Disclaimer - I don't own InuYasha. If I did, I wouldn't be sitting here at the computer dreaming, I would be back in the bedroom . . . ahem, never mind that last thought. I don't own InuYasha, okay?
Author's Notes - Yowza, long chapter this time. But boy was it a lot of fun to write. I couldn't resist the nickname comment . . . I just hear that name, and imagine what Sess reaction to it would be . . . and burst into a huge giggle fit. Aw, come on . . .you're telling me you can't imagine him going absolutely berserk over being called "Fluffy"? I certainly can : ) Anyway, enjoy the chapter : ) And don't forget to review : )
Chapter 10 - Dreams Become Reality (Part 1)
Night blanketed the village in comforting shadows, blurring the harsh edges of reality in shades of black and grey. Inside Kaede's hut, the companions sat or sprawled around the fire pit, discussing the past couple of days. Miroku leaned against the back wall, his arm with his cursed hand wrapped lightly around Sango's waist. Sango sat with her head resting on his shoulder, her hands wrapped around his unoccupied one in her lap. Kaede had long since retired for the night, leaving her usual spot to Kagome, who lay on her stomach watching the fire as they talked. InuYasha remained in his corner to the left of the door, one knee drawn up to his chest upon which his arms rested, his other leg thrown out in front of him. Tetsusiaga rested by his side, propped up against the same wall his head rested against. Shippo lay curled up into a ball in the hollow of Kagome's back, sleeping peacefully for the first time in over a month.
"You mean he's actually protecting a human child?" Sango asked quietly. She'd heard about and seen enough of InuYasha's older, more volatile brother to know that this was completely out of character for the arrogant youkai. Kagome nodded slightly from her spot.
"Yep. Apparently, after that fight with InuYasha that he barely escaped from, she tried to nurse him back to health. Kouga's wolves killed her not long afterwards, and he somehow brought her back to life. He's been her 'protector' ever since."
"And now because of her, he wants to help us kill Naraku . . ." Miroku murmured thoughtfully. "Amazing."
"Amazing isn't exactly the word I would use to describe it," InuYasha spoke up. "More like insane and completely unexpected." He shook his head, amber eyes glowing in the firelight. "And he actually smiled too. That nearly scared me."
"No kidding," Kagome said. "That was just creepy." She smiled sleepily. "But Rin mentioned something while I was talking to her that I just have to let you guys know . . . she has a nickname for him. She calls him Fluffy."
Three sets of eyes widened immeasurably at this little tidbit of information. InuYasha was the first to break the stunned silence.
"FLUFFY!" he exclaimed, and promptly burst into laughter. The others joined him. Kagome smiled as she listened to them. It was music to her to hear InuYasha laugh. He didn't do it nearly often enough. She frowned at that. 'Why is it that no one can ever see beyond the surface of a person to see the heart underneath? Is it humanities curse to be quick to judge and slow to change? It makes us no better then the things we despise. He's been put through so much . . . all because people can't look beyond the fact that he is half-demon . . .' She sighed quietly, and tried to settle down to sleep.
InuYasha sat chuckling quietly in his corner long after the others had settled for the night. "Fluffy!" he murmured, and snorted. He glanced over the sleeping forms of his friends, coming to rest on the sleeping form of Kagome, and sighed. Rising carefully to his feet, he walked silently over to where she lay, and draped her blanket gently over her still form. Tucking a stray piece of hair gently behind her ear, he stared down at her peaceful face, his eyes glowing in the dim light of the banked fire.
"I wish I had the courage to tell you again, Kagome," he whispered softly. "But if it was just a dream to you . . . perhaps you didn't really mean any of it . . . and that scare me more than any youkai. I'm such a coward when it comes to you." He shook his head abruptly and stood again. "I love you Kagome. Always and Forever." He headed outside for some air, his heart aching painfully in his chest.
Kagome opened her eyes slowly, tears glimmering unshed as she stared into the embers of the dying fire. 'It wasn't just a dream . . .' she thought wonderingly. 'It couldn't have been . . . not for him to talk of what happened there and repeat those same words! He loves me . . . not Kikyo, but me . . .' She blushed, remembering vividly everything that had happened in that dream in a whole new light. Rising carefully so as not to wake Shippo, she tip toed over to the door, and slipped out into the night.
She spied InuYasha right away, sitting on a tree stump not too far away, his back to her. He seemed lost in thought, so much so that his ears didn't even twitch as she walked to him. 'How do I start this?' she wondered, studying him silently. Her eyes fell on the rosary, and she winced. 'I think that would be a good start.'
"InuYasha . . ." she called softly. His ears twitched towards her.
"What are you doing up?" he asked gruffly, not turning around.
"Probably the same thing you are . . . thinking." She stood behind him now, studying him closely. He seemed . . . worn, somehow . . . like a great weight rested on his shoulders. She sighed. "InuYasha . . . you trust me, right?" He nodded slightly. "Close your eyes . . . please."
Wondering what she was up to, he did as she requested, ears twitching as he heard her come to stand in front of him. What was she up to?
Stretching her hands out, her palms facing him, she summoned her powers. Her hands began to glow softly, an iridescent shimmer more sensed then seen. Carefully, she focused on the rosary, questing out with her power towards the spell, learning it through it's feel in her mind. This was something she had specifically asked the dream Kikyo about, and now she was glad she had. She wanted to show him how much she trusted him . . . how much she loved him. Silently, she summoned the rosary, releasing the spell on his soul. She was relieved when the rosary flashed, disappearing from his neck to materialize whole in her hands.
