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The Great Dog Demon War

Summary:

After Kagome returns through the well to Inuyasha with Naraku and jewel destroyed, they all thought they would would happily ever after. That is, until they end up in war involving Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's uncle, Inu-Touma, and his sons trying to reclaim the land their father took from him. They must fight these new and powerful enemies with their friends risking everything they have to save humankind. Their uncle and cousins reveal their hidden powers and end up sending Kagome back in time and facing new challenges and dangers with the help of her family and friends. How will Inuyasha and his friends save the world without ruining the timeline and reawakening their defeated foes? Will they come out victorious? Or will they fall at the hands of this powerful adversary?

****Winner of the 2021 1st Quarterly Inuyasha Fandom Awards, run by FeudalConnection for both categoeries: Best Dark and Best Canon Divergent****

Chapter 1: Prologue

Chapter Text

Kagome prayed close to every day since she had returned to her era.  Initially, she was still shaken by her abrupt return and half-way expected or rather hoped to be able to go back to the past.  After a couple months, she realized she needed to move on… Inuyasha couldn’t come for her.  She tried getting back to him… but the well had lost its magic. No matter how many times she jumped in, tried to dig through, or even screamed his name, the well refused to reopen. She began to pray in front of the Sacred Tree daily after school. Her new resolve was to live the normal life like she had wanted in the first place. Talk about irony. She prayed for peace.  She prayed for strength. She prayed for love… a love that would be greater and be able to ground her to this time and place… a love more powerful than her love for…

CRAP!!!!  She screamed internally and clapped her hands together angrily squeezing her already closed eyes tighter in annoyance because her inner thoughts betrayed her, yet again, for the thousandth time.  Her thoughts always led back to him.  For almost 2000 days, her thoughts never strayed far from Inuyasha. He was so engraved in her mind it was impossible for her to finish her prayer without his smirk appearing in her thoughts. Without envisioning his red robe of the fire rat kimono, his long silver hair, his fluffy dog ears that sat on the top of his head that twitched whenever he was listening to her from afar, his long claws that would delicately tickle her when he’d carry her on his back wrapped around her thighs, his golden amber eyes that stared at her with such hope, longing, worry…love…

She let out a long disappointed sigh. God… why couldn’t she move on with her life?  She just finished high school.  She applied for university overseas in order to study medicine.  To be a doctor. That was what she always wanted right? Pft, let’s be serious–she applied overseas to get away from it all.  A new city, a new country, a new home… Wouldn’t that be enough to clear her head of it all? A distraction from everything she went through beginning four years ago. She was trying to move on.  That year of her life where she was in that era with him and her friends ended three years ago. There was no sign she’d be able to return…she was failing worse at keeping her thoughts away from him than when she almost failed out of middle school because of him. 

Well, this was waste of time. I’m still only thinking about him… Kagome chastised herself half-heartily. Her feet started to carry her away from the tree and back down into the well-house. She walked down the stairs thinking about why the well closed.  How she thought her time in that era had ended because they vanquished Naraku.  She helped Kikyo’s (her own) soul move on and be reborn in her. She purified the jewel… That was only her purpose… right? To fix the past and make a better future? That’s what she had begun to believe in these three years of solace. 

No… She… she had to be born to release Inuyasha from that fifty-year slumber. She was born to teach him trust people, make friends, learn what love actually meant… She was born to be with him…or at least that’s what she thought…  She thought the red string of fate had tied them together…maybe she was just young and stupid.  How did she really know what love was? But how can a fifteen year old fall in love that hard and fast without it actually meaning something. She hadn’t been able to move on from him. This couldn’t just be it… Right?

There was no way.  How could only one year of her life impact the other seventeen years that greatly if her soul-purpose was to only appease a soul and remove someone to spread evil throughout the land and purify something from existence? No, she had to be born for more. There was no denying it.  The last three years were empty for her. Lifeless. She was going to school to distract her from her pain.  She hung out with her friends to distract her from her loneliness.  They never brought up Inuyasha or the others outside from when they were reunited after she got spit out of the well. They didn’t push her to discuss anything further because they could see the hurt and heartbreak in her eyes.  She even tried going out with Hojo finally… trying desperately to not think about Inuyasha… trying to get him out of her heart and head. She never smiled a real smile.  She couldn’t laugh an unforced laugh.  She couldn’t hold a conversation without effort. She couldn’t escape her heart and head anymore.  They would always be with Inuyasha.

Inuyasha…I-I want to see you… Kagome pleaded with the well clenching it tightly with her hands on the rails. And just like magic, she felt a breeze in her hair. She opened her eyes in shock and stared down. 

