#inu-spiration

[mayarab]

And here is the art I made for @inu-spiration! I was paired with @inuyashaeienni !! You should go read their fic here!!

This has been amazing and I can't wait for the next one!!

[dawnrider]

I am very excited to share a small bite of what's to come for @inu-spiration Tanabata Bang on July 7th, 2024. My artist and I are excited to share what we've created together with you this weekend! Looking forward to all the other creations everyone has been putting their hard work into!❤️

The heat was bordering on unbearable. Kagome’s nose wrinkled. If she could smell the sweat coming off of them all, she couldn't imagine what Inuyasha could smell. She almost felt bad for him… Except neither the weather nor the smell seemed to be bothering him in the least. Her moment of sympathy turned to jealousy. He's in those heavy layers, how is he not boiling like the rest of us? she thought, scowling. And she was even wearing a lightweight kosode and hakama! She had her sleeves tied back which helped a little, yet she could feel that uncomfortable trickle of sweat down the middle of her spine and the sticky cling of her top to her chest. “Oi. There's a river ahead,” Inuyasha called from the front. “Maybe we can set up camp in the woods on the other side and take advantage of the river while we have it.” Given he was being uncharacteristically thoughtful, Kagome stared at Inuyasha in wonder. “What? We can get some fishing in and smoke them to keep. Stretch out the ninja food a bit more.” She supposed he had been more aware of those kinds of things lately. Concern that they all had enough to eat, that they were not without shelter in extreme weather, that the water bottles were clean and full… Like his job as Protector had taken on more facets recently. Kagome felt her jealous irritation with him fade a bit. He was a good guy, after all. She should give him more credit where it was due. “That is a good idea, Inuyasha. Thank you,” she murmured the last so that only he would hear. She watched his ears flick, the way his spine straightened telling her he'd heard her loud and clear. Of course, he wasn’t going to admit that he appreciated the acknowledgement, but she could see that he did. He’d been more aware of her too, lately. A fact that had initially set her on edge. Was he apologizing for something? Was he feeling bad for her because of what happened with the infant? She had been so caught up in her emotions, in trying to rid herself of the darkness it had tried to tease into her heart to fester and grow, she hadn’t sensed his presence at all. Yelling out that she loved him had been the ward she’d needed to finally break its hold on her. The look Inuyasha had given her was so stunned… so pained. She couldn’t handle his pity, so she tried to pretend nothing happened.

[nartistadigital]

My @inu-spiration piece: Sesshomaru and Sango

Not my usual pairing but this was definitely very fun to try, especially following @serial-doubters-club fic idea! I hope you like it <3

[clearwillow]

Sharing a teaser for my art piece for @inu-spiration! It's not what you think, but it's definitely something...

[moonkissedart]

Inu-spiration WIP Wednesday

Because where I live it’s Wednesday now! 🥳

It’s a sketch from the middle of our story with @procrastinatorrexii. ❤️ Can’t wait to share the whole and to know what do you think about it! 🥰

@inu-spiration

[inuyashaeienni]

I didn't realize today was posting day!! I read the instructions wrong!! 😆😆😆

Take 2!! I am taking part in the Tanabata Inu-spiration Bang as a writer with the lovely @mayarab!

Ahem! So Without further ado!!

Here is: @inu-spiration

Shikon Cafe!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kikyou

“Hey Inuyasha. I tried calling you but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you didn’t answer.”

12:00 pm JST

“We need to talk. Call me when you get this message”

12:01 pm JST

“This bitch is going to drive me crazy,” Inuyasha muttered with a sigh as he leaned his head back on his sofa with deep annoyance as he took his eyes away from a text he received an hour ago. His long silver hair softly cascading over his sofa, he stared at the ceiling with deep thought and a frown on his face. It is a beautiful Tuesday afternoon in Tokyo, with high sunny clouds, but not even the bright, warm summer day can change this dog boy’s sour increasing mood. It's like a kettle pot ever so slightly tipping over by the minute.

His sharp, dog-like ears started twitching in irritation as flashbacks from his last interaction with her 6 months ago didn’t go so well. Now a random text from his ex-girlfriend Kikyou had put him in a foul mood, and his usual scowl had deepened to a near-permanent fixture.

"Man, you've got to let it go," Miroku sighed, leaning back in his chair opposite Inuyasha. He could practically feel his growing irritation from a mile away. He ran a hand through his dark hair, the prayer beads around his wrist clinking softly. "It's been months. You need to move on."

