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It was a bad idea.
Actually, it was a fantastic idea, but it involved the last person he wanted to associate with, so technically, that made it a bad idea.
Groaning, Inuyasha dragged a hand down his face. He'd been pacing on the wolf's front step for nearly five minutes, trying to build up the nerve to knock on the door, and every passing second made his agitation worse.
The last five hundred years had done them both good, especially since they'd had little to no contact. He'd tracked him down before the bombings, knowing Kagome would never forgive him if he didn't, and the bastard had barely made it out in time because he'd thought he was trying to horn in on his territory.
Moron.
Inuyasha yanked at his hair, ears pressed down against his head. He had to do this. Kagome deserved her happy ending.
And so did his brother.
The bastard had done a one-eighty after the battle with Naraku, providing for the village in more ways than one. Inuyasha had thought it was because of Rin, but after she passed, Sesshoumaru had stuck around, even going as far as to help them all relocate when a fire decimated everything in a ten-kilometre radius. Not even his forest had been left standing, and the villagers had been left with nothing until his brother had offered them all residence in his shiro.
Inuyasha had been on edge for months, wondering when he would start asking for compensation, but it never came. Even Jaken had told him to get over himself, squawking about his lord's generosity.
It wasn't until modern schools had emerged that Inuyasha realized why. Actually, it wasn't until Sesshoumaru had grabbed the arm of a girl who looked suspiciously like Kagome, uniform and all, that it had been glaringly obvious.
Apparently, he wasn't the only person she'd made an impression on.
Inuyasha had ripped him a new one, yelling at him for hours about how stupid he was for not saying anything sooner. It wouldn't have made a difference back then, but they could've combined their resources to look for her now.
As it was, they weren't the first ones to find her. Which was another reason this was a bad idea. The fuckin' wolf had had scouts out for years, keeping track of all the local shrines and anyone with the last name Higurashi. They'd found Souta first, coming across him at a soccer match, and he'd been stupid enough to lead them back home.
The wolf was damn lucky he hadn't fucked up the timeline.
No, he'd just kept the information to himself for close to five years, hoarding her attention even though he knew damn well where the rest of them were. Only the fact that Mama H had been present had stopped him from doing permanent damage to his smug face when they'd discovered her location.
Kagome had also chastised Kouga, forcing him to leave with his tail between his legs, but they'd soon made up after that. The bastard had integrated himself into her life, claiming the role of best friend throughout her college years and even chasing away a few red flags. He'd tried to chase Sesshoumaru away, too, but after Inuyasha had conveniently let it slip that Sesshoumaru was the reason so many hanyou had survived persecution, she'd looked at him with renewed acceptance. Kagome had this innate ability to see the good in people.
It helped that he'd saved her a few times, too, cementing her initial thoughts of there being more to him than just a cold-blooded purist. She enjoyed rubbing it in his face whenever she commented on how well the brothers got along, but Inuyasha only pretended to let it bother him.
The woman had done more for demon-kind than anyone knew, and Inuyasha wouldn't have been as well-adjusted or even alive if it hadn't been for her.
Hence why he was still standing on Kouga's doorstep.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
If his brother messed this up, he was going to kill him.
Grinding his teeth together, he banged on the door, shoving his hands into the pocket of his hoodie to stop him from brandishing his claws. He slowly counted to ten, hand raised to knock again when the door finally opened, startled blue eyes staring at him in shock.
"The hell do you want?" Kouga demanded.
Inuyasha reminded himself who he was there for and why it mattered. "I need a favour."
"This is not a good idea," Sesshoumaru said, gripping the handle of his suitcase.
"Course not. But it's the only one I've got, so fucking deal with it," Inuyasha replied.
His brother was a nervous wreck, to the point where Inuyasha had threatened to knock his ass out and throw him into the room himself. The onsen hotel they'd chosen was built directly into the mountain and owned by descendants of Shippou and Souten. They'd owned it themselves at one point but had retired from the business almost a century prior, content to let their grandchildren run things while they travelled the world.
Inuyasha had pretended the trip was for Kagome's birthday, claiming the all-expenses-paid vacation was back pay for all the ones he'd missed. Sesshoumaru was paying for himself, but Inuyasha was covering Kouga's end of it—part of his payment for him agreeing to the stupid idea in the first place.
Kagome had made comments about how she'd always thought he and the flea-bitten mongrel would make a good couple, and he knew the only way she'd spend any time with Sesshoumaru was if she had a reason to leave Inuyasha and Kouga to their own devices. So, in his ludicrous plan of getting her to notice his brother, he'd somehow convinced Kouga to pretend her predictions were correct.
His ears were still ringing from the squeal she'd let out when he'd told her.
They only had to pretend for this trip. It was up to Sesshoumaru to put the moves on her while they were here, and then he and Kouga could go back to hating each other. Two adjoining rooms had specifically been booked for Kagome and his brother and then a single one for him and the wolf.
He'd also told Sesshoumaru that he better be the best man at their wedding for having to spend three days pretending he enjoyed Kouga's company. It only proved his point when Sesshoumaru gave him an odd look and asked him who else his best man would be.
