Happy Thank#Fuck it's Friday! Have a snippet to celebrate!
From a random one shot I'm working on for @coquinespike.
A loud bang on the wooden wall of the well house made her jump. âI can't let you just run around without me. Who knows what could be out there! Itâs dark!â
Kagome blinked up at him, finally taking note of his proximity, the clenching of his fist on the wall by her head. How had she missed him backing her toward the wall? He felt so much taller than her in that moment of realization, a fact that she often ignored because she was on his back, or he leaned down to go toe to toe with her. Someone else might have felt fear in her position. He was bigger, infinitely stronger, and had a temper!
Kagome only felt momentary heat followed by embarrassmentâŠ
âAre you even listening to me?â he snarled, almost nose to nose with her. Only to blink at the flush on her cheeks, rearing back just a hair. âKagome?â
She swallowed hard, trying to come up with some kind of response. âI-Itâs the shrine. Nothing is out there, Inuyasha.â He frowned. âIâve lived here my whole life,â she reminded him a little breathlessly, âand the most dangerous thing here is you.â
âDangerous? Me?â he responded a little smugly, but the look faded as he glanced up and down, also seemingly noticing their position for the first time.
When they first met, Kagome bitch slapped Koga and bluntly told him she was involved with someone else. Who on earth interprets that as âleading him onâ??? Kagome not wanting to watch Koga get killed on the spot also doesnât count as âleading him on,â jeezum criminy.
As for Hojo: they went on one date (after Kagome thought she was permanently trapped in her own time), and then Hojo pretty much gets forgotten by Rumiko Takahashi entirely. Like, can anyone even remember a scene heâs actually in after that one date?? Because I canât. In the manga heâs basically a non-entity lol. I think itâs really just anime filler where he shows up. And to suggest that Kagome âlead someone onâ after one date seems awfully silly to me. đ€·đœââïž
What do you think about the argument that Kagome âled Koga and Hojo on?â
I donât know which author needs to hear this right now but even if you never update your wip i would never regret reading it a time of joy is never wasted
Late, but Iâve been dying to make some work for @kagomes-hanakotobamatsuri ! Here's to make up for Week 1 where I chose the red hibiscus to represent passion. Along with it I wrote a (kinda spicy) little prologue to this piece, which I'm now titling Genki. This can stand alone though!
Genki, The Prologue
Word Count: 933
This was a remarkably dumb idea. That thought briefly flitted about in Kagomeâs mind, but was overshadowed by the vodka-induced adrenaline telling her to go for it. She was in her final semester of university. Sheâd been stressed and uptight and severely lacking a social life or any real kind of self-indulgence for over a year now, and once this break was over, she would return to Tokyo and strap in for the toughest final stretch of her academic career. Her friends had pestered her nonstop about what a shut-in sheâd become, and Kagome was tired of being known as the groupâs wet blanket. So tonight, just tonight, she would allow herself to have fun.Â
And tonight, at this random party in Osaka, fun was a very attractive guy that she dragged into a corner to make out with aggressively. He was so prettyâat least thatâs what she believed. Her eyes were closed and she was pretty drunk, so maybe he was average looking in sobering daylight, but perhaps not. He was admittedly a clumsy kisser, shy and cute, and somehow that was turning her on more.Â
She didnât ask his name, nor did she give hers. It went against all her instincts. She was always known for forming connections and bonding with people. Her friends told her she wasnât the type to throw caution to the wind. Sheâd never have a wild hookup. Sheâd always been so responsible. Kagome didnât take pride or shame in that as an attribute, but god she hated being told what she wasnât capable of. She was capable of dressing up and going out, she was capable of drinking too much and loosening up, and she was absolutely capable of finding a hot guy to have sex with in a closet. And she was here now in her skimpy red dress to prove it.Â
âIs this a good idea?â The hot stranger asked, panting as Kagome hiked up her skirt and began fumbling with his jeans.Â
âI donât know. I donât want to think tonight.â She finally got the button undone and pulled his pants down.Â
âYouâre okay with this? I think weâre bothââ
She shoved her mouth on his fervently, tongue thrusting back into his mouth, hoping she could convince him to shut up before he made too much sense.Â
âDrunk,â he finished, but sounded out of breath and dopey.Â
âIâm okay with this.â He was single. He said he was clean. Those were the only two extra qualifiers that she had needed before she threw herself into his arms. âYou want me?âÂ
It was apparently a struggle for him to answer her properly when her hand was already in his boxers, but he managed a, âYes,â into her shoulder as she pushed them down.Â
They were in a closet for heavenâs sake. There wasnât much time or space, but Kagome was wasted and determined as she wrangled them onto the floor, straddling him in the cramped space.Â
âGood, because I want you,â she confessed into the crook of his neck.Â
Apparently that hit some kind of switch, because at that moment he grabbed her hip with one hand, and yanked her panties aside with the other, entering her with a groan.
