A Moment of Weakness

The half demon Inuyasha began marching away into the forest as he grumbled to himself while dusting himself off from the crater he created. But not by choice though. He really hated these bloody enchanted beads around his neck. They were the reason he spent most of his days face first in the ground - even creating a crater no thanks to that damn Kagome.

Kagome had stayed a few days longer in her era. She was worried about something called a mid term test - whatever that was. Honestly Inuyasha didn't care. What he cared about was how she forgot the one thing he asked her for to bring back - Potato Chips. He couldn't help that those salty things were addicting. But Kagome came back empty handed. She went on about how she was stressing out and not wanting to fail her classes and wanting to graduate. Could Inuyasha help that he didn't care about that stuff? No. He was more concerned about getting the remaining shards for the Shikon Jewel and putting a stop to Naraku once and for all. So Inuyasha was a little testy and impatient since this had to put on hold. Besides, Kagome was the one who shot the jewel into hundreds of little pieces that they had to battle to get back and restore. It was a serious pain in the ass. So when Kagome returned and brought everyone else their favourite little treats and conveniently forgot to pack what Inuyasha specifically asked her for, well, he got a little hot headed. And Kagome being Kagome, didn't know any other way then to deal with Inuyasha then to have him face plant in the ground when she yelled "SIT BOY!" God he hated that word with a passion. She didn't say it once either, she said it a few times before storming off.

Once Inuyasha had gathered himself together, he took off in the other direction now needing a break from the high school girl.

He had been walking for a while, or maybe just really quickly, because soon enough it had become darker. The night sky was now cloudless with twinkling stars.

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks before sighing and looking behind him.

"Maybe I should go back. She should be asleep or something by now. Or maybe she went back home."

The silver haired half demon pondered aloud to himself.

But then a breeze swept though. A few leaves brushed passed him as the forest tress moved and shivered in the breeze. Yet that's when he felt it - or smelled it. For Inuyasha, it was something he couldn't miss - Kikyou. Staring up at the sky now, Inuyasha waited to confirm who he thought was close by. No sooner were Kikyou's soul collectors flying over head with souls from the dearly departed. That's when Inuyasha made his decision - To go back to his friends, or to find out what Kikyou was doing?

Inuyasha turned back to the previous direction he had been walking in and began to run to where the priestess would be. Her scent was becoming stronger the closer he got, so he slowed down his pace until he was soon again walking and his long silver locks of hair weren't being carried in the wind.

He stepped forward past a couple more trees before he saw Kikyou. She was merely standing in front of the Sacred Tree; one that both of them knew too well that carried with it good and bad memories. Especially bad. He watched as her hand traced over the missing piece of bark. It was the spot Inuyasha had been stuck to for 50 years under a sleeping spell by Kikyou. It was the tree that essentially ended their relationship. So why was Kikyou here? The tree was somewhat close to the village.

Kikyou was an observant and powerful individual. They both knew she knew he was there. But still she said nothing as did Inuyasha. Kikyou stayed lost in her own thoughts as Inuyasha observed her from a distance. But even this distance, even though her back was towards him, Inuyasha found her to still be just as beautiful - dead or alive.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Inuyasha found his voice.

"Kikyou. What are you doing here?"

He spoke softly, venturing a few more steps out of the forest and towards the priestess.

Kikyou's hand rested at the end of the missing piece of bark and stayed silent for a few moments longer before answering.

"It's none of your concern Inuyasha. You should leave."

Most of the time the priestess was cold to her former love and would speak harshly towards him. But this time she didn't. This time she merely stated the obvious in her soft voice without facing him.

Yet these two beings still knew each other so well that they knew Inuyasha wasn't going to leave because Kikyou told him to and that Kikyou would say her reasoning for being here. However the two of them continued to play their little game.

"I'm not going until you answer me."

Insisted the hanyou.

"Then you will be standing there for a very long time."

Answered the priestess.

The two let a silence fill the air as Inuyasha continued to walk closer to her. By then Kikyou had dropped her hand from the tree and turned around. He had come much closer now. And so she narrowed her deep brown eyes towards him.

"I told you to go."

