Chapter 22

The next day, after Kagome had begrudgingly left the past and returned to her home in the present, she awoke to the rude blaring of her alarm clock. Groggily, eyes still crusted with sleep, she lurched to shut it off, missing it completely and only managing to knock it off the nightstand. It clattered to the floor, still ringing obnoxiously and she groaned loudly in irritation, cursing her own stupidity.

She swore, tossing the thick comforter off her with a huff as she marched over to where the damned thing lay, yanking the cord out of the wall in her frustration. She set it down back where it belonged, giving it one last look of annoyance before she turned to stretch her arms over her head, mouth going wide in a yawn. The early morning sunlight poured in through the slatted shades on her window, casting a striped pattern along the wooden flooring. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, making her way to her bathroom with only minor grumbling.

She was feeling a bit lethargic, but today was going to be her first day back at school in over a week, and she wanted to be prepared for the onslaught of late assignments that she would undoubtedly be bombarded with today. She had woken up at six, leaving her plenty of time to get ready before she had to leave at seven-thirty. So she didn't rush through her morning routine like she normally would; she hummed softly to herself as she took care of her basic necessities before she turned to style her hair, twisting and pinning a section above her ear with a bobby pin. As she dabbed on a bit of Chapstick, she couldn't help but reflect on last night with a soft smile etched along her full, blossom-colored lips.

After their passionate lovemaking, they had laid together a while beneath the blanket of stars that were strewn above them, talking in heated whispers as InuYasha's hands had drifted along her bare skin. She should have told him about Hina- Mamoru, she wasn't sure if she could get used to that, but she hadn't wanted to break the moment between them.

She was sick and tired of this whole mess, and for one night, she had just wanted the simple peace that came with being close to the only person that made her feel normal anymore.

Having to leave had been the worst part, and it was a long goodbye with many kisses before she'd begrudgingly left through the well. She'd managed to successfully sneak back in without waking anyone, slipping into her bed quietly.

It had been everything she had needed, and she found herself walking with a bit of pep in her step as she made her way into the kitchen for breakfast after changing into her uniform. It was crisp and starched, as she hadn't brought it with her the last time she'd been in the feudal era. Her mother had ensured that it was perfectly ironed and pristine. It felt so normal. Familiar and comforting. But at the same time… it was just strange because the last time she had worn it, she had just been Kagome Higurashi. And now she was… she didn't know what she was, but she was still Kagome. Of that, at least, she was pretty sure of.

She breezed into the kitchen, bringing a smile back to her face just as her everyone turned to look at her all at once. Sota and Grandfather greeted her much like normal, neither of the commenting on her good mood as she took a seat at the table.

She could feel her mother looking at her. Her eyes were probing, tracing over every inch of her trying to discern anything she could from her appearance. She was just worried; Kagome could see it reflected plainly in her eyes. But she only greeted her with a bright smile that didn't quite reach as she served them all a simple breakfast.

"Good morning sweetie, how did you sleep?"

Her tone was warm and conversational, but Kagome knew that the question was a loaded one.

"Very well, thank you."

They carried on with their morning meal, Kagome and Sota both chatting idly about trivial things while their mother chimed in occasionally. Her grandfather mumbled a word or two here and there but was mostly focused on his newspaper, brow furrowed intently as his shrewd eyes scanned over the thin pages.

While they were finishing up, the landline phone attached to the wall into the kitchen rang loudly disrupting the mild conversation that was being had around mouthfuls of food.

"I wonder who would be calling so early?" Her mother thought aloud as she rose to answer it.

Kagome didn't think much of it, she was too busy slurping down the contents of her bowl as it was almost time for her to go if she wanted to catch the eight am train.

"Hello?... why yes, this is she…"

She didn't pay any attention to the conversation her mother was having until she saw her cast a wary look towards her from across the kitchen, a question in her eyes.

Kagome paused in her chewing, looking back at her curiously.

"Well, yes I suppose she would appreciate that… okay, I'll let her know. Alright, goodbye."

She watched as her mother hung the phone back on the wall and turned back towards her with an odd look on her face.

"Your friend says he's on his way to come to pick you up for school,"

"Which friend?" Kagome asked incredulously, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Hinata, he said his name was."

The instant his name hit the air she could feel her good mood come crashing down, a storm brewing in her eyes as she huffed. "Did he happen to say why?" she ground out, trying not to let on just how irritated she actually was.

"No, just that he would be here in a few minutes."

She was going to kill him.

"Okay, mama. Thanks for breakfast." She rose from the table, breezing over to her mother and planting a light kiss on her cheek, doing the same with her grandpa before giving Sota a pat on the head.