"Easy for you to say," Inuyasha growled, sitting up from his sofa, his fingers tightening around his phone. "She just texted me out of nowhere, acting like nothing happened. She says she wants to talk. What's there to talk about? She already made her choice."

Miroku raised an eyebrow, used to Inuyasha’s outbursts, wondering how that phone was still intact. That is one tight grip. "Perhaps she's regretting her decision. Maybe she wants closure." He leaned his head back against the chair, letting the AC freeze away the heat radiating off his body.

"Closure, my ass," Inuyasha muttered. "She just wants to mess with my head. And why should I give her the satisfaction?"

"Inuyasha, demanding an explanation isn't going to help. Just hear her out. It might be good for the both of you," Miroku advised, his eyes still closed, though his tone suggested he knew his words would fall on deaf ears.

"Whatever," Inuyasha snapped, shoving his phone into his pocket. "If she thinks she can just waltz back into my life, she's got another thing coming."

Miroku sighed, standing up and stretching, hearing a bone crack or two in satisfaction. "You know what? Let's get out of here. We've been cooped up in this apartment for too long. There's a new café down the street, Shikon Café. Let's check it out. A change of scenery might do you some good."

Inuyasha grumbled but reluctantly agreed. "Fine, but if I see one more message from Kikyou, I'm gonna lose it."

Miroku chuckled softly. "I'll keep that in mind. Come on, let's go."

—-----

6 hours earlier

"And here's the final touch for a scrumptious Mocha Chai Latte!" Ashira exclaimed with excitement as she whipped up a drool-worthy dollop of whipped cream on top, finishing up the steps to make the drink. Kagome, wide-eyed yet determined, nodded her head to show she was listening, but she couldn't help but wonder if she had been caught daydreaming during Coffee number 52.

“So any questions?” her co-worker asked without losing a beat. So much energy for 6 am. Kagome shook her head, “No, Thank you for your help! I think everything will just come with practice,” She chuckled awkwardly. ‘I don’t know how these people remember all of these coffee combinations.’ Kagome thought to herself.

Ashira smiled and chuckled alongside her, her bright attitude shining through, “Absolutely! Not to worry, in time, everything will just come naturally. Now we should be having customers soon. If you need help, I’ll be right over there if you have any questions!” With that, she bounced off to the back of the cafe, leaving Kagome to take care of the front counter. They just opened up, so there wasn’t any foot traffic yet, surprisingly.

Arriving home for Summer break after a long junior year at Asthan College, Kagome didn’t want to lay around at the Shrine all day. She loved her family, but one more history lesson would drive her insane. She groaned as she mentally relived the agony of her grandfather’s stories. The jingling of the bell jolted Kagome out of her moment of flashback, and right into action, “Welcome in!”

About mid-day afternoon, The two friends made their way to the Shikon Café, the warm summer air doing little to improve Inuyasha's mood. As they approached the café, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods wafted through the air, momentarily distracting Inuyasha from his anger.

After finishing her first morning rush, Kagome was busy arranging pastries in the display case. She had to call Ashira for help once or twice, spilled coffee, and dropped a few muffins on the ground from touching them with her hand after pulling them out of the oven, but she felt pretty confident in her newly acquired skills. She was determined to make a good impression despite Ashira assuring her that it was ok to make mistakes on her first day. With her back turned to the entrance, she didn't see the newcomers but called out automatically, "Welcome in!"

Inuyasha, not paying much attention, saw a sudden glance of long black hair and he immediately saw red, assuming the greeting came from someone he knew all too well. "Kikyou, what the hell do you want now?" he barked, his voice loud enough to turn a few heads.

Kagome straightened up, startled by the outburst. She turned around, her brown eyes wide with surprise. "Excuse me?”

Inuyasha blinked, momentarily thrown off by the unfamiliar voice. He looked up and his eyes met Kagome's fiery gaze. The resemblance to Kikyou was uncanny, but there was something different about this girl—something warmer, more vibrant.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded, his tone still rough but less certain.

‘Oh Kami give me strength.’ she prayed inwardly, trying not to make a scene. "Excuse me?” She repeated. “Who wants to know," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

“The one asking, wench” Inuyasha replied his stubbornness getting the best out of him not willing to admit his mistake.

Her eyes narrowed harder, matching his stubbornness and attitude, manners begone. “The name’s Kagome,” She leaves her previous position and approaches the counter, pressing her palms down on the counter and leaning towards him in a boastful voice. “And who the hell do you think you are, coming in here and yelling at people? If you want service in this cafe, you better watch your attitude, mister." Gold meets brown in an even-matched eye contact.