Stated the woman more firmly now.

As per usual, Inuyasha ignored her until he was stood a couple feet away from her now. His golden eyes found her own brown ones and could see she was putting forth her cold demeanour towards him to make him listen. But he wouldn't allow that to happen. Instead he shook his head.

Kikyou may have scared other people like Kagome for whatever reason, but not Inuyasha. He was not afraid of this woman, not in death and not now.

"You clearly wanted me to come to you. Why else would you be here at this tree knowing that I could sense you?"

He questioned her. Even to Inuyasha right now the scenario of it seemed accurate. Compared to the others, Inuyasha would have known Kikyou was here long before they did. Even without her soul collectors flying around her, he would always find her. And he would always come running to her.

Kikyou on the other hand scoffed at the remark with the shake of her head.

"I don't recall saying I wanted to see you."

She answered coldly. But it still didn't phase Inuyasha. Instead, he smiled.

"You did. In your own way."

The way she stood in front of the Sacred Tree and interacted with it, Inuyasha would be lying if he said he wasn't the same at times.

"Believe what you want. But you should consider going back and at least cleaning yourself off. You're a mess Inuyasha."

Insisted the priestess as she observed the half demon in front of her. His fire rat red robe and pants were dirty as was his face. He looked like he had fallen into a giant hole of dirt. Yet the comment made Inuyasha cross his arms in a huff and turn his head to the side with closed eyes.

"Pfft. It wasn't by choice."

He remarked in a huff. This peaked Kikyou's interest as she studied him before speaking.

"What happened?"

She asked out of curiosity.

Inuyasha opened an eye and looked in her direction before opening both his eyes and looking at her. He raised one hand to the enchanted beads around his neck and tugged at them. No matter how hard he tried, Inuyasha could not remove this cursed object by any means. Kagome had control over this and therefore Inuyasha.

"This stupid thing! I swear if there was a way I could take this off I would."

Grumbled the half demon. He really loathed this thing. And yet Inuyasha's suffering caused the woman in front of him to smile? She was smiling?

"What's so funny?!"

Demanded the silver haired male out of frustration.

Inuyasha's sourness at the situation only seemed to amuse Kikyou though. She knew a great deal more about those beads then he ever knew. Because once upon a time, Kikyou had planned to give Inuyasha that very necklace. When she allowed herself to drop her guard when it came to Inuyasha, sweet memories of their past would always plague her. And it was why she continued to be cold towards him. She could not be reminded of the more joyful times in their lives, it saddened her and caused her to hurt. Kikyou was a strong woman, even stronger now since she was brought back from the dead. But yet the only one who could cause her weakness, who back then and now continued to cause it, was the man she loved dearly before her - the half demon, Inuyasha.

When he was around her, sometimes Kikyou got lost. It wasn't intentional, she wanted to continue to be strong and cold towards him. But at this particular moment, she couldn't. Tonight was her moment of weakness. And it was thanks to Inuyasha.

"Do you remember that day long ago where you gave me that precious gift and I said I had forgotten the gift I was going to give you?"

She asked, recalling one of their more happier memories. What Inuyasha gave her that day was one of the most precious things she had ever received, because it was something his mother left him and he had given it to her. It was a simple shell of rogue for her lips. Not that she could wear it in public while being a priestess. She wasn't an ordinary woman after all. But yet she had used it when she was alone and she was going to wear it the day they were going to turn Inuyasha to a human instead of a half demon.

But fate didn't want the two of them to have such a happy ending. Because that was the day Naraku impersonated Inuyasha and struck Kikyou down, thus leading to their monumentous betrayal. Naraku had also taken the shell of rogue that Kikyou was about to apply to her lips and crushed it in front of her, making it useless. To this day it was still hard for the priestess to swallow that they didn't have their happy ending, but rather went on the course of this story.

"How could I forget? To this day you still haven't given or told me what that gift was."

Inuyasha pointed out, letting go of the beads around his neck as his hands dropped back down to his sides.

"Perhaps that was because you changed my mind about giving it to you."

Kikyou responded. Although her answer was too cryptic for Inuyasha as he raised a dark brow.

