My Cousin Ranma

by Sweet Inu Girl

What if Ranma and Kagome where cousins? Having known each other all their lives, Kagome was used to the strange in Ranma's life. Now Kagome has her own strange adventures to talk about and Ranma decides to stir things up in InuYasha and Kagome's relationship.

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, Ranma ½ or the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

A/N: Welcome to my InuYasha Ranma AU crossover. I have been reading an excessive amount of Ranma fan fiction lately and had this little one shot pop up in my brain and refuse to go away until written. It has absolutely no connection to my other story (The Return) or the world I am building there. During my reading I had a moment to wonder what would happen if Ranma and Kagome were cousins? This is that thought and though I love reading Ranma fan fic I am not as knowledgeable about the manga or the anime as I am InuYasha. Therefore if the characters seem off… sorry… but they work for the story so just roll with it. Besides, in my brain Ranma and Kagome have known each other for years and he's not nearly so shy around her but… he is still Ranma, cursed form and all, with some of his special techniques already learned (I needed them for this story to work) so the timelines will be completely wonky and totally not inline with either manga. Anyways on with the story!

---

"I need to go home for a few days InuYasha." Kagome was looking up at him were he sat on Kaede's roof. The stubborn hanyou was pouting of course. He hated stopping the hunt for the precious shards for any reason and his angry snarl was her answer. "Look, Miroku and Sango are both down with colds and it's not like we can just up and leave them behind. I'm just going to go home for a couple of days and by then they should be all better." Picking up her pack were it sat at the toes of her sensible black shoes, she slung it over her shoulder and headed for the well. She knew he would follow, he wasn't done yet and silently counted down … three … two … one…

"Oi! Wench! Who said yah could go home?" InuYasha dropped out of the branches of the trees he'd leaped into to follow her, directly onto the ground in front of Kagome. Reaching out he tried to take her pack from her shoulder, for she wouldn't go home with out it, and had her skitter backwards away from him. Growling softly, his ears pinned with his irritation and he advanced on his prey.

"InuYasha you are not my boss! If I want to go home I will!" Hands on her hips Kagome held her ground and glared daggers at him. "I will so say it if you try to stop me!"

Shippo had picked up on the commotion and came bounding out of the forest, followed by Kirara, to see what was going on and launched himself at Kagome expecting her to catch him like always. He did not expect InuYasha to grab him firmly by the tail and chuck him skyward. "InuYasha you big meanie!" Could be heard as he sailed away.

"InuYasha! What's wrong with you?" Eyes flashing with anger Kagome stormed away towards the well, wrenching her arm from his grasp when he took hold of her elbow.

"I said you ain't going wench and that's final!" He saw her hands clench beside the hem of her school uniform's skirt, her back go ramrod straight and could have quivered in anticipation. He liked it when she fought with him, relished seeing the fire spark in her eyes and being on the receiving end of her focused attention, and crossing his arms with his smirk spreading he waited for the fun to start.

With her back to him, she let her grin spread before wiping it quickly from her face. She had a perverse reaction to him fighting with her in that she enjoyed it. It was nice to have his attention fixed on her instead of Kikyo for once. The dead priestess could have him running faster than a taunt by Naraku. The thought made her both sad and angry but most of all… it made her tired. She really did just want to go home for a few days and not think about her for a while. With a resigned sigh she turned to face InuYasha. "Look I... I just really need to go home… for a few days…" Linking her fingers together, she gave them a twist, refusing to meet his eyes and looked anywhere but directly at him.

Eyes narrowing, InuYasha studied Kagome. Something was off, this wasn't how they fought and when he casually scented the air he could smell her anger but mostly she smelled sad and unhappy. "What gives Kagome?" He edged closer and could suddenly see how tired she looked and hoped she wasn't getting sick to. "You ain't sick to are yah cause if you are I'm taking yah back to Kaede's." Marching forwards he reached for her and had her pull sharply away.

"No baka! I'm not sick I just want to go home!" Whirling around, she fled down the path away from him even though she knew running would only goad him to chase her. He caught her before they made the meadow and spun her to face him, pulling her tight to his body by her elbow.

"What's wrong with you? You're acting really weird." He inhaled to make sure there were no odd scents on her that would tell him if she was under a spell or toxin and found only her spicy clean scent. It was heady and made him want to bury his nose in her throat. 'Whoa wait what!' He thought frantically and jumped away from her. Where did that thought come from? He sure as hell wasn't a pervert like Miroku!

Knowing he wasn't going to let this go and ignoring his odd behaviour she bargained. "Fine! One night, just one, it's all I ask. Enough time to have a bath, wash my clothes, restock the ramen, and sleep in my own bed after spending some time with my family. Can I at least have that you overbearing Inu you?" Crossing her arms she knew she'd won with the comment about ramen. Nothing changed his mind faster than food.

"Fine! But you ain't going alone." He stalked towards the well and she snarled at him 'Pretty good for a human, feisty wench!' InuYasha glanced at her and saw her gritting her teeth. "Yah keep doing that you're gonna break 'em off!" He snickered when she shrieked her frustration and clenched her fists in her hair to give it a hard tug.

"InuYasha you are not going and that is final! I want some peace and some quiet and with you there I get neither!" She saw the flare of hurt behind his eyes and felt terrible. He was always being rejected for what he was and now he'd taken what she'd said the wrong way. "I didn't mean it like-"

"Like what Kagome? That I'm nothing but a nuisance to you? That I disrupt your quiet little future life when I'm there? Well fine! Go home! See if I care." With a sneer on his face he ran into the forest. 'Stupid wench! Who would want to spend time with her anyways?' But a small voice inside whispered 'You do'.

She almost chased after him but when he got like this it was better to just let him sulk for a while. She did have a heart stuttering moment when she wondered if he would run to her but shook it off. If he did go to Kikyo that was his choice, Kagome had no claim on him and the thought squeezed her chest painfully.

Kirara was mewling around her ankles and Kagome crouched down to tickle her chin. "Keep an eye on him for me will you girl? You're the only one who can right now." The neko murped and ran after InuYasha. Sighing, Kagome trudged towards the well. She would do like she'd promised and come back tomorrow morning fresh, rested and stocked with ramen for the temperamental hanyou that held her heart.

00000000000000

"Mama! I'm back!" Kagome called as she dropped her back pack just inside the door and stumbled in her fatigue towards the kitchen.

"Oh Kagome dear! I didn't expect you back so soon. Is everything all right? Did you have a fight with InuYasha?" Mama Higarashi smiled at her daughter and turned from where she was preparing dinner. If Kagome was home this quickly it was usually because she was angry with the hanyou but looking closer it was clear to see she was more sad and resigned than mad. "What happened dear?" She asked quietly and gathered her daughter close.

Hugging her tight, Kagome rested her head against her mother's shoulder. "Oh mom it's the same as always. Miroku and Sango are sick and I just wanted to come home for a few days but he had to act like an idiot and took what I said the wrong way. Now he'll probably run off to her and…" Sighing she just couldn't finish the words. It took to much energy that she really didn't have.

"It's ok Kagome. We all fight sometimes." She disliked seeing her daughter going through these growing pains and the priestess she hated to talk about always made her so despondent. "I have a surprise for you. I didn't think you'd be home when they came by but seeing as how you are..." She smiled brightly and brushed Kagome's hair from her eyes, happy to be able to cheer up her child. "Your uncle Genma and cousin Ranma are going to be spending a few days with us on their way through." She laughed at Kagome's excited squeal. 'It's a good thing Buyo's at the vet for a few days.' She thought and hugged Kagome tight. Her daughter and Ranma got along very well and had always been great friends but he and the cat were not a pleasant combination. The Saotomes stopped so rarely that she would have hated to tell Kagome she'd missed them but now she didn't have to. "They should be here in a few hours. Why don't you-" but Kagome was already streaking towards the bathroom.

"I'm just going to have a quick bath and then get some of my other things done!" Kagome hollered as she raced out of the kitchen. She couldn't believe her luck! Ranma was coming for a visit! It felt like forever since she had seen him and it was so rare to get a letter, what with all the traveling that he and his crazy father did, and she could never send one back. No way to get it to him at the right time or place. He always had so many incredible tales to tell about what he'd seen and done! This time though, Kagome grinned as she filled the tub, she had her own crazy adventure to tell! Laughing, she climbed into the bath to soak, already feeling a lot better.

0000000000000000000

He leapt the shrine stairs six at a time until he cleared the top and looked around at the familiar sight. It had been forever since they had visited his cousin and, for a girl, Kagome was all right. She could laugh and joke about his father and for some reason she never doubted his crazy stories were true. She would ask questions and snort with laughter but not even once had she said 'that can't be true' or 'you have to be kidding'. Even if she did say 'you've got to be joking' it wasn't because she didn't believe what he'd told her, only that pops would be stupid enough to try it. Yup for a girl, and a non-martial artist, Kagome was pretty cool.

