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"Kagome?" Kouga blinks up at her wide and pleading eyes, her hand tight around his wrist. "W-what do you mean you're not sure how I'm going to take it?" Hating the sound of apprehension in his own voice, but he can feel his stomach start to hollow out for some reason. With his hand still trapped between his woman's thighs, he hopes the strange feeling will pass. When Kagome doesn't answer him, only worries her bottom lip, the feeling of unease growing in his stomach escalates.
"I don't understand," Kouga frowns, brows drawing together. "Why do you keep pushing me away?"
"I-I'm not pushing you away, it's just . . ." There's so much she needs to say, needs him to know. Big things, 'I live in the future,' kind of things . . . personal things. "I don't know how to say this," where does she even start?
For a moment, all is quiet save for the sounds of soft cool winds rustling among frost covered branches and the natural hum of the night time forest. Kouga's nose twitches when Kagome's powerfully shifting scent begins to fill with anxiety, increasing the icy feeling in his blood. Something inside him breaks as Kouga tugs his arm back, slipping free from between his woman's warm thighs and breaking the contact between them. Sitting up, he balances an elbow on a bent knee, turning his shoulders to her, giving Kagome a chance to gather herself together. He stares hard into the dark of the forest, hope dissolving from his heart as he does. He'd been afraid this would happen.
"I get it, Kagome," Kouga growls, the sound low and harsh.
A different tremor of anxiety shivers through Kagome's chest at the tone in Kouga's voice. She quickly does up the toggles of her vest, even buttoning them askew in her haste, having felt the drastic shift of Kouga's energy like a spray of cold water. Her hands curl in her lap as she refolds her legs beneath her, settling herself next to Kouga.
"Y-you do?" Why won't he look at her? Why does he feel suddenly . . . hostile?
"Yeah," Kouga grunts through his nostrils. His hand runs through his hair with agitation as he pushes off from the ground, tail swishing sharply behind him. Taking a couple of steps away from Kagome, he keeps his back to her while staring hard into the snowy woods. The rapid jerky movements of his tail gives away the battalion of emotions flaring through his youkai that rumbles with a different kind of heat then of moments before. Fuck! But he knew this would happen. The closer they get to Kagome's pack and the mutt, the greater the possibility that whatever has grown between them might not survive the encounter with the silver-haired demon that had held the majority of her heart for so long.
"You're still in love with the mutt," Kouga dead pans, not daring to look at her or hold her gaze. He doesn't want to risk seeing the confirmation of truth in Kagome's eyes. After everything that's happened between them, he's fairly certain such confirmation will kill him. Kouga's caught off guard by the sudden flare of burning flowers and smoky campfire that assaults his nose, twisting his stomach into an even tighter knot.
"How can you say that?" Kagome's low heated voice surprises Kouga as he turns to look at her. She's still sitting on his cloak, but the fire and pain leaping from his woman's eyes burns his skin in a most unpleasant way. "I can't believe you would even think that, Kouga!" He can hear the pain radiating in her climbing voice.
Kouga's youkai rumbles with conflict. Torn between his desire to erase the distress he can see emanating from his woman, and the Alpha in him that takes what he wants, when he wants it. The sting of wounded pride enhanced by the power of the fear already pulsing through him turns Kouga's back on Kagome again. Struggling to hold together the flaring of his youkai that wants to tear from the clearing in search of the hanyou, no matter the distance, and beat him down to a broken bloody mess, and then beat him some more. Kouga's fists curl tightly at his sides with the images of violence and carnage that heats hellfire in his gut.
"It's not hard, Kagome," his voice, heated and raw. How often has she pushed him away in the past because she was torn between her feelings for the mutt and for him? Kouga turns his head to the side, showing her his profile, the ends of his ponytail curling around his shoulder. "You've been with him a lot longer than with me, after all," growling with barely repressed heat as he says it. "Maybe that's where you'd rather be."
Kagome holds her arms tight to her body, the tension in them starting to ache as Kouga's words shoot arrows into her heart. The pain is sharp as it pierces her, knowing that he would believe that – like she can just ping-pong her heart back and forth between men. They've shared so much together, learned so much about each other. She's experienced sensations and emotions with Kouga she could never have imagined. Touched her in ways that no one else ever has, so how can he doubt her like this? The wolf's mistrust of her fuels the powerful rush of emotions building within. The combination of hurt, anger, and desire that courses through Kagome's blood feels strange and unsettling to her. Her chin quivers with the heat of her rising twisting feelings. So different than what she was experiencing just a few minutes ago.
"And so of course, the only possible explanation has to be because I'm in love with someone else, is that it?" Kagome's hands squeeze into fists, her nails biting into her palm with the force of her anger.
Kouga turns to face her completely, the steps between them might as well extend the whole of Edo.
"Then tell me I'm wrong, Kagome," pain colors Kouga's voice, hating the flare of angry energy erupting between them. The evening is not turning out quite like he had planned or imagined. Definitely not how he'd imagined.
The fire in Kagome's veins ignites as she jumps to her feet. "Why you . . . you, big jerk!" Kagome shouts, her body practically shaking.
Kouga winces under the slight, claws scraping behind his heart at the pain filled daggers Kagome glares at him. His youkai moans and rumbles in despair so loud at the back of his mind it's almost hard to focus on anything else.
"I can't believe you can be . . . so . . . so," Kagome's brows squish hard together, her mind unable to translate into words all the things she's feeling.
"What, observant, Kagome?" Kouga rumbles back, hating himself the second he says it.
"Gah!" Kagome cries, waving her arms emphatically in the air as she turns away from him. "You're infuriating that's what you are!" She paces near the base of the tree, her arms waving in the air as she continues to growl her own frustrations at the wolf, ". . . and so callous and insensitive!"
