Kagome trembles in his arms. Her breath hitches and he seizes the opportunity. She has to know she is his. All this time, he has been trying to go at her pace. Slow. Too fucking slow. But not anymore, no he cannot afford to go at her pace. Not with Satoru texting her. Not with that damn half breed sniffing around. And not with that insufferable ex-boyfriend of a monkey thinking he has any rights to entertain getting back with her.

No, they are going at his pace. She'll just have to jog to catch up.

He slides his hands down, grabbing a handful of ass and squeezes. It won't take much to flip her dress up and claim his prize. He wants to fall to his knees, put her leg over his shoulder and pray homage to her.

Suguru breaks the kiss and bites her lower lip, marring the swollen flesh. Every time she touches her lips, she needs to remember it was he who claimed her. She needs to know that no one else can make her feel like this. No one but him.

Perhaps he should brand his name on her ass to remind her she will never escape him. No one is worthy of her but him.

Kagome places her hands on his chest and pushes him back. "Easy. What the hell was that about?" She presses her fingers to her lips and frowns. Her brows furrow together.

"I can't kiss you?" He tilts his head to the side and roves over her figure. He does like the color pink on her, but he's not sure about the length of the dress now. Not with so many monkeys eyeing her and thinking they are worthy of being in her presence.

"It was sudden." She sighs and bends down to retrieve her phone from the floor. Kagome barely glances at him as she texts Satoru, no doubt. Annoying, but at least it isn't a monkey.

"My pride is wounded," he proclaims, placing a hand over his heart. "I kiss you and you go back to texting another man in front of me. What a cold woman you are."

Kagome snorts. "Suguru, we are not together. Stop acting like we are something more than we are."

He grits his teeth, to stop the darkness from seeping out of his heart and showing on his face. Her words cut him to the quick. "Is it because of Hojo?" If she says yes, he'll kill him. If she says no, he'll still kill him, but he'll give Hojo another day to live before he takes his life.

"Hojo?" She shakes her head and laughs as she moves around him. "I'm not holding out for Hojo. Seriously, it's not you. I'm not in the headspace to do a relationship right now." She opens the cabinet and pulls out two packets of tea. "It hasn't been that long since my family was killed. I can't just pick up and act like everything is okay."

Oh, for fuck's sake. She's still grieving her family? Why isn't she over this by now? Is he invisible? Has he not been here for her, giving her support and keeping her from drowning?

Suguru sucks in a breath and molds his face to pristine perfection. "It was hard when I lost my parents as well, but you can't stay in a grieved state. I'd like to believe that your family would want you happy and enjoying life. You know how strong curses can become. Do you want to die with regrets?"

Kagome fills up the teapot and places it on the stove to warm. The domesticity of it is not lost on him, so he wills himself to calm down.

"Or perhaps you want me to give you a warning each time I wish to kiss you." He pulls out a chair and sits, watching her with hooded eyes as she prepares the tea to his liking.

"I appreciate your thoughtful words, but I still need time to process what I'm feeling. You shouldn't get so hung up over me. I may never be ready for what you are wanting." She sets the mug in front of him and takes a seat next to him. "So, no, you don't need to give me any warning because you shouldn't keep kissing me."

His mouth twitches. Her feistiness should be off-putting, but it just makes him want to bend her over and spank her pert ass until it's nice and red. Suguru throws his hands up in mock surrender. "At least let me take you out on a real date before you make your decision to be done with me."

Kagome rolls her eyes. "You know that's not what I said."

"Because," he continues, pretending to not have heard her, "it hurts to know that despite your grief, you were ready to hop into bed with Satoru."

"Because," Kagome stresses, "That was going to be a one-night thing, not a full-on relationship with commitment, and expectations, and everything else that comes with committing to a relationship." She pinches the bridge of her nose. "I don't even know why I'm explaining myself."

Suguru leans his body towards her, pushing his cooling tea out of the way. "If it's a fuck you need, I'm right here. I won't ask you for more than what you are willing to give. If I get hurt, then that's on me, not you." He reaches for her hand, intertwining their fingers together.

Indecision flashes across her face. She just needs a little push.

He scoots the chair back and leans forward so his knees brush against her chair. "Did you like the way I kissed you?" he murmurs, moving her hand down so it rests right over his cock. "If it's too intimate, there's always your other lips I can kiss."

Her breath hitches.

She just needs a little more...

