Don't mind me randomly popping into your askbox, also I love your blog's customization! I saw your requests were open even though it seems like you aren't on much, (not to offend or anything, sorry if I did!) and I was wondering if I could request Inuyasha and Sesshomaru (separate) when their girlfriend is a naturally touchy person? Not in an nsfw way but more like she just loves holding their hand and snuggling, which isn't always an option with those two! <( '- - )>
OVERFLOWING AFFECTION
— ft. Inuyasha & sesshomaru
context: the reader is a touchy person who openly expresses their overflowing affection, despite their partner being the opposite.
warnings: none. all fluff. gender-neutral reader. lowercase intended.
note: me writing again? what a comeback! ty for the request!
INUYASHA ─ ❝ HALF—DOG ❞
you wrapped your arms around inuyasha’s waist from behind, burying your face into the thick fabric of his red fire-rat robe. the group was far ahead of you, thus you took your chance to catch him off guard and to show your affection to the half-dog demon. he stiffened instantly, ears twitching as a deep red dusted his cheeks, looking around to see if anybody noticed.
“h-hey! what the hell are you doing?!” he barked, trying to squirm away, but you only tighten your grip.
“you’re so warm, inuyasha,” you sighed, nuzzling against him. “i just wanna stay like this forever.”
his ears flattened against his head as he growled, more flustered than truly angry. “oi! knock it off! you’re acting like—like myoga clingin’ to me!”
you pouted but refused to let go, looking up at the male with much fondness. “but I like hugging you.”
his ears twitched again at your soft voice, and his grip on your hands weakened slightly. his usual snappy retort died in his throat as he sighed in defeat. grabbing you from behind him with gentle movements, inuyasha allowed you to wrap your arms around his own while moving along the trail with you attached to his side.
“fine, just—don’t go doin’ this in front of the others, alright?” he grumbled, arms awkwardly crossing over his chest.
you grinned slyly. “aww, are you embarrassed?”
a sharp “keh!” was all you got in response, but he didn’t push you away.
LORD SESSHOMARU ─ ❝ BEAST KING ❞
you threw your arms around sesshomaru’s arm, pressing your cheek against the cool silk of his sleeve. his golden eyes flicked down at you, expression unreadable, but the slight twitch in his jaw revealed his irritation from the action.
“what are you doing?” his voice was as cold as ever, which you were used to.
“hugging you,” you replied sweetly, clinging even tighter. “you’re always so serious. You need more warmth in your life.”
sesshomaru’s steps didn’t falter, nor did he push you away (which you thought he would by now), but the air around him became thick with unspoken warning. “you test my patience.”
“but you haven’t stopped me,” you teased, looking up at him with a cheeky grin.
his gaze hardened. “that is because it would take unnecessary effort to remove you.”
despite his words, he still made no move to pry you off. you swore you saw the faintest light of amusement in his sharp eyes before he turned his attention forward once more towards the dark forest.
you smiled, holding onto his arm as if you belonged there. “then I’ll take it as permission.”
sesshomaru didn’t answer. but didn’t make the effort to remove your warmth from his side the whole trip.
Pairing: Koga x Kagome’sSister!Reader
Cross posted on ao3 under @canonconspiracy
Warnings: Koga fawning over Kagome. Honestly, no real archive warnings. This one is incredibly old, and I’ve been keeping it around in case I have time to make an actual InuYasha Oneshot Collection, but- I have not had time. As all of my one-shots that canon under 18, this is college aged AU!
WC: 1814
Peaceful. Today, for once, in the feudal era, it was actually a peaceful day. The way the wind lightly nipped your skin felt nothing but pleasant, traveling with your typical travel companions. Kirara decided to take solace upon your shoulder as the group traveled, and your sister walked up closer to Inuyasha. Sango had been beside you, engaging in the occasional idle chatter. Miroku had not even made a single perverted comment in the last hour, making the day even more perfect than it had been with the weather.
Any day had been a perfect day without bloodshed, anyhow. With any serenity in the feudal era, searching for the shards of the shikon jewel, it was often mucked up rather quick. Unlike Kagome, who often took every opportunity she could to go home, you had made yourself a permanent fixture in the feudal era. Everything just...fit better for you. It was impossible for you to explain, but you felt you fit in far more around demons and monsters, the constant onslaught of danger, than in the modern era.
"I can sense a shikon jewel shard," you could hear your younger sister call out, a hint of panic in her tone. "And it's coming in fast!"
Snapping you out of your wandering thoughts, you could feel Shippo grab your leg for support as your hands moved to your face. Quickly, you shielded your face from the massive onslaught of winds, a hint of panic rushing into your mind. As soon as you possibly could, you found yourself checking on your younger sister, worry flashing in your squinted y/e/c eyes.
As quickly as the wind came, it dissipated, followed almost immediately by the clenching of your heart. Midnight locks paired with a friendly smile quickly came into your vision, waving as he greeted the group. Before his greeting passed his lips, you could already feel your breath hitch in your throat.
"Yo," he called out in a friendly tone.
"It's Koga!" Kagome called out fondly, a hint of confusion in her tone.
"I picked up on your scent, Kagome," he started, striding towards your younger sister. "So I came to see you. You've been well, I hope?"
Your lips curled to an unnoticed grimace as your gaze hit the rocks below you. Heart dropping from your chest to your stomach, you could feel yourself holding a breath you couldn't quite release in his presence. Though you hated the idea of being jealous of your eighteen year old sister, you couldn't help yourself when it came to the handsome wolf demon.
Inuyasha stood in front of Kagome, his glare fixated upon the demon who casually walked up to the group. "What do you want, you mangy wolf?" Inuyasha spat venomously, clearly protecting your sister as he spoke.
Growls sounded from the two, while you took the opportunity to shift your gaze back to the handsome wolf demon. Everything about him was just so alluring to you, all the way down to his blue eyes. You almost couldn't see why Kagome had been so resistant to the man, but you couldn't complain. Seeing the two together would have shattered that simply drowning heart of yours.
"Come on," Kagome interjected. "Don't go picking a fight already!"
"Stay out of it," Inuyasha spat quickly. "I may have to kill him, or worse."
Scoffing, Koga replied with, "You haven't changed one bit, mutt. You'd think you could lose the arrogance once in a while. Kagome, don't you get tired of being with this guy?"
"And you'd think the two of you would have a little mutual respect for your own skills," you chimed in, finally fed up with the conversation as your arms crossed over your chest. "Instead of being at one another's throats."
Koga's blue eyes flickered over to you, a raised brow as he immediately spat, "It's the mutt's fault!"
"Surely the two of you strifing over my adorable sister doesn't have a part to play in the insults," you replied in a bored tone, walking over and wrapping your arm around Kagome's shoulder. "I'd just prefer the two of you don't kill each other."
"Why are you defending the mongrel?" Inuyasha chimed in defensively, trying to play off your words. He knew far better than to just strike you over the head, unlike if Shippo were to point out his attraction to Kagome. "Aren't you tired of him trying to go after Kagome, too?"
"Thoroughly, but I enjoy his company," you replied dismissively, trying to ignore the way that your heart tightened in your chest.
"Didn't you say before that you li-," Kagome started, before you quickly placed a hand over her mouth.