A breeze blew against the two beings, causing their robes to lightly dance in the wind along with their hair. It was then Kikyou took a step closer to him as she reached forward and placed her right hand underneath the enchanted beads, her right index and middle finger resting against the smooth surface as her thumb caressed over the beads. The action confused Inuyasha to a degree as their eyes met, gold pools of curiosity pleading with a pair of chocolate orbs for answers.

Kikyou's eyes softened in that moment.

"This is what I was going to give you Inuyasha."

The priestess confessed, watching as the pair of golden eyes before her widened in shock.

"Wh-What? Y-You were going to give me these?!"

Inuyasha's words came out as stuttered confusion as Kikyou removed her hand before nodding.

"I was."

"Then why didn't you?"

He asked. Why indeed. The moment Kikyou reached inside the sleeve of her oversized white haori, she paused at the single touch of those beads. After what Inuyasha had given her, she couldn't possibly give him this. After all, this gift was meant to be used to control Inuyasha to Kikyou's satisfaction. She wouldn't take advantage of him by doing what Kagome obviously did on a daily basis she could assume. And had Kikyou been the one to give him this necklace, she feared it could have changed their relationship in a way. Inuyasha didn't deserve that. Kikyou trusted him.

"Because you didn't deserve it."

She answered honestly. It was at that moment she turned away from the silver haired half demon and looked to the stars on this rather peaceful night.

"Those enchanted beads were meant to keep you in line. I felt that one day in case something happened and you didn't listen, I could use that to make you listen. However, when you gave me such a precious gift that belonged to your mother.. I simply couldn't."

She paused before continuing.

"I knew if I gave you that and told you why and what it did, I feared things would change between us. And I didn't want that."

She confessed, now turning back to him.

"I was so happy how things were between us that I didn't want to jeopardize it. I trusted you."

It was true. All of it was true. If there was one thing about Kikyou that Inuyasha knew very well, it was that she was an honest woman in every way. Usually Inuyasha wasn't short on words, but this time he was. Granted when it came to Kikyou, he was usually at a loss for words. She was the only woman who challenged him. Not even Kagome compared to his first love. While they may have looked the same and had the same powers, they were still vastly different in Inuyasha's eyes.

Since Inuyasha couldn't find the words at that moment, he did what he normally did with her; because actions spoke louder then words - he embraced her. Sometimes Kikyou was resistant depending on the situation, but not this time. She longed to embrace this man, she longed for his affections. And so she lifted her arms and wrapped them around him. Her head rested comfortably against his chest as she closed her eyes while silence filled the air.

"Kikyou.."

He murmured against her ear, her long ebony locks filling his nostrils with her scent of graveyard soil and his Kikyou.

"Nothing would make me happier then to return to those times with you."

He told her softly. It was true. Despite the life he was living now, things were so much simpler and easier way back when. There were countless times Inuyasha caught himself thinking of this woman and how their lives would have continued without Naraku around. The happiness and love they would have shared would be undeniable.

"Sometimes I wonder how things would have played out between us."

"Me too."

Inuyasha agreed as she voiced the very thoughts he was having.

"You would be free. You could have lived as an ordinary woman and I a human."

He added, squeezing her a little tighter. Kikyou felt his grip around her increase as her hands fisted the material against his back in return.

Many moments passed them by, it was if time stood still for the two of them and it was only the hanyou and priestess at this moment in time. His fingers gently weaved through her silky ebony tresses while she pressed her nose into his chest. He was just as she remembered. He was warm compared to her. Kikyou was but one of the dead now, needing the souls of the dead to sustain her cold animated body. So to be in the warm embrace of someone who loved her was indescribable. This was home to her; Inuyasha was home to her.

At that moment, a small bead of water trickled from the corner of her eye - a tear.

"I've missed you."

She whispered, knowing those three words meant a great deal more considering this moment.

Inuyasha turned his head a fraction when he heard those words and felt her grip around him tighten. He pressed his lips softly against the side of her head before she slowly pulled back enough that the two of them could see one another eye to eye. Between the two of them, their eyes were a cloud of many emotions. They were many of the same though, love, sorrow, anguish and longing.

