____________Chapter 9____________
The waking world.
Mrs. Higurashi had dosed Kagome to the hilt. Gradually, her daughter's fever reduced, her panting ceasing. It was a definite relief for the woman. Inu Yasha had crawled into bed, curling around Kagome and helping Mrs. Higurashi when he could. At the hanyou's gentle urgings, she left two hours later; the reason for her delay was to make sure Kagome would not relapse once her mother went out the door. Before she left, however, Mrs. Higurashi told her father of what had happened, insuring that the elder would check on the two teens every few hours. With a sharp reassurance from her father, Mrs. Higurashi left, vowing to be home as fast as possible.
When Mrs. Higurashi finally left the house, Inu Yasha sought the mark he had left on Kagome's neck earlier. He reopened the wound, sucking on it to encourage blood flow. This time her blood lacked the spice of her desire and was tainted with the medication her mother had given her. The hanyou frowned unhappily but continued to lap at Kagome's neck. He rose long enough to pull off the ridiculous shirt and pants they had given him, spooning his nearly naked form against the sick girl, and then resuming his task. He gave the bite a last lick, sealing it with his saliva to help it heal, and lay down while pressing Kagome fully against him.
Thanks to her drugged sleep, she may have been dead to the world for all the reactions she gave him. Inu Yasha settled his head atop hers and closed his eyes, content to just lie there in her arms. She sat up suddenly, startling Inu Yasha. He looked at the girl he loved and could only stare as Kagome became a bright shinning thing made of light. Her power flared, a warm wind dancing over his skin, shooting out toward a target Inu Yasha could not see. As suddenly as she had moved, the light that surrounded Kagome faded and she fell back onto the bed exhausted.
The hanyou could only stare down at her. On impulse he licked the blood from the bite at the juncture of her neck and shoulder- the wound had reopened when she moved. He sealed it again, savoring the liquid on his tongue before swallowing. He opened half lidded eyes, feeling a bit drunk on the power that he tasted. From the trickle that had escaped the cut, Inu Yasha knew what Kagome needed. Her power had burned away whatever had been making her sick, the medication in her system would just clean up any side infections that remained. On her own, Kagome would be fine in a day or two but would still be weak for several weeks after. She would need an outside source of strength to speed up her recovery. Inu Yasha planned to be that source. It would mean that he himself would be vulnerable for a day or two but after that he'd be back to normal; the weakness didn't matter- nothing mattered to the hanyou if Kagome would be well.
He slid a sharp claw lightly over her wrist, watching as blood beaded on the pale skin. He used his fangs to slash his own wrist, the one opposite hers. He took her hand, intertwining their fingers, and pressed the cuts together until he felt them seal. To be on the safe side, he tore a strip from his discarded pajamas and bound their hand together. He resumed his position, watching the girl as she slept on. Kagome stirred and his heart fluttered. Pale blue grey eyes looked into his, showing distress for some reason. Her mouth worked but no sound came out. He eyes closed again and she went back to sleep, tears pooling in her eyes before the lids met.
Inu Yasha kissed his lips softly, wiping the moisture away. "Sleep well, love. I'll protect you while you rest." His eyes felt heavy and he glanced at their bound wrists; this required more effort than he thought. He surveyed the bed, rearranged Kagome on her back and clumsily pulled the covers up around them. He laid his head on her upper chest, listening to her heart beat, the sound eventually lulling him to sleep.
Unbeknownst to the sleeping duo, three familiar people walked out of the well house. Kagome's grandfather stopped sweeping the steps and watched them all walk out. "Hello again!" the elderly man called. "Back again I see."
The trio smiled and greeted him again. They had an anxious edge to them; in the end, Shippo the kitsune cub simply blurted out, "Are Kagome and Inu Yasha ok?"
The grandfather blinked then stroked his small beard. "They're both in Kagome's room. I'm supposed to check on them soon but I want to get the stairs done. I don't suppose you could go check on them for me?" All three visitors nodded eagerly. As they trotted off toward the house Grandfather had a thought. "If they're asleep, don't wake them! There's a legend about a priestess being awakened…"
He continued to talk after them but they weren't listening. Miroku, Shippo, and Sango closed the door behind them, effectively shutting out the 'legend.' The three walked softly up the stairs, pausing outside Kagome's closed door. As the only female, Sango was silently elected to open the door in case Kagome hadn't heard them and needed some privacy. Sango knocked, calling Kagome's name softly. When she got no response, she tried calling Inu Yasha. She only got silence for an answer.