She was standing by the tree she called the Goshinboku with a big goofy grin on her face in sweats and a tank top and the sight made him snicker. She always had him teach her something new when he visited, usually just one little move, something simple but effective that she promptly forgot how to do once they left. Sauntering forwards, he stopped toe to toe with her and grinned down "Hey Kags! Still a too skinny, flat chested girly girl I see."

"Ranma. Still a stupid baka with no concept of what's coming out of his mouth I see. It's a good thing you don't have a girlfriend. She'd pound your face for comments like that." But he was the same old Ranma, just taller, and it made her laugh. "So what's new?" Kagome sat down under the tree and waved at uncle Genma as he went into the house. He was related to her father in some roundabout way but the path through the family tree was so convoluted they went with uncle and cousin just to keep it simple.

Ranma plopped down beside her and tapped a finger on his chin. "Well... I met a psycho Chinese girl that wants to kill me when Pops had this crazy idea to train at this weird place called Jusenkyo with all these curses pools. Long story short, he fell in one, I fell in one and now when we get hit with cold water he turns into a giant panda and I turn into a girl." Smirking at her he waited to see if this time she would scoff at him but wasn't surprised when she only laughed. One of these times he was going to make up the most outlandish story he could just to see if he could make her believe it.

"I can top that! When I turned fifteen I fell down a magic well to five hundred years in the past, released a spell on a half demon, shattered a magical jewel and now me and said half demon along with two full demons, a taijiya and a monk travel around feudal Japan retrieving the jewel fragments and fighting the minions of the evil Naraku." She bit her lip to hold back the laughter as he sat there staring at her in stunned amazement. His mouth was opening and closing but nothing was coming out and she gave into the laughter. "You look like a koi fish!"

Her laughter snapped him out of his shock. "You're shitting me! You gotta be." But he watched as she shook her head and pulled a small glass jar, on a chain around her neck, out from under her shirt. The shards within glowed a soft pink. "Holy hell Kagome!" Ranma turned the bottle in his hand and the shards tinkled against the glass.

Taking the bottle back, she looked down at the shards. "Turns out I'm the reincarnation of the Shikon miko from that era." Tucking the bottle back in her shirt, she made a twisted face and heaved a heavy sigh.

Frowning at her expression Ranma poked her in the forehead. "Hey… what's wrong Kags? Ain't yah happy with your adventure?" She looked kind of annoyed but he'd never been a good judge of female mood swings.

His concern was appreciated and it was nice to have someone ask her if she was happy when no one else seemed to care. Well not no one, Miroku, Sango and Shippo cared, but the one she wished would care… "It's not that I'm unhappy but…" His blue eyes were curious and he was so used to the strange and the weird that Kagome unloaded. She started from the fall down the well, gave all the information she had, and ended with her last fight with InuYasha. "I just… I don't know what to do anymore." She shrugged and knew her face was red from everything she had revealed.

His own cheeks were sporting red marks from the brutal honesty she'd shown him and he was incredibly honored and a bit embarrassed that she trusted him this much. Unfortunately, the Saotome foot in mouth disease reared its ugly head. "Sheesh Kags, cry baby much? Yah sound like you love this InuYasha or something. You into chasing some other chick's man now?" The words were out before he could stop them and he desperately wanted to face palm himself for his stupidity when her eyes filled and the tears rained down.

Jumping up, Kagome ran from Ranma to the forest behind her house. Normally she'd run for the well and go to the past but she didn't want to see InuYasha yet and now Ranma was being a jerk too. Just as she made it into the trees he caught her arm and as he turned her around, she swung her fist with her momentum at his head. "Ranma you can be such a jerk!" But as usual her fist punched air because he was always so damn fast.

Waving his hands wildly in front of him, he backed away from her anger. "Whoa! Chill out Kags! Calm down already, you're being so uncute." Dodging her flimsy punch was easy and he weaved to avoid the other one when it flew at him. "Look I'm sorry I made you cry ok! Cut it out before you hurt yourself dummy." Eventually, he caught both her flying fists with his hands, forcing her to stop.

Panting after her exertion Kagome calmed enough to recognise, even if he was being an ass, it wasn't really his fault. "No Ranma I'm sorry. It's not your fault and it's not your problem. It's mine." She pulled on her hands to get him to let go of her.

"Kags… what can I do to help? Yah want me to kick this Inu-whatever's ass cause I will. World's best martial artist at your service." His chest puffed up and he crossed his arms with a cocky smirk on his face.

The look was so like InuYasha's she giggled. "It's InuYasha and no I don't want you to beat him up. He's a half demon and probably even stronger then you. Plus he carries a really big sword." She rubbed at her forehead where her headache was simmering. "I wish you could come back with me. At least that would be fun."

He bounced up to his toes and grinned. "Well why not? It would be fun and the panda is gonna crash here a few days so I could come if yah want?" It was an exciting idea to go back in time, meet demons and the fights she'd seen sounded incredible.

Kagome thumped her fist into his chest and frowned at him. "You don't listen to well. No one goes through but me and InuYasha. The well's never worked for anyone else." Shaking her head, Kagome headed back towards the house.

"Yo Kags where you going now?" Ranma tagged along behind her hands linked behind his head, no longer paying much attention to what she was doing, thinking instead about what it would be like to meet this half demon that was hurting his cousin. He really would like to challenge this InuYasha and see who was stronger. A sudden blast of cold water had him swearing in his cursed form. "What the hell Kags?" The short, well-endowed red head complained loudly and pulled her sopping wet shirt away from her body. "Yah know how much silk chafes dammit?"

Kagome, still holding the garden hose, stared in fascination at the now female Ranma. "That is so…" She had no idea what word she was looking for. "I don't know whether to say weird, cool, or awesome. You said Uncle Genma is a panda? I need a pot of water!" Sprinting around the corner Kagome ran for the door.

"Ah hell!" Ranma stripped her shirt off and rang it out before heading inside to explain things to his Aunt.

00000000000000000000000000000000

Kagome ran Genma through his transformation twice and made him chuckled at her enthusiasm but Ranma refused to change again once he was back to being male. The rest of the night was one of the happiest Kagome had spent in a really long time when she didn't have to worry about Naraku, demons or irate hanyous barging in. Souta was off on a three day field trip that he couldn't weasel out of, Jii-chan and Uncle Genma were already neck deep in a bottle of sake playing shoji, and Mama was laughing along with them still nursing her first cup of sake. It made it easy for her to spend time alone with her favorite cousin. After dinner, Ranma had taken Kagome around back and run through the kata he'd been perfecting and gave a sweeping bow when she clapped for him at the end. He showed her a few tricks, things he figured she needed to know for her life in the past, easy ways of getting out of holds, where to hit or kick an attacker to incapacitate them long enough to get away, simple self-defence things every woman should really know and hoped that this time some of his training would stick. Afterwards, Kagome had dragged him back into the kitchen and stuffed him with cookies while she packed her backpack with a huge supply of ramen, ninja food and candy for Shippo. Finally she called it a night even though she really didn't want to. Ranma was a good friend and understood the weird and bizarre in her life better than anyone but she had promised InuYasha that she'd be back in the morning and she would keep that promise.

The next morning Kagome was up with the dawn and looked for Ranma but he was nowhere to be found. She wished she could have said goodbye but if she didn't go, InuYasha would come looking and that would be a disaster of epic proportions. Jogging towards the well house, Kagome glanced around but still didn't see him and sadly went inside to stand on the edge of the well. "Oh well, at least I got to see him for a while." Sighing, she jumped into the well and the light flared bright around her.

Ranma smirked from where he sat in the rafters. 'No one ever looks up!' he snickered quietly and when Kagome jumped, he followed. Unsure whether his idea would work or not, he figured it was worth a try. If it didn't work, no harm no foul, and he could get himself out of the well easy enough. Unexpectedly, the well let him through and he arrived at the bottom in time to see Kagome pull her foot over the edge and disappear from view. Waiting a few seconds so he could leap out without landing on her, he heard the rapidly approaching footsteps and hesitated.

InuYasha had been watching for her from the branches of a favorite tree and when the light glowed in the well he felt his heart give a happy kick that he chose to ignore and jumped down to meet her. She was just climbing out when he approached and he hollered at her when she caught her foot and fell to her knees. "Clumsy wench! Watch were you're going why don't yah." But he crouched down and helped her to her feet.

"Well if you hadn't appeared in front of me and given me a heart attack InuYasha I wouldn't have stumbled to begin with!" Fuming and embarrassed she pulled her arm away. Did he always have to make fun of her? She hadn't even been back thirty seconds and he was on her case already.

Ranma was annoyed as he listened in. Who the hell did this guy think he was talking to Kags like that? With a hard leap, he landed on the edge of the well, his hands casually tucked into his pockets and gave the hanyou a once over. He didn't look so tough especially with the fuzzy looking ears on his head. "Yo Kags? This guy bothering yah?" Staying in a relaxed stance, he couldn't help the grin that spread when her head whipped around and her smile bloomed.

"Ranma? RANMA!" Squealing happily that he'd made it through the well, how she had no idea, Kagome gave an excited bounce and launched herself at him.