âOh! Oh yes.â She threw her head back as she clung to his shoulders. They werenât wasting any time. âYes, yes, yes!â It was amazing. Sheâd never felt this hot in her life. âHow is this so good?âÂ
âNo clue,â he replied. âItâs you, I swear. Or the alcohol.âÂ
She wouldâve laughed or thanked him or something, but she was so caught up in the moment that she simply nodded. In the darkness, every sensation seemed to multiplyâthe squeeze of his hands, the heat of his lips, the oh so satisfying way he fit into her.Â
âYes! There! There, there!â It only took a few minutes of rocking up and down, but Kagome was so turned on that she reached her peak just moments later. âSo good. Youâre incredible!â
In turn he finished to her encouraging moans.Â
And that was that. After only a brief moment to collect her breath, Kagome kissed his cheek sweetly. âThank you. That was amazing. That was just what I needed and so much more.âÂ
âY-youâre welcome,â she couldnât make out his expression in the dark, but his voice was shaky. Â
âDo you mind staying back for a minute? I⊠Iâm trying to prove something dumb to my friends, so Iâve got to disappear.âÂ
âYou have to?â He was so cute that Kagome almost gave in and asked his name, but she was stubbornly holding onto her pride, so she got up before this turned into something more. It would be just like her to get all mushy and exchange numbers and make it all romantic. No. Not this time.Â
âI have to,â she confirmed. âBut itâs not because of anything you did wrong. Youâre really wonderful and you seem very nice.âÂ
âYou too.âÂ
âToo nice, according to my friends. Nice and boring.âÂ
âYou ainât boring, thatâs for sure.âÂ
She giggled. âJust for tonight.â
âLucky me.âÂ
âIâm glad you think so. Iâm really happy it was you, for the record. I hope you donât feel like I used you, whoever you are, hot stuff.âÂ
He almosted coughed at the nickname. âYou made my night, I promise. Get out there and give âem hell.âÂ
Kagome nodded, her legs a little wobbly. Then she turned the knob and let herself out, emerging smug and satisfied, but with a slight pang in her heart for the guy sheâd left in the closet.Â
In today's episode of Shut Up Robin, Nobody Cares:
InuKag bickering is so good because it's deeply telling of how comfortable InuYasha and Kagome are with each other at almost every stage of their relationship.
I mean, don't get me wrong, it doesn't feel great to be in conflict with a loved one, even in a secure relationship. But being able to navigate conflict together in a way that eventually leads toward understanding and compromise is the sign of a strong relationship. Arguing is often a step in that process.
Which is why I find InuKag arguments absolutely, lip-smackingly delicious.
When they first meet, their arguments have the distinct flavor of, "I don't like you and I don't care what you think about me." Which is an excellent vintage tbh, full-bodied flavor with refreshing tartness. đđ There's something so intrinsically entertaining about watching early-series InuKag butt heads, all the while knowing they eventually get married. And because early-series InuKag doesn't especially care about the other person's opinion of them, they don't hold back: there's no politeness barrier between them, there's no equivocating or filtering. They just have at it. They're not afraid to be themselves around each other, even when they dislike each other.
Then when their friendship begins to formâstage two InuKag đâtheir bond is forged from the two-pronged fire of 1) having each other's backs in life-or-death situations, and 2) experiencing the humdrum quotidian moments that come with traveling together all day, every day for long stretches of time. I've talked about this before, but I love how they know all the dumb little things about each other that you only learn from prolonged proximity: they know the timbre of each other's snores at night; they know how long the other can go without food before hangry-ness rears its head; they know which posture signals irritation or exhaustion, which facial expression signals daydreaming contemplation or a playful mood; they know which jokes will get a laugh and which insults will get the sharpest glances; the little intimacies abound!
