A.N. The rumor of my death has been greatly exaggerated.
Things have been pretty busy trying to figure out what is going on with my dad, who is losing ground at a fairly alarming pace. This is on top of my grandparents, who are continuing to require more care. Tests have narrowed things down, and the news isn't great-even if it doesn't kill him, the quality of life will be...less than ideal. For an active man that needs to create to thrive, it's pretty devastating.
I've also been madly scrambling to finish work projects to fund much-needed home repairs as the old girl continues to fall apart around me. My house and I are very similar, in none of the good ways.
Everything right now can be summed up by Kira, my husband's Basenji mix. Kira likes to eat things that do not belong to her. Kira thought it was a good idea to eat nearly three cans of cat food. If you are imagining the Tubby Custard machine with a spray attachment, you are not wrong. Days of this. Days.
Some of you are thinking, "This is all well and good, but what does all of that mean for the story?" Fair enough. Apart from outside forces, this chapter just did NOT want to be written. Halfway through, I realized that the direction I was going meant that the final third part of the story wouldn't be able to be written, which meant a ton of important questions would go unanswered. Not ideal. So I fixed that problem and then encountered a word count problem. While I said the story didn't want to be written, I suppose it's better to say it didn't want to be written the right way. Once I realized the word count was going to be over 20k, I knew I would have to chop it up. This means that in a few days, when I have the chance to edit, I'll be posting another chapter. Think of these two as Chapter 6A and Chapter 6B, lol. The rest of the story IS plotted out. I know where I'm going, and for those of you looking longingly at the E or M rating, I have good news; there will be incoming good times in chapter 8 or 9! Does that end the story? No. I have more in store for you, my pretties.
I'm also working on a few more projects, so keep an eye out! (I am one of those odd people that is more productive if I have multiple things to bounce between.)
Inuyasha had halfway managed to convince himself that presenting Kagome with a steaming deer carcass was not the way to go. Ditto for a rabbit-maybe more so for the rabbit.
His instincts were screaming at him to start bringing her courtship gifts, but unfortunately for him, the traditional standbys weren't going to cut it in this case. After the emotionally draining task of going through her dad's stuff, she clearly needed something to comfort her and cheer her up-although she was now looking forward to the Disney trip, he wanted to give her something more tangible. It was still a bit soon for jewelry, at least from what little he understood, and he wanted more time to think about that, anyway.
Which left him back at square one.
Honestly, the deer was starting to look tempting...
Except for the fact that she would drop him on the spot and go back to her cat plan.
He sat up so hard he nearly gave himself whiplash. A cat! Holy hell, his mother had birthed a genius-this was perfect! Kicking his sheets to the end of the bed, Inuyasha made a mad dash to the bathroom for a quick shower. If he got moving, he should be able to hit all the shelters in the area-this cat had to be perfect, but surely there had to be one that Kagome would love.
Not a pregnant one, though. There had to be some limits.
After he had tugged on jeans and an old Breaking Benjamin t-shirt, he knocked on Kagome's door.
"You can come in!"
Poking his head in, he found her sitting at her desk wearing a tiny pair of running shorts and a college tank top.
"Started workin' already?" He asked, surprised that she hadn't even had breakfast yet.
Kagome shook her head. "No, just checking my email before I grab something to eat and start some sketches."
"Good luck. I just wanted to let you know that I probably won't be in for lunch, so don't bother makin' anything for me."
"One of those days, huh?" Kagome asked with a sympathetic look, clearly thinking that Sesshomaru was pulling him into the office. "Movie tonight?"
Couch time. Hell yes.
"Sounds good. Text me if you think of anything you need me to pick up."
Seeing her give him a thumbs up before turning back to her laptop, he took the opportunity to leave before she realized that he wasn't dressed for going in to work.
Once in the Amigo, Inuyasha pulled out his phone to start mapping out the best route to hit the shelters. He figured it would be best to start with those that were closest and work his way out. There were quite a few that he thought he could reasonably hit and still make it home to spend the evening with Kagome, so after a brief stop to fill up his tank, he was on his way.
Three hours and six shelters later, he was getting discouraged. The scent of fear, despair and death hanging in the air of those places always got to him—and there was always at least one dog that would send up a desperate, pleading howl. All of them had plenty of cats, and he had stood in front of the cage of each one. None of them felt right. Guiltily he would turn and leave, wondering if he could keep this up for much longer. Around one, he stopped for a long lunch to try to regroup. The food smells helped to erase the lingering scents of the shelter, and he was feeling better by the time his stomach was full.
As he left the restaurant, he noticed a pet store across the street, and it hit him that even if he found a cat, he had no supplies and nothing to put it in for the trip home. A quick internet check gave him a list of the basics, and thirty minutes later, he was walking out of the store with a carrier, litter box, litter, food, bowls, a scratching post, and a few toys.
Two more hours into his search, and his temper was beginning to fray. Either he was going to have to give up the idea entirely, or he was going to have to lower his standards. He decided that the next stop was going to be his last because he was going to need time to get his head on straight before he got back to Kagome—he wasn't going to make the day worse by snapping at her and starting some stupid fight over nothing.
He pulled into the parking lot, noting that the sign on the door gave him very little time to look around. Jamming his keys into his pocket with more force than necessary, he stomped up the sidewalk, trying to fight the snarl that wanted to form on his face.
Stepping into the office area, he saw that it was empty save for a college-age girl standing behind the counter. Her face was a mask of indifference until she glanced up and saw him, and then it morphed into something more predatory.
"Can I interest you in anything?" She asked, leaning across the counter, pushing up her breasts, and allowing them to spill over the low cut of her top like a freshly cracked tube of instant biscuits.
This was so not what he needed right now, but the thought of Kagome's pleasure had him walking up to the counter as if nothing was wrong. "I'm lookin' to adopt," he said, keeping his voice neutral.
"I'm available," she said, making no effort whatsoever to be professional.
He looked into her eyes, doing his best to channel his brother. That line might work on drunk frat boys, but even if he weren't already trying to get with Kagome, he would have found it tired and overused.
She pouted once she realized he wasn't even going to dignify her offer with a remark. "What are you looking for?"
"I'm here for a cat," he started but saw the sly expression that crossed her face and decided to stop that train before it left the station. Gripping the edge of the counter, he leaned forward with a low growl. "I'm lookin' for a pussy—a nice, clean house cat, not an alley cat. So not yours before you make that offer."
Her face flushed with the anger of someone not being used to being turned down, and she jerked upright, her manicured and polished nails digging into her palms.
"I'll take care of this, Ainu. Please go out back and clean out Little Bit's pen," a middle-aged woman said, coming in from the back door.
"But Aunt—" Ainu said, her face crinkling in disgust.
"I don't care; it's not my fault you dressed inappropriately for the job," the woman continued, her no-nonsense ponytail bouncing slightly as she shook her head.
Grumbling, Ainu stopped through the door that her aunt had just entered, showing off the fact that her legs were almost completely exposed—a poor choice for scrubbing kennels and dealing with the claws of excited or scared animals.
