It was two days later when her period finally came: just the faintest spot of red in the bridge of her underwear, but it was blood all the same. Though it was hardly a surprise based on all the symptoms she’d been suffering recently, Kagome’s throat still went dry at the sight. Dark anticipation bubbled within her as she went about her daily tasks in the village—all while mentally preparing herself for the inevitable confrontation with Inuyasha.
They had already gotten into it that morning over Kagome not picking out the right kind of sake for Shippou’s party that night. As soon as Inuyasha had come back from her mother’s house with the crate, she’d known exactly how the rest of the day’s interactions would go based off the scowl on his face. That evening, as they were getting ready to head over to Sango and Miroku’s place for the celebrations, Kagome finally broached the subject she’d been dreading.
“You want to leave for another week already?” Inuyasha said hotly. “You were just gone!”
“I wasn’t just gone,” Kagome bit out. “That was weeks ago. And you were the one who said it was fine if I wanted to go back!”
“Yeah, occasionally—I didn’t think it was going to be every month’s business.”
“And it isn’t. It’s only for a little while, until I’ve learned what I need. I’ve told you that a hundred times.”
“So now I’m stupid, huh?” Inuyasha glared. “Is that it?”
Kagome grit her teeth. “Did I say that? You’re being totally unreasonable…”
“I’m being unreasonable,” Inuyasha scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “That’s pretty rich, Kagome. You just can’t wait to get away from me, can you?”
As much as she had come to expect this barb from him, it still stung. “That’s not true.”
“Oh yeah?” Eyes glinting darkly, her husband stalked toward her. Kagome set her jaw as she stood her ground. “You’re always bitching about me not giving you enough space.” As if to reinforce the point, he got right up in her face, making her flinch. “So I leave you alone during the day, even though you’re my wife. I let you go off to that monastery or whatever, even though I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be traveling on your own. I even went away myself with Miroku and the others just a couple of days ago, but that’s still not good enough for you, is it?”
“You’re blowing this way out of proportion,” she shot back, her voice trembling with anger. “All I’m asking is to leave for another week to continue my training.”
Inuyasha’s eyes narrowed. “You’re asking, huh? Because it doesn’t sound like that to me. Did you even remember that there’s a new moon next week?”
Kagome blanched. Her chest constricted. She had not remembered…
He nodded bitterly, glancing away. “That’s what I thought.”
Since they’d gotten married, she and Inuyasha had always been together on the night of the new moon. To abandon him when he was at his most vulnerable was not something Kagome had ever intended to do. But she’d been so caught up with Sesshoumaru and the pact they’d made that she’d neglected to think of it. Still, her fertility schedule was just as fixed as the phases of the moon themselves.
“Inuyasha…I’m sorry—”
“If you’re really sorry,” Inuyasha said, skewering her with his gaze, “if you’re really asking for my permission, then don’t go next week.”
Heart aching, Kagome frowned, racking her brain for some excuse. “I have to go, Inuyasha. There’s—”
But already he was turning away from her, snatching up the crate of sake as he went. “Spare me, Kagome. Just do whatever the fuck you want. Like you always do.”
Raw-eyed, Kagome stared after him. Behind him, the curtain snapped shut against the frame. Bringing a trembling hand to her lips, she turned away at last, fighting back the tears she had no right to shed. Maybe she should skip the party tonight. But she knew that Shippou would be hurt if she didn’t show up to celebrate his achievements. Plus, Inuyasha would probably just view her absence as another slight against him.
Drawing in a bracing breath, she composed herself as best she could and set about getting dressed for the event. There was a certain kimono she had in mind—one she knew her husband approved of in particular, but she couldn’t remember where she’d stored it. Rifling through chest after chest, she finally knelt down before the last one. A relieved sigh left her as she located the dress at last.
Dark red and patterned with white blossoms, the kimono shimmered faintly as she ran her fingers over the silk. Lifting it out, rice paper wrapping and all, Kagome paused. A glimmer from the bottom of the chest had caught her eye. Numbly, she set the dress aside. The party and everything else was abruptly forgotten, as she reached forward, into the past once again.
Three weeks after her wedding, Kagome was still trying to figure out what to do with all the gifts she’d been given. Most were useless knick-knacks—charms and candles, ribbons and hairpins and jars of scent. Apparently everyone in Sengoku Jidai had felt it necessary to send the Shikon Miko a token of their regard. Sango and a few of the other village women had already discreetly had their pick of the goods. After that, Kagome’d managed to sell off a few things to traveling merchants, but a glut still remained.
It was troublesome to say the least. She and Inuyasha had even gotten into their first dispute as a married couple over all the clutter. Eager to keep the peace, Kagome had at last arrived at a solution. Out on the porch she was currently stacking up box upon box of authentic ancient Japanese ‘relics’ for her grandpa to sell at the shrine shop.
Puffing from exertion, she sat down on the last crate, dashing a sleeve across her sweaty brow. As her arm lowered, she saw a familiar figure standing before her.
“Oh,” she greeted in pleasant surprise. “Hi, Sesshoumaru.” Noting the small square package in his claws—no doubt a present for his ward—she waved off to the right with a smile. “Rin-chan should be back in a little while. She’s gone over to the next village with Shippou-kun, to help him practice one of his pranks.” At the daiyoukai’s frown, Kagome quickly added, “Inuyasha’s supervising, of course.”
“I will see her another day.” Extending the parcel toward her, Sesshoumaru said, “This is for you.”
Blinking, she accepted the little square. “For me?”
“A marriage gift,” Sesshoumaru explained shortly. “Rin said that it was customary.”
Kagome was speechless—even more so when she pulled loose the gold thread holding the silk square closed. Inside was a necklace unlike any she’d ever seen before. It was silver in color, but brighter somehow than any metal that she knew. A teardrop of pure, glistening moonstone dripped from its fine shimmering chain. The necklace was so beautiful she hesitated even to touch it, and so she just stared down at it in stunned disbelief.
