InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Themes in Passing ❯ After All This Time ( Chapter 5 )

Week 46 in iyfic_contest. Theme was Ten Years Later. Inuyasha returns home from a long business trip. Sequel to The Truth.

Title: After All This Time

Rating: X

Genre: Angst, Romance

Pairings: Kagome/Hojo -> Kagome/Inuyasha

Word Count: 2,779

Warnings: Hot Smex in an Alley...

Betas: silverontherose and quirkyslayer

Inuyasha stared out the window of the cab at the buildings and people strolling by.

Another boring day, another boring cab ride home.

During the course of a five-year long business ‘trip’ to America, Inuyasha’s heart had healed enough to return to Japan and resume his old life. He knew that it was his decision to wait for her to grow and mature, which made it his fault Kagome had chosen to marry Hojo, but back then he couldn’t face the heartbreak of knowing she hadn’t waited for him. Because he never made himself known to her all those years ago, she had assumed him forever gone and began dating Hojo earnestly. He knew he could have stopped the wedding instead of attending it. After five years of dating boring Hojo she most definitely would have left him for Inuyasha.

Inuyasha mentally smacked himself in the head. That was five years ago, and it was time to deal with life again. Sesshoumaru wanted him back in Tokyo to help with the company.

He had been too scared to stop the wedding anyway. So many doubts about his relationship with Kagome and the way he had treated her made him fear actual rejection. Who was he to take away the happiness she had built for herself with Hojo? She would never have grown as a person if he had approached her when the well closed.

“Stop here,” Inuyasha instructed the cab driver.

They came to a halt in front of a park close to his apartment. Sunshine and fresh air would help clear his head.

Maybe I can get my mind off of Kagome. I was fine for 500 years, but now she’s here and so… tempting. Bad Inuyasha, mind out of the gutter. She’s married, she’s not yours anymore.

Newsboy cap perched precariously over his ears, Inuyasha found a fairly clean bench to sit on, not wanting to dirty his long opera coat. He chuckled to himself. With his natural silver-white hair and his Victorian-esque dandy styled clothes, he knew he looked like he just stepped out of Harajuku. A fancy cane would have completed the effect.

His inner musings were abruptly cut off by a ball bouncing off his chest. He picked it up and stood to find the point of origin of the offending object. Following the path of flight, he saw a tiny black haired girl running at full speed toward him and the ball. He was amazed at how much the girl looked like the picture he had seen of Kagome at that age.

The little body jumped up and he had to drop the ball to catch the girl. She squealed in delight as he swung her up into his arms.

“You’re Inu no nii-chan aren’t you? Uncle Souta told me I’d know right away when I found you. He said your hair would be whiter than great-grandpa’s hair and that your eyes would be the color of honey in sunlight. I remembered.”

The little girl looked immensely pleased with herself. Inuyasha was stunned. He looked around quickly for anyone who looked like they were watching the girl, hoping that it was a sitter and not Kagome who took her to the park that day.

“Sango-chan!”

When he looked up Inuyasha saw exactly what he did not want to; Kagome was running toward them calling after the little girl.

“Sango-chan!”

“Uncle Souta said you had little white puppy ears on your head, but I guess they’re under the hat. Can I see?”

She reached for his head just as Kagome snatched her out of Inuyasha’s arms.

Act cool, Yash. Act like ten years haven’t gone by since she’s seen you. You’re 700 years old; you can handle this without acting like the 200 year old brat you once were.

“Sango! What have I told you about running off? And what have I told you about talking to strangers?”

Kagome completely ignored the person she had taken her daughter from, and the little girl struggled to get back into Inuyasha’s arms.

“But Momma, I found Inu no nii-chan!”

“What?”

Kagome finally looked up and noticed the man standing not two feet from her. Although calm on the outside, her brain started ranting. Her mouth gaped slightly as her mind went over everything she had prepared to say on the day she ever found him again. Unfortunately, she was unable to gather enough sense of mind to say any of it.

“Hi wench, I see you’ve bred. She’s cute, but she’s going to be more trouble than her mother.”

She was unsurprised find that his manners had not improved over time. She crinkled her nose and tried to pull something witty out of her jumbled thoughts.

Inuyasha smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. Fortunately Sango was the one who broke the silence.

“See Momma! Are you happy, Momma? Uncle Souta told me you’d be really happy if I found Inu no nii-chan for you.” She directed her ramblings back to Inuyasha. “Can I see your ears?”

