As Kaori went off to sweep the woods, Kagome glanced sidelong at Inuyasha. “So, you and Sango-chan got married, huh?” Inuyasha scratched behind a silver ear, not quite looking at her. “Not right away or anything,” he muttered, flushing high on the bones of his cheeks again. “It wasn’t like that. She and the kids

“Oh,” Kagome said, faltering.  At her bereft expression, Inuyasha’s ears went flat. Thunderously, he glowered. “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.”  “Inuyasha—” “You’re tellin’ me after all this time,” he exploded, gnashing his fangs in Kagome’s face so hard she winced, “after all this time, he’s still givin’ you and Shin the slip? Seven fucking

Holding Kagome’s eye for a beat, Inuyasha nodded. She could see that he believed this, too. Or rather, that he believed in her. He always had. Through thick and through thin, he had never lost faith in her. Even now, after all that had come to pass between them. To see this unwavering belief in

Inuyasha pursed his lips. Drawing Tessaiga from its sheath with a soft hiss, he held it out toward his starry-eyed nephew blade-flat. Shin eyed the chipped and rusted sword over, then frowned. “That’s your sword, oyaji? It looks like an old piece of crap.” “Shin,” Kagome said sternly. Shin tossed her an apologetic glance. “An

“Someone to protect,” Kagome said, with a wistful smile. She glanced toward Inuyasha, whose back was still turned. His head was bowed, his ears slightly dipped. She opened her mouth again to call him back from his ruminations, when a girl’s high, bright voice beat her to it, calling out from the edge of the