Scrambling, you sent a glare her way to get her quiet before you allowed her the personal space back. Moving to cross your arms over your chest, you glanced away from the group. "I guess forget I interfered," you said, a little dejected as you moved to slip further away.
"I'm sorry, Y/N, I didn't mean-," Kagome breathed out, flustered by the way your face practically dropped. "I…"
"What does she always get weird with the mongrel around?" Inuyasha questioned, all three now looking at you.
"I'm still here, you mangy mutt!" Koga chided.
"If you two are going to keep fighting, I'm just going on ahead," you spoke finally, the tension getting to you. You didn't want to be around your sister, nor any of your friends as you realized the way your heart rained inside your chest.
The last thing you could hear was even more fighting, indistinct as you continued to walk further on ahead. Sango, Miroku, and Kagome all trusted that you were able to take care of yourself, with the intelligence of being able to call out for help if any actual issues arose. Walking alone was something you relished in, the way you could allow your tears to streak down your face without the bother of the others.
You were not even sure how long you were walking, though the others still had not come in sight by the point you decided to take a seat upon the rocks. No one in sight, you allowed yourself to sigh, coming out as more of a choked sob. She's prettier, you thought morosely. Prettier, and able to see the shikon jewel.
Head resting in your hands, you had not even noticed the patter of feet beside you as you allowed yourself to cry. It had only been the point that someone's warm hand was on your shoulder that you jolted up, grasping for your blade. Panicked y/e/c eyes met blue eyes, and immediately your blade dropped. Quickly you turned your head as your other hand moved to hastily wipe away the sight of your tears.
"Hey, hey," he murmured softly, "It's just me." Pausing, he moved to sit beside you on the rocks. "Does us fighting really get to you that much?"
Calming your breaths, you had not shifted your gaze back to the man as you grimaced. "No," you admitted softly, "It's not the fighting. If anything, that just gets on my nerves that the two of you can't be present in the same area for more than five minutes."
"Then, what's got you down?" He questioned curiously, the heat practically radiating off of him as he sat beside you.
Biting your lip, you replied with a simple, "I'm more afraid than anything to admit that."
"I won't tell anyone," he pressed with a reassuring smile on his face, moving to try to catch your gaze.
The way his heat radiated off you made your cheeks heat with crimson, while the way he pressed the question made your heart sink. Swallowing hard, you had your gaze fixated upon the ground below, refusing to meet his gaze. "Your seemingly devout love to my sister," you replied finally. "It, well, it hurts to watch."
"Y/N," he spoke in a serious tone. "Do you love me?"
"I-," you started, baffled by the man's words. Biting your lip to the point it nearly bled, you thought over whether or not you wished to admit it to Koga, to admit that you were hopelessly infatuated with a man you had met merely a few times. For that matter, that you were a human, interested intently in a demon. Your voice had barely been above a whisper as you answered him. "I do."
"I want to hear you say it," he pressed, his breath practically against the shell of your ear as his voice was a dull growl. "And look me in the eyes."
Sucking in a deep breath, you forced your bloodshot y/e/c eyes to meet his blue gaze. "I love you, Koga," you murmured, your voice shy as your cheeks darkened at your own words. "But I understand that you don-"
Caught off guard with surprisingly fierce lips against your own, you found yourself instantly melting into them. Inviting his lips to ravage your own, you moved in sync, the slight taste of salty tears mixed in with a taste you could have only imagined. Upon your lips, you could feel the wolf demon smiling into the kiss.
Slender, strong arms found their way around you as he pulled you right into his warmth. Kissing you until the two of you needed to breathe, he rested his forehead against your own, the fluffy headband he wore pressed against your forehead. Blue eyes met your own as his words were quiet, meant for only you.
"You understand that wolves mate for life, right?" He questioned, his lips still curled upwards as he gazed into your eyes.
Your cheeks could not be any darker in blush as you listened to his words, still dizzied from the ferocity of his kiss. Even so, you found your own lips curling upwards, a skip of beat to your heart. "I do recall you saying that, but didn't you-," you started, before his words cut you off.
"If you actually want to be my woman," he spoke, his tone serious, "you will be my mate, for life. You're a fierce warrior, especially for a human, Y/N. Not to mention beautiful."
"May I at least ask why the sudden change of heart?" You questioned finally, wanting to clear up any sort of confusion. Merely twenty, maybe thirty minutes prior, the wolf demon had been chasing after your sister, after all. "Or if I'm a constellation since my sister keeps refusing."
"I claimed Kagome because of the shikon jewel," he explained softly. "You, Y/N, I have genuine affection towards. If you feel the same, I would like you to be my mate."
"Of course I will," you replied with a clear hint of excitement in your tone, your cheeks still as dark with red as they possibly could be. "Nothing would make me happier."
Can I just say, this is so adorable, just super cute and wholesome and funny and thank you for requesting this! I hope you likes it!
Also this got stupid long man lol
>Admin 𝕋
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When they first met, Sesshomaru was exploring the backwaters of a tiny village; Rin had come running to him, yelling excitedly about how there was another dog demon somewhere close by. The villagers also rumored that it was a girl, who killed anybody who crossed her path, so no one was able to confirm if it was true or not.
It intrigued Sesshomaru that there were more dog demon in the world, other than him and Inuyasha (even if he is only half). Sesshomaru told Rin to stay back with Jaken so that he could investigate further, then trekked to the location the humans were whispering about.
What he saw was not something he was expecting, in hindsight. He thought, maybe it was a child demon who wasn’t yet known who they were, or maybe someone impersonating a dog demon to stay in isolation. None of these were correct, though, because in the meadows and great landscape, there stood a girl with beautiful (h/c) hair, blowing in the spring breeze. She seemed to be close to Sesshomaru in age, maybe a little younger, if her tail was anything to go by, meaning she hadn’t quite mastered transfomring from her demon to human form.
The way she held herself, like survival was the only thing she knew, made Sesshomaru wonder how long she had been in isolation. No interaction with the outside world, no social interaction with humans and demons alike, it made everyone go crazy.
He noticed she hadn’t sensed him yet, so he decided to walk closer to her, making sure he didn’t scare her when he was almost close enough touch her. She whipped her head around and started to growl when she finally sensed him, crouching down in a defensive position and her eyes wide in fright. Sesshomaru raised his hand, but his face remained stoic. “I’m not here to hurt you.” he said loud and clear.
The girl stayed low, but stopped growling when he said that, her tail becoming less puffy. “Who are you and what do you want?” she asked, surprising Sesshomaru that she was easily speaking. Blinking, he looked around until he came up with an answer he thought was suitable enough.
“I was told there was a dog demon in this region of the world, and was curious. I didn’t expect there to actually be on in front of me.” he told her, watching as she relaxed.
“Is that what I am?” she whispered, looking into Sesshomaru’s eyes, hers swirling with uncertainty and confusion. He was confused himself; how does one not know their origins? Did her parents not saying anything?
He gave her an indecipherable look before nodding his head, “That is what you are. I am one too.” she gave him wide eyes, before stepped over to him, inspecting him closely.
“But you don’t have a tail.” she muttered, looking at his behind. He cleared his throat, his eyes twitching a bit.