Laughing, he caught her and swung her in a circle through the air. "Guess that means you're happy I followed?" Jumping off the edge of the well, he kept his arm around her waist when the dog demon growled at him. Assessing the threat, he could see the writhing jealousy that the other male was trying to control and was baffled that Kagome thought her Inu wanted another woman when he was obviously so completely into her.

InuYasha was pissed to say the least. Who the hell was this guy and what right did he have to lay hands on his mat-… er… Kagome. "Kagome you know this guy?" His hand settled on the hilt of Tetsusaiga and he shifted his stance. Studying the other male in his sleeveless red shirt and black pants, InuYasha notice the heavily muscled arms and the easy with which he had spun Kagome. Though the human may look less than impressive by youkai standards he knew better than to underestimate his opponent having done that too many times before.

Minute changes in the hanyou's position warned him the fight could be coming and he felt his battle aura rise in preparation. "Course she knows me…" The plan had formed rapidly once he'd seen InuYasha jealousy. It was going to be so good and the dude totally deserved it for hurting his cousin. "She's my fiancé ain't that right Kags?" Looking down at her, he smirked a wicked grin and wondered if she'd play along.

'Wait, what did Ranma just… fiancé?' InuYasha looked puzzled at what Ranma had said and it clicked that fiancé was a french term unused yet. Should she… maybe they could… but what if it back fired? Tired of being the one doing the chasing she decided to play along and see what InuYasha's reaction would be at least for a little bit. "He means he's my intended InuYasha."

InuYasha saw red he was so angry. No! This human couldn't have her! She was his mate not some humans… 'What the hell am I thinking? She ain't my mate… is she?' Staring at her in hurt and anger he gave a vicious snarl and stalked away. He needed to think, to figure out why his mind kept automatically going to 'mate' with her when he still wasn't sure how he felt.

Ranma and Kagome both had thoughts along the same line of 'that wasn't quite what I thought would happen.' Kagome gave a little shrug and figured they could sort it out later. "Come on Ranma. I'll take you to meet everyone else." Ranma watched the hanyou disappear into the forest and wondered how Kagome couldn't see it. Shaking his head, he followed her for a few steps when her bag suddenly flew at him and he caught it out of reflex. "Make yourself useful cousin, seeing as how you're here and so much stronger than little ol' me." Kagome batted her eyes at him and raced away laughing when he blushed.

"You're so gonna get it Kags!" He almost left her pack on purpose and then though 'Hell, she'll just make me come back and get it.' Throwing it on his back, he launched himself after her and caught up in no time. Turning, he ran backwards and taunted her for the fun of it. "Come on Kags! You're so slow! No wonder yah can't catch this Naraku guy. Maybe if you spent more time training and less time mooning over some-" He abruptly tripped over something and went down onto his back but turned it into a roll and was up on his feet ready to fight in an instant. "What the hell?" He bounced on his toes a few times and stopped when he noticed the little kid with the fluffy red tail.

Shippo jumped up into Kagome's arms and glared at the new human. "This guy bugging you Kagome?" He'd heard the things the human had been saying to her and hadn't liked it so he'd run up behind and tripped him, though he was impressed at how quickly the human had recovered. He was almost as fast as InuYasha, almost.

"No Shippo, this is my friend Ranma. For some reason he was able to get through the well this morning and came to meet all of you. He's a martial artist and was interested in the stories I had to tell. Ranma has some wild ones of his own." Looking at her cousin she hoped he hadn't smashed all the ramen to bits in the pack when he'd tripped.

Shippo frowned at Ranma. "If you're her friend why where you saying those things?" Kagome continued walking towards Kaede's and Ranma fell in beside them.

Ranma scratched at the back of his neck and stuttered in embarrassment, "Well uh… I… you see…"

Kagome giggled. "Don't strain yourself Ranma. He doesn't mean it Shippo it's just the way he is but you could tone it down some while you're here." The baka was liable to find himself on the receiving end of a few peoples wrath if he didn't.

"Ok, ok I'll try. Can't make any promises though." His mouth sometimes spoke before his brain caught up with it. "So Shippo, the kitsune right?" Snaking his hand out, he poked at Shippo's tail.

Shippo lashed out with sharp claws. "No touchy! Do I reach out and pull your tail?" Jumping onto Ranma's shoulder he pulled the boy's pig tail.

"Ouch! Fine ok I get it." Rubbing at his head Ranma glared at the kitsune. "Some friends you've got there Kags. Pulling a guy's hair when he's just met em."

"Don't complain to me, you poked his tail first." Laughing Kagome had a thought that made her gasp and stopped walking. "Ranma do you still have your issue with… cats?" He shuddered and turned fear filled eyes towards her.

"C...c…cats?" His voiced came out a very unmanly, high pitched squeak and he shook to the toes of his black slipper shoes.

Shippo snickered on his shoulder. "Big man's afraid of a little kitty? Wait till you meet Kirara!" Laughing hysterically at the thought, he fell off Ranma's shoulder and rolled on the ground continuing to giggle.

"Shippo! This isn't funny! If Ranma sees a… one of them, he can go into the Nekoken and I don't know how to get him back from that." Concerned she set her hand on Ranma's arm. "Maybe you should go home."

"No its ok. Just hit me with some cold water and I should come out of it but it would be better to avoid…c…c…cats." He shuddered again and praying to elude them, tucked his hands into his pockets to keep them from shaking.

"If you're sure Ranma." He gave a jerky nod of his head and Kagome nudged the giggling Shippo with her toe. "Shippo go to Kaede's and get Kirara out of the way. Explain things to her so her feelings aren't hurt please." Shippo huffed at her but did as she asked and raced down the road. "Ok baka what was the big plan here telling InuYasha what you did?" They were going to have to wait a few minutes for the all clear from Shippo and setting her fists on her hips she began interrogating her cousin.

Rocking up on his toes and then back on his heels, Ranma laughed loudly, "Did yah see his face? Kami Kags you're pretty dense if yah think he's not into yah." But his laughter died away when he saw her face. "Hey, what I say?" She looked like he'd just kicked her puppy or perhaps her Inu-hanyou.

"I know he cares but she is the one he wants Ranma not me. He always goes to her whenever she calls for him." Kikyo's Shinidamachū showed up and he was off and running. It really was depressing and wrapping her arms around herself Kagome looked off into the forest.

Meanwhile Inuyasha was doing his own soul searching. Pacing at the base of the Goshinboku tree he was a snarling mass of frustration. How could she do this to him? He was her protector, he was the one she called for at night in her sleep. Didn't she care for him anymore? Had he screwed up that badly that she had accepted another? And why was he thinking like this? He was torn as to what to do. InuYasha was beginning to suspect that the condescending little voice in his head was his instincts trying to get his attention.

He'd made the decision a while ago that he would not be going to hell with Kikyo. It was his duty to kill Naraku, nothing more and though he still had mild feelings for her, the ones he was developing for Kagome far outweighed any he held for his past love. If he was honest with himself, he suspected he was already in love with Kagome. The territorial and possessive nature he had been expressing towards her lately was a pretty strong indicator of that. He had been displaying mating behavior, now that he thought more clearly about it, and he knew the monk was seeing it but so far he'd kept his lecherous comments to himself.

Sighing, he thrust a hand through his hair and gave it a sharp tug. 'Why can't I just tell her how I feel?' It was a question that had plagued both man and youkai kind throughout time and InuYasha had no answer. One thing he did know was that no human was going to take what was his away from him! Cracking his knuckles he wondered how to make this Ranma pay without stirring Kagome's wrath.

Shippo bounced back down the road and gave them the all clear saying he'd sent Kirara to find InuYasha so he could meet Kagome's friend. Confusion furrowed his brow when Kagome winced and Ranma snickered. Moving quickly, Kagome scooped up Shippo and headed for Kaede's hoping to get things straight before InuYasha showed up.

Running in the door, Kagome saw Sango and Miroku where both awake but not quite recovered yet and made rapid introductions, giving them a rundown of what had transpired at the well and why. Sango and Kaede both scolded her gently for going along with such a plan but were secretly pleased that the hanyou was going to have to finally make some decisions about what he wanted. He would either break Kagome's heart or fight to keep it for himself. Either way… it would clear the air between them. Miroku laughed heartily and welcomed Ranma to the group, congratulating him on his wicked mind. He wished he could have been there to see InuYasha's face when he found out Kagome was willing to marry someone else and a human at that. He'd witnessed the way InuYasha had been drawn to Kagome lately, the way he wanted to stake his claim, the rise of his mating instincts and figured the half-demon deserved this for not talking to Kagome about his feelings.

The others questioned Ranma for a while, asking about what he did and how well he fought. Ranma of course was his ever confident self and said he was willing to provide a demonstration if they were well enough to join him outside. Well enough or not, no one was going to miss his demonstration and quickly made their way to the edge of the woods behind Kaede's hut where there was a wide open stretch of grass. Ranma ran through the kata he'd shown Kagome yesterday and then demonstrated a ki blast into the trees for them. Unfortunately the tree he directed his energy towards was the one InuYasha had been watching from and letting lose an aggravated snarl he landing in front of Ranma.

