Kagome woke to the sound of light snoring behind her head, and for a moment she forgot about everything that had happened. Seeing the light peek through her curtains across Human Inuyasha's face was all the reminder that she needed. Inuyasha hadn't begun to share her bed again, like she'd hoped. No, he was sitting up asleep at the foot of the bed, just as he had the first time he'd split.

It wasn't that she was upset about the split. Well, obviously there was upset, because Inuyasha was being stubborn, but the small selfish part of her wanted to rejoice that she was going to have him one way or another. It was horrible, because he was really concerned about her wellbeing. Why couldn't she have seen that before?

"You're not at fault," a mumbled voice startled her. It was Human Inuyasha, giving her a lopsided smile. "Morning," he whispered.

"Morning," she whispered back, settling into her pillow. Kagome realized too late that her expression must have mirrored her thoughts.

Human Inuyasha shifted a little closer to her. "We would've still split," he said. "Don't go thinking it's something you did or didn't do."

"I could've told Youkai Inuyasha no." Her eyes dropped to the beads that still hung around his neck. Inuyasha was still Inuyasha, no matter what form, and she could have prevented the fight that had taken over her bedroom. "Inuyasha was so mad… if I hadn't –"

"If you hadn't been already, you would've allowed the youkai just the same."

"I –"

"You're our wife, Kagome. We wouldn't force you, but things have been so strained… it's understandable…" he had to clear his throat before he could continue. It wasn't ever said what Kagome had been doing, but he was able to figure it out. So if the youkai had cut in and offered, well… "Look, if our places had been reversed, and you had split…"

Kagome watched as his pink cheeks went redder. Inuyasha's eyes had glazed over, clearly lost in whatever thought he didn't finish. She didn't know how it'd be possible for her to split into three forms, but she could only imagine the thorough list of dirty fantasies he was coming up with. 'They must be downright filthy,' she tried so hard not to laugh.

He probably didn't know that he was poking her in the leg.

She bit her lip, reaching out the few inches between them to drag her fingers along the bare skin of his chest. Human Inuyasha was lost in his daze as she explored the dips and creases of his muscles. Even swirling her finger around his belly button hadn't gotten a reaction, and she knew he was a little ticklish there. The lower she went, the closer she got to the stretched material of his boxers. Unable to help herself, she lightly traced the bulge as she shifted her legs to wrap around his. It wasn't like he could go anywhere, being between her and the wall, but if he was going to zone out on her she wanted to have a little fun.

The moment her finger dipped between the folds of the boxers, Human Inuyasha came back to his senses. "What are you doing?" he panic-whispered, watching the dainty hand run that finger into the slit of the material and – he could be embarrassed by the noise he made later, but right then he was torn between letting Kagome continue or grab her wrist.

"Saying good morning," she replied with cheek, wiggling her finger around until she touched the head of his cock. "You went somewhere else, and he wanted to say hello…"

Human Inuyasha swallowed as her finger languidly rubbed around his head. One finger. He was so keyed up by his thoughts of three of Kagome asking for his touch – he wasn't sure he had enough limbs to give them all the proper attention at once – that one finger was going to make him blow his load. "Y-you gotta…s-stop…"

"Why?"

"B-because…" It was early. He was hard. He didn't have enough brain cells working to finish the sentence.

Kagome closed the space and kissed his lips softly. "What if I want to, Inuyasha?" She did as he asked and pulled her finger from his boxers, but the sigh he let out was short-lived. Her palm laid flat against his stomach, and it was sliding down again. "What if I want to make you feel good this morning? Will you let me?"

"I…" Fuck that was a whine. If he had been more awake he'd have seen that Kagome was throwing his words back at him. He was upset the night before about not getting the intimacy with her. He'd just told her that if the situation had been different, if the youkai had offered, she'd have still said yes. Well now Kagome was offering him both and he knew what he wanted to say. "Only…if I can touch you too."

