Chapter 3 - Confessions

Miroku shrugged and began picking up the lilies. "It's Kagome's birthday and Inuyasha brought her a present but Kagome thought they were for Kikyo so she sat him." He stood up and walked in the direction that Kagome had run off. "I'll be back in a bit."

Kagome sat on the edge of the well. She knew she couldn't leave, not with her heart feeling the way it did and the fact that she had left her gifts at Kaede's hut. Did I just jump to conclusions? Inuyasha seemed like he was happy before he came to see me. What if the flowers had been for my birthday present?

Miroku came and sat beside her. "He meant well, you know. Those flowers were for your birthday and for the anniversary for when you guys first met." He handed her the slightly damaged bouquet then stood up. "If you go looking for him, he is at the sacred tree." With that, he left.

Thank you Miroku, Kagome thought as she stood up. Now to find Inuyasha.

That little wench. After all the trouble that I went through to get her, her favorite flowers, this is how she repays me Inuyasha was furious but his heart was depressed. It was like she had said she didn't like him anymore.What am I going to do? I don't want to lose Kagome… Then talk to her, his conscience said, matter-of-factly. She won't listen to me. She is too mad. Then who is that coming this way? Inuyasha looked up and saw Kagome looking around nervously. What is she doing here so late? And what does she have behind her back? Inuyasha jumped down and started walking towards her.

Kagome was a little nervous about walking through the forest alone but she quickly got over it when she saw Inuyasha coming her way. "Inuyasha, can I talk to you for a minute?" Inuyasha nodded and led her over to the sacred tree, sitting down and then waited for her to. Kagome sat down and pulled out the lilies. Inuyasha's face was emotionless but his heart skipped a beat at the sight of them. Has she come to razz on me about going to pick her flowers? He thought worriedly.

"These are beautiful…." Kagome started.

"I know," Inuyasha interrupted. "Whenever we pass by flower shops or fields, I always noticed you going to look at them. I thought they would be a good birthday present."

"Well, you were right," Kagome said. Her heart was ecstatic.

Inuyasha looked around nervously, expecting Miroku, Sango, and Shippo to appear, but when they didn't, he turned back to Kagome. It was time to tell her how he felt. The moment was right, the setting was right, and the time was right.

"Kagome, I have something that I have been meaning to tell you for awhile now." Inuyasha said, trying to regain his courage which usually came so easy to him.

"What is it?" Kagome asked, anxiously and excited at the same time.

"Kagome, I…" The words wouldn't come, even after he had been practicing for a long time. Damn it!

"Inuyasha, does this have to do with Kikyo?" Kagome had to know, so she could prepare herself for it just in case.

"No, it isn't. This is about you and me," Inuyasha said.

"Okay, then let me know when you are ready," Kagome leaned against the tree trunk. A few moments went by in silence before Inuyasha spoke up.

"Kagome, I care about you so much and more than most people think," Inuyasha said. I hope she can take that hint because that is as close as I am going to be able to say it.

Kagome thought her words over carefully. "Are you saying you love me?"

Inuyasha smiled as she said those words and nodded. "Yes, I love you Kagome." Now that it is out in the open, I can say it freely. Kagome sat in silence and began to make Inuyasha worried. "Is this bad?" he asked as she bent over.
Kagome looked up. She was crying and smiling at the same time. "No, it is not a bad thing, trust me." She leaned against him and let her tears fall. "I thought my love was unrequited, but it turns out I was wrong."

Inuyasha leaned his head on top of Kagome's. "I am sorry for making you suffer for so long, with Kikyo and all."

Kagome smiled. "It's all right. You had something with her that I could never replace, but that doesn't mean that we still can't be together."

Inuyasha took his head off and put his hand under her chin to get a better look at her face. Her brown eyes sparkled like adamant and her cheeks were rosy. He couldn't help but tickle her chin with one of his claws.

Kagome began to giggle as Inuyasha began tickling her everywhere else. She eventually began to laugh silently.

Inuyasha looked serious as he stopped tickling her and saw her look of questioning. I have wanted to do this for so long. He put his hand back under her chin.

Kagome felt her heart beat faster. The positioning was right and he had the right look. It was time as she prepared herself.

Inuyasha took a deep breath and moved his lips closer to hers, making time seem to last forever for their first kiss. When their lips touched, the world seemed like a brighter place. As they began to get more passionate, nothing seemed to matter anymore. When they stopped because Kagome ran out of breath, Inuyasha picked her up and jumped into the tree, setting her in his lap. She giggled slightly and cuddled up closer to him. He blushed but nudged her back.

Then they just sat and watched the stars, which seemed to blaze a thousand times more radiant then any other night. The moon shone full and vivid as they enjoyed each other's company, one occasionally shifting into a more comfortable position.

Kagome was deep in thought as she lay on Inuyasha's chest. What if the only reason Inuyasha confessed his love to you was because something happened with Kikyo while you were in your time? Her downcast conscience said, ringing through her head. I don't care, she snapped at her inner voice. I don't care if Kikyo left him for the thousandth time. I just don't care… You don't care, or you don't want to care? Her conscience asked before fading away. Kagome felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes and she tried to brush them away before Inuyasha smelt them. But it was too late.

Inuyasha turned Kagome around and looked into her eyes. He saw the droplets that always broke his heart and he immediately felt disheartened. What did I do now?

Kagome looked away and broke the silence with a question that stabbed her heart and Inuyasha's at the same time. "Did anything happen with Kikyo while I was gone?"

I hope that was enough fluff cause the next chapter ruins it all. puts brick wall over boarded door I am sorry!! Please review!!

The Fiery Temptress