She didn’t hear her mother descend from the stairs towards her.  She didn’t even hear her initially when she said her name worriedly. Kagome was about to jump in without even a second thought.  She felt she was being pulled down into the void of time.

“Mother… The sky…” Kagome said breathlessly as she stared down into the well.

“Mmmmph…” Her mother said and put an arm around her shoulder and gazed down into the past and sighed. She knew her daughter had been struggling since her return.  She had been wearing a mask since she returned from the darkness; trying to be brave, trying to live a life everyone expected of her.  She went to school, came home, sometimes went out with friends; but she could see underneath it all how broken Kagome actually was because of her loss.  She lost her second family, her best friends that she had been completely honest with, and the love of her life that protected her with his own.  She heard Kagome scream at night while sleeping in fear, distress, sadness, hopelessness that Inuyasha wasn’t coming to save her.  She noticed she would leave the light on to try and chase the demons away, but even that didn’t help her agony and depression. She knew she had to let Kagome go… 

“M-mother… I-I’ve been thinking…” Kagome couldn’t even finish her sentence.  She was so scared her mother wouldn’t understand her pain. That she wouldn’t condone her desire she had to be with Inuyasha again.  She was fearful her mother would brush it off as a crush and that when she went away to university she would be able to forget and move on.  When her mother pulled her into a hug, Kagome kept her eyes trained to the well. Fearful it would close before she could convince her mother what she needed to do.

“Kagome,” her mother said and put a hand beneath her chin to guide her face to look at her.  She smiled happily but with hidden sadness of knowing this was the end, “I understand.”

Kagome teared up and smiled. It hit her. This was goodbye. Forever.  She grasped her mother hard and quaked a bit.

Kagome’s mother rubbed her hand on her back soothingly to reassure her that everything would be okay and she accepted her choice without anger or remorse.  She pushed her away gently and helped her stand up on the well. She gave her hand a tight squeeze and told her she would explain to Sota and Grandpa where and when she was going with a smile. Kagome nodded in acknowledgement almost torn about her decision…but then redirected her gaze down to the sky on the other side with a determined look. No…this is my destiny.

Kagome’s mother gave her hand one more tight squeeze then let go and stepped back.

“I love you, mother… Goodbye”

“We love you too, Kagome. Go.”

Without looking back, Kagome jumped and disappeared.

——————————————————————————————————-

Kagome landed on the other side of the well and looked up to make sure she was actually there. The fresh air hit her and she could smell how clean and crisp it was.  She heard the birds chirping. The sky was so blue and clear. She softly gasped taking in just the wonderment of being in the well smiling at the recognition she was back.

She looked over to the side of the well in hopes to see something to help her climb out since Inuyasha was not at the top like usual… She saw the vines that were there like on her first venture to the past those four years ago and began to climb. She reminisced her first time coming through the well… the first time she spoke to Inuyasha. What would this reunion be life for them?   

She heard a gasp and shaky breathing above her when she got about half way to the top.  She looked up with wide eyes biting her lower lip.  Amber met caramel. His eyes were also wide in disbelief? Shock? Who could say.  It had been three years. He longed of this moment as much as she had. 

He reached out his arm with a sigh of relief to her. She released her lip from her bite and kicked off the wall and grabbed his hand and was whirled up over his head where she put an arm on his right shoulder to support herself from falling into him completely.  They got lost in each other eyes of longing… there was so much to say… so much to confess…

“Kagome…” He finally said. That was the only thing he could say without his voice cracking.

“I’m sorry, Inuyasha… were you waiting for me?” She said tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

“Ugh,” He finally released the tension of holding her up and brought her into his arms. “You idiot, what have you been doing all this time?”

She felt him take some deep breaths of her hair. Her scent. He had to make sure she was real. She sighed happily into his arms.  She was finally home. She was finally at peace.  Her prayers came true.

He heard running coming from the village and stopping short of where the tree-line ended.  There, standing at the clearing’s edge were Miroku, Sango, Shippo, two twin girls, and a baby strapped to Sango’s back.  They stared in awe of the two sharing an intimate embrace.

“Kagome?” Miroku questioned in disbelief.

“You made it back!” Sango exclaimed.

Kagome and Inuyasha looked up and over to them.  His arms remained wrapped around her.  He didn’t care anymore what anyone thought of their relationship.  He literally followed her into the underworld.  Into the Jewel of the Four Souls.  Loved her enough to let her go and be safe in her world… rather than being here with him. They all knew. She knew.  She came back.

