A/N: Sorry for the brevity of this chapter, I just found a good place to stop. Thanks to everyone for being so patient with this next part and I hope it's as well received as the first ^_^.
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CHAPTER 2 - Some Tumbling Fun
Morning sunlight streamed in through the branches and for a moment Kagome didn't know where she was. Then she felt the warmth beside her and looked up to see a still sleeping Inu-Yasha. The lines of worry that had been on his face yesterday were all smoothed out and he looked young and innocent. His arms were around her and Kagome smiled, thinking that maybe she could see why she'd been in love with him.
Inu-Yasha's right ear twitched as a breeze blew up and Kagome had an urge to reach out and pet it. Tentatively she lifted her hand and gave the ear a little stroke. It was soft to the touch and without realizing it, Kagome began rubbing it. The action seemed incredibly familiar to her and as Inu-Yasha woke up and opened his eyes, the girl had a memory.
"I've done this before...." Her voice trailed off. "You were bound to a tree.... with an arrow in your chest. It was.... the first time.... I ever saw you."
Inu-Yasha was watching her intently and nodded. "You told me about that later, after you freed me."
Kagome smiled and gave his ear one last pet. "You see, I'm already remembering!"
Pleased with herself and glad to see Inu-Yasha awake, she leaned closer and gave the man a kiss on the cheek. "Good morning,"
Inu-Yasha's whole face was red when she pulled away and he looked up into the tree's canopy, trying to find a semblance of composure.
Kagome saw his embarrassment and bit her lip in doubt. "Did I do something wrong?"
Inu-Yasha looked down at her and shook his head. "N-No, it's just.... just that I--"
"Oh... you don't want me to kiss you when you're not sure if you love me anymore?" She asked, finishing what she thought he wanted to say.
"No!!! Don't try to complete my sentences for me woman! You did that last night and that's not what I meant at all!" Inu-Yasha tightened his hold around her and before he had time to think, the hanyou leaned over and kissed her full in the mouth. His head spun as he tasted her lips for the first time and he closed his eyes, savoring the moment. After a few seconds Inu-Yasha broke off and looked over at her sheepishly.
"That's what I meant to say," he said softly, and was rewarded with Kagome's smile.
* * * * * * *
"Are you sure Kagome? I don't think your ankle will be up to it yet. It's only had one night of rest." Inu-Yasha held the girl in his arms and looked at the ground under his feet warily.
"Well, I won't know until I try." Kagome shrugged. "Might as well see if I can do it now. I'll have to stand sometime."
The man nodded and gently set her down, keeping one hand on her hip just in case. For a tentative moment, Inu-Yasha saw Kagome grimace in pain as she put her weight down and he quickly brought his other hand up to her side.
"You okay?" He asked, steadying her.
"Yeah," Kagome said in a strong voice, biting her lip at the pain. "Don't worry," she smiled and reluctantly the hanyou let one of his hands fall.
Kagome looked down at his arm still around her and gave him a mock look of exasperation. "Inu-Yasha, how can I tell when I'm standing if you're still supporting me. Let go of me darling."
Inu-Yasha's face flushed with surprise and pleasure at the endearing term and he released her completely, taking a step back.
Kagome steadied herself and straightened, fighting to keep the pain from her face.
"Look, I'm doing it, I'm standing!!" She exclaimed happily and Inu-Yasha smiled.
"That's great, and now I think that's enough strain on your ankle for one day," he moved to pick her up again but the girl shook her head.
"No, I'm just getting started. Now let's see if I can walk. You stand over there," she pointed to a clump of trees a few feet away. "And I'll walk towards you." Kagome gave him a determined look and it was Inu-Yasha's turn to shake his head.
"You said you were just going to see if you could stand," he frowned. "We don't want to put unnecessary strain on your ankle, remember? Miroku said it might cause permanent damage."
Kagome shrugged. "Oh, it's not like the man's a doctor. Just one try, okay?" Her question came out more like a statement and Inu-Yasha couldn't help but sigh good-naturedly.
"You haven't changed at all, despite your memories. You're still my same stubborn Kagome," he said softly with acceptance, and a hint of shyness at the word "my".
The girl blushed and put a hand against his chest. "Well I'm taking that as a compliment," she looked up into the hanyou's amber eyes and saw the love he tried so hard to hide, pooling just below the surface. Kagome felt her heart start to race and she could hear it's beating in her ears.
"A-Alright, go on over there you," she waved him away, trying to regain her composure.
"Yeah, I better," Inu-Yasha nodded, stepping away from her. The girl's gentle touch left him with thoughts better left unsaid and Inu-Yasha didn't think he had ever blushed so much in his life.
He turned and walked to the clump of trees, conscious of Kagome's gaze on his back. He straightened without realizing it and wondered if he measured up in her eyes.
"Okay," Kagome took a small step forward. "Here I come." Hesitantly, she began to make her way across the field, favoring her ankle greatly.
Inu-Yasha held his arms out; ready for her to touch them and Kagome smiled as she drew closer.
"See I told you. I knew I could do it!" In her triumph, Kagome didn't notice a nasty pothole a few paces ahead and she continued talking, feeling very confident.
Mid-sentence her foot found the depression and Kagome yelped in surprise as her injured ankle gave way. Inu-Yasha saw her stumble and was a blur of moment as he rushed forward. Kagome fell face first into the hanyou and caught off balance, they both tumbled to the ground.
When the dust settled Kagome was on top of Inu-Yasha, clutching at his red kimono. She peeked her eyes open and met the intense amber gaze of the man under her. He wiped a smudge of dirt from her cheek and smiled.
"Walking huh?"
Kagome grinned. "Yep. Did you see me?"
"Kinda hard to miss you, especially your finale." Inu-Yasha's warm voice was filled with amusement and Kagome's smile grew.
"I'm taking that as another compliment," she said playfully, brushing some hair from his eyes. Leaning down, Kagome touched her forehead with his and kissed him squarely on the nose, smiling as a blush crept to his cheeks.
"You always make me do that woman," Inu-Yasha said, trying to wipe the red from his face. Kagome smiled again and nodded, pleased with herself.
"Better get used to it,"
"Think I have the same power over you?" