The Gift

The Gift
By Smittin Kittin
I Never Thought I’d See The Day
Chapter one

First off… Kitty does not own Inuyasha or any related characters they belong to Rumiko Takahashi Shogakukan Publishing, and VIZ. No one pays me to corrupt my favorite inuhanyou. Kitty does it 4 her own twisted pleasure & yours of course.
Title: The Gift

Author: Smittin Kittin

Summary: Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, & Miroku are all afraid or true intimacy despite their various sexual or romantic ties. In an odd twist of fait they all end up seeing someone they thought they knew in a different light & are forced 2 re-evaluate their views on love & relationships. Once all the players have encountered one other and realize they have pre-existing relationships with other people in this small group it becomes complicated. As each person tries to figure out exactly who and what they want, the lines between friendship love and commitment become blurred. All in all it as a complex tale of self discovery and lessons in love

Rating: NC -17 for language & adult content

Pairing(s): Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku…not necessarily in that order & with quite a bit of bed hopping to boot! ^_^


Feedback: feel free 2 let me know what u think! All reviews are appreciated but not demanded! If u want to leave a review great if not I hope u enjoy the fic & appreciate u reading just the same!

Characters: mostly listed above with a few additions.

Betas: I'd like 2 take a min 2 thank my newest bets 4 helping me out so quickly! To all those that offered me help in the past… if ur still interested please do contact me again (sigh) crazy as it sounds I’m actually doing rewrites on completed fics as well as new chaps of several in progress, I even have a few new ones brewing (shakes head) I know! Anyway before I totally drown the fabulous people willing 2 help me I’m all about outsourcing some of the bulk 2 grammar nitpicks w/free time. Ok that’s it no more shameless begging. Enjoy.

I still don’t own Inuyasha or any related characters. Are you happy now cuz I'm not

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Kagome sat at the smooth lacquered desk deep in thought, today was her birthday and birthdays were supposed to be happy, so why was she so miserable?

Blinking back tears Kagome banished the depressing train of thought and glanced at the Hello Kitty clock innocently perched atop her vanity. The shiny cotton candy pink alarm clock stood out in contrast to the budding collection of womanly things that the young shrine maiden had neatly arraigned on the antique cherry wood dressing table that her mother had gifted her with the day she’d moved out. The pink and purple timepiece with the smiling white kitten on top didn’t quite mix in amongst the ornate jewellery boxes and crystal figurines, but it was a birthday gift from her grandfather so Kagome proudly displayed it, or at least she didn’t hide it in the back of her closet alongside her old school uniform and ballet slippers.

An apologetic grin turned the corners of her mouth as the self-conscious miko repositioned a few perfume bottles so they sat just in front of the novelty clock. Kagome patted the plastic moulded kitten head and wondered when her gramps would realise that she was a mature woman living on her own, not a five year old away at camp. At least this year’s present isn’t mummified… The shrine priestess shuddered recalling the last gift she’d received from the elder Higurashi. We really should close gramps eBay account. She thought catching site of the brightly coloured strawberry shortcake sheets peeking out from beneath her comforter. Kagome flushed a light shade of pink. Ok, so maybe mature is an overstatement and I am living with a roommate. She reminded herself before quickly smoothing the flatiron over the last sections of her dark tresses.

Kagome’s hair had grown over the years. Once an unruly mess, unkempt strands of frizzy waves, but she had learned the value of the styling products that helped to give her a more polished look. Her appearance wasn’t the only thing that changed. Kagome had matured quite a bit over the last four years. Gone was the happy-go-lucky free spirited girl of her youth, replaced with a serious minded soon to be professional. This time next year, Kagome would be teaching religious Mythology to honors freshmen at Westfield Academy.

She sighed staring at her reflection. Next fall when classes commence Kagome wouldn’t be that much older than her students, but the shy miko feared she’d have far less life experience than her young scholars. The shrine priestess looked forward to sharing her knowledge of the myths and legends that had been passed down in her family for generations. Few people had any real appreciation for the old folklore anymore so she’d been thrilled to find out that a prominent private school had revised there curriculum and were seeking an experienced professor to educate future theology majors in the traditions of ancient miko’s. Kagome had been a bit surprised when the dean called to offer her the position. The first time job applicant was certain that her interview had not gone well though she suspected the true reason for her being hired had more to do with her credentials as an actual shrine educate miko than her lacklustre résumé.

Kagome sat up straight checking her reflection in the mirror, in a year’s time she’d be a full fledged adult with a career and husband all her own. Yes, in a little less than twelve months Kagome Higurashi would be living the dream. The only problem being that the dream wasn’t her dream, Kagome was struggling to find happiness in someone else’s fantasies. Sadness hid the bright flecks of gold dust in her usually sparkling eyes.

A shrill ring interrupted Kagome’s thoughts. The young woman stared at the phone narrowing her eyes at the devise as if it were the source of her frustration. With a resolute sigh, Kagome retrieved her phone; quickly glancing at the caller ID, she briefly considered not answering the call. After a brief moment of indecision, she picked it up bringing the receiver to her ear. “Hello Hojo.” Her voice was even controlled, no hint of the emotional upset that had decided her plans for the evening.

