Kagome places the blow dryer off to the side of her vanity and goes to pick up her curling iron. Her phone rings. An incoming video call from Satoru.
"Shouldn't he be asleep by now?" she mutters right before answering the call. She props the phone up against the mirror as she reaches for her curling iron once more. "Hi, Satoru."
"Where you going?" he asks, leaning back against the wall.
She blinks. Where is his shirt?
"Meeting with my mom for brunch." She wraps some hair around the curling iron and holds it. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for bed?"
"Actually, it's morning here. Just two hours ahead. Asked for blacked-out curtains." He stands. "Let me see the whole fit."
Kagome rolls her eyes, pretending to be annoyed, but she sets the curlers down and gets up to do a little spin.
"You're wearing that to brunch?"
"What's wrong with it?" It's just a simple off the shoulder brown knitted dress. "Do you think the slit is too much?" She glances at the phone and swallows. Why is he staring at her so hard? It doesn't even look like he's breathing. "Satoru?"
"Sorry, I just... You sure you don't want to hop on a plane and come here?" he asks, voice husky. "I'll get you first-class tickets. Or you could fly private?"
"No, I'm not dropping everything to fly out to Australia. Besides, I'll be working on fixing some of the seals later today for some of those cursed objects."
Satoru does not need to be dropping that kind of money on her. She might not be strapped for cash, but that's far too much money for her to have to pay him back. Better to turn him down, though Australia sounds amazing.
"They got you doing that?"
"Well, the higher ups seem reluctant to give me any actual missions." She sits back down at the vanity and blows out a breath. If she isn't helping out in the clinic with Shoko, then she's tagging along on missions with the students. The higher ups keep dragging their feet with giving her any missions of her own.
Maybe they're waiting for to slip up or something?
"What happened?"
"Nothing." She picks up the curling iron and curls the rest of her hair.
"Kagome," Satoru warns. "Come on, you can tell me. We're besties."
"One of them," she starts, and then huffs. Should she tell him? Wouldn't that be weird? It's not like having a girl chat with Shoko and she can't get over how Satoru gave her back-to-back orgasms at the club. Sure, that was a onetime thing, but does he really want to listen to her?
"Come on, open up for me," he coos as he flips on another light. He runs a hand through his hair before reaching for a shirt.
Her stomach flip flops. He said that so flippantly, but her thighs push together and she's opening up to him before she can stop herself. "One of them asked me to marry them and—"
"WHAT?" Satoru presses his face so close to the phone that she half expects him to come through it.
"I mean, I told him no."
"Who the fuck asked you that?"
"This is why I didn't want to tell you." She crosses her arms and pouts. "It's not that big of a deal."
"What do you mean, it isn't a big deal? Some old fuck proposed to you. Who was it?"
Kagome blows out a breath and reaches for her primer. She applies the primer to her face while she tries to figure out a way out of this conversation. She should have kept her mouth closed. It really isn't that big of a deal. She told him no, and he moved on.
"Kagome," Satoru warns. "Don't make me warp to you."
"Across the ocean? That's pretty far."
"I'd warp across dimensions if I have to. Who asked you that?"
She applies her foundation and goes for a simple gloss. "When are you coming back?"
"At this rate, today."
"Are you done with your mission?" He must have landed and went straight to work then. Didn't he say it was like a 7- or 8-hour long flight?
"You don't have a date later, do you?"
"Hm? I wouldn't wear this to a date." What an odd question. This isn't a going on a date kind of dress.
"What would you wear for me?"
Kagome side-eyes the phone. "Well, Satoru, a little birdie, told me that you just want me naked." He's fantastic with his tongue. She'll give him that, but Satoru is only looking for one thing. And she isn't going to delude herself into believing otherwise. That would just create a host of problems at work.
He props the phone up and the white trail of hair catches her eye. Satoru is either doing it on purpose or he's pressed for time because he slides the shirt on and grabs a pair of pants.
Oh.
His legs are thicker than they look in the pants he wears. He's completely ripped despite all the sweets she's caught him scarfing down. Is he doing this just because Kento lost his pants the other day on that mission?
"You called me pantsless because of Kento?"
Satoru's eyes darken. "Kento? Ya know, when I last saw you two, you were calling him Nanami. What happened to that?"