Kouga rumbles unhappily low at the back of his throat, but makes no effort to reply. He should have known it was too good to be true. Nothing good in his life ever stayed for long, the katana at his side burns with the thought. The fire blazing in Kouga's blood is so hot and primal, he's grateful for the cold night winds that brush up against his exposed chest, turning to steam as it kisses his burning skin. Crossing his arms before him, Kouga finds himself almost hoping for a demon, any demon, to come crashing through their private little enclave and put him out of his misery.
"And . . . and after everything we've shared, Kouga! I . . . I just," Kagome can feel the tears starting to well inside her, hating this tension between them, tension that doesn't even need to exist if Kouga only knew the truth – if he'd take the time to understand.
The moment Kagome's scent shifts again and the dampness of wet earth starts to slowly emanate from her skin, Kouga is standing directly in front of her. She startles back, eyes wide. He hadn't realized he'd moved that fast. The moisture on his woman's lashes and in her scent screams her sincere hurt that he doesn't believe what she's saying, and that tells Kouga he's obviously missing something, but what? He cups Kagome's chin gently, tipping her head up towards him so he can see straight into those vibrant eyes of hers, eyes that speak her every emotion clearer than her words ever could.
"Kagome," Kouga's tone is soft, edged with yearning. "Talk to me, tell me what's going on then," doesn't she understand yet? "You can tell me anything," he reassures her.
When Kouga reaches for her, taking hold of her face, Kagome can feel the powerful shock of lightning that travels from his palm, into her jaw, and sizzles all the way to the bottoms of her feet. He tips her head towards him, so she's staring straight into his eyes, only a small gap separating them. Kagome's gaze keeps flickering to the curl of Kouga's lips, momentarily fuzzing her thoughts, and all she wants to do is to close the gap between them.
"Oh, Kouga, I wish it were as easy as that," Kagome's expression falls, her feet shuffling beneath her.
If it wasn't for all the cues Kagome's body is giving him that she wants him as much as he wants her, Kouga is certain that he wouldn't be holding it together nearly so well as he is. Gods, he can see the way her eyes keep flickering to his mouth, and the way she keeps licking her lips. It's the hardest thing he's ever had to do, not closing the distance and giving her exactly what she seems to want from him.
Kouga's eyes narrow softly on hers, "Why can't it be?" He watches the play of emotions across his woman's face carefully. "Don't . . . don't you trust me?"
"Of course I trust you, Kouga!" Kagome's hand curls tightly around his wrist that still cups her chin. "It's . . . it's not about trust."
He knows she's telling him the truth, he can see it clearly in those pools of moss and earth that can never lie to him. But then why is she being so evasive? Kouga releases her gently from his hold, but Kagome's hand stays clasped around his wrist, holding his arm between them, reluctant to let him go. It sends hope flickering through Kouga's heart, lighting the shadows in his world as he turns his wrist, capturing Kagome's instead. He threads his fingers through hers, holding their clasped hands between them. The moment he does, Kagome's fingers squeeze tight around him, and it sends a wave of reassuring heat coursing through his blood. Pulling her as close to him as their clasped hands will allow, Kouga stares intently down at her. Prepared for anything she may have to tell him.
"Then what is it about?" he rumbles softly.
When Kouga had let go of her chin, Kagome had feared she was losing him. Terrified that he wouldn't give her a chance to try and explain. But when his fingers thread through hers, tugging her towards him, it eases the flurry of twisted knots flaring in her stomach that have taken up residence there. Kagome's thumb starts sweeping softly back and forth along the top of Kouga's clasped hand, finding a strange sense of comfort in the simple action. She knows that if they're to have any kind of future together, she can't hide this from him, not anymore. Kouga's wide, trusting gaze begs only for honesty. Something he's always given her without hesitation.
Kagome releases a long breath. "It's about a sacred jewel that was born inside my body," her voice is soft as she speaks.
Kouga's eyebrow's twitch – that's not what he was expecting her to say. He'd discovered over the course of getting to know his unusual woman that Kagome was the reincarnation of the undead miko that had died over 50 years ago and had been the original protector of the sacred jewel. That Kagome shared anything in common with the priestess that stunk of death and graveyard soil is something the wolf had always had a hard time fathoming. Refusing to believe that his warm, sweet Kagome could have anything in common with the cold unfeeling miko. They didn't even look anything alike.
"What does the Shikon Jewel have to do with why you keep pushing me away?" Kouga's eyes dance between each of hers, as though one might reveal something the other doesn't.
Kagome bites the corner of her lip. "It . . . it doesn't."
Kouga makes a strange half grunt, half growl sound at the back of his throat. "Kagome," he squeezes their clasped hands carefully, voice rough and low, "please start making sense, baby, 'cause I don't know how much longer I can hold my shit together."
Kagome's face heats at the endearment, despite the context of his words. Fortunately, the flush of spicy heat Kouga senses rising in her has a soothing effect on his agitated youkai.
"Okay, so ah, here's the thing," Kagome smiles a little nervously, "I'm actually not from around here." She hopes Kouga is open minded enough not to think she's crazy or worse.
"Oddly enough, I kinda picked up on that," Kouga grins in spite of himself. The glow in Kagome's eyes swells the fires burning in his heart a little higher.
"Yes, well, you see . . ." Kagome takes a deep breath, drawing a curious look from the wolf, Here goes nothing, "that's because I'm actually from 500 years in the future, and I travel here through a magical Well that sits on my shrine that lets me travel back and forth between my time and this one."
Kouga's eyes blink several times before openly staring at his nervously smiling woman. The look on her face, her tone, and her body movements tell him that as far as she's concerned, she's telling him the truth.
"Uh, yeah," Kagome laughs nervously, scratching the back of her neck with her free hand. "That's about how I thought you'd take it," eyes squinting with her smile.
"Kagome," Kouga rumbles low, "I'm being dead serious right now." His gaze hardens a little around the edges, "What is going on?"