The older woman shot him an amused smile. "We're discovering the hard way that Little Bit has something of a food allergy."
"Don't suppose that Little Bit is a fluffy little purse dog?" Inuyasha asked, his ears flicking forward in interest.
Her smile grew larger with satisfaction. "Cane Corso."
The two shared a cackle before settling down to business.
"So, I heard you were looking for a cat?"
Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah. My, uh….friend has been wantin' to get a cat, and she finally can now that she's got a house."
The woman arched a brow at the way he said 'friend' but made no comment. "Right. The cat room is this way; along with several older adults, we've recently had two litters of kittens that have just been weaned."
Inuyasha followed along, thinking that surely a little fuzzball from one of the litters would work. At least this place smelled cleaner than the others, he noticed as he entered the room.
"The kittens are to your left; let me know if there's one you would like to see."
Inuyasha peered through the mesh of the first cage and was met with the low warning snarl of the mother. A quick scan of the orange and white stripers didn't hold his interest, so he moved to the next cage. This mother was a plump tabby who had obviously done this before and sent a short purr his way before going back to her nap. His eyes caught on a little tuxedo cat, but it still didn't feel right.
"Can I look at the older ones?" He asked, regretting that he was probably wasting her time.
If she was surprised he didn't want a kitten, she kept it hidden. "Sure. They're over there on the opposite side of the room."
Without much hope, he started down the line of cages, watching as an ear flicked in his direction or one slitted eye cracked open enough to glance at him. He was about to turn around when he heard it.
A yowl that was so slow and unenergetic that it sounded like it had been trapped in molasses.
It was a sound straight out of his childhood that he hadn't heard in almost three and a half years. Quickening his pace, he made it to the end of the row, holding his breath as he looked into the cage.
A fat calico kitten with wide, green eyes stared up at him. It was older than the kittens in the two litters, but not by a lot. It gazed up at him in stunned amazement, as if it couldn't believe he was there.
"Welcome back, ya fuzzy little bastard," Inuyasha said under his breath, unable to contain a wide grin. Cats, while not necessarily demonic, weren't exactly fully mortal, either. Each cat had nine lives; the same cat, nine times, before moving on. It was rare for a person to meet the same cat more than once, but it did happen.
"I take it you've found the one?"
Inuyasha looked over his shoulder. "Yeah, he's exactly what I was lookin' for. Can we go ahead and fill out the paperwork?"
"Absolutely. There is just one thing, though-you might want to go pick up a carrier. Some dogs can travel in a car without one, but a cat will probably end up wrapped around your head while you're driving."
Inuyasha gave the calico one last scratch on the head and stood up. "It's fine, I bought that and everything else he'll need before I got here."
"Perfect! Then let's get everything filled out."
The process didn't take long, and Inuyasha went to get the carrier. The Cat Formerly Known as Buyo, wasn't particularly thrilled, but a treat shoved through the front of the door soon quieted him down. As Inuyasha drove, he couldn't help darting glances at the cat, marveling how every splotch of color was in exactly the right place.
"This time around, you're gonna have to be strictly indoors," he informed the kitten, who narrowed its eyes at his statement.
"I mean it. There's stuff livin' in those woods that could've eaten the old you for breakfast. I didn't pull your fuzzy ass out of jail so that you can break Kagome's heart again so soon."
The kitten had cocked his head and let out an enthusiastic mew at Kagome's name.
I'd rather not go through that again myself.
Inuyasha's expression turned grim. As soon as he and Kagome had become on friendly enough terms to visit each other's houses, he had met Buyo. He'd been fascinated by the cat since, well, his family being dog people, he'd never really been around one. He and the little beast used to harass each other mercilessly, but the cat usually found his way into Inuyasha's lap for his naps.
And that was where, three years ago, he had died.
He had been pretty old for a cat by that point, and he was slowing down. Kagome had told him one day that he was starting to sleep most of the time and was becoming more difficult to wake up. Inuyasha had gone to visit the next day and had gone upstairs to Kagome's room. Sitting on her bed like they had done since they were preteens, Buyo had slid from her lap into his, nestling down into the hoodie Inuyasha had taken off because the room was so warm.
Less than an hour later, it was all over, and Kagome had sobbed into his chest as her grandfather dug a hole out back behind the shrine.
Shit. Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all. What if it only brought back bad memories?
No, he was second-guessing himself. Kagome had been wanting a cat, and she had always said she hated that they didn't live long enough.
His stomach growled, and a glance at the clock on the dash told him it was dinner time. He had lost an entire day on this, but if it made Kagome happy, it would be worth it.
He pulled into the driveway, and it didn't look like there were any lights on in the front half of the house. Kagome was either in the kitchen or her room. This made it easier to slip through the front door and place the carrier between the couch and the wall where she couldn't see it right away. Following the clanking noises from the kitchen, he found her starting to prep for dinner.
"You got a minute?" He asked from the doorway, trying not to stare at the exposed strip of flesh at her stomach as she stretched to reach something in one of the cabinets.
She twisted her head over her shoulder to look at him. "You're back! I was worried you weren't going to make it for...dinner." She frowned as she lowered herself to stand flat on the floor before turning to face him with a small frown. "I thought you went to the office. Did you already change?"
He shook his head. "Nope, I was on a mission today. Wanna come see what I found?"
"Please tell me you didn't actually get that antler chandelier," she moaned, following him from the room.
"That's a trip for another day," he teased her.
"I'll pop the tires first," she muttered under her breath.
Inuyasha walked over to the couch, being sure to block her view. "Close your eyes," he ordered, his own glowing with contained excitement.
She gave him a suspicious look but complied.
Quickly, he bent down and unlatched the carrier, scooping up the kitten in one hand. He turned to Kagome and supported the kitten's backside with one hand, using the other to wrap around its chest to hold it up.
"Alright, open," he told her.
Her eyes cracked open, almost as if keeping them in slits would help her adjust to whatever disaster she was expecting. As she focused on what he was holding, they popped open wide as she gasped, her hands coming up to cover her mouth.
"Meet Buyo 2.0. Or, as I like to call him, Bu2," Inuyasha said proudly.
Her hands shook as she reached for the kitten, the fluffy baby fur soft as down under her fingers. He began to purr as she cuddled him to her chest, looking for all the world like a smug, fur-covered potato. Kagome lifted his right hind foot, and sure enough, there was one solid black toe bean, dark and shiny in contrast to the rest of his pink skin.
"Where on earth did you find him?" She asked Inuyasha, unable to look away from the kitten.
"He stayed true to form. He was in the last shelter I went to today," Inuyasha admitted, pleased that she was so happy. "Are you surprised?"
"Of course I am! I've missed him so much—I was planning on getting another—-"
Buyo yowled in protest.
"Which wouldn't have been the same," Kagome added. "I'm going to need to run to town to get some cat supplies!"
Inuyasha raised a hand as she started to dart off. "Don't worry, everything's already out in the Amigo. Keep an eye on the mini chunk, and I'll go get it."
