Just sitting up was a chore. Every muscle seemed to ache, only barely managing to climb to her feet and make her way to the corner of the room where her kosode was tossed. It took much longer than it typically did, needing to grab a hold of the wall to bend over and grab it from the floor.
"I told you, you wouldn't be able to walk today," the rugged tenor of her husband's voice broke through the otherwise silent hut, causing Kagome to peer over her shoulder with a glare. Though, it didn't seem to deter the Hanyou, lips pulled into a very smug smirk as he remained laying on his stomach, head resting on his forearms he had crossed in front of him. The glare didn't recede until she started to let it wander, attention running over the span of his back and how his long, silver locks seemed to shine in the sunlight. Each muscle was defined and easy to see, even in the resting position he held - proof of a life filled with the need to survive and fight for the right to exist. Even farther down the line of his back, she saw the dip before the sculpture of his ass, not covered by the blanket that they shared; well, she typically stole all of. Not that it seemed to matter, Kagome swore Inuyasha was basically a walking radiator.
She stopped her gaze there for a moment before finally letting herself examine his legs, lean and unassuming. It would be hard to guess that they were able to have him bound up to however many feet he could get up in the air. The glare had disappeared by the time she found his feet, only to be distracted and pulled from the slight trance she'd put herself in.
"You gunna stare all day or come back to bed? Or, I guess I should say 'try' to come back to bed," he teased, offering a soft scoff which set Kagome back into a slight state of annoyance.
"I can walk just fine, thank you very much!" Feigned confidence filled her tone, taking one step and tensing at the soreness that radiated throughout her core and thighs. Her hand remained on the wall, her face following her body's lead by tensing and showing a sense of discomfort. With a small whimper, she took another step, looking slightly ridiculous and highly uncomfortable as she did so. Even still, her stubbornness continued, attempting to put on that façade of confidence and did so mostly, if not for the higher pitch to her voice, as well as the light quiver of attempting to hide he discomfort she felt, "I'm going to go make breakfast."
Still, each step was taken at a painfully slow rate, wobbling and trembling whenever her foot made contact with the floor. Holding her hand against the wall, she kept her balance that way, knowing she could possibly collapse otherwise.
"Keh, and she calls me stubborn," he mumbled lowly, narrowing his gaze towards his wife as she continued to make her way to the fire pit. Rolling his eyes, he climbed to his feet, sliding on his hakama before spotting a darkened blotch on the fabric of the futon.
I thought I'd smelled blood.
Brows furrowed in thought of how they would get that stain out, but pushed it to the back of his mind as he easily caught up to Kagome, "I'll start the fire - at this rate you won't get it done by evening."
"I don't know what you're talking about, this is my normal pace," it was obvious now that her stubbornness and resolve had diminished completely, voice wavering with teeth clenched as she kept trying to move her feet - one in front of the other.
What did he do to me?! This can't be normal!
"What time did you say you needed to be at Kaede's?" The question had her eyes widen and her body stiffen even more - there was no way she could go into the village like this. The teasing from Miroku alone would be ruthless enough, and it wasn't as if it wasn't obvious as to what it was from.
"Oh no..." she groaned, finally allowing herself to stop and slide down the wall to a seated position. That in and of itself had her whimpering, her muscles tense and stiff, even as she sat, "How am I supposed to go into the village like this?" A glare was shot towards the Hanyou once again, mahogany holding less warmth in them than normal, as she watched him start to build the fire, "This is your fault!"
"What're you blamin' me for?! I told you, didn't I? I gave you fair warning!" he snapped back, offering his own glare before turning his head to the fire. Even still, he eyed her from the side, lowering his volume but still plenty loud enough for her to hear, "Besides, I didn't hear you complain yesterday. In fact," he turned his head towards her with that same self-satisfied smirk, "As I recall it was you who wanted to keep going, so you brought this on yourself."
A very deep red flush came over her cheeks, shrinking away from her own embarrassment. She hated how right he was - maybe she was too greedy yesterday and was paying the price now.
"Here, let me help you," he grunted, climbing to his feet and making his way over to her, intending to pick her up and bring her to the fire.
As he reached down, she protested, "I don't need your help!"
"Shut up, would ya?" Ignoring her, he lifted her up by holding one arm beneath the back of her knees and the other cradling her torso against him. Kagome was in too much discomfort to push away or protest, instead simply sinking into his hold as her stubbornness wavered. He was so warm - he always was - it must have been the demon in him that had his temperature to run so high. She could remember the very rare times that she would end up sleeping in his arms while fighting Naraku, she never felt warmer or safer. She would have taken sleeping in his arms than her sleeping bag any day.
But that didn't matter now. No more sleeping bags, just him - she got what she wanted, in the end.
Feeling herself being moved, she winced some, her muscles being maneuvered by her husband as he sat down and set her in his lap, her back against his. With a pot of rice hanging over the fire, she sunk into him completely, "You didn't answer my question - what time do you need to be at Kaede's?"