Something in Kouga's voice curls in Kagome's stomach. "I'm trying to tell you what's going on!" she huffs, tugging herself free of their clasped hands, but the wolf holds her firm in his grip.
Whatever Kagome's going to tell him, Kouga is certain of one thing – he needs to be touching her. "Tell me here, Kagome," he rasps, "tell me like this."
Kagome nods once at Kouga's deep slow baritone. She understands. She doesn't really want to let go of him either. Closing her eyes a moment, she takes another deep breath. Better to just get it out in one go and save all the questions for later.
"You see, it all started on my 15th birthday, five years ago. I was on my way to catch the city transit on my way to school when I remembered that I forgot my cell phone again," Kagome laughs at herself, she was always doing that. "I left it syncing my music playlist next to the microwave that morning while I was nuking my cold tea. For some reason the Wifi is always better in the kitchen," she muses. "As I was rushing past the Well house, my little brother Souta was looking for our cat, so I tried to help him look for Buyou. But when I got close to the Well, Mistress Centipede, she ah, sensed the jewel in my body and pulled me through from my time, here into to the feudal era." She smiles contently, thrilled that Kouga is giving her a chance to explain.
Kouga's eyebrows twitch at the slew of strange words coming from his woman's mouth. Is she putting him on right now? Why would she even do that?
"And of course that's when I met InuYasha," Kagome laughs, missing the hard edge of Kouga's brow at mention of the hanyou. "He was trapped to the tree as you know, and he saved me from Mistress Centipede when I ah, released him." Kagome's gaze flickers nervously away, knowing how much Kouga didn't like talking about the hanyou. Thankfully, he seems to be taking everything pretty well so far.
"After I accidentally destroyed the jewel," Kagome gives a mirthless laugh. It's a debt she is still repaying all these years later in an effort to undo the damage she had caused. "InuYasha agreed to help me look for the pieces," skipping over the part where he'd done so because the hanyou wanted the jewel for himself, at least, in the beginning he had. "He makes sure I get home enough so I can see my family and keep up with my school work and stuff, but just barely. He'd rather I spent all my time jewel hunting," Kagome sighs. "But, he knows if he doesn't, I'll sit him into the dog house," she giggles. "But, basically I've ah, been doing that ever since," Kagome smiles up at the wolf that continues to stare at her with an expression she can't hope to discern. When he doesn't say anything she starts to worry.
"So, uh, yeah, that's me. Just your regular high school student from Tokyo in the twenty first century, living in Feudal Japan, fighting demons, and flying on cats a million miles away from the nearest WacDonald's and Starbucks," Kagome sighs on the last with some regret. What she wouldn't do for an extra sweet Mochaccino right about now.
Kouga's not exactly sure when it happens, but as Kagome's story grows more fanciful and her words stranger, he realizes as impossible as it sounds, she's telling him the truth, especially when he hears that word, skool. The one InuYasha would never elaborate on. It all starts to make sense when he thinks about all the strange things he knows about his woman. Everything about her that had been off since the day he'd met her. Not only is Kagome's clothing strange, yet incredibly enticing to look upon, she had never acted like any human Kouga had ever met, something he loves about her. She's fearless and outspoken and stands up for what she believes in. She walks around fighting demons, helping people for no reward, just doing what's right, and pushing around that strange metal carriage of hers.
Often times even Kagome's words were strange and foreign, and when she cared for his wounds in battle, she was always ready with her, Band Aids, and Diss—fin—ective, struggling with the foreign word in his memory. And what about those strange food stuffs she had given to him once, what had she called them? Potato chips? The container they came in had felt most strange, and Kouga didn't remember them smelling anything like potatoes, or like food for that matter, but they sure did taste good. But even more than that, Kagome is intelligent and learned – she can even read and write! Only nobility among the humans have the capacity, and it had often made Kouga wonder if Kagome was some kind of runaway princess from a faraway land. He grins to himself. He supposes in a way, she kind of is.
Those noticeable long stretches of time where Kagome seemed to have just upped and disappeared, suddenly start to make a lot more sense now, and why Kouga was never able to locate her. Kagome's scent is one he can track even in the strongest downpours, but it was as if she had simply vanished from the world. The hanyou of course was always frustratingly vague and evasive about Kagome's disappearances.
In fact, the very first time Kouga had been unable to locate Kagome anywhere, and he had run clear from one side of Edo to the other, even traveling into the South where he swore to never travel again. But after still not being able to locate Kagome, he had attacked InuYasha in a vicious rage, certain that the worthless dog had allowed something tragic to happen to her, and out of fear for his life – rightfully so – the cowardly hanyou refused to tell him. Memories of Kouga's rage and worry as he had stormed the little village chasing after the hanyou rises to the surface.
***flash***zoom***back***zoom***flash***zoom***back***
The sun blares bright and hot at the height of summer, a wide river flows gently past a small quiet village. Unsuspecting townsfolk walk peacefully about their day, oblivious to the incoming cyclone of rushing winds that speeds quickly towards a familiar looking silver-haired hanyou.
"Ah great, just what we fucking need," InuYasha rumbles halting in his steps at the little market of the nearby village they'd stopped at. He had almost missed the smell because of the fish, but no rotten fish could ever cover up that stench.
"What is it, InuYasha?" Dark brows arch over dark indigo eyes as Miroku pauses in his perusal of the pretty fish attendant lady at the hanyou's outburst. Usually, he is much happier focusing his attentions on the lovely ladies of the village, but over the years Miroku has learned to trust InuYasha's keen senses. Turning to face the east, the direction the hanyou seems to be focused on, his eyes fall immediately onto a familiar whirlwind speeding towards them. Miroku sighs, shaking his head, this can go either way.
"Come now, InuYasha, there's no need to start fighting already," Miroku says as he adjusts the jingling staff at his side.