“It does not please you,” Sesshoumaru said after a while, sounding just the slightest bit uneasy as he reached out to take the gift back.
“No!” Kagome exclaimed, clutching the tiny parcel to her chest. “It’s just…I’ve never received anything like this before.”
Sesshoumaru’s wedding present made the shiny gold band on her finger look like a dull piece of junk. Her heart pounded as she looked longingly at the necklace again. She couldn’t believe he’d given her something like this…it was too much. And she wouldn’t be the only one who thought so. Inuyasha was already picky about what she wore. There was absolutely no way he’d be okay with her sporting a piece of jewelry like this—especially considering who she’d received it from.
Really, she should give the necklace back. She could never wear it, and even to keep it felt wrong somehow.
But Kagome held it to her anyway as she met her brother-in-law’s unfathomable gaze. “It’s lovely, Sesshoumaru. Thank you.”
And it was lovely. Lovelier even than she remembered, as she once again pulled open the silk case that concealed it. In the three years since Sesshoumaru had gifted it to her, she had never worn it—had never even touched it, until now. The delicate silvery links flowed over her hand like water as she lifted the necklace before her. The opalescent pendant was eerily lustrous, even in the gloom of the hut.
It was without a doubt of youkai craftsmanship. Kagome didn’t sense any enchantment, but the urge to wear it felt strangely beyond her control. Slipping the necklace over her head, she pulled her unbound hair aside. The chain rested coolly against the back of her neck. The teardrop pendant hung low on her chest. Parting open her thin white yukata, she watched the gleaming stone settle between her breasts. Her nipples hardened at the weight and chill of it against her skin.
There was something uncanny about this necklace—something vaguely sensual in the length and shape of it. Even the cut and color of the gemstone seemed suggestive as Kagome skimmed a nail along one milky, iridescent curve. Studying the necklace still, she lay back. The silver chain snaked over the swell of her breast as the falling pendant dragged it aside.
Loosening the sash of her yukata further, she brought the warmed, smooth stone to the bare peak of her nipple. The fingers at her waist slipped lower as she did. Beneath the lacy material of her panties, she stroked lightly through the soft curls above her sex. The pendant bobbed against her dusky, puckered flesh with every breath. Even with a tampon in, she could feel the wetness seeping from her entrance. Her fingers parted through her folds in a crude V-shape, retracing the pattern Sesshoumaru’s claws had taken.
There was no penetration. Just the light, tantalizing caress of her fingers over her inner lips as she gradually worked her way back to the top. At the first touch to her quivering, eager nub, Kagome gasped and arched. The chain drew deliciously taut over the fullness of her chest. Each brush of her fingertips cinched her tighter. One firm press to the nexus of her pleasure was all she needed now.
But instead, her hand reached lower, gripping the string of her tampon and pulling it from her as she popped the pale, teardrop pendant into her mouth. As her fingers plunged into her soft wet heat, her tongue worked over the slick hard surface of the stone. Her teeth grazed it as the heel of her hand grazed her overwrought nub. She gripped the chain close about her. The pressure mounted in her core and in her throat as she remembered the look in his eyes when she’d thanked him—
A look she’d stowed away into the shadows, along with the necklace he’d given her. A look she’d buried instead of forgetting. A look that was making her walls clench as hard as her lungs as she brought herself to shameful, empty completion.
Feeling ill in the wake of it, Kagome curled onto her side. The pendant dropped bitterly from her lips as she released her hold on the chain at her throat. As the red haze of her orgasm subsided, she pushed herself shakily upright. Wrenching the necklace over her head, she shoved it back down into the darkness once more.
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Revised 7/27/22
today i did a little reread of this series. i found funny that kagome was never clear about the pact, she asked for a baby and nothing more. also, last explicit chapters were the first time sesshoumaru touched her breast lmao, now figures why he was so antsy about it! maybe there will be another first soon? maybe a KISS??? lol wishful thinking.
im glad that kagome is somehow back to the “im attracted and i recognize his want” thing. more denial would be too much denial. not saying that she should take decisions or leave inuyasha or anything (not really – she should. but you have to continue breaking our hearts yet!) but come on, last explicit chapter was as real as it can get (not really, make it realer!! lol).
of course i was touched af with the necklace thing, and i melted when i thought she was gonna wear it. id love to see sesshomaru reaction to that <\3 any
of the sesshomaru looks or attentions to her has me melting.
the fight with inuyasha tho *gross sobbing*. it hurts me to read them like this. im guessing that she is keen on that week bc of fertility? anyway that ultimatum got me. inuyasha is somewhat of an ass, but he also got a point. also kagome is a cheater so either way she is on the wrong here, lol. i want to grab her and shake her lmao.
thanks for the update!!!
hey Junot! thanks so much! <3 absolutely love reading your observations about the nature of the pact and Kagome's character!! 🙂
so glad you liked the bit w/ the necklace! and yeah, the fight with inuyasha...gah, it pains me to even write such scenes. been re-watching the anime, and i feel myself falling in love w/ the poor guy all over again - hate to torment him, but it's the nature of the fic lol
I love the fact that the excuse he gives her for the gift is that Rin said it is customary. But the kind of gift he gives her is very sentimental and intimate. When you give a wedding gift it should be for both the bride and the groom not just the bride, which I am sure he knew, that made me chuckle. His slight uneasy when he thought she didn’t like it made me go awww. It kind of made me think though, that his wedding gift is a gift he would give her if she was marrying him….
even Sesshoumaru’s confidence must get a little shaken sometimes <3
absolutely enjoyed reading your analysis of this flashback scene 🙂 thanks so much!!