“Sango, Miroku, it’s great to see you!” While Inuyasha was always her primary thought, her most potent desire, she missed her friends.  Sango knew her unlike any other soul. Her double life, her love for Inuyasha and the relationship they were struggling to build over the times of their travels, how it seemed unrequited but through Sango’s reassurances she held on, what her dreams were, what her sorrows were… Sango knew it all, as she knew all of Sango’s. Miroku was like a brother to her. An older, perverted brother, who was wise beyond his years.  He told it like it was but always added a hint of humor to soften the blow. Shippo, an adopted son who reminded her of her actual brother Sota.  Young and hopeful about the future and willing to do anything to help. They had moved on with their lives as it appeared Sango and Miroku had three children in the span she was away.

Kagome stepped hesitantly out of Inuyasha’s embrace to face them more and he released her without a fight. She gave him a quick smile and he nodded in return. Her face lit up for the first time in one-thousand ninety-five days and ran towards them in the biggest smile she ever formed. 

I’m back!!!

——————————————————————————————————-

After embracing each of them and learning the names of their children (Ayumi, Suzuki, and Komori) and briefly enlightening Kagome on what had occurred for the time she was in her era such as Shippo going through the fox demon trials, their marriage, the births of their children, and other minor details, they decided to make their way to the village.  Miroku handed Ayumi to Sango and crushed Shippo to stay on his shoulder with a little defiance but was easily swayed with a look of the monk that sent shivers down Shippo’s spine.  Kagome turned to Inuyasha with a soft smile.  She wanted to be able to talk to him. To make sure everything wasn’t all made up in her head.  She jumped into the well without hesitation, deathly positive of her decision.  There was no going back now.  But now that she was here, she was nervous. He took two steps to be next to her as the others started their trek back toward the village and offered her a hand with a soft smile. 

Her breath got caught and her face lit up with the smile he loved so much as she took his hand happily and they began to walk side by side gazing into each other’s eyes.

Miroku peered back carefully trying not to get caught. He smiled softly and held in a chuckle and nudged his wife with a subtle tilt of his head back toward them and turned Shippo’s head as he was still complaining about not being able to walk with Kagome. Shippo’s grumbles stopped as he caught sight of the two. Fingers interlaced, Inuyasha’s smile, Kagome’s bright glowing eyes and shining teeth, their arms brushing up against each… It was like they didn’t exist in front of them.  Shippo turned back facing forward on Miroku’s shoulder with a blush while Sango giggled slightly. 

“Thank God,” she said quietly to her husband hopefully Inuyasha wouldn’t be able to hear. Although, she was pretty sure he probably could but was so distracted he wouldn’t pick up on it.

They made it to the village and Sango and Miroku said some quick goodbyes inviting them over for dinner later. They made the excuse they had laundry to finish attending to while it was still light out and that if Kagome needed a place to stay, she was more than welcome to stay there with Inuyasha if she liked.  They proposed Inuyasha to visit Kaede and give her and Rin the good news of Kagome’s return.  They turned to head back to their hut on the far west side of the village, Miroku’s firm grip on Shippo to ensure they wouldn’t be bothered just yet.

Kagome looked at them leaving with a smile and Inuyasha looked slightly confused at their sudden departure but was also kind of relieved to be able to have a few moments alone with Kagome before they visited the old woman’s house.  He turned to her mouth open only to see she was about to say something to him too.  Both their eyes widen and said they were sorry and for the other to speak first.  Then Kagome laughed at their struggle they were clearly having. Her musical sweet laughter. He could listen to it all day.

“What were you going to say Inuyasha?” She looked up at him still interlocked with his fingers.

“Uhm… later, before we go to their place for dinner… can we just–uh–”

“Talk?” She said lips curved upward.  Big brown caramel eyes pouring into his amber.

“Y-yea. If that’s okay.” He was slightly blushing now.  He had three years, three years, to figure out how to say he loves her.  Three of the longest years of his two hundred year life span and he was still stuttering like an idiot. But God, those big beautiful eyes just stared into his soul and he got so lost he wasn’t even sure he could form a sentence. 

 

“Of course, Inuyasha. I’d love that. I was about to ask you the same thing, actually.” She giggled taking her other hand and holding it over her mouth to try and contain her laughter closing her eyes happily.  She then opened her eyes and looked nervous taking in her lower lip to bite down. She wanted to show him what their talk would be about… She knew he knew. Him asking her to talk privately was all the courage she needed to let go of her bottom lip and release the breath she was holding.  It wasn’t in my head after all… She hesitantly stood on her tip toes and leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.  

