A/N: Seri-chan and Captain Dangere here with our first collaboration together! Being the hopeless romantics that we are, we couldn't resist writing this one-shot for ourselves and fellow KagKur fans! We really hope that you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed writing it!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately the Inuyasha characters beling to Rumiko Takahashi while Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshiro Togashi, otherwise Kurama amd Kagome would be a real couple...

A Heart's Calling

When they kissed, she never felt passion, never felt that urgent wave of desire. There were no blinding colors, no feelings of euphoria that accompanied a kiss shared between two people deeply in love. Because he wasn't thinking about her, and she wasn't thinking about him, so gently she pushed him away. "Inuyasha…" she murmured softly, her warm eyes searching his own amber orbs as she wondered why it had taken her so long to realize how senseless this love affair was. At her imploring gaze, his eyes swirled with confusion. It's okay, she encouraged him silently with a tender smile. Her dainty hand reached out, her fingers tracing lingeringly down his cheek.

The wind ran its invisible fingers through their hair, twining strands of moonlight silver, and midnight black together intricately. With her touching him so intimately, an outsider may have fondly inferred that they were in love. And indeed they were in love, but not with each other.

"You're thinking about her," she told him, feeling her heart jerk in her chest at the guilt flickering across his face. She didn't want him to feel responsible for the decision that she was about to make. It wasn't his fault. In fact, it was him who made her understand that what they shared was not love, but only that of a powerful friendship. He had helped her to accept that she didn't belong with him, and that he didn't belong with her. He remained silent, regarding her with an ashamed countenance, and again there was that small pang. She would miss him, and to her they'd always have their friendship, but this wasn't where she was supposed to be. Her obligations to this place were no longer, and his obligation to protect her was unnecessary; the journey was over. So she was going to liberate them both.

Finally, the hanyou glanced away, staring off somewhere in the distance, choosing to look anywhere but into those eyes, those understanding eyes. Why can't I love her? he lamented, clenching his fists tightly in the grass. Kagome understood him, didn't judge him. It just didn't make any sense to him. She was perfect. But when he looked at his one true friend, he could see her. Kagome wasn't some copy of his former lover, even though he'd convinced her otherwise dozens of time before, yet a part of his first love was always going to shine through, and he knew he wouldn't be able to ignore it. And she knew it too.

So distracted by his melancholy thoughts, he started when he felt his companion's fingers close over his hand, urging his fist to uncurl. "It's okay, Inuyasha," he heard her whisper quietly, and those three words were so sincere he felt a little bit of the weight boring down on his shoulders recede. He sucked in a breath.

Kagome's hand fell away to help support her when she leaned back, turning her face up to the dusky, gold sky. "I've known you for a long time," she began, smiling at nothing as she closed her eyes, "and we've been through so much, so wouldn't it make sense for us to be in love already?" Inuyasha's mouth opened and closed, almost like he was confused at what she was saying. Hadn't she just said that it was okay that he didn't love her? Cracking one, blue orb open to study him, she giggled at his expression. "But--even after all this time, we aren't. So I guess you can say that it wasn't meant to be," The miko flopped back into the lush grass, taking in a deep breath of the clean air. "Maybe I was in love with you at one point, but I could of just created it in my head because it had seemed like it was destiny."

She suddenly laughed, the sound light and joyous, coaxing a small smile onto Inuyasha's face, and when it carried away in the wind, Kagome pushed herself back into a sitting position. Now that she'd said it, she supposed that it was time for her to leave, and by the way that he was looking at her, so knowingly, he was thinking the exact same thing.

"It's time for you to return to your time, isn't it?" he queried, keeping his voice steady even as he felt some unwanted emotions start to rise up. It was the first time he'd spoken throughout the entire conversation, and Kagome tried to imprint the sound of it in her memory. This would be one of the last times she ever heard his voice.

Because this wasn't where she belonged.