"Aren't you going to wait for him, dear?" Her mother asked, her brow quirked in confusion as Kagome rushed to leave.

"No, I don't think I will. Goodbye, everyone!" She called back airily, hurrying into the hallway to grab her backpack, her phone instantly in her hands as she walked out the door.

I never said you could start giving me rides

She sent the text off quickly, hoping that her ire read as plainly through the phone screen as it did in her head. With a roll of her eyes, she started walking the path that led out to the street from the shrine. She wasn't feeling particularly inclined to deal with Hinata or Mamoru, whatever his name was, she just wasn't here for this bullshit today. It was too damn early.

Nobody said you were the boss of me either

His snarky reply was quick, having probably expected this reaction out of her. He was dead when she got her hands on him.

Her fingers moved over the screen in a flurry of movement, rushing to keep up with her brain as she fired off inside her head.

Leave me alone! I'm taking the train, so just screw off!

She sent the message, huffing as she walked defiantly down the driveway and onto the street, the early morning sun casting everything it touched with golden light. A part of her realized that she may be overreacting to some degree, but another, much larger part of her just wanted to have one normal day. But she had a sinking feeling that wasn't going to happen.

It was only a minute or two before her phone chimed with a new notification, buzzing there clenched in her hand. She contemplated just ignoring it and continuing on her merry way, because it's not like he would actually do anything about it right? It's not like he was a kami… or her father. He couldn't tell her what to do.

But… he was in direct contact with Tsukuyomi, and who knew how often they communicated with each other. Despite everything, she didn't want to disappoint him.

It was that thought that had her opening her phone, steps slowing.

Stop being a brat and just get in

She looked up just in time to see the familiar sports car coming towards her from over the hill, its sleek, glossy black finish glinting in the sunlight. She could only stand there with her mouth hung open as the car stopped there next to her on the street with no regard to the oncoming traffic.

The passenger side window rolled down, revealing Hinata's, or Mamoru's, whatever his name was, annoyed-looking expression as he leaned over.

"C'mon, we're gonna be late." He called over the blaring horns of the other drivers as he held stopped traffic.

She could feel her cheeks heat in embarrassment, her brows furrowed in indignation at his little display, but she marched over to the car anyway. She yanked open the door, tossing her backpack in before she climbed in.

"Just drive already!" She huffed as she slammed the door closed heavily.

"You don't have to be so difficult." He muttered as he put the car into gear, speeding off down the busy street, seemingly unaffected by the other irate drivers on the road.

"Whatever." She crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a dirty look. "Just don't go thinking this is gonna be a regular thing."

He was wearing her school's uniform, his spiky black hair looking rather unruly but with his lip piercing taken out, he actually looked kind of normal. Cute, even. But even so she still wanted to snatch that infuriating grin right off his stupid face.

"Get used to it. You'll be seeing a lot of me."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she ground out, irritated.

"You'll be training with me after school, starting today. Tsukuyomi's direct orders."

Her stomach dropped. Of course, she knew this already, but she had stupidly hoped that he would wait just a little bit longer before they got into it. Just one day, that's all she'd wanted. But even that was too much to ask.

"Fine." She conceded, turning her gaze out the window at the street that rushed past. "So, you've… spoken with him?"

She didn't know why, but she wanted to know. She'd been thinking about him, wondering when he would visit her again and it was weighing heavy on her mind. Still so many things she wanted to ask him; things she wondered if he'd even be willing to answer.

"Yes. Last night, actually."

There was a pause as she considered what to say next. She was still a little ticked with him for calling her a brat, but she was being a bit difficult, so she couldn't really blame him.

"Oh… did he… say anything else?"

"Nothing that you need to know." She could tell by his tone that that was the end of it, and the rest of the ride to school was spent in taught silence.

He parked behind the school in the faculty parking, and it was pretty much empty save for a few cars here and there, as most teachers and students rode the train to and from school.

She scrambled to quickly get out of the car, slinging her backpack over her shoulders as she did, not sparing the Yokai a glance as she hurried away.

"C'mon Kagome, wait up." He called, but she only walked faster.

"No!" She threw the words over her shoulder, feeling indignant as she rushed to put as much distance between them as she could. "Go away!"

There was no way she could let the girls see them together, especially Ayumi. They would automatically assume the worst, and her fragile friend would shatter. The last time Kagome had seen her, she still hadn't quite recovered from her heartbreak over the dark-haired boy, and she wondered if anything had changed since she'd last been gone. Still, she couldn't risk it. Eri and Yuka would never shut up about it if they saw that he'd given her a ride, and she really wasn't in the mood to deal with their nagging today.

