Chapter 1 - The return

INUYASHA

I opened my eyes slowly rubbing them as I noticed my sight was blurred. I tried to move my arms, but I felt something nestled in my chest. Immediately that sweet and at the same time spicy smell, already so familiar to me, reached me, reminding me of the person who was nestled next to my body. A person that I missed so much all this time I was waiting for him, that I almost lost my lucidity.

I looked down and was again enchanted by the beautiful image next to me. Kagome was lying with her head on my torso in a deep sleep with a slight smile.

- So beautiful! - I sighed. I calmly raised my free hand and stroked her long black hair, making her delicious scent reach my nose. I never felt so happy as now, I thought I was still dreaming, a beautiful and wonderful dream, which for a long time I thought I would not be worthy of.

Memories of the early morning came back to my mind, making me remember how wonderful our first night together had been, the first night with the woman of my life, and that it had been far beyond what I had imagined while waiting for my beloved these three long years. "What a night!" I revelled in remembering. The first night of many, for the rest of our lives, of that I had no doubt.

- INUYASHA! INUYASHA! - I heard a knock on the door and from the voice I recognized it as Miroku.

"Ahhhhhh!" but what did that monk want at that time of the morning, it was still too early. I didn't want to leave my Kagome's side!" - I thought in frustration.

I got up carefully, leaving Kagome still asleep, I headed towards the door opening only a crack.

- What do you want monk? Can't you see it's still too early! - I muttered whispering not to wake Kagome.

- I know Inuyasha! - whispered the monk too - Do you think that if it wasn't important I would be here?! No, I wouldn't! I'd be there with my little Sangozy, no doubt about it! - he complained, showing his displeasure.

- 'Then tell me what you want! And keep it down, Kah is sleeping - he said near the doorway.

- Hummm sleeping is... And was it a good night for you, huh?! - asked Miroku trying to look through the crack.

At this moment a whirlwind of feelings made me act impulsively and I ended up giving a push, making Miroku fall sitting near the entrance, I took the opportunity to leave too and close the door.

- Hey! Why is that? I couldn't see anything! - complained the monk, stroking the affected lower parts while getting up.

- Keh! And you'll never see anything, you perverted monk! - I said with a frown and crossed my arms - Tell me Miroku, what do you want?

- Yeah, yeah! - he began waving his hands in surrender after standing up - So... some villagers came to me saying they saw youkai in the nearby villages, and it seems to me that these youkai are doing a lot of damage wherever they go. I also felt a very sinister energy just now, I think we better go check it out before whatever it is gets close to our village and endangers our friends and family. 'You didn't feel anything different? - Miroku asked strangely.

"Ah! But just today a damn youkai had to show up to torment my peace! I was so nice and happy next to Kagome, she had just returned after all this long time." I thought irritated. "But analyzing what the monk had said, I had also sensed an ominous energy not far from here, and for 'her' and my friends' safety I think we better go check this situation out."

- "Okay monk, I'm going to change," I said, entering the house again, putting on my fire rat cloak over my kosode* while watching my beloved still sleeping.

But before I left, I approached Kagome who remained sound asleep, she had a serene smile on her face. Her hair scattered on the futon made her look like a nymph so beautiful, I looked down and noticed that a part of her breasts were showing. Probably when I got up she had moved. And it was enough to remember the wonderful moments we had hours ago. I swallowed dry and gently arranged the sheet on her body, left a chaste kiss on her forehead, and heard her sigh turning the other way, still continuing in her dreams.

I almost gave up going, I was so happy looking at her so close to me, that I imagined I was still in one of the many dreams I had during these painful years. But with Miroku waiting at the door, I knew he wouldn't give me any peace without checking on that youkai first. Even though I was annoyed, I decided to go soon before I abandoned the idea of checking the surroundings.

- See you later princess... - I said softly leaving.

KAGOME

I woke up and couldn't immediately recognize where I was, I sat up looking around and the memories of the day before started coming back. I was in the house that Inuyasha had built for us! Ahhh was this all reality or was I dreaming?