The miko's eyes welled with tears, hot and burning as she threw herself at her best friend, crying into his haori. "Y-yeah.. it's time…" she mumbled into the fabric, he'd been tense at first, like always, never knowing how to react when she got emotional, but eventually his arms curled around her securely, reminding her of all the times that he'd held her; protected her. This was so much harder than she had ever imagined. But there was someone waiting for her in the future, and she loved him. Closing her eyes, she drew in a breath, Inuyasha's woodsy, masculine scent appeasing her slightly. Five-hundred years would be separating them, but she always had her memories.

"Quit your crying, wench," Inuyasha demanded softly, pushing her away, "you know I hate it when you cry." His jaw was clenched tightly, making Kagome break out in a watery smile. "I'm sorry," she wiped her tears away with shaky hands, doing her best to keep composed. He stood, offering his hand to her which she readily took, and they shared another embrace in the clearing in which they had first met. How appropriate, she thought idly. Where they met, is where they'd say goodbye. Both stared at the Goshinbuko with reflective faces.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a rustle in the bushes, faintly heard a sniff.

"You guys can come out, I need to say goodbye to you too after all," Kagome stepped towards the foliage at the precise moment that an orange blur shot out, lunging into her. She caught it faithfully, pulling the little bundle close to her with a crushing grip. Two more figures emerged, both silent, but smiling softly, and she gently set Shippou on the ground.

Miroku moved towards her, reaching out and pulling the girl to him when she accepted his hand. "We'll miss you…. Imouto," he told her sincerely, brushing his lips across her cheek. Kagome held on tightly for another moment, allowing herself to indulge in his calming aura and letting it twine with her own. Her fingers lingered on his cheek, the same touch she'd given Inuyasha minutes earlier, and she turned away to the silent woman who'd become her big sister throughout their years of traveling together.

"Do you have to go?" Sango questioned, a small frown marring her face.

Kagome shook her head mutely, "No, I don't have to, but I want to. There's someone that I'm meant to be with…and I love him as much as you do that perverted houshi," she answered truthfully. The other woman looked to the ground, then back to the girl she considered her little sister, "Be happy, Kagome-chan," They both smiled, the gestures somewhat forced as they too embraced for the last time. "I will be," Kagome whispered into her hair.

As they separated, she lastly returned her attention back to the small kitsune-child standing at Inuyasha's side. She dropped to her knees, holding her arms out to him. He didn't hesitate, scampering over into the sanctuary of her hold. He wept without restraint, begging her to stay, in which she softly told him that she couldn't, that she loved him, and wouldn't forget him.

"You're a youkai, perhaps I'll see you in five-hundred years. Do you think you can stay alive that long for me?" Kagome asked. Shippou bobbled his head of russet hair, sharing a look with her filled with silent promise. Placing him back on the ground, she urged him to join Miroku and Sango, while Inuyasha took her hand. "C'mon, don't make it harder for them then it has to be," he said, pulling her towards the direction of the well.

Together they strolled through the forest in a compatible silence, each content to simply bask in each other's presence. The well appeared too quickly though, and reluctance made her slow her step. Inuyasha snorted, tugging her along until they stood just before the passage leading back to her era, the passage that had brought them together. Kagome turned to her best friend, smiling widely as she held his hand close to her heart. "This is it," she told him.

"This… this is what you want?" he questioned her seriously, "because there is no going back. You know that," he replied gruffly, simply hoping that she would make this quick, and hopefully less painful than it already was. It would be difficult adapting to life without the annoying girl at his side.

"Yes.. It is…" to avoid his gaze, she searched for the large, yellow back pack that she had placed at the well sometime before now, wrestling it onto one of her narrow shoulders, "I'm going to miss you, Inuyasha Don't forget me or I'll find a way to s-" she broke off when his eyes widened with alarm, "well, you know what I mean."

He inclined his head to her, his ears twitching madly. "Yeah, yeah, whatever wench."

Their hands fell away as the miko positioned herself on the rim of the well, her feet dangling into the inky depths.

Inuyasha's hand shot out to grip her arm when she appeared as if she was going to push off, "Hey Kagome?"

She glanced back to him, "Yeah?"

The inu hanyou glanced off into the forest, then back to her, "Who were you thinking about?"

