, eating together, and just enjoying each other's company. Inuyasha hadn't experienced something like this in a very long time.
I want more of this.
In this moment, he truly felt like he loved Kagome. For her being so kind and welcoming him into her life and even for being someone he wanted to talk to.
When does like become love?
It was a weird revelation to have. But he honestly felt that he didn't want to live another day without her. Here, at her family shrine on this simple summer day, he felt an odd set of love for her.
"Kagome, " Inuyasha called out. He craned his neck to look at her before smiling.
Somewhere during his long train of thought, she had fallen asleep. She was a rather peaceful sleeper as she slightly curled up next to him. A swell of adoration for the woman next to him overtook his body.
I hope I can be like this with her every day.
It was a risky choice that he didn't need even a second to think about. He placed a gentle kiss to the top of her head before completely relaxing next to her. After laying in this heat and doing all of those chores, fatigue was starting to hit him too. He could rest easy with the girl he loved next to him.
"I'm so sorry," Kagome said for the hundredth time since they had woken up.
"Kagome, for the millionth time, it's okay. I fell asleep too," Inuyasha said as he patted his wet hair, fresh from a shower.
Both being tired from the hard work they had done, they had completely conked out. It wasn't until much later in the evening that harsh rain and thunder woke them up. With it pouring down in heaps, the decision to stay the night was made.
"I know but…" She turned a frown towards the window. "I thought it might rain today and I should've set an alarm and… Sorry."
Inuyasha knocked her on the head with the back of his knuckles. "Say you're sorry one more time and I'll get mad at you."
Honestly, he was happy to spend more time with her. When they woke up, they ate cup ramen together, took their showers, and now here they were, talking in her living room. They had actually spent more time than Inuyasha thought they would have talking about the shrine and how it worked. There were a lot of ins and outs that Inuyasha hadn't even thought about when it came to running a shrine, it was interesting to listen to.
Inuyasha looked down at his pants. Her brother's clothes were a bit too small for him, but she had a pair of red hakamas that Inuyasha didn't mind passing out in.
"Sorry, I mean I'm not sorry," she rushed out. "I'll take you to the main bedroom. Maybe we should call it a night?"
Inuyasha didn't say anything as he followed her to the room. They had just slept for three hours and it was barely even 11pm. He probably wouldn't be able to call it a night and go to sleep, but he didn't mind taking the time to just chill and relax. Wasn't that what this trip was technically for?
Once in the room, she flipped on the lights with a smile. "This used to be mamma's room. My brother and I kind of moved things around though, so this is where we sleep when we come here."
Now, Inuyasha wasn't one to judge a room or anyone's living situation, but it looked creepy as hell. It was fairly empty minus a bed, wardrobe, and a dresser, but it really looked like a scene out of a horror movie with a giant window centered, allowing the lightning to display its art. He wasn't scared to be in this room alone, in fact, he was sure he'd enjoy it, it's just that he'd be lying if he said it wasn't a bit creepy. Had the Higurashi siblings never seen a horror movie before? Because this is the exact room from one. They were even in a shrine on top of that! He'd say a few prayers to keep the demons and ghosts at bay.
"You guys sleep in here?"
"Mhm, this bed is way more comfier than ours."
Inuyasha pressed a hand to the bed. Feels like a tempur pedic mattress. "Sounds good."
"We can leave early tomorrow morning, k?"
Inuyasha nodded his head. "Okay."
"My bedroom is just down the hall on the left if you need anything." Inuyasha nodded his head once more. "Good night?"
"Good night, Kagome."
She released a happy sigh. "We typically say this on the phone to each other or we just text it. It's nice to say it in person, isn't it?"
Was it hot in here or was it just him? How could she say things like that with such a straight face?
"Well, I'm off to bed. Sleep tight," she said with a wave before closing the door behind her.
Yes...yes it is nice….Why couldn't I say that out loud?
Inuyasha all but threw himself back on the bed. This was frustrating. He raised a hand in the air as he looked at his claws.
"What is causing me to hesitate?"
Didn't he already have this conversation with himself? Inuyasha went through his history with women. Anytime he'd dated, he'd never been denied. Anytime he was interested in someone, a very rare occurrence in itself, but when it happened, he typically just went for it. What was the point in hesitating with Kagome? Maybe it was because he actually felt he could have a future with her? Maybe it's because he didn't want to mess up what he had with her? Either way, he just knew things couldn't stay this way.
"I love the rain but I hate the rain." He mumbled to himself.
