Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, though, I would love to.

Story: Declaration of Love

Title: Beating Around the Bush

AN: This story takes place a few days after the last Inuyasha episode- #167.

Kagome climbed out of the well, her backpack dropping onto the grass. Peeking her head over the lip, she searched for any sign of Inuyasha. He wasn't waiting for her in the clearing. She looked up into the trees. No sign of red could be spotted.

Kagome sighed as she dropped over the side. She would have to carry her bag.

Stupid baka. Still mad at me is he? Well, then I'll just ignore him, too.

Hoisting her bag up with pride, Kagome started her walk toward the village. She kept her eyes and ears open for any sign that he was following her.

Three days. It's been three days since I left. I wonder why he never came to get me… he always does.

Kagome thought back to three days ago when the two of them had had their latest fight. Inuyasha was going on about going after Naraku, swearing up and down, with every work that was in the known dictionary, about how they had to reach the hanyou before he got his hands on Kikyo again.

Of course, that led Kagome to a bit of depression, ignoring the hanyou when he tried to address her. She had finally decided to go home so she wouldn't have to listen to his rants and raves. He had stopped her on the path to the well, only to yell at her and ask her what the fuck was wrong.

That had done it. Kagome had gone off. She yelled at him for caring so much about Kikyo. She yelled at him for not even considering her feelings one bit. Then she just straight up told him to forget it, that she was going home for the weekend.

He had let her go. He remained standing in the path as she left, and that was the last place she had seen him.

And that all happened the day after we sat in the tree at Kaede's. When I put my head on his shoulder, and he leaned into me.

Kagome smiled at the memory. One of the few romantic memories she had with Inuyasha.

She frowned, thinking back to their argument.

Now that I think about it, I think I hurt his feelings. He seemed kind of sad when I left him standing there.

Looking up at the Goshinboku, Kagome veered her course, heading toward the giant tree. She wasn't in a hurry to get back the village. She was early in coming back anyway. Maybe she could surprise him.

It took her less time to get to the tree had she instead gone to the village. Looking up into the highest branches, she saw him. His back was turned to her as he leaned against the trunk of the tree. His hair bellowed behind him, which meant she was down wind. He didn't know she was there.

Being careful to not make a sound, Kagome set her bag down and started toward the tree, stopping just before she reached his branch. She leaned one hand on the trunk of Goshinboku, and was getting ready to shout his name when she heard him speak. It was more of a mumble. Kagome tried to make the words out as best as she could.

"Stupid girl… don't know anything… nothing… Kikyo…"

Kagome silently gasped at what she was hearing. He was talking about her and Kikyo. She knew she shouldn't eavesdrop, but she couldn't announce herself either. She knew she should just walk away, but she couldn't. She had to know the truth, and he always avoided the truth. So she just stood there and continued to listen.

"… love you. I just… I can't say it!" His last phrase he had been shouting. It was more then enough to know what was on his mind.

Kagome gasped sharply and stumbled back.

Inuyasha's ears perked up and he turned around suddenly, his hand on Tetsusaiga. The dangerous glint in his eyes turned into one of surprise. "Ka...Kagome? What are you doing here?"

Kagome lowered her head, her bangs covering her expression. She shook her head.

"Did... did you just hear everything I just said?" Inuyasha's voiced seemed more worried then upset.

Kagome just kept shaking her head, not once looking up at him. "No, but I heard enough to know where I stand." She looked up at him, silent tears sliding down her rose-colored cheeks. "From the very beginning, I've always been the shard detector. No matter how much I tired to worm my way into your heart, you've always pushed me away for her."

"Kagome… I…"

"I don't want to hear it, Inuyasha." She snorted. "I promised to stay by your side forever, that was my mistake. Not yours. And I still want to be there, but, I don't know if I can."

"Damnit Bitch!" he yelled, interrupting her. He jumped off the branch to land in front of her. He grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to look him in the eye. "If you heard one thing that I said up there, then you wouldn't be talking this trash. What did you hear?"

Kagome looked away, not fighting the fact that Inuyasha still held on to her. "You said I was stupid, you said that… that… you loved Kikyo, but…" her voice wavered. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "That you couldn't tell her," she finished in a hoarse whisper. She broke down in tears then.

