This story is written for the last day of Inuvember, and is a gift to Mustardyellowsunshine, one of the first authors that I found when I joined the fandom and an amazing human being!

"Are you sure you are ok Inuyasha?"

"Keh." Inuyasha scoffed, a little bothered by the slight hint of nerves in his tone. "It's fine."

"We don't have to go if you aren't comfortable, I don't want you to feel unsafe."

"Last I checked there weren't any yokai here, Kagome, so it's already safer than the other side of the well."

"Yes but…"

"Come on wench, you have been talking about this festival for the past month." He snarled, or tried to, the sound not quite having its usual menace, not that it ever bothered the raven haired girl who was flitting around him.

"Yeah but, you don't have to go with me. I mean, I appreciate you saying you would, but I know how uncomfortable to…"

"Heh, and let that Hobo guy slobber all over you?" A dark eyebrow rose as Inuyasha glared at her through his ebony bangs. "'Sides, someone's gotta watch over you, make sure you don't get kidnapped or anything."

"Oh come on Inuyasha," Kagome pouted, her bottom lip setting in a way that made him want to lean over and taste it…

Ok, maybe it had been a bad idea to come to her side of the well for his human night, at least on his side there were other distractions, but now there was nothing to keep him from appreciating just how beautiful Kagome was. Her dark hair was drawn back from her face, leaving the curve of her neck visible. The yukata she wore suited her coloring, the dark red fabric made her skin appear to glow, its white and gold flowers almost a match to his normal hair and eye color. When she had first stepped out of her room he had frozen, unable to tear his eyes away from her.

Sure, she was gorgeous in her school uniform, although he had been slightly (ok, not quite so slightly if he were being honest) upset when she had 'graduated' from the green to the blue, but he had grown used to it. But seeing her in a more traditional style, it made him long for things he knew he shouldn't long for.

Mama Higurashi had convinced him to change out of his Fire Rat for the night, and if Kagome's reaction had been any indication, it was definitely worth it. His hakama were now black and the jacket to his jinbei matched her yukata, the silver dog on its back had made him smirk as Mama Higurashi had handed it to him with a wink before leaving him in Sota's hands to change.

Kid was part monkey…

Inuyasha had caught a hint of whisky in her scent as she had first looked at him, but he hadn't had enough time to really relish the change in her scent before the sun had set and his transformation from hanyo to human was completed.

And that was when Kagome's nerves kicked in, he hadn't needed his senses to read her as her shoulders had tensed, her eyes going wide.

"Don't 'oh come on' to me," Inuyasha growled as he turned to her, his deep violet eyes narrowing, "you've been kidnapped how many times over the past three years?"

"That… that doesn't matter." The flush that was building in her cheeks made her even more beautiful to his eyes.

"Course it does Ka-Go-Me," he smirked, stepping closer to her. He couldn't get her scent as well with his senses dull, but if he got close enough, he could still catch it. "I'd rather not spend the evening chasing all over this freaking town you have to try and find you tonight."

"Would you really be looking all over for me?" Kagome bit her cheek, her eyes meeting his with amusement dancing in them.

"Course I would." Inuyasha breathed, all pretense of joking fading as their gaze met and held.

Click.

The soft sound of the camera pulled his attention from Kagome's molten chocolate eyes to find her family all standing in the kitchen doorway, a camera held in her mother's hands as she smiled at them.

"Moo-oooommm" Kagome groaned, her head falling to Inuyasha's shoulder as he held back a chuckle.

"Oh, just ignore us." Mama Higurashi laughed as she raised the camera to snap another picture.

"Fat chance of that." Kagome muttered, opening one eye to glare at her family, and Inuyasha lost the battle with laughter.

Click.

"That's it, give me that camera." Kagome sighed, pulling away from Inuyasha to dart towards her mother, who quickly tossed it to Sota.

Sota, sensing the game dashed through the kitchen, Kagome hot on his heels, before tossing the camera to his grandfather, who quickly snapped a picture of the siblings as Kagome tackled Sota to the ground. Kagome scrambled to stand, her movements hindered by the tight skirt of the yukata, to stumble towards her grandfather, who deftly snuck behind the still chuckling Inuyasha.

"Help me part-timer…" Jiji pleaded, only the amusement in his tone underlied his cry for help.

Still, as Kagome came near, her gaze focused on her grandfather, an arm wrapped around her waist, and Inuyasha pulled her into his chest, tucking her head under his.

"Are you sure you want to join this family?" Kagome sighed, her left hand raising to his chest to grab his shirt.

Inuyasha tilted his eyes down, his gaze drawn by the simple ring she wore.

He had given it to her the night before, her mother had helped him to learn about her modern customs and had helped him pick out the ring. Her brother had helped him cook the dinner… well really place the order for takeout… to surprise her. Her grandfather had proudly given him the money for the ring, his 'wages' for three years of assistance as he had said.

Her family had accepted him, accepted them.

"Yeah, I really do. As long as I get to keep you." Inuyasha whispered to her, before leaning down to capture her lips with his.

One benefit of being a human, he didn't even notice the series of clicks of the camera that came as he lost himself in her kiss.

"Just try to lose me." Kagome whispered back against his lips.

"Kagome, dear," the soft sigh of her mother interrupted the moment, and Kagome buried her head back into his chest, groaning as she had forgotten their audience, "it is almost 8pm, and the fireworks start at 9, if you still wanted to go to the festival."

"WHAT?" Kagome's head shot up as her head turned to look at the clock. "Oh no, oh come on Inuyasha, we need to get going. There is so much I want you to experience, the yakisoba, takayoki, karaage, the taiyaki, oh you are going to love it all."

Inuyasha smiled as she took his hand, lacing her fingers between his as she tugged him out the door, continuing to tell him all the wonderful things he was about to experience. When she finally took a breath he drew her closer, untangling their hands to wrap his arm around her waist, tucking her into his side as her arm slid around his hips.

He stopped their movement to place a kiss on her forehead, letting her faint scent fill his senses.

For the first time he could honestly say he was looking forward to his human night, and it was all thanks to the amazing woman at his side, who loved him and had agreed to be his. The ring wasn't his mark, that would come later, after she had finished her schooling, but her mother had told him it was a symbol in their time that she was with someone, and that was good enough for him.