A/N and answers to reviews will be at the end of the last chapter I've posted this time!
Enjoy!
Sylvannastar
The Jealous Fox
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"Kurama!" Kagome's sweet voice brought him to abrupt attention. "I'm glad you're here." The sincerity in her words pleased him.
"Kagome," he greeted her. They smiled at each other in pleasure at each others company.
"You don't mind helping me, do you? I mean, I'm sure you have so many more important things to do. I feel kinda like I'm taking advantage."
"I'm right where I like to be. I wouldn't have offered to help you had I not wished to do it," he assured her.
"Oh, thank you! I really need the help. I'm so far behind in math I'll never pass the exam this way." Her gratitude glowed from her silvery blue eyes, suddenly gone soft.
He wanted to see something else there as well. What would it take to make her look at me the way she used to look at the Hanyou? Could she ever feel as close to me as she did to him? He thought he caught a hint of affection behind the gratitude and felt his heart swell.
You really can't fight it, can you? Shuuichi asked.
Why bother? We've all fallen for her, Youko sighed.
Fallen?! Youko, can you really want more then sex?!
Human, I warn you...
"Kurama, are you okay?" Kagome passed her hand in front of his eyes twice before he reached up and caught it in his.
We're great. We're just in lo-
"I'm fine. Just distracted."
"Hn."
He laughed suddenly. "You sound like Hiei."
"Yeah. He rubs off on me, I guess. I mean with him being here every night, I guess it's just normal to assimilate things into my own habits."
Every night? Hiei was-The stab of jealousy was expected this time but no less potent in its ability to impart pain and aggravation. Damn it, she's mine! I won't share her! That was stupid. He was sharing her with himself as it was. And he knew that he had no right to try to claim her. He didn't even know how she felt.
He felt her tug her hand from his grasp and immediately missed her warmth.
We got it bad...
He wasn't sure which one said it. It didn't really matter in the end.
"Kagome, I-"
"Kagome!" a new voice interrupted.
She looked over her shoulder and suppressed a grimace. "Uh oh." she whispered, and pasted an overly bright smile on her face. "Hojo-kun! How are you?"
"I am well." the new boy grabbed her hands. "I heard about your illness and brought you these." He trust a package at her.
Kurama studied the boy intently. He was good looking in a very childish way. Not youko's type, nor Kagome's, he hoped. He noticed the boy still held her hands. He clenched his own hands into fists to keep from wringing the human's neck.
What was it about this girl that had him tied up in such knots? He eyed the boy in distaste. He'd been giving Youko more room to run then usual and now the fox was practically howling in rage. He wanted out. He wanted to maim, kill, destroy. He wanted to claim and conquer. And Kurama was tempted to let him.
"I heard you were transferred," the boy said. "I hope they are more understanding of your delicate nature."
"Ahh..."
"Well, if you need me to help you keep up on anything, let me know. I'll be here for you." the boy said brightly.
Kurama choked back a snarl when the boy patted her arm. His rage was excessive, and he knew it. Rage that she would let this unworthy creature touch her. Rage that she didn't recognize him as being the one to have that right.
Kagome was looking at him oddly. Suddenly he turned slightly panicked eyes at her and dug his sharper then normal nails into the palms of his hands. He was changing! Right in front of her, to his own horror, he was having trouble fighting the transformation.
She saw the golden eyes in Shuuichi's face glow briefly as they rested on her. He seemed taller, larger. She saw his stricken expression and motioned with a hand for him to take refuge in the well shed. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she obviously needed to get rid of Hojo quick.
The well house door slid shut with an urgent click and she turned back to the human boy in front of her. "Hojo, thank you, for the gifts, I mean. And for worrying about me. But I really-"
"It's okay! I wanted to give you those. You must still be tired, and since you have another visitor, I must be going. Bye Higurashi-san!" He whistled brightly and retreated down the steps.
Kagome was left holding the package in numb hands trying to figure out how that had happened. "Oh!" She ran to the well house door and opened it enough to squeeze in. She let it slide shut again and faced the tense figure sitting on the well rim. The package dropped from her fingers as she ran down the short steps to stand in front of him.
"Kurama?" she hesitated a few feet away from him. She jumped when he lifted his head up to her slowly. His expression seemed torn between horror, pain and regret. She didn't hesitate to move closer and offer him what comfort she could, though his eyes remained that strange gold.