"He said to call him Kento. I call you by your name." Kagome leans over and unplugs her curling iron. It would be bad if she forgot to turn that off. She forgets a lot when she interacts with Satoru. He has this way of getting in her mind and taking over.
"That's different," he stresses. "You came on my tongue. We can be on first name basis."
Kagome snorts as she looks at the time. "We were on first name basis before that."
Satoru opens his mouth, closes it, and then opens it again, only to say nothing. Is he short-circuiting? Kagome presses her lips together. She needs to get going, so she isn't late. If it is one thing her mother does not approve of, it is being late. She can hear the lecture already if she is even a minute late.
"I don't like it." He sticks his bottom lip out and flutters his eyelashes. "You should only call me by name."
"I need to get going." She stands and stretches her arms. "Stay safe and come back in one piece."
"You'll gonna go back to calling him Nanami?"
"Good bye Satoru." She hits the end button. Okay, she really needs to get a move on it. How the heck did she talk to Satoru for that long? Her phone bill better not be through the roof because of all these international calls.
Kagome slides on her shoes and jacket. She grabs her purse and heads out, running nearly smack dab into Mori-san.
"Hi? What are you doing here?"
"I hadn't heard from you since that night, so I thought I'd come to you." He shoves the bouquet of drooping flowers to her. "And you haven't returned any of my calls or messages."
Kagome frowns. These flowers look like they've been sitting on someone's table without water for days. "Sorry, Mori-san, I thought I was clear when I told you I wasn't interested in going any further." More importantly, how does he know where she lives? She never told him that. "How'd you find me, anyway?"
Mori-san laughs. "I had a friend run a check on you. Wasn't sure what kind of woman I was taking out on a date, so I had to be sure you weren't the crazy type."
Kagome pushes the flowers back into his hands. "Do not contact me again," she tells him, maintaining eye contact. "I am not interested." She brushes past him.
A background check, really?
"Wait!" He follows her down the street. "Is it because of that guy?"
Kagome rolls her eyes. "No, Mori-san, it's because of you. I don't want you. Leave me alone." She needs to increase the security around her apartment. At least until Mori-san gets bored and leaves her alone.
"You heartless, BITCH!" he shouts, throwing the flowers down.
Kagome spares him one more glance. She looks him up and down, and turns up her nose. What a creeper. She glances at her watch. Oof, she needs to really book it.
"Kagome! Wait! I didn't mean it!"
She walks faster. Whatever is going on with Mori-san is not her problem. He needs to get his life together and stop chasing after her. It was one date. One boring date. Kagome looks around to make sure Mori-san isn't still following her.
Phew!
She really didn't want to resort to violence, but he was pushing her buttons. Kagome opens the door to the restaurant, a small tea cafe with a bamboo themed room.
Of course, Mom is already here. Andddd, she's two minutes late.
"Hi, Mom!" Kagome chirps.
"You're late." Her mother sighs. "I went ahead and ordered for you, since I know what you like."
"Oh thanks! Sorry, I ran into a bit of trouble on my way here."
"Trouble? Don't tell me it's those..." she lowers her voice, "curses?"
"Worse," she says, leaning back in the chair. "It was guy trouble. One of my dates found out where I lived and he's being creepy."
Her mom blinks and then sighs. "Just sick InuYasha on them, if you must. Though I'm still holding out hope for some white-haired grandbabies. You know I'm not getting any younger."
"MOM!" Kagome blushes. Why do they have to be white-haired grandbabies? Why not blonde or black-haired ones?
"Don't worry, dear. The girls stopped by the other day for some charms for their parents and they told me all about the white-haired man you got close to."
Eri and the girls don't know how to keep their mouths shut.
"Well... about that—"
"Bring him over for dinner next week. Not this week, because I'll be out of town. Gramps wants to go out to Hokkaido to visit an old friend." She shakes her head.
"Mom, I'm not... I'll see what I can do." Kagome huffs and mentally berates herself for folding like a pretzel under her mother's scrutiny. Maybe she'll get lucky and the higher ups will decide she should take the next out of the country mission.
One can hope.