“I have control over my transforming, unlike you.” he explained, grabbing her tail lightly. She grunted and moved it away from his hand, glaring at him. “You seem to not have full control over a lot things that you need to survive. I want you to travel with me.” the younger dog demon blinked, straightening her posture and looked around the plains before coming to gaze into Sesshomaru’s eyes, giving him a sweet smile.
“Okay.”
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That had been over two years ago. (y/n) and Sesshomaru have travelling together along with Rin and Jaken ever since. Sesshomaru taught her how to hunt better, how to transform fully from human to demon and back, and taught her how to smell and differentiate between senses. He taught her many more tactics so that she could win in almost any battle, but never against Sesshomaru.
(Y/n) started to see him in a different light than when they first met. He was indifferent and aloof with her, with only showing disdain or irritation, mostly with Jaken. He was soft on Rin, like a father would with his daughter. The younger dog demon thought she was in the same category as Jaken, until something changed that.
She was almost killed by a very powerful demon named Naraku. She didn’t know who that was, but Sesshomaru definitely knew and when Naraku was about to cut her life off and send her to the afterworld, Sesshomaru came in and rescued her at the last minute. His face was contorted in anger as she watched him fight Naraku off, and when Naraku fled the scene, Sesshomaru immediately went to her side. His expression was something she had never seen before; filled with distress and panic.
She didn’t know what happened after since she passed out form the too much blood loss. She asked Jaken, but he kept his lips sealed and Rin wasn’t there when it happened. The only thing she can confidently deduce was that Sesshomaru nursed her to full health and from that day on, he never let her leave his side. He got more protective of her, watching over her constantly.
Sesshomaru started showing his softer side, occasionally smiling in her direction when she did something funny, or giving her more food than him, saying he wasn’t all that hungry. Or when she was tired to carry on in their travels he would instantly set up camp and let her lay on his fur mokomoko, usually causing her to just sleep against him. She asked why he was acting so differently one day, and he vehemently denied all of it, his face revealing nothing. Thinking he did it out of pride, she dropped it. But somewhere in her heart, (y/n) felt happy with the attention.
Turns out that feeling she had, grew into something big and something painful. The girl fell in love with Sesshomaru.
She didn’t want to believe it, but the signs and symptoms were there and she couldn’t deny it any longer. Looking at him made her heart beat fast, and every brush of skin made her want to hold his hand for forever. And kissing him? Oh, she wants to do that so very much, sometimes she imagines it while walking and trips over trees roots, embarrassing herself constantly. But it isn’t so bad when he chuckles at her clumsiness. She’ll trip a hundred times over if it means she can watch him laugh like that.
She knew that he doesn’t feel the same, despite how he treats her like one does with a lover, without the intimacy of one. Why would he? She is just some girl he found in the meadows of a small village with no reputation or prestige. She had nothing going for her, and he had everything going for him. It wasn’t fair, she wanted him to love her too, the way she does to him.
She was thinking about this again when they were walking in the southern regions of the land, where it was warmer and flowers were blooming everywhere. She sighed, causing Sesshomaru glance in her direction. “Why have you been sighing so much, it’s becoming a nuisance.” he said to her, his tone monotonous. She replied with a sigh and a shake of her head.
“You wouldn’t get it even if I told you.” with that, she walked ahead of the group, running quite far on the path through the forest they were in. She heard him call after her, but ignored him in favor of keeping some distance from him, to clear her head.
But she didn’t think she would run into Inuyasha and company. (y/n) in her tracks, out of breath and waved. She was pretty close with them, unlike Sesshomaru. That was because he was unsociable and emotionally inept, unlike her.
Kagome waved back and hugged her, “(y/n)! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you! How are you?” (y/n) shrugged rigidly, thinking to her dilemma.
“I just realized something a little too late, and it’s really bringing my spirits down.” she said to her. Kagome tilted her head, curious.
“What do you mean?” she heard Sango ask, coming to stand next to Kagome. Wrapping her arms around herself self-consciously, she frowned at them.
“I think I’m in love with Sesshomaru.” she proclaimed to the group. Kagome audibly gasped and Sango’s eyes widened fractionally. She also heard a loud guffaw come out of Inuyasha, him doubling over. She gave a glare, folding her arms across her chest. “And what is so funny to you, huh?” Inuyasha shook his head, his shoulders shaking.
“T-the fact that you are in love with my brother! Sesshomaru?! Seriously!” he exclaimed, clutching his stomach. Huffing out a breath, she looked to Kagome expectedly. Nodding, Kagome called out to Inuyasha.
“Inuyasha! Sit, boy!” Kagome yelled and Inuyasha was instantly thrown to the ground, his necklace stuck to the dirt.
“Kagome, what the hell was that for?!”
“You were laughing at (y/n)!”
“I was laughing more at the fact that she didn’t know he loved her too!” he yelled out, to which everyone stared at him dubiously.
“You’re lying.” (y/n) muttered, her eyebrow twitching.
“Look, I may not be that close to my brother, but I know when he likes someone, alright?! He’s protective of you, he does things for you, he smiles more around you, right?” he questioned her. She loosely bobbed her head up and down, absorbing what she was just told. “Yeah, well, these means he loves you back.”
Really? Is that what he means with his actions? And she was oblivious to all of it? And here she was, thinking he didn’t have single clue what love was. With a shuddering sigh, she turned back to where Sesshomaru was and started running.
She couldn’t believe it, she really couldn’t wrap her mind around it. Sesshomaru loving her back would be the miracle of the century. She had to confirm it with her own eyes, see if what Inuyasha said was true. (y/n) saw him in the distance, noticing that Rin and Jaken weren’t with him. Without slowing down, she called out his name to which he looked up to see her jump.
He caught her in his arms, but they both fell to the ground, her on top of him. “Sesshomaru!” she said again, getting his attention. There was annoyance in his eyes, but also curiosity. “Do you love me?”
His eyes widened, almost imperceptibly, but she saw it and her lips lifted into a smile. “Are you in love with me?” she whispered to him, her eyes glowing with hope. Sesshomaru didn’t say anything, only turned his head to avoid looking at her head on. He didn’t know what to do. “Sesshomaru?” she whispered again, but this time a frown on her face, her eyes losing that hope.
Sesshomaru bit the inside of his cheek, then looked at her again. He then gently grabbed her by the neck, and pushed her down. Their lips connected briefly before Sesshomaru pulled back and pushed her off to get up. He patted his clothes clean of any dirt, and saw that (y/n) was still sitting. “(y/n).” he called out. She quickly looked up to him and got up as well.
“Is that a yes?” she asked him. Sesshomaru stared for a minute before letting her see a smile grace his lips. The sun was setting behind, making him look more angelic then he already was. With a giggle, (y/n) stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling Sesshomaru do the same to her waist. And as the sun turned the sky to oranges and reds, she kissed him again and again and again, loving how he tasted against her tongue.
The way Yuki and Suki saw it, this Kagome woman needed to go.