"Watch where you're throwing that crap human!" Annoyed at the fact that Ranma had impressed him and then irritated at having what he considered one of his trees destroyed, InuYasha shoved Ranma forcefully.

The grin was back and Ranma shifted his feet into a fighting stance absorbing the shove. "Got a problem with it yah clueless moron then take a swing and see what happens." The snarl was the first warning as the fist flew at him a lot faster than he expected and Ranma had a moment of concern that perhaps Kags had been right. That InuYasha really was faster than him. Right up till Kagome screamed, "INUYASHA SIT!" and the hanyou face planted making a crater in the ground. Crouching down beside the twitching form Ranma poked at him a few times. "Ah what yah got to go and do something like that for Kags? I was looking forward to knocking the sucker around."

The beads spell wore off and InuYasha was in Kagome's face almost immediately. "Wench! Do not do that again! HE asked for the fight dammit!" Hands clenching and unclenching he seriously contemplated strangling her. This male was a challenger for her and he wasn't backing down. "Besides I wouldn't have hurt him… much."

"Ha! Like you could even touch me! I'm not some slow ass hanyou." Ranma taunted InuYasha with his hands tucked casually in his pockets.

Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kaede where all watching in stunned amazement as Ranma harassed InuYasha into a rage. Leaning closer to Miroku, Sango quietly asked, "Do you think he has a death wish?" The slap was loud but didn't distract their three friends from the argument they were having. "Miroku! You hentai!" His hand had slid over her butt when she leaned towards him and the hand print she had left was red and throbbing on his face.

"Dearest Sango why must you treat me so? And yes I believe he does, though there is something about his aura that is unusual." He wondered if he should tell InuYasha that Ranma was Kagome's cousin but he was enjoying the show too much to end it just yet.

InuYasha snarled as his control snapped and he took a tight handful of Kagome's hair. "Don't interfere again!" Dragging her head back, he kissed her hard on the mouth with a nip to her lip before releasing her and spun to face Ranma. "You're a dead man." He hissed but it was the deep guttural voice of his demon that emerged.

Kagome sank slowly to her knees after InuYasha left her. 'Did he just… kiss me?' It was enough of a distraction for her to miss the start of the fight as her mind whirled with the implications.

Ranma grinned wide when InuYasha kissed his cousin though it did make him want to blush at the intimate contact. Snapping his focus back to the fight he spent the first few minutes getting a feel for his opponent. The hanyou was fast, skilled as a fighter, and the strength behind the hits was immense! Confident he had the dog demon pegged, Ranma began to fight back.

InuYasha was impressed and felt his own grin try and tug at his mouth. The human was good and far superior to many of the youkai he had fought. He'd left Tetsusaiga sheathed, assuming this was going to be quick and painful… for Ranma but when they broke apart after this last exchange he drew his sword. 'Let's see how the baka does against my blade.'

Ranma saw the sword transform from a rusty katana to a blade unlike any he had ever seen. 'Holy hell Kags wasn't kidding." Preferring to keep his head, Ranma threw a large ki blast at InuYasha and was stunned when the hanyou sliced through it with his sword. The rather evil smirk on his face informed Ranma he was in trouble. 'Any time here Kagome.'

Coming out of her shock, Kagome realized what InuYasha was about to do to her cousin and screamed, "SIT!" InuYasha slammed into the ground and she ran quickly over to him, glancing at Ranma to make sure he was all right, before releasing the spell on InuYasha's kotodama and rolling him over. "Are you all right InuYasha?"

"No Kagome I ain't all right! Why do you keep protecting this guy? He that important to you?" Climbing out of the crater he had made InuYasha sheathed Tetsusaiga and tucked his hands into the sleeves of his fire rat.

"Well yes he's-" Kagome tried to explain but he cut her off.

"Yah yah your fiancé. I get it already." Turning his face away he let his bangs cover his eyes and felt an incredible pain in his chest where his heart was being ripped out.

Ranma knew that they'd gone too far and clapped the hanyou on his shoulder. "Look man, you fight real good but I ain't really her fiancé. She's my cousin!" He grinned when InuYasha's head came up and whipped towards him. "Yup were related. Besides I'd never marry such an uncute, skinny, girly girl like her. She can't fight worth a damn." Ranma pointed at Kagome.

"RANMA YOU JERK!" Swinging for his head, Ranma pulled out the Saotome special technique and ran away, laughing. Fuming Kagome went to march after him only to have InuYasha grab her arm and whip her back towards him.

"What the fuck Kagome? Why would you go along with this?" His anger was intense that she'd trick him this way and InuYasha was hurt that she would pull a stunt so painful.

"WHY? Why do you think InuYasha? How many times have you hurt me lately huh? Maybe I wanted you to know what it felt like for once." Wrenching out of his grasp she stepped back. "And what was with that kiss?" It had been beyond amazing but she had no idea what it meant to him. Flushing, InuYasha couldn't get the words out past the lump in his throat and agonizing seconds went by where he said nothing, letting silence reign between them. "So it meant nothing to you then? Just a way to distract me long enough to get in a fight with Ranma." She couldn't believe how painful this was and turning around she walked away, heading back to Kaede's.

"Kagome I…" She didn't even stop or look at him over her shoulder and Sango sent him a look full of disappointment before following Kagome. Sighing, he scrubbed his hands over his face.

"Oh man have you ever fucked up!" Ranma stood beside InuYasha and watched his cousin walk away. "I should kick your ass for hurting Kags like this but I already did so…"

"Feh! You didn't kick my ass, she sat it! That's different." Glancing sideways at the human InuYasha decided not to hold a grudge against Kagome's cousin, or at least not much of one. He had been rather impressive for a human and InuYasha smirked at him. "Though I'd like to know how you did that fast strike thing, it could come in handy against my half-brother." At one point Ranma had punched him rapidly in a very short amount of time.

"You fix things with Kags and I'll teach you the Kachü Tenshin Amaguriken." Ranma wandered off to join the rest of the watchers and crow about his own impressiveness.

InuYasha listened to Ranma brag for a moment and wondered if he was that bad. Thoughts for another day, right know he wasn't sure what to do to fix things with Kagome. He wasn't really sure what he'd done to begin with but he really had missed her and wanted to spend time with her and hoped maybe she'd eventually tell him what he was doing that was hurting her. 'Feh, she's female, that ain't likely to happen!'

000000000000000000000

That night as he sat against the wall with Tetsusaiga propped against his shoulder, InuYasha contemplated the afternoon. She'd been pretty frosty to him for the first part but eventually, once he had warmed up to her cousin who turned out to be rather interesting, Kagome had started to smile and interact with him again. He was forgiven, at least for now, and that was what mattered. The kiss still lay between them and eventually he would have to explain himself but he was reprieved for the moment. Sitting here watching her sleep it gave him a sense of peace that he hadn't known in years and made him happy just being in her presence. Without warning, Kikyo's Shinidamachū slipped through the walls beckoning to him and he made sure Kagome was truly asleep before he left.

Though he checked Kagome, he didn't look any further, forgetting that there was a trained martial artist in the hut that night. Ranma felt them enter and InuYasha leave with them and sighing at the hanyou's stupidity rose to follow him. Stepping outside he assumed the Umi-Sen Ken, letting all his emotions go, and followed quickly as the white snake things moved away from the village.

Following was fairly easy as they glowed in the dark of the forest and soon Ranma arrived to witness the scene playing out between InuYasha and the one Kagome referred to as the dead priestess Kikyo. She looked pretty alive to Ranma but there was something odd about her aura. They were speaking in hushed tones and he moved closer so he could hear better but the talk of Naraku, the shards, and someone named Kohaku was getting boring until the priestess moved in on the hanyou and placed her hand on InuYasha's chest or tried to as he backed away from her.

"Kikyo, I've told ya before I ain't doing this with you. I'll kill Naraku, I'll avenge your death but I ain't going to hell with you for something I didn't do." InuYasha brushed her hand aside and stepped away.

Gritting her teeth, Kikyo gave him big pleading eyes, "But we belong together InuYasha. You promised me you'd do whatever I deemed necessary to appease my restless spirit." She reached towards him again.

"Stop it! I ain't going with you and that's final. If this is all the news you have then I'm gonna go. Goodnight." Turning abruptly on his heel InuYasha went to walk away but froze with her next question.

"It's that girl isn't it? My reincarnation, the little soul thief." Sneering, Kikyo made sure and lost the look before he turned around, trying to appear young and sincere instead.

"She ain't a thief if the soul was born to her. If anyone's the thief it's you for always trying to take it back! And her name's Kagome." He hated when she spoke with such derision about Kagome. His future born miko was amazing and there was no one like her.

Now Kikyo did sneer openly. "She could never satisfy you InuYasha, not like I could. Come with me, join me and we can be happy in death together." She swayed towards him, reaching her hands out for his and was shocked when he pulled away.

"NO! We had our chance and you died. It ain't my fault that Naraku got it in his head that he wanted you and killed you cause you didn't want him. That body you're in is nothing but a shell reeking of death and graveyard soil. You will get no more from me then Naraku's death. Now leave before you really piss me off." Snarling he slapped the hand away that was reaching for him again.