Kagome blows out a breath and then tucks the unruly curl back behind her ear. Yuka begged her to come out with her to this swanky mixer thing that her job put together and just dipped the moment some guy started up a conversation. Yuka did not need her to come out here. Yuka did not need a friend for a confidence boost.
Honestly, Kagome could have gone straight home after work. She should have gone straight home, and yet here she is, sipping on water. And this guy won't get out of her face.
"So, you're dating someone?" He leans across the table, smacking his lips. "Because if you're not, you should just go out with me. I could show you a good time." He waggles his thick, bushy eyebrows. His black hair is slicked into a comb over.
Kagome nods her head. "Yep! I got a boyfriend," she lies. Can this conversation be over with? She isn't interested and after the complete fiasco with Mori-san this morning, she's not exactly in the mood to go on any kind of date.
"What's he look like?
Kagome sighs and fetches her phone out of her purse. She clicks on one of the many photos Satoru has sent her. She shouldn't lie, but she already told Hojo that she was with Satoru, and Satoru didn't care too much. So maybe he won't care if she uses him in another white lie. He's a boy, and he is kind of her friend.
Okay, that's a stretch, but whatever. It's not like this guy will know.
"That's not your man," the guy scoffs. "This is AI generated. Kagome, if you were trying to make me jealous." He runs his hand through his black hair, messing up his comb over, and poses with his eyes closed. "You have failed. But it's okay. I still want to take you out."
"What's AI generated?" a voice says behind her.
Kagome sets her phone down and swirls around in the chair. Satoru? Shouldn't he be in Australia? Kagome squints. Three of Satoru's buttons are undone, and that tan shirt matches her dress. Is she going crazy? Didn't he have on a different shirt when they talked this morning? She could have sworn he put on a black t-shirt when he was on the phone with her.
"No fucking way!" The man points a finger. "The government must have implanted something in my brain." He scratches at his head.
"Are you on drugs?" Satoru asks, placing a hand on Kagome's shoulder. He massages her shoulder while staring at the man.
"My eyes are bullshitting me right now. You are not real. There's no fucking way, man. This AI bullshit is getting out of hand. Now my eyes are deceiving me."
"Can we get out of here?" Kagome asks, reaching for her purse behind her. "I'm tired." She'll just let Yuka know she's heading home early.
Satoru helps her off the stool and puts an arm around her, pulling her in closer as he leads her out of the venue.
"You didn't say you'd be back tonight," she says, discreetly sniffing him. He always smells so nice.
"It didn't take as long as I thought it would." He clucks his tongue. "You said you didn't have a date."
"That wasn't a date. Yuka begged me to come with her to her company party as moral support." She pulls out her phone and shoots a text to Yuka, letting her know that she's headed home. "That guy just wanted to take me out, but I told him no."
"Uh huh, and the AI stuff?"
Kagome hums. "How was your flight? You must have spent more time on the plane than in Australia."
"Next mission, you should just come with me, so I don't have to rush back."
"No one told you to rush back."
"Tch. You never told me who asked you to marry them."
"I managed to get through quite a few of the cursed objects today. I'm not sure how I feel about those death paintings. Sealing them anyway."
"You want to get rid of them like you did Sukuna's fingers? Might be a bad idea. No one other than us knows you can do that. That might bring too much attention."
That's true. But those paintings are alive in a way that the other cursed objects are not. She doesn't want to get rid of them either. Not when they are crying out for help. "Did you track my energy?"
"Umm, yeah?" He blows out a breath as they walk to her apartment. "Thought I'd surprise you. Was gonna see if you wanted to get dinner, but then you weren't at home or at the school."
Kagome side eyes him and then frowns. Mori-san cannot be serious. Is he really camping outside her door?
"Kagome!" Mori-san struggles to his feet. His jacket is wrinkled. Did he not go to work today? "I've been waiting for you... Oh, it's you."
"What's up shit-hair? Did you forget your address?" Satoru leans forward, giving her arm a quick squeeze. "Need me to walk ya home?"
Mori-san glares and holds up his phone. "I won't forget your face!" He sniffs and brushes past them. Satoru turns, putting distance between Mori-san and her.
Okay.
