You Win My Love by Sereia

Chapter 1

Author's musings: For Troll, get well soon!

Inspiration: "You Win My Love" by Shania Twain

..::**::..

"He actually expected me to get on the bus with him!"

Kagome's friends screeched in horror, Yuka even putting her hand on her chest before pretending to faint in her chair.

"He did!" Eri continued, waving her hands around to emphasize her point. "And then he was confused when I ended the date right there!"

Yuka groaned, then shook her head. "When will these boys learn that they need to have their own transportation if they want dates with women?" All four of them raised their glasses in unified agreement.

"Like, I'm not asking you to show up on a yacht, but at least have your own wheels," Eri said.

"Exactly! And it better be his name on the registration, not his parents'," Ayumi chimed in, launching into the memory of the first date she'd been on in college and how he'd had to cut it short because his mother needed to go grocery shopping.

It was times like this that Kagome was thankful the well hadn't closed.

She knew the time was fleeting, could feel the magic waning every time she passed through, but she'd take as many of these trips as she could before it did.

"What's your favourite way to travel, Kagome?"

"Flying," she said, her eyes becoming unfocused and dreamy before realizing what she'd said. "That is—"

"Damn, you need to marry rich if you want that. You got your eyes set on a private jet or something?" Yuka asked, swirling her wine around.

"Or a flight attendant," Eri grinned. All three women suddenly looked at each other, then leaned forward, their eyes wide. "Wait, are you dating a flight attendant?"

"What? No!" Kagome rolled her eyes. "When have I had time to date anyone?" Her friends continued to stare at her, their faces a mix of skepticism and intrigue.

"I hope when you do start dating someone, you'll let us interrogate him first," Ayumi said, leaning her chin in her palm. "Especially after that disaster in high school."

Yuka made a face. "Ugh, don't remind me! That two-timer was terrible."

"He wasn't that bad," she said automatically.

"Nuh-uh," Yuka cut in, "the person who cried over him more than once but still went back to him doesn't get a vote."

Kagome glared at her friend but kept her mouth shut. She knew her infatuation with Inuyasha had gone on for far too long, especially in the beginning, but they'd both grown a lot since she'd first fallen down the well. He was a different person now, and so was she.

"There's no way he'd be able to afford you a private jet, anyway."

"I told you, I'm not with—" But her friends had gone off on a tangent, trying to one-up each other with their best and worst dates, so Kagome just shook her head and sat back in her chair. They'd all graduated high school, but some things never changed, and for that, she was actually grateful.

Falling down the well and being thrust into one life or death situation after another had grated her nerves down to the bone, so although things had calmed down after the defeat of Naraku, it was nice to just relax with her friends and talk about nonsense once in a while.

Even though the conversations always ended up centred around her love life, or the apparent lack thereof. She was constantly correcting them, but they never seemed to believe her, their outings always ending with one of them slipping her the number of some new beau she just had to meet.

She could probably start her own dating website with how many people they'd tried to set her up with.

They meant well, and Kagome would never fault them for it, but she wondered what they'd say if they knew she was—

"Seriously though, Kagome," Yuka said, clinking their glasses together, "whoever you end up dating has to have his own car. It's an automatic red flag if he doesn't."

She managed to contain her laughter, biting the inside of her cheek as she raised her glass in a silent toast. "I'll remember that."

..::**::..

Kagome waved goodbye to her mother, promising to return when she could, then hurried to the well-house, not wasting any time before launching herself over the edge. The world erupted in a shimmering display of light and magic as the buzz of technology was replaced with clear blue skies.

No matter how many times she jumped, this would always be home.

She sucked in a cleansing breath before grabbing onto the inside of the well, a clawed hand reaching inside and lifting her the rest of the way.

"Welcome home, mate."

A cloud of youki was already forming beneath their feet, Sesshoumaru not bothering to set her down before rising into the sky. She pressed a kiss to his jaw, then wrapped both arms around his waist. "I missed you."

"You were only gone a few hours."

"Are you saying you didn't miss me?" she asked, relaxing against him.

"Your presence is always missed."

"That's what I thought." She tugged on a lock of his hair, kissing him thoroughly before nipping at his nose. "Next time, lead with that."

"As you wish." The flecks of crimson in his eyes promised retribution, but he simply nuzzled her temple, then turned his face to the west, intent on getting them both home. Wind whipped their hair around, his arm tightening around her as she leaned over the cloud, taking in the rolling landscapes below.

"Definitely better than a car."