Kikyo straightened, her spine stiffening, and turning on her heel marched swiftly out of the clearing. He had made his choice and she would not beg for another woman's leavings. She had more pride than that and if he wanted the lesser miko than he was welcome to her.

InuYasha watched her go and the words he'd spoken rang in his ears. He really didn't want Kikyo, he wanted Kagome, had for a while now and felt the weight he'd been carrying lift with his decision. He was going to have to make it up to her for all the horrible things he had done. If he wanted her forever he was going to have to show her just what… she… He stiffened and lifted his nose to the breeze.

"Bought time yah noticed. Making me stand here all night, jeez." Ranma dropped his Umi-Sen Ken and appeared beside InuYasha. He snickered when the half-demon jumped, figuring with the heightened sense of smell InuYasha would have notice him sooner.

"What the… how did you do that?" He could mask his aura with the best of the youkai but had never seen anyone just up and appear out of thin air before.

"Umi-Sen Ken, special technique from the school of Anything Goes Martial Arts. My pops taught it to me. Was that the dead priestess Kagome talks about?" Ranma pointed his thumb in the direction she'd gone. When InuYasha nodded Ranma growled a low sound. "You're a baka and stupid yah know that? I should kick your ass all over again."

InuYasha was somewhat impressed at the human's growl but narrowed his eyes and shifted his stance at the threat. "What the hell you talking about now?"

"My cousin you fool! She thinks you want that thing that just left and she ain't got the nerve to speak up so I'm doing it for her. You wonder why she always wants ta go home? Its cause you're always out here with that." He pointed towards were Kikyo went again. "And then I follow you out here only to find you don't like her at all!" Throwing his hands into the air he paced a few steps away and smacked his palm against his forehead. "Shit you two are fucked up. I'm so glad I don't gotta deal with this crap yet." Romantically unattached, Ranma thanked the kami for his good fortune.

Confused and growing angry that some human was questioning his actions InuYasha snarled. "You ain't got a clue what you're talking about!"

Ranma turned on InuYasha, stalking back to get right up in his face and poked his fingers into the hanyou's chest. "I know that Kagome cries over you, I know that she suffers every time you disappear after that thing, I know she loves your stupid hide but for the life of me I don't know why!" Stuffing his hands in his pockets he glared at the hanyou. "If someone I loved hurt me as much as you do her, I'd a kicked their ass to the curb a long time ago."

Not quite sure what a curb was InuYasha still got the gist of what Ranma was saying and scrubbed his hand down his face. "Fine! I get it. I've screwed up but I only just… feh, why am I telling you this?" Waving a hand at the human in dismissal he started back towards Kaede's.

"Yo! Dumbass! Yah want my help or not?" Ramna snickered when the hanyou snarled. "Look, Kagome is my cousin and I want her to be happy alright." That at least got the inu's attention and he sat on the grass to see if InuYasha would return.

InuYasha flopped down across from Ranma and glared at the human. "Well I ain't got all night. You got a plan or what?"

"Hey wait, whoa! This is your mess to fix, why would I have a plan?" He leaned back on his elbows and stared up at the stars. When the growl rolled through the clearing he laughed. "Alright, alright, don't get your tail in a twist."

"That would be Kōga." InuYasha smirked at the blank look from Ranma. "Kōga, the wolf demon is the one with the tail not me."

"Right, right. The one Kags is always humoring." Nodding slowly in remembrance, he glanced at InuYasha when the silence stretched on. "What?" The inu had a weird contemplative look on his face.

InuYasha was intrigued by his statement and cocked his head as he studied Ranma. "What do yah mean by 'always humoring' him?"

"Man you are dense! Kags finds him nice but pushy as hell and only acts the way she does so she won't hurt his feelings. Jeez, you two need to get locked in a closet or something so you'll talk to each other." He sat straight up. "That's it!"

Startled, as InuYasha had been thinking of all the ways he could rub that little piece of information into Kōga's face, he simply said, "Huh?"

"I know exactly what to do to fix things with Kags but you gotta hold up your end and tell her the truth." Ranma smirked as the plan took shape in his mind.

InuYasha, determined to do whatever it took to make things right, agreed. "Ain't gonna get any sleep now so… can yah show me that move?"

Ranma smirked and jumped to his feet. "Sure but it isn't that easy to master." He had to eat his words when InuYasha had it down in three tries.

00000000000000000000000000000000

The next morning, Ranma and Kagome headed back to the well. He'd only visited for the day but he knew Pops would want to get going soon and used it as his excuse to head back. InuYasha had surprised Kagome, saying she should return with her cousin to say goodbye to her uncle. Who knew how long it would be before she saw them again.

Arriving home, they found Genma and her Jii-chan passed out in the living room. Ranma heaved an exasperated sigh and shook his head. "Guess we ain't leaving today after all."

"That's ok, we can hang out some more. So where are you going next?" Hearing her mama in the kitchen, Kagome headed that direction to see if she needed any help.

"Don't know. Pops just said he needed to see an old friend so…" Glancing at her as she made her way towards the kitchen Ranma grinned and got on with the plan. "Kags, you always were a slob. Got a big stain on your shirt there." It helped that she did in fact have a smear of something on the collar of her school uniform and he poked her in it.

"What?" Looking down she groaned. "Oh not another one! I better go change. I'm sure mama will feed you if you're hungry." She waved him on to the kitchen and trudged upstairs to change her clothes.

He waited only a couple of seconds before following.

0000000000000000000000000000

Shutting the door, Kagome went to her dresser and found some clean clothes. Pulling on a tank top and some shorts, she had just finished dressing when her window slid open and looked up, her brow furrowing in confusion, at the hanyou sitting on her window sill. "InuYasha what are you doing here?" She went to open the door to let Ranma know he was there but for some reason she couldn't get it open. Shaking the door knob, she realized something was jamming the door as the window slid closed and the latch snapped shut behind her.

"Wench. We need to talk." His voice wavered a little and it made her shoulders slump in defeat. It was finally here, the day she knew would be coming eventually. The one where he told her he was going to be with Kikyo and would prefer it if she didn't come back. Heart breaking, she kept a death grip on to the door knob and didn't turn around. "Kagome?"

Sighing, she leaned her head against the stuck door. "I know what you're going to say InuYasha." She would not cry, not yet anyways but she couldn't stop the tears from forming.

He took a step towards her but stopped when the scent of salt water reached his nose. "You do?"

Her head gave a jerky little nod and her breath shuddered out. "It's been coming for a while. You just needed to build up your courage."

Then why was she sad? Maybe those where happy tears he could scent. "So… you know how I… feel then?" This was easier than he thought it would be. Stupid Ranma had him all freaked out for nothing, feh!

She gave a slightly hysterical laugh and pulled the jewel shards out from under her shirt. Wrenching on the bottle, Kagome broke the chain they hung from and gave a pain filled little grunt. "Here. You can take these with you when you go." Holding them in the palm of her hand she held them out to him but still didn't turn around.

When he went? Take the shards with him? What was she saying? "Kagome, why would I take the shards? They're your responsibility woman." He could see the angry red welt forming from where the chain pulled on her skin and felt an impulsive desire to sweep his tongue over the mark and heal it.

Laughing mirthlessly, she let the shards fall to the floor. "I can't InuYasha. Not anymore. You can't expect me to follow blindly along behind the two of you. It would hurt too much." Kagome tugged on the door again and cursed whatever force of nature had caused it to stick.

His ears flattened at the thought that he'd caused her so much pain but what did she mean 'you two'? "Wench, who are you talking about?"

Slamming her palm against the door she spun to face him. "You! You and Kikyo that's who! I can't stand idly by and watch you go to her time and again! I won't!" Scooping up the shards she chucked the bottle at him. "Take these to her. She's a better miko than I am anyways." The tears wouldn't be held back any longer and she turned her back to him pressing her palms in to the wood of the door, still trying to hide her pain away.

Oh Kami! She'd misunderstood completely and he cursed himself a baka. Setting the bottle he'd caught on her desk he walked quietly up behind her. She was trying to sob silently and he felt like the world's biggest ass. Turning her to face him, she stayed stiff in his arms as InuYasha gathered her against his chest and laid his cheek on top of her head. "Kagome you've got it all wrong. I don't want Kikyo, a fact I made it abundantly clear last time I saw her. I want you Kagome, my amazing future born miko." Shifting her gently away he gazed down into her shocked eyes and couldn't help but smile.

"But… I thought…" She was stunned and assumed her ears were deceiving her.

"You thought that I still loved her and wanted to be with her but I don't Kagome. We had our chance fifty years ago and she died. What she is now… it's not real. It's not warm skin that smells of spices." He cupped her cheeks gently and wiped away her tears. "It's not soft lips that taste of candy." He lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. "It's not strong hands…" He breathed the words against her mouth and stroked his hands down her bare arms to catch hers and bring them up to press against his chest. "That hold my heart."