Kagome jerks her hand back and lets out a breath. "I'm meeting up with Satoru tomorrow." She stands and dumps their cold tea in the sink. "I'm sorry, Suguru, but I can't go there with you." Her eyes flit to the door and the demand is loud and clear, but he pretends to not read the signs and gets up to make himself something to eat instead.

"Since it doesn't look like we're going out for lunch, I can make something for us here. Any preference?" He reaches in the fridge and pulls out some fish to cook.

"Suguru," Kagome warns. "We don't have to be together all the time. We're exorcising that curse later today."

He pauses. "Am I suffocating you?"

"Yes."

He sucks in a breath and places the knife down on the cutting board. "I've already started on lunch. Let me make this for you and I'll be out of your hair for a bit." His muscles tense. Giving her space is the last thing he wants to do. Every time he does, she disappears for days where he can't find her, and apparently, she hangs out with literal demons.

Kagome wraps her arms around him. Her soft breath on his back is enough to give him ideas.

"I'm not trying to be harsh... and I'm sorry about your parents. It's just I need some time to breathe. Be by myself for a while." She pulls away and his body shivers from the lack of heat. There's nothing but darkness in his world, but one touch from her is enough to bring sunlight into this dreadful world.

He wets his lips and turns so he can look at her fully. Look at the woman who keeps breaking his heart. "The offer still stands," he says with a big smile on his face. Outwardly he's chipper. Not phased. But inwardly, he's a dragon breathing fire.

Kagome shakes her head and chuckles. "Gosh, you really don't give up." Her eyes flint to his lips and then back at his face. "Just call me when lunch is ready."

Suguru blinks. So she isn't immune to him after all. Thank Kami for that. He flexes his fingers right before he picks up the knife. He can give her some space, but how does he stop Satoru from coming around? It would be one thing if Satoru shared his beliefs, but he doesn't and dwelling on that isn't going to help him.

The fish scales glint under the kitchen light. He rolls his shoulders back and goes back to removing the scales. One by one, he'll get rid of all the monkeys in her life. One by one, he'll remove every obstacle until the only one she can depend on is him. And when she's ready to make that leap, to help him usher in a world without non-sorcerers, it will be a day of celebration.

A national holiday.

Yeah, he likes the sound of that.

Satoru rocks on the back of his heels as he wills himself to calm down long enough to knock on the door. He didn't tell Kagome when he would be by, and the sun has long since set. He hopes she hasn't eaten yet. The door opens before he can knock.

"Are you just going to stand out here like a creeper?" Kagome asks, crossing her arms.

Damn, she's wearing pants this time.

"I was going to knock," he quips, "You just beat me to it."

"You've been standing out here for like ten minutes." She rolls her eyes as she slips on her shoes and grabs her purse. "Where are we going?" She closes the door and pauses. "Do I need my bow?"

Bow?

"We're not fighting."

"Oh. I didn't mean us. I just thought maybe we were going to go after some curses."

They should do that. He should investigate what else her power can do, but thoughts of exorcising curses are the furthest thing from his mind.

"Actually, I was hoping we could just get dinner. That's all. Unless you want to join me on a late-night mission." He scratches the back of his head. That mission is a special grade one. He could protect her, but should he really take her with him? She's so damn innocent, she might break.

He's surprised she hasn't broken after her family was murdered, but Suguru may be the reason why she's still treading water.

"Dinner?" Her voice rises. "Is this a date?"

"Do you want it to be?" He matches her pace.

"No."

He frowns. Why does that sting? He shrugs it off. "I just wanna talk. Get to know how your powers work, and I wanted company tonight." The curses today have been an absolute bitch. It feels like someone opened up a bag and dumped out a bunch of curses over the city.

"That's good. I can do an outing with a friend."

"Are you friend-zoning me?" he asks, as he gets the car door for her. Normally he lets Ijichi drive him around, but he needed a break from seeing Ijichi's old ass face. Satoru slides into the driver's seat. Yeah, Kagome's face is so much better.

"It's bad enough I even agreed to hang out with you considering you and Suguru keeping dancing around one another."

"... A minor disagreement?" He chews on his tongue. Suguru must have not told her anything about why they fell out or what the hell he is doing with that cult of his. What he needs is proof. Solid proof to show her that Suguru is not who she thinks he is. But then what?

"Then talk it out," she says as if he and Suguru can resolve their problem so easily with a simple conversation. "Maybe he won't be in my business so much if he has his best friend back."

"I doubt that." Anyone with eyes can see how Suguru looks at her. His fingers tighten on the wheel. "I hope you're in the mood for ramen." He parks the car and wipes his palms on his pants. His palms are sweaty. Strange.