"Agreed," Sango nods, moving away from the table of simple house wares and other nick-nacks she had barely been focusing on. She'd had more than her fill of watching the lecherous monk ogle up that silly young fish attendant. "Luckily, Kagome is on her side of the Well so there's no reason for you and Kouga not to behave," she chides him gently.
"Keh, I'm not the one that needs to learn to behave," InuYasha snorts, crossing his arms indifferently into the sleeves of his haori. "Stupid scrawny wolf, always sniffing around Kagome," he grumbles under his breath.
Sango rolls her eyes at Miroku that shrugs in reply. At least the day will get more interesting.
"I saw that," InuYasha glares at the monk and slayer from the corner of his golden eye.
"But you didn't see this!" Kouga roars as a glowing fist emerges from the heart of the whirling vortex that suddenly materializes before the hanyou, taking the dog demon completely off guard. The speeding projectile cracks hard against InuYasha's jaw, sending him soaring backwards, skidding and bouncing off the terrain; destroying tables of food and various goods in his wake with loud crashes before finally smashing into a hut with a loud splintering of wood.
Miroku and Sango stare wide-eyed with jaws agape at the incredible display of anger that has just erupted in front of them. Villagers run screaming in all directions with shouts of youkai and battle, sending the townsfolk into chaos. Shippou hops up onto Sango's shoulder, just as Kirara jumps into the slayer's arms with a little mewl. The kitsune had been playing with the village children, Kirara playing babysitter, when they had heard the commotion break out.
"H-hey . . . what's going on?" Shippou's mouth falls open as Kouga continues to lunge powerful deadly blows after InuYasha that the hanyou just narrowly avoids. Insults of the dogs' pedigree, character, and many faults fly from the wolf's mouth in a roaring blood frenzied fury.
"Wow, he is really mad," Shippou swallows nervously. The feel of Kouga's enraged youkai sends cold tremors rippling over the kitsune's skin, raising the fine hairs along his body.
"Yes, Kouga definitely . . ." Miroku winces, one eye squeezing shut when a roaring Kouga spins a powerful kick to InuYasha's stomach, doubling the hanyou over and smashing him into more tables, "seems perturbed about something."
"But what?" Sango scratches worriedly at Kirara's ears. Usually Kouga is so much more cool and levelheaded. Cocky absolutely, even arrogant at times, but never out-right violent, at least, not since the wolf demon had met Kagome and begun taming his ways.
"We can't let them just tear up the village!" Sango scratches almost vigorously now behind Kirara's ears with her growing anxiety, but the fire cat doesn't seem to mind. Her eyes closed tight and purring loudly.
"You cretin, InuYasha!" Kouga leaps towards the hanyou that finally manages to get his footing. Leaping away just in time from the wolf demon's exploding punch. The surge of power around the Alpha's fist glows brightly with red, cracking the ground where the dog had just been standing. "I'm going to kill you for what you've done!" Kouga snarls, baring his teeth. A thick vein in his neck pulses as muscles strain against his skin.
"What the hell are you talking about you stupid mangy wolf?!" InuYasha barks back, leaping out of the way of Kouga's attack that destroys nearby wagons, tables, and huts with the shockwave of his blast. Fortunately, most of the humans have emptied the market space.
"Miroku, we have to stop them!" Sango cries aghast. Her gaze shifts frantically back and forth between the monk and the fighting demons, torn by indecision.
Miroku leans against one of the still remaining market huts with his staff tucked into the crook of his arm. He scratches noncommittally at the back of his head, considering the scene, not exactly eager to throw his very fleshy, very breakable body, between a pair of rabid dogs.
"By all means my dear, Sango, do you have any suggestions?" A small smile twitches at the corner of Miroku's lips.
The slayer glares at the lecherous monk knowing he's right. Kagome is the only person the two demons ever listened too.
"Don't play stupid with me you worthless mutt!" Kouga's lips pull back baring teeth, the vein in his neck pulsing with his rage. The incensed Alpha does his best to keep from accidentally hurting the screaming humans that flee at his passing as the fighting continues to spread. It's the filthy hanyou he wants anyways.
"I've scoured the entire countryside looking for her and nothing!" Kouga roars, his nostrils flaring. His knuckles crack as the power of his rage courses through his blood, hazing his vision in red. Deep in the Alpha's chest, his youkai snarls with rage, pushing through a surge of power to his legs. Kouga's claws extend, glowing with the power of his youkai as he starts barreling towards the hanyou at top speed, zigzagging so fast the enraged wolf demon seems to be coming from multiple directions at once.
InuYasha attempts to dodge the swift attack, but he moves in the wrong direction, mistaking the mirage for the real thing as the two canines collide with thunderous roars from both of them. Exchanging gunfire-like blows, they roll and bounce across the now broken and smashed market place. Blood sprays the air among the inhuman sounds of furious growls and barks that fills the courtyard.
"Ha!" InuYasha growls when he finally manages to break away from Kouga's tight hold and rapid-fire attacks. Soaring backwards, he lands atop one of the few remaining structures in the market area, his breaths coming in hard and ragged, one hand clasped tightly around a bleeding arm. Damn, the wolf is fast.
"I should have known your brains are as small as those shards in your legs!" InuYasha growls menacingly, his silver hair fanning wildly behind him. More than anything, he wants to use his sword on the stupid growling demon in the distance, but Kagome has taken a liking to the moronic wolf for some reason. Only the kami know why, and there's no telling how furious she'll be with him if he just happens to maybe – accidentally, of course – snuff out the puny wolf.
InuYasha sighs despondently, Kagome is already mad enough with him as it is. He knows he just needs to give her a few days too cool off and things will go back to normal, although, things might not go quite so well if Kagome comes back to a pile of flea ridden bones.
"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!" InuYasha roars, glaring his anger and frustration at the stupid wolf he can't even kill.
Kouga rumbles in fury, mistaking the shift in InuYasha's scent that fills with sadness and regret as confirmation of the Alpha's worst fears.