She gave a soft cry of wonder, unable to believe that he would choose her over Kikyo. "Why? Why me?"

Tsking at her doubt, InuYasha sank his hand into her hair and slowly bared her throat to his gaze. "Because Kagome, you see me for who I am. All of me as a whole and love me anyways don't you? I believe you once told me you loved me as a half-demon and that is the difference. You want me for who I am not who you think I should be." Dropping his nose to her throat he slowly ran his tongue up her neck. Such intimate actions would have once embarrassed him but with his decision made, he felt only the need to entice his chosen mate to accept him.

Shuddering, Kagome held on to his shoulders and moaned. "What are you doing InuYasha?" He'd never been like this before, never acted this way or said such beautiful things and she didn't understand what had changed.

Nibbling along her jaw, he slowly raised his head to look down into passion glazed chocolate eyes. "Mating instincts. I love you Kagome and I want you as my mate. I know you're not ready and I won't rush you but my instincts are driving me to mark you as taken, to cover you in my scent so no other youkai will try and claim you." Dropping his mouth to her shoulder he growled a low sound. "I want to bite you mate, right here, right on this spot, so no one can deny that you're mine." His fangs were lengthening and he set them gently against her skin, scraping just enough to make her shiver.

Her mind was whirling with all he'd revealed. "How long?" His lips moved over her skin and made her ache in her core.

"How long what Kagome?" He nipped her under her ear before licking to soothe the sting.

Gasping, she quivered in his embrace. "How long are you going to make me wait?" He froze against her.

"What?" Lifting his head he looked into her eyes again and found a deep everlasting love and burning desire.

"I've wanted you from almost the beginning InuYasha. I think waiting three years for you to make up your mind is long enough." She had just celebrated her eighteenth birthday and was almost finished high school. Their hunt for the shards had stalled off and on over the years, dragging out their quest but it had also shown her where her true home was. She loved the feudal era and when Naraku was defeated, she had hoped to be able to stay and had prayed it would be with InuYasha. Then the drama with Kikyo had started unfolding and she had begun to doubt whether staying in the past was such a good idea, but now… Reaching behind her for the door knob, she snapped the lock in place. "Make me your mate InuYasha."

Groaning, he pressed her back into the door and captured her mouth with his. Tilting his head, he stroked her bottom lip with his tongue, begging entrance to her mouth until she complied and he sank into her, stroking and sucking on her sweet tongue. He'd said she tasted of candy but it was more like sake, rich and intoxicating, making him greedy for more. Lips moved gently, fangs pressed and scraped, over her full lips until they were swollen and he nipped the bottom, tugging on it playfully. "Be sure Kagome. There ain't no going back if you change your mind. Once your mine… your mine forever." Her eyes glowed with her love, the chocolate brown that he had come to cherish heating with desire, and she nodded her acceptance.

"I'm sure InuYasha. I've never been more certain." She threaded her fingers through his forelocks and got lost in the burnished golden eyes that seemed to see into her soul. Tugging gently she brought his mouth back down to hers and placed a soft kiss on his lips, pressing against him with the full length of her body. Releasing his forelocks, she sank into the kiss and moaned into his mouth when his tongue caressed hers while she slipped her hands between the layers of his clothing and glided her palms over his scorching skin. He was always so incredibly warm and she desperately wanted to feel his hot flesh against hers. Pulling away she wrenched on the ties of his clothing until his collars gapped and she forced the cloth off his shoulders and down his arms. "You wear too many layers."

InuYasha chuckled and inhaled deeply. Her scent was drugging and flowing heavy on the air around them, the shorts she wore doing little to mask the smell of her arousal. "So frantic Kagome." Naked to the waist he smirked down at her but groaned and pressed his hands to the door on either side of her head when her fingers began following the curves and hollows of his muscles. "We've got… oh kami… time." She was running her long, elegant fingers down his abdominals but when she got to the waist of his hakama he caught her hands. "My turn." He whispered against her lips.

Walking backwards, still holding her hands, he drew her to the center of her bedroom and into the late morning light that streamed in through the window. Smiling down at her, he let go of her fingers to grasp the hem of her top and draw it slowly up her body letting his claws skim her ribs, making her giggle and shiver slightly, and stripped her shirt off over her head. InuYasha inhaled sharply at the sight of her. Her creamy skin glowed softly in the sunlight from her window but it was her unbound full breasts that held his attention. They were high and firm, her pink nipples surrounded by rosy areolas, and when he cupped them with hands they were a perfect fit and weight for his palms. "Perfect…" Brushing his thumbs over the rapidly tightening peaks he smirked when she moaned and arched into the caress.

"InuYasha!" She gasped out his name and held onto his biceps to keep herself up right. The pleasure from his caress was streaking to her center causing wetness to gather on her thighs and she pressed them together trying to relieve the aching in her center. Sliding her hands up his arms, she linked them behind his neck and pulled him down to kiss and nip at his lips. His hands left her breasts and wrapping around her back, he pressed her tightly to his chest. His heat scorched her skin making her whimper while her knees gave out and he followed her down to the floor.

Stripping his kosode and haori from where they were still tucked in his hakama he threw them to the corner. Kagome was laid out before his eyes, a feast for his senses in her nudity. She was biting at her lip like she did when she was nervous and he pulled it free with his thumb. "You're beautiful." Her smile bloomed into radiance and he couldn't help but drop his mouth to hers and kiss the plump lip that she'd been chewing on. Nipping down to her jaw, he ran his nose along the edge until she tilted her head back and offered her throat and with a rumble of pleasure he set his fangs against her skin and felt the kick of her heart through them as her pulse speed up. He licked the length of her throat, down to her shoulder, along her collar bone and over the swell of her breast until he could suck her nipple in to his mouth. Her cry was soft and he flicked the hard nub wanting to hear it again.

Kagome sank her hands into his hair to hold him to her. "Oh! Don't stop!" His actions where stoking the fire in her core, burning her from the inside out and when his hand cupped her other breast, tugging and rolling her nipple, she gasped and arched up into him. A fang scraped gently across the peak and had her hips thrusting upwards involuntarily.

The thrust of her hips made him growl excitedly and he wanted to get his hands on her there. He tongued the nipple firmly and blew a stream of air over it making it tighten before his eyes and he groaned in desire. Eyes molten with desire, drifted down her body to the little white shorts she still wore and shifting his gaze back to hers, he asked quietly, "How much do you like those shorts?"

Body humming, it was hard to focus on the question he'd asked and she looked down at the old ratty shorts she had on. "There pretty old-" Was all she managed to get out before his claws caught the waistband and shredded them, and her underwear, off her hips. Gasping in surprise, her hands tightened in his hair until he sat back on his legs forcing her to let go. InuYasha thrust an arm under her back and another under her knees, lifting her up and tossed her to the bed making her squeak in surprise when she bounced on the mattress. "A little warning next time."

Smirking, he stood to his feet beside her and looked his fill of his naked, soon to be mate. His hot gaze touched on every inch of her as of yet unexplored areas of skin. "I'm going to lick every inch of you and when I'm done I'm going to go back and drag my fangs over every one of the spots that make you moan the most." Her skin flushed pink and he groaned watching it spread over her chest and up into her cheeks. Tugging the ties of his hakama free, he let them fall to the floor and kicked them into the corner.

He stood before her in only his fundoshi and Kagome moaned at the sight. She'd always known he was well built but this was the first time she'd seen him in all his golden glory. Heavily muscled arms and chest tapered down to a narrow waist and hips. His thighs were well defined and gave him the perfect shape, the shape that the muscle heads in the gym wished they could have. Eyes traveling down the rock hard abs she'd already explored, they froze on the bulge that was still hidden by his fundoshi. Turning so she sat on the edge of the bed she beckoned him closer. "Come here InuYasha."

Naked and sitting on the edge of her bed, her thighs slightly spread, he could smell the heady fragrance of her arousal and stepping between them he shifted his legs apart to spread hers a little more. The scent spiked and he lifted his head to breath it in, his lips peeling back over his fangs in eagerness. He wanted to taste that scent urgently but her hands on his wrap had his eyes snapping back to his female.

Kagome ran her fingers around the edge of his fundoshi until she could find the tail and began to unwrap it slowly, savoring the moment like she would unwrapping a gift. When he sprang forth from the tight cloth she gasped in appreciation for she knew enough from her hentai friends to know that he was well above average in length and girth. Obviously excited, a small drop of liquid formed on his tip and tentatively she clasped his shaft. "Can I…?" Glancing up at him through her lashes, her blush blazed brighter with her wanton behavior.

She was killing him with her soft touch and quiet question, her little submissive acts were incredibly arousing. "You can do whatever you like love." Her eyes heated and without looking away she licked his tip, catching the drop that beaded there and he growled with pleasure. Hot breath washed over his skin and he watched as his beautiful little miko closed her lips over the head of his cock. "Fuck 'Gome…" He hissed as his length disappeared down her throat and gathering her hair into a tail he used it to guide her in the rhythm that he enjoyed. Not that he'd ever had anyone do this for him before but he knew what worked best when he relieved his own needs. Her tongue dragged the length of his erection, flicking the tip, and swept around the crown like she was eating a popsicle. "Good kami woman! Where did you learn to do that?" He pulled from her mouth with a loud pop before he could embarrass himself.