From the first day she came, they knew she was trouble. They had been playing a perfectly fun game of ‘who can annoy uncle the most’ (It was always Suki), when he suddenly stood up, passing them off to Shippo with a distant look in his eyes. Uncle was fast, there was no question about that, but unless there was a reason for him to be on high alert, he was downright lethargic. Still, Uncle Inuyasha needing space wasn’t anything new, so it wasn’t terribly worrisome that he took off at high speed; It did, however, raise a few red flags when Shippo shook them off and headed in the dog demons direction, screaming “it’s her! She’s back!”
Mama and papa had scooped them up in a hurry, scurrying towards the old well. Suki was worried, pouting like she always did, but Yuki, being the older of the two, knew something exciting and out of the ordinary was about to happen.
And then they saw it.
Uncle pulled a girl- an actual, live girl!- out from the well. They looked half-frozen, the pair not moving until Mama let out a noise, halfway between a gasp and a sob, and picked up her pace. She was wearing the strangest cloth, shorter than anything they had seen. Uncle Inuyasha held onto her, refusing to let her hand go- he looked almost scared, if such a thing were possible. Yuki wished he would move her aside so that way he could pull out some other sort of treasure. If he could pull out an entire person, what other wonders could the well produce? What was going to come out of the magic well next?!
The girls were sorely disappointed to find that uncle did not pull out a new doll for them, or cloth or even a sweet. He didn’t even try! He was too busy looking at Kagome to even see if they could even get a treat; its like his eyes are glued to the strange woman! Even when they tugged on his fire rat asking him to play tag or throw them high into the air, but he quickly dismissed them a promise to play another time. The whole night it was as if they were forgotten. Suki wanted Shippo to play hide and seek, but he sternly told them no; Stranger still, their big cousin Shippo who was so mature and ‘too big for baby games’ was cuddling up with this stranger, right in her lap! Mama and papa were so caught up in her stories and crying and laughing that they had no time to play. When they descended on uncle, full of energy and bored to death, he had very little patience for them. The hanyou, who normally let them do as they pleased was far too wrapped up in Kagome. Yuki had wanted to climb up him, to perch on his shoulders and pet his ears- something she had done a million times! So what if she had kicked that lady in the head in the process? Uncle never complained about them being too rough before. But one little kick and suddenly Uncle Inuyasha was angry? He picked her up and set her down, giving her a stern look and a warning never to do that again.
The rest of the night hadn’t proved any better, and by the time it was dark and sleep was sure to come, they were both glad to be done with the day and put this Kagome business behind them.
~.~
Uncle wasn’t mean, never scary. At least not to them.
They had heard stories, of course, about what a fearsome warrior he was; how he and papa had defeated the greatest evil the world had known. They had seen the power of his sword when he cleared the land for the construction of new homes. It was hard to imagine their uncle as the dangerous demon from the stories when he was more of a puppy than anything.
But when Yuki had asked when Kagome was going back down the well after an exasperated day of everyone fawning over Kagome, the look on his face made her think differently.
~.~
Over the next few weeks Yuki and suki began to see sides of him they hadn’t before. Uncle had always let them tag along, let them go where ever he did if they wanted- but now they had to stay at home, tethered to mama and papa.
“Uncle needs space.” Mama said. “Kagome has been gone a long time and they need to be alone together.”
“But why?” Suki had asked.
“They have a lot of catching up to do.” Papa has explained. “You girls need to let them be. Uncle is going to be upset if you bother them.”
Uncle had never minded them hanging around; and with the new baby, they were even more anxious to head towards his house and ask him to go for a run or to catch fish together. But when they arrived, they could hear Uncles voice, different from anytime they had heard to before, deep and serious in a concerning way.
“Woman, you’re driving me crazy.”
He said it himself! Kagome was no good, and making him nuts. If this woman wasn’t here, he wouldn’t be that way. They could play together again, and Mama wouldn’t spend all her time teaching Kagome how to cook (seriously, who doesn’t know how to make rice? Even they knew how to do it!).
Yuki had wanted to stay, to tell Kagome it was time to back to where ever she came from, but Suki had another idea, and with the way Uncle sounded, it was better to leave them be.
Besides, the two of them had work to do.
~.~
It had been nearly two weeks since Kagome had emerged from the well and their lives had been turned upside down; two weeks of that woman constantly barging into their home, borrowing Mama’s clothes or talking about seals and spells with Papa. Two weeks since Uncle had turned into a different person- maybe that’s why Kagome was so interested in Papas work- maybe she really was a witch!
She had seemed overjoyed when they asked her to go for a walk, complaining of being cramped in the house. She had practically jumped for joy when they turned to her, batting their eyelashes and smiling excitedly. They left swiftly after that, Kagome letting them lead the way to the ‘special spot’ they wanted to show her.
They had to give it to her, the woman knew how to talk; she was cheerful and chatty, asking questions about them they naturally wanted to answer.
When they came to the well, Yuki ran ahead, instructing Kagome to keep up. Suki fell behind a pace, and when Kagome came towards the wooden well, Sukis small hand reached out to push her down.
She had tried, but she had failed.
Kagome was sturdier than she looked.
“Were you trying to push me in?” She demanded, a deep wrinkle in her forehead making her look more fearsome.
Suki tried to hold her ground, bottom lip quivering even if her voice was steady. “Yes. You need to go back in!” She cried, gripping Yuki’s hand for support.
“Go back in?” Kagome echoed. “W- why?!” If Yuki had known better, she would have thought that she sounded hurt.
“Everything’s different since you came here!” Yuki said, stomping her foot for good measure. “I want things to go back to the way they were before!” She hadn’t meant to cry, but she couldn’t help the hot tears that sprang out as she fell to the ground, bringing her sister down with her. “It’s not …Not fair.” Yuki said between sniffles.
At this, her face softened as she slumped down to the ground. “I think I understand.” She leaned her head back against the old wooden well. “I felt like that a few times in my life.”
Suki sniffed, looking up at her with critical eyes. “Y-You did?”
“Oh yeah, of course.” Kagome said, waiving off her concern. “When I first came here and met Inuyasha, he was really stubborn- even more than he is now. I wanted to go back home and go back to my normal life.”
“That’s not the same.” Yuki said crossly.
“No,” she admitted, “But I did want to push him down a well.” When her joke didn’t get the reaction she hoped for, she looked up towards the sky and smiled, but somehow still looked sad.
“When my brother Souta was born it was a nightmare for me. I was an only child and suddenly everything was about him. I probably made a few comments about sending him back too.”
“What did you do?” Yuki asked, still skeptical.
“I tried to get along.” She shrugged. “What else could I do? And after a while I really liked being a big sister, even if he could be a pain at times. I really… really do miss him.”
“Then why don’t you go back?” Suki asked.
“Because I love Inuyasha.” She answered simply. “This is where I belong. And besides, your Mama and Papa are my family too. I hope someday, you’ll think of me as family.”
She smiled, and it was hard to resist someone so earnest.
“Will you play with us?” Yuki asked, still the hint of stubbornness in her voice that was all her mothers.
“Of course!” Kagome brightened.
“And you’ll make Uncle stop being so grumpy?” Suki crossed her arms now, angry at Inuyasha. “He never wants to play anymore and never takes us for runs.”
“I can try.” Kagome laughed, “But I wouldn’t worry too much, Inuyasha was planning on asking you two to go fishing later today.”
“Really?” They asked in unison, eyes large and hopeful.
“Really.” She smiled. “He misses you too.”