"I know something's happened to Kagome, and I know it's your fault!" Kouga roars, brows drawn furiously together. His fist glows red before him with the power of his youkai. The crimson in his gaze begins to swallow what little remains of the wolf's normal bright blue.
Sango and Miroku share a nervous knowing look with each other, finally understanding the source of Kouga's fury and anger. There are few things that can outrun or avoid a wolf demon's nose when they are intent on their target. The only thing that could stop it cold was death. It's no wonder Kouga is assuming the worst.
"Tell me what you've done with Kagome!" Kouga bellows, fury blinding him as sure as the hellfire blazing in his eyes. He advances on the injured hanyou that seems to read the wolf's intent a moment before he leaps towards him in an explosive burst of power. The structure InuYasha had been standing on disintegrates under the destructive blast of the wolf's power, knocking the hanyou from the air with the force of its concussive shockwave.
"Ah, fuck!" InuYasha growls, hitting the ground hard, he rolls part way before leaping back to his feet. That had been a little too close. As the glow of bright light recedes, InuYasha can see that Kouga's fist is wedged deep into the ground of the large crater surrounding him. Fast enough to give even the wolf a run for his money, InuYasha charges towards the trapped Kouga, his brain exploding with fury.
"You scrawny moronic wolf!" his claws curl into a tight fist.
Kouga looks up just in time to see InuYasha's bloodied fist come flying towards him, cracking him square across the jaw. His head snaps back with a hard grunt, his fist pulling free of the ground as he's thrown backwards skidding across the courtyard. Kouga rises quickly to his feet, giving his head a shake to free it of the lights that dance behind his eyes. Not bad for a mutt.
InuYasha stands glaring a few feet away from the wolf, fist curled tightly at his sides. "I didn't do anything to Kagome you brainless wolf!" he seethes through clenched teeth. If only Kagome hadn't been so mad with him already he'd be more than happy to use the Tessaiga on the lame excuse for a demon. He tries to remind himself that Kouga is reacting out of his fear for Kagome, and that is something that InuYasha can well understand.
"I don't believe you!" Kouga roars, leaping towards the dog with quick rapid lunges.
"Well too fucking bad!" InuYasha barks back, just barely managing to back step out of the wolf's successive attacks. "Cause it's the fucking truth, so get lost, wolf boy!"
Deciding on a change of tactics, InuYasha pushes all his power into his legs. Propelling himself as far backwards as he can go, he lands quickly on the ground. Watching Kouga's speeding form close in, InuYasha drops down onto his back at the last minute, enjoying the look of wide-eyed shock that flashes across Kouga's face when his legs come up and plant themselves dead center on the wolf's chest.
"'Cause I got no desire to play with the likes of you!" InuYasha roars. Flipping his legs over his head, he uses Kouga's momentum against him, catapulting the scrawny wolf into the air and sending him flying.
Quickly gaining control of the fall midair, Kouga changes his trajectory, and lands with a booming thud as a single fist hammers into the ground. Red glowing eyes glare menacingly as he takes hard ragged breaths, his gaze immediately focusing on the panting hanyou in the distance.
"Kouga, no! You have to stop!" Sango runs out between the two youkai before Miroku even realizes what she's doing, but the slayer knows she has to find a way to cool Kouga's raging blood-lust before his youkai starts to get out of control and innocent people start getting hurt.
Kouga's nostrils flare with the thick scent of disturbed soil and dust filtering through his nose from their battle. Rising slowly from his crouched position he watches the incoming form of the slayer from his peripheral, his gaze focused primarily on the silver-haired bastard that keeps away from him in the distance.
"Sango, are you stupid? He's gone fucking crazy!" InuYasha calls out, but the slayer ignores him, approaching the growling and snarling wolf.
Kouga's red gaze narrows on the dog demon, the mutt's disrespectful tone fueling the fires of his rage. He growls menacingly low in his throat, making to move again in the hanyou's direction, when his youkai howls out to him, clawing furiously at the back of his mind at the demon slayer's whimper – his woman's pack sister, stirring the attention of the flaming beast coiled deep within the fires of his belly.
"Kouga, please," Sango's hands grip the tall wolf demon by his broad shoulders. His fangs vibrate with the primal growl reverberating at the back of his throat. She reminds herself that it's all coming from Kouga's fear and worry over Kagome, the human priestess the wolf demon has fallen in love with. The thought is enough to keep Sango's courage in the face of the wolf's passion filled fury, trusting that Kouga's love for Kagome will stay his more primal instincts.
Doing his best to rein in his blood lust, Kouga turns his crimson glowing gaze to the courageous human woman that dares to lay hands on him in such a state. Something not even Ginta or Hakkaku would have the courage to do. It's no wonder she and Kagome are such close friends, they're both of them fearless, and perhaps even a little reckless. It's the demon slayer's close friendship to his woman that the Alpha wolf allows the human to hold him back the way she does, attempting to block his attack on the worthless hanyou.
Miroku holds a sleeping Kirara in his arms, while he and Shippou stare with wide disbelieving eyes and beads of sweat rolling down their temples.
Sango watches with amazement when Kouga turns towards her, reining in his flaring youkai with a command and control she has rarely ever witnessed on any demon.
"I swear to you, Kouga, on my life that Kagome is alright," Sango smiles confidently, trying to emit as much reassurance in her words as in her body language, knowing that the wolf will read her scent as easily as her body's expressions. And right now, Sango needs Kouga to believe her, to trust her.
The demon slayer's confident tone and truthful scent reaches out to the Alpha's howling youkai as Kouga's aggressive rumble begins to taper down, the red slowly starting to diffuse from his eyes.
An immense sense of relief washes through Sango as she watches Kouga's youkai respond to her. "Kagome often travels a very far distance, another land, by a magical means," having decided on the spur of the moment that a slightly edited version of the truth will be more helpful then letting Kouga in on the secret of the time-traveling well. "That's why you can't find her, Kouga, but she will be back."