Sly fucker would be the death of him yet.
He sensed Kouga before they arrived, his youki slithering up his back in a sign of dominance, and it took everything in him not to throw his bag at him when he sauntered up, arm linked with Kagome. Her eyes were bright with excitement, cooing about the architecture. Kouga and Inuyasha locked eyes, and Kouga resigned himself to what the weekend would entail, releasing Kagome to sling his arm around Inuyasha's shoulders.
Claws pierced his palm, instincts screaming at him to push him away. It wasn't even about Kouga forcing his alpha status onto him; something about his scent put his own youki in turmoil.
Kagome smiled cheekily at them, then greeted Sesshoumaru, who inclined his head, expression softening. It was a wonder she didn't know.
"Three days?" Kouga whispered.
"Three days," he echoed, walking toward the front desk. Let the soon-to-be lovebirds catch up when he got them checked in. They were going to need every chance they got. Kouga continued to hold onto him as he spoke to the front desk agent, handing over his card and providing contact information. She kept glancing at the pair, not giving Inuyasha the chance to shove the wolf away.
"Alright, you're all checked in," she said, handing him four key cards. "Two adjoining rooms and one separate. All with queen-sized beds."
Inuyasha's head jerked up. "The separate room is supposed to have two doubles," he said.
The agent frowned, then tapped a few commands into her computer. "No, they're all single, queen-sized beds."
"That's not what the instructions said," Inuyasha ground out, ears twitching. He'd expressly stated the other room needed two beds. It was supposed to be their safe haven after spending the entire day pretending they could stand each other.
"I'm sorry, sir, but that's what was booked."
"So change it!"
She flinched, typing in another command, then shooting him a wary look. "The only other room available is one of the honeymoon suites."
"Oh, for fuck's sake—"
Kouga's arm tightened around his neck, and he nipped at his ear in reprimand. Inuyasha stiffened, already poised to sink his claws into his side, but the wolf only tightened his hold more. "Cool it. We'll deal."
Kagome slid up next to them, still smiling brightly. "All ready to go?" she asked.
Inuyasha swallowed his retort—and his pride. "Yeah. Here's your key."
The agent looked between each member of their group. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience—"
"It's fine," he said, cutting her off. He wasn't about to blow their cover on the first day. "Lemme know if anything comes up." She nodded, then went into a practiced speech about their amenities and what time dinner would be served. They all headed toward the south end of the inn, Kagome talking up a storm to anyone who would listen.
Sesshoumaru was taking in every word, offering responses when they were called for. Inuyasha yanked himself away since she was too focused on the décor. The wolf rolled his eyes, slowing his stride to match his to give the other couple more space. "Just remember. This was your idea."
It was his idea, and the only reason he wasn't regretting it was because of the soft expression on his brother's face. They were talking to each other more, Kagome offering up earnest questions about Sesshoumaru's work. It was nothing he hadn't heard before, so he tuned them out, letting them flirt on their own time.
"It seems to be going well," Kouga observed, sidling up next to him on the blanket. The weather was mild enough for them to eat on the veranda of their room the next day, though Sesshoumaru and Kagome had barely touched their meal.
"So far," Inuyasha agreed. He edged away from him, but Kouga caught his shirt, carelessly laying his head in his lap. "Oi!"
"Nothing wrong with snuggling with my boyfriend," Kouga mused aloud, eyes already closed.
He cursed under his breath. Why couldn't it have been someone else who'd discovered Kagome's shrine? Anyone would've been better than him. Hell, he'd have taken Jaken over—
"You two look comfy, so we're going for a walk," Kagome said, getting to her feet.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Kouga called in a sing-song voice.
"That leaves us a long list of plausible activities," Sesshoumaru smirked, holding the door open, his other hand settling on the small of her back. She didn't flinch at the touch, allowing him to lead her out of the room and down the hall.
Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed, leaning back on his hands. His brother just needed to grow a pair long enough to ask her out. He doubted she'd turn him down at this point, but maybe he was trying to skip a few stages before the end of the trip.
"We should probably stay here for a bit," he said.
"You're such a sap."
Inuyasha growled, grabbing the front of Kouga's shirt and bringing him to eye level. "You got a problem with that?"
He rolled his eyes. "Why're you always so uptight? I'm here, aren't I?"
Inuyasha scowled, releasing his hold but moving far enough away from him so he couldn't lie back down. "Only because I'm bribing ya." He glanced toward the door, then sighed, shoulders hunching. "They both deserve to be happy."
"Kagome, I get, but why the bastard?" Kouga asked, honestly curious. "Didn't he try to kill you? Multiple times?"
He took a few deep breaths. He wasn't making a snide remark, so it wouldn't be fair to bite his head off for it. "All siblings fight." Kouga raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Fine, our fighting came with a lot of blood, but we got past it. He's different now."
"So are you."
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Kouga smirked, showing off a dimple on his right cheek, and he leaned closer. "You wouldn't have let me anywhere near ya back then."
"Don't push yer luck. You were hangin' all over K'gome. And being a dick," he added, just to twist the knife a little.
"We were teenagers."