 

His eyes widen and he froze. Fuck it, this is happening now. Talk later, take action now.  He was always better at making his actions speak for him than being able to actually convey his feelings into words. His words always made him end up in his own body shaped crater in the ground. Before she could lower herself off her toes, he caught her cheek with his right hand that wasn’t interlaced with hers and gave her a real kiss on the lips. He released her hand he was holding and pulled her in closer placing it on the small of her back and squeezing his eyes shut hoping to God this wouldn’t get him sat or that he misread things.

Her eyes widen and she gasped softly. Her eyes filled with happy tears which poured out as she squeezed her eyes shut and threw her arms around his neck to keep herself pulled up and locked with his lips.

They’d kissed two times before. Once at Kaguya’s castle out of desperation to keep Inuyasha from transforming forever and obeying the likes of the fake celestial maiden. Praying he wanted to stay with her rather than him becoming a full-fledged demon, Kagome at thrown herself at him. It had worked and he had kissed her back, but it almost felt like it was more out of obligation. It was brief and she had stopped when she realized he was back to his half-demon self.  The embrace after was more intimate than the actual kiss– while the kiss was made out of genuine love and trust he wouldn’t hurt her and she thought it would pull him back to the surface, it was timid and short-lived as they were still in the heat of battle. They never spoke of it after; they were both too embarrassed to admit their feelings regarding each other and that incident took place. Their second kiss was of relief when he appeared literally out of nowhere to rescue her from the darkness that the jewel had imprisoned her in for three full days. That kiss was more intimate. It conveyed their feelings they had for each other without actually voicing them while they were in a stand-off with the jewel. They weren’t able to address exactly what happened after as they were separated by five-hundred years. This kiss… was everything Kagome ever dreamed. It was needy, greedy, loving, and if possible, time stopping. Their lips moved in sync saying things words would never be able to express. Exploring. Memorizing. It said everything he wanted to tell her, and everything she was going to say later…

“Lord Inuyasha?” A young girls voice chimed from behind him.

He broke the kiss apart from Kagome and turned around to see who was addressing him lowering the hand that was on her cheek to around her waist where his other arm was still holding her against him. Kagome opened her eyes still kind lost in the moment-- dazed with lust, she slowly loosened her arms to his shoulders and peered down and around his arm to see who was speaking to him as well.

“Rin!” Kagome gasped in surprised eyes widening. “Wh-what are you doing here??”

“Lady Kagome!! I could ask the same of you!” She giggled and then bowed.  She straightened back up and winked mischievously, “I was wondering who finally caught the eye of Lord Inuyasha.  He has been most melancholy since your shocking and immediate departure when Naraku was destroyed. I never thought he’d move on. I guess technically he didn’t,” she raised her eyebrows with a smirk on her face.

“Rin…” Inuyasha sighed, “nosy as ever, you little pipsqueak”. 

Rin giggled again. "Lady Kagome, it’s so great you have returned! You were extremely missed!”

“Thank you, Rin. I missed everyone too. It’s good to be back,” Kagome turned back to Inuyasha smiling sweetly. He redirected his gaze back to her and smiled an apology of sorts that the runt interrupted them.

“Are you on your way to see Lady Kaede? I’m sure she’ll be so happy you’ve returned as well! I was heading back there myself if you’d care to join me in my walk?”

“Yea, yea, we’ll follow you pipsqueak,” Inuyasha grunted in defeat.

“That’s Lady Pipsqueak to you, Lord Inuyasha,” Rin laughed at her own joke so hard she almost tripped when she started to pass them. “Well come on, you can do lovey-dovey adult stuff later when you’re alone, not standing in the middle of a busy road of the village.” She turned around to tease them winking wickedly before leading the way to Kaede’s hut.

Kagome turned bright red, at least five shades darker than her pink sweater she had on. She probably matched Inuyasha’s kimono. She felt like steam was escaping her ears like she was a tea kettle about to boil over from how embarrassed she was by the young girl’s comment.

Inuyasha just shook his head taking an arm off of Kagome’s back and put on his head. “That girl has a mouth on her. Come on, before she can figure out anything else to tease us with later.” He removed his other hand from her waist and interlaced their hands again.

On their way to Kaede’s, he explained that Rin was learning how to live with humans so once she came of age she could decide for herself if she wanted to return to Sesshomaru or if she wanted to lead a more normal life in the village. Rin interjected a few comments of her own about her feelings on the matter but ultimately would do what her Lord asked of her for the time being.  He also explained how they bonded since she is quite the spit fire and enjoys peace and quiet like he did…even though she always seemed to be talking when they were trying to enjoy silence away from everyone else.