I noticed that Inuyasha wasn't there, the atmosphere was still a little dark.

"I wonder where he went?" I asked as I stood up, I felt the sheet slip and I realized I was naked, and the memories of what we did the night before came up making me blush at the same moment.

- Ahh what a perfect night! - I smiled, sighing in love.

Never in my life would I have imagined that my first time would be like this, with my great love, a hanyou! Yes, a half-youkai that I didn't even know existed recently! And today, with all the certainty of his heart, I couldn't live without him anymore!

It even seemed like an illusion, after all this time away from each other, living in despair and loneliness, now I felt loved and complete!

I kept rambling and the recent sensations and memories came back more vivid than ever...

At the same moment I returned to the feudal era, I found Inuyasha waiting for me in the well, his hand pulled me out and I felt him hugging me tightly, he leaned his face against my neck and we stayed like that for a few minutes, savoring the joy of the moment, it was no longer a utopia in which we were meeting, but it was real!

When his lips met mine trying to calm our anguish, which punished us all this time away from each other, it was just a chaste kiss, but full of longing and also a lot of happiness, a euphoria invaded me and I smiled while we were still kissing, he smiled too, the feeling was surreal!

- Inuyasha... - I opened my eyes and saw liquid gold, the same one I fell in love with the moment they moved towards me while he was stuck in the centenary tree, those yellow eyes that I loved so much and that made me experience the deepest sensations.

Soon after our friends arrived and we had to separate, everyone wanted to hug me and miss me, I looked at Inuyasha and saw him smiling and looking at me intensely, I lost my breath just seeing him and my legs were shaking, I loved him too much!

Arriving in the village we went straight to Mrs. Kaede's house, when I saw her I couldn't take it, I ran to hug her and we cried together, because the longing was immense. After that time passed quickly, everyone wanted to ask what had happened to me in those years that I stayed in my era. While Sango and Mrs. Kaede prepared a real feast to - as they said - make a celebration for my return.

I settled down among the zabutons* and there I related how the 3 years I was away from everyone had been, I told them that I had studied hard and graduated. A way of trying to suppress my sadness, for being away from everyone for such a long time. Of course, I didn't comment or let all the pain and suffering I went through when I was away in my time, how much I missed Inuyasha, yes, because he was the greatest feeling of loss and all the sadness that fell in my heart, where I almost succumbed to darkness.

If it wasn't for the support of my family and friends, I felt I wouldn't have been able to endure all that time. But now it was all in the past, my heart leaped for joy that this torment was finally over.

Everyone listened to my story in silence, we cried and laughed together, meanwhile Inuyasha was leaning against the door, his arms crossed on his cloak, listening to everything without saying anything, just watching me and smiling all the time.

He looked very different from the last time we saw each other, he looked more mature, stronger and very manly, I thought noticing his arms and legs.

"What perverted thoughts are these, I even look like the monk!", I thought.

I looked down feeling my face burn, when I looked at him again, I noticed him staring at me and smiling mischievously, his face was flushed too.

"Ahhh he realized!", I said. I turned my face away, unable to face him anymore, the shame on it.

Miroku instantly noticed our reaction, giggled and asked:

- So Miss Kagome, you didn't get any boyfriends back in your era in those three years, huh? - She asked while looking at me and Inuyasha simultaneously.

I looked over and saw Inuyasha closing his face and tightening his claws on his cloak.

- Of course not Miroku! I just had time to study hard and finally graduate, and... and I had no interest in anyone there either! - I confessed, raising my eyes to Inuyasha, he looked at me too and opened a huge, dazzling smile.

- Keh! Monk, what do you care about these intimate questions, huh? - Inuyasha scolded, already showing his closed hand towards the monk.

- Calm down boys, today is a day of joy! Let's celebrate Kagome's return! - said Sango, realizing that if she didn't interfere soon, the two of them would come out hitting each other as they always did, aff, sometimes they still looked like children...