Miroku, ever the mediator, stepped in with a charming smile. "Hi there! Kagome, is it? Please forgive my friend, he's having a bit of a rough day."

Kagome's expression softened slightly at Miroku's polite demeanor, but she wasn't ready to let Inuyasha off the hook just yet. "A rough day doesn't give him the right to be a jerk," she retorted, turning her glare back to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha's scowl deepened. "Look wench, I thought you were someone else, alright? Just drop it."

Kagome huffed and laughed in disbelief, clearly unimpressed. "It's Kagome. Ka-go-me! Not wench and Maybe you should think about that before you speak next time."

Before the situation could escalate further, another customer walked in, diverting Kagome's attention. She gave Inuyasha one last pointed look before walking towards them to take the new customer's order.

Miroku chuckled softly. "Well, that was interesting. She’d definitely put you in your place."

Inuyasha grumbled something under his breath but didn't argue. Instead, he watched Kagome from the corner of his eye as she interacted with the customers, her smile warm and genuine. It was a stark contrast to Kikyou's often aloof demeanor and from their previous interaction just 2 minutes ago.

As the café settled back into its usual rhythm, Inuyasha found himself unable to focus on anything other than the strange, fiery girl who had just told him off. He didn't know why, but something about her intrigued him.

When the café quieted down again, Kagome took a deep breath and blew out the tension in her body. Her eyes zoned in on the table of two that occupied Inuyasha and Miroku. She initially procrastinated approaching their table due to another random rush of customers, but it was her job after all. With a hint of curiosity in her eyes, she walked over. "So, are you two going to order something, or just take up space?"

Miroku smiled. "We'll have two coffees, please. And maybe a slice of that strawberry cake."

Kagome nodded, jotting down the order. "Coming right up."

As she walked away, Inuyasha couldn't help but watch her, his mind a whirl of confusion and curiosity. He didn't know what it was about Kagome, but he had a feeling this wasn't the last time their paths would cross.

Minutes later, Kagome returned with their order, setting the coffee and cake down on the table. "Here you go," she said, her tone more neutral but still holding a hint of the earlier annoyance.

"Thanks," Miroku said warmly. Inuyasha muttered a gruff thanks as well, still feeling slightly off-balance.

Kagome gave him a brief nod before heading back to the counter. As she worked, she found herself sneaking glances at the silver-haired, brash-talking customer. There was something about him that piqued her curiosity despite his rough demeanor.

As the day wore on, the café began to empty, and Kagome found herself with another moment to breathe. She glanced over at Inuyasha and Miroku's table, noticing that they were still there, talking quietly.

‘He was rude, loud, and disrespectful. She thought to herself with renewed annoyance, and then with a sigh, she proclaimed to herself, ‘Well my behavior wasn’t a 5-star either no matter how much I felt he deserved it.’ She concluded, always one for leading by example. Taking a deep inhale and exhale breath, she decided to approach them once more. She saw his ear twitch the closer she got to their table, signaling that he was aware of her approaching presence. Her fingers twitched in a sudden desire to feel them and pet them. Odd. Arriving she took a beat and spoke, “Listen," she said, standing by their table, drawing their attention. "I know we got off on the wrong foot earlier. And I'm sorry if I was a bit….harsh."

Inuyasha looked up, his expression softening just a fraction. "Yeah, well, I shouldn't have assumed you were Kikyou. Sorry about that."

Kagome smiled slightly, her earlier irritation fading. "Apology accepted.” Curiosity getting the best of her since he did ruin her afternoon, after all. ” So, you had a fight with an ex?"

Inuyasha sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, something like that. It's complicated."

Kagome nodded, understanding the sentiment. "Breakups are never easy. But maybe a fresh start isn't such a bad thing."

They locked eye contact for a moment and the air slightly shifted. He can't explain it; he’s not sure what it is, but this feels…different. Inuyasha glanced at her once more, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Maybe you're right."

Miroku watched the exchange with a knowing smile, glad to see his friend finally opening up a little. "Well, it's a start," he murmured.

As Kagome returned to her duties, Inuyasha found himself feeling a bit lighter. Maybe, just maybe, this summer would turn out better than he expected. And perhaps the fiery girl at the Shikon Café would have something to do with that.

[mamabearcatfanart]

It's almost reveal day! Here's a sneaky peak of a tiny bit of the art I'm working on. I know you're going to love the story it's inspired by!

[eliza-faust-diary]

I'm happy to show you a little preview of my artwork for upcoming @inu-spiration Tanabata Bang! Look forward to this event which take place on the 7th of July.