“Hahaha, oh Lord Inuyasha, you know I just like to ruffle your fur.  You make it too easy,” she said laughing, smacking him lightly on his left arm as she crossed in front of him to the hut pulling the screen back for them to enter. “Lady Kaede! Look who I found while I was out!”

“Aye Rin, who is it now?” Kaede had her back to the screen and was brushing off herbs in her hands.

“See for yourself, old hag,” Inuyasha said with a jab of humor.

Kaede hadn’t recognized that tone from him in years.  Since Kagome’s departure.  He hadn’t joked or been cheery about anything.  She turned around and was stunned to see who stood before her in a pink sweater, short navy skirt, long wavy hair, and bright brown eyes full of excitement.

“Ka-Kagome! Ye have returned!”

“It’s nice to see you Kaede,” Kagome walked from Inuyasha dropping his hand to meet Kaede who rose from her sitting position to give her a warm hug. 

“H-how? When? Are ye able to travel back and forth to ye era again? It’s so good to see ye again.”

“Uhm…Hehehe,” Kagome scratched the back of her head bashfully realizing no one else (including Inuyasha) had asked her yet. “I think this was a one-way trip actually. It hasn’t worked on my side either until today.  Not sure how it happened, but one moment I was praying by the Sacred Tree, then I was brought to the well and prayed more…and the next I was able to see the sky.”

Inuyasha, Rin, and Kaede were then floored. Their eyes wide mouths slightly agape. She had left her era, her home, her family… to return here. Forever. Inuyasha’s face grew concern not realizing everything she had given up to cross over.  To come back to him.  She literally threw her life away for him…

“Aw! How romantic! You came back to be with Lord Inuyasha?! Oh my Gosh, isn’t that the sweetest thing ever?? So, when are you guys going to get married and move in together?? Oh my Gosh, what about babies?! And—mmmmph” Rin looked from Kagome to Inuyasha dazzling at the love story unfolding in front of her while Inuyasha, now fully annoyed and embarrassed, grabbed Rin by the mouth while he blushed hard on his cheeks.

“Please. Stop. Talking.” He said completely exasperated by her rambling shaking her from side to side to maybe settle her down.

Kagome who was also now red again, thanks to the small thirteen-year-old girl, was starting to let everything she said soak in realizing maybe the implications of her being here were going to be a lot for them to swallow.  They had only just expressed they cared about each other a year ago… and then she disappeared for three years. Maybe Inuyasha was trying to move on? Was he ready for that kind of commitment? Did he even want to do all that with her??

Kaede cleared her throat catching everyone’s attention. “Rin, why don’t ye go check on young Komori and Sango.  They are due for their checkups.”

“Right!” Rin jumped out of Inuyasha’s grasp and bowed before running out of the hut.

Kagome and Inuyasha both sighed in relief the young talkative girl had left them for the moment.

“Pay her no mind.  She is young and still doesn’t understand those things need to be talked about between the two of ye before making plans with everyone else… Kagome. Ye are welcome to stay here until that has been resolved. Ye are also welcome to re-start your priestess training if ye desire to continue.  These bones are growing old and I will likely be needing someone to take my place in the up-coming seasons.” Kaede sat back down in front of the fire.

“Oh Kaede, yes! That would be wonderful! Thank you! When do I start?”

“Dawn tomorrow.  Why don’t ye and Inuyasha go discuss what your return means for the two of ye?” Kaede said raising an eyebrow with a hidden smirk.

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome by the arm and lead her out before she could say anything else scoffing and making incoherent sounds that weren’t actually words. Kagome couldn’t believe the amount of meddling they’ve been through in the last ten minutes. It was enough to last a life time.  She didn’t think she’d ever been asked so many questions before aside from her school friends…even then, they were silly immature questions. Nothing this extreme!

Before she knew it, they were in front of Inuyasha’s usual “sulking tree” as she referred to it.  The one she found him on the night she met Sesshomaru, the one she’d sat him from to take care of his injuries after the battle with Yura, the one he came to when he needed privacy… the one he brought her up to sit on when he admitted he wasn’t strong enough and had a ways to go in order to be able to protect her after they had been trapped in a demon’s belly.

He looked around and then picked her up and jumped up to his usual branch and rested her down to sit next to him. Talk about deja vu.

“Sigh…finally. A moment to ourselves. Everyone is so nosy and always in my business!” He gruffed.

Kagome giggled at his annoyance. “It just means they care, Inuyasha.”

“…” He looked at her to his left trying to gauge how to steer the conversation to confirm what she had said earlier. “So… is it true?”

“Hm? Is what true?”

“That… you can’t go back to your home?”

