Disclaimer; I do not own Inuyasha.
This is nice, Kagome thought as she rode on Inuyasha's back. This is really, really nice. Strands of the half-demon's silky silver hair flew in her face, and she resisted the urge to reach out and touch it. Her self-control began to wear down. I wonder if he would mind…
"Well, Inuyasha," Miroku's voice rang out, breaking the extremely rare silence that had fell over the group. Kagome blushed, afraid she had been caught almost giving into her temptations. "You and Kagome look awfully cozy there."
She sighed in relief. Thank goodness. She had no idea what she would do if Miroku, of all people, had seen her.
"Shut up, monk," Inuyasha growled angrily.
There was no denying it though. It wasn't just Miroku being Miroku. The two did look cozier than normal, what with Kagome snuggled up close to Inuyasha's hard back, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders with his hands gripping under her thighs in a comfortable hold.
"Geez, Miroku," Sango chided him. "Get your head out of the gutter."
The monk put his hands in front of him in a defensive stance. "I didn't mean or imply anything. I'm just stating the truth, the obvious. I mean, look Sango. Really look at them. Don't they look more lovey-dovey to you?"
The demon slayer hesitated a moment before responding. "Well…"
"Oh, not you too, Sango!" Kagome exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, Kagome, but it's true. Please, don't take any offense."
"Don't worry, Kagome!" Shippo piped up. "I think that Miroku is just imagining things."
She laughed. "Remind me to bring you five boxes of pocky the next time I return home, Shippo."
Inuyasha's face, which had matched his kimono, angrily turned to the monk and demon slayer and the little fox demon. "There's nothing going on, okay?" He paused once. "I'm just holding her tightly because…she's…really heavy, and I wouldn't want her to fall." Inuyasha huffed and turned away from the prying eyes and minds of his friends.
Miroku, Sango, and Shippo all snorted simultaneously. That was a horrible lie.
But the demon slayer turned her head in time to see Kagome biting her lip, back straight, and not trying at all to keep the frown off her face. It looked as if she was about to cry.
Oh, Kagome, the other girl thought. What has Inuyasha done?
The air was cold this morning, the half-demon noted. It was a lot colder than normal, and if he remembered correctly, it was the middle of summer.
He turned to look at the female riding on his back. Last he checked, humans didn't have the ability to change weather. So how come all the chilly air was emanating from Kagome's body?
He sighed. That wasn't the only thing that was off, either. Inuyasha wondered if Kagome knew that she was stiff as a rod on his back or if her stance was intentional. Come to think of it, she seemed a lot moodier today than usual, but she wasn't exactly what he would call sulking. She was just…very quiet, very not Kagome. It disturbed him to a great extent. What was up her butt anyway?
"Oi, wench, I don't bite, so you can relax your back now!" Maybe it would have been nicer if he said it in a different and kinder tone, but the half-demon wasn't exactly well known for his great usage of words. It was still something, though.
However, he knew the wrath that Kagome possessed, seeing that it rivaled his own temper. With the statement he just said, Inuyasha had expected some sort of response from the futuristic girl. But all she did was straighten up even more, almost as if she was standing up.
Kagome glanced to her side quickly, seeing Kirara rear to a stop. She looked at Sango, questioning.
"Hey, Kagome, do you want to ride with me on Kirara?"
The relief that filled the futuristic girl's eyes couldn't have better conveyed her response. The expression on her face was uncharacteristically stoic, though, and if it were under different circumstances, the half demon probably would have laughed at Kagome. "Okay."
She slowly climbed off Inuyasha's back, and as she did so, Kagome could hear a low growl coming out of the dog demon's throat. He looked at her with piercing amber eyes, almost as if trying to convey to her not to leave. He never said anything though, not protesting once as she carefully climbed onto the feline's back.
When Kagome was sure Inuyasha was done growling, she whispered softly to Sango, "Thank you. You saved me back there."
The other girl giggled. "I could tell. So, what's wrong?"
Kagome lowered her voice a notch, extremely aware of the pair of piercing amber eyes that were watching her every movement. "I…I just can't say it right now, Sango. Maybe, when I feel better about it, I will. But I just feel so pathetic about what it is that I'm worrying about, that I'd rather not mention it at all."
"Okay," Sango said, hoping that Kagome would feel better soon. She would try to do whatever she could to help her friend. Kagome was like her sister, and she would do anything she could to try to make her feel better.