Pulling away from his grasp, Kagome picked up her bag and ran, leaving a stunned Inuyasha behind.

She got as far as the outskirts of the forest before Inuyasha ran at full speed, only to leap and land in front of her, blocking her escape to the well.

"Leave me alone." Her voice was low, almost threatening.

"Damnit! Wench! Just listen to what I have to say."

She glared at him. "I think you've said enough. Move. Or I'll say 'it'."

"Say it all you want, but I'm not moving until you listen!"

If looks could kill, Inuyasha would be dead in that moment.

"Sit." A single command; a soft, deadly tone.

The beads on the rosary glowed, the magic enabling. The only problem was, Inuyasha was not going down.

He had his feet firmly placed into the ground. His head was slightly bent as he fought the power that held him.

"I will fight… this, Damnit!"

"Sit!"

Inuyasha had to struggle more. He threw all his strength into keeping himself up.

Kagome took that opportunity to sidestep Inuyasha, only to have her wrist grabbed as she passed.

She gasped, and turned to see Inuyasha still fighting to stay up. But his head was lifted, his eyes trained on her, almost in a pleading gaze.

Kagome sighed and relaxed against his grip. "Fine. You have three minutes."

The power of the rosary lessened until Inuyasha was free. He got his bearing straight before glaring at the miko. "Don't ever do that again."

Kagome pushed her sleeve up to look at her wrist watch. "Two and half minutes."

Inuyasha growled. He grabbed Kagome by the arm, lifting her into his arms bridal style. She shrieked in surprise and reached up for his neck to keep from falling. Inuyasha bounded through the opposite end of the forest, away from the village, only to stop upon the familiar grassy, rolling hills where they often stopped to rest.

"Next time you do that," Kagome spat, "let me know." She glared at him for good measurement.

"Feh." Inuyasha set her down and crossed his arms inside his haori.

Silence. Both stood a top the hill, looking down into the field of flowers that were starting to sprout. A gentle wind blew by, carrying the scent of the forest.

Kagome turned her head to the breeze, taking in the tranquility of her surroundings. She sighed loudly. "Well?" She turned her head to look at him. She wasn't mad. Her voice gave off a more weary expression.

"I didn't want it to be like this," he started, still unsure of how he was going to say it.

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" Kagome turned to her head to gaze back over the beauty. "I've known all along how you've felt. I just… I don't think my heart knew it."

"If you knew how I felt, then…" he growled to himself, not sure what to say. "Fuck! Why can't this be easier!"

Kagome sat down on the grass, her knees pulled up to her chin. She kept her eyes off him.

Inuyasha knelt down beside her, facing her, his eyes never leaving that which was before him.

"I think you know how I feel, Inuyasha."

"Sometimes, I don't think I do."

Kagome snorted. "Even now, we're just beating around the bush." She turned her head slightly just to look at him from the corner of her eye. She sighed, her gaze returning to the scenery.

Inuyasha twitched nervously, waiting for her to finish what was on her mind. He didn't know what to say to that as it was.

"I realized it, for the first time, that day I saw you and Kikyo at Goshinboku- when I had run away." She looked down into her lap. "I went home- you didn't come after me. I stood underneath Goshinboku and cried. It felt like my heart was going to explode. I didn't understand my feelings.

"Then I finally realized why it was I crying. It was because I was jealous. Because I was in love with you, too." Kagome released a shuddering breath. There. She had said it.

Silence ticked by in seconds.

"And… do you still feel that way now?"

"Yah." A pause. "The only problem is, after everything we've been through since that day, my feelings, they've never gone away. Everyday I find reasons to love you more.

"That's why I promised to always be by your side, even…" she willed the tears not come, "even if it meant you were to be with Kikyo."

"Kagome," he whispered, his voice soft and blowing off into the breeze.

"I'm sorry." She said it so softly, that it was hard for even Inuyasha's sensitive ears to pick it up. "They're my feelings. I shouldn't have turned them against you."

"Baka."

She turned to look at him, surprise written all over her face. That was the last thing she expected him to say.

"Inu…"

He grabbed her wrist then, pulling her into his arms, both still kneeling on the grass.

