"Do you love me?" The question was brute, unclouded with fancy words and euphemisms. Golden eyes peered unwaveringly into watery ones.
"I-" he tried, frowning, "I don't know."
His sharp hearing heard her thick swallow as she tried to rein in her emotions. Kagome looked up and breathed sharply through her nose, trying desperately to contain the pool of tears from spilling. Inuyasha looked away and dropped the small hand he was holding. "I'm sorry."
Kagome released a choked laugh, neither bitter nor humorous. She shook her head and Inuyasha watched helplessly as rivets of salty tears streamed down her cheeks. "It's not your fault Inuyasha," she whispered, "I just hoped...It doesn't matter. I'll see you back at camp alright?"
She began to rise on shaky legs. A clawed hand darted out and grasped her hand. Kagome summoned the courage to turn back. She looked from their intermingled fingers to the sharp profile of her protector. Refusing to meet her eyes and staring intently at the grass beneath him, Inuyasha whispered, "I don't think I know what love is."
Her fingers clenched tighter around his. "All I know is," he struggled to verbalize his feelings, the utter torment bubbling beneath his skin. "I can't stand myself when you're not here." Kagome watched as his brows knit tightly together and the slight tremor in his clenched fist intensified. "I want you beside me, all the fucking time. It doesn't feel right when you leave, even if I know you're coming back. When you're not with me, all I fucking do is think about you. I think about the way you smile at Sango and Miroku when you think no one is looking, I think about the way you kiss the brat goodnight and the way you always brush his hair away, hell, I even think about how you glare at me and think it's intimidating." He paused and the silence hung heavy between them.
"I don't know what you want from me, but I know I don't want to be pestered by anyone but you, and I don't want any of those fucking asshole sniffing around you thinking they're tough shit and-" Inuyasha flinched as Kagome pulled her hand out of his grasp. His ears flattened and he prepared himself for the brutal sting of her rejection. He closed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair, gripping its roots in frustration.
A thud sounded beside him. Inuyasha turned sharply as Kagome fell to her knees.
"Wh-what are you-"
"You," Kagome half laughed, half sobbed, "are such an idiot." Immediately, his features tensed in irritation. Kagome shook her head and gently pulled his hands from his hair and wrapped her arms around his neck. Inuyasha froze, uncertain of what to do. When it appeared that she wasn't planning on moving, he gingerly raised his arms to enfold her. Minutes passed and he sighed, the churning feeling in his stomach finally dissipating.
"I love you." she suddenly whispered into the nape of his neck. He tightened his arms around her. "And I think...you love me too you baka."
Kagome pulled back and Inuyasha reluctantly let her go. She gazed into his eyes and tugged a forelock. His eyes remained wide open in shock as her fluttered closed and their lips touched. Clenching his fists at his side he allowed the gentle pressure of mouth on his and pressed back. A small sigh filtered through her and something clicked within him. He growled, a desperate, needy noise, and pulled her into his lap. Gripping the back of her neck and ribcage, he held her tightly against him as their lips met over and over in a furious assault. Suddenly, he pulled back and cradled her face in his hands.
"Don't leave me." He rasped. She shook her head and leaned in to kiss his cheeks. "Don't ever leave me Kagome, I can't..."
She leaned in to kiss him again. "Never."
As they sought comfort in each other's arms, the glimmer of a barrier flickered before them. There their friends waited, contemplated their fates as they counted down the minutes to sunrise. Behind them, the fires burned bright in the nightsky.
Tomorrow, either they or Naraku would be victorious.