She is having a little chat with the girls this week. No more dates and no more springing Hojo on her. The conversation is long overdue. Kagome digs her keys out of her purse and unlocks the door. Whatever the heck is going on with Mori-san, she does not want a repeat.
Maybe she should tell InuYasha? He'd scare Mori-san off for good. She pauses and looks over her shoulder. Satoru isn't looking at her, but at where Mori-san ran off too. Hopefully, he went home. Hopefully, he leaves her alone for good, but it's a bit worrisome that he took a picture of Satoru and her.
"Did you want to come in?" she asks.
"I would love to come inside," he says with a smirk.
Kagome squints. Was that an innuendo? She shrugs and flips on the lights. "Are you hungry?" She slides out of shoes and hangs up her purse.
"Ravenous," he says lowly, and his voice sends shivers down her body. Desire pools in her gut.
Get a grip, she berates herself. It's just Satoru. And her.
Alone.
His tongue was—Ow!
"Did you just walk into the wall?" Satoru grabs her shoulder, turning her to face him, and then he lifts her chin up with his finger. "You good?"
"Peachy," she wheezes out.
"I can cook for us."
"No need. I got it under control," she says, pulling back. "Besides, aren't you tired? Have you even been home?"
"I took my stuff home, but I wanted to see you." He follows her to the kitchen. "You hung up on me this morning."
She opens the fridge and bends down, grabbing some peppers, an onion, and two carrots. "I had to go meet my mom. Do you like Yakisoba?" Kagome sets the ingredients out on the counter and then grabs the pork from the fridge. She'll need to go to the store tomorrow.
"I'd like anything you make," he says, taking a seat at the table. He props his head up with his hand as he watches her.
"You've never even had my cooking. You don't know that." She cuts up the vegetables and heats the pan. Satoru doesn't respond, so she cooks the food in silence, but it's not an uncomfortable silence.
It feels normal?
She probably shouldn't feel as at ease with Satoru as she does. Kagome plates the meal and sets it down in front of Satoru. He reaches for her, pulling her into his lap. His breath fans her ear. "Satoru?"
"Wanna eat like this," he says, picking up the chopsticks. He holds it up to her mouth and hums with satisfaction. "Such a good girl."
Kagome clenches her hands. There's that word again. He must have licked a brain cell loose at the club because she's been nothing but a mess around him since.
Just one night to get it out of their systems. She'll feel much better, and Satoru will stop teasing her so much. He only wants one thing from her.
"What are you thinking about?" He wraps his other arm around her waist as he eats his food.
"Sex," she admits, cheeks burning.
Satoru drops the chopsticks. They fall to the ground. Kagome blinks. Oh, she should get him some new ones. She leans to the side to pick them up off the ground, but Satoru grabs her face and kisses her so fiercely she feels his claim on her soul.
Kisses aren't supposed to be like this.
One kiss shouldn't have her toes curling and her nipples hardening.
For goodness's sake! It's not like she hasn't been kissed before, but...
"Touch me," he commands, pulling back and maneuvering her around so she's straddling him. Kagome bites her lip as she slides down and reaches for his belt buckle.
Her hands slip and Satoru takes pity on her, undoing his buckle with one hand. She sucks in a breath.
Go for natural. Satoru doesn't seem afraid or embarrassed. It's not that big of a deal.
"You scared?" he asks, but it sounds like he's teasing her. Satoru stands and pushes the chair back further. "Don't worry, I'll make you feel good." He pulls his pants and boxers down in one swoop.
Oh.
OH!
Kagome touches her mouth with her fingertips. "Its not small!"
"Don't run from me—WHAT?"
A/N: My bad trait is that once a chapter is finished I yeet it out of my sight lol. Lowkey tempted to start the next chapter with Suguru's POV instead of Satoru lolol. Updates won't be as frequent next week as they were this week since I have to go back to work. Next update will be Accidental and then probably How To Tame.
I actually started on that one-night stand fic, but the plan is to have at least one story complete before I start posting it. Wish I Could should finish up this year and How To Tame might finish this year since I'm veering away a bit from the manga.
Stay warm! Drink some hot coco or tea. Maybe watch something funny. I'm gonna watch Fluffy Paradise since it looks adorable. Take care of yourself! And if no one has told you today, you're doing amazing!