Kagome’s smile fell a little and she looked downward. “Yea… even if it wasn’t… I don’t think I’d ever want to risk not being able to return again.” She turned back to him with a look of longing and placed her right hand on his arm. “Inuyasha… These three years… the were the longest and hardest of my life. I tried so hard to move on… I did everything I could to forget and move on. Months had passed and no matter what I tried spiritually or physically, the well wouldn’t open.

“I thought you would come get me… like you did when I was lost in the darkness. But even that became wishful thinking. Moving on seemed like my only option. But, haha, I couldn’t even do that right. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. When the well reopened today, I didn’t even think twice. I almost jumped before I was able to say goodbye to my mother… I honestly didn’t even think about what my choice would do to you. I just knew I wanted to be here with you. I couldn’t go another day without seeing you again… I’m sorry if that puts you in an uncomfortable position. But–” Inuyasha began to open his mouth to say something and she shook her head and grasped his arm firmly. “No–please let me finish. Let me say everything I should have said three years ago before the jewel took us away from each other.”

She scooted herself as close to him as possible turning her body to face him still holding onto his arm for balance. “Inuyasha… I love you. I love you for who you are–whatever you are that day. Demon, human, half… they are all you. I love all your quirks and qualities that make you who you are.  Please…let me stay with you. I want to be with you.”

Inuyasha’s mouth hadn’t closed when she had asked him not cut her off. It stayed agape to her heartfelt confession. Everything he ever needed and wanted someone to tell him… she said. She loved him for who he was.  She didn’t need him to be human to stay with him, she didn’t want him to be a full demon to protect her… she wanted him who he was. He already knew Kagome held no prejudice towards him for who and what he was. She never looked at him any differently than she did Koga or Miroku. To her, he was just normal.  There was nothing wrong with him. 

She started to look a little confused as he hadn’t replied to anything she just said and looked like maybe she broke him. “Uhm… Inuyasha? Are you ok?”

He grabbed her faced and crashed his lips back down on hers the second time that day. She moaned softly into his mouth and hung on to him for dear life. She knew he wasn’t good with words. This was good enough. She could accept this proclamation.  But then he started to pull away before she was done—she wanted to start exploring the inside of his mouth with her tongue but before she could protest she saw the look in eyes as he gazed at her nervously.

“Ka-Kagome,” he swallowed. “I…I-I love you too.”

She smiled at his confession, catching her breath again. “We can figure the other stuff out later, okay Inuyasha? We have all the time in the world now.” With that she turned back to face the village and rested her head on his shoulder and interlocked arms with him. 

Inuyasha leaned into her and smiled softly. “Yea…Sure.” We do now, don’t we?

———————————————————————————————————–

After dinner with Sango, Miroku, Shippo and their children, Inuyasha and Kagome bid them farewell stating she was going to reside with Kaede for the time being while they were getting everything sorted.  She also added it would be easier on her with priestess training that she wouldn’t have to worry about oversleeping with her new sensei not far from her pillow.

When they returned to the hut, Inuyasha pecked Kagome on the cheek and jumped up on the roof of the hut before Rin or the old priestess could pry anything out of him. Kaede offered Kagome a plain white yukata to sleep in and priestess robes for her to start her training in for the morning. She rolled out an extra sleeping mat and laid it by the fire.

“Kagome, I am afraid Rin and I are needed for another young mother who is about to give birth to her second child. We will be staying at her hut tonight. I hope that is okay with thee, child,” Kaede informed the young woman before helping her get tucked in. Kagome decided she didn’t want to change out of her modern clothing just yet. She didn’t want to completely immerse herself immediately.  She wanted to make sure people remembered who she is, not who she once was in a previous life. 

“Uh, oh, thank you Kaede. Yes, that should okay. I’ll be fine, I’m exhausted anyway. Take care” She gave a soft tired smile.  It had been such a long day of reunions, catching up, and digesting a lot of information about her up-coming future. 

After Kaede and Rin had exited the hut, Inuyasha landed on outside the door and entered. Kagome smiled and sat up becoming more awake at his appearance.  She could sense him not far from them. She thought about the current times she now resides in and how it probably wasn’t “proper” for a man who has shown interest in a woman to share a house at night until they were properly married.  “Decided to sneak in while the priestess is away?” Kagome teased.

“Keh, I’m not scared of the old hag. But I also don’t want rumors flying about you shackin’ up with half-demon out of wedlock the minute you came back.”

“Ohhhh, how would I ever sleep at night,” Kagome rolled her eyes. “You know I don’t care what people think.”

“Clearly; still wearing your too short shirts, hanging out with a no-good half-breed like me,” he jousted back sitting near her bed, back against the wall. He took out the Tessaiga and placed in between his legs and folded arms.