"Kurama?" she whispered.
"Yes," he looked away.
She placed one hand on either side of his face and gently applied enough pressure to make him look at her. Golden eyes met blue and held. She cupped his face in her delicate hands and searched his strange eyes for something. She smoothed her thumbs gently across his cheekbones and made him hold her stare.
"Kurama...are you okay? Can I help?" she whispered.
He didn't know what to say. The concern and worry in her voice halted his change, but did not reverse it. He was left with Shuuichi's hair and body and Youko's piercing eyes. Her warm hands against his skin was wrecking havoc with his heart beat. He trembled when he felt her innocent caress.
"Tell me how to help you," she pleaded.
He fought with himself. "Don't..." Don't stop! he wanted to say as he felt her soft fingers smooth over his face. "You shouldn't touch me!" he heard himself growl instead.
She made a move as if to pull back and his hands flew up to press against hers. He held her there even as he warned her away. His golden eyes blazed and flickered in the gloomy building, but it did not scare her.
"Why?"
He swallowed and closed his eyes again. "Because it..." he opened his eyes and was caught again by her silvery blue stare. "It makes me want....I ...."
He seemed to be having trouble speaking so she leaned closer to his whisper soft words to hear better.
His breath caught in his throat. "I do things that I normally would not do..." he confessed, and loosened his grip on her gentle fingers. Before she could pull away, he turned his face and nuzzled the palm of her hand. He felt his body shiver again. He gave her a soft delicate lick to taste her skin.
His eyes glowed brilliantly in the gloom. Her startled gasp both pleased and chastised him for the spontaneous action. He seemed to come back to his senses. Oh, God! What did I- His horror filled eyes dilated.
"Kurama?" she whispered again. Instead of releasing her hold over him, as he expected her to do, she slid her palms up to frame his face. "Please, just tell me that you are okay," she pleaded.
She frowned at him. Here it comes...He waited for her to yell, scream, leave, hate him, anything. He was prepared for everything, except for what she did next.
A single tear trailed down one pale cheek. In that moment, he hated himself, and Youko fully retreated. The fox seemed in pain from her reaction. He took a shuddering breath and wished he could find something to say that would save him, save them, but most of all, save her from him. He knew that he could never let her go.
She leaned in and wrapped her arms around his shoulders tightly. "You're shaking!" her voice was still soft, but sounded scared now. "Tell me how to help you?" she demand. He felt another tear splash on his shoulder. She was crying for him, out of worry and concern, not fear or anger at him. He felt a tingle of hope run up his spine.
She doesn't hate me? Youko whispered. When I saw her cry...
She will if you don't tell her that you are okay! Shuuichi urged. Don't lose her Kurama. Not now.
"Kagome, I'm okay. But I need to tell you something."
She loosened her hold on him and leaned back to study his face. His green eyes were normal. He felt his sorrow deepen at the intensity of her regard, but was gratified when she bestowed a happy if watery smile on him.
"You are okay," she repeated and wiped at the tears on her cheeks. He was surprised because that was all that seemed to matter to her. "Don't scare me like that! I thought something horrible was happening to you."
"No, not to me. But something may have happened to you," he confessed almost brokenly.
She turned puzzled eyes at him. "You would never hurt me," she answered with complete confidence. Her faith in him was humbling.
He opened his mouth to protest her quick judgement. "You don't know anything about me. There are things that I need to tell you. Things that you may not understand, or ever forgive me for. Kagome-"
Her fingers over his lips stopped him. Now she looked annoyed and angry. He felt his heart sink.
"Stop that. Right now, Kurama. I won't hear it. What ever horrible secret you think you harbor can not change who you are. You would never hurt me. I believe that...and you just proved it." She pulled her hand away and stood up. "It is my choice to believe in you," she continued. "I feel no evil in your soul. And everyone has shameful secrets, Kurama. Don't tell me yours unless you are ready to lay them aside as a part of you and not the whole. There is much more to people then the horrible things they like to believe define them. I won't hear it."
He gaped at her, looking every bit the fool. Before he could think to reply, a blue flash of light swelled from the well announcing Inuyasha's timely arrival.
The red and white blur jumped up beside them so quickly, and with such force, Kagome forgot her tear stained face and how Inuyasha would over-react.
"You Bastard!" Inuyasha took one look at Kagome and reared back.