A pair of amber eyes squinted up in rage. What is it that she's hiding from me?!
The sun had set hours ago, and night had settled in. The campfire was slowly dimming, and the warmth from it dissipating as well. Sango snuggled up closer to Kirara; Miroku lay on the other side of the feline. Kagome slept near the campfire, as always, with Shippo acting as her teddy bear. Inuyasha nested himself in the branches of a tree, though not once closing his eyes.
The half-demon looked at Kagome. How many times had he done this each night? Inuyasha couldn't remember. All he knew was he noticed everything about Kagome. The way the fire illuminated her features, making them look more angelic. He noticed the way she furrowed her eyebrows because she was having a nightmare about some dumb "a-rip-math-tick". He even noticed all the hitches in her breath and all the things she muttered in her sleep.
He scoffed. Thinking about Kagome wouldn't help matters. What did I do to you, Kagome? Did I really hurt you that much?
The schoolgirl began stirring in her sleep. Inuyasha quickly closed his eyes, assumed his sleeping position, and feigned slumber, all the while keeping one ear tweaked toward the direction of the campsite.
Kagome, now clad in warm kitten pajama bottoms (she loved how much it annoyed Inuyasha), looked around the camp. Miroku, Sango, Kirara, Shippo… Then, she settled her gaze on Inuyasha. …Inuyasha.
She sighed almost inaudibly. "I am such an idiot." She whispered half-jokingly. "I'm probably the biggest, fattest idiot in the world."
Kagome probably thinks that everyone's asleep, Inuyasha thought, including me.
Waiting until she turned towards the campfire (and away from him), he leapt down impulsively and landed on the dirt by her sleeping bag. He looked at her, now deciding to be rational, and pondered whether or not he should say something. To hell with rational, he thought. Kagome's not talking to me and I want to know why!
"Why are you an idiot?"
Kagome was a little surprised, not expecting him to be so straight forward. Well, that, and the fact that he just asked her that out of nowhere. Regaining her composure, she replied. "Maybe, I don't want to tell you."
"Well, maybe you SHOULD tell me!"
"Well, maybe it's none of your beeswax!"
The bickering two turned around to see Shippo and Kirara stirring in their sleep. Inuyasha couldn't risk having them wake up and witnessing their fight, especially at this late hour.
He grabbed her hand quickly and said, "C'mon."
Kagome, who was still mad at him, could not ignore the blush that rose to her face. How can I be so weak? He grabs hold of my hand, and I become a human tomato! She looked at their linked hands and smiled a little bit. But it feels so…No, Kagome! You have to be strong! Do not let some guy make you go way over your head!
After a couple of minutes, Inuyasha stopped in his tracks. He begrudgingly let go of Kagome's hand, and instantly missed the warmth emanating from it. He shook off his thoughts. This was a good enough distance away from the camp. He, then, turned to look at Kagome who appeared to be deep in thought. "Now you can tell me. Why are you an idiot?"
His voice was calmer this time, and he hoped this would somehow coax the answer out of her.
She turned away from him, speaking in a clipped tone. "It's none of your business."
"I think it is my business since your sour mood has to do with me, wench!"
"I think that you're just jumping to conclusions."
"I'm not jumping to any damn place until you tell me what's wrong with you!"
"Well, that's too bad since nothing is up."
"That's a load of bull and you know it. Tell me what your deal is, Kagome!"
"You don't get a hint when it first comes, do you? Maybe, I'm not the only idiot around here!"
"Maybe, you're not an idiot!"
Kagome whirled around to look at him. "Please, DON'T WASTE YOUR BREATH! It's so very vital for you, isn't it? You'll probably need it so you can carry around this heavy burden, won't you?"
Inuyasha looked at her. Then realization dawned on him.
"So THAT'S what THIS is all about? I said I was just kidding! Can't you take a joke, little miss skinny?!"
"Well, it wasn't exactly the laugh-out-loud kind of joke, so excuse me for not laughing!"
Kagome turned away from him, and the smell of salt overran all of Inuyasha's senses. Was he really so mean to her that it was tear-inducing? Did she really want to be away from him that much?
I'm not going down without a fight, he thought determinedly.
"Kagome—"
I'm just going to end it while I can, she thought resignedly.
"Inuyasha, I came to solve this problem. Not make it worse." Her back was still facing him, and the smell of salt still overran his senses. "I'm going to head back to camp, because all we're doing is fighting and fighting and I don't need to waste my breath on something that isn't worth wasting it on."