"Baka. Don't apologize. It was never your fault. I was the one always… leaving." He made sure not to use her name. "I never once stopped to think about your feelings."

Kagome gave a strangled laugh. "You did. Once." She remembered back to the time when she had saved Kikyo's life from the deadly blow that Naraku had given the miko. She had told Inuyasha to go after her. But he hadn't. He had stayed.

He growled low. "Okay. Maybe once." He hugged her tighter. "I should be sorry."

Kagome tired to shake her head. "You had no idea." Tears sprang into her eyes then. As hard as she had tried to hold them back, she just couldn't keep the drops from falling. Giving up the emotional battle that raged inside her, Kagome broke down crying in his arms.

Inuyasha winced as his haroi started to soak. His right hand never left the back of her head as he tried to sooth her. "Kagome. Please don't cry."

After several minutes Kagome was still going. Inuyasha started to panic.

"Kagome. Please! Stop crying. I can't stand it when you cry."

She sniffled and pulled away to look at him. "Why? Because I'm being such a baby?" Her voice was starting to rise.

"No." A soft, simple word. "Because I hate to know that I'm the reason you're crying. You shouldn't have to cry because of me." He looked away. Anywhere but at her, he thought.

He snorted. "I'm not worth crying over. I'm a hanyou. Worthless."

"Not to me."

Inuyasha looked back at her. She sat back on her hunches, her hands folded in front of her.

"Inuyasha," she sighed his name. "I fell in love with you," she looked down at her hands with a blush spreading over her cheeks, "because of who you are. Your demon strength allows you to protect me, to protect Mirkou, Sango, and Shippou. But it's your human heart that allows you to feel. You're nothing like most demon. Your better then them. You feel, and that's what keeps you strong.

"I have never looked down upon you. I never will. I like you just the way you are, remember?" She looked up at him and smiled sadly. In a soft, sad voice, "I love you, Inuyasha." A few tears brimmed her eyes again, but she refused to turn away. He had to know that it was the truth.

"Ka… gome. I…" He wasn't sure what to say. He knew what he had to say, but, he was still afraid. Fuck! I'm not afraid to risk my life to protect her, but when it comes to… to showing her how I feel…

His thoughts drifted as he raised his hand and cupped her cheek. Her tears ran over his hand and dripped to the ground. Her skin was smooth under his palm. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. That was more then enough for him. If he couldn't say it, then he'd show her.

He leaned forward, his face directly before hers. His eyes ran over every inch of her face, memorizing ever curve, every tone. Then his gaze stopped on her lips. So full, slightly damp. Her breathing even.

She opened her eyes suddenly, and he raised his own to meet her chocolate orbs.

"Inu… yasha?"

"Shhh." He leaned in closer and firmly pressed his lips to her, both their eyes closing.

Kagome leaned more fully up into him, as he wrapped his arms around her small frame. She groaned under his touch. His lips were soft and moist, just like she remembered them being from the time she had kissed him at Kaguya's palace.

Inuyasha pulled away just enough to look into her eyes. "They already know you're my weakness." He closed his eyes.

The 'they' he was talking about, Kagome knew, was Naraku.

"But until this is all over…" He paused. Kagome nodded for him to continue. "When everything is said and done with Naraku, I want us…me… me and you…" Inuyasha couldn't stop stuttering. He didn't know how to put it.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called him softly.

His eyes focused on her.

"Are you saying what I think your saying?"

He nodded. "I want, if you'll take me, for you to become my mate." He closed his eyes and winced, waiting for her to reject him.

It never came.

Instead, a soft hand cupped his cheek. Inuyasha could smell the salt of her tears for the third time that day. He opened his eyes to see what was wrong.

She was crying, all right, but she also had a genuine smile on her face. "Yes."

Inuyasha blinked, confused. "Yes?"

"Yes, I'll be your mate."

His eyes opened wide. "Kagome," he breathed. "It… it would be forever. There would be no turning back."

She nodded. "I know."

"You would really… do that?"

She laughed, her tears subsiding. "I already said yes, dog-boy."

He smiled then pulled her into a hug. "I love you, Kagome. My Kagome."