Then Sango utters the two little words that spoken from his woman's pack-sister are enough to finally diffuse the last of the rage burning in Kouga's blood. The clear blue of his eyes emerges from within the receding flames of his cooling youkai, his angry rumble dissipating.
"I promise."
END***flash***zoom***back***zoom***flash***zoom***back***END
And of course, Sango had been right, had kept her word. Kouga grins at how covertly the demon slayer had tried to reassure him without giving Kagome's secret away. So much of his woman's packmates strange behavior in regards to her whereabouts and other inquiries, makes more sense in light of the impossible truth. Kouga's little spit fire of a woman, really is from another land, another world. It makes more sense than anything else ever did about her. It warms Kouga's heart to think that just maybe they must have been truly destined for each other to have found one another through centuries of time and space. Kouga's world is her past, and Kagome is his future, but then he's always known that.
Though he doesn't understand the whole of what she's saying to him, there is one clear understanding that resonates deep in Kouga's chest, setting his youkai howling as it latches onto the one coherent thought it could make sense of.
"What do you mean that stupid mutt moves through the Well?" Kouga grits his teeth, fighting back his instinctive growl at mention of the dog traveling to Kagome's land. It sparks a flare of irritation deep in his chest, stirring his youkai. The idea of that useless hanyou getting to see this fantastical world of Kagome's, of being so intimately connected with her, and having been so for years, is infuriating.
"I dunno, he just does," Kagome shrugs. "When I take too long on my side, he ah, comes and gets me," she glances away, relieved at the feel of Kouga's hand still clasping hers.
"Can anyone else travel through the Well?" Kouga asks gruffly. This can be a problem if he isn't able to protect Kagome in her world. What kind of mate would he be if he couldn't do that? And he'll be damned if he's going to leave his woman in the hands of that insufferable hanyou anymore.
"I'm . . . not sure actually," Kagome thinks back pensively. "I mean, if I think about it, no one else has really tried except InuYasha. Shippou did once, but there was a tree jammed in the Well that InuYasha stuck there, so he couldn't get through." Kagome places a finger to her chin thoughtfully, "Mistress centipede managed to grab me from my side of the Well in the first place, and even Yura's hair came through to my time," she muses, and recalls another time someone had attempted to use the Well.
"Souta tried once, my little brother, but he ah, couldn't get through." Kagome doesn't like the down turn of Kouga's mouth when she mentions the failed Well crossing. A part of her had always wondered though, if it was possible that Souta hadn't been able to cross because InuYasha was already traveling through the Well.
"Actually, now that I think about it," Kagome laughs to herself, not knowing why she'd never thought of it before. "I bring stuff over all the time from my era. Like chips, my bike, food, medicinal supplies," really, it was so obvious when she thought about it. "So yeah, I guess it should be possible for others to get through," Kagome smiles encouragingly, hoping her answer will placate the angry wolf, "But honestly, I'm just not sure."
Kouga nods silently. His quick demonic mind scrolls through everything his woman's said so far. "Why did dog shit shove a tree down the Well?" His curiosity winning over his raging dislike of the hanyou.
"Oh," Kagome laughs a little awkwardly, remembering how distraught she had been at the time. Looking back now, it almost seems like another lifetime ago. "He, uh, wanted to protect me from Naraku, so he tried to keep me from coming back, but in the end, the Well let me pass," certain that it had been the appearance of the sacred jewel that had been cast to the bottom of the Well that had given her the power to cross through the obstruction.
Kouga hates to admit it, but he probably would have done the same thing if it meant keeping Kagome safe. Maybe the worthless mutt has some sense after all. He thinks back on their recent adventure with the snake demon, it was no wonder he'd been so fascinated with Kagome. If the sacred jewel had truly been born inside her body, does that mean Kagome herself is connected to the jewel? Kouga's forehead wrinkles in thought, But, what does that even mean?
"Alright then, when we get back, I'll cross the Well with you," Kouga states, gazing unflinching into Kagome's eyes.
Kagome's expresses blanches, her face going pale. "Y-you . . . want to cross the Well?" Her belly clenches tightly for some reason.
Kouga's forehead furrows at Kagome's response. "Of course, you're my woman. Where you go, I go," for the wolf, nothing can be simpler.
Kagome has to look away from him. "Kouga . . ." It's the soft way she says his name, like she's trying not to startle a wild animal that sets him on edge. Turning her gaze back to him, she squeezes his hand, "It's more complicated than that."
He gratefully squeezes her hand back in turn, his gaze never wavering from hers, "Uncomplicate it for me then."
Kagome releases a sigh, "It's kind of hard to explain." How to make Kouga understand the differences in her world, the strangeness and dangers it held, so different then in this era? She'd seen enough almost disasters with InuYasha on her side of the Well to know that.
"Oh, but mutt face is smart enough to understand," Kouga growls, loosening his grip on Kagome's hand but not releasing her, "and I'm not, is that it?" Hurt and anger laces his voice, punctuated by a soft growl.
"I never said that!" Kagome cries passionately, pulling her hand back with a sharp tug, almost like she's just been burned. "Don't put words in my mouth!" she cries heatedly, clutching her wrist to her chest as if she's been burned.
"Well, what else do you want me to think, Kagome?" Kouga barks back, claws run aggressively through the sides of his hair. "Dog shit gets a free pass, and I'm stuck in the, how'd ya put it?" his arm makes a sweeping gesture before him, "the dog house?" Doesn't she understand how much this is killing him?
"You're gonna be if you don't stop jumping to conclusions!" Kagome shouts angrily. Not understanding why Kouga is being so stubborn and argumentative. Usually he's so much more understanding.
"That's why you won't mate with me, isn't it?" Kouga's unexpected and direct question startles her.
"W-what, what are you talking about?" Kagome's face heats a deep rosy pink.