Soon after Shippo, Rin and Kohaku also arrived; where I learned that Sesshoumaru had let Rin live in the village for a while, to learn how to get along with humans. I also learned that he always comes to visit her and brings gifts, I found it very cute, especially since the 'Lord of the East' who is always so impersonal and cold, was now showing affection for a human, things have really changed a lot!

An immense joy was increasingly settling in my heart, a feeling that for so long suffering from such dark feelings, was now being purified, just by feeling that I was in the right place, in the place where I should always be.

And so we celebrated, ate, drank and after everyone was exhausted each one was saying goodbye and going to their homes, Shippo was lying on the cushions sleeping for some time, I was tired and without realizing it I ended up dozing off also on the cushions where we were sitting talking.

At the end of the night I felt someone caressing my face and calling me:

- Kagome, Kah... - whispered Inuyasha near my face, I woke up and saw those eyes that I dreamed so much all these years watching me.

- "Inuyasha..." I sighed getting up, "What do you want at this time? - I spoke quietly so as not to wake anyone.

- "Kagome, come on, I need to show you something," she held out her hand to me, smiling.

I stood up and we walked hand in hand out of the hut.

- "Get on my back, we'll get there faster," he said, crouching down in front of me. I climbed on his back, only this time it felt strange, I had done it so many times while we were looking for the 'jewel of four souls', but now the feeling was different, I thought as I adjusted myself. His big hands gripped my thighs to lift himself up, I noticed his body stiffen and heard him sigh before he started running.

That feeling of the wind in my hair next to Inuyasha made old memories return, of all that time we spent together, how I missed it!

It didn't take long for us to reach a small valley, it was dark, but the moonlight illuminated everything around and I could see how beautiful that place was, probably during the day it would be stunning. The grass was low and there were big trees in the background, I also heard a sound of running water, there was probably a river very close to there, I got off his back and he took my hand guiding me near a huge garden full of flowers that was in front of a house!

A small and beautiful house! Like in a fairy tale!

All in wood, with straw on the roof, and a stone path that extended to the entrance of the house. As we walked I looked around us and was surrounded by flowers of various colors, I was dazzled by such beauty, and that the moonlight was fabulous! We reached the entrance where there was a veranda that surrounded the whole house, I thought it was so delicate... and right in front of it a door made of bamboo.

- Inuyasha o... what does this mean? Whose house is this? - I asked trembling anxiously, my heart racing in my chest.

- "Kagome..." he said turning to me, he held my hands, his countenance becoming serious, "When we broke up three years ago, I lost myself in a very wrong way, I was so bad! I literally went into despair, especially when I realized that you had stayed in your era as soon as we left inside the jewel. I tried for several days to cross the well, I dug until my hands bled. I don't know how long it went on, days, weeks, I couldn't think that I wouldn't see you anymore, and when reality crashed down on me and I realized what was happening, I snapped out of it - I felt your hands cold and shaking.

- Inuyasha, you don't have to talk about this now if you don't want to - I clasped his hands in mine and then hugged him.

- "No Kagome, I need to... I need to say everything that's stuck in here, this whirlwind of feelings that has been suffocating me for years and consuming me day by day -" he moved away a little, stared at me and continued.

- I got out of control without you around, I missed you so much that everything in front of me turned gray, everything became colorless, odorless and meaningless, and that's when my youkai side took over for a long time, destroying everything in front of me. I stayed in the densest part of the forest, I can't tell if it was days, weeks or months, I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, it was a real hell what I went through, days that I gave my soul to darkness - he closed his eyes breathing deeply, I could see how hard it had been for him.

I couldn't say anything, tears were streaming down my face, because I knew exactly what he felt, because I felt the same in my time.

I hugged him tightly without being able to contain myself, and holding his neck I kissed him, lightly touching my lips to his, where I felt his arms around my waist, which then corresponded to my kiss. But this time it was not a chaste kiss, I felt him enter my mouth impatiently, it was a long awaited kiss, we kissed until the breath was missing.

- Kah, I missed you so much, your smell, your laugh, your voice, and even you telling me to "sit down" - he said leaning his forehead against mine and smiling - But I need to continue - I agreed and moved away a little.