She rushed off to her first class even though they'd actually made it a bit early, and she was sitting at her desk long before the other kids started to filter in. She was doodling in her notebook, teeth worrying at her lip as she idly sketched over the lined paper, her mind far away from the dull classroom that she found herself in.

"Kagome?!"

She turned towards the sound, a smile blooming over her face when she saw her best friends rushing towards her.

"Hey!" She chirped as she was suddenly swarmed by the three chattering girls, each of them fussing over her in their own way.

"We were worried about you!" Said Ayumi, her large, expressive eyes portraying just how concerned she had been as she took the seat next to her.

"Yeah, even Fuyoko asked about you." Eri nodded, popping her gum.

"Um, who?" Kagome's brows scrunched together in confusion, trying to remember where she had heard the name before… it sounded vaguely familiar to her.

"You remember, she was at that party, the girl with the blue eyes?" Ayumi said softly, trying to jog Kagome's memory. But as soon as she said blue eyes she had remembered almost instantly. Long black hair with a shock of blue eyes… Fuyoko, the odd-looking girl who was striking, but somehow still forgettable.

"Oh!" Kagome exclaimed, feeling a bit guilty. "I remember now. That was sweet of her."

She thought it a bit odd that a girl who wasn't even in her class, and one that she's only met once, had noticed her absence at all. It raised a small flag inside her head, but she dismissed it easily, the class quieting as the Sensei breezed through the door. Kagome turned her head in time to see Mamoru slip in behind him, almost unnoticed except for her and Ayumi. She could tell the girl was watching him too, just by the way she shifted in her seat; her hands fingering the edge of her skirt nervously.

So, Ayumi definitely wasn't over him. At least that was one question that was ticked off her impossibly long list.

He took the last open desk in the far back corner, and she was grateful that he didn't turn to look at her or acknowledge her in any way. He sat with his arms folded across his chest, her eyes trained straight ahead but she knew that he had seen her looking. Could tell just by the way his aura flickered around him, pale and almost ghostly looking. She quickly diverted her eyes to the front of the room where the sensei had begun writing on the dry erase board.

"Good morning students, today we will pick up from where we left off yesterday. Please get out your notes and…"

She stopped listening, panicking internally as she flipped through her notebook, knowing damn well how useless it was to her at the moment.

Shit…

The day passed quickly and by the end of it, Kagome was irritable and swamped with late assignments that she would have to rush to finish if she had any hope of graduating this year. She could feel the panic set in by she tried to keep herself calm as she walked out of the school, surrounded by her group of friends who chatted together idly. She wasn't paying much attention; she was too lost in her own head to really participate in any of the lighthearted conversations that were going on around her.

There was too much she had to catch up on, not to mention Hinata had been on her mind heavily all day. He and Hojo trailed behind the four girls, laughing and joking and Kagome couldn't help but steal a glance back at him.

His eyes instantly darted up to meet hers, looking like he was trying to tell her something.

They shared a long look before she was suddenly jabbed in the ribs by a sharp elbow.

"You okay?" It was Eri, her dark eyes shining with concern as she looked up at her friend.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine." Kagome said airily, playing it off. "Just a little overwhelmed, that's all."

Now that part was the truth. Her backpack was probably at least twenty pounds now and she didn't know how she was going to manage.

"Yeah, you did miss a lot of class… let us know if we can help, okay?" Ayumi said kindly, her smile sweet and sincere.

"Thanks, 'yumi. I will."

They all walked together a little further, down to where the path split off before they all stopped to say their goodbyes.

"We'll catch you guys later," Reo said with a crooked smile, branching off with Hinata back towards the parking lot.

"Bye!" The girls all called, almost in unison as they began to walk down towards the street.

"Hey, Kagome."

Her heart practically stopped dead in her chest as she slowly turned around, eyes as wide as dinner plates. Hinata stood there with his hands shoved in his pockets, his face deadpan. "You coming?"

She was going to kill him.

She could feel the three girls looking at her; the hurt on Ayumi's face cut deep and Kagome wished she could make it go away. She wanted to explain, wanted to tell her that it definitely wasn't what it looked like, but all she could do was nod stiffly back at the dark-haired boy, her shoulders set rigidly.

"By girls… I'll see you later." She mumbled, unable to look any of them in the eye as she hurried away.

"Wait, what?" She heard Eri exclaim, and she knew that they were all staring after her, questioning, but she daren't look back.

She wasn't brave enough.

And she didn't have any explanation that would make any sense to them…Three pairs of eyes practically burned holes in her back as she fled, head down. She knew what it looked like from their perspective. It looked like she and Hinata were… something, more than friends. And she was already dreading the flood of questions that were sure to come.

Her fists clenched at her sides, her jaw taught with tension as inwardly, she was absolutely seething.