The way she wiggled closer as she slid her hand under the waistband of his boxers, throwing her leg over his hip, was his answer. Human Inuyasha covered her mouth with his, swallowing her moan as his hand shot between her legs, palming the increasingly damp shorts with greed. Her hand was squeezing and gliding in time with his bucking hips. He hadn't thought he was this desperate, but his body was a fucking liar.

Human Inuyasha leaned over Kagome, rolling her onto her back as his hand fumbled with the waistband of her shorts. If he'd have had claws they would've been in two pieces and a future-him problem, but as it was he couldn't attempt that kind of stunt unless he wanted to kill the mood. And the moment his fingers pushed against her wet folds and began to seek out her clit, he knew good and fucking well that it would take Death itself to get him to stop.

She didn't know how he got her on her back. She was supposed to be the one taking control. This was all for Inuyasha, but she couldn't get the words out. Hell, it was a miracle she wasn't moaning his name out loud. Each time Kagome felt like she was close, he'd kiss her deeply, and the need was swallowed by the sliding of his tongue against hers. Human Inuyasha's hand shifted, rubbing the heel against her clit as his fingers dipped inside. The hand that was wrapped around his cock moved faster, squeezing each time she got closer to the tip.

If he was going to make her cum, she was taking him with her.

"K-Kagome…" he breathed, tearing his lips from hers. Human Inuyasha pressed his forehead against hers, struggling to catch his breath. Kagome wasn't slowing down, and he could feel every fiber of his being tighten up. It felt so good to have her pump him like this, but his hand's movement had stilled, fingers still buried in her wet walls. "Kago…me…" It came out almost as a plea, but he wasn't sure if he wanted her to stop or go faster.

His body made the choice before his mouth could. Two more pumps, and his hips began to jerk erratically into her hand, filling her palm and the inside of his boxers with the sticky seed.

Kagome couldn't hold back the shiver she felt as he came in her hand, still moving against him as he rode out the waves of pleasure. She knew she wasn't getting to finish, and in the moment, she didn't care. Seeing the way Inuyasha's face would relax as he fell apart was worth missing out on a frantic morning orgasm. How he pressed his face into the crook of her neck as he moaned, kissing the skin was just as satisfying. It wasn't what she'd planned as far as intimacy, definitely not like he'd talked about the night before, but it was a start.

"Are you two done?"

Both humans in the bed froze at the sound, shifting around to see an annoyed hanyou fighting down a blush as he glared at the wall across from him.

"Our mate didn't finish," the youkai said from behind Kagome. "For shame, Human. I thought you had a better rein on your needs –"

"Okay. You let Kagome finger you through your boxers and see how good a grip you've got before you bust!"

"No can do. Not wearing anything –" To further prove his point, Youkai Inuyasha threw back the covers, baring not only his nakedness, but also how Human Inuyasha's hand was still buried in Kagome's shorts, along with the mess he'd made of himself.

Inuyasha shouldn't have been surprised by anything he saw. His youkai side languidly stretched out again on the bed, letting everything hang out. His human side, fumbling to get his hand back as Kagome looked at hers, splattered with his seed. She'd decided it was too early to clean it up the easy way and begun to crawl over the youkai to get to the tissues. "Are you fucking serious?" he hissed at his human half, seeing him stick the two slick-covered fingers in his mouth.

"What?"

Inuyasha groaned. He couldn't win. The youkai fucks Kagome the day before. Now the human fingers her first thing in the morning. At least of the two, he had less of an issue with the human side, because there wasn't the significant risk with his choice of action. It didn't make it any better to wake up to the whole bed shaking as he was busting a nut though.

"Please, it's too early for that," Kagome dropped the tissues in her garbage bin by her desk.

"Funny, I could say the same thing…"

She whirled on her heel to see the hanyou grinning at her. He was teasing. Kagome was mentally getting ready for a fight, and he was teasing her! To see Inuyasha smile like that again, it had lifted her mood probably more than if she'd finished. And, they had woken him up… "Sorry, about…" she waved to the bed, where the youkai was still lounging. Still naked.