By the friendship stage, InuKag bickering takes on a slightly different flavor. There's still that unfiltered, no-holds-barred vibe about them (because they're so used to being blunt with each other), but it also has the tenor of easy familiarity. Friends falling into the same low stakes argument they've had a hundred times already. There's not often any real heat or tension to the bickering, it's more like rote muscle memory. And when they do have real arguments, with real tension and emotional stakes?? It's delicious precisely because there are emotional stakes now! Goodbye, "I don't care what you think about me," hello, "I care so much what you think and I hate it and you're going to hear about it." It's still arguing InuKag, but with different emotional fuel sparking the arguments. Now there's affection and trust underpinning their unfiltered way with each other. It's mmm mmm good! I can eat it up all day.
And as the series progresses, and InuKag begin to develop obvious romantic interest in each otherâstage three InuKag, yes it's terminalâthe flavor of the arguments gets deeper because now those emotional stakes? They're even higher. And yet despite the higher stakes and the messy complications, they're still not afraid to butt heads. They're not afraid to be blunt and hash things out. I love this example of InuYasha's hack-and-slash style of conflict resolution. If there's a wall between him and resolving the tension, he'll just punch his way through it. đ Another favorite of mine is this banger scene where Kagome bluntly calls InuYasha out on his jealousy.
But probably my favorite stage three InuKag fight scene is this one, from chapter 310:
(Full scene here.)
Man, it's so good! Kagomeâafter taking pains to save Kikyo, who then essentially taunts her for itâstarts to feel angry and resentful and then wallops InuYasha with those feelings. (Before any haters pipe in: characters need to make mistakes sometimes. This is one such occasion. Let the 15-year-old girl character make a mistake ffs.) And what does InuYasha do? He sticks around so they can hash it out. The best panels in this chapter are Kagome thinking, "He probably hates me now," only for her to look up and see him right beside her. He can handle her mistakes and flaws, because he knows Kagome. They've spent 300 chapters building trust in each other, and we see the fruit of that here. InuYasha knows very well that Kagome cares for himâcares so much that she's risked her life for him many times over by now, and cares so much that she just saved her own romantic rival partly for InuYasha's sake (but largely because she's just a good person). I think that's why he handles this moment with pretty good composure. He knows Kagome doesn't actually hate him, briefly hurtful as that comment surely was. So he waits until she's processed her feelings a bit more, and they talk it out. (While we're here: I really like that he's sitting close to her but is facing away from her, like he's trying to give her the space/privacy she needs to process her feelings without actually leaving her alone... ugh I love it.)
Notice how, even in the midst of this fight, they start checking in with each other, putting the other person's interest before their own. Kagome sincerely urges InuYasha not to "hold back," the subtext of which reads to me: "Don't let my outburst tie you down, please do what you need to do." InuYasha responds in kind (his subtext reads to me: "Be honest, don't just put on a brave face for me") and also reassures Kagome's underlying anxiety. When he says, "You saved Kikyo, right? Then she'll be fine, I'm not going after her," he's speaking directly to the source of Kagome's insecurityâhe's telling her in no uncertain terms that concern for Kikyo's safety was his only motive for seeking her out. Now that he knows Kikyo has been healed and isn't in imminent danger, he's not going after her. Again, he is intentionally addressing what he knows to be the source of Kagome's outburst when he says, "You healed Kikyo? Then I don't need to see her." To me, his message is pretty clear: "I wasn't looking for Kikyo for the reasons you think."
Like! Look at them! Openly and honestly communicating! Messily sharing their feelings! Resolving conflict and talking shit out! They've come so far. đ„č
These stage three InuKag fights feel different than their early-series fights, and they should! InuKag have built trust and love, but with that love comes vulnerability. It's the people we love who have the power to hurt us most. So even while InuKag have fundamental trust in each other, they're both aware that their feelings come with greater potential to hurt each other. And watching them navigate that tension and that duality together? MMM MMM GOOD.
Like truly, InuKag fights at every stage of their relationship are my favorite thing, it's all such good food.