After this morning, she'd thought she'd made it perfectly clear to him how things were going to go from here. That she didn't want to be seen with him like that. She'd figured he would have at least a little discretion, but obviously she'd been dead wrong.

Hojo and Hinata talked amongst themselves as if there wasn't an obviously angry, 5'2" girl smushed between them. And she was only getting more irritated by the second.

How dare he?

In front of Ayumi? Was he an absolute idiot? He had no right to go and mess up her school life. It was the only normal thing she had left… the only thing that she'd thought she'd had some control over. and here he was fucking it up.

She was waiting for the moment Hojo left, ready to give the Yokai a piece of her mind and more if he was too mouthy. The walk to the car felt like an eternity; the wind whipping her hair around her, adding to her irritation.

"…Kazue keeps texting me, man. I don't know what to do about it, I don't really like easy girls…" Hojo's voice penetrated her thoughts, and she looked up at him shrewdly as he spoke.

"Shit, give her my number." Hinata laughed, "Those are the kind I like best."

She felt vaguely disgusted, but she kept her mouth shut as they were finally approaching the sleek black car.

"Will do," Hojo chuckled, "See ya later, bro… Bye, Kagome." He waved at her with a genuine smile, seemingly oblivious to the storm that was brewing in her eyes as she gave him a small wave, not trusting her voice at that moment.

As soon as his back had turned, she shifted her gaze towards the lanky boy leaned up against the car, looking apathetic with his dark hair mussed messily. He already unbuttoned the top of his uniform, letting it hang open sloppily, exposing a smooth triangle of pale skin at his throat.

His black eyes were turned directly on her, giving away nothing.

"Don't even start." He said as soon as she'd opened her mouth to speak, effectively silencing her, as well as pissing her off even more. "I mean did you really think I was just gonna let you skip out on today? Not a chance." He scoffed, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"What am I supposed to tell my friends? What am I supposed to tell Ayumi?" She bit out, losing her cool on the boy because the way he was looking at her made her want to hit something.

"Ayumi? What does she have to do with any of this?" He looked at her dubiously, brows furrowed.

"She likes you, you idiot! And now… now she thinks that you and me…" She trailed off, going from angry to shy as her cheeks reddened, her gaze shifted away from his to look off over the nearly empty parking lot.

It had turned into a gloomy day. The sun was hidden, and the sky was covered in a thick blanket of dark clouds. The air held a slight chill that was not uncharacteristic of spring in Japan, but it added to the ominous feel, nonetheless.

"She thinks we're what, Kagome?" His voice was soft but firm, coaxing her to meet his eyes again. He arched a thick brow, waiting.

"She… she probably thinks that we're… you know…" She couldn't say it. It was too mortifying to even think, let alone form the words.

"And, remind me again, why does that matter?" He sounded truly perplexed, if not a little sarcastic.

"Ugh!" She threw her hands up in frustration. "You really don't understand girls at all, do you?"

"I guess not." He rolled his eyes, standing up and walking a few steps to stand directly in front of her, commanding her gaze with those dark and swirling eyes that rooted her firmly to the spot.

"Look, I'll be honest with you… I don't care about the opinion of three human girls who have no idea of the world that goes on around them… I care about you, and what I've been ordered to do. I'll do my best to respect your wishes, but you will have to make some compromises too." His mouth was set in a rigid line, eyes unforgiving as they bore down into her, and she could feel her anger fading.

She deflated; head down and eyes focused on the asphalt.

"Let's just go."

She saw him move out of her way, pulling the passenger side door open for her and moving around to the other side without a word. She just climbed in, tossing her backpack into the backseat carelessly with a heavy thunk. She fasted the seat belt around her waist, ignoring him entirely as he did the same, quickly set her sights out the window as the radio switched on. It was childish of her, she knew. But she didn't care. She wasn't as angry… he did have a point after all. In the scope of things, school, her friends here, they didn't really matter. After all, when she pictured her life after graduation, she didn't imagine a top floor apartment or an office job… she imagined little fuzzy eared babies and a house in the village, not that she was brave enough to admit it to anyone other than herself.

Neither of them spoke; the silence was filled by the music playing softly through the speakers, lightening the air. It felt like forever but soon they were pulling into the parking garage. She went to grab her backpack, but he stopped her.

"Leave it, you're not gonna need it." He got out the car and she followed suit, trailing behind him as she gathered up her thoughts.

She had to remember what she was doing this for, what her purpose was. Her thoughts drifted back over to when Bankotsu had snatched her from the woods, only yards away from the kitsune that she considered to be her son. How helpless she had felt in that moment, weaponless without her arrows and nothing but weak reiki at her disposal. She never wanted to feel that helpless again.

