"What the fuck are you talking about?" Inuyasha hisses. He's always had a short fuse, but Seshomaru has a particular talent for eliminating any kind of fuse at all. Especially when he talks about Kagome.
"…mating season?" Sesshomaru says again, slowly, as if he were talking to someone highly impaired. "It's upon us, dear brother, and though you've never much partaken in the fun––"
"What's so fun about running around with a bunch of boring, dough-headed girls?" Inuyasha interrupts. "I'll never understand why you enjoy it."
Seshomaru smiles at the naivety of his younger brother. "Sometime soon you might understand. You've never been much for promiscuity, though I suspect that might be because of your distinct lack of charm," — this, earning a hiss from Inuyasha— "however, Kagome doesn't seem to mind. That or she's too stupid to notice just how much of a bastard you are."
Pushing back the urge to stick up for Kagome, Inuyasha crosses his arms. "You keep bringing her up. As if she has anything to do with this."
"She does, you useless idiot."
"Fuck you. I have no clue what you're talking about."
Seshomaru, clearly exasperated, rolls his eyes. "That girl is practically already your mate. You quite literally don't go anywhere without her right on your coattails. And I don't blame her for that, either. That's all you. You'd practically die of boredom without Kagome. Or wander around like a sorry, lost puppy."
"Mates?!" Inuyasha replies. "Were you dropped on your head as an infant? Kagome isn't— I'm not— As if I'd ever—"
Seshoumaru holds a hand up, a small smirk curving at the corners of his mouth. "Don't try it. You can fool her with your I don't have feelings! Utter nonsense, but I'm smarter than you."
Inuyasha flushes slightly. "You're moronic."
"Boys!"
The call comes from the edge of the clearing, and a dark haired girl stalks toward Inuyasha with a stern look. "Fighting again? Do I have to—"
"Don't say it!" Inuyasha snarls.
Kagome rolls her eyes. "I wasn't going to. Calm down." She turns to Seshomaru, smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry if he lost his temper with you. He's been in such a terrible mood these past few days."
"Not at all," Seshomaru replies, a tinge of rare amusement in his voice. "He's just tense beca—"
Inuyasha quickly claps both hands over Kagome's ears, who cries out in surprise.
"Hey!" She struggles against him, trying to wiggle out of his grip. "Let me go!"
"Don't you tell her a single thing," Inuyasha says.
Kagome, frustrated at Inuyasha's stubbornness, stops struggling and calmly says, "Sit, boy."
Inuyasha slams to the ground with a cry of indignation, as Kagome turns to face Seshomaru. "You were saying?"
"Ah, yes. I was just going to tell you that it's mating season for the hanyous. He's bound to be in a bad mood. All those pesky pheromones—"
Inuyasha lifts his head up, spitting out a few strands of grass. "Pesky what?"
Seshomaru waves him off. "So please, don't take it to heart. You humans can be so sensitive. You have to keep in mind, hanyous have a feral side that you might not entirely understand. If he's rude, or if he misbehaves, it's got nothing to do with you."
Blushing rather obviously, Kagome can only manage a weak "Oh."
Seshomaru almost laughs. "Did I embarrass you? My apologies."
Inuyasha, dusting himself off, says "I think you've said enough. Bye now. Unless you want me to make you leave."
Seshomaru throws his hands up in mock defeat. "I know when I'm not wanted. Best of luck to you two."
Just before Seshomaru fades from view, Kagome crosses her arms over her chest. "What in the world was that supposed to mean? Good luck to us?"
Inuyasha rolls his eyes. "Who cares. He's a shithead anyway. Can we go back now? I'm—"
"Hungry," Kagome interrupts. "Yeah, I figured." She reaches her arms out, in a pick-me-up gesture she's only recently started employing. Inuyasha would never admit it out loud, but he finds it hopelessly cute. He boosts her onto his back and begins the trip back to the village.
