Disclaimer!-I do not own Inuyasha ;.; sadly.

Protect

Dark lashes brushed against pale cheeks. Her breath slowed as she gave into the sleep that seemed to have crept up on her as the day dragged on. Kagome's grip relaxed around the neck of the legendary figure clad in red. Clawed hands, in turn, tightened their hold on her legs. Shifting the woman on his back, so she couldn't fall off if she let go all of the way, Inuyasha walked on.

"Keh, weak." He whispered.

"You shouldn't say such things about Lady Kagome, Inuyasha. She had a hard day." Miroku whispered back, knowing full well that the dog-demon could hear him perfectly even at his distance away from the couple.

"Shut up, lecher. I could say the same to you. All you humans are pathetic." Inuyasha called quietly over his back, making sure not to wake up his load. Miroku saw Sango roll her eyes and barked a short but loud laugh.

At that, Kagome murmured in her slumber and the half demon absent-mindedly soothed her by stroking his thumb against her thigh. She sighed and he gave a half smile…only to be replaced with the scowl that always seemed to hang from his face. Inuyasha didn't want to risk Miroku seeing. If he did, he would never hear the end of it.

Suddenly, the smell of smoke hit the dog-demon's nose. He immediately stopped. The other's shuffling slowed until he could see both the monk and the slayer holding Shippo beside him. Then, all was quiet.

Shippo was the first to break the silence, "what?"

Inuyasha took another whiff of the air. "There's a village, not but a mile from here…" His nose twitched again. "It has the stench of bear youkai all over it. Shouldn't take but a second to kill 'cause there's only two and they aren't powerful." His companions nodded for him to continue, "There was a fire also. It's not burning anymore but that doesn't mean the villagers aren't in danger."

"We'll take care of it." Miroku gestured to Sango with his staff. Inuyasha nodded curtly.

"I come too? Can't I?" Shippo made big puppy eyes at Sango. "I-I want to practice my fox-fire."

"Of course Shippo!" The slayer ruffled his orange hair. Shippo grinned triumphantly and then stared as the half demon made a noise that obviously implied the words: He's sooo spoiled.

"Fine." Inuyasha moved the still sleeping Kagome into a better position on his back. "I'll meet up with you guys at Kaede's hut in a four days, alright?"

"Well…I don't know," Miroku started, "we might need a few extra days to…recoup…" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively only to earn a slap from Sango. Inuyasha sighed and looked to the sky.

"Hentai," she hissed.

The said pervert cleared his throat. "Yes, well, right." He saluted at the scowling dog-demon. "Four days," he called. Then, the three made their way thought the forest in the opposite direction.

The crackling of a warm fire rapidly fell on a slowly waking miko's ears. She felt…safe. Kagome silently opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings.

…Red…

She attempted to turn her head toward the flickering light of a campfire that was to her right but stopped quickly when a low growl rumbled from deep within the folds of red cloth in front of her. Kagome peered up at her captor and found herself examining Inuyasha's jaw. "Um…" This time, the miko successfully got a good view of her surroundings, still sitting in the hanyou's lap. The clearing that they were in was washed in moonlight, which gave the early morning grass a silver sheen. Moist, cool air hung about them with a feeling of the spring to come, but because of her nearness to the snapping fire in front of her, the moist and cool air vanished leaving comforting warmth about the two. Kagome also noted that her bag was discarded close to a tree on the other side of the fire. 'Inuyasha.'

She turned to face him. "You should be asleep." The dog-demon seemed to answer her thoughts. His golden orbs opened lazily as he yawned showing his pearly white fangs that could easily pierce her skin but never would. The miko glanced down and saw his clawed hands resting on her hips protectively, hands that would never put a scratch on her.

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow, "What, wench? Finally discover that I'm half demon?"

"No." Kagome calmly replied like it was everyday that he called her "wench"…well, it was. She gently pulled one of his hands off of her waist.

"Wha-?" He stared at the girl in his lap, confused.

"Why do you protect me, Inuyasha?" Kagome was currently not making eye contact but tentively observing the calloused hand she had captured in her own.

"Keh! Not like I want to!" 'Oops. That was the wrong thing to say.' He flattened his fuzzy white ears against his head, waiting for her to yell at him. But it never came.

Inuyasha opened his eyes; not realizing he had closed them in the first place and peered down at Kagome, worried. She hand begun to run her fingers over his, tracing them. She was silent.

'Gods! Why does she have to go and start doing that? It's hard enough to keep away from her as it is!' The hanyou stopped her by closing his hand around hers suddenly.

The miko gasped and looked up into his eyes. 'Wrong idea, girl. You can't go and melt every time he looks in your eyes! Don't lose it! You were supposed to get mad after that statement!! What's wrong with you?!' Kagome gulped audibly and tried to back away.

Inuyasha let her go and get up, out of his lap. He appeared so…so…defeated. "Sorry." He barely whispered it, but she heard it anyway.

The girl waved it off with her hand like it was nothing. "Don't worry about it." She walked over to her monstrous yellow book-bag and pulled out her sleeping bag. Kagome figured that she wouldn't be snoozing in his arms anymore. 'Too bad. It was so nice while it last-'

Two strong arms abruptly picked her up around her waist. "And what do you think you're doing, bitch?" Inuyasha's demon side had screamed at him for letting her walk away. So, instinctively, he dashed over to the miko, picked her up, jumped in the tree they were sleeping under before, and set her back down on his lap.

Kagome eep-ed when felt his hands on her hips once again, but soon relaxed and leaned against his chest. She knew he wouldn't ever drop her. A familiar feeling rushed over her. She felt safe.

"You shouldn't sleep down there." Inuyasha's breath blew past her ear making the woman in his arms shiver. "It's not safe." He didn't notice what came out of his mouth before it was too late. 'Shit, shit, shit!'

"Inuyasha?" The miko turned with wide eyes. "But you just-!" The hanyou did the only thing he could think of to shut her up.

Kagome felt his lips suddenly crash down on hers. She gasped again allowing his tongue to delve into her mouth. "Inu-!" That was all she managed when he came away for air before he pressed his lips to hers again.

The desperate, rough kisses soon turned into gentle ones, and then it all ended when he brushed his lips on her one last time. Inuyasha breathed heavily as he leaned his forehead against hers.

Kagome was at a loss for words. "In-Inuyasha?" Her throat felt dry.

"I'm sorry."

"Wha-?" The hanyou kissed her again.

"Don't interrupt me." Kagome nodded. "I'm sorry. I lied." Inuyasha looked at her expectantly. All the girl did was blush.

Kagome finally cleared her throat when she realized it was safe to talk again…not like she minded being shut up with kisses. "L-lied about…what exactly?"

Inuyasha sighed and brushed his lips on hers again while saying, "I want to protect you."