Her gentle laughter washed over him, a pleasant sound in his ears, "No one you wouldn't approve of… eventually,"

Accepting that answer, he stepped away, I'll miss you… my best friend.

And a moment later she was gone.

Kagome landed softly on her feet as the last of the blue mist vanished from her sight forever. She stood there a moment, the faces of the people who had become something like a second family to her, resonating her minds eye. And for the first time, she felt doubtful of her resolution. What if he broke his promise? What if he didn't wait... It would be my own fault, she admitted, I've been so selfish... Gripping her yellow bag and slinging it over her shoulder, Kagome steadily began to climb her way up the interior of the well with the ladder her grandfather had left out for her from previous ventures back to the past.

She hefted herself up over the side of the well, draping one leg over the battered rim, and turned to glance back into its seemingly endless depths one last time. The well that she had traveled through countless of times in search for the shards of the Shikon no Tama had finally closed on her. Forever. She knew that if she were to jump in right now, she would only hit the earthen floor and look up not to see the clear blue sky of the Sengoku Jidai, but instead the sheltered roof of the old well house.

Bringing her other leg over, she pushed off the lip of well, the tears she'd forcefully kept supressed after her final farewell with her beloved companions, rising up in an onslaught of silver droplets. Through her blurry vision, golden beams of sunlight permeated through the eroded wood of the tiny construction, suggesting that the sun was setting in Tokyo.

The distraught miko slid open the worn wooden door and shielded her teary eyes from the bright orange sun that was slowly dipping below the horizon, rising on the opposite side of the world, allowing her gaze to flicker across the courtyard in search of a familiar figure.

And just like he had promised her the day before she departed for the final battle, he was there, waiting for her. With his long red hair, gleaming with an almost pink tint in the setting hues of the sun, lifting ever so slightly in the light wind, and his tall, beautiful sculpted frame. He was just as powerful; just as beautiful as she remembered. She gazed at him from her station outside of the well house, and her breath caught in her throat when he turned to her, his amazing emerald eyes piercing her right through her soul with their intensity.

"Kurama…" she whispered, barely aware of her back pack sliding off her shoulder and impacting the ground with a solid, audible thud. She paid no mind to the impromptu rush of tears that spilled from her eyes, cascading down her already wet cheeks as she stumbled in his direction, her feet steadily picking up a merciless rhythem until she was blindly running towards him. After what felt like forever, Kagome collapsed against his magenta clad chest.

"Kagome…" she heard him whisper as she buried her face into him, inhaling the comforting scent of roses as she let loose more tears, crying herself dry.

Kurama gently wrapped an arm around the weeping girl as the other began to stroke through her hair in an attempt to appease her. He nestled his sensitive nose into her silky black tresses, taking in her alluring fragrance. I missed you too...

For a few moments the two stood there in each other's embrace, one offering support while the other greedily accepted it. They sun was almost completely below the horizon when Kagome felt herself being led away from the spot and toward a familiar destination that housed so many memories.

Kurama slid down the God Tree until he was in a comfortable position at the base of its old trunk, which he knew brought comfort to Kagome and pulled her into his lap, pressing her head again his chest as he rested his chin atop of it.

"It's okay to be vulnerable," he soothed, "let it all out. It'll be all right, I promise."

Kagome nodded dumbly, allowing her scorching tears to flow until they had dried in tight rivulets down her satiny cheeks, while Kurama alleviated her sorrow by rubbing, small circular movements along her spine.

After a long moment, she glanced up and stared into the emerald depths that she adored so much and blushed when she realized their position.

"I'm sorry for using you as a tissue…" she apologized, burying her face back into his strong chest to hide her embarrassment.

Kurama only shook his head and chuckled softly, "No need to apologize, Kagome. Really."

She smiled slightly at his kind words, even if he had any objections, he was too nice to say anything about it. She endeavored to remove herself from his lap, "I'm sorry. I'll get off of you now," she mumbled with flushed cheeks, a rush of breath escape her as she felt his arms tighten around her and pull her back down.

"Lets just stay like this a moment longer," he intoned softly, watching as the first stars began to twinkle in the twilight sky, "I know that you need this."