Pondering for a brief moment, she sighed with a sense of defeat, "There's no way I can go today, I'd just be too distracted," she mused, feeling Inuyasha's arms circle her, pulling her flush against him. The weight of his chin on her shoulder had her leaning her own cheek against his temple, "I guess I have to come up with some excuse as to why I missed yesterday and today," another small pause followed that statement before something came to mind, "Hey, I'm surprised no one's come looking for us. You'd think Sango, Miroku or Shippou would have be nosy enough to see what's going on."
A warm puff of air hit against her collar bone as her Hanyou gave off a scoff of disapproval, "They're lucky they didn't come skulking by. I'd have been pretty pissed off if we got interrupted."
"Hmm..." the miko pondered, lifting one of her arms, framing Inuyasha's face as she managed to grab an ear. With gentle movement, she rubbed against the soft fur of it. The weight of her husband's head on her shoulder got heavier, telling her that he was sinking into the touch, "Yeah, I wouldn't have been too pleased either; but, maybe I wouldn't be so sore today." Though she couldn't see, a pair of molten amber eyes rolled out of slight irritation.
"Maybe I could tell them that I'm just sore from all of that herb picking I did with Jinenji," she mused, continuing her absent minded touch against his ear, "Like I pulled my back, or something."
"That could be believable, if you didn't walk so bow-legged," he chided, causing her to grip his ear a little bit tighter than was comfortable, shocking the Hanyou in the process, "Hey! Ow! Careful on the ears!"
"Let me hear your grand idea!" she replied, turning her head back towards him with that familiar glare she'd shot him more often than normal this morning.
"Look, why don't I just go into the village today and tell them you're not feeling well, okay?"
"They'll know something's up, or at the very least Kaede will want to come - "
"Inuyasha?! Kagome?! Are you home?"
The familiar sound of the monk had both Inuyasha and Kagome bristle up like a startled cat, eyes wide with surprise and a sudden sense of extreme anxiousness. The sounds that left them at the realization mimicked their body language with Inuyasha quickly lifting both of them up and off the floor before taking themselve into the bedroom.
"Are you alright in there?! Kaede's worried!" The monk wasn't a fool, he had some sort of idea as to why the two of them hadn't made an appearance the day before - he even managed to stave off a search party. Yet, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to see the look on their faces, if it did so arise. The sound of Inyasha's frantic voice seemed to seal his suspicions as true.
"Give me a second, bozu!" Swiftly, he pulled on his kosode, tucking it into his hakama before tossing on his haori and tying up his obi. He could see Kagome struggling to do the same, wincing as she tried to lift her leg to put it into her own clothing. Growling under his breath, he told Kagome to stay put before finally making his way to the front door, "Stupid monk..." the words were just under his breath before he pulled back the mat with a scowl.
Miroku, upon seeing his friend's rather unimpressed face, had a look of amusement and suggestion on his own, "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" There was a very stand-offish aura coming from his friend, his arm folded across his chest and his legs stood hip-width apart, as if he was trying to cover the door way and keep him from coming inside.
"What business is it to you?" a quick response that had Miroku grinning out of entertainment.
That was all the answer I needed.
"Kaede was worried that neither of you were around yesterday, and Sango wanted me to invite you two for breakfast - I'm assuming neither of you have eaten yet?" The question had Inuyasha's stomach give away any semblance of denial, grumbling slightly before peering over his shoulder to see Kagome finally on her feet and dressed. A beat later, he turned his attention back to his friend, though right now all he wanted to do was scream at him to leave.
"I was just about to start making it, but I suppose I can ask Kagome, if she wants to go-"
"Want to go where?" Kagome asked as she managed to make it down a step with only a slight wince, though that didn't mean she still struggled to continue her normal steps to the door.
"Oh, Kagome - are you alright? You look sore," the tone of the monk's voice did hold genuine concern, though it was obvious that he was feigning such innocence. That deep flush returned to Kagome's face, Inuyasha's mirroring hers as they looked at one another to avert their gaze from Miroku.
"I-uh, pulled something while I was gardening with Jinenji yesterday," she murmured, knowing it was the only excuse that they'd have come up with.
It was then that the monk let up, having enough entertainment for the morning and he was sure that he would poke more fun at Inuyasha later, "Ah, I see. Well, our door is open and breakfast will be ready soon, if you care to join." The monk turned then, loosely waving his hand as he continued down the path towards the village.
Inuyasha peered down at the miko with a knowing look, the other of them sharing it as they both knew that Miroku wasn't an idiot, "Hopefully he keeps it to himself..." the Hanyou muttered, Kagome nodding in agreement, "So, do you wanna go to Sango's?"
With a heavy sigh, Kagome dropped her shoulders some, "May as well, he'll at least tell Sango, if anyone, so we better just go face the music. Maybe I can ask Sango to teach me some sewing today, or something with low impact."
"Better put on your shoes while I put out the fire, it'll probably take you that long to do so," he teased, only to see his wife stick her tongue out at him in response, "Oi, careful with that. Got you into trouble yesterday."
"You're as bad as Miroku," she stated, though only half joking as the two of them got ready to head into the village.