Kagome eyes grew wide. She set Sango down while her daughter was still begging to see ‘the ears.’ This really wasn’t a good place to have an ear rubbing event.

She looked back up at Inuyasha and said the first, albeit lame, thing that came to mind, “It’s really you.”

“Keh, who else would it be?”

500 years to learn social skills, and he still couldn’t manage to sound any way but rude and defensive around her.

“You look good.”

That fact hit her like a tons of bricks. He was sexy in his modern clothes without losing his boyish looks or bad-boy attitude. Kagome had to sternly remind herself that she already had a husband.

“So do you.”

Inuyasha realized that if he didn’t leave soon, his body would take over and tell her exactly how much lovelier she had become even if his mouth was too reserved to say the words.

“Inu no nii-chan! I want to see your ears!” Sango howled up at them.

Inuyasha stooped down and tweaked her nose. “Maybe next time.”

A quick reach into his coat produced a business card for Kagome.

“Call me later?”

After taking the proffered card and staring at it in disbelief, Kagome looked back up at Inuyasha only to find him gone. She growled slightly at her lost chance to give the hanyou a piece of her mind before herding her daughter home.

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It took her two weeks to gather up enough nerve to call the number on the card, fighting between old want and new anger. Little Sango wasn’t of much help always asking when she’d get to see her ‘Inu no nii-chan’ again and if his ears were real. Despite her curiosity she never once mentioned Inuyasha in front of her father, and for that Kagome was grateful.

Now Kagome was standing in front of a small restaurant on a side of Tokyo she rarely visited waiting for Inuyasha to arrive and wondering what she was getting herself into. She neither saw nor heard him approach, but was visibly startled when he whispered into her ear.

“I see you made it, wench.”

When she turned around, Kagome’s heart skipped a beat. Dressed in more sophisticated clothes than the day at the park, Inuyasha exuded maturity and sexual appeal, both of which he had been lacking when Kagome had known him ten years ago. Old love and attraction flared up like a fire doused in gasoline and Kagome became weak in the knees.

Dinner was a tense affair. Kagome became increasingly aroused with every smirk, light touch and smoldering look. Inuyasha noticed it, loved it, and used it to his advantage, making it harder for her to maintain composure. Of course he was as turned on as she was, but 500 years of experience gave him an edge.

After dinner outside of the restaurant they made to say their goodbyes.

“Inuyasha, I had a lovely time. It was great to see you again and catch up.”

Kagome cringed inwardly at the polite and cliché words that spilled from her own mouth. It had only been ten years since she last saw him; why couldn’t she regain that level of comfort she used to have with him? If only he had come to her when the well closed, then they could have been together instead of meeting like this.

“As did I, Kagome.”

He could tell she was disturbed, and he knew if she left he’d never have an opportunity like this ever again. He could tell her the truth now, or they could pretend to be friends and she would just end up hating him anyway.

“Well, I should be going. I’ll call-” Kagome was cut off as Inuyasha swept her into his arms and held her close.

“Gods, Kagome. I’ve missed you. I’m sorry I didn’t come to you sooner.”

He nuzzled her neck and she stiffened.

He’s sorry? He’s sorry! I cried for five weeks straight and I thought he was dead, and all he can say is he’s sorry! I married Hojo because I thought I’d never find Inuyasha again, because if he was alive, he’d come to see me! Unless…

“Why did you not come to me Inuyasha? Did you not want to see me? Did I do something wrong?” Kagome’s voice became louder with each question. “Was I not good enough for you?”

“That’s not what-”

“It’s because I could never live up to your precious fucking Kikyou, wasn’t it? There’s always been something wrong with me that made you push me away!”

“Kagome, I-”

“No, I don’t want to hear it.”

She pushed him off and stomped her foot like a child. She knew he was lying to her. He only treated her as a means to an end. If he had loved her as much as she loved him, then he would have come to her sooner. Despite her anger she still couldn’t help but wonder if sex with him would be an improvement over the past five years with Hojo.

“You pushed me away every time we got close! I watched you murder poor Kohaku while you were transformed, and yet I still loved you. I would have done anything to be with you again. I thought you were dead! I thought I’d never see you again. If I had known I would have never… Hojo wouldn’t have meant… ten years… Fuck you, Inuyasha! For coming back into my life and messing with my head and ruining everything I worked so hard on! For being so damn sexy and mature and everything I could ever want in a man! And for making me want you again, after it took me years to get over you!”