"What's that noise?" Shippo whispered, head cocked toward the door. He hopped down from Miroku shoulder and pressed his ear to the door. Following the kitsune's example, Miroku and Sango did the same.
"Is that…snoring?" Miroku asked, clearly surprised. The monk stared at the door, eyes wide.
"Kagome doesn't snore." Shippo said loudly and was immediately shushed by the two humans. Sango grasped the door handle and turned it, inching the door open slowly less she accidentally hit Inu Yasha. When not wandering in the woods, Inu Yasha tended to sleep on the floor near the door of a room. Sango didn't want to hit the hanyou if she could help it. When the door was wide enough, she stuck her head in, surveying the room. Sango reached the bed and her jaw dropped. Miroku, who had been watching Sango studiously, pushed the door open ready to face what ever enemy lay inside the room. Shippo bounded into the room and stopped short.
"That bastard!" Sango hissed, walking into the room and looking down at the bed in fury. Inu Yasha was lying on top of Kagome, the latter deeply asleep and apparently unaware of who slept with her. Sango stared at Inu Yasha's bare back and wanted to break him in two. From her vantage point, she could only see Kagome's head and her bear neck; everything else was hidden under Inu Yasha's bare back. Clothes were on the floor, ones big enough for Inu Yasha and ones that Sango had seen being worn by Kagome.
Miroku put his hand on Sango's shoulder, reminding her of her balled hands that were slowly inching toward Inu Yasha. The priest's face was unreadable as he looked at the hanyou and girl. Shippo leapt onto the bed, sitting beside Kagome's head. He touched her cheek and frowned.
"She's got a fever." Shippo stated and touched Inu Yasha's skin as well. "Inu Yasha's hot, too."
This only confirmed Sango's suspicions and she lost her temper. "Get up Inu Yasha! You and I need to talk." The hanyou did not stir, even his ears remaining still; it was as if he hadn't heard her. "Wake up, Inu Yasha!" And Sango put her hand on his warm back, watching as it rose and fell with his breathing. Again, he didn't stir.
Shippo tried. "Kagome! Kagome wake up!" A note of pleading entered his voice. Kagome didn't move, sleeping on obliviously. "Inu Yasha you idiot! What did you do to Kagome?" The kitsune jumped up onto Inu Yasha's back and proceeded to stomp on the hanyou.
"Shippo, stop that." Miroku ordered, watching the cub stomp one more time then hop onto the bed again. The priest checked Inu Yasha's and Kagome's pulses, pulled the covers down to reveal the couple.
Sango sighed in relief when she saw Kagome was completely clothed and Inu Yasha was wearing underwear. What killed that relief was the sight of their bound hands; Kagome's right hand being clasped by Inu Yasha's left. "Shippo, what is that?" He was about to answer when Inu Yasha moved, is hand searching for the blanket. The hanyou grumbled something incomprehensible and rose when he couldn't find the covers. He looked around but didn't register that Miroku, Sango and Shippo were even there. The three watched open mouthed as he found and pulled the blanket up over Kagome and himself, settling down in the exact same position he had risen from.
Miroku knelt, looking Inu Yasha in the eyes as the hanyou's blank gold ones closed. The priest blinked in surprise, rose and sat at the end of the bed. "That's not the Inu Yasha we know." Miroku said quietly. Sango and Shippo starred at him. "His eyes are blank. I think he can see but he's not seeing what is before him."
"But then, if that's not entirely Inu Yasha, then where's the rest of him?" Shippo asked, frightened. "And why won't Kagome wake up?" The kitsune's eyes were wide, his hands running through his tail nervously.
"Shippo," Sango asked gently as she drew the couple's bound hands from the covers. "Do you know what this means? What Inu Yasha was doing?"