Kikyou manoeuvred her arms around him so that her left hand was placed on his shoulder and her hand was slowly inching towards his face to caress. Inuyasha pulled her body as close to his as he could and reached a hand up to cup the side of her face gently as her hand rested against the side of his neck. His thumb gently brushed over her cheekbone as their faces inched closer together.

"Kikyou.."

He whispered before the two of them slowly closed their eyes and their lips connected. A flurry of emotions ran between them in that kiss. Unbeknownst to her a tear once again trickled down her cheek where Inuyasha's thumb was. But instead of stopping the kiss, he soothed it away with his thumb and held her tightly to him. It was a kiss of passionate longing. It was a kiss that no one but Inuyasha and Kikyou could create as their souls joined as one in this moment. They had shared kisses before, but this one in particular felt more urgent. But it was wonderful. Even though Kikyou wasn't among the living and wasn't flesh and blood and her skin may be cold, Inuyasha could easily warm her. Even now her lips tasted as sweet as they did 50 years ago. Everything about her to Inuyasha was still as he remembered and for that he would never give up on Kikyou, even if she gave up on him.

He missed her more then words could express, yet it also seemed like she felt the same way. He could feel and taste it.

By now Inuyasha had a hand tangled in her dark locks, as Kikyou too had a hand tangled in his silver mane. After what felt like forever, the two of them slowly broke apart from the kiss. And it was then that Kikyou allowed a smile to grace her lips. That alone caused the corners of Inuyasha's mouth to do the same.

"I definitely missed that."

He mentioned to her to which she acknowledged with a nod.

"As did I. But alas, all good things must come to an end."

Kikyou voiced, knowing she would have to be the voice of reason in making Inuyasha go since he would never willingly be the one to part ways first. Both their smiles dropped at this point, but it was reality.

"I know. But I don't want it to."

He argued against her, stroking her cheek. Kikyou leaned the side of her face against his hand as she left one hand on his shoulder and placed the other ontop of his against her cheek. She wanted to soak in every possible happy moment before they parted ways. Her eyes closed once more.

"Beloved."

She murmured to him, peaking his confusion.

"What's that?"

He questioned. This only caused Kikyou to smile once again as she began to open her eyes once more.

"Beloved. That was my trigger word."

She answered, in regards to the enchanted beads around his neck. At this, Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk. That was a hell of a lot better then sit.

"I like that one better."

He spoke aloud his thoughts before Kikyou gently removed his hand from her cheek and instead held it between them. She also moved her hand from his shoulder and to his chest where his heart was beating. She missed that too.

"You must be going now. But I am sure we will cross paths again."

She said, yet giving him some hope. Inuyasha knew she was trying to get rid of him and he was making it difficult on the both of them, so he nodded his head and gave her hand a squeeze before placing his free hand on top of her own that rested against his beating heart. He looked her straight in the eye, his gaze never wavering.

"I will always love you Kikyou."

Inuyasha declared, his heart thumping hard against her hand. Kikyou squeezed his hand in acknowledgement before speaking.

"And I will always love you, Inuyasha."

Even now, her words could cause his heart to skip a beat. It was killing him to know he had to leave her here, but they knew it was for the best. Unable to resist the urge, Inuyasha leaned towards her as the two exchanged another heartfelt kiss. After that, they simultaneously let go of one another as Inuyasha reluctantly turned his back on the woman he loved and began his way back to his friends, slowly.

Before leaving the forest completely, he looked over his shoulder to see Kikyou leaving as well and watched her touch her fingers to her lips. They still tingled from that kiss, something Inuyasha knew because he felt the same way.

"I won't forget this."

He said to himself, but hoping that somehow she heard him as she continued to walk away. Kikyou would not soon forget this encounter between the two of them either. So tonight, the priestess and the half demon could enjoy a peaceful slumber - even if it wasn't together side by side, they still had this memory.

OOC; Hope you all enjoyed this little InuxKik one shot. I sure enjoyed writing it for myself and all of you. :) They are by far my favorite anime couple. Feel free to drop me a review, I would love to hear your thoughts on this. XO