"Good afternoon." The man at the front desk greeted, rousing her from her introspective thoughts to offer him a small nod as she followed Hinata towards the elevators. She felt a sense of calm settle over here, and the doors opened with a soft chime. She could see her reflection in the glossy black walls as she stepped in; she looked determined.

"I'm sorry."

Her voice was quiet, the words barely a whisper. She kept her gaze straight ahead, not looking at him as the words fell from her lips.

"I know I can be… hot-headed, sometimes… but this is very serious to me."

There was a long, drawn-out silence that stretched between them and she was waiting for him to break it, the elevator slowly climbing higher and higher.

She could hear the nervous fluttering of her own heartbeat, her eyes trained on their reflections in the black, glass-like walls. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, eyes hidden by the heavy mass of his bangs.

"It's okay, Kagome… you don't need to apologize."

His voice was a deep, rumble and she could hear the emotion in his words. In the reflection, she could see him finally lift his head to look directly at her, and she couldn't fight the urge to meet his eyes. Her breath quickened slightly, pupils dilating a fraction as she was caught by the swirling depths of his dark orbs, shadowed by an emotion she couldn't quite identify and framed with long eyelashes. Vaguely, she wondered if that was all just a part of the glamour he had briefly spoken of. She wondered if he even held a human form at all. The thought was enough to break the spell and she hurriedly looked away, worrying her lip between her teeth as she shifted closer to the wall.

Just then the doors opened, and she breathed a small sigh of relief walking out into the chic hallway. She followed him, walking the short distance down towards the heavy double doors of his apartment. He led her through, into the large open space that she had familiarized herself with by now. It was shadowed, as outside the floor to ceiling windows to that lined the left wall, the sky was cast in tones of gray.

Hinata flipped on a few lights as he walked, motioning for her to follow.

"This is where I do pretty much all of my training." He through the words over his shoulder, going towards the hallway that she remembered leading to a game room, along with a few other doors that she'd just figured were bedrooms before. She hadn't realized just how far the hallway went, just when she thought they'd reached the end, it curved sharply, leading to another set of shoji doors. He opened them with a flourish revealing a large, open room with padded floors and windows covered with bamboo blinds.

"Whoa…" She breathed, stepping across the threshold with wide eyes. "I didn't know apartments came with dojo's these days."

"They don't," He chuckled, loosening some of the buttons on his school uniform, revealing a white undershirt beneath. "I had this part remodeled."

"Oh." She said quietly, looking away hurriedly as he let the jacket fall from his shoulders, her cheeks flushing.

"Take off your shoes, socks too." He said as he went to do the same.

She fumbled to follow his instruction, her fingers shaking as she slid off her flats and set them neatly aside. She slid her socks down quickly, stuffing them inside the shoes before standing up straight again. He had moved to stand in the center of the room, his feet planted firmly. He was only wearing a plain white t-shirt and his black school slacks, and he'd moved his hair out of his eyes. With his arms exposed, she could even see the dark ink of the tattoo of his bicep, partially covered by his sleeve.

"Well." He clapped his hands together with a mischievous sort of grin. "Let's get started, shall we?"

"Yes." She nodded, feeling uncertain.

"Come, stand here." He motioned to the open space in front of him. Slowly, she padded over towards him, fingers worrying at the edge of her skirt. She didn't know where to look.

"Hey, don't be so nervous. Just relax." His voice was slightly soothing, and she found herself taking a deep breath, letting her eyes flutter closed as she centered herself.

"Okay," She breathed, "I'm ready."

She opened her eyes, immediately confronted by his unabashed gaze. His hands were folded together in front of him, his arm muscles flexing as if he was gearing up for a fight.

"Alright, now show me how you call your power."

She looked at him dumbly for a moment, then down at her hands, then back up again, unsure.

"Go on," there was a hard, almost anxious light reflected in his eyes as he saw her uncertainty. "Do it."

She shifted from foot to foot, for some reason feeling inexplicably nervous as she began to draw from that well of power that lay buried deep inside her. Her eyes drifted shut as her breathing evened out, and everything except for the swirling tide fell away. She could feel the steady beat of energy coursing through her blood, firing off along her nerves and traveling down to pool in her palms as she focused it there. It built slowly, and she could feel its electric-like charge race across her skin.

Her eyes opened again, flooded by the light that emanated from her hands, pulsing and surging in time to the beat of her heart.

A grin split across her face, chest swelling with pride as the orb of power cradled in her hands grew even bigger.

"Good, keep going." He urged; the blue light reflected in his eyes, almost ghostly.

She could feel her hair lifting off of her shoulders; the dark tendrils curling in the air, suspended by the force of the power that was now radiating from her middle. But she didn't let up; she kept pushing, even as she broke out into a cold sweat, her arms shaking.