Shippo shook his head. "No, but Myoga may know!" The little youkai took one of Kagome's Shikon shards from the jar on her desk and bounded out the door to the well. When he had left, Sango and Miroku looked at each other and the exterminator sat down in Kagome's desk chair. They sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to Inu Yasha's soft snoring. Both the priest and young woman jumped when Kagome stirred, making protesting noises. Thinking that she was waking, Sango leaned over the bed, anxious to talk to her companion.
Without a word, Inu Yasha moved, sliding over Kagome's left side and spooning against her back when she rolled onto her left side. Inu Yasha resettled himself with a huff, placing his head on top of Kagome's again. The two sleepers curled up into a ball, snuggling against each other, their bound wrists and curled bodies now hidden by the comforter. In a second, Inu Yasha was snoring again and Kagome was sleeping peacefully.
"Oh! I didn't know you were here!" Mrs. Higurashi said in surprise, setting the bag she carried down on Kagome's desk. Both Sango and Miroku stood, recovering from the scare she had given them when she spoke. Neither had heard her enter house, let alone Kagome's room and she had inadvertently startled the hell out of them.
"Er, we tried to pull them apart but, um…" Sango stuttered, looking helplessly between the woman and the bed.
"They are sound asleep and would not react. We will be happy to help you separate them, Lady Higurashi." Miroku said seriously, the entire time thinking up different way to do it. "I believe if we-"
"Pull them apart? Why would I do that?" Mrs. Higurashi looked at the two, confused at their baffled looks she received. She crossed the room, pausing by the bed and checking on her charges. As when Miroku, Sango and Shippo had tried, Mrs. Higurashi got no response from either the hanyou or her daughter. "They're in the exact same position I left them in."
"You, you mean-" Miroku stuttered, eyes wide and composure gone. He stared at Kagome's mother as if she had gone mad.
"You approve of them sleeping together?" Sango demanded.
Mrs. Higurashi sighed, sitting down on the middle of the bed and stroking her hand through Inu Yasha's think hair. She gestured for the other two to take a seat as well and began to explain why she was not having a fit over her daughter and Inu Yasha sleeping side by side. She told them of the night's events, how neither would settle down unless they were touching or could sense the other. The woman continued, explaining Sota's theory and tipping the two into bed, and how they had immediately calmed and seemed to recover. She told them of Inu Yasha's strange behavior when he woke, asking their thoughts on it and getting nothing that helped.
"Don't worry," Sango said gently. "He's not used to being sick; it's probably a side effect from the experience. Inu Yasha will be back to normal in no time."
"And if he doesn't do it on his own," Miroku added with a sigh. "I'm sure Kagome will knock some sense into him."
"They wouldn't wake up when we tried to rouse them," Sango said. "Do you know why?"
"Kagome had a relapse this morning that was really bad; I made her drink some medicine and that is what's probably keeping her asleep."
Inu Yasha grumbled in his sleep, trying to change position and failing. The comforter stayed in place during his movements- thankfully sparing Mrs. Higurashi from Inu Yasha's lack of clothing. Unwilling to finally see Kagome's mother freak out, the priest and exterminator requested they continue the conversation downstairs. All three left the room, closing the door behind them and leaving the sleepers be.
The Dream mesh
I sat up, rubbing my eyes as I woke up again. I looked at my blurred surroundings sleepily, confused. Shouldn't I be in my bed room?
"Kagome?" Taomaru asked, feeling my forehead and looking me over. I blinked at him and tried to stand, pulling away from his hands. I was disoriented- not only as to where I was but who I was. I was pulled down before I could straiten fully. I sat there and two bodies snuggled against me; one from the back and one from the front. My right wrist hurt, making me glance down at it and frown. I was bound to the left wrist of the person lying against my chest.
"Kagome, can you hear me?" I looked back up and saw Sesshomaru, crouched beside Taomaru. Both watched me as if I may go berserk at any moment. Anger stirred inside me at the sight of Inu Yasha's brother and suspicion accompanied it when I saw Taomaru.
Why was I angry and suspicious? I frowned. These weren't my feelings; I was Kagome and in this weird world I was at ease around these two. I was Kagome and no one else; I had my own feelings and these were not them. "I'm a little disoriented." I said and my voice was scratchy. I pointed at the person on my chest, asking silently what was going on with my raised eyebrows.