Even though I’ve never gotten over you…

Kagome stormed over to Inuyasha and before he could decide what she was going to do, she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down into a searing kiss. Tongues and teeth and spit and hands sliding into hair and down to hips, Inuyasha forgot where he was and what he was going to say. He grabbed her up in his arms and, before she could protest, he had leapt up and they were flying over buildings.

Inuyasha’s blood was pumping and his mind was set on finding a quiet and secluded place. He wanted nothing more than to lose himself in her, if even for a short time. The scent on the air made it very obvious to him that she wanted it as badly as he did. It wasn’t long before he found a place to touch down.

Kagome was set upright on her feet only to be lifted up again by the back of her thighs and pressed between Inuyasha’s hard chest and a wall.

A hand slid up her skirt and ripped away her panties as she pulled desperately at the buttons on Inuyasha’s shirt, exposing the toned muscles and small nipples. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he fumbled with her blouse, pulling it up over her breasts and pulling her bra down so he could latch on to a nipple. She cried out when he nibbled softly and switched to the other breast, and then moved his hands down to open the front of his pants. Sparing her injury from his claws, he slid the back of a bent finger between her slick folds, spreading the wetness around and nudging her clitoris until she moaned a little louder.

She had little time to think before he was sliding into her, stretching her inside, spreading her behind with clawed hands, driving deep and hard. She clutched at his shoulders and gasped and panted against his neck. He adjusted his thrusts just slightly and white light exploded behind her closed eyelids, and then he was going at her deeper and harder, his claws digging into her ass. She managed to slide her hands into his shirt and around his shoulders to dig her nails in his back while he continued to hit that spot inside her that made her feel like she was the most alive and yet going to die all at the same time.

The pressure inside Kagome had finally built to breaking and when she came, her nails dug deep into Inuyasha’s back, dragging down over his shoulder blades. He felt her body lock down around him and seconds later he released into her, snarling and growling into her ear. When they both finally calmed down, Inuyasha set her lightly on her feet and Kagome leaned against the wall for support.

Oh Shit!

Fuck!

There was silence as clothes were returned to proper places and hair was smoothed down.

“Kagome, I shouldn’t… I’m sorry for-”

She was married. The knowledge bore down on him like a heavy weight. He had only wanted her and hadn’t thought about his actions.

“It’s not your fault.”

If he had just come to her sooner, she knew she would have never married Hojo. It was her fault for giving in so easily to something she wanted so much; her fault for not remembering her place.

“This was wrong. I made a mistake. I’ll leave you alone. I just want you to know that I did love you back then. I thought you were ten times better than Kikyou. I’m sorry for not coming to you before the wedding.”

A bitter pill to swallow, knowing she was just a quick fuck in an alley. He said it himself that he used to love her and if he treated her that way out of love, then what about now? Did he love her still, or had he just wanted to taste want he couldn’t have before?

“Shut up, Inuyasha. Just take me back to my car.”

He scooped her back up into his arms and, as he jumped back into the air towards the cars, Kagome turned her head away and refused to make eye contact. Minutes later he touched down next to his rental car and set her down.

Kagome walked off immediately, but not before Inuyasha caught the look of guilt and betrayal written across her face. He felt horrible knowing what he had just done. If it hadn’t been for him she’d have never cheated on her husband. Kagome just wasn’t that kind of woman. Knowing her as well as he did, he knew she’d carry the blame on her own shoulders.

He waited and watched until she got into her own car before he climbed in and drove away. It’d be better for both of them for him to just stay away and allow her to continue her life with Hojo without his interference.

Kagome sat in her car and cried for a good 30 minutes before she started the vehicle and made her way home.

He loved me… Oh gods, He loved me and I didn’t wait. I married a man I don’t love, and Inuyasha knew…What have I done?

Once home, she kissed her husband goodnight and feigned cramps to retire early to bed, a simple action that would become routine.

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When Inuyasha checked in on her two years later, she was living in the shrine again with her mother and daughter and her marriage to Hojo dissolved. He knew it was his fault, as so many of the things that had gone wrong in her life had been. He settled himself in Goshinboku and resumed his old pastime of watching and waiting for the right time to apologize, the right time to tell her the Truth, the right time to make her his.