He was breathing heavy and Kagome grinned wide. She had done that, caused him to almost lose control, and had her first moment of feminine power crash through her. "My crazy friends like to talk about their sex lives." Hand still wrapped around his shaft she tried to lean in again but had him pull her away by the tail of hair causing her to pout up at him.

The pretty little pout was almost his undoing but her eyes lit with mischief right before her hand stroked his length. Growling at her teasing, he wrapped his hand over hers. "Cheeky wench." Releasing her hair InuYasha caught her chin and smirked down at her. "More like this." Tightening his fingers on hers, he changed the grip and speed of her hand on his length. He snickered when the surprise raced over her features as he taught her how to please him and leaned down to nip at her pout. Leaving her hand on his cock he cupped her cheeks and ravaged her lushes red lips, dancing his tongue around hers and groaned as she tugged on him firmly just the way he enjoyed most.

Her hand fell away and she gripped his hips, moaning into his mouth as he seduced her with his kiss. The fangs he kept caressing her with excited her greatly, he was so careful with them and yet used them to heighten her pleasure so easily. They were sharp and she flicked her tongue over one, rubbing the length, and he shuddered at the sensation. Seeking the other, she was too eager and sliced her tongue on the tip causing her blood to trickle into his mouth. A little grunt of pain escaped her throat and he pulled away.

Licking at his fangs InuYasha caught the taste of her blood and snarled softly in hunger. Breathing heavily, he squeezed his eyes closed and dug for control. Her blood was the sweetest thing he'd ever tasted, an aphrodisiac on his tongue, and it stirred his already enthusiastic demon to fight to be let out.

"InuYasha?" Kagome touched her hand to his chest in concern. When his eyes opened they were tinted pink with his demon. "Are you… all right?" She wasn't scared. He never really scared her when his demon emerged, worried yes, but she didn't fear him.

"You cut your tongue." His voice was deeper and he leaned over her, gradually invading her space, and forcing her back until she laid flush against the bed. "Give it to me." Dropping his mouth to hers, he swept his tongue forcefully between her lips and sucked her tongue into his mouth. He drew on the appendage, listening to her tiny whimpers of need as he rubbed his chest lightly across hers, until his saliva healed the small tear and he sighed in disappointment. Leaving her mouth he sucked and licked at her throat, working his way downwards, nipping the valley between her breasts and sweeping his tongue down her stomach. When her moan rocked through her, he pressed his fangs firmly into her soft skin leaving behind slight indents. He ran his lips over her hip bone following the long line down to the delectable scent that had been tormenting him and kneeling on the floor he skimmed his hands down her ribcage, over her belly, and down to stay on her inner thighs. Her face was flushed with her desire and she was breathing in fast little pants with her eyes closed. "Look at me Kagome." He growled out a deep, heavy rumbling enticement.

His hands were magic on her, making her moan when his thumbs brushed her skin high on her thighs and she slowly lifted her lids to look down her body at the hanyou waiting at her feet. Their eyes connected and he held hers, refusing to let her look away, as his mouth slowly descended to breathe warm breath over her smooth mound. His golden eyes seemed to glow with his passion and though the edges still held a pink tinge, she found it empowering to know she could test his control. Lips brushed her skin making her tingle and she rocked her hips towards him in a silent plea for him to stop teasing her.

She rocked into him and he encouraged her legs farther apart by sliding his hands up her thighs and splaying his fingers to either side of her wet center. Holding her eyes, he leaned closer, ran his tongue slowly through her lips and moaning, closed his eyes in ecstasy at her taste. "Damn… that's amazing." He dove back in and sucked her swollen lips, pulling on them gently before driving his tongue deep into her center and lapping up all the cream that poured from her. Using his thumbs he spread her folds apart and focused on the pearl he knew was the seat of her greatest pleasure. He flicked it with the tip of his tongue and her thighs quivered, swirling around it had her shuddering, sucking on her made her moan and when he growled and scraped her with the edge of his fang she cried his name and flooded his mouth with her release.

Rising over her quickly, he shifted her body up the bed and settling between her thighs he drew her knees up to wrap around his hips. "I can't wait any longer. I want my mate." Her smile grew and she nodded before kissing him and wrapping her arms around his back. Kagome drew her nails up his skin, making him groan and shiver against her, and he rubbed his cock through her slick folds while dropping his head to her skin. Rubbing slowly over her entrance, he began to lap at shoulder, nipping and sucking to prepare her for his bite.

Between his mouth on her shoulder and his erection rubbing her already sensitive folds all she could do was feel. Her body was a writhing mass of desire, heat and sensation burning through her, and whips of lightning pleasure firing from her shoulder to her womb. "InuYasha… please!" His mouth closed over her shoulder, fangs and teeth clenching down, making her gasp and arch up into him. The tip of his cock pressed into her, gently probing her entrance, and slowly slipping inside she felt his width stretching her walls and gave a stuttering cry of joy once his hips met hers.

Snarling, he couldn't believe how incredible she felt and stayed pressed against her for a minute wanting to savor the feeling and remember this moment the rest of his life. Releasing her shoulder he lifted his head enough to look down into the face of his beloved. "Do you love me Kagome?" Her eyes opened and her heart shone within them.

Drawing her hands around between them she caressed his cheek. "With my entire being InuYasha." His mouth crashed down on hers as he drew back his hips, pulling out to his very tip before thrusting back in. Swallowing her moan, he plunged into her, slowly loosing himself to the passion of the moment and the sweet flavor of her mouth. Dragging a hand down to her hip, he tilted her to get a better angle and growled when her nails sank into his shoulders. His release was burning in his groin and he forced it back needing to see to her first, and felt his demon rise enough to complete the bond and make her his.

Wrenching her mouth away so she could breathe, Kagome turned her head and bared her throat desperately wanting his fangs back on her shoulder. His head was bumping against her womb and she cried out softly with every thrust and the climax she could feel growing was becoming a heavy burning weight in her womb. "Oh Kami! InuYasha! I'm going to-" She screamed as his fangs sank into her shoulder and her orgasm exploded, in all its searing glory through her body, radiating from her center outwards.

Her scream pinned his ears but he didn't release her shoulder as he forced youki into her to create the mate bond. The clenching of her tight walls on his cock, squeezing down and trapping him inside her, milked his seed from his body as his hips locked against hers. He felt it pulse against her womb and a thought crossed his mind that she could get pregnant but a quick inhale assured him she wasn't in heat. He wanted to plant a pup in her belly more than he was willing to admit but not until after they'd destroyed Naraku. Removing his fangs from her shoulder, he ran his tongue over the bite to heal her skin and grinned when her mark shimmered into life. His name scrawled elegantly above her collarbone in red and black kanji. "Perfect."

000000000000000000000000000000

Ranma leaned against the door and listened to Kagome's surprised question when InuYasha showed up. It wasn't difficult to stand there and hold the door shut when his cousin tried to open it after all he beat the hell out of the panda every day. He was uncomfortable listening to their conversation but as Kagome got started he wanted to smack the hanyou for being stupid. 'Jeez, this guy is dumb! He hasn't figured out she'd got it backwards yet and he's only making it worse. Baka, baka, baka!' Fuming, he was ready to rip the door open and challenge him again just for being oblivious when he finally clued in.

Their quiet voices still carried through the door and he blushed furiously when InuYasha poured out his heart to Kagome but it wasn't until the door lock snapped shut that he bolted. He definitely did not need to listen to anything else that the two of them were getting up to and knew his face was flaming red. Rushing past his unconscious father and jii-chan into the kitchen he was hit with a wet dish rag when his Aunt spun around in surprise.

"Oh! Ranma honey I'm so sorry. Let me get you some hot water." Turning back to the sink, she filled a cup and handed it along with a towel to him, now her, nephew. Ranma poured it over his head and grew two feet taller before her eyes. 'And I though Kagome lived an interesting life.' Smiling at her nephew she invited him to sit at the table. "Are you hungry dear? Did Kagome come back with you?" Turning towards the fridge she missed the look of discomfort that crossed Ranma's face.

"Ha ha… uh… no she… uh… she stayed in the past." He scratched at the back of his neck and hoped he wasn't still red faced.

She glanced at Ranma then turned to look at him fully with narrowed eyes. "Ranma dear, you should never play poker." Grabbing a tin of cookies and a can of soda she joined him at the table. "Now what's going on?"

Ranma slapped a hand to his face and drew it down forcefully. "Crap I knew I should have just gone outside." He glanced towards the door and wondered if he could pull out the old Saotome secret technique.

"Try it dear and I will bean you with this tin of cookies." It came out sweet and she smiled but it was a threat he knew better than to ignore or test.

Sighing heavily, he slumped and took a cookie. "InuYasha and Kagome had a fight and well… I kind of… um… helped them… uh… make up." Cringing at his own stumbled explanation, he waited for the explosion that never came.