“Uhm…”

“What?”

“I-I know this is kind of…improper I guess… and you can totally say no if you’re not comfortable with it, but…” Kagome started to turn bright red again. “W-W-Would you please sleep next to me????” She forced out eyes closed scared of the backlash she might get for asking something so radical and racy for this day and age.

“…Yeah. I’d actually like that a lot.”

Kagome opened her eyes and gasped as he moved the Tessaiga to lay next the sleeping mat and then moved himself to slide in next to her.  She lifted the blanket up for him and then snuggled up to him facing away from him blushing lightly. She couldn’t believe how easy that was to get him to lay next to her.

“Since I am lying next to you… can… I hold you, Kagome?”

“Y-Yes. Please…”

He strewed his left arm underneath her neck and then placed his right around her waist and pulled her in close. All of a sudden, sleepiness hit her. She sighed happily and closed her eyes, finally at peace and not struggling to fall asleep. He also was at peace in heart and closed his eyes and buried his nose in her hair inhaling the sweet cherry blossom and vanilla scent and faded into sleep as well.

———————————————————————————————————–

It was later into the night and storm clouds had rolled in. Thunder was heard and lightening lit the sky frequently.  The rain had not begun to pour yet. Inuyasha remained in a restful sleep still holding Kagome to him, but Kagome was beginning to cringe and flounder softly. She began to sweat from the anxiety of her dreams. She was moaning softly enough to not catch Inuyasha’s attention.  He had grown used to her nightmares over her math exams she had talked about throughout their year of travel enough to almost tune her out completely unless something sounded out of the norm.

“Kagome… Kagome… Kagome…Open your EYES!”

 

Kagome’s eyes flew open and she was surrounded by darkness and she gasped.  She looked down to what she was holding and it was her bow from Mount Azusa and she was wearing her old middle school uniform. She looked up and saw the Sacred Jewel with an arrow sticking out of it shining brightly.

 

“NO!! GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! WE WON!! THIS ISN’T REAL!!!” Kagome cried.

 

“You will never win, Kagome. You were born to become a part of the jewel.”

 

“That’s a lie! I was born for more than that!”

 

“Then why are you still here? Why do you keep coming back?”

 

Kagome was so angry she drew her bow and arrow. As she drew back, the Jewel flashed a bright light blinding her.  When she was able to reopen her eyes, she saw demons swarming out of the jewel towards her. She began to unleash arrow after arrow until one demon knocked her bow from her and then turn to devour her.

 

She screamed unable to fight anymore and squeezed her eyes shut.

“Kagome!!!! Kagome, what’s wrong?! Kagome, wake up!!!!”

“NO, NO, PLEASE STOP!!!!!” she screamed thrashing trying to escape from whatever had hold of her.

“Kagome!!! It’s me! Open your eyes!” Inuyasha pleaded shaking her shoulders. 

Kagome finally opened her eyes, gasping loudly, tears rolling down her cheeks. Inuyasha and her were sitting up with his hands on her shoulders, hands were gripping her tightly. They were still alone in the hut where she was when they fell asleep. She looked around to get her bearings before she started to relax.

“Oh… I-I’m sorry Inuyasha. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“What the hell was that, Kagome? You’ve had bad dreams before but that was something I’ve never seen from you... You were terrified.”

She closed her eyes and brushed her tears away, trying to calm herself before replying. “Since the jewel locked me in the abyss… I’ve had the same dream. Being trapped there, in the darkness with the jewel. Unable to break free…”

Inuyasha took her pained and anxious expression. He pulled her close in his arms. He wanted to convey he’d never allow anything to take her from him again with his grasp around her small body.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to find you Kagome… I should have realized it earlier when Naraku’s incarnation cut you with the Meido. Maybe none of it would have happened…”

“Stop. Don’t blame yourself. No one knew what the jewel had been planning. No one even knew it had a will of its own. We’re together again, Inuyasha… please.”

Inuyasha pushed her back until his face was above hers and grabbed her chin and kissed her fiercely. Kagome took in his hunger and wrapped her arms around his neck and moaned into his lips. God, she couldn’t get over how amazing this new level of intimacy was in their relationship. She couldn’t wait for more.

Inuyasha pulled back from the kiss placing his hands back on her shoulders, a little out of breath from the lustful kiss they ended up sharing. Kagome following suit on regaining her own air in her lungs.

“Kagome, I want you to live with me. Please, take me as your husband. I’ll try to earn you. I’ll try to make you the happiest woman in the village if you’ll accept me.”