"Inuyasha, you didn't have to do that! He's more than enough on his own!"
He laughed as he headed to the door. "You'd say that until he used your laundry basket for a litter box."
Kagome narrowed her eyes at the kitten thoughtfully, recalling times when she hadn't been fast enough to clean the box for His Majesty. "You're probably right," she agreed.
While Inuyasha was outside, Kagome took the kitten into her room, deciding that the litter box would go in the bathroom, and she would keep her door closed to the rest of the house for now.
"Ya want all this in here?" Inuyasha asked, his arms full of cat supplies.
"Yeah, just drop it anywhere-I'll start setting it all up in a minute," Kagome said, not looking up from the purring kitten that had made itself at home on her pillow.
He dropped everything in the corner and gave an exaggerated, dramatic sigh. "I see how it is. Give a cat person a cat, and they ignore you."
Kagome left Buyo on the bed and stepped over to throw her arms around Inuyasha in a tight hug. "Generally a cat person, but you're amazing enough to be an exception. Thank you so, so much! I still don't know why you went to the trouble-"
"Did it make you happy?" He asked into her hair. When he felt her nod, he continued, "Then I don't need any other reason."
They stood there in silence before Kagome finally pulled away, stretching herself up to kiss him on the underside of his jaw. "Let me get him set up, and then I'll come out and make the popcorn while you pick something out on tv."
Inuyasha made some sort of noise that fortunately could be taken as an agreement before he floated from the room, all of his attention centered firmly on the area of his jaw that her lips had touched. She was happy! His offering had been accepted! Even though it was still small, his youkai reasoned that it was sufficient to-
He froze, his eyes becoming large.
Oh shit.
He just realized that his youkai had intended the cat to be a future fucking food source.
Oh no, nononono. Kagome could never find that out. A guy getting a girl a cute kitten? Great. Can brag about that to friends, can tell future kids. A guy giving a girl a cat and implying that it would fit in the crockpot? That's when you enter restraining order territory.
With a shake, he continued to his room to change before watching tv. Kagome was happy, his youkai was temporarily appeased, and he was never, ever going to mention this particular fuckuppery again; As far as Kagome was concerned, there was only one pussy she ever needed to know he had thought about devouring.
He was dying. His lungs burned as he struggled for breath, and his desperate grip on life began to slip. It was all over; he was fading…..
His searching hand grasped the warm, furry ball that had latched onto his face. With a swift yank, he was flooded with cool air, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
"What the hell, cat?" He gasped, glaring into wide green eyes.
"Mreow."
He let Buyo drop to the pillow, where he immediately began kneading and purring. Inuyasha closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. Somehow, the damn cat managed to sneak out of Kagome's room and into his. Neither of them could figure out how he was doing it. He hadn't really minded until this assassination attempt. Especially since he was tired and he needed to be on his game for—he jerked to his side, panic filling him as he noticed the time on his bedside clock. Kicking his legs to untangle himself from his sheets, he sprinted to the bathroom. Today was the Disney trip, and he had to get ready in time so they could pick up Sango and Miroku.
He sped through his shower and began to root through his clothes. An Iron Man t-shirt would do. Jeans were out; wet denim after the water rides felt gross, so he grabbed a pair of black cargo shorts that would dry fast. After shoving his feet in a pair of sneakers and grabbing a baseball cap and the special sunglasses that gripped the sides of his head, he was ready.
"Hey, Kagome? You up?" Inuyasha called, giving a quick knock on her door.
Kagome opened it almost immediately, a worried look on her face. "I'm ready to go, but I can't find Buyo!"
He snorted. "Because the hairy little water balloon snuck into my room and tried to smother me in my sleep."
She sagged in relief and gave him a small smile. "Sorry about that. I guess we might as well let him roam the house; he's apparently the most dangerous thing in it."
With a slow smirk, Inuyasha leaned forward, using one clawed finger to tuck an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "Oh, don't underestimate me, Peaches. I'm plenty dangerous."
Kagome sucked in a sharp breath as her face flushed from the base of her neck to her hairline. "I don't doubt it," she squeaked, ducking away to go grab her purse from where it had fallen off the bed.
Inuyasha had time to get a quick glimpse at the front of her shirt as she pulled away. It was sleeveless and pale yellow, with the words Puppy Love in a cursive blue font surrounded by hearts and paw prints on the chest. The wide grin that this elicited slid from his face as he watched her bend over, and he could only imagine what that tight, light denim of her shorts would look like, soaked from a water ride and stretched across that ass.
The happiest place on earth, indeed.
"I texted Sango and told her we'd get coffee before we picked them up," Kagome said, her face returning to its normal shade.
Inuyasha pushed away the decidedly non-family-friendly thoughts that had taken over his mind. "Good call. It'll at least lower the risk of Sango murdering us before we even reach the parking lot."
Kagome shuddered and nodded in agreement. Sango was not a morning person.
The line at the coffee shop was surprisingly short, and they pulled up in front of Sango's just a little bit before the agreed-upon time. The couple was leaning against the low brick wall, Sango slumping against Miroku's side, her face set in a grumpy scowl. Miroku wore the expression of a nervous mouse in a room full of hungry cats. His hands were placed circumspectly in front of him; even he wasn't foolish enough to mess with Sango before her coffee.
Then again, his resemblance to a small rodent may have been due in no small part to the Mickey ears he was wearing, which matched those perched slightly askew atop Sango's head. As they got closer, Inuyasha noticed that they were wearing matching shirts with Mickey and Minnie surrounded by hearts. He couldn't help the loud snort at the sight, earning his arm a small smack from Kagome.
"It's a couple thing, Inuyasha," she admonished him.
He had a smart reply hovering on his lips, but he became curious by the oddly wistful tone of her voice. Wait. Was that something she wanted? He glanced back at Miroku. It was horrible, he had to admit. Not really him, but….hey, he was willing to try. Maybe something less sickeningly sweet, but if she wanted them to look like they belonged together, he was down for that—hell, he'd dress up like Pluto and let her walk him around the park if that's what it took.
Sango had stomped toward the Amigo with Miroku trailing a safe distance behind her. They piled into the back seat, and Sango thrust a plastic bag at Kagome. "Here. Yours got mixed up in my stuff last time," she growled, then perked slightly at the cup of steaming coffee that Inuyasha dangled in front of her.
Kagome gave a short crow of triumph as she pulled out the headband with the mouse ears attached and put it on, checking the mirror to make sure that it was straight.
"No mouse ears for you?" Miroku asked, taking his own cup of coffee.
Inuyasha eased into traffic, making sure to keep an eye out for the exit he would need to take. "Yeah, no. Animal ears aren't exactly much of a novelty for me," he answered dryly, his baseball cap rustling as he gave his ears a flick.
Silence reigned for the duration of the drive, everyone giving the coffee a chance to kick in-a far cry from a few years ago when they could stay up for a solid forty-eight hours and still manage to function. It was easier for Inuyasha, who needed less sleep than humans, but he had quickly learned that it was best to give Sango time to adjust to being alive before he opened his mouth.