Inuyasha knew what she was referring to, but he saw an opportunity and took it. "Yeah, me too. Unfortunately he's part of the package…"

"Oi! I got your package right here –"

Seeing Youkai Inuyasha reach down and wave his dick back and forth was not what Kagome needed. Neither did the hanyou, who took the pants that Kagome passed him and chucked them at his youkai side's head. "Get dressed cause you ain't going downstairs naked!"

She shook her head as she snuck out the door, heading off to the bathroom. Stepping into the hallway, she could already smell breakfast cooking.

Sango was surprised to find Kikyo at her door that morning, even more surprised to learn that she wanted to converse with her. Ever since she was welcomed with her new life, Sango couldn't recall a time where the former priestess had wanted to speak with her exclusively; it was always in the company of Kagome or Kaede. At first she thought it might have been because of her actions around the jewel shards, and how it would later impact Kohaku, which kept her from seeking one-on-one time.

The truth of it was, Kikyo was socially awkward and didn't know how to act anymore. And Sango could empathize with that.

"Can I offer you something to drink?" she asked, stepping aside to let Kikyo enter the hut. The kettle still had hot water, enough to pour the both of them a cup. Sango watched the other woman gingerly cradle the cup in her hands. "What's on your mind?"

It was strange to see her look troubled, when most of the times she'd encountered her in the past were looks of indifference.

"I fear that I may have done something unforgiveable." Kikyo raised the cup to her lips to drink, and Sango could tell she wanted to keep talking, but there was hesitation. "Kagome will hate me. She has been kind and generous with her friendship, and like a fool I took it for granted."

"Whatever happened, I can't see Kagome being so upset that she wouldn't see logic," Sango offered, thinking back on all of the times she witnessed the fights with Inuyasha. It wasn't always immediately after the fights that she got her reasoning back, but she came around… "Can you tell me what..?"

"Inuyasha has divided again."

She wasn't going to jump to conclusions, but given who had said it, it was difficult. Too many instances of her best friend crying on her shoulder because of her now-husband and the woman sitting across from her made it very difficult. Sango swallowed, bracing herself as she asked, "How… how does this make you think Kagome will hate you?" Granted, she wanted to know why Inuyasha split once again, but that may hinge on what Kikyo said next.

It sure as hell wasn't what Sango expected. "Inuyasha worries that Kagome will be with child before she finishes her studies, and his youkai and human sides…"

"They don't think the same?" With how they'd acted with Kagome months ago, Sango couldn't imagine that they'd change their mind, especially now that she bound her soul to his. Maybe they're more confident? But the more pressing question was how Kikyo was connected to the event. "I don't understand why Kagome would hate you for this?"

When her fair skin started to redden, Sango felt her stomach drop. 'Does she have feelings for Inuyasha?'

"You recall me passing through the village to take him lunch." It was a statement and sounded a lot like an alibi, not helping ease Sango's mind in the least. "The closer I got to where Inuyasha was working, something didn't feel right. I couldn't get him to answer me. When I found him… he was coming back to consciousness. All three of him."

Kikyo gripped the cup in her hands a little tighter, and Sango wondered if she should try to pry it from her before she broke it. They weren't costly cups, but she was more worried that Kikyo would cut herself if it shattered under the pressure. "That doesn't sound bad to me. Kagome would appreciate you being a friend to Inuyasha and looking out for his wellbeing."

"The human and youkai sides of Inuyasha were nude, Sango! I saw my friend's husband in a taboo state –"

Sango was mid-sip and knew the moment her throat closed, because the tea started to come back up and through her nose. She dissolved into hard coughs as she covered her nose, trying to breathe in air. That was what this was about?! Was Kikyo serious?! When she finally found her voice again, it was raspy. "W-what..?"

"Inuyasha's other forms were naked!" Kikyo repeated. "I'm already on shaky ground with Kagome concerning Inuyasha, and once she finds out that I've seen all of him she's going to be furious!"