“Inuyasha…” His confession and proposal floored her. She almost expected she would have to take the next steps after she purposely drove the conversation on the tree from what she thought was going to make him uncomfortable. Clearly, she was mistaken and should have let him do it there and then.

She smiled at him earnestly and accepted, “Yes. I’ll be your wife. I’ll live with you. But you don’t have to earn me. You already have. Please, don’t sell yourself short. You deserve happiness and love too. I’ll be the happiest girl in Japan as long as I can stay by your side.”

She sunk back into his embrace leaning her head on his chest. He moved back to lean against the wall of the hut and wrapped his arms around his now proclaimed woman…his betrothed. 

He could tell she was back on the brink of sleep and just held her to ensure she knew she was safe with him. Hoping maybe this position will keep her nightmares at bay.

His eases twitched at a sound from outside. A familiar roar… he sniffed the air.

Sesshomaru? And… other dog demons with a similar scent to ours…

He didn’t think twice about the strange scents since his brother probably knew whoever it was. Sesshomaru wouldn’t allow them so close to Rin if he didn’t think they were a threat. He didn’t know much about his legacy. He never felt like asking and it would have more than likely to start an unnecessary argument between them. He closed his eyes and nuzzled into his fiancée’s hair for the second time and let sleep claim him.

‐———————————————–‐———————————————————

Sesshomaru was in full dog demon form. He was chasing around four other Inu’s. He finally caught their attention, or they had reached where they wanted to touch down when they swirled together in a mix of demonic energy toward the ground.

They landed in front of Kikyo’s grave. The four stood across from Sesshomaru now in their human forms. Three of the four, kneeled before Sesshomaru. They looked a little younger than him, around Inuyasha’s age span. One had bright silver hair that was tied up in a long pony tail, he wore armor similar to Sesshomaru but his kimono was navy with white accents, another had black hair that was cut to make him look the most human, he wore a dark green kimono and he resembled a prince, and the last one kneeling before him had brown tight curls that laid at his shoulders wearing a bright orange dress with armor platting on his shoulders and breast. The fourth demon was older. Long silver hair cascading down his back to the floor. He has similar armor that of his late father. Eyes piercing gold. His facial markings were different from his father though. They were purple around his neck that traveled up and around his ears. 

“Lord Sesshomaru… I never thought I’d meet my foolish brother’s son. I’ve heard quite the tales of you and your journey for supreme power and conquest over the last few centuries.”

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, “Brother?”

The oldest demon laughed a hardy belly laugh, “So Inu-Taisho never mentioned his older brother? Probably out of spite. You and I have similar ideals, Lord Sesshomaru. The humans are weak and worthless beings. They should be expunged from this world. They are creatures ruled by time. That makes them greedy and insignificant.  Their motivations are only driven by what they can get done in a life span.  Meanwhile, we could rule the world without ever having to worry about death’s call. We can eliminate their threat to our kind’s existence. Join me, and we can reconquer these lands from our other brethren, and then the world.

“My sons and I have already conquered the main-land when I was banished by your father, for what he called my ‘radical ideals’.  He was weak.  He perished at the hands of a human protecting a mortal woman who breed with him a dirty half-breed. We need to make a stand to keep our blood pure. What do you say, Lord Sesshormaru? Nephew? Let us do what your father had not the courage or strength to do,” The Great Inu demon stepped around his sons and extended an arm of agreement to other great lord of the west.

“Why would I join the likes of you? My father may have perished, but I have regained his territory. The humans do not bother me or my vassals. There is no purpose in making them a part of my plans to conquer more territory. I agree, they are ruled by time… but that is what makes them weak and futile. Why waste breath on what is already fleeting?” Sesshomaru turned his back on the dog demon. To him it was great insult meaning he was not a worthy opponent or adversary to let your guard down so close.

“I think you should reconsider, Lord Sesshomaru.  I will give you two winters to decide.  When the tree begin to bloom their blossoms to bud, I will be back with my sons and an army I don’t think you will want to face… the continent is wide and vast. This an army I don’t think you could have ever dreamed of. Consider this a warning; do not stand in our way.”

“Or I could just finish you right now,” Sesshomaru turned quickly to strike them down with his sword Bakusaiga. But he could swing they were gone. 

“Heed my words, Lord Sesshomaru… Two winters and we will return…Give up your claim and join us… Or you will fall.”

Sesshomaru sheathed his sword and looked outward to the village. He could hear Rin’s voice comforting some woman in child-labor not too far from the grave he stood by. Weak and worthless beings, huh? He closed his eyes deep in thought and proceeded down the stairs towards the huts.