"How can there possibly be this many kids? It's not a holiday, is it?" Inuyasha asked as they navigated the parking lot, looking for an empty spot.
"It looks like a lot of them are too young to be in school," Miroku pointed out, nodding to all of the strollers being wheeled to the entrance, being driven by mothers clearly determined to Get There First.
"Which means that most of the people here will be in line for the kiddie rides, which should make it easier for us to get to the good stuff," Sango added, starting to look a bit more like herself.
Inuyasha sighed. It wasn't that he hated kids or anything, but that age group got tired and overstimulated fast, which meant he had a day of shrieking to look forward to. That really, really wasn't going to help his nerves, and he was hoping that Kagome wouldn't take it personally if he got snappish.
"Let me know when you need some Tylenol," Kagome said, patting her purse. "I brought the youkai strength with me since I had a feeling it was going to get noisy."
He tilted his head back with a sigh of relief. "You're a fuckin' angel of mercy."
She shot him a sly smile. "Remember that when I ask for help carrying my bags back to the car."
"Strike my last comment; you're more of a youkai than I am," he groaned.
Miroku and Sango snickered behind them, and Inuyasha glared at them over his shoulder before getting in line to hand over the tickets. Buying in advance had been the best option, and they were shuffled into the park with the small group that hadn't decided to come on the spur of the moment.
"Which way should we go first?" Kagome said brightly, bouncing on her heels in excitement.
"I think I need something small on my stomach before we go on any of the bigger rides," Sango said, studying the map.
"Somethin' smells good over that way," Inuyasha pointed to the right, where he could pick up the traces of warm cinnamon over the mixed scents of the crowd.
They trekked in that direction, and it soon became clear that the smell of cinnamon rolls was coming from one of the several bakeries scattered throughout the park.
"I need to use the restroom, so I'll grab everyone some breakfast if you don't mind getting the water," Kagome said, nodding at a small kiosk selling bottled drinks.
Inuyasha almost protested, intending to pay for all of the meals, but this would be the perfect chance to ask Sango and Miroku a question, so he merely nodded and went over to the short line that was already forming. Since there weren't many options and no prep work involved, the line moved quickly, and soon he was back to the bench where Sango and Miroku were waiting.
"Okay, tell me quick before she gets back-how do I make it look more like we're a couple without going full tilt...whatever this is," he gestured at them.
"This is a committed relationship that includes sex, so don't knock it," Miroku said, taking a sip from his bottle of water.
"Okay, whatever. Just tell me what to do!" He hissed, his eyes darting to the bakery to make sure Kagome wasn't on her way back.
"More touching. The couch cuddles at home are all well and good, but you need to step it up in public," Miroku said, and Sango nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, but what kind? Somehow I feel like Kagome ain't gonna appreciate walkin' through the park with my hand glued to her ass," Inuyasha answered dryly, knowing that Miroku had worn Sango down enough that she sometimes allowed him to put his hand in her back pocket.
"That's an advanced maneuver. No, I would advise putting your arm around her shoulders when you're sitting or having her sit on your lap. Holding hands while we're walking would be a good idea as well; that's the best way to send signals that you're together."
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at Sango, who had yet to chime in. "A little input, Sango? Somehow the nonsexual aspects of a relationship don't seem to be his strong point."
Miroku sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. "You don't get it, do you? You know I always avoided getting tangled up in relationships before—of course, I would learn what actions gave a romantic impression and how to avoid them!" He turned a loving gaze on Sango. "All of those gestures are reserved for my beloved Sango."
Sango blushed a bit at the blatant affection but smiled back before turning to Inuyasha. "He's right. One of the ways I knew he was actually serious about us being in a relationship was that he acted differently than he had with other girls. I know you've held Kikyo's hand, so it might be time to start doing the same with Kagome."
Inuyasha considered that then nodded slowly; they had a point. Of course, both he and Kikyo had been nervous about the whole hand-holding thing and not in the fluttery, butterflies in the stomach way. Somehow he didn't think it would be the same with Kagome, and he wasn't sure why he had avoided it other than the fact that he was generally a private person. But being affectionate in private and hiding it in public really didn't send the message he wanted and might even make her think he was ashamed of it or something. He swallowed, then squared his shoulders in determination. Today would be a good day to start, and if it turned out she didn't like it, well, it wouldn't have to leave the park.
Inuyasha sat down on the bench, slightly angled away from the others, since an older woman had taken the spot a seat away from Sango. He started to think that maybe he should go in to see if she needed help right as Kagome came out the door carrying a large paper bag. He waved so she could spot him, but just as she headed their way, two kids sat down and started playing on the bench, leaving her no room.
His first thought, having grudgingly absorbed the lessons in politeness his parents had forced him to endure, was to stand up so she could sit down.
Fortunately, he almost instantly came up with a better idea.
He waited for Kagome to hand Sango and Miroku a selection of pastries, then reached out to snag her around the waist and pull her down to sit on his lap. Not in a way that parents would feel the need to cover their kids' eyes just so that she could eat while facing Sango and Miroku. Judging by the expressions on a few people's faces as they passed, the position fell into the 'cute' category.
Kagome was startled by the gesture but was far from complaining. How many times had she seen couples in such a position, wondering sadly if it would ever be her? Not only was it finally her, but it was also with the person she had always wanted in the first place. As she rooted in the bag for her cinnamon roll, she was struck by a thought.
She had to admit that there was...something developing between her and Inuyasha. So far, though, it was mostly when they were alone or where not much attention would be focused on them. Would he act the same way in front of their friends?
Only one way to find out.
She tore off a section of the soft, flakey pastry, the sticky icing clinging to her fingers. With a smile, she held it in front of his mouth and waited to see what he would do.
Since he had flipped his sunglasses up to rest on the brim of his hat, she was able to watch as he gave a short blink of surprise, which melted into a smile as he carefully took the bite between his teeth.
Sango, who had been observing the pair, nearly teared up as she watched Kagome alternate between feeding Inuyasha and taking her own bites of food while he looped his arms around her waist to hold the bag open for her. Kagome practically glowed with happiness, and Sango had never seen Inuyasha wear the expression of tender adoration he was sending Kagome.
"Dammit, I told them I wouldn't be responding to messages today," Miroku muttered from beside her, a frown creasing his face as he shifted his phone to read the screen in the sunlight.
Sango was a little confused why he didn't just ignore it but chose not to answer as she continued to watch Inuyasha and Kagome.
Kagome was almost disappointed to discover that they had reached the last of the food, and she held out the final bite for him to take. It was a struggle to keep her composure at the happy little hum he gave around her fingers. The slim grip she had on it practically snapped when his eyes darkened, and his tongue began to lap up the sticky mess that coated her fingers.
Sweet merciful heavens, she was going to be walking around the park with soaked panties if he kept this up...
"Breakfast was delicious," he purred against her fingers. "Just the way I like it; hot, sticky...and tastes just like Peaches."
The five-year-old girl in the Cinderella dress on the bench beside them was the only thing keeping her from swinging her leg over him and using him as her own personal ride.