One deep breath, then another. Sango set her cup aside, lest she reach for it again out of habit. "I promise you; Kagome won't be mad. If anything, I bet she's going to laugh about it."

"How can you say that?"

"Because I got an eyeful the first time we found out Inuyasha split." Sango dove into how they'd made themselves scarce in the hut the night before so Inuyasha would confide in Kagome, and upon their return the next day, finding two naked Inuyashas locked in a chase around the hut. "Youkai Inuyasha isn't bashful," she added, feeling her own cheeks heat up at the memory.

"No, no he's not." Kikyo covered her face with her hands. "I feel horrible, Sango!"

"You didn't do anything wrong –"

"I looked, Sango! Twice!"

It did nothing to help the other woman's anxieties, but all Sango could do in response was to shrug. "So? We've traveled together for years, Kikyo. Seeing each other naked has happened quite a few times – not willingly of course – but we're all still friends."

Kikyo looked down at her hands. "You weren't a former intended…"

"Huh? Kikyo… Were you and Inuyasha really...?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "I thought we might be? If I'd used the jewel and he could become human… I now see that that wish wouldn't have been the right one to destroy it. Inuyasha never wanted to become fully human; it was only ever to benefit my company." Kikyo looked away, and Sango could see her face shift from melancholy to bitter for the briefest moment. "Me, who kept my dealings with Onigumo a secret. He was willing to give up his choices to make me happy. So neither of us would be alone."

"I see now why you're so upset about Kagome being mad at you," Sango smiled softly. "Inuyasha must feel the same way, which made him split, you see? He's afraid of taking away Kagome's choices." She got up and came to sit next to Kikyo. "I'm going to tell you what I would tell Inuyasha – and have told him in the past, actually. Have faith that it will work out. Kagome's far more understanding than most people I've known growing up. If she's going to be upset with anyone, it will be Inuyasha for not telling her sooner, and even then she won't stay mad for long."

It was an awkward moment that followed when Sango reached out and pulled Kikyo into a one-armed side hug, but she needed the other woman to understand that she wasn't at fault. Everything was an odd set of circumstances, and after three years of the bizarre, one would think that it would be easy to become jaded to it.

"Do you still…you know…have feelings for Inuyasha?" Sango had to know, but it felt odd to ask.

"As a friend. I don't…I don't know that I ever cared for him more than that." Kikyo sounded ashamed to say it out loud. "I was older, and had I not been a priestess, my path would have led to marriage and children. I think…I may have been projecting what I thought I wanted onto Inuyasha."

"What do you want now?"

This time, it was Kikyo that shrugged. Sango stood, pulling her to her feet as she spoke about taking a walk down to the stream for a swim. The weather was sunny and warm, and it might do some good to "wash away the insecurities". Kikyo let herself be pulled along, willing to try anything.

"This is some bullshit."

"It's not," Kagome caught herself before she repeated Youkai Inuyasha word for word. "Inuyasha's only walking with me to the gate. It's not like he's going to class with me, and since you won't wear the bandana I gave you…"

"How do you know I'm not wearing it right now?"

"It's not covering your ears –"

Inuyasha wanted to deck his youkai self but had to refrain since they were walking down the street. At least he had the sense to wear the covering. It was a lot less itchy than the baseball cap and didn't press on his ears near as much. Plus the coverings…might have smelled like Kagome. A sudden thought struck him as he looked at the youkai, not giving a damn what onlookers were saying about him. "I'll find a way to replace the cloth, Kagome."

She turned around, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"If he's got it on him somewhere we can't see, I don't know how many washes it would take to make it suitable again."

Youkai Inuyasha acted offended by that statement. "I'll have you know that I am clean," he pointed out, "and if I do happen to wear the cloth our mate has given us anywhere besides my head, she deserves to know that it has been carefully arranged to be presentable when she does see it again."