Normally, he'd be hyper focused on the route, but he curses Seshoumaru's accurate analysis of ….this time of year. He had been short with Kagome for the past few days. It wasn't as if he'd meant to. Or even that he's been angry with her. But like now, his focus is broken. The soft weight of her on his back, the feeling of her arms loosely wrapped about his neck, her warm breath against his ear when she leans down to whisper something. It makes him think about what would happen if she'd just lean a little closer, place her lips there, maybe even her teeth—
"Inuyasha?" Her voice interrupts his thoughts at the worst possible time. "Can we stop by Kaede's? I want to ask her about…" The rhythmic nature of her speech fades from comprehension as he focuses on her voice, on that soft warm breath, on hoping that her lips will brush his skin even on accident— and then something catches his foot, and they're catapulted forward.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome screams, but he throws his arms out and catches himself, sliding in the dirt, but not dropping her. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. Get it together. What is wrong with you today? He lets her down, then pulls her close, examining her for injuries. "Are you okay?"
She waves him away, reaching up and placing a hand on his forehead, which he quickly brushes off. "You're steaming hot," She observes, her eyebrows knitting together. "You've never fallen while carrying me before. Not ever. Are you dizzy? Is something wrong?"
"It's your fault for yapping in my ear the whole time!" He shouts, pulling away from her. "If you could just shut up for half a second, maybe I could focus for once."
"Stop shouting," Kagome replies. "I told you, you're burning up. Why do you have a fever?"
Frustrated, Inuyasha throws his hands in the air. "It's not a damn fever. I'm a hanyou. Around… this time of year…our body temperature changes. Okay? I'm fine, so stop staring at me like that."
She places her hand on his arm and quickly jerks it back, before letting it settle there. At her touch, goosebumps spread across his skin and he lets out a low, involuntary sound.
"Did you just growl at me?" Kagome demands, shocked.
"No", He insists, pulling his arm back. "Will you get back on? And be quiet this time? I promise, I won't let you fall."
Kagome thinks about asking why he'd growl at her like that, but the look in his yellow eyes gives her pause. She climbs tentatively onto his back. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Inuyasha dismisses her with an irritated sound. "Are you ready?"
She tells him she is, and they start off again. This time, Inuyasha is determined to not think about her. In his mind, he imagines he's carrying some hideous ghoul. Not Kagome. Not her at all. Some ugly, wart covered, old hag. The thought somehow eases the tension, even makes him laugh to himself a little. Until Kagome tucks her chin into the curve of his neck.
All reasonable thought is wiped from his mind. Every nerve in his body awakens with a can feel her skin, almost her mouth, pressed into his neck, right by his pulse. The sensation is dizzying. Suddenly, he's aware that Kagome is pounding on his back with both fists and calling out for him.
"Inuyasha?! Inuyasha. Come on, what is with you? Are you broken? Hello?"
He fades into his surroundings, aware that he's standing stiff as a board in the middle of the forest, still gripping Kagome tightly. He turns around to see the two shallow trenches his heels must have made as he skidded across the ground to a halt. He groans in frustration, letting Kagome down unceremoniously so that she has to stumble to stay on her feet.
"Look, I don't know what's going on with you right now—"
"Nothing," He snaps. It comes out like a snarl, lower than his normal voice. He recoils in surprise at himself.
Her eyes widen. "Inuyasha. Are you angry with me?"
He rubs his eyes in frustration. "Jesus Christ, woman."
Kagome's eyes begin to mist. "You growled at me…and now you're yelling. And whatever I did wrong–– I just really don't understand what I've done."
At the sound of her about to cry, Inuyasha jerks his head up, meeting her eyes. "Kagome," He says with unusual softness. "I promise I'm not angry. I just feel like I'm going crazy."
She takes a step forward, but he moves away. "Just tell me what's going on. Let me help."
Inuyasha blushes slightly. "It's stupid, and you can't. So please just drop it. Okay? Let's just drop it. Everything will be fine in no time."
Kagome tries, but she can't wipe the worried look off her face.