"Alright, let's get a move on before the lines get too long!" Sango said brightly, gathering up the trash. While she wanted the relationship to progress, she didn't necessarily think it should happen on a public bench.
Inuyasha huffed, slowly releasing her from his grip. He could've sat like that for the rest of the morning, but he supposed Sango was right. He was putting his sunglasses on while Kagome walked over to the trash can when he felt a tug on his shorts. He looked down at the little girl, who had her head tilted to the side.
"Kiss the girl?" She asked, her eyes darting over to Kagome.
"Kimiko!" Her mother hissed before giving Inuyasha an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry—"
Inuyasha smiled at the girl, careful not to dislodge her tiara when he gave her a small pat on the head. "Trust me, I'm workin' on it, kid."
"Inuyasha, we're going to head this way!" Kagome called from where she was standing with Sango and Miroku.
He made sure his wallet and phone hadn't slipped from his pockets before trotting over to meet them. As they began to join the trickle of other people headed down the street, Inuyasha held his breath and made his move. Acting as if it was something he did every day, he snaked his hand down her arm to lace his fingers with hers.
When she gave a start, his confidence faltered, and he wondered if he had made a mistake-until she flashed him a wide smile, giving his hand a squeeze as she fell into step beside him.
From behind them, Sango gave a silent fist pump, which was interrupted by the vibration of her phone. She gave it a cursory check to make sure it wasn't an emergency, then raised her eyebrow at Miroku when she saw it was from him. At his smirk, she decided to see what he had sent.
"Oh!" She said softly.
Somehow, Miroku had managed to get pictures of Kagome and Inuyasha on the bench—probably when he was pretending to be texting for work. The first picture was beautiful; it was the exact moment that had nearly brought her to tears, and she knew she would be sending this to Kagome later. She flicked to the second picture and—
Oh my.
She probably shouldn't have been surprised that Miroku, of all people, had perfectly captured the erotic nature of Inuyasha eating from Kagome's hand. Miroku had gotten a closeup, with the picture consisting of their faces and hands. The expressions they wore suggested that things were one step away from becoming pornographic, and you would never know by looking at the picture that they were sitting relatively innocently on a public bench.
Kagome would be wanting that picture for reasons other than her lock screen.
Kagome was over the moon. She had always loved coming here, and being back was like living the best moments of her teenage years. She glanced down at where her hand was joined with Inuyasha's. Correction: it was better than those years. While she would never admit it out loud, and she had always felt slightly guilty for doing so, whenever they came while Inuyasha wasn't dating Kikyo, a small part of her would pretend they were on a double date. Sometimes a cashier or other park employee would mistake them for a couple, which always made her heart ache. She had always been relieved that Inuyasha had been distracted during those moments; it would have hurt too much to hear him correct them in that harsh, sarcastic way he always used more often back then.
Now...now it was starting to feel less like a fantasy and more like a potential reality. All morning, Inuyasha had been touching her in some way, either holding her hand or putting his arm around her shoulder or waist. She noticed that there had been a tiny hesitation the first few times as if giving her the chance to pull away. But each time she had welcomed him and reciprocated the contact, he steadily grew more confident.
Kagome reveled in it; each time he rested his chin on her shoulder to look at the map, each time his fingers toyed with her hair while they sat down to take a break, she soaked up his attention.
When they stopped for lunch, Kagome took advantage of the table and rested her hand on his thigh. The muscles jerked under her fingers, but instead of moving away, he slid closer, his leg pressed against hers.
Kagome blinked innocently across the table at Miroku, who had paused mid-bite to give her a speculative look. Naturally, he would be the one to sense some hidden hand-wandering. Aside from a faint twitch of his lips, he said nothing, for which Kagome was grateful; even if Inuyasha hadn't become overly embarrassed, she wasn't sure if she could continue if everyone knew what she was doing.
She wasn't an exhibitionist!
...At least, she didn't think so.
"It's getting a little warm. Is anyone else ready to hit Splash Mountain?" Sango asked, wiping the grease from her fingers.
"I thought you'd wanna start hittin' some of the stores by now, but it's fine with me," Inuyasha answered, pushing away his tray and giving a slight start when a foot connected with his shin.
"They don't want their stuff to get soaked, Inuyasha. Let's do the ride first."
Inuyasha squinted at Miroku but shrugged when he couldn't figure out whatever weird thought process had prompted the kick.
"That sounds good, but first, I think I'll hit the bathroom while we're here. The line for the ride is probably going to be pretty long," Kagome said, standing up.
"I'll come with you," Sango said, picking up her tray and trash.
Inuyasha mourned the loss of Kagome's hand on his leg but decided now was as good a time as any to confront Miroku.
"What the hell was that kick about?" He asked once the girls were out of hearing range.
Miroku had the decency to look sheepish. "Sorry about that. It's just that the water rides have always been one of the best parts of these trips."
Puzzled, Inuyasha tilted his head. "Seriously? It's not even all that hot."
Miroku closed his eyes with a disappointed sigh. "Inuyasha. My friend. You don't understand. The ride itself isn't any different than the others. It's the results." At Inuyasha's blank look, Miroku continued, "The clothes. The wet clothes, clinging to every delicious curve, stretched tightly to mold and enhance-"
"Water rides are next," Inuyasha interrupted hoarsely, staring off into the middle distance.
Having expected an entirely different reaction, Miroku reached across the table and poked Inuyasha in the arm. "Is that really you? I thought for sure that, at the very least, you'd call me a pervert."
Inuyasha sighed, his hand coming up to roughly rub his face. "Then I'd have to call myself a hypocrite because I'm hopin' like hell Kagome gets soaked."
"That bad, huh?" Miroku asked with a sympathetic wince.
"That bad and gettin' worse. I swear she's buying pajamas at least one size too small-the shorts are maybe an inch longer than her underwear at this point."
"Ouch."
Inuyasha turned a haunted look on him. "And...and I don't think she's wearin' a bra. So everything...jiggles. The other night I almost offered to hold 'em in place for her."
Miroku had to bite the inside of his cheek at that; apparently, Kagome was taking Sango's advice to show a little skin.
"Have you considered turning the tables a little?"
Inuyasha sneered at him. "I don't wear a bra either if that's what you mean."
Soda shot out of Miroku's nostrils at that mental image, and he laughed as he wiped his face. "No! I just meant have you tried walking around shirtless? Letting your pants hang off your hip bones? You'd be surprised how effective that can be." Miroku was all for a level playing field as long as he couldn't find an advantage that benefitted himself.
"I don't see it, but at this point, I'm willing to try just about anything."
"Still hesitating to make things more sexual, or are you ready to take that step?"
Inuyasha considered the question, playing over recent events with Kagome. "I think so, but I'm not one hundred percent sure that it isn't just because I'm a horny bastard."
"Well, here's my expert and unasked-for opinion," Miroku said, poking at the ice in his cup. "I think you were right not to go straight to that too soon. If you had in the beginning, Kagome might have felt that that was all you wanted. I think that at this point, you've done enough to show her that you're laying the groundwork for something more. I don't think she would be unwelcome to any advances."