It wasn't until recently that he had started tolerating the rain and that was only because of Kagome. He could say the rain was fine when he was around her, it seemed to be providing opportunity after opportunity for them to stay together longer, but now that he was in the room alone, he was reminded of how much he detested it.
Shit.
He had offered to drive back tomorrow and he was sure he'd be fine, but there was no way he was going to sleep peacefully tonight with it storming the way it was outside. It was like a deep ringing and booming in his ear with each clap of thunder and the pitter patter of rain. He was used to it at this point, but it didn't make him any less irritated when it rained.
He laid in bed for hours trying to busy himself with thoughts. If he was at home, he would have at least been able to watch TV or make something to eat. His phone died long ago and this wasn't his house, so he didn't feel comfortable moving around so much.
Inuyasha stood and stretched before walking to the door. He gently cracked it before slowly opening it and looking down the corridor. She said her room was just down the hall on the left. She wouldn't be too mad if he came to bother her, right? It's not like she had to drive back home tomorrow anyways. He'd just ask permission to watch TV down stairs or something. It didn't feel like he even needed to ask, but he liked messing with the idea of her offering to watch TV with him.
With that thought in mind, he began his trek down the hall. There was only one door on the left side of the hall.
This has to be her room.
Inuyasha knocked twice on her door.
He could hear shuffling around before light shone underneath the door and a groggy, "Come in," was given.
She yawned as she rubbed her eyes. Kagome slowly focused on him before yawning once more. "Inuyasha what are you doing up at…." She turned to her alarm clock. "3 in the morning? Are you okay?"
Inuyasha kept fairly still at her door. He pointed a clawed finger at her window. "Can't sleep. Ya' know, half dog demon senses and all so all of my senses are heightened when it rains. Unfortunately that means I hear the thunder before it even starts," he joked.
All tiredness seemed to leave her face as she sat up. For a while she just stared at him, it made him feel nervous. "Why don't you come into the room?" She rolled her eyes at the face Inuyasha was making. It was like he was nervous to be alone in the room with her as he just stared at her. "Are we prepubescent teens? I highly doubt you want to jump my bones, you're more than welcome to come in," she said with a laugh as she scooted over and patted the spot next to her.
That's where you're wrong my dear friend. The fact that she had even chosen those words to describe what could happen between them made him even more uneasy. He felt it would be even odder if he stayed by the door rather than joining her.
Inuyasha sat as close onto the edge of her bed as he could without falling off. To his surprise, it felt comfortable sitting next to her, it just made him nervous to think of what she thought he was thinking.
Now that he was on her bed, she smiled as she moved herself a little closer to him. "You're half demon?"
Inuyasha's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Was this not knowledge to anyone that met him? Everyone in the school knew he was half demon...or so he had thought...Inuyasha tried to think back to a time where this may have come up in conversation. It hadn't.
"...Yes." He felt awkward now that she was just now finding out about this.
"I was just curious. I always thought you were a full demon." She rushed out at sensing how the question may have been perceived as rude. "I really meant no harm with the question, I just honestly didn't know. There are so many different kinds of demons and half demons I can never really tell the difference since everyone's features are all so different and everyone is just way stronger than humans." Kagome thought about the family charity event they went to together. His dad was very clearly a demon. So I guess his mother was human…..
"I know." Inuyasha didn't get the sense that she was coming off as rude. This was the first time anyone had actually confused him for a full demon though, especially since he looked mostly human, despite the dog ears. Inuyasha felt he was the most perfect representation of half demon since he looked human with the few extra features of his ears and nails being different. "Not all of us are built the same. You saw my dad, and my brother looks pretty much the same minus the tail and claws. My dad basically looks full human."
Her eyes drifted down to his claws. "Some of my students are half demons too." While the half demon population was fairly small at their school, Kagome felt she had a good balance of demon, human, and a mixture of both in her class. "It makes me happy to see all kinds of students and people in my classes."
What was he supposed to say? Inuyasha found himself at a bit of loss for words for the second time today. Was 'me too' a good answer? A part of Inuyasha really did feel happy to see as many half demons at their school as he had seen, but at the same time it was bitter sweet considering that he knew how hard it was to actually live as a half demon.
"Yea, it's nice," Inuyasha said after some time.
Kagome smiled as she looked up at him. "I'll change the topic a bit. Do you want to hear a funny story? It might help you sleep a little better tonight."
What was he? A kid that needed to have a bedtime story in order to get a good night's sleep?
"Sure."
Yes, yes he was.
"You promise not to laugh, okay?" She asked as she held up her pinky finger.