- After all this time aimlessly," he continued, "our friends managed to calm me down. Sango, Miroku and Shippo went after me and when they found me I was passed out in the middle of the forest, it was the night of the new moon where I was in human form, I was all dirty and very thin, so they rescued me. I woke up days later and realized I was in the village again, at old Kaede's house. Everyone was very worried and sad. After that I decided to get better, for their sake, because I realized that I had dear friends here who cared about me, friends that you Kagome, helped me to win them. But this time they were the ones who helped me endure my despair at being away from you all this time. They made me hope again that you would come back, that you would find a way to cross the well to us, to me, my love! - he said holding my hands and looking at me intensely.

"My love! Did he say my love?!" I felt my legs weaken, I hugged him tightly again and after I lifted my face and saw tears coming down from his eyes, even in the moonlight they were shining and running down his face, I raised my hand and wiped them away.

- Me too Inuyasha! I suffered so much, I went into that well, every day, hoping it would work again, just remembering it still hurts me how hard it was to be away from you!" he said. - he squeezed me in his arms and we held each other like that for a while, then pulling me by the hand, we arrived in front of the door.

- Kagome, this was the way I managed to stay alive, sane and not despair. The seed of hope that our friends planted in my heart made me sure that we would meet again, no matter if it was days, years or even centuries, you would come back to me!" I gasped at that statement. - I gasped at that statement.

- I started coming here every day, I found this place beautiful, I kept imagining the two of us together, happy and forming our family and just ahead there is a beautiful waterfall that reminded me of you - his lips trembled narrating his whole story of pain and suffering.

- It was then that I made the decision to start building our house. I thought of every detail you would like to have, everything around I planted, of course with Sango's help, with what flowers you would like to have around the house, because I didn't know much about it - he smiled embarrassed - Miroku and Shippo helped me in the construction, because I never had a notion of what a house was like, because I had never lived in one, only in my childhood, but even then it was for a short time. Since my mother left, I never knew what it was like to have a home. So I cut down the surrounding trees for more space and used the wood to build our house.

"Did he say our house?!"

- Inuyasha, did you build this house for us? - I asked excitedly.

He raised his arm and leaned against the door opening it:

- Come in Kah, come and see our home - he pulled me by the hand smiling.

Ahhhh! Those memories will surely stay forever in my memory, I will never forget that wonderful day when I returned to live next to my happiness, my hanyou - I thought, still rambling Kagome happy and in love.

* Kosode - The kosode (小袖, lit. 'little sleeves') was a type of Japanese short-sleeved garment and the direct predecessor of the kimono. Although its component parts directly parallel those of the kimono, their proportions differed, usually with a wider body, a longer collar, and narrower sleeves. The sleeves of the kosode were typically sewn to the body entirely, and often featured strongly rounded outer edges. The kosode was worn in Japan as a common, everyday garment from around the Kamakura period (1185-1333) until the last years of the Edo period (1603-1867), at which point its proportions diverged to resemble those of the modern day. It was also at this time that the term kimono, meaning "thing to wear on the shoulders", began to be used to refer to the garment formerly known as a kosode. Originating in the Heian period as undergarments for both men and women, the kosode was a plain white garment, typically made of silk, worn directly next to the skin. Both men and women wore wide-sleeved, layered robes, with the front rolled up on top of the kosode, with the layered style worn by the women of the Japanese imperial court. The kosode would also be worn as sleepwear alongside a pair of hakama.

PS: InuYasha wears a white kosode (shirt), a kind of pants, called hakama, an obi wrapped around the waist and kimono, all in red, and on the wide sleeves, contains a small opening on the forearm.

* Zabutons - (from Japanese 座布団 zabuton za, "seat" and futon) is a traditional Japanese sitting cushion, used in everyday life for different purposes, such as seating for eating, watching TV, reading, etc. This is an item used in everyday life. In Zen meditation, practitioners sit on the zafu, which is usually placed on top of a zabuton. The zabuton cushions the knees and ankles. A zabuton is like a small futon, 3 to 4 centimeters thick, which provides extra coverage under the knees or ankles.