"Stop," He demands. "I'm fine. We're almost there, so let's just walk the rest of the way. Okay?"
She nods, and stays a few paces behind, letting him lead the way.
Throughout dinner, he wouldn't look at her. He finished quickly and went outside, jumping onto a high tree branch and brooding silently. Kagome glances up at him every so often, wishing he would just talk to her. What if he's sick? What if something serious is bothering him, something that could get him into trouble?
Inuyasha was busy dreaming. If Kagome could have seen his expression, it might've reminded her of a contented child; but she remained inside the house, washing dishes from dinner.
In his dream, Inuyasha felt very strange. Kagome was there, as she always was, but she smelled different. Smell being one of Inuyasha's most advanced senses, this bothered him greatly. Until he realized the scent wasn't unfamiliar. It was, in fact, the most familiar scent he could know; hers, and his, mixed together. In his dream she laughed up at him as she sometimes did— but beneath her hand, which rested on her belly, a bump swelled. Upon seeing this, a part of Inuyasha seemed to come awake— he felt like some beast, fresh out of hibernation. In the next dream she held his head close to her abdomen. Listen for his heartbeat, her sweet voice encouraged. In the next, she strolled ahead of him clothed in fine linen, arms wrapped protectively around their forming child..
At this, Inuyasha snaps awake, his hand on Tessaiga, until he realizes it was only a dream. He settles back against the tree, trying to calm his breathing, until he hears a familiar voice from below.
"…Inuyasha?"
He glowers down at her without moving. "What."
"You called out for me," Kagome says, embarrassed. "In your sleep."
"Have you lost your mind?"
He was rewarded with a smile. One of her rare smiles, the kind that proved to him that no matter what he said or did, she always knew him better.
"Well, you called out something, anyway. Won't you come inside? It's so cold out here, and—"
"Would you quit fussing over me?" Inuyasha snaps.
"I'm not fussing," she says quickly, then looks down at her feet. "It's just..I feel safer with you here."
It's a low blow, and one that's certain to work. Inuyasha's eyes narrow as he tries to get her to fess up— he knows she feels just fine inside the hut alone. But he doesn't bother to protest. He leaps down and follows her inside, watching the sway of her hips as she walks, the way she flicks the hair off the bare skin of her neck as she—
"Inuyasha!" She cries, spinning around to face him. "Did you growl at me again?"
"Are you delusional?" He sputters. "You're hearing things."
"I am not," She hisses, stomping toward him. "And it isn't funny anymore."
Inuyasha watches her furious expression, suddenly aware that he might have growled without realizing it— something he's never done before in his own recollection.
"I'm sorry," He says carefully. His voice is gruff, but honest. "I've been feeling very—"
Kagome pulls him inside by his sleeves and hesets him down on the palette bed. She begins to pour a steaming cup of tea into a clay mug, not looking at him.
"I knew you were sick," She says quietly. "I just knew it. Now please— drink."
She pushes a hot mug into his hands, and he feels the steam rising up to his skin. He smiles slightly, without thought. "I haven't felt very warm in days."
Kagome's eyebrows draw together. "I'm telling you, it's a fever."
"It is not," Inuyasha growls. "Didn't you listen to anything Seshomaru said?"
At once, her cheeks grow pink. "I thought he was messing with me."
"He wasn't. This is real. And you…it's you that's making me act so weird."
Kagome spins around, her back facing him. She pretends to busy herself by putting dishes away. "Fine," she replies. "Tomorrow I'll go home. You can send for me when you're finally acting normal."
She feels two hands wrap around her upper arms from behind, pulling her into Inuyasha's chest.
"Home?" He snarls. "You think you're going anywhere? Are you trying to piss me off?"
Kagome spins around, pushing him off her. "Hey! Lay off."
Inuyasha glowers at her before sitting back down. "Don't be so touchy."
Kagome flushes. "You're the one being touchy. Evidently, you can't keep your hands off me."
Inuyasha hisses. "You're losing your mind, Kagome. You're the last person in the world I want to touch."