With the way he was stumbling and blushing she had to ask. "Dear, did Kagome come back with you?" He nodded but didn't look up. "And did InuYasha come looking for her?" His face reddened even more so that it blended perfectly with his shirt. "And where exactly are they Ranma?"

Desperately wanting to escape the kitchen he laid his head on the table and whimpered. "Upstairs." Now he knew she would kill him for orchestrating the whole thing.

Smile spreading, Mama Higirashi pressed her fingers to her lips to hold back her giggle. "Well it's about time!" Visions of puppy eared grandbabies danced across her mind.

Ranma's head whipped up at her words. "What? You're not… how can you… you're ok… wow." Stunned speechless, he sat there and stared at his Aunt.

Standing from the table and hugging herself excitedly she smiled brightly at Ranma. "Do be a dear and wake your father and jii-chan. I think we should go out for an early lunch and perhaps to a movie." Closing the tin of cookies she looked at Ranma still sitting at the table. A grin was starting to tug at his lips.

Giving in he smiled wide and shook his head. "Auntie, I see now where Kagome gets her spunk from. You're pretty awesome." Bouncing to his feet he went and kicked the old man awake, forcing him and jii-chan out the door.

000000000000000000000000000

An hour or so later, after another sweat inducing, bones melting, round of love making with her mate Kagome quietly made her way down the stairs. With how loud they had been she was astonished that no one had demand to know what was going on. InuYasha had dozed off but she was starving and crept her way towards the kitchen. The silent stillness of the house indicated there was no one home but you could never be too careful.

Tip toeing into the kitchen she was rummaging through the fridge when the large clawed hands of her new mate clasped her waist. "What yah doing wench?" She glanced at him then turned to rake her eyes down his form in appreciation. He wore only his hakama and the tent in the front showed her that was all he was wearing. Stepping into his embrace, she wrapped one arm around his neck and slipped the other hand through the flap of his hakama to grip his cock tightly. "I was hungry and you'd dozed off." Palming him lightly she giggled when he groaned and pecked a kiss to his lips.

"I could give you something to eat love." He waggled his eyebrows at her and thrust his hips into her hand.

She went to reply when a piece of paper on the kitchen table caught her eye and frowning at it she released InuYasha. "What's that?" Picking it up she read the short missive from her mother and gasped softly in awe.

"Oi, what's it say?" Wrapping his arms around her waist, he leaned over her shoulder and read the note.

'My dear daughter. Don't be mad at Ranma, I made him tell me what was going on. You know that he has never been good at lying and this time was no exception. It is my hope and my wish for you to find everlasting love and happiness, the same as I had with your departed father, and I believe that you can with InuYasha. The last three years I have watched you fall deeply, madly in love with a man (our hanyou) that feels the same way about you. It has been clear to me for a very long time how he felt and I am delighted that you have finally been able to express those feelings to each other.

InuYasha dear, take excellent care of my daughter (as you always do). She is my most precious treasure and I joyfully give her into your care. You are as much my son as she is my daughter and I could not be more pleased to have you in our family. Take care of each other, love each other, hold tight to what you are creating together and never let go! Time is fleeting and you never know when it will run out on you.

I have convinced Genma and father to take us to lunch and then a movie. We should be back around dinner time. I expect you both to join us and Kagome dear… don't forget your pills. I want puppy eared grandchildren but perhaps waiting till you are finished with your quest would be best.

With all my love,

Mama

InuYasha's jaw was hanging open by the end and he breathed a soft, "Wow." against her ear. "I never knew she thought of me that way." He was both honored and humbled by her words and hugging Kagome tightly, buried his nose in her throat to hide his suddenly damp eyes.

Kagome gently stroked a furry ear and leaned back into him in comfort. "She's loved you almost as long as I have." Closing her eyes, she rested in his arms and thanked the kami for giving her such an amazing mother.

Nuzzling into her skin InuYasha thought about the last part of the note and asked, "What pills Kagome?" She stiffened in his hold and he growled softly in warning. "What. Pills. Mate?" Annoyed that she'd kept a secret of some kind from him that had something to do with her health, he snarled out the words.

Huffing a little, she turned to face him and placed her palms against his chest. "I've been on birth control pills for a little over a year." When he didn't say anything she sighed and tried to explain. "With all the running around I did in the past mama and I decided it might be a good idea. It makes it easy to know when my… cycle will start and it was a precaution in case… something… um… bad happened." There had been a few close calls where she had almost been violated and there was no way she wanted to end up pregnant if that had happened.

Sighing, he rested his forehead against hers. "I get it. It makes sense. Would these pills stop you from going into heat?" She made a little sound of affirmation and asked why. "About a year ago you had a month where it never came and it freaked the hell out of me. Then the blood started and I was really confused." When her heat hadn't started the only thing he could think was that she was pregnant but her scent didn't change and he could tell she hadn't mated with anyone so it didn't make any sense. "Then it happened every month and I didn't know how to ask without having my ass sat."

Pulling back slightly, she looked at him through narrowed eyes. "You track my schedule?"

He shrugged a little looking sheepish. "Well… yah. You smell really incredible when you're in heat and I made sure we were nowhere near wolf shit when it happened." The last thing he needed was to fight off a horny wolf demon. "Worked to." His smirk was a touch smug at having kept that luscious scent to himself. Running his fingers over the mark that peaked out from under her shirt's strap his smirk went from smug to downright wicked. "Can't wait for him to get a look at this."

Grinning, Kagome too liked the idea and slid her hands up to the back of his neck. "So….. we've got a few hours before they get back… whatever shall we do with ourselves?" She squealed when he tossed her over his shoulder.

"Oh I bet we can think of something. I didn't quite follow through on what I'd promised to do the first time. Got distracted." Laughing he raced for the stairs forgetting all about food for the moment.

0000000000000000000000000000000000

Dinner that evening had been entertaining, loud and jovial. Kagome had taken a few minutes to speak privately with her mother and show her the mark that proclaimed her InuYasha youkai equivalent of wife. The bonding was permanent, unbreakable, and would extend her life to match the length of his. They agreed with her mother that any future grandchildren should wait until they could rid the world of Naraku but for all intents and purposes she was now and forever more his wife.

Jii-chan grumbled but grudgingly gave his blessing and InuYasha had his first run in with Ranma's cursed form when a cup of water got spilt in his lap. Scoffing, InuYasha smacked Ranma, now female, on the back and said how at least he could turn back with a little hot water and didn't lose any of his skill or strength. Unlike him on his human night when he became weak and vulnerable.

Genma had taken it all in stride. Like Ranma he had seen the strange and unusual too often to blink at the hanyou sitting at the table. Though he did ask some odd questions about how InuYasha managed to keep his ears clean and free of insects. Looking at him like he was crazy, InuYasha shook his head and said they had never been a problem and thinking back, Kagome realized they never had issues with insects, of the normal variety, when he was around and wondered if it was a youkai thing.

Now it was the next morning and she had happily spent the night in the arms of her beloved mate. They were waiting to say good bye to Ranma and his father as they continued on their journey and stood together under the branches of the Goshinboku.

Ranma sauntered out of the house ahead of his pops and over to where the happy couple waited. "So Kags, you glad I got to come visit?" He snickered when she blushed.

"Yes, more than I can ever express. Good luck with the rest of your training and I hope you don't develop any new curses. Two is more than enough ok." She hugged him tight for a minute before InuYasha pulled her away.

"All right, all right. Go find your own female and stop hogging mine." InuYasha chuckled and held out his hand to Ranma. "Seriously though… thanks." Who knows how long, and how many more sits, he'd have taken before he'd gotten his head screwed on straight and claimed his mate.

Ranma shook the offered hand and grinned when it squeezed tight. "No problem man. Happy to help but you better treat her right or I'll be back to kick your ass again." His bones threatened to crack under the force of the hanyou's grip. "It was a joke! Jeez, don't go breaking my hand I need it to fight with." When InuYasha let go he shook his out.

Genma joined them and dragged Ranma off by his pig tail without so much as a goodbye. "Visit again sooner than this last time ok? And try to keep in touch Ranma!" Kagome waved them off and turned back to InuYasha. "Well love, should we go tell the others?" Her grin nearly split her face as he picked her up and dashed for the well.

Ranma kicked his pops down the shrine stairs and looked back in time to see the well house glow blue. "Good for you Kags." Grinning he bypassed the stairs and simply jumped from the top to the bottom beside his old man. "So pops, where we headed?"

"Ranma my boy we are going to visit my good friend Tendo, Soun Tendo. He runs the sister branch of our school in Nerima." Rising to his feet he walked along beside Ranma for a few minutes making sure his son was good and distracted before continuing. "There you will meet your fiancé and join the two schools through marriage." He swung the stop sign he'd pulled from the ground at his son's head.

"Like hell I will-" Was as far as he got as his pops knocked him out cold.

Draping the boy over his shoulder Genma snickered and headed for Tokyo and his soon to be daughter in law, whoever she may be.

---

A/N: And there my readers is the end of this one shot. Thank you for reading and as always feel free to review as you like.