A/N: This is a gift fic/thank you present for Futari-no-Kizuna (on deviantART), and is based on a fanart of hers that she asked for me to use as a basis for the plot. Hope you enjoy! I'm sorry this isn't an update for one of my on-going stories that some of you may have been waiting for, but please try to enjoy this in the mean time.
.:Let Me Get That:.
Sighing for what felt like the umpteenth time that day, Kagome raised her eyes to gaze up at the face of the hanyou whose chin was currently resting atop her head. To the onlooker it would appear InuYasha was merely dozing, resting in a peaceful half-slumber until the sun rose.
Kagome knew her husband far better than that.
She could tell from the way his arms were wrapped around her waist, his grip ever so slightly tighter than was normal for regular nights. Studying his face, she could also make out the faint traces of a frown marring his otherwise serene features, highlighted gently by the moonlight seeping in through the small window to the right of them. Kagome could practically see the worry lines etched into the skin around his closed lids.
Shaking her head at her hanyou's obviousdistressed state of mind, Kagome freed one of her arms from underneath InuYasha's and brought a small hand to his cheek, rubbing her thumb against it gently in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. It worked, to an extent; his face relaxed a little, leaning more into her palm, but the grip around her waist remained as tight and protective as ever.
Kagome fought the urge to roll her eyes at that, but nonetheless kept on with rubbing his cheek, moving her hand up gradually into the mane of wild silver that was his hair. There, she found her intended target, latching on to one soft, downy dog ear and continuing her administrations on it instead. In response, InuYasha sighed deeply and whispered her name quietly in his sleep.
"Kagome..."
Feeling sudden warmth pool in the pit of her stomach at the affectionate tone he had used, the miko allowed herself to smile and snuggle deeper into his embrace, hoping to further reassure him with her scent, touch and aura.
"It's alright, InuYasha. I'm right here, safe. You don't need to worry anymore..."
She whispered to him like that for a while, wanting nothing more than to dispel the anxiety she could still feel in his soul. Thinking back on the day's events, Kagome found she really couldn't justify his current concern and unease. She was fine, for kami's sake. He had seen and smelt that.
What more could she do to convince him of that fact?
She gave a small chuckle. Yeah, riiiiight. Try and convince an overly possessive, protective, worry wart of a hanyou husband that all was dandy for her in the physical being department. Good luck with that.
Their afternoon fight with the rogue mujina youkai (who knew tanuki's could be so troublesome?) came back clear and vivid in Kagome's mind just then. The youkai, unsually large and menacing for the average tanuki, had proved uniquely strong and resilient against even the combined attacks of her and InuYasha. Its eyes had been a bright, glowing red, but what was most astounding had been its sheer size (at least a good 5 feet in height) and violent nature. Foaming at the mouth, it had charged straight at Kagome with the force of a rampaging bull...
Seeing the youkai speeding towards her, Kagome realised she had no means of avoiding the impact. There was just no time to run, ready her bow or shout for help. She could shout to InuYasha for help, but whether he would make it to her in time was debatable with the speed the tanuki was moving at.
Skipping through thoughts in her head at a million miles a minute, heart threatening to burst out her chest in fear, Kagome acted instinctually. She thrust her hands out in front of her, hoping a barrier of spiritual power would at least be enough to deflect some of the blow. She hadn't had nearly as much practice with barriers as she had with her bow...
"Please..." Kagome whispered, calling on every last ounce of her strength.
There was a crashing noise – like something large and heavy scraping against smooth wall. The screech the impact made was almost deafening.
But, Kagome summarised; it looked as if her barrier had worked. Some.
"KAZE NO KIZU!" She heard InuYasha yell from somewhere in front of where she now lay on the ground. "Kagome, are you alright?"
"I-I'm fine," she gasped out, pushing herself up off of the meadow floor and into a sitting position. It seemed the barrier Kagome had managed to erect had literally deflected the tanuki – and herself, sending them both skidding across the ground in opposite directions at the moment of impact.
InuYasha slid to a halt beside her, reaching over and immediately inspecting her for damage. Mostly, she seemed fine, a few cuts and bruises here and there, nothing at all worrying... except for her hands. They looked a little scorched, and cut, likely from where the tanuki he had just destroyed had crashed into her barrier at such force.
"You idiot," InuYasha scolded. "What were you thinking? Why didn't you run away? If you hadn't cast that barrier at that exact moment that youkai would have –!"
Kagome, growing annoyed at his apparent anger towards her, but knowing he was really just masking how worried he had been, took a deep breath, then reached out and clasped his arm with her hand, wincing a bit as the skin was a little sore, but brushing it off in favour of reassuring her hanyou. It didn't work as well she'd hoped, but he calmed some and covered her hand with his clawed one. Then he brought it between the both of his, studying the damage closely.
She heard him exhale. "Kagome..." he breathed out, both in frustration and concern.
"I'm fine, InuYasha. Really, you shouldn't worry so much. I'm okay."
But the miko could see from the look in his eyes that something still wasn't right.
Later that night, InuYasha and Kagome were sitting in their home, the miko using the small light from the lamp next to them to fish around in her supply box for some gauze. InuYasha had been watching her like a hawk the entire time and his stare was becoming a little unnerving. Really, what was he expecting her to do? Break?
At that moment, the gauze she had been wrapping around her left hand fell from her grip, and she brought her hands to her chest, wincing. "Ouch..." she gritted out under breath. Alright, so maybe her hands had been burnt a little worse than she had originally thought...
But then, InuYasha was reaching forward, bringing one of her hands gently between his own, much like he had done earlier. "Keh," he let out. "Not as tough as you thought, huh?"
Kagome really couldn't help it. She pouted at him. 'Leave it to him to...'
"I'm sorry that this happened to you."
The miko blanched, surprised at the sudden softness of his baritone, so unlike the chastising note it had held a moment ago.
"W-Will you stop apologising? It really is just a scratch... just a small burn..."
He looked up then, gazed at her straight in the eye. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Still..." he spoke, his eyes a warm liquid gold as they flickered back to her hands. "Let me get at it at least."
Then he brought her right hand forward slowly, leant down, closed his eyes and brushed an affectionate kiss across her abused fingers. Taken aback, but pleasantly surprised at the tender gesture, Kagome smiled shyly while blushing a light pink.
"Okay..." Her blush deepened at his chuckle. "Thanks, InuYasha."
And she really meant that.
Bringing herself back to the present, Kagome allowed herself to smile warmly after thinking back to that moment. InuYasha had been so sweet and gentle with her, openly displaying his concern with her well being with actions rather than words. It was a side she so rarely saw while with him, but one he had only expressed so openly while with her, she knew. She knew InuYasha had a very caring and loving heart. He had spent so long hiding his feelings from the world that he still had trouble with showing them even now.
Kagome realised then the extent of just how much she had worried him earlier that day. He had lost many people in his life time, all of which he had cherished. His mother, Kikyou... if he were ever to lose her, another woman he loved...
In a copycat action of the one he had performed on her that same evening, the miko finally freed her arm from under her husband's, grabbed his nearest hand and brought it to her lips, pressing a loving kiss to the skin there.
He would never have to be alone again. Never have to feel the pain of such a loss again, not if she could help it.
And she would spend the rest of their lives convincing him of that fact.