Yuki stood up, full of energy. “We better go then!” She said, reaching out her hand. Without a word, Suki followed, her small hand extended.
summary: Moroha has more questions than normal, leaving Kagome happy to indulge her daughter with some answers. One-Shot.
notes: I think a lot of people (myself included) are highlighting the fact that Inuyasha is a dad and his relationship with Moroha. But what about Kagome? She is a fantastic mother, I'm sure, and would love to see how she would bond with Moroha.
In this timeline, Moroha is five years old.
[1] amai hikari = sweet light
[2] The incident with the bee-sting happened in my other one-shot called 'A Father's Worst Fear'.
Side note: I thought Kagome was a Taurus when writing this, she is actually a Pisces. We know Inuyasha was born in winter, so I'm thinking he's a Scorpio (like hullo) and born in mid November. In my stories, I would think Moroha was born in the beginning of spring, which is why she'd be an Aries.
PS: I legit cried while writing this because it was so wholesomely sad.
He'd left that morning with Miroku, which meant at least three days of his absence. Kagome used to hate those times, alone in their hut and just simply waiting for him to come home. During the day wasn't bad, easily distracted by duties and responsibilities that busied her body and mind. It was at night that it was difficult, so used to being warmed by his presence and secured in his arms - it had become their norm.
She'd never asked him how he felt while he was away; but, if the desperation that typically surrounded him when he came home was enough to go on, she could guess he felt fairly similarly.
Now, however, as she ran a comb through her daughter's long, raven hair, it was a little easier to be without him at night. It was one of the only selfish things she allowed herself, this time with Moroha that was uninterrupted and solely their own. There was no question that the bond between Inuyasha and his daughter was one that stood out as the more obvious one to most - much to everyone's surprise. It meant that Moroha typically craved Inuyasha's attention more that her mother's, as it always had been. There wasn't an ounce of jealousy in Kagome's heart when it came to that favoritism - how could there be? To see the two of them happy, Inuyasha as a tremendous father to their daughter, she wouldn't have it any other way.
Besides, it made perfect sense as to why the father and daughter's bond was so close, they were practically the same person.
Even though Moroha always became slightly depressed at her father's departures, there was a part of her that became excited to have some time alone with her mother. Being the village miko meant Kagome was more consistently absent throughout the days and even the nights if a birth was on its way. Yes, Inuyasha would be gone for the occasional long stint of time, but on a mundane day, Inuyasha would be patrolling the perimeter of the village and would happily take Moroha with him if he felt it safe enough.
With her daughter seated cross legged in front of her, dressed in her sleep yukata, Kagome remained knelt behind her. Just like her father's, tangles weren't necessarily an issue and the texture of her hair was like that of silk, as if it were permanently conditioned.
"Mama," the tiny voice broke through their comfortable silence, a hint of questioning in the word.
"Yes, amai hikari, [1]" a mother's voice if anyone ever heard one, similar to her own mother's - a piece of Kagome's time that she was able to take back with her. As her voice was similar, so was her motherly instinct, having heard that questioning edge, "What is it?"
Moroha remained silent for a moment, pondering her question as if she were afraid to ask, "Can I brush your hair?" The last stroke of the comb slowed some, heart melting at the question as Kagome watched her daughter peer over her shoulder with a slight sense of hesitance.
With a bright, yet gentle, smile, Kagome nodded as she handed Moroha her the small, wooden comb she used to brush out the girl's (and sometimes her husband's, should he permit it) hair every night before bed, "Of course," she chirped, watching the young girl climb to her feet and walk around to stand behind Kagome, needing to do so in order to reach the top of her mother's head, "Be gentle," a tender warning that was met with an unseen nod from her daughter.
A timid hand sectioned off a piece of much longer hair than her own, almost hitting the floor when her Kagome sat on her knees; it had grown much since coming back from her time, finding hair cuts in this time period to be too blunt, otherwise. Taking the comb, she ran the teeth from the root to the ends, only grabbing one snag along the way that easily untangled, "Did your mama brush your hair when you were little?"
The question left a small pang in Kagome's gut, being taken by surprise by it and the weight of the contents, even though Moroha didn't know just how much. Her shoulders and spine tensed, straightening her spine for a brief moment as she let the small, re-opened wound ease into a dull ache. It took a moment for her to release the breath she didn't know she had been holding.
"Sorry, mama. Did I hurt you?" Moroha removed the comb from Kagome's hair, having assumed that she pulled too hard to cause such a reaction. Kagome's heart warmed at the question, shaking her head lightly before peering over her shoulder towards her daughter with reassurance.
"No, Moro. You can keep brushing."
It had been a long time since she'd felt that sense of loss when it came to the family she'd left behind. Though she never once regretted it, both she and everyone knew that there would always been an ever so small hole in her heart where the memory of her family resided. It was difficult to stay upset about it, especially now that she'd grown a family of her own with the one person who meant most to her in the world - or used to anyways. When she thought she had no more of her heart to give, that Inuyasha had taken all of it, Moroha was brought into the world and she realized she'd only given him a small part of her heart in comparison.
"And yes, my mom used to brush my hair all of the time when I was your age. It was our special time together, especially when your uncle was born." With a sad smile of fondness, she closed her eyes and simply allowed the touch of her daughter's overly gentle hands continue to run the comb through her hair, "Not only that, she'd put my hair in braids or pony tails before school every day, until I got too old for it." But she'd never been too old for it, even when she was in her mid to late teens. When her mother could tell her heart was aching for the hanyou she never thought she'd see again, her mother would offer to brush her hair out of comfort and Kagome would always accept.
It was almost like Moroha could read her mind, her reply holding such conviction as if it couldn't be refuted, "I don't think anyone is too old to have their mama brush their hair." Kagome couldn't help but let a small, warm laugh leave her, heart warming through the ache of memories. Through all of the attributes that her father had given her, it seemed Moroha had gained her mother's insight and wisdom that spread beyond her years.
"I think you're right," Kagome's tone had become lighter, eyes opening and reflecting the warm spread of happiness that blanketed over her heart like a compress.
"I hope I get to meet your mama, someday - she seems really nice. I know papa's mama is dead, but I would have liked to have met her, too," Moroha almost spoke to herself, as if she were pondering her thoughts out loud. It caused a heavy sigh to leave Kagome, knowing that there was almost no possible way that she could meet any of her real grandparents.
"Me too, Moro," Kagome reached behind her to grip her daughter's wrist to remove the comb from her hair, only to turn to face the small girl who she was blessed enough to call her daughter.
Gingerly, she took the comb from Moroha's hand placed it on a nearby chest before taking both of her daughter's hands in her own. They were so small, but held so much within them - the hearts of two of the most powerful beings in Japan - and she didn't even know it, "Even though you've never met, know that my mama loves you very much," the words were said with a sad smile attached.
"Do you miss her?"