"That ain't an excuse for not taking no for an answer!" he shot back. Why was he so close? Kagome and Sesshoumaru weren't even here. He moved away again, still glaring, but it only caused the wolf to smirk more, both dimples on full display.
"I'm better at communicating than you," he said smugly.
"Yeah, yeah. You've got her in the palm of your hand when it comes to the best friend stuff. That's only because you found her first." It was still a sore spot and tended to come up any time they were together.
Kouga's expression turned sombre, and he looked toward the horizon. "She wasn't ready to see you."
"Bullshit!"
Kouga shrugged one shoulder. "Believe what you want, but I did offer to bring her to you. She's the one who kept stalling."
Inuyasha scowled at him. He knew he was being baited—Kagome had never said anything about not wanting to see him—but curiosity got the better of him. "Why?"
He sighed, crossing his legs at the ankle. "She was afraid you wouldn't love her anymore."
Inuyasha looked around for something to maim him with. "What kind of cock and bull story you tryin' to pull? I've always loved her!"
"Not in the way she wanted. Not in the beginning."
Inuyasha's mouth snapped shut. He'd known how she felt, even back then, but he hadn't been able to see past his trauma with Kikyou. They'd been too similar, even though he'd always been able to tell them apart, and once Kikyou had died the second time, he'd never looked at Kagome the same way.
"I couldn't," he mumbled.
"I know. And so does she," Kouga said wistfully. "But 500 years is a long time, and she wasn't sure how she was going to feel when she first saw you again. She didn't want to relive the heartbreak."
"For five years?"
He chuckled. "Not exactly. She asked a ton of questions about where everyone was and who had made it to her time." He leaned back on his hands. "I was the one who finally called her out on hiding, though. The only question she ever asked about you was if you were happy." He gave him a meaningful look. "I couldn't answer that one."
Inuyasha bristled. "Why would I share that kinda stuff with you?"
"Why do you think she's so happy we're finally getting along?" Inuyasha felt heat creep up the back of his neck. "She had this crazy idea from the start that the reason we fought so much is because we secretly had a thing going on."
"As if."
Kouga snorted. "That's what I've been tellin' her, but she remains unconvinced," he said with a flair. "Must be the way you scowl at me from afar." Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, like that."
"That's because you're an ass."
Kouga cocked his head. "I'm not being an ass right now."
"You're always an ass," he argued.
Kouga's hand shot up, grabbing his ear and preventing him from escaping. "What am I doing to be an ass? Be specific."
The wolf was far too close, and that weird scent from before was back, making his skin itch. "Cut it out."
"I would if you'd actually pushed me away," Kouga taunted. "Or told me you don't like it."
"I don't like you!" he sputtered. "Why the hell would I want you touchin' me?"
Kouga leaned closer. "Because maybe Kags has a point. And maybe I'm tired of fightin' ya. It's exhausting always being on edge when you smell so good."
Whatever he'd been expecting him to say, it wasn't that. "I don't smell any different than normal."
"Exactly my point."
Inuyasha stiffened. "What point? Yer not makin' any sense—"
Kouga's claws bit into his thigh. "Would you just keep still for a moment so I can see if this works?" He didn't give Inuyasha the chance to question his intentions, mouth quickly covering his. Inuyasha's mind went blank, unable to comprehend how they'd gone from fighting to talking to this. The odd scent increased, overriding his senses, and he tried to pull away, but Kouga's hand was on the back of his neck, keeping him in place.
Inuyasha whimpered, giving him the chance to slant his head and deepen the kiss. He suddenly wasn't so concerned with the scent anymore, as the taste was much more intoxicating. The slightest flick of his tongue had Kouga growling, and Inuyasha's head hit the floor. Kouga's hand slipping under his shirt distracted him from any possible pain, and he yanked his mouth away.
They were both breathing heavily, and there was only a thin ring of blue around Kouga's dilated pupils. "You're not going to tell me to stop, are you?"
Inuyasha's face flamed when the answer wasn't an automatic no, and Kouga attached himself to his neck. Inuyasha squirmed, finally finding the strength to press against his shoulders when his hand slid further under his shirt.
"Stop." Kouga stiffened but slowly removed his hand, avoiding eye contact. He grabbed his arm, not letting him pull away completely. "Not forever, just right now." His ears twitched frantically. "It's too much." Kouga sat back on his heels, and Inuyasha rolled his shoulders. "You're too much."
"I don't hear you complaining."
This time, he did shove him away. "Don't push your luck," he repeated
His smirk returned. "But I'm so good at it." The bastard was so confident that Inuyasha felt the side of his mouth twitch, but he managed to stop himself from smiling.
"Doesn't mean ya need extra practice."
"But maybe I want to practice. On you," he emphasized. He motioned toward the sleeping area. "There is only one bed, ya know."
"Not on your fucking life," Inuyasha snapped.
Kouga's smirk widened. "What about after the trip?" he pressed.
Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Work on not bein' an ass all the time first." He should've known better than to issue the wolf a challenge. He'd never known him to back down from one in his life. But they both agreed that the purpose of the trip was to get Kagome and Sesshoumaru together.
Kouga still hadn't learned to take no for an answer, but they'd work on that later.