A phone rings. He reaches for his, but the call is coming from Kagome's instead. Her brows pinch together as she answers the call.

"Everything good?"

She sucks in a breath. "No... I'm sorry, I gotta go." She wrings her hands together.

His stomach grumbles, reminding him he hasn't eaten since morning and now would be a fine time to get some substance in him. But something is wrong and he can't go into the ramen shop without her and pretend he doesn't see how shaken up she is. He starts the car and taps his fingers.

"Where to?"

"You don't have to take me, I can—"

"Where to?" he asks again. "We're friends, right? I'm not gonna let a friend get out of my car trembling like that. Where to?"

She lets out a huff and gives him directions. The smile doesn't quite reach her eyes, but it's fine for now. They pull up to an apartment building. Not too bad. Whoever lives here must be doing well for themselves. He gets out of the car and follows her up the stairs.

Kagome looks over her shoulder. "You really don't have to come with me."

It's true, he doesn't, but something urges him to go with her anyway.

"I might be able to help," he says, but it comes out as if he's asking a question. Comforting people was always Suguru's job. He might not know the right words, but he can be present for her.

Kagome presses her lips together and gives him a jerky nod of acceptance. She knocks on the door and an older woman with tear-streaked cheeks answers.

"Oh! Kagome it's awful." The woman pulls Kagome into a hug. "Akitoki is gone!" The woman wails, nearly causing Kagome to stumble with her.

Quietly, Satoru enters the apartment and sniffs. That smell. He knows that cologne. He clenches his fingers. The dead man looks as if he died in his sleep, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

"Who was he?" he asks, bending down next to Kagome. There's a blank expression on her face. The older woman stares at him, but he ignores her for now.

"Ex-boyfriend," she murmurs. "I just saw him the other day, and he didn't look sick." She lets out a breath. "Maybe that's why he was so adamant about getting back together. He must have known."

No, Satoru doesn't need a doctor's license to see that there was nothing wrong with this man. No, this was Suguru and he has no way to prove it.

Damnit.

"He never told me he was sick," Kagome says, standing.

"He never told us either." The woman dabs at her wet cheeks with the back of her sleeve. "Who is this?"

"Gojo Satoru, he's just a friend. Satoru, this is Hojo-san." Kagome wraps around the woman and leads her over to the couch. "Have you called anyone yet?"

"N-no, I could barely get the words out."

"I'll call," Satoru interrupts, more so, so he can get out of the apartment for a bit. He needs air. Needs to tell Kagome that this was no illness. Suguru may have gotten rid of any traces of cursed energy, but his cologne lingers in the air.

It's not like he can just say, "Hey, this is gonna sound really crazy, but Suguru killed your ex-boyfriend. He's been wearing the same cologne for years now. Oh, and by the way, he probably killed your family too."

He closes the door behind him and makes the call, giving Kagome and the older woman, who he assumes must be Hojo's mother, some privacy. When he enters the apartment again, Kagome is still consoling the older woman. Her eyes meet his and he frowns.

He'll have to tell her and hope for the best. If not, then he doubts Suguru will stop here.

No, he knows Suguru and there is no way Suguru will stop until Kagome is isolated. If he had to wager a guess, it's probably the purity of her powers he's after.

Satoru opens his mouth, but Hojo-san stops sniffling to glare at him. He rolls his eyes. Not that Hojo-san can see since his sunglasses are so dark.

"Satoru, I'm going to stay here with Hojo-san until the authorities come. You don't have to stay."

"Akitoki wanted to marry you," Hojo-san wails, "He'd tell me all the time how it was fate. You know there was an Akitoki and Kagome Hojo in our family tree."

Kagome grimaces. It's so fast, most people would miss it, but not Satoru.

"I'll head out for a bit. Kagome, call me when they get here and I'll swing back around to take you home." He ignores Hojo-san's glares. The older woman is acting as if he's the reason her son is dead. He gives one final glance back over his shoulder.

Maybe it's time to put an end to Suguru's schemes. His heart pangs.

Damnit.

A/N: Realized I didn't put down for everyone to stay safe and healthy last update and I feel like the worst person ever. Thanks so much for your support and enjoying the story so far! I hope you have an amazing holiday (my US peeps) and/or an amazing day/week. Stay safe. Try not to go around sick people if ya can because being sick is no fun, and make sure you refill your well by doing things that make you happy.

Side note: Why doesn't modern Hojo have a dang first name?