Inuyasha blinked at her. "I thought this was a funny story?" He asked as he made no move to make the promise with her.
"Do you or do you not?" She asked as she shook her pinkie. He couldn't tell why but she seemed slightly embarrassed.
He wrapped his pinky around hers. "I'll do my best not to."
"Okay," she cleared her throat. "Once upon a time, there was a human girl that was walking around minding her own business. She's pretty quiet unless she's around her friends, but she finds that she doesn't have many friends around her."
Inuyasha didn't try to hide the confusion with her sudden yearning to tell him a bedtime story, though he continued latching onto her every word.
"One day, as she was walking around, the other girls around her were saying mean things. She didn't mind it, she was used to it at this point. She even typically laughed at what they said behind her back. However, when she was being called a pig and a slut when they thought she wasn't around to hear, they didn't know that she was near the door…of her castle"
Inuyasha blinked as the story was starting to sound awfully familiar.
"Before she could laugh about it, a half demon knight in shining armor told them that they're what they spoke of to their faces with a smug smile. For once, the human girl could laugh, but not because she was forcing it this time. Soon after, the human girl was walking in the hallway near the half demon knight. She called out to him to say thank you, but for some reason, the words froze in her throat and the only thing she could say was his name. After that, the two had a few misunderstandings, became friends, and the end." She ended the story abruptly.
Wait a damn second. This was their story. She had heard what those idiots said? Inuyasha could feel his face heat up. She was going to thank me? Inuyasha played back the oddity that was their first time speaking to each other. "You were going to thank me?"
Her face battled for who's could get the most red. "Well I was but then I thought about how awkward it was that the first thing I would ever say to you was to thank you for defending me about being called a slut. I couldn't go through with it." She buried her face in her hands.
"...So you sided for just saying my name?" Inuyasha laughed.
She lightly slapped his shoulder. "You said you wouldn't laugh!"
"Hey, this knight in shining armor finds it cute that you got too nervous and chickened out." He mocked her. Wasn't this the pot calling the kettle black? Now that he was directly next to her, he could hear just how loud her heartbeat was as she was telling the story. He couldn't understand why she was so nervous to tell him. It would be a cute story they could tell their kids in the future.
"Don't patronize me," she said with a roll of her eyes. She stretched with a laugh of her own. "Great, now I'm wide awake. How about playing a game of chess?"
"Chess?"
She hopped over Inuyasha before taking one of the extra blankets from off her bed and wrapping it around herself. "Yea, didn't you see the chess board on the living room table downstairs. We can sit and talk for a while to tire each other out before going back to bed."
"I could go for a good game of chess." The two walked down stairs, both somewhat more awake than they had intended to be during this time. Kagome plopped down on the floor as she straightened out the pieces on the clear chess board.
She folded her hands expectedly, allowing him to go first. Inuyasha moved his King Pawn to e4, a move he typically started with when he went first in chess.
Kagome seemed to think for a bit of time before grabbing the knight and placing the knight at a3.
"...You can't do that in chess…." Inuyasha stated. Without a word, she picked up the bishop and moved it. "You can't move that piece there." Again, she placed her piece back before grabbing the king, before she could make a move Inuyasha took the piece from her and placed it back in its spot. "You can't move that anywhere either, do you even know how to play chess?"
She smiled sheepishly. "I guess I'm caught haha. I have no idea how to play."
"So then why'd you suggest it?"
"I didn't think you would actually say yes to a spontaneous game of chess," she laughed.
Inuyasha joined her in laughter. "Why do you have the game if you can't play?"
"My brother can play, he's actually really good. He used to play all the time and even entered a competition once." She examined the board very closely. "Can I move this here?" She asked as she moved her bishop pawn to f5.
Could she move there? Surprisingly, yes. Was it a smart move? Not in the slightest. Inuyasha just nodded his head before moving his pawn to capture hers. He couldn't help but chuckle at her surprised expression.
There was another onslaught of 'can I move this here' before she finally moved a pawn to the correct space.
He'd throw her a bone. "Are you sure you want to move there?"
She had placed her Knight Pawn at g5. Yet again, not another smart move. She seemed pretty determined to win despite not having any knowledge on how to play chess. Inuyasha moved his queen to h5. Any move she did now wouldn't mean anything, he had basically won. She moved a pawn forward.
"Checkmate," Inuyasha called out as he slid his queen forward and took her king. This was the quickest game of chess he had ever played. She mumbled a bunch of obscenities under her breath. It was humorous for him to think she thought she could win. Inuyasha wasn't even good at chess, but he at least knew the three step move to beating someone. "Good game?" He asked as he held out his hand.