As well as insight and wisdom, it was evident that Moroha had also gained her mother's unwavering accuracy in the ability to read people. It was getting hard to keep her heart from aching, that compress only a temporary fix for a long-standing wound. Kagome's eyes welled up at the thought but she quickly swallowed them down. However, it wasn't fast enough as a stray tear rolled down her cheek. Even still, the same pair of eyes meet one another - in that sense she was her mother's daughter - and Kagome give an affirmative nod, "Yes." Letting go of one of Moroha's hands, Kagome lifted her own to cup the small girl's cheek, "But, if I'd stayed with her, I wouldn't have been able to be with your papa and have you." Nothing truer could ever leave her lips, as her life now had been exactly what she'd dreamed of and yearned for. It had almost been ripped away from her completely once, leaving her feeling empty. Incomplete. As if she'd left a large part of herself here while she was back in her time for those three excruciating years.
At the time, it hurt but she'd managed to find some semblance of distraction by diving into her studies and aiming to graduate. But when she looked back, they were some of the darkest years of her life and she would have fallen into a darker place, if it hadn't been for her family.
The day she left, when the well opened and allowed her another chance at the life she'd left behind unwillingly, it was only her mother who had sent her off. As hard as it must have been to let her go, Kagome was sure of one thing, "And I know she's happy for me, and that's all a mother really wants, is for her children to be happy."
"I'm happy, mama," Moroha couldn't help but reach one of her small hands out to cup her mother's cheek, wiping away that rogue tear as Kagome had for her countless of times, "Don't cry."
With one sniffle, Kagome's smile spread wide across her face as she pulled Moroha's face close to her own, pressing a kiss to her forehead before resting her own against it. It only last for a few moments before Moroha wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and held her close in a tight squeeze. There was no hesitation as Kagome wrapped her own arms around her daughter, pulling her just as tight against her. It was as if Moroha was her lifeline in that moment, cradling the back of her head affectionately as she slowly rocked the two of them side to side. Never did she regret her decision to come back, that solidified in her heart and embedded in her every being - this was undoubtedly where she belonged and had been destined to stay. But, Kagome knew it was fair to feel sadness and longing for her family back in her birth time - she'd always been good at compartmentalizing and acknowledging her feelings and realizing there was no shame in it.
"Papa would be mad at me, if he knew I made you cry."
The attempt to lighten the mood had Kagome chuckling lowly, pressing a kiss to her daughter's temple, "No he wouldn't," she assured; Inuyasha was practically incapable of being angry with Moroha, though he would discipline her if it really came down to it - but it was rarely ever out of anger.
"Yuh-huh!" Moroha protested, separating herself form her mother by pushing against her chest. There it was, a flash of seeing the unmistakable replica of her husband staring back at her with such unwavering determination, "He gets mad at anyone who makes you cry!"
Moroha had seen it a few times, though it wasn't ever in what her father said but in how he acted; how he got quiet and his words got short. It was even worse when it was Inuyasha himself that had made her cry, though the young girl had only ever witnessed that one and (hopefully) only time it happened. She didn't know what it was about, she never did when it came to why exactly her mom cried, but she always knew it was the reason her dad got angry.
"You're an exception, amai hikari," Kagome stated with just as much confidence, though held within a gentle tone, "Besides, you didn't make me cry - no one did. It just happens, especially when you miss someone you really care about. Like how you used to cry when papa would leave like he did today - you miss him, right?"
"Yeah, but it's not so bad anymore because I know he comes back."
Kagome's heart swelled at that, knowing full well that Inuyasha would do anything and everything he could to make sure that he would come home to them - their daughter must have known that, too, and that made it even sweeter.
"But I'd still cry if I didn't know if I'd ever see him again..." the continuation was smaller in timbre, melancholy in nature, "Or you, mama." The warmth of her daughter's touch cupping her cheek as she mimicked what Kagome had done earlier by pressing a small kiss to the middle of her forehead. Happily, she miko leaned into the touch, lips still wide and chest warm from the affection she was receiving from her daughter.
To most, Moroha had an edged exterior and was extremely combative when she wanted to be. Rarely did she cry when she got hurt (excluding the incident with the bee-sting [2]), whether that be a scraped knee or a bruise to the shin, she barely let her pain show. Just as her father was, she didn't wear her heart anywhere on her sleeve and concealed her true emotions from those who didn't know her well. To those who were close, they knew of the soft bubbliness beneath that she'd inherited from her mother. Even then, no one really got to see her this soft. Once again Kagome was the only one who could tame such a wild heart; once as a lover and the other as a mother.
"Oh, Moro - " Kagome began, unable to fathom just how herself and Inuyasha would feel if anything happened to the small girl who stood in front of her. The two of them viewed her as if she were a miracle, simply blessing their lives with her presence.
Brushing Moroha's bangs from her face, Kagome continued to pet over the crown of her head and down to the back of her head, "Papa and I would miss you more than anything in this world, if something happened."
She didn't even want to think about it.
With a sharp sigh, she banished the thought from her mind, changing the subject to something lighter; letting go of Moroha, she climbed to her feet, "Why don't we go onto the roof and I'll tell you more about the stars." The burning fire in front of them couldn't compare to how her daughter's face lit up at the suggestion, "Go grab your blanket and I'll grab the ladder."
Lying on the roof, Moroha's head nested against Kagome's chest as the miko tried to explain the constellations and their meanings. The sound of her voice was soothing, almost enough to have the shihanyou falling asleep if she wasn't invested in the topic at hand. There were things her mother knew about what no one else seemed to, things about the stars and the moon - how the world worked. As fascinating as it all was, it was often that Moroha thought about how Kagome could know so much - more than Kaede-baba, who had been around for a very long time. She'd asked her papa once and his answer was nothing but vague, brushing her off slightly by telling her that she'd found out when she was older. That answer was far from satisfying and only had the child even more curious.
"That's Aries; your star sign!" Kagome stated, smiling brightly as she felt her daughter's head leave her breast and try to scan to sky to find just where she was pointing, "Just there - see those four stars?" Squinting her eyes, Moroha finally strung the stars together as Kagome's hand had motioned before nodding excitedly.
"Yeah! I see them! Where's yours, mama?"
Kagome scanned the sky, trying to see where it was before spotting it, "It's hard to see because the stars are so far apart, but it's close to yours."
This time Moroha couldn't see them, giving a disappointed pout and a soft whimper at the realization. As soon as she was going to voice that disappointment, Kagome interrupted with her same excited tone, "Look, a shooting star! Better make a wish."
Sitting up to match her daughter's stance, the two of them closed their eyes and made their wishes, allowing a few moments of silence to pass through to emphasize the sound of nature. Crickets chirped as the sound of a nearby owl echoed from behind the brush; it paired so nicely with the sound of the wind passing through the trees. Kagome thought of how foreign those sounds were back in her time, how all she would hear instead would be that of sirens, engines and the consistent white noise that always hummed of industry.
"Did you make your wish?" Kagome asked as she opened her eyes and peered down towards the small child pressed against her side.
"Yeah, but I can't tell you what it is!" It was almost defensive, as if she thought Kagome would pry and try to get an answer out of her. Instead, all Kagome did was give a warm hum of acknowledgement as she lay back down and pulled Moroha back against her.
