Stolen Kiss

"So tell me, girl, what does it feel like to be woven, once again, along my grasp?" Kikyo drawled out as she smirked at Kagome, tied firmly to a tree by her soul stealers and a powerful Miko spell. It had happened once before, when Kagome had witnessed Inu-yasha and Kikyo kiss as she tried to drag her to hell.

Kagome struggled against the spell. She had been returning to the village from a long three days of studying and making up tests when Kikyo's soul stealers had wrapped around her and carried her into the forest.

Kikyo, seemingly satisfied for the time being, turned away from her, she looked at the sky for a moment before turning back to the schoolgirl, "He comes for me."

Sure enough, not long after the words were spoken, that Inu-yasha appeared from the forest's shadow and stood looking at Kikyo. Kagome scowled, Inu- yasha always ran to Kikyo. But it was none of her business.

She turned away as Inu-yasha came closer, he couldn't see or hear her, and so she might as well let him have his little episode with Kikyo. She'll help him later. The truth was, Kagome was curious; she wanted to see what Inu-yasha would do. She doubted that it would be any different from the last time Kikyo and Inu-yasha had met each other, but she lifted no finger to release herself.

Kikyo smiled softly, "You came to me, Inu-yasha."

Inu-yasha said nothing as he neared closer, his look was sad and his ears were drooped slightly, giving him a pathetic puppy look.

Kikyo approached him and lightly traced her fingers along his chest and slowly working there way up his cheeks, giving his face a gentle caress.

Kagome closed her eyes and looked away, she felt dirty watching them. Inu- yasha closed his eyes at the sensation.

Kikyo smirked once again and leaned into a kiss. "Oh Inu-yasha," she moaned at the sensation of her lips on his.

"Kagome," he whispered.

Kikyo reeled back in shock. She blinked in confusion and anger at what the hanyou had whispered. Kagome, too, stared with her mouth hanging wide open. Inu-yasha opened his eyes, hazed with passion.

"What did you just call me?" Kikyo asked stunned. Then she sobered, "She's more dear to you?"

Inu-yasha looked away, sadly he sighed, "I came here for a reason."

"And what...is that?" Kikyo breathed, a heavy weight in her heart.

Inu-yasha looked at his hand, "I need to release you, Kikyo."

"You have the nerve to kiss me and call me by my copy's name and then kill me?" Kikyo gasped, looking hurt, "Is she more dear to you?" Inu-yasha didn't answer. "Is she?"

"Yes," Inu-yasha said so softly Kagome and Kikyo almost didn't hear you. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, Kikyo."

Kikyo said nothing.

"I realized that," Inu-yasha paused and looked at the sky, a shadow of a smile on his features, "you are not the Kikyo of fifty years ago."

"What?" Kikyo snapped, "I am the Kikyo you killed, betrayed and now you stand before me and deny my being?"

"Kikyo," Inu-yasha's eyes flashed, "you are not the Kikyo I remembered, Kikyo would not want this." He cracked his claws and dug his hand into her chest. No blood seeped, the clay body merely shattered and cracked along the chest.

As Kikyo's body failed her she looked at Inu-yasha with a sad and lonely look, "You betrayed me again."

And then she was gone.

The spell was released and Kagome was soon visible to Inu-yasha. He glanced at her, his eyes pained. The releasing of Kikyo had been a lot harder than he'd expected. It had shattered her soul to see his distraught look as his claws dug into her.

She walked over to him and placed a calming hand on his arm. The muscles that had been tensed relaxed under her soft fingertips and she offered a small smile.

"You were here the whole time?" Inu-yasha asked. Kagome nodded. "I wanted to do it while you were in your time."

"She captured me when I came out of the well."

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" Kagome asked, taken aback by this displace of unusual behavior on Inu-yasha's part. He wasn't acting himself. Firstly, he killed Kikyo and now he was apologizing?

"For everything," Inu-yasha said softly. He blushed and turned away, "and I'm sorry for imagining you while kissing her."

"Imagining me?"

"Yeah."

"You were imagining me?"

"Yes," he breathed.

"Why?"

Inu-yasha shrugged.

"You said that you cared for me more than her, was that true?"

Inu-yasha nodded.

Kagome stood breathless for a moment, "Do you love me?"

"Let's go back to the village, Kagome," Inu-yasha cut in and started to walk towards the village, Kagome in tow.

They walked in silence until the village came into view and they emerged from the forest. Kagome glanced at Inu yasha, but he seemed deep in thought.

"Well, I guess dinner must be ready. What do you think Kaede made?"

"Yes."

Kagome blinked, "Yes what?"

"I do."

Kagome stopped walking and turned to look at the hanyou. He was looking at his feet, as if fearing rejection. Kagome smiled softly and grabbed his hand, and squeezed it happily.

"Well then, care to share the stolen kiss?" she asked smiling.

Inu-yasha looked at her confused.

"When you were kissing her, you said my name, so it's my kiss, and she stole it," Kagome said logically, explaining her comment.

He smiled softly and nodded his head. Leaning down he closed the distance between them in a small and simple kiss. Pure and innocent.

Kagome opened her eyes after a moment and smiled, "let's go back to the village Inu-yasha."

"Do you love me?"

Kagome paused and looked at him, "Of course I do."

"Ok then."

And the two walked together in silence, a comfortable, pondering silence.

---

short and pointless.