She only stared at it, refusing to shake it. With a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders, she replied, "I guess."
So she's a sore loser? Inuyasha began placing the pieces back in their place. "So your brother is good at chess?"
A particularly loud booming of thunder decided to make its presence known at this moment. Neither jumped, both simply turned their attention to the sound before returning their attention to each other. Somehow, the thunder seemed to add to the bit of peace the two currently felt while playing chess and talking.
"Yea, my brother is pretty good at anything he sets his mind to."
She talked about her brother fairly often, didn't she? "You must really like your brother." Kagome laughed at his odd statement, "You're talking to a guy that can barely even stand being in the same room as his own brother."
"I really do love Souta more than anything in the world," she said with a smile.
As Inuyasha looked at her now, he could tell something was off. She was smiling, but the smile didn't reach her eyes, though he couldn't pinpoint why. "Inuyasha…" She asked as she looked at him.
He swallowed a gulp. The sudden shift in her tone had completely caught him off guard. "Yes?"
"Can I confide in you a bit?"
Another sound of thunder and lightning sent waves throughout the house. In a matter of seconds, it really seemed like something had been building up and bothering her.
"Yea."
She stood with one hand extended out to him, the other gripping her blanket tightly. "How about we sit outside on the porch a bit? If it's not too loud for you."
Inuyasha took her hand as he allowed her to help him stand up. "Sounds good." He was eager to sit down with her and see what the cause was for her sudden change in demeanor.
Hand in hand, the two walked to the floor length glass windows of the living room before opening it and sitting at the edge. Just far enough to not get any rain on them, but close enough to truly enjoy sitting outside in nature. Inuyasha helped her adjust the blanket around herself so that she could keep warm.
"Thank you," she said as she accepted the help. She heaved a big sigh before releasing it slowly. "Remember that tree we passed on our way into the shrine. The Goshinboku tree?" Kagome asked.
Inuyasha remembered it very well, there was only one on the shrine's site. She hadn't said anything about it at the time, so Inuyasha was unsure about how the tree was linked to their discussion. "I remember it."
From where they sat, they couldn't see it, but she pointed in the general direction of it all. "That tree has seen everything. My father's life, my parents' proposal, the births of Souta and me ...Everything. When grandpa died last year, we had to make a tough choice. Give up the shrine or keep it."
"You decided to keep it."
She nodded her head as she stared up at the rain. "Yea, mom said we should just give it up at first though." She lightly laughed to herself. "Her mouth said one thing, but her face said another that day. Mom was in the hospital and it was right before her surgery when grandpa passed."
"My brother and I argued so much during that time." She continued with a tight lipped smile. "With mom being in the hospital and me being gone mostly due to university, our relationship was a bit rocky. Especially since I was in the process of preparing to start my new job."
Inuyasha remembered her talking about almost working with the competitors of his dad's company. He couldn't imagine her not working as a teacher, the two jobs were completely different and didn't exactly have any overlapping layers.
I guess I know a thing or two about that. To some degree they would've been working in the same type of business prior to becoming teachers had he not quit and had she taken the job.
"It was literally a week before I was supposed to move when grandpa passed. It was so unexpected and out of the blue. We hadn't planned anything for it. Souta was already upset with me about how I had said I would take the job knowing that I would need to travel while mamma was in the hospital, but after grandpa died he just….he wasn't just upset, he was disappointed in me for prioritizing work over family."
He could see it ever so slightly in her beautiful brown eyes. There were tears brimming at the edges of them and were threatening to fall, though she wouldn't let them. Inuyasha just wasn't sure of what to say to her as she 'confided' in him.
"So you decided to stay?"
"I didn't have a choice," she said as she twiddled her thumbs. "Souta has been the man of the house since he was a kid. Dad died before Souta was even born and grandpa has always been pretty old and frail, so Souta has always just kind of had to be strong. Even when mom first got sick, he said he would work and take a leave of absence from school. Of course, I couldn't let him do that though, so I worked while in university to send money to them."
She let out a frustrated sigh. "I felt it was too much for a kid to go through, ya' know? He needs to enjoy his last years of high school. I needed to get a job that allowed me to stay while also providing for him and mom. There weren't any decent jobs around this area, but one of the locals around here knows the principal at our school and she was able to help me get the job I have now."