“Higurashi, are you feeling better?” Hojo asked his tone clipped with irritation. Oh how she hated when he called her by her last name.

Kagome asked him about it once, saying it was ridiculous to be so formal when they’d been dating for over a year. Hojo simply smiled down at her his voice taking on a tone adults reserved for curious children and she cringed. Hojo Nakamura promptly informed his unsuspecting fiancé that he would not be continuing his family’s tradition of befalling their first born son with his mother’s maiden name and that in a few years when Kagome became his wife her last name would be lost to her anyway Kagome had been heart broken. Though her younger brother would be the one to carry on the family name, as the elder of the two siblings and the only one to inherit any spiritual powers associated with the family line, Kagome was less than pleased at the prospect of discarding her father’s name.

That memory served to further irritate the silently fuming miko. “I’m fine Hojo I was perfectly fine when we spoke this afternoon.” She replied allowing a bit of her anger to seep into her tone.

The man on the other end of the line remained silent for a long moment and Kagome began to wonder if he’d even been listening to her. She exhaled a breath and closed her eyes. An apology was in order and though the start of this argument was not her fault Kagome was prepared to be the one to end it. The kind priestess hated arguing with Hojo it made her feel guilty as if she were somehow being ungrateful.

Kagome Higurashi, well respected amongst her peers and envied by friends and classmates was a creation of her meticulous fiancé not a product of the natural evolution of her persona. She’d risen to the top of her class scholastically as well as socially largely due to Hojo’s influence and guidance. Her then boyfriend had often scolded Kagome about slacking off in her studies insisting that the girl needed to buckle down and get serious about her future.

Hojo’s quiet admonishment of her lackadaisical study habits had often been an obstacle in the young couple’s relationship. On occasion, it had caused Kagome to doubt Hojo’s love for her. Her anal-retentive fiancé was devoted and kind if not a bit tyrannical in overseeing her education. Though there were times when Hojo seemed more like a parental figure than her soon to be husband. Kagome supposed that was why she eventually gravitated towards him. She didn’t really have many memories of her father and had always felt that she had somehow missed an important aspect of childhood do to his premature death. It had been nice in the beginning having Hojo to look after her. He was nurturing if a bit stern, but being with him had always made Kagome feel cared for cherished even, but in recent months, she’d begun to feel suffocated by his constant tutoring. After all, she was a grown woman living on her own not a child to be sent to her room in the family shrine.

“Look Hojo, I’m sorry I really don’t want to argue with you. It’s my birthday after all… we should be celebrating.” A frown drew down the corners of her mouth. Hojo’s not being available to celebrate her birthday had been the start of their disagreement.

“Good, I’m glad to see your finally behaving with some maturity Higurashi.”

Kagome gnashed her teeth together anger returning at his condescending remark.

Hojo continued on oblivious to the negative reaction of the woman with whom he was speaking “Further more, that little tantrum you threw at my office was quite embarrassing you should spend some time thinking of an appropriate way to redeem yourself in the eyes of my colleagues.”

Kagome could feel her cheeks warm as an angry blush coloured her face. He was doing it again treating her like a child, dismissing her feelings. Hojo was more concerned with corporate etiquette than the fact that he’d driven his long time girlfriend to tears. Kagome’s grip tightened on her phone as her patience ran out.

“Do you really expect me to spend my birthday worrying about what to say to your boss at the next picnic?” She was outdone, of all the stupid things to be worried about.

Hojo sighed and Kagome could imagine him straitening the knot in his tie a tell tale sign that he was angry with her.

“Higurashi, let’s not start this again. Why don’t you make yourself a cup of chamomile tea and take a nice soothing bath. I’ll come over when I’m done here and we can discuss this at length.”
Kagome snorted, discuss this at length was code for lecture you until you agree to do things my way. Kagome was in no mood to be talked down to she had gotten enough of that at his office.

“You know what Hojo, don’t bother coming over, I won’t be here when you do.” Kagome’s voice strained and she bit her bottom lip trying hard not to cry.

The man on the other end of the line sighed audibly, a display of his displeasure. “I’m growing tired of your antics. Quit being childish Higurashi, there’s nothing to cry about. You’re just hormonal. Did you start taking those herbs I got you to ease your mood swings?”

Kagome all but growled into the phone angry tears welling up in her dark eyes. “I am not hormonal! It’s my birthday Hojo, so I can cry if I want to and my name is Kagome! KA-GO-ME!!!” She screamed slamming the phone back into its cradle. Tears of frustration spilled down her cheeks as she grabbed her car keys and stormed out the door decision made. She’d take Sango up on her offer. Just because Hojo didn’t think her birthday was important didn’t mean she had to sit at home and do nothing. For the first time in over two years, Kagome Higurashi was going to relax and have fun without thought to consequence or Hojo Nakamura.