What had at first started as a small tickle of awareness in her gut had slowly built until now, she felt like she was going to implode with the pure chaotic essence that was currently radiating outward from her pores, glowing with a pinkish light. It was starting to hurt, a sharp, twisting feeling that made her skin crawl. She grit her teeth; knees trembling, breath coming in short pants as she screwed her eyes shut.

It was too much. A small whimper escaped her lips and she could feel herself reach her limit.

"I can't." She whispered, strained. With everything she had, she was trying to hold it, cracking open her eyes to see the glowing orb had grown huge there in her grasp, about the size of a beach ball.

"It's okay, Kagome. You can let it go." His voice was thoughtful and soft, somehow reaching her over the sound of her own pounding heartbeat that thundered in her ears.

All at once it was like a balloon being stuck with a needle, and she instantly deflated. Her power snapped back inside of her with a jolt, her knees buckling as she gasped. In an instant Mamoru was there to support her weight before she could collapse onto the tatami mats; his arm wrapping around her middle as she sagged against him.

She was shaking; trembling there as he held her, breathing hard as her head swam. Her stomach rolled with nausea that had hit her like a brick wall, her mouth going dry. It took a moment to register what was happening, how close they were. Their chests were pressed flush against each other, his arm anchoring her there while she caught her breath.

"Are you okay?" He murmured, his voice sounding surprisingly rough. She could feel it rumble through his chest, the sound bringing her to open her eyes and meet the intensity of his gaze. Dark, swirling pools of obsidian; black lava that burned and scorched everything in its wake; that's what she saw when she looked into those eyes that were faceted like glimmering gems. Her chest felt tight all of a sudden, her lips parting as she forgot the words that only a moment ago had been on the tip of her tongue, her mouth going dry all over again.

"I… yes, I think so." She stuttered out after a moment, heart racing. "Um… You can let me go now." She coughed awkwardly, and the spell between them was broken.

"Right, sorry." He cleared his throat, avoiding her eyes as his arm fell away from her small frame.

She took a deep breath, centering herself on her shaky legs as she took a step back to put some distance between them. Just by doing that her head already felt a little clearer.

"You did well, I'm surprised you're able to focus it so intensely without any prior training." He commented conversationally, and despite herself, she soaked up the praise like a dry sponge.

"Really?"

"Yeah," He grinned crookedly, his teeth perfectly white and straight. "Now we just have to work on your ability to sustain it, everything after that should come easy." He promised, give her a reassuring pat on the head.

She stilled at the touch, the small smile that had worked its way onto her face slipping as she was caught in her own thoughts.

"M-Mamoru," It was the first time she had said it out loud, and she stumbled over it. She watched as his eyes sparkled with interest, his whole facial expression changing as he seemed to focus solely on her.

"Yes?" His tone was serious.

"I…" She didn't know how to say it. It sounded wrong even in her own head, but she had to know. She didn't think she could fully trust him if she didn't. "Before… you said something about wearing a glamor, and I…"She trailed off, unsure of how to put her thoughts into words. The truth was it had been weighing on her mind, though not as pressing as the other matters she was dealing with, and there was a burning curiosity inside of her that demanded answers.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to ask," he said with a smirk, "I can show you if you like...my true form."

The words were quiet, hardly even a breath but they ghosted over her skin, igniting goosebumps to rise. Her eyes met his again, and she nodded breathlessly.

"Please."

She felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest, her body not quite back to normal after that massive expenditure of power. Her system just wasn't used to such a large amount of pure, undiluted power all at once. But her heart was racing for another reason entirely now. Mamoru's eyes were trained firmly on her own as he slowly backed up a few steps, his aura flickering strangely around him. Where once it had seemed pale, sickly looking, even, now it seemed to writhe and pulsate in the air, flashes of blue streaking through it as if set to a beat. The blue energy that had come out of nowhere was suddenly taking over, racing over his skin and lighting him up until he was outlined by it, his expression hidden as he seemed to hunch in on himself, visibly straining. She could only stare in awe, her eyes going wide as she took in the transformation that was happening mere feet away from her.

It was a little scary, the way it almost seemed to hurt him as she could see he was clenching his teeth, his body language practically screaming with unspoken pain. His skin seemed to pulsate, moving and morphing until she could see that it had shifted, becoming pale and smooth, glowing with energy. His hair lengthened before her eyes, growing and changing slightly in color to become a deep blue-black in color, hanging pin-straight past his shoulders she could see his face more clearly now, as it was not hidden beneath the heavy fall of his bangs. His eyes were screwed shut; his mouth set in a terse line as he seemed to take a deep breath.