Kouga's eyes narrow hard on her, his beaten pride unwilling to take any more slams from his woman's powerful blows. After all, she had stopped his advances yet again, and it's getting harder not to take it personally.
"I'm betting it's the same reason why you'll let the dog through the Well, but not the wolf," raw heat colors Kouga's voice. "You still love him," she can deny it all she wants.
"Oh, my fu-aah! This again!" Kagome shrieks, throwing her hands up in an exasperated gesture.
Kouga's tail swishes and whips behind him with his flaring emotions. "Why else won't you be with me, Kagome?" he rumbles hotly at her pacing back. "Why else keep me from claiming you as mine?!" daring her to prove him wrong.
Kagome can feel her stomach twist into a painful mass, wishing she had eaten something earlier as her nerves continue to gnaw away at the emptiness there.
"Y-you're just b-being . . . ridiculous!" she can feel her voice shaking, the emptiness in her belly threatening to consume her sanity over the circling argument, wanting only for it to be over.
When Kagome turns back to glare at him, the threat of tears wells so deep in her eyes, Kouga almost drowns inside them. It's then he realizes it, it's then he sees it, finally understanding. The pain flashing in his woman's gaze, pain he's causing her, feels a hundred fold worse than anything he's experiencing in his own heart because it's her. The only look he ever wants to see on Kagome's face is the kind he wants to get lost in forever. In a flash of unexpected movement, he is standing before her, his face so close to hers Kagome's thick bangs push against his. Kouga's hand reaches for hers, a tremor of joy rushing through him when Kagome curls the tips of her fingers inside of his, having feared that she'd push him away.
"Is it ridiculous, Kagome?" There's no anger in his words, no heat, just a desperate need to know the truth and if he's building his life on a beautiful lie.
Kagome stares deep into Kouga's expectant gaze, feeling the flurry of emotions colliding in her stomach as they clasp fingertips. Slowly, she's starting to understand how deep Kouga's insecurities are in regards to InuYasha, and really, she can understand why he might feel that way. Hadn't she felt exactly the same about Kikyo and InuYasha? Kagome also realizes that Kouga's right about something else.
"Well," she begins hesitantly, "I guess you are kind of right. I . . . I do love InuYasha."
Ouch. Sucker punch to the gut. Kouga honestly hadn't been expecting that.
"He and I have been through so much together, I care a lot about him," gaining confidence as she speaks.
Doh! A right hook to the face.
"InuYasha will always be important to me," Kagome looks up earnestly at the wolf.
Damn! It's a body slam ladies and gentlemen.
"But it's you I'm in love with, Kouga."
Wait, what's that? Reverse body slam.
The smile that lights Kagome's face, lights the wolf's whole world. "Everyday we're together, there's no denying it anymore," the truth of her words radiate from her whole being.
Kouga can't take the toying anymore. "Then why do you always pull away from me when things get heated?" His eyes blaze with pent up passion. For five long years the Alpha has hoped and dreamed and waited to hold her, to kiss her – to make love to her. "Why won't you let me take you as my mate?" the pain in his voice rasping the edges of his usual smooth baritone.
Kagome's entire body heats at the images that come into her mind at Kouga's words. Knowing only too well how easy it would be for her to lose herself in his touch.
"I told you, I come from a different world, a different place. Things like this are a big deal in my time," Kagome's eyes plead with him to understand.
"They're a big deal in this time too, Kagome," Kouga retorts.
Touché. "I . . . I know that," Kagome's eyes flutter away, "but, here girls are married and having babies at 14, and in my time Kouga, it . . . it just doesn't happen like that anymore." Well, for the most part, but Kagome decides to leave that bit out. No need to confuse the wolf even further, especially when she can see the unconvinced look in Kouga's eyes. How to make him understand?
"Kouga, I . . ." Kagome bites the corner of her lip, her cheeks flaring crimson, causing the wolf to arch an eyebrow curiously at her, "I've . . . I've never been with anyone . . . before." Kagome glances away, knowing she's well past the age even in her own time to still not have any real intimate experience under her belt, which in her case was exactly zero. "What you and me have, umm, done," the memory of Kouga's hands on her body flares in her mind, sending a flurry of belly twisting sensations oozing warmth inside her. "I've only ever done with you," she can barely hold Kouga's gaze as heat burns her entire body, turning Kagome into a living pillar of fire. If she's lucky enough, the earth will open up and swallow her whole.
A rush of light, heat, and utter bliss surges through Kouga's whole being as understanding of what is holding his woman back finally begins to register in the Alpha's mind. His youkai howls with a deep primal joy of satisfaction at the confession. Kouga had known Kagome was unmated, but he hadn't realized that she was so utterly innocent, and in a moment, all of her apprehension starts to make sense. As pleased as he is to know that it's only ever been him to make Kagome moan like that, to touch her that way, it leaves him feeling dumbfounded that the hanyou had let her dangle for so long without ever reeling the fish in, if even just to take a nibble. It makes Kouga wonder, dogs, like wolves, mated for life – for the most part. Although it was more common to break a mated bond among dogs than among wolves, and even then it was the female alone that held the power to do so.
Understanding flares in Kouga's mind as he realizes what the sly worthless dog had done. You dirty bastard InuYasha. I always knew you were a no good mutt. The half-breed had been mated to the undead priestess before she died. Of this Kouga is positive given Kagome's information of what she knew on the matter. And when the soul of the priestess had been returned to the living, InuYasha's youkai had not allowed him to break that bond. Only the undead miko could release the hanyou from his vows, something the priestess Kikyo seemed most unwilling to do.
Instead, she had kept InuYasha on a short leash, leaving the mutt unable to pursue Kagome. Yet still the dog had dangled the hope of something more to her, effectively securing the young miko's presence at his side. It's despicable to Kouga to see how well the dirty dog had crafted his web, never allowing Kagome out of his sight, or to pursue more realistic choices – mainly him, but time it seems, has finally caught up with the two-timing dog. That Kagome had never put two and two together is surprising to him, given all that she had come to learn about demons and their customs. Something his mother had often said to him as a pup stirs at the back of his mind.