InuYasha felt the difference immediately, and opened his eyes to see Kagome standing before him, the rosary dangling loosely from her hands. "Kagome . . ." he whispered, raising a questioning hand to his neck and finding the familiar wooden beads gone. "Nani?" She stood there silently for a moment, running the beads softly through her fingers, before she spoke.
"I couldn't think of any other way to show you . . . how much I trust you," she whispered. "You've protected me all this time . . . but I was afraid to take this off you. I was never sure . . . but now I am. It's not right . . . to leash the one you love."
InuYasha's eyes widened. 'Did she just say . . . what I think she said?' He stared at her, his breath frozen in his chest and his heart beating painfully. She looked up at him, her blue eyes uncertain. "I meant . . . everything I said in the dream, InuYasha. Please . . . please tell me you did as well." Before she could blink, she found herself caught in his arms, pressed to his body possessively.
"Gods, Kagome . . . I meant every damn word," he growled, his hands tightening at her waist. "I love you so much . . . gods, it hurt to think you didn't remember."
"I didn't . . . not at first. But . . . I was awake before you left the hut. I thought it was just an impossible dream . . ." She shook her head slightly, her arms wrapping around him gently. "What you said . . . so exactly echoed what had happened . . . I knew then that it must have been you there with me . . . that it wasn't just a dream, but something so much more . . ." She sighed, snuggling closer to his warmth.
He breathed in her soft fragrance, holding her lightly against him. 'Finally . . . finally . . .' his mind chanted over and over again. Stirring in his body made him pull away slowly, regretfully.
"Kagome . . ." he whispered uncertainly. "I have to head into the forest for a while. I'll be back in a bit . . . you should go get some more rest."
"InuYasha . . . what's wrong?" she asked, concerned. She could feel him tensing, his muscles tightening suddenly.
"I . . ." He swallowed, fighting the instincts that were telling him to claim her, to claim his mate now, as was his right. He snarled internally, fighting them off with sheer force of will. Doing THAT in a dream was once thing . . . but in reality, it would bind them together for life, and he wasn't sure if she was ready to take that step . . . and he wasn't going to force her just because his youkai blood was screaming at him to do so.
"InuYasha . . . please, tell me what's wrong. Trust me," she pleaded, staring up at him. He leaned forward unconsciously, brushing his lips against hers hesitantly.
"My . . . my youkai blood is fighting to claim you . . . as it did in the dream," he breathed. "I . . . I don't want to hurt you . . . if we did . . . that . . . we'd be bound as life-mates . . . forever . . . I don't want to force you into that yet . . ." He growled as another urge surged to the surface and he wrestled it back. Kagome sighed and pulled his head to hers, catching him off-guard as she claimed his lips in a gentle kiss.
"I am already your mate in our minds . . ." she whispered against his lips. "Why can we not be bound together in reality too?" She tightened her grip on his yukata as he moved. "Take me somewhere we can be alone . . . my mate."
"Kagome . . . I . . . once it's done, it can't be undone . . ." he murmured hoarsely, his body screaming at him to take her as his own. "And pups . . ." A finger to his lips silenced him.
"I've been on birth control for over a year now, love. There will be no pups until we want them. I WANT to be your mate . . . I love you with all my heart and soul, InuYasha. I don't ever want to be separated from you," she said gently, cradling his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her, to see the truth in her eyes.
"But . . . Kagome . . . we don't know what will happen when Naraku is destroyed and the jewel is whole again . . ." he murmured desperately. "What if . . ."
"Hush . . ." she whispered. "We will deal with that when the time comes, InuYasha. I want . . . whatever I can have with you . . . that's all I've ever wanted."
"Kagome . . ." he groaned, "Gods . . . you already have all of me . . . my heart and my soul are completely yours . . ."
"As mine are yours," she whispered back. "Make me your mate, InuYasha. Let me show you that you will never be alone again."
He groaned, pulling her close as he buried his face in her hair. No matter what happened . . . how the fight with Naraku ended . . . or afterwards . . . she still wanted to be his. He marveled at it, even as he continued to fight a losing battle with his instincts. What had he done to deserve her compassion . . . her friendship and her love?
His control snapped as he felt her tongue glide gently over the pulse at his neck. Scooping her up to cradle her against his chest, he took off towards an abandoned hut he had run across weeks ago that was miles away from any villages, stopping only to grab some blankets off a windowsill they passed by. It was time to finally claim what was his . . . forever.
To Be Continued
AN - Yep, that's right . . . I'm not done yet : ) For a few hours, I contemplated ending the story here . . . but my mind said no way : ) That, and a few dozen fans who would have been howling for my blood, I'm sure *grins wryly* Well, after writing this chapter, it took me two days to come to a decision on the next part . . . and I finally decided I was not gonna add another lemon. Not right now, at any rate. Maybe sometime later on down the road if I get in the mood to do so . . . but not now. Sorry all you loving hentai's, I just couldnt' do it at the moment. It didn't feel "right" if you know what I mean. So, no lemon this time friends.
Now, I'm posting 2 today . . . but the next chapter will be replies to my reviewers, who I feel I can't just say, wow, a review, thank you . . . I just have to reply. After all, you've all been so nice as to read and write good things about my story . . .