Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine…. how depressing --

Betrothed

Chapter 11- Confusion

Inuyasha shifted to his side when the bright rays of the sun filtered into the bedroom and on to his face. He groaned and used one hand to block out the light that was currently disturbing his sleep. His efforts seemed to be futile for he couldn't find a position on the large bed that prevented the light from shining on his eyes.

Letting out a number of obscenities Inuyasha pushed his body into a sitting position. When his eyes did adjust to the light it occurred to him that the woman who was earlier curled up next to him was absent from the bedroom. There was no possible way she could have gone home already. The silly girl didn't even know her way around the house. If she did leave she might get lost and then….

'I'd better go look for her. Who knows what could happen with her alone here,' Inuyasha thought and slid off the large bed. He quickly padded across the bedroom and was about to open the door when he spotted Kagome walking out of his bathroom with a white towel wrapped around her naked body.

"Inuyasha?" she questioned and tilted her head to the side. "Where are you going?"

Inuyasha sighed and moved his hand away from the doorknob. "Nowhere."

Kagome smiled at him and pulled the wet hair that clung on to her shoulders into a high bun. Water was currently running down her forehead and her back. It was beginning to make a large wet spot on the carpet.

"Where'd you put my clothes?" Kagome asked while scanning the room. A lecherous smirk came upon Inuyasha's face. Kagome raised her eyebrow at him before taking a cautious step back. "What are you looking at?"

"Why you leaving so soon, Kaggie?" Inuyasha asked teasingly before walking over to Kagome.

"Well I have to get home you know!"

Kagome folded her arms and glared at Inuyasha. He was currently giving that lecherous smile of his; it almost reminded her of the face Miroku made before saying something perverted. By his current expression Kagome immediately knew that she shouldn't have come out of the bathroom with only her towel on. She inwardly sighed as she realized that she had dug her own grave.

Inuyasha's hand slowly rested on Kagome's neck before her slid his hand up to caress her face. Kagome stood frozen, butterflies going through her stomach and her mind currently empty. Her heart began beating rapidly in her chest when Inuyasha's lips brushed against hers.

Kagome's eyes fluttered open to stare at the man before her. He was currently smiling and his golden eyes were practically gleaming with what seemed to be satisfaction. Kagome didn't get any time to think of anything to say for his lips were locked with hers once again. His hand moved away from her cheek and came around her tiny waist in order to pull her closer.

"I love you" he whispered and bumped noses with her. Kagome's face immediately turned red. Every time he whispered those three simple words Kagome couldn't help but blush. Not only because he said he loved her but also because of the care and love that were present when he said it.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered and closed her eyes when his lips met with her wet neck.

"Kagome," he mumbled against her neck, "Do you love me?"

Kagome's heart skipped a beat. "Hai. I love you."

"Then," he began and planted a kiss on her lips before continuing. "Why do you want to leave me? Don't you want to spend the rest of the day with me?"

Kagome didn't get a chance to reply right away for Inuyasha once again began kissing her. His hands slid down her waist and stopped at her outer thighs. The places where he touched were currently tingling. It was then when Kagome caught on where this was going. Using all her will power Kagome gently pushed Inuyasha away.

"I can't," she said and looked down at her toes. She didn't want to see the frown that Inuyasha was currently giving her.

"Why?" The disappointment in his voice was obvious. A pang of guilt ran though Kagome's body.

"Because," she began slowly, "I've got this thing with Nara-chan to go to later."

Kagome looked up to see Inuyasha's facial expression. It seemed that all the emotion had left his face. His eyes especially had turned into a dull mustard yellow. She had never actually seen him look at her like that before and it sent a chill up her spine.

"Gomen nasi," Kagome mumbled and looked down at her feet once again.

"You don't have to apologize. She's your cousin after all."

Nara looked down at her delicate hands, which were currently resting on her lap. A sudden depression had hit her recently. The root of that depression was obvious. As the time passed by Nara's feelings developed more for her fiancé but the more love she felt for him, the harder it was becoming for her to be around him. By observation, the kindergarten teacher knew that Inuyasha didn't feel the same. She knew it, but she could never accept it.

She lifted her eyes to stare at the children that were currently playing in the park around her. It almost seemed funny. Here she was in the mist of so much happiness but she felt immense sorrow. How she wished that Inuyasha was sitting next to her, his arms wrapped around her shoulders and for once she would see a smile on his face.

The young woman was pulled out of her thoughts when a young girl came up to her. The girl had light brown locks that tumbled midway down her back and her eyes were an alluring green. Nara tilted her head to the side and stared at the child curiously. Normally she would have smiled immediately at the little girl but right now she didn't have that joy within her. With a smile the child held out what seemed to be a weed to Nara.

"You looked sad," the young girl began, "My mommy says flowers always make people happy."

This time Nara managed a smile and took the tiny plant from the child. Nara rested one hand on the girl's head.

"Thank you. It makes me very happy."

The young girl beamed at Nara, "Yup!"