As Moroha began to doze off to the sound of her mother's voice, she couldn't help but repeat the wish in her head.
i’ve never actually talked to you but i had a dream we were in a relationship and now i have a crush on you AU -dailyAUs
@mustardyellowsunshine well well well.. look what we have here. A refined version of something that wasn’t even supposed to be anything. But who do I have to blame for that? You? Me? No one knows. But here this is for you to enjoy. huehuehuehue.
also @keichanz i figure you would like some cutesy inukag, too l so ill tag you lol
It had been three weeks since the first dream happened. In these dreams they were dating. Not like walk-down-the-street-all-coupley type of stuff. But lying with his head in her lap as she read a book and rubbed his ears as he drifted off to sleep, the rain tapping on the window. Or him coming home from work and she was at his house and had started dinner because it was date night, her current favorite band playing over her phone as she danced between the counters. There was even one where she was sick as a dog and he made her a cold remedy tea that his mom had always sworn by when he was growing up, her slender hand gently curled around his as he stroked her hair to get her back to sleep.
Suddenly the girl Inuyasha would see occasionally working at the bakery in the large international market was everywhere. Her eyes where in his morning coffee, her smile was behind his eyelids as he brushed his teeth, only half awake. The kicker was that they had never actually spoken. Never even made direct eye contact. He doubted she knew he existed. Scratch that. She knew about him. Because she prepared his order a few times, he could smell her on the bag, his name written in sharpie from where the cashier had taken his order. And he caught her idle glances every now and again as she carried about business. Just stuff that couldn't be avoided while she stocked cases with fresh breads from all over the world while he waited in line.
He was over six foot and had shocking white hair. Not to mention the canine ears that sat atop his head. But in this days world where demons were everywhere, he was barely anything. Sure, no one liked a half breed. But his looks weren’t anything to bat an eye at.
So, on this particular winter morning, Inuyasha straightened his knee-length tweed coat and toed the cold stone floor of the open air market as he waited in line for breakfast. Thumbing the outer fabric of his pocket, he looked forward at the counter and around a fox demon couple and their young son, and then around the back of the open window to see if she was around.. just for a glimpse. But it seemed he caught her on a day off.
Disappoint settled briefly before he shook it away, why was he feeling like this? She was a stranger? Who cared if he saw her? His cloudy breath seeped through his unknowingly gritted teeth as he cut his eyes away, shoving his hands deeper in his pockets, almost wanting to forsake the danishes and muffin all together, it just didn't seem worth freezing his nuts off when he was running late if he didn’t even get the wake up satisfaction of not-talking to his mystery patissier.
Letting out a hushed ‘tsk’, he ran a hand through his freshly cut hair, shorter than ever before at only a few inches long. He felt mildly foolish for getting it cut yesterday in preparation of coming here. Almost mad. He could have let it grow out and saved some money and had a couple more bucks towards rent. But now a chill nipped over his loosely thrown red scarf and across the back of his neck, making him shiver and sending his fringe over his forehead.
He hadn't noticed the line moving. The small fox demon boy grab his father’s hand and bound towards a stand serving hot chocolates, his rust-colored ponytail bouncing in joy. He didn’t notice the people behind the counter shuffling about, the cashier taking off her apron and switching with someone else. But he did finally notice when her scent hit him like a ice water to his lungs and his head shot up to see her at the register, smiling at him.
He was in trouble if this is what people called a "crush".
"Good morning, Inuyasha." She chimed, chocolate orbs searching for his amber ones. She seemed expectant, her dark brows raised up as high cheekbones blushed slightly.
He was next in line, a sizable gap between them. Quickly closing the space, he seemed to remember that he didn’t know her name to greet her properly.
"M-morning..." he looked at her name tag for the first time, since being close enough to read it, taking in a sharp breath once his eyes locked on the little yellow rectangle on her chest.
Anon asked: Hiyyyaaa! Could you do a Naraku imagine of Naraku getting jealous and protective when other demons try to flirt with his demon mate?! That he ends up marking and claiming her as his?
He clung to her tightly, his arms wrapped around waist as her face was smooshed into his bare chest, where his yukata should have been. His glare was lethal as he slashed the lower ranked demon dead. Naraku lowered his weapon and let her go, staring down at the corpse.
Signaling to one of his servants, Naraku told them to clean up the mess and burn his body. (y/n) stared at him for a few moments before exploding, “What the hell was that for!?”
Naraku looked to her, his eyes still filled with rage. “What do you mean? I simply disposed of trash.” he said to her calmly. Her eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets now.
“You just killed one of the only friends I had in the godforsaken place!” she yelled, her face red with anger. Naraku chuckled, patting down his long black hair back into place. “And this isn’t even the first time you have done this!”
Naraku sighed and walked over to her, taking her by the shoulders lightly and loved the feeling of her shivering under his touch. “They weren’t your friends. All they wanted to do is eat you and claim you, but I will not let that happen to what is already mine.” he whispered to her, his voice turning into a low growl at the end. (y/n)’s frowned, her brows furrowed, but she didn’t look away. Instead she step closer to Naraku, her chest hitting his, and her glare sharp as she tried to look as intimidating she could.
“Who exactly, is yours? Cause I sure as hell am not.” she muttered to him then pushed Naraku far away enough to walk back to her personal chambers. Naraku followed her, and before she can even reach the doors, he picked up by the waist and practically throwing her to a nearby wall. He took her wrists and pinned them above her head and snarled in her face.
“No on turns their back on me. And no one disrespects like that.” he yelled in her face, his hands tightening on her wrists enough to actually be painful. He saw her face wince and immediately loosened his grip, only to have her shake him off.
Everytime she gained a friend, Naraku thought they were flirting, thought they were going to court each other and mate. And every single, he will kill them without another thought and then take her to his quarters and pound her into the bed until she could see stars. And as much as she enjoyed the last part, it was frustrating not to ever have someone to talk to, because of a possessive, controlling, demon who has an inferiority complex.
“You don’t own me, Naraku. I can do whatever the hell I want.” she said to him, then turned to walk further down to her chambers. Naraku huffed out a breath, and laughed, the malice rolling off of him in thick waves. He followed after again, and this time locked the doors when he was inside.
(Y/n) turned around and rolled her eyes, “What can you possibly want!?” she shouted, exasperated. Naraku smirked, and close the gap between them, letting her fall to her bed, then quickly got on top of her so she wouldn’t escape. To say she wasn’t a bit turned on would be lying, but that look in his eyes, where he was beyond rage, was scary. But she felt the shudder of arousal wash over, and she didn’t like that she was getting turned on by it. Naraku loosened her kimono and exposed her neck. He leaned down and bit her, hard, claiming her as his. She gasped, clasping her mouth with her hand so no more sounds come out.
Naraku continued to bite her neck and down to her collar bones until it was red and raw. He pushed himself up to look (y/n) in the eyes, seeing the heat in them. He licked his lips and chuckled. “You know you belong to me, your body knows you belong to me.”
“I have never once said that I was yours.” she told him from behind her hand. Naraku leaned and kissed her fingers, imitating a kiss to her lips. His hands found her thighs, riding her kimono up, showing them off as well. She shivered at his featherlight touches, causing her legs to tighten against Naraku’s hips. She glared daggers at him, which only made him shudder in delight.
“You say that right now, but when I’m done with you, you’ll be begging me to make you mine.”
Kagome was not a girl who was used to sleeping problems.