"He appeared when you did. He seems to be another Inu Yasha." Taomaru nodded behind me and, turning my head, I saw the exact same white hair. I looked at my front again, blowing white wisps from my view and wondered how I could have missed it. "Why are we tied together?"
Sesshomaru shrugged. He moved until he could look at our wrists. While he inspected the tie, I asked Taomaru bluntly, "Did I kill her." I sounded tired and unhappy even to me.
"I'm not sure." He said and I was glad he was being honest. "You damaged her-badly- but she may be lying low, nursing her wounds. To be on the safe side, I'll stick around and peek in on your dreams for the next few days." He blushed but remained looking serious. I smiled at him; I was really touched that he made the offer. "If she isn't dead then she's hurt and pissed off. When she has the strength she'll come after you and kill you if she can."
Well, that was a cheery thought. "This Inu Yasha must be the one I've been dealing with in reality." I looked down at the rousing hanyou on my chest. Blank gold eyes blinked up at me. He sat up and kissed me when he was at the right height. I blushed and felt my heart speed up. He kissed me soundly then kissed my chin, then my neck. He kissed all of my exposed skin, working ever lower. I pulled him by his hair, making him face me and to stop him. Blank brilliant gold eyes deepened in color, a sexy smile gracing his lips. The smile turned playful and he lunged forward into me, knocking me backward and to one side. I yipped and he kissed it away, his free hand sliding around my back and pushing me up against him. I was very aware of his lack of clothing; could feel him hard and firm through his underwear. Heat rushed to my cheek and lower regions and I was undone.
I kissed him back, forcing my tongue into his mouth. He growled low in his throat, pushing against me and his hand wandering lower. He pulled back; lips brushing mine while he asked huskily, "Are you okay now?" He glanced at our bound wrists and I knew he had done it to help me. I nodded, panting, and watched as the cloth strip untied itself and fell away.
Someone cleared their throat behind us and I felt dizzy from the force of my blush. Inu Yasha grinned above me and helped me sit up. He sat behind me, completely unselfconscious about what we had been doing. Taomaru and Sesshomaru were trying to keep straight faces while they looked at me. "Er," I stuttered, rubbing my wrist absently. "Sorry." Inu Yasha took that as a cue to begin nuzzling my neck, his hands sliding under the front of my pajama top.
I tried my best to ignore him, but my ability to do so was limited. After a few seconds I grabbed his wrists, attempted to pull them down and out from under my shirt. Inu Yasha bit into my skin lightly and his hands slid higher, dangerously close to my breasts. My heart was racing again, and the hanyou's touch excited me. Desire flared hot and strong inside me; I was screwed. Inu Yasha's hands slid those last few inches and he cupped my breasts in his hands. I sucked in my breath, holding absolutely still. I looked at the two youkai pleadingly and they in turn looked at each other.
Sesshomaru was the first to move, crawling over the grass. Grass? For the first time I took a close look at where I was, noticing that we weren't in the castle anymore. We were in a lush clearing, dappled with sunlight. My eyes widened when I realized we weren't far from the Bone Eaters Well. Sesshomaru crawled, a slow sensuous glide that ended with him sitting in front of me. At his approach, I felt Inu Yasha raise his head and watch his half brother come closer. The hanyou growled and pulled me firmly against him.
"I don't think it would be wise to separate you two." Taomaru said, carrying the other Inu Yasha over and laying his unmoving form on the ground. "You have two of the same person. Only one seems to function in the dream mesh while the other is 'sleeps.' The one who is with you now is the seemingly dominant one. That is probably because of the pent up issue he represents." Taomaru looked a little forlorn. "Kagome, as hard as this is, that Inu Yasha is a strong unresolved issue that the total Inu Yasha hasn't dealt with yet. Until he deals with it, the two parts will not merge and the true Inu Yasha will not be present in reality."
The Inu Yasha in question moved his hands, caressing my nipples and I couldn't concentrate. I closed my eyes; I couldn't look at the youkai while in this situation. "Lust." I swallowed thickly, leaning my head back while the hanyou licked my neck. "Does that mean that until Inu Yasha deals with his pent up lust, he won't be whole?" Lusting after me? Surely not.
"Yah." Taomaru said sadly.