"Wait."
"What? Do you really want to pick a fight with someone that bad?! Well, if you do, go find Koga. Or go wake up Shippo and chase him around the camp! But, please, do not bother me! I am tired, and I'm going to sleep!" Lies. She wouldn't be able to get a wink of shut-eye after this fight.
"THAT'S NOT IT! Do you really have to make this harder for me?"
"Well, then, what is it? What am I making so unbearably hard for you, Inuyasha? Please, enlighten me. I really want to know." She wearily faced him.
"You're not heavy, okay? And you're not a burden. I'm not good with my words; and I hate how Miroku, Sango, and Shippo always try to pry into things; and I always say the first damn thing that comes to mind!"
Silence followed his declaration, and the half-demon was not sure what to make of it. Sure, he didn't exactly say the words "I'm sorry", but Kagome understood that he didn't roll that way, didn't she? That was the closest to an apology he ever got. She knew, didn't she? That he was sorry he hurt her feelings so badly? That he knew he was a stupid, impulsive, brazen, and irrational person 95 percent of the time, but he still acted like that anyway? Didn't she get that he cared?
"Kagome?"
Silence followed his question, but Inuyasha was persistent and he asked, "Are you still mad at me?
Again, silence.
"I…I'm sorry."
She turned to look at him, eyes glassy. Never had she heard such a sincere apology and it pulled on her heartstrings so much she couldn't help but cry.
Inuyasha quickly ran to her and hugged her so tight she almost couldn't breathe. "Kagome, I'm sorry, I never meant to make you cry and be sad and I—"
"I'm not sad, you idiot!" She laughed and cried at the same time. "I'm crying tears of happiness!"
He smiled at her quickly, almost afraid that this was all a dream—that she really hadn't forgiven him and had left. He almost had the urge to laugh. They had such a funny way of solving problems. One moment: yelling and screaming. The next: quiet and smiling. But then, he guessed he wouldn't have it any other way.
"Good." He crouched down. "Hop on."
Kagome looked confused, but was still curious as to why he would tell her to hop on at this hour. "Inuyasha, what for? Don't you think it's high time we returned to camp? It's getting kind of late, and what if Miroku or Sango wakes up and don't know where are? I wouldn't want to worry them…"
"It can wait. Just hop on, wench." He repeated. Kagome just didn't understand how much he enjoyed having her on his back; how he looked forward to every morning because of it. He loved they way she would grab on tighter to him when he went fast. It made him… happy. "We're going to go for a ride."
She got on quickly. She, too, enjoyed how she was the only one who rode on Inuyasha except for rare occasions. Kagome warmed up to him instantly. She yawned and turned her face to the side, placing her cheek delicately, lovingly on his red-clothed back.
"This is to make up for today," Inuyasha said softly so that she almost hadn't heard him.
He began running fast, feeling lively and energized. Like he was on top of the world. Things were how they should be—Kagome with him, him with Kagome.
Puffs of her breath caressed his cheek. The warm air grazed his skin softly, like a ghost of a whisper. He grinned lightly to himself.
"Kagome?"
"Yes, Inuyasha?" Her voice was so soft, so sweet and it made Inuyasha wonder how he could be so cruel as to insult her. It made him also wonder how he had been so lucky as to meet someone like her. Inuyasha knew that she was one in a million and had somehow landed upon him.
Kagome took no notice of his thoughts. She was too busy twirling strands of his silver hair around her finger. Her other hand was preoccupied with playing with the beads of the enchanted necklace hanging off of Inuyasha's neck.
He paused for a moment and stopped in his tracks. Kagome looked a bit startled and wondered why he stopped. Everything is back to normal now. "I missed you." He started running again.
I missed you. Who knew those three words could make Kagome's heart beat in her chest so rapidly? She wondered if Inuyasha could feel her heartbeat against his back, or hear it in that frighteningly loud volume she was hearing it at that very moment. He evoked such feelings in her that sometimes, it was scary.
Kagome began to wonder what he meant when he said that. She contemplated it for a short while, and when it finally dawned on her, she smiled and leaned up slightly to whisper into one of his furry, triangular ears, "Oh, Inuyasha…I missed you, too."
A/N: five pages, 2608 words… yes, no? you tell me(: REVIEWPLEASE!