Kagome felt bad for any passersby that happened to witness three of the group of four young adults all stare at the one's hip area with varying levels of disappointment, embarrassment, and disbelief. It was a miracle that no one stopped to ask about Youkai Inuyasha's ears or markings, because she wouldn't have been able to explain. Instead of playing it off as him being partially in costume for an event at their shrine, she'd have panicked and blurted out that the green bandana she'd given him to hide the "prop" ears was currently tied around his penis like a bow.

Human Inuyasha sighed through his nose. "Is this why you were taking so long to come downstairs? You do know Kagome won't be back until this afternoon. Are you going to walk around with that on all day?"

"Yeah. No. I really don't want to know the answer to that." Kagome spun on her heel so fast her pleated gray skirt twirled. She was already pushing it for time when she left her house because the three Inuyashas wouldn't let her go to school on her own. The hanyou wanted to try to get some work done, but the other two wanted to see her off, and he couldn't trust them in public on their own. Then there was the ear covering debacle, and now she had to drown that image Youkai Inuyasha had put in her head before classes started.

At least she knew what she was possibly coming home to.

"Besides, at least one of us is wearing green," the youkai pouted.

"I can't change the school colors!"

"I don't know, I like the blue," Human Inuyasha commented, reaching over to take her hand. Kagome sent him a smile, but that faded to embarrassment as he continued. "The dark knee socks frame your thighs so much better than the white ones, and your coat only accentuates your hips –"

"Okay that's enough!" Kagome squeaked. "We're nearly there and I don't need anyone asking why I'm so red!"

"Man it's almost time for class," Eri got up from her desk and started to pace. "Where do you think Kagome is?"

Yuka watched with mild annoyance as the other girl paced in front of her desk. She was trying to finish up the last of her homework because she'd fallen asleep early the night before. It didn't help that Eri had called her wanting to talk about the medical drama they were both watching and wanted to swap theories on if the head surgeon survived that car accident or not, and if it was even an accident at all. In the end she'd resolved herself to getting to school early to finish it, too tired from listening to fictional conspiracy theories to focus on chemical equations.

And Yuka was certain it was a planned attack from the jilted ex fiancé's mother who had said that he would pay for calling off her daughter's wedding despite him catching her sucking off some random guy in his parked car at the grocery store.

She still wasn't awake enough, but it was due in a couple hours and if Eri didn't stop pacing she was going to pitch her out the window.

"Do you think she went for training?" Ayumi came over and whispered, effectively getting Eri to stop moving around. "Training" was the code word they'd decided to use for when Kagome went back to the past. It wasn't far off, since they learned she was being trained by a village priestess. The excuse wouldn't fly with their teachers, but amongst themselves it was better than keeping the encyclopedia of diseases she'd accrued for three years straight.

Eri shook her head. "I doubt it. She's too focused on getting her grades to stay where they're at, and that test this Friday could make it slip again."

Yuka scooted her chair back, needing to get up to stretch. Unlike Eri, who wanted to wear a groove in the floor for her to trip in, she walked to the windows to look out across the school grounds. The bright greens would soon change to oranges, reds, and yellows – which would be beautiful in their own right, but there was something bittersweet about the approach of autumn. She always enjoyed the festivals and the cooler temperatures, but when winter would come around and after the last of the celebrations were cleared away, there wasn't anything to look forward to. 'Maybe that's why I get sad with the change of seasons.'

She braced her forearms on the windowsill and watched the last of the students cross the open gate. They had time, luckily, but it would be close. There'd be no meandering in the hallways with friends before homeroom. Yuka blinked, leaning forward until the tip of her nose pressed against the glass. It was on the tip of her tongue to call to her friends and tell her that Kagome would be showing up, but her voice left her at the sight of the boy in jeans with the long dark hair.

He was holding her hand.

She'd kissed him on the cheek.

Yuka felt her stomach drop. If it had been anyone else, it would've looked like a sweet moment, but this was Kagome. Who was married to the hanyou Inuyasha, if she'd been told correctly? So…why was she kissing this unknown boy? Inuyasha didn't come off as a guy that would be into an open relationship…

'Oh Kagome, what have you done?'