"That's fucked up." I heard Sesshomaru commented. I agreed with him.
"This went from a rescue mission to a wet dream; only I could be so blessed." I muttered. "I cannot have sex with him! I am not some surrogate for Kikyo! I will not be her substitute in Inu Yasha's little sex fantasy!" I opened my eyes and sat up strait, trying to pull away.
"Inu Yasha's object of desire is you, Kagome." Taomaru said softly, looking completely serious. "If it was for this 'Kikyo' person, she'd be in your place and you'd be standing beside me watching them go at it." I grimaced. "Give in to him. If you want him back, Kagome, you have too."
I glared at him. Sesshomaru piped up. "Whatever the dream youkai did to him, it appears to have strengthened the bond between you two. It brought out this…problem and now you have to deal with it." I think I liked it when the white haired youkai was an uncertain child. Damn.
"It's only a dream Kagome." Taomaru said softly. "You can't get pregnant from a dream; you probably won't remember it when you wake anyway. You'll wake up and be dressed. In reality nothing will happen; it's just a dream." He emphasized the last, stressing the words like I was simple minded.
The two youkai looked at each other and nodded in some unspoken agreement. "Sesshomaru, lets find you're dream shall we?" And off the two went, leaving me and the lusty Inu Yasha alone. The hanyou pulled me close, hands cupping my breasts and kneading this time. Hell, if I had to do this, I would not be getting grass stains on my butt. I concentrated really hard, visualizing my room, remembering what my bed felt like. I pictured it at night, the moon full and its light streaming through my window. I opened my eyes and I was there, back in my room again.
A little more concentration and candles appeared on my desk and assorted furniture. The soft glow they cast and the moonlight would be the only illumination we needed. New sheets were on my bed, ones with moons and stars; they seemed appropriate to me somehow. They were soft of texture, kind to the skin no matter what was happening on top of them.
"Your room." Inu Yasha looked around, taking in all the candles. He removed his hands, letting them slide over my skin before pulling them out. It was only the two of us in here, no interruptions for miles. My bravado left me and I shivered from my anxiety. I turned to face him, leaving a little space between us. We stared at each other and for the first time, Inu Yasha looked uncertain. His eyes weren't blank anymore, though they were still the same color. Those golden orbs held a very primal, very primitive knowledge that is only seen in a man's eyes before sex. Of course, since we were supposed to have sex it was there for good reason. Yay. Lucky me.
At last, Inu Yasha made the last movement to close the gap between us. Tentatively he kissed me, a mere brush of lips. It was so chaste in comparison from our earlier kisses that it surprised me. The kiss deepened and desire flared inside us both. Inu Yasha kissed me like he crawl inside, pushing me backwards, his hands sliding under my shirt. I made to pull it off and he shook his head. "Let me," he said. "I've waited a long time to do this." I relaxed and let him take off my top. He tossed it to the ground and simply stared at me.
The heat in his gaze made me shiver again and my nipples tightened. I tried to cover myself and he held my arms away. "Don't hide." He murmured, eyes watching my face. "You're beautiful, Kagome." He kissed me, another chaste brush of lips, and kissed down my neck and down my upper chest. He kissed me between my breasts then ran his tongue over my nipples. I shuttered and he drew one into his mouth and sucked. His arms encircled me; hands pushing me forward as my upper body tipped back to allow more contact. I could feel his jaw work as he used his entire mouth to tease me. My hands scratched his ears and he purred, the reverberation combined with his mouth made me moan softly. He turned to tease my other breast, one hand on the one he had abandoned and kneading it.
My knees wouldn't hold me and I fell backwards into the pillows, pulling the hanyou with me. He growled low in his throat, eyes unfocused when he pulled back and looked at me. His lips crashed down on mine, his tongue parting my lips and thrusting in my mouth. He wiggled is hips and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He growled again and pushed his mouth against mine, moving his hips so I could feel the physical embodiment of his lust. He rolled off me, off the side of the bed. I gasped, sitting up and looking for him to make sure he was all right. But Inu Yasha was already standing, completely nude, beside my bed. He grabbed the waist band of my pajama bottoms, flashing me that rare sexy grin. He pulled off my pants, leaving my panties behind.