Kagome was enraptured. She couldn't look away from his expression, watching with rapt attention as he assumed his true form, waiting with bated breath for him to finally look at up at her. His aura seemed to retreat, sinking back into his body and leaving no sign of its appearance. His chest was heaving, his eyes slowly opening as he lifted his head to meet her gaze.

All at once she could feel the breath escape her, her heart skipping a beat as plain brown met startling violet. His eyes were a mosaic, flecked throughout with deep blues and varying shades of purple that seemed impossible, yet completely captivating. It was those eyes like glimmering crystal that enthralled her. As she got over the shock of them her gaze traveled down to the rest of his face, raking over his features, searching for changes. But he was much the same, to her surprise. His face held that same boyish look that was so disarming, so unlike that of Yokai, she had known in the past.

Unconsciously, she took a step towards him, watching him as he watched her. His skin was pale, so pale it almost seemed blue-toned, glimmering like precious stone or scales. His hair was long, shaggy and pin-straight, hanging over his shoulders, and she could see that his ears had shifted to become longer, the pointy tips peeking out from beneath his curtain of black hair. If possible, it seemed that he grew even more defined, his muscles bulging beneath the plain t-shirt that seemed so out of place on this obviously otherworldly creature.

"Well?" He said, at last, his voice rough. He smirked, and she could see the tips of two wickedly sharp fangs peeking out from beneath his top lip, glinting in the low light of the dojo.

She was speechless; absolutely in awe as she took him in. She had never felt an aura like this. It was powerful and unique, though most of it had faded away faint wisps of it were still left lingering on his skin. Whatever clan he belonged to, he was powerful, despite whatever held his true ability at bay.

"I… just- wow," She breathed, her mouth at a disconnect from her brain as it raced with a myriad of thoughts.

What are you?

"you're…" beautiful

She wanted to say it, but she held it back, forcing the word away as she trailed off awkwardly, clearing her throat. "You, um, you still look like yourself." She finished lamely, feeling a heated blush burn at her cheeks as she shifted her gaze away.

"Well yeah," He chuckled warmly, brushing a long strand of dark hair out of his face. "is that good?"

"Yes," she answered honestly, feeling an odd sense of relief. Maybe he wasn't such a complete stranger after all.

For a long moment, they stood, about three feet apart, neither of them knowing quite what to say now. The air between them was awkward and slightly uncomfortable, her eyes darting around looking for something, anything else to focus on besides the Yokai that was doing nothing besides blatantly staring at her.

"Kagome." He said after a moment, sounding almost pleading. "Just look at me."

She did, her eyes instantly locking onto those otherworldly eyes that shone so brightly it almost hurt to look at them. They were intense; a swirling storm of emotions that she couldn't decipher. It was like everything else fell away, the thoughts racing through her head quieting, and all she could hear was the sound of her own heart beating.

"If you're afraid… I understand." He said, at last, his voice rough and throaty.

"No… that's not it." She whispered, and it was the truth. She had seen many, many Yokai that had scared her just by their appearance alone, but Mamoru was not one of them. He was so Humanoid in his form, his features lacking that cold edge that any Yokai seemed to possess, and his eyes spoke of his true nature with their softness. He was beautiful. So beautiful that she was enraptured, his appearance seeming so foreign and unique.

"Then… what?"

"I…" She didn't know how to put it into words, this feeling. It was strange, watching something so intense and now being faced with this ethereal being… she was rendered almost entirely speechless. "I just… I wasn't expecting… this."

It was the truth.

She didn't know what she had expected, but surely, it hadn't been this.

"Can I ask…?" She swallowed thickly, her palms sweating inexplicably. He looked like he knew what she was going to say, but he just nodded, looking resigned. "What are you?"

It was a long moment before he finally spoke, seeming to consider his words very carefully before they finally fell from his lips.

"Tatsu… of the northern clan." He said at length, his eyes never leaving hers.

It took a moment for what he'd said to sink in, the word Tatsu… dragon… it lingered there at the forefront of her mind. When she looked at him… it was hard to imagine that such a thing could be true. But then, his eyes flashed, and for a brief moment they shone bright, pupils slitting like a cat and then returning back to normal in almost an instant.

"Okay… wow." She breathed, unsure of how to react. "I guess that explains why your aura is so weird." She commented, chuckling awkwardly as she shifted from foot to foot.

"Weird how?" He cocked a thick black brow, crossing his arms over his chest.

" Um, well, you know…" She felt like she'd said something wrong, and she hurried to backtrack. "Just like… muted, I guess. It looks… pale." She finished lamely, eyes flickering down to the tatami mat covered floor as her cheeks flushed.

"Actually… it's because of a spell Tsukuyomi placed on me."