"You're right…" she whispered and twisted in his grip to follow his gaze to the heavens above. It wasn't the same as what she saw in the past, but with Kurama there it didn't matter. "I do."

Kurama smiled down at her, "They'll always be apart of you no matter where you go. They wouldn't want you to be sad forever."

Kagome understood what he meant – her friends would want her to be happy, whether she be with then, or in her own era. Her friends expected her to be happy now. She smiled sadly, wondering how they were doing at this moment. Were Sango and Shippou still crying over her departure? Was Inuyasha trying to force his way back through the well while Miroku tried to reason with him? Her thoughts turned to herself. If Kurama hadn't been here, where would she have gone? Would she have turned to her family for support?

Sango and Miroku were dead now in this time. She didn't know if she'd meet up with Inuyasha or Shippou – she only hoped that they would soon cross paths again.

She glanced up at Kurama, who averted his brilliant eyes away from the sky to stare down into her warmly, emotions she'd never seen swirling around in those fathomless depths reflecting back at her. He smiled slightly and tenderly wiped away the remaining tears that lingered on her face.

"Thanks Kurama…for being here for me and understanding." she wrapped her arms around his midsection, sighing against the fabric of his customary uniform. Thank you for keeping your promise…

He shifted her in his lap, his arms twining around her. Kagome's eyes closed at the warmth of his touch and she felt herself drifting away in the moment. The simple tranquility of their position, so intimate and comforting, soothing her most torrent of emotions.

"I love you, Kagome."

Her eyes snapped open at the words that came from Kurama so suddenly. "What do you mean…?"

"It means what it means, there is no other way to explain it, I'm afraid," her disbelief seemed to amuse him.

"You…love…me…" she trailed off. This was so sudden. Was he only saying this to make her feel better? She searched his verdant orbs for any sort of deception and saw only the truth shining back at her. "You're serious…"

"Of course I am," he lifted her chin with his index finger to look her directly in the eyes, "This may not have been the right time to tell you, but I wanted you to know."

Kagome was silent for a moment, taking in the words that she had for so long yearned to hear come from him. Now wasn't a bad time to tell her, in fact, the words embraced her and warmed her and before she knew it her lips were drifting towards his. She inched closer toward him as he gave her a puzzled look before realizing what she wanted and he too, leaned his head down toward her. Just as their lips were about to touch, she drew back with a shaky breath – unsure if this was what she wanted. After all, she only ever dreamed of kissing those lips...

She was shook from her thoughts when she felt his brush against her. The kiss began feather-light, as she took in the silky feeling of his lips and finally gave in, pressing her own firmly – yet softly to his. She lowered her lids and took in the warmth that washed over her as the kiss began to deepen.

Kurama silently thanked Youko for his experience as he felt her lips part against his, seizing the opportunity to slip his tongue through, taking the kiss to a more intimate level. He smirked when he heard her soft gasp and she too, slowly returned the gesture. He stroked his tongue sensually against hers, tasting her, feeling her.

He stroked a hand through her black hair as she placed a soft hand on the side of his face, pulling him as close as she possibly could.

Kagome shyly battled for dominance as she felt a blush creep across her nose and her cheeks. Never had she thought that this would happen, but here she was. Sitting in Kurama's lap, at the base of the God Tree under the stars sharing their first romantic moment together. And there was passion, she was feeling that urgent wave of desire. Behind her closed eyes there were flashing colors, the feeling of utter euphoria was present, taking her higher and higher. She'd waited so long for this, and finally it was happening. That one single moment where the earth stopped spinning just for her. Everything was honed down to this one single moment, and it went on and on and on. This was a kiss shared by two people deeply in love.

Finally, they broke apart the kiss when air became a necessity. She gazed into his eyes, green clashing with blue.

"Wow…" she breathed as Kurama tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "That was everything that I had imagined it to be..."

The kitsune kicked up an eyebrow curiously, but didn't comment, "You can thank Youko for that kiss." he murmured softly, "He wanted to be a part of it too and show you a real kiss."

Kagome giggled and leaned her head against him once more, "I love you too, Kurama."

Owari