No, Inuyasha had caught the scent of her arousal enough times to think that she was receptive to the idea. Maybe Miroku was right. He had done everything he could think of to show Kagome that he was interested in a meaningful relationship. Maybe it was time to show her that he wanted to do more than just hold her hand. A hell of a lot more. A slow smile stretched across his face as an idea began to form-sure, Miroku had come up with some good suggestions, but he didn't think he would be satisfied with teasing. Not anymore. He had restrained his youkai for too long, and it was hungry.
"Hey."
Miroku looked up, startled at the gravelly tone of Inuyasha's voice. "Yes?"
"Not this Saturday, but the next. Make sure you and Sango are ready to go out that night."
Miroku gave a slow nod. Kagome was...in for an interesting experience if Inuyasha's face was anything to go by. "Sure, but whatever you're thinking, you might want to dial it back before the girls get here; your crests are starting to show, and I have a feeling it isn't bloodlust that brought them out."
Inuyasha gave his head a firm shake, putting his plans on hold for now-this wasn't the time or place to go over that. He could practically feel the youkai sulking as it dropped below the surface, and he tried his best to school his face into an innocent expression. Just in time, too, because Sango and Kagome were weaving their way through other customers to get to them.
"Sorry, there was a long line. I'm hoping that means the rides won't be so packed since it's lunchtime," Sango said, pushing her mouse ears farther back on her head.
Inuyasha stood up and put his sunglasses on, knowing that would help to block out any lingering traces of what he had been thinking so Kagome wouldn't wonder. "No problem, it isn't that far of a walk."
Kagome took his hand as they left the restaurant, both of them enjoying the ease with which they were starting to make that contact. They walked in the direction of the ride, carefully avoiding the small flock of families who were moving closer to the line of restaurants for lunch. Sango had been right, and although the rides still had lines, they were nothing like they would be again in a few hours.
As they watched a few chutes go down, Inuyasha was able to see which seats ended up getting splashed the most. If he had to, he'd bump Sango and Miroku for those; Miroku could fucking well spray Sango down with a hose when they got home if he needed.
The line shuffled closer, and he did a quick count—his luck was in! They'd be getting the right seats!
Miroku must have noticed because he shot him an amused look tinged with jealousy. He was smart enough to keep his mouth shut, probably because he didn't want to risk having to walk home. Inuyasha ignored him as he helped Kagome into her seat before climbing in beside her, not really paying attention as the ride attendant went through the usual spiel about staying buckled in. He did take the time to make sure that both his hat and sunglasses were firmly in place; the last thing he needed was to lose another one.
"Promise me you won't shake more water onto me when you dry off," Kagome pleaded, jerking forward slightly when they started to move.
"What's wrong, Peaches? You don't like it when I get you all wet?" He asked, leaning in close enough that his breath tickled her ear.
Kagome licked her lips nervously, wondering if she should say just how much she did like it, when she was interrupted by a shrill scream. Inuyasha jerked back with a harsh wince, breath hissing between his teeth as his hand instinctively raised to press his cap over his ears.
"Damn it, we aren't even close to the drop yet!"
And that was the mood officially killed. Kagome tried not to pout, but it was a near thing. At least, it was until she took a better look at his profile and noticed how tense his face was.
"I'll give you some of the Tylenol as soon as this is over," she said quietly, recognizing one of his headaches coming on.
A choppy nod was all the answer she got, but she knew that when he got like this, he would usually get snappish. When they were younger, it had sparked some fights, but as he got older and recognized the symptoms, he started to try to stay quiet rather than risk saying something hurtful. Instead of saying anything further, she took his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze, enjoying the way some of the tension seemed to leak from his body at the gesture.
The ringing in his ears began to fade-it wasn't just the shrillness of the scream, but the fact that he hadn't been braced for it. At least he knew to put the flaps down once daylight became visible, knowing that the screaming would start up as they began to tip over the edge.
Sure enough, the scent of fear began to pick up-not the sharp, acidic kind that he associated with potentially life-threatening situations, but the nervous anticipation of something that gave the illusion of danger. For someone that could leap almost as high as the peak of the ride, some of the suspense was lost on him, outside of the lack of control. Beside him, Kagome began to laugh, her eyes sparkling with excitement; she loved the thrill of the drop, and her heart sped up in anticipation of the plunge.
For such a long line to get on the ride, the best part felt like it only took a matter of seconds. One moment they were perched at the top of the mountain, able to look out over the expanse of the park, with the people milling about like ants down below. In the blink of an eye, they were at the bottom, the rush of water surrounding them on all sides before crashing down with a smack that left them breathless. As they pulled forward to unload, everyone was busy blinking the water out of their eyes and pulling soaked clothing from uncomfortable locations, which was how they completely missed a critical flaw in Miroku's plan.
Once they were far enough away from the ride that so many people weren't pressing them into a human-shaped cube, Inuyasha turned to Kagome, hoping to enjoy the way her clothing had to be clinging to her like a second skin. What he saw left him aroused and horrified.
He hadn't taken the material of her shirt into consideration, but the combination of the thin, distressed fabric with the light color left...really nothing to the imagination. To make it worse, whatever she had been wearing underneath it had been on the thin side as well, and his eyes were automatically drawn to the twin, dark peaks that had stiffened due to the shock of the cold water.
A strangled moan left his throat, and Sango, who craned her neck to see what had caused it, gasped in shock.
"Kagome!"
Puzzled, Kagome looked down to see what Sango was staring at and was immediately mortified. She hadn't realized it would be that transparent!
Inuyasha still had not recovered, and a large part of him wanted to cover her chest. With his face. This was hardly the time and the place, and the looks she was starting to get made his youki rise; the scent of Kagome's distress made it impossible to enjoy the view, and he began to growl at the men whose gazes lasted a little too long-which meant at all. His instincts were all in a jumble, screaming out for him to protect her, to take her for himself. He was frozen in place, knowing that if he moved, there was a possibility that he would lash out at someone.
"Okay, here's what we're going to do," Sango said, taking charge. "Miroku, stand in front of Kagome-with your back to her, idiot!" Miroku raised his hands, his expression saying he was in shock rather than trying to be lecherous. "Inuyasha, you stay on her right side, and I'll stay on her left. There's a bathroom up ahead and to our right, so let's get her in there."
Kagome shrank down in the center of her friends, thankful to be out of sight of the rest of the park-goers. Inuyasha had his arm draped around her back, and she could feel the vibrations from his light growling. If she weren't so mortified, she would laugh at the way he looked like an over-protective security guard scanning the crowd for threats.
Because of the way they were grouped, it took a little while to get close to the restrooms, but once people saw Inuyasha's expression, they became intent on moving elsewhere in a hurry. They walked up as close to the entrance as they could get, and Miroku stepped to the side so she could get through.
"Wait in there with Sango, and I'll go get ya somethin' from that gift shop we passed," Inuyasha said, hovering at the entrance.