She had explained that things didn't really go as planned, but Inuyasha never imagined that it was like this. Her life would have been completely different if she had taken the job at Shikon. She gave it all up...Not gave up, but made the decision to take care of her family rather than work for a large scale company because family was a higher priority for her.
"You made the right choice," Inuyasha said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He didn't need even a second thought to provide comfort through this small touch. If anyone could relate to her, he was the person that understood this the most. It wasn't nearly on the same level since he quit to focus on his sanity, but he understood having to make a tough choice. "I'm sure your brother appreciates you doing what you did."
"I really hope so, I just want to do what's best for him. Our relationship is okay now. I'm just not mom and I'm not so good at this kind of role, so when I say something or do something he doesn't understand, it typically leads to a small argument. He never raises his voice or anything, but he makes it known when he's not happy with me. It's hard taking care of a teenager...I'm really trying my best though.. "
More times than not, Kagome had asked Sango for advice over the last month about what to do with small problems that arose with her brother. Almost a year later and she was still working on understanding how to be a good parental figure for her brother.
"I know a part of him really does resent me for everything. When I was away for university, I didn't really speak with the family, and it was hard after mom's seizure. I know he hates that I even said I would take the job with Shikon knowing everything that was going on with the family. He's really family oriented and too mature for his age, I can't ever remember being like that as a teen." Kagome looked at Inuyasha with somewhat of a sad look. "When I told him we'd have to move away, that he would have to leave his friends and everything he's known because I got a job in a different city, the only thing he said was 'okay'. No complaints, no nothing, just a very quiet 'okay', like he was just doing what had to be done."
Kagome really loved her brother more than anything in this world. Inuyasha could see why family was very important to her, there were only three of them left and Kagome only really had her brother with her for the last year.
"I don't think your brother resents you." Inuyasha spoke after some time. From what Inuyasha had gathered, Kagome and her brother seemed to be on pretty good terms. They ate together, her brother talked with her and called her, and she was constantly praising him. "When your brother came to pick you up that one time when I walked you to the train station, he seemed really protective of you." Inuyasha clearly remembered her brother placing a strong arm around her and sizing Inuyasha up and down, as if Inuyasha wasn't good enough for her.
"If he did, I didn't notice," she said with a laugh.
"Stop being so hard on yourself" Inuyasha said as he rubbed her shoulder. "You're doing great. You've made some tough choices, but I'm glad you ended up at the school; I wouldn't have met you any otherwise."
Her life and family was a lot more complicated than he had imagined. Having to suddenly change her life plan, take care of her brother, mother, and shrine, while still trying to navigate life was difficult. Inuyasha was only three years older than her, but he was sure he would've pitched a fit if he was in the same position during that time
"Thank you Inuyasha," she replied as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "For listening to me. I haven't talked with anyone about it." She directed her attention to the rain as she snuggled up closer to him. "I really love the rain, I would dance in it all day if I could."
"I think you'd get sick if you danced in it all day. I fucking hate the rain, but I guess it isn't so bad now." Inuyasha had a good mind to say she could get sick from sitting outside in weather like this, but she seemed pretty content and happy to be out here with him.
Would he have been able to hear all of this and be with her like this if it hadn't been for the rain? Again, the rain had provided a great opportunity for him to be with her. Forget all of the troublesome things that come with being half dog demon during the rain, this was a very pleasant day for him. Maybe even a day without complaint despite all of the unexpected twists.
She giggled at his poor choice of words. "I think you enjoy the rain a lot more than you let on. I'm really happy you came today. This place just doesn't feel like home without all of us here. It's actually really lonely." Most of the time, Kagome was here alone taking care of the shrine and tending to everything. With her brother being in high school and preparing for exams and dealing with club activities, it was getting harder and harder for him to make time to come out here. So more often than not, Kagome was alone. It made her regret not cherishing the times when her house was filled with laughter from every family member. "But right now, it really feels like home."
Both Kagome and Inuyasha enjoyed the feeling of such an intimate conversation while huddled close together. Inuyasha felt an overwhelming sense of love for the girl he currently had his arm wrapped around. If he could give her more days like this, like the day she had given him with allowing him to meet her mother and come into her home and just feel happy and warm inside, he would spend the rest of his life doing everything in his power to give them to her. He would do whatever it took the make her feel like she had a home with him.
Yea, yea, I know updating late cuz ya' know life and lack of motivation lol.
Let's have a great year everyone!
Arc 1
Chapter: 7/ 8
(7/22)
Posted: 1/15/22
Finished writing on: 11/4/21
Words: About 12,200
Pages:30