"'The heart and mind can be blinded by love, Kouga, that's why you must always remember to feel even more than you see.'" At the unexpected memory of his mother, his heart clenches tightly in remembered pain. It also stirs Kouga from his musings as he quickly shuts away the very old memory. As he does, he realizes that Kagome is still talking, and he's missed most of what she's said to him. Kouga quickly tunes back in before she can figure him out.
"So, you see what I'm saying," Kagome implores him with her eyes.
Shit! He has no idea what the hell she's talking about. "Of course," Kouga improvises.
Kagome sighs in relief. "Good. I'm so glad you understand how much I need this closure."
"Closure?" Kouga puzzles over the odd expression.
"You know, with InuYasha," she blinks wide expectant eyes at him.
Fucking hell! Are we still talking about dog shit?
"I need him to understand why I'm choosing this, and why this . . ." Kagome swings their clasped hands between them, a soft stain of red coloring her cheeks, "means so much to me."
Okay, Kouga has to admit, he likes the way this is finally starting to sound. When Kagome starts swinging their clasped hands, the feel of her joy seems to travel down her arm, pass through her hand, and into his, sending sparks of pleasure humming under his skin. Kouga squeezes her fingers, the corners of his mouth slowly turning up.
"I need to close the door on that chapter of my life first," Kagome's eyes glow with every feeling she can't put to voice. "Before I can move forward with you," hoping now he'll understand.
So his delicate little flower is asking him for more time so she can finally break it off with the no good hanyou once and for all. Why the hell didn't she just say that? Heck, if that's what Kagome feels she needs to do before she can move on and accept his mark, then Kouga is only too happy to oblige. He's almost eager to get them out of this frozen wasteland and back to that village of hers as soon as possible. The sooner his woman has it out with the worthless mutt, the better. Kouga's eyes soften as he gazes at her – his woman. Kagome is choosing him, not the mutt, and that means he can be as patient as she needs him to be.
"I hear you, Kagome." Kouga releases her fingers so he can cup her cheek. It's been too long since he's touched her there, too long since this agitated energy has flared between them, keeping them apart. His thumb strokes softly against her soft skin, "And I understand, love. Forgive me. I shouldn't have pushed," Kouga hangs his head shamefully. What she's asking for is more than reasonable. "I guess I am just a dirty wolf after all," he sighs dejectedly.
Kagome's eyes brighten at Kouga's declaration. The worry, stress, and ache she's been feeling, finally begins to lift from her chest, uncoiling the knots in her stomach.
"But you're my dirty wolf," Kagome coos, reaching out to touch his face, drawing his gaze back to hers.
The corners of Kouga's mouth lift as his arms reach around Kagome's waist, pulling her flush against him. "That I am," he rumbles, love and joy pour like sunlight from the wolf's sky blue eyes. His plans will just have to wait, but he can do that. Wolves can be very patient when they need to be. Kouga tucks that elusive stray strand of hair behind Kagome's ear, making her smile as he does. It instantly sparks a grin on his face as well, both their bodies finally relaxing from all the built up tension.
"You know, there is one other thing that's bothering me," Kouga grins playfully at her.
Kagome's forehead wrinkles, she's almost afraid to ask, "W-what?" Isn't this the part where he's supposed to kiss her so they can finally put this whole stupid argument behind them?
Kouga only smirks wider at the expression on Kagome's face. Damn, she's cute.
"You," he mock growls at her, "not knowing how to properly clasp up your furs." Kagome blushes when she realizes what Kouga's talking about. His hands reach out, moving deftly down the front of Kagome's vest. One by one he sets to work, tugging on the toggles that have gone askew as he re-clasps them back into their correct positions. He doesn't do it in a seductive manner, rather in a no nonsense way actually, and yet it makes Kagome's heart rate hitch, skyrocketing her anticipation to feel Kouga's lips on hers, and it's starting to make her feel a little edgy.
He's not exactly sure what it is, but as Kagome stands before him, silent and blushing – she can barely hold his gaze while his hands skim across the front of her furs, readjusting her clasps. Kouga finds himself both incredibly turned on and overwhelmingly tempted to unbutton them instead.
"Hey," Kouga rumbles softly, waiting for Kagome to turn her gaze back to him. He clasps his hand under her chin, pulling her mouth towards him a little roughly. When their lips connect, the kiss is earnest, demanding, yet gentle. Each reassuring the other in the only way they know how that can never be misunderstood. The feel of Kagome's mouth, her tongue sliding and twisting in rhythm with his, finally settles the deep unease that has been stirring in his youkai. Reluctantly, Kouga pulls away from his woman's soft lips, kissing her once more before grinning down at her.
"So, you wanna tell me what the future is like?" When Kagome's smile brightens on him, her eyes widening in her excitement, Kouga knows he'll wait as long as he has too.
Resettling themselves on his cloak, Kouga pulls Kagome into his lap while resting his back against the tree, her snowy white cloak wrapped around them. Late into the night they talk as Kagome tells him all about the strange customs and advances of her world. The more she speaks, the stranger her words become, things like, 'cell phone, Karaoke,' and 'NetFlix,' often finding its way into the flow of conversation. He may not understand it all, but Kouga is more than content to just listen to the sound of Kagome's voice as she nuzzles against his chest. He listens to her talk until she tires herself out, her eyes slowly closing. Kagome's soft, deep breaths a soothing balm to his restless spirit.
The Alpha's vigil is constant throughout the night as he holds tightly to the light that has somehow illuminated his life. His mind awash with thoughts of their love making, Kouga silently vows that when the moment finally come's, he's going to take Kagome until her knees buckle and she howls out his name.