Disclaimer: I own neither Inuyasha nor Brothers Conflict and make no money from these writings.

Imagine That

Chapter One: Hikaru
Rating: T

It was the middle of winter, nearing Christmas, and Kagome sat in bed shivering. Their apartment didn't have the best heating system, and the space heater that they'd gotten just wasn't cutting it during the cold nights.

Lying on her side, curled into a tight ball, Kagome reached down to untwist the fabric of her sweatpants and grumbled in agitation. She hated wearing heavy clothes to bed. Her pants legs and sleeves always twisted around her limbs uncomfortably as she tossed and turned to get comfortable. Kagome turned over in a huff, pulling the thick blankets around her more tightly, and stared sadly at the empty space beside her in bed. "He's coming home tomorrow, he's coming home tomorrow," she chanted softly to herself only to frown when she saw her breath puff out in front of her. Again, she reached down to untwist her pants leg.

The next day, Hikaru arrived home just after the sun had set. He'd been on a trip to gather resources for his latest book, and he'd been gone for a little more than a week. It had been a tiring trip and he was more than ready to sleep in his own bed with his lovely girlfriend. He inserted his key into the door lock and was just about to turn it when the door swung open, pulling the keys from his hands.

Hikaru looked up and saw Kagome frowning at him. "Hello love," he greeted with a smile. He knew that his amusement at her "grumpy face" would only rile her up further, but she was just too adorable. They'd met at his publisher's office where she worked as a junior editor. He'd been smitten from the beginning, but it had taken a while for him to convince her to go out with him. It helped a lot after she realized that he was actually a man.

"Don't you "hello love" me, mister!" Kagome fumed. "It is freezing in here!"

"I can't really do anything about that," Hikaru pointed out as he retrieved his keys from the door and stepped inside.

"No, but you know I can't sleep when it's this cold!" She continued. "Why were you away for so long?"

Setting down his bag and shrugging out of his faux-leather jacket, Hikaru answered, "It took longer than expected to gather everything that I needed."

Kagome pouted a little. She wanted to be mad, but she knew that his research was important. It was made him so amazing and successful at what he did.

Hikaru looked down at Kagome and smiled at the way her bottom lip stuck out just the slightest bit. Suddenly feeling playful, he leaned down and nipped at the exposed lip before bringing her closer and kissing her tenderly. When he pulled back and saw her face flush a little, he knew he'd done his job. The pout disappeared and Kagome smiled for the first time since he'd gotten home. "I missed you," he told her in his natural voice's deep register.

"I missed you, too," she confessed though the statement was punctuated with a large yawn. "Sorry," she said as she rubbed her tired eyes. "I haven't been sleeping well."

Examining her a little more closely, Hikaru felt a twinge of guilt as he noticed the dark circles under her eyes that hadn't been there before his trip. "Come on," he said as he took her hand and lead her into their bedroom. There, he helped her out of her sweater and sweatpants, leaving her in only her underwear. He quickly slid out of his dress and tights as well before he climbed into bed and lifted the blankets in a silent invitation.

Kagome practically dove under the covers and snuggled up to her lover's chest. It may have been cold in the room, but Hikaru naturally exuded a ridiculous amount of body heat. She was able to sleep in minimal clothing, feel his smooth skin against hers, and stay warm all at the same time. It was the only way to sleep in her opinion.

As Kagome sighed in contentment and relaxed in his embrace, Hikaru ran his fingers through her long hair in an effort to lull her into sleep. "How did you ever sleep before I came along?" He asked softly in a teasing voice.

Just on the edge of consciousness, Kagome sleepily replied, "Poorly."

Hikaru chuckled as he kissed the top of her head and settled in for a good night's rest as well. There really was no place like home.