"You don't have to-"
"As great as the view is, I don't think you want me guttin' anyone over it. Just let me buy a damn shirt," Inuyasha growled, his voice just shy of allowing his youkai to the surface.
"I think that's a good idea," Sango cut in. "There's only so much the hand dryers can do, and we can't stay in here forever. Come on, Kagome. Inuyasha, just shout from out here, and I'll come get it."
Inuyasha nodded as Sango whisked Kagome away, and he spun on his heel to head back to the store, faintly aware of Miroku falling into step beside him.
"Well, that didn't go quite as planned," Miroku said, trying to gauge Inuyasha's mood.
"Thought it would be safe since it wasn't white," Inuyasha muttered. "Didn't realize it was gonna make her flash more than the fuckin' light parade."
"On the other hand, at least the anger killed the boner you were popping."
Inuyasha wanted to say something cutting, but he couldn't. He could only hope Kagome hadn't noticed.
The store wasn't one of the largest in the park, and it wasn't overly crowded. Inuyasha headed for the women's section, trying to find something Kagome would want to wear. He flicked through a rack and a half before something caught his eye. It was a yellow t-shirt, but brighter and made with a thicker material. The paw prints were a definite bonus, and when he pulled it out, he saw the front featured a fat dalmatian puppy. Dog-themed, cute fat animal. Kagome would love it. It was the best option since he currently didn't have one with his picture and the words 'Paws Off' yet.
"Did you make sure it was the right size?" Miroku asked as he saw Inuyasha walking to the cash register. He had made a few errors in that department before and had learned quickly that women always took the wrong size as some sort of implication.
"Yeah, it should work. If not, I'll just come back," Inuyasha said, tossing it on the counter so he could pull his wallet from his pocket.
Once he had been rung up, he shoved the receipt in with his card and took the bag. It was a quick walk back to the restrooms, and Miroku, not wanting to be accused of anything, waited a good distance away, pulling out his phone to occupy his time.
"Sango!" Inuyasha yelled, ignoring the nervous looks he was getting from some of the women entering and leaving the restroom.
He was about to call again when Sango came out. "It'll be a few minutes, but we'll join you over there," she said, taking the bag.
"Let me know if she needs a different one," Inuyasha answered, wandering over to stand with Miroku.
In the bathroom, Kagome was standing with her arms across her chest, not wanting to take up a stall when it was so busy. She smiled weakly at the sympathetic looks from other women, who had most likely been through a similar situation.
"Here we go!" Sango said, waving a slick, shiny blue bag with the castle printed on the front. "Let's see what he picked out...Oh, that's perfect!" She pulled the shirt from the bag with a laugh.
Kagome saw what she meant and couldn't help grinning-she should have known it would be something dog related, and she couldn't say she was disappointed.
"Nothing says 'Property of the Puppy' with all of the paw prints," Sango commented, clearly amused.
"I think it's sweet, Kagome defended, going into a freshly vacated stall and peeling off the sopping shirt with a sense of relief. "Oh, crap. My bra is wet too, and it's going to soak the shirt."
"Here, pass it over the top, and I can get it mostly dry."
Kagome unclasped it, wincing as the air hit her bare nipples, and dangled it over the top of the stall.
Sango grabbed a length of the cheap paper towels and rolled the bra into it to give it a good squeeze. After repeating this several times, most of the moisture had been removed. After a pass under the blower, it was barely damp, and she passed it back to Kagome.
"Ugh, thank you! I wasn't looking forward to walking around like that," Kagome said, putting it back on before pulling on the shirt.
"I don't know. Aside from the unwanted attention, I think Inuyasha was enjoying the view," Sango said with a smirk, still leaning against the sink.
Kagome came out of the stall, adjusting the strap of her purse on her shoulder. "I didn't have time to notice, but I doubt he was that impressed."
"Are you kidding? I thought his eyeballs were going to pop the lenses out of his sunglasses. And that wasn't all that was popping if you catch my drift."
"Sango!" Kagome gasped, flushing a brilliant red. "He wasn't-"
"He. Was."
Kagome bit her lip. Honestly, she had no problem with Inuyasha seeing her like that-it was the five hundred other people that she wasn't wild about giving a free show. He had been quite...flirty over the past few months, and she could honestly say that if things took a physical direction, she would be alright with that. The only problem was he hadn't made a definitive move. Sure, she could do it herself, but, well, she didn't want to. She needed it to be him who took this to the next level and said where this relationship was going. It wasn't out of shyness or some strange need to punish him for never having done so before. She just...she just wanted, for once, to be on the receiving end of his romantic efforts. Was that so wrong? To want to hear, plainly, that she was wanted? To know that it was intentional and that she wasn't interchangeable? She didn't think so.
"Kagome? Are you alright?" Sango asked, seeing her friend had disappeared into her head.
"Hm? Oh! Yeah, I was just thinking, sorry."
"Things are still going okay between the two of you, right?"
"Yeah, everything is going great-better than I had hoped, really. I was just thinking that if he, you know, made it clear what he wanted, I think I would be ready. Well. As long as it wasn't just sex. As much as I want him, I don't think I could do that. But I don't feel like that's what he is going for."
Sango sent Kagome a considering look out of the corner of her eye. Kagome was ready to raise the stakes; she would be texting Inuyasha later. Watching them fumble around was delightful, but she had a feeling that wouldn't change much, even when they were officially in a relationship.
They found Inuyasha and Miroku waiting beside one of the large manicured shrubs and quickly joined them.
"Thanks for picking this up for me; how much do I owe you?" Kagome asked, sliding the handles of the bag containing her wet shirt over her wrist.
"Don't worry about it," Inuyasha said, shaking his head.
Kagome frowned; he shouldn't have to buy her new clothes just because she hadn't thought through her outfit choice. "Inuyasha, you didn't need to-"
"The hell I didn't!" He snapped, his lip curling at the memory of all of the creeps that had started to slobber over her.
Miroku, long used to mediating between his stubborn friends, stepped in. "I think that Inuyasha has been compensated enough," he said, waggling his eyebrows.
"Miroku! You don't have to make it sound like a private OnlyFans subscription!"
"What the hell was private about it?" Inuyasha said loudly, hunching his shoulders as the three of them turned to look at him oddly. "Whatever. Are we going on more rides or not?"
"I know we want to hit the Haunted Mansion when it gets dark. Can we do some shopping? I'd like to pick up a few gifts, and everyone packs into all the good places at night."
Relieved to have the subject changed, Inuyasha started stalking off in the direction of one of the shopping areas. Had he enjoyed the view? Yes. That didn't mean he wanted to make her uncomfortable, dammit. He had only made it a few yards away when he felt Kagome come up beside him and tug on his sleeve.
"Here. I still have some water left from earlier, and I meant to give these to you once we were off the ride."
"Thanks," he muttered, moving out of the path of foot traffic to accept the water and bottle of Tylenol.
"I'm not upset with you, you know. Everything was pretty much on display whether you wanted it or not," Kagome assured him, an amused glint in her eye.