Kagome raises an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Well then why are you losing it every time I do something as simple as this?" At this, Kagome places her hands on his cheeks, watching his face carefully for a reaction.
First, his ear twitches. Then, his nose. Inuyasha can feel himself turning red, but he can hardly resist the impulse to press his nose into her palm, breathe in her scent.
"Would you quit it?" He demands. "You tried to make a point. It didn't work."
Kagome moves to sit in his lap, straddling his legs with her own, her hands still on his face.
Inuyasha blacks in to Kagome whispering his name in a low, frightened but calming voice. He looks down and she's beneath him, her face a bright, embarrassed red. His hands are wrapped around her wrists, which are pinned to the floor above her head.
"What…" He breathes. "What did I do?
The moment she sat astride him, red began to color Inuyasha's eyes. His fangs lengthened.
"Inuyasha?" She asked, nervously. "Hey, come on, I was just jok—"
She feels his claws tear away the fabric at her skirt as his hands grip her hips. That low rumbling growl begins again in his chest, this time loud enough that she can feel the vibrations from it through her hands as she grips the front of his Fire Rat robes.
"Inu—"
He flips her quickly, so that he's hovering above her. He pins her arms down and snarls deeply, a sound that would terrify anyone but Kagome.
"It's okay," she says softly, staying as calm as she can. "It's okay. You have to wake up now."
"Mine," He growls in a voice that is hardly his.
"Yours," Kagome says quickly, with a a nod, not even registering what she's saying in her attempt to calm him. "All yours. Now, come back—"
Kagome's voice chokes in her throat as Inuyasha leans down, sliding his tongue across her neck.
"Inuyasha!" She squeaks, pushing against his shoulders. She forces down her sense of alarm, knowing he won't hurt her, but knowing the more he does the angrier he'll be when he snaps out of it. She breathes deeply, not focusing on his continued ministrations against her neck.
"Inuyasha, please come back" she says softly. "It's okay. I won't be mad. Inuyasha…"
Inuyasha yanks her up, pulling her hair ungraciously away from her neck.
"Hey! Stop!" Kagome smacks at his chest. "I thought you snapped out of it!"
"I did," He insists, the slightest, almost imperceptible hint of force in his calm tone. "I'm just checking your neck." He examines the pale skin, running the pads of his fingers across her throat.
"Oh, I think you've done enough of that," Kagome snaps, shoving him off.
"I bit you then?" Inuyasha says quietly, his yellow eyes wide. "I really bit you?"
Kagome rolls her eyes at him. "No. You didn't. You just…licked me."
Inuyasha flushes, but asks once again. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. Why is it such a problem?"
Inuyasha pushes himself up, paces by the door. His ears twitch out of irritation. "Because…That's how hanyou mate. By blood exchange. Our saliva contains a sort of anesthetic around mating season. So, I was probably licking you to make sure it wouldn't hurt when I…"
"When you bit me," Kagome finishes for him, quietly. "Wow."
Inuyasha flashes her an unreadable look. "Kagome, I couldn't live with myself if I did that to you."
"Even in your demon form, you wouldn't hurt me," Kagome says quietly. "I didn't think…I never thought that part of you was really you at all. But some part of it must be, then."
"No part of me would ever hurt you," Inuyasha snarls, before storming out of the cabin.
Kagome follows close behind, not willing to let him drop this without explaining himself. "I didn't mean that," she calls out to him. "I know you wouldn't."
Inuyasha stops at the tree, his back still to her.
"Kagome," he says quietly. "I can't be around you right now. I'm afraid of myself."
Kagome rolls her eyes. "We both just agreed you'd never hurt me."
Inuyasha spins around to face her, shaking his head. "Then what the fuck was that in there? What did I just almost do?"
Kagome flushes a deep red. "I don't know. But you certainly didn't look like you wanted to hurt me."
"What I looked like I wanted to do would've been worse for you. You would be better off torn to pieces than mated to me, Kagome. I mean it."