Nara watched with a smile as the small child ran over to the sandbox, where it seemed that she was playing before. This was the happiest the young woman had felt for what seemed to be the entire week. Slowly she twirled the small plant between her fingers. Who knew that a 'flower' from a child could bring such joy to a weary heart?

"Nara-chan!"

Nara looked up immediately and saw her cousin walking rather quickly towards her. Kagome was dressed in a plain blue jeans and a simple black shirt. Her dark hair was flowing freely down her back.

"Gomen nasi!" Kagome said hastily while panting. Nara stood up upon her cousin's arrival. Kagome's reaction made Nara's smile widen.

"It's alright. I didn't mind waiting," Nara said with a smile and absently twirled the plant between her fingers once more. Kagome looked at her cousin strangely before smiling back.

"So you said you wanted to talk about something," Kagome stated and took a seat on the bench that Nara was previously seated on.

Nara's smile immediately dropped off her face, and she once again gained that solemn look from before. Nara took a seat next to Kagome and stared once again at the children playing. The current environment greatly contradicted with her state of mind.

"It's about Inuyasha," Nara began softly before pausing. She took in a deep breath before continuing. "I need help."

Sesshoumaru carefully re-read the document in his hand. There was no possible way that he was going to take this small piece of paper in his hand lightly. His brother had asked him for a favor and Sesshoumaru had felt so pitiful for him that he had no choice but to comply.

Without a doubt Sesshoumaru never agreed with his brother on anything. Even when they were children they hardly spoke. If there happened to be a small conversation, it would erupt in violence. Sesshoumaru had long grown out of wanting to attack his brother at ever glance. Of course there were times when he wished that he could deliver a hard slap behind Inuyasha's head but he never acted upon his urges. Inuyasha, however had gotten worse, or so it seemed. Just tow days ago Inuyasha was about to attack his brother but was stopped when Rin ran into the room, wanting to show off another drawing of hers.

With a frown Sesshoumaru stared at the signatures at the end of the paper.

"This," he began softy before rubbing his fingers against his chin, "This is going to become even more complicated for him."

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably as he felt Sango's brown eyes burning a hole in the middle of his forehead. She was defiantly scary when she became angry. Inuyasha pulled his eyes away from Sango and looked over at his friend Miroku. His former roommate was calmly sipping on some green tea.

"So how have you been, Inuyasha?' Miroku inquired after a long stretch of silence and took another sip of his tea.

Inuyasha eyes darted over to Sango before he looked down at the table seemly separating Sango from lunging herself at him and digging her fingernails into the skin of his neck.

"I'm a bit confused," Inuyasha admitted with a sigh, his eyes no longer meeting his friends'. Inuyasha's heart plunged when he thought about the possibility of him never being able to be with Kagome freely. He was constantly tied down because of Nara. "Damn it! I don't know what to do about her!"

"Both you and Kagome," Sango said and paused. Inuyasha looked up at Sango, surprised that she had actually said something to him, given the fact that she was upset. Sango was now looking at him seriously, although Inuyasha clearly saw the anger blazing within her eyes. Sango continued after a long pause, "Both of you need to figure out how badly you want to be together and how far you'll go to do so. If you don't really know, then you're both wasting time and hurting each other more in the process."

Inuyasha stared at Sango with wide eyes. Kagome had often told him that Sango seemed to know how to analyze situations well and how to deal with them appropriately but he had never known that she was this good at it.

"She's right, you know. Both you and Kagome are confused about what you need to do," Miroku paused and took another sip of his tea before continuing, "If you truly love her, then you should automatically know what is to be done."

"I know what I want to do! I want to break off the arrangement with Nara!" Inuyasha retorted.

"So you say but are you willing to hurt Nara's feelings in the process?" Sango questioned and locked eyes with Inuyasha. Inuyasha averted his eyes. He knew the answer to that question and it seemed that Sango and Miroku did too.

"You'd better hurry up and figure out what you really want to do!" Sango snapped and glared at Inuyasha. "I will under no circumstances allow you to hurt Kagome! The longer you take the more she hurts and I swear if you hurt her I'll beat your…."

"Sango, my dear," Miroku cut her off calmly and rubbed her back. He took another sip of his tea before speaking. "You cannot go threatening Inuyasha like that. It's not very nice of you to do when he's like this."

"Of course you'll say that! You're taking all of this lightly, sipping your tea like if this isn't an important issue dealing both of our friends here!" Sango argued and pulled the cup out of Miroku's fingers.

Inuyasha lowered his eyes. He ignored the arguing couple in the background and allowed his mind to drift off to Kagome. The things Sango had said made him think. Was Kagome really hurting the longer this stretched on? If he wasn't willing to hurt Nara's feelings then how exactly was he going to get out of his arrangement? Both Sango and Miroku were right, he needed to figure out what he had to do in order to be with Kagome.

A/N: Yes short, I know but look on the bright side. I might update soon because school's out but I still have classes to go to and I've got homework for the break so I ask once again for your patience. Thank you for all your reviews. I really do appreciate them. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it and I hope that you leave your comments about this chapter too. :)

Neogirl