"I didn't want-I mean, not that I'm opposed...shit. Can you give me a hint of the socially acceptable thing to say here, because I'm dyin'."
"Just pretend it's like that one time we went camping on your human night," Kagome said as they started walking again.
Inuyasha nearly choked on his Tylenol. "That's not fair! I thought you and Sango had gone upstream! And it's not like I was looking on purpose-"
"Or expected a closeup of the wooden baseball bat she carried for such situations-"
"And you made it to the bank and got your towel around you!"
"Ah, so you were still looking even though you were on the ground yelling about a broken nose!" Kagome laughed triumphantly.
He hadn't meant to let that slip.
"...shit."
She patted him on the shoulder as they came to the first store. "Don't worry. If it makes you feel any better, there was a time or two I got an unplanned eyeful myself."
That brought him up short, and Miroku nearly stepped on his heels.
"What? When was that?" He asked, wracking his brain for when that could have happened.
Kagome merely gave him a secretive smile and slid past him through the door.
"Kagome? Hey! Seriously, when did you see? What did you see?" He darted after her, leaving their friends to stare in amusement behind him.
"It feels like high school all over again," Miroku said, wiping a fake tear from the corner of his eye.
"Better. This time, Kagome isn't pining, and Inuyasha isn't oblivious."
Miroku held the door as she walked in, both of them hanging back slightly as they watched Inuyasha pester Kagome while she was trying to shop. "True. I think the sexual tension is starting to get to him, though. He wants us to be free next Saturday, and he had the same look as a starving predator eyeing a bloody steak."
That gave Sango pause. "I wondered how long he could reasonably hold out. I know he's half human, but youkai usually move faster in these areas since they have instincts to help guide them."
"I may have advised him to slut it up around her," Miroku confessed. "At the very least, it'll give Kagome some eye candy to make up for today."
Sango's eyes lit up. "I'll text him later-I know all of her weaknesses."
Completely oblivious to the plotting going on around them, Kagome kept wandering through the store, Inuyasha pouting and trailing along behind her. What had she seen? Had it scared her off? Disappointed her? How the hell had he missed it in the first place? The questions were driving him mad, but her lips were sealed.
"Isn't your mom's birthday coming up?"
Inuyasha was startled from his thoughts by the question.
"Yeah, it's in-oh. Fuck!"
Kagome shook her head, flicking through the sales rack. "How did I know?"
"It's not that bad!" He defended himself. "I had somethin' picked out, but it fell through. I just hadn't figured out anything after that."
"I'm sure we can find something today; I'll help," Kagome said, taking pity on him. "Come on, there are some nicer stores down the street."
Inuyasha watched as Kagome entered what he thought of as her Personal Shopper mode. He was about to tease her for it, but when he remembered that she had developed that look picking out gifts for him to give to Kikyo, the smile fell from his face.
"You don't have to do that, ya know," he said, stopping her so she would look him in the eye.
Kagome, who had mentally been running through things Izayoi might like, frowned at his sudden seriousness. "I know I don't have to. Do you mind, though?"
He shook his head. "'Course I don't mind. It's just that she's important to me, so I should put some effort into it myself. I know I screw that part up a lot, but I do eventually get it right."
Kagome froze in place, searching his eyes intently. They were unusually soft and almost apologetic. Regretful, even. She wasn't sure why, but a tightness that she hadn't realized she carried deep within her chest eased somewhat at his words.
"I can hardly accuse a man who spent an entire day driving around looking for the perfect cat of not putting in any effort," she said, taking his hand.
They stared at each other intently before being bumped from behind by an older woman trying to get to the clearance section.
Inuyasha nodded. "Thanks. That being said, do you think she would want the Donald Duck bucket hat or the house slippers that look like Mickey's shoes?"
She made a face, shuddering at his choices. "On the other hand, your mom deserves more than good intentions. Come on; let's tell Sango and Miroku that we're going to move on," she said, tugging him along with determination.
Inuyasha stumbled slightly, his attention focused on their joined hands. Within the course of the day, the contact had begun to feel like the most natural thing in the world, as if they were always supposed to be joined in such a way. As he quickened his step to move beside her and return the smile she gave him, he realized that was probably true; it had just taken him longer to see it.
The rest of the afternoon was spent trekking from shop to shop; sometimes, he and Kagome would hang around with Sango and Miroku, and sometimes the two couples would split up. He had finally found a nice set of earrings for his mom-Lady and the Tramp, which was her favorite. There was a faint kink vibe there that he chose not to focus on too much.
The four had met back up at the Haunted Mansion and had time to go through twice before they decided it was time to start making their way to find a good spot to watch the parade. Naturally, others had the same idea, and it was getting packed already by the time they found a place where they would have a good view and also be able to turn and leave easily once everything was over.
Being the shortest, Kagome kept getting jostled, and if it hadn't been for the fact that she was holding Inuyasha's hand, she would have been swept away in the throng of people.
"Here, you're gonna get trampled, and I don't wanna scare kids when I lose my shit over it," Inuyasha huffed, pulling her in front of him and wrapping his arms around her waist.
They were pressed together tightly, and Kagome thought her blush would glow in the dark from the smirk that Sango gave her. Although he had been putting his arm around her more lately, this was the first time they had stayed in such a prolonged embrace, and a large part of her didn't even care if she missed seeing the parade from her position or not. She nestled closer against his chest, smiling to herself when he rested his chin on her head. Today had been, for want of a better word, magical. Not only had Inuyasha held her hand through most of their stay, but he had actually let pictures be taken-something he usually hated. Although she hadn't had a chance to take a look, she knew that in at least a few, they were definitely posed like a couple, and she would be turning at least one of them into wallpaper for her phone.
The music began to play, and the noises from the crowd died to a low rumble as children were raised onto shoulders for a better view. A family of three small children was having a hard time deciding how to get the kids to take turns when Miroku offered to take one for them to avoid a potential meltdown. Sango, watching as he swept the young boy up and made him laugh, couldn't help but smile softly. He could be an idiot, but it was moments like these when she got to see under the layer of lechery and bad jokes that reminded her how much she loved him.
Inuyasha, happy that there would be one less crying child in the vicinity, tilted his head to speak in Kagome's ear. "How bout it? Ya wanna climb on me?"
At the feel of his breath on the sensitive skin of her ear, Kagome shuddered, forgetting to filter her words. "Not in front of the kids," she muttered, not quiet enough that Inuyasha couldn't hear her. At his chuckle, her jaw dropped when she realized what she had said.
"No! I just meant it would be-"
He held her in place, enjoying her flustered flailing. "Easy. I think it makes up for earlier today, don't you?"
Kagome fixed her eyes on a passing float, glad that he at least couldn't see her face. "Not really. I didn't see anything, I just sounded like an idiot."
"Hm. First, you wanna climb me, now you wanna see things. Careful, Peaches, or you might start to give me ideas."
As the fireworks began to light up the sky, casting them in a multicolored glow, Kagome couldn't help but hope that would be the case.
Because she certainly had more than a few ideas of her own.