In the past, she was the one who slept late, couldnt be bothered to wake with the rising sun and begged for more time. She could find slumber whether on the cold dirt ground or perched high on a tree against Inuyashas back. But when she laid in her plush bed, pillows surrounding her, linen clean and comfortable, she found herself wide awake, and she hated it. Kagome took to counting the ceiling tiles, listing off the periodic table of elements, naming the cities if Japan by alphabetical order. If she was still, if she had more than a moment, she would think. And when she thought, she spiraled.
It was so much easier to disassociate in the moment; easy, in fact, to shoot arrows at a beast thrice her size, watch the man she loved rake his claws through another’s flesh, the red stains trickling down his hands as he flicked his wrist, ridding himself of the blood. They were enemies, literal demons in fact, and it was kill or be killed, and Inuyasha would not go down without a fight.
It was war.
But once Naraku was gone, and the great evil was defeated, she was left with nothing to do but process. The chunk of years she was removed from society, absent from the lives of those around her was one aspect she struggled with. Doing her best to catch up, trying to mend together bits of information and not feel affronted at the depth of relationships around her was something that left her silently sobbing into her pillow at most nights. Sota had kissed his first girl, grandpas sister- her sweet, old aunt- had passed, and she was probably the only remaining virgin in her age bracket it seemed.
Kagome was well aware she had PTSD. She was a smart girl, and she could recognize the symptoms; but knowing her demon didn’t make it any easier to face. It wasn’t as if she could speak to a therapist- or anyone for that matter. The moment she opened her mouth and began to weave a tale of time travel and power hungry demons would be the precise moment she was committed and medicated. Even her own family, privy to some of her more unsavory adventures, had difficulty relating to her trauma. They didn’t understand the fear that crept up her spine when the wind blew at night, her mind still racing and on high alert, even after years of sleeping in her own bed. They had never known the bone weary exhaustion, the tireless whispers of the villagers, the panic she felt daily as they raced the clock to destroy another being. And yes, during those years she smiled, during those times she still found it in her to laugh and forgive and even fall in love. But when it was over, and she was left alone, in a world so far apart from the one she fought for, peace did not come so easily for her.
She wondered if her friends faced the same troubles, if they laid awake at night, trying to tally the number of foes fallen between them. And while she would not have changed it, would stand beside them all and slaughter each one again, the weight of their actions, even when justified, took a toll on her. Kagome had to remind herself that the opponents they faced were often too far gone with power lust and rage to be left alone. They were dangerous demons, wild and seeking out trouble.
But then her mind would race to Inuyasha, and the times that he struggled to control his fury, eyes bleeding red, skin marked with bright purple stripes, a clear signal from nature to back off if she had ever seen one. Yet during those times, she could bring him back, lure him away from the edge and return to the man she loved. Could that have been true for all of them? Maybe just some? Did they have families? Lovers waiting for their safe return? Or were they rouge agents, solely under the control of the spider demon?
It was thoughts like those that kept her awake, kept her mind reeling. No one understood, no one could relate even in the slightest, so she did her best to smile, and not let it crack. If she lied very still, her mother would think her asleep. If she laughed when her friends did, they would be none the wiser. If she helped grandpa with his duties she could stay busy, keep her mind and hands occupied, nodding along with his stories and theories when he paused in conversation for her response. She became rather good at that, picking up on small signals and facial cues, without knowing any of the substance of the conversation. It was empty and hollow, damaged and broken, but she could manage it. She had no other choice. And when the night terrors started, the endless dreams of her friends being torn limbs from limb, Inuyashas body painted red, she would wake up screaming. Some nights, her mother would hold her, cradling her head as she rocked her slowly back and forth. Other nights, she’d wake up drenched in sweat, hands flying behind her, ready to draw an arrow and shoot down the demons in her dreams. Some nights she would simply cry, hugging her pillow, praying her friends were safe; others she would go out and train, releasing her arrows at targets in the woods, the familiar cover of night giving her some comfort. It had been like this before, and that alone was its own sort of comfort. If her family was worried, they didn’t bring it up. Kagome didn’t know whether or not to be grateful.
When she finally climbed through the well, relief seeped through her bones to see the familiar sight of her hanyou, the only red he wore was that of his fire rat. He wasn’t hurt or maimed as she had seen him so many times in her dreams, and she felt a piece click inside her. It was a longing to be here again, to be with him, and she was certain that things would get better. They did not talk about the trauma, did not endulge in the pain that was a constant loop in kagomes mind as she hoped and feared they would. Whatever healing they needed, they had worked through years ago, happy to have avenged their families and found peace with their own. Despite that, being back in the feudal era was its own brand of healing, it’s own slow burning cleanse, to be back in the land she fought for, with the people she fought with. And for a while, it was enough. She wouldn’t burden those around her and bring up the past. Her friends constant vision for the future was pushing her along. And for a while, nothing seemed wrong.
You can only fool a hanyou for so long. After a while, he began to question her. Why wouldn’t she sleep? Did she regret coming back? Coming to him? When kagome struggled to voice it, to tell him that no, she was happier than she had been in years, but she was still sorting through her trauma he grew impatient and left. It was hard to admit and rather embarrassing to admit she was so screwed up all these years later, when no one else was. She hasn’t lost her entire village like Sango, it had her brother manipulated. Her family wasn’t cursed as Miroku’s had been, and Naraku had not taken the life of the one she loved like Inuyasha. She had lost the least but somehow reacted the worst.
He came back to their small hut later that night, knowing she would be awake. He sat by their futon beside her, unsure if he should climb in, afraid of her answer. Pure instinct drove kagome to spring into his arm, burying her nose into the crook of his neck. “I’m sorry.” She murmured, over and over again, and she tried to explain the numb existence she had been living for the last 3 years.
Kagome felt selfish explaining it, the words tumbling from her lips in broken pieces, and every statement was punctuated with an apology. She didn’t want to be this broken, didn’t want to return to him so damaged. He had managed to let it go, and he had lost so much.
“Let it go?” He echoed, brows drawn together in confusion. He gripped her shoulders, pulling her in close, as if she would disappear any moment. Tucked in, he told her of his sleepless nights during their journey, not only for protection of their group, but also to combat the nightmares. If they were doing the right thing, why did each death weigh so heavily on him? If their course of action was for the good of everyone, why couldn’t he get the blood off his hands, even after he scrubbed them clean? He knew he would do it all again, but it did not seem to lessen the weight on his shoulders. He was often lost in thought, down his own rabbit hole of agnst and depression, a self loathing to intense he had trouble climbing out from it. But she had always been there, hands outstretched, ready to pull him out. And when she was gone, taken 500 years into the future, he found himself back down that hole again. Yes, there were friends eager to dig him out, but he only ever touched the surface. And for their sake, he tried. To smile, to laugh, to wear the mask kagome spoke about.
She understood. Having someone share in her feelings, understand without having to explain, vocalize the pain she had denied for so many years left her dizzy. She couldn’t have loved him more if she tried.
Kagome blessed him for being the soul that he was, for carrying the weight for so long; she knew the feeling all too well. They weren’t alone any longer. They could share the burden. She kissed him then, slow and tender, wet with tears as they slid down her cheeks, her hands fisted in his hair. Maybe they would not be able to sleep, but now they had each other, and the nights would not be so lonely.