She looked back up at him sharply, confusion written plainly over her features. "Explain?"

He sighed, running a hand through his bangs as he seemed to think for a moment.

"It was mainly just to avoid detection," He clarified, looking away. "Even here, at this time… there is still a danger that lurks even on the brightest of days. My true aura would alert all other Yokai in the area to my presence instantly, and it just helps to keep a low profile… especially when guarding something so precious."

If possible, her cheeks flamed even further, her heart beating a little faster as it felt like you could've cut the tension between them with a knife. But for the life of her, she didn't know why.

Maybe it was the way he was looking at her, his eyes soft and vulnerable as the bore down into her own… or maybe it was his body language, maybe even his aura, she didn't know.

"S-so, um, your glamour thingy that's just a spell too?" she stuttered out, shattering the silence.

"Yes, Tsukuyomi is… highly-skilled, I guess you could say." Mamoru offered a small half-smile, looking at her in a way that just confused her all the more.

She coughed awkwardly, backing up a few steps as she avoided his gaze with practiced skill.

"Well, should we, uh, get back to the, um, training, or…?"

"Oh, right." He stood up straight again, widening his stance and folding his hands in front of him. His striking purple eyes seemed to focus, and she could sense his energy calming even as a mischievous grin worked its way onto his full lips, revealing his pearly white fangs. "Now… we'll practice a bit of light combat, sound good?"

"Um… sure." She gulped, trying to muster up some of her own power, doing her best to send it out across her skin, though it still wasn't quite recovered from earlier. It felt like a rubber band pulled tight inside her, reaching its breaking point of elasticity and ready to snap at any moment. She took a shaky breath, mimicking his stance on trembling legs. Firmly, she planted her feet as she raised her hands in front of her, determined look gleaming in her eyes.

"okay… I'm ready."

A few hours later, after the sun had sunk beneath the horizon and Kagome was thoroughly exhausted Mamoru dropped her off back at home, after having shifted back into the form of Hinata. To her surprise she found that she was sad to see the pearlescent skinned Yokai disappear, replaced by the shaggy-haired boy that sat beside her now, one large hand gripping the wheel of the car as it idled there.

"Sorry if I wore you out," He said apologetically, looking at her worriedly. "Just make sure to eat something and get a good night's rest, yeah? I'll pick you up in the morning."

She didn't protest, she was too worn out at this point. She'd just nodded and clambered out of the car, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

"It's fine," She sighed, "See you tomorrow."

Before he could say anything else, she quickly slammed the door shut and turned away. She listened to the crunch of the gravel beneath his tires as he reversed, walking slowly up the path that led through the back of the shrine and up to the house.

She felt drained- exhausted beyond belief and she could hardly focus on putting on foot in front of the other, her legs as shaky as a newborn calf. Her backpack felt like it was filled with stones, and there were a few bruises blooming across her knees from where she's taken a series of hard, face-first falls onto the floor of the dojo. She'd thought the tatami mats would have softened the blow, but they were thin, and beneath them was solid, unyielding wood.

To his credit, Mamoru had tried to be gentle with her, really, he had, but at the same time, he couldn't take it easy on her and they both knew it. He'd shown her how to do a few defensive moves, playing the attack while she did her best to fend him off. Of course, he'd gotten the best of her every time, knocking her to the ground. It was definitely a humbling experience for her, and she was grateful for the practice. Though now, as she shambled up the path, drawing closer to the family home she wondered if she would ever be as strong as Mamoru… as strong as Tsukuyomi said she would become. It seemed foolish to think such a thing could ever be possible when she was looking down at the dark marks that now decorated her pale flesh. She hoped her family wouldn't notice.

Besides the soreness and the absolute exhaustion she felt now there was also a small sense of pride in herself. Even though she hadn't been able to block any of his moves she'd still tried. She'd forced herself to stand her ground and be brave even when all she wanted to do was bolt out the door. But she'd stayed. She was hungry and tired and sore, but she had a feeling that it would all be worth it in the end.

The stars had just made their appearance in the twilight-hued sky above her, blinking into existence one by one and the moon hung heavy and full in the sky. The sight calmed her spirit and she felt like should stand up a bit straighter as she reached the front door.

Everything will work out; I just know it.

She smiled, letting light flood out onto the lawn as she stepped across the threshold. She hurried to close the door behind her and scurry up the stairs before anyone could take notice of the bags beneath her eyes or the bruises that patterned across her delicate knees.

AN:

Sorry for the long wait on this one guy, life's been hitting me hard but once thanksgiving break rolls around updates should be more regular. This was really gonna be two chapters but I just felt like it flowed much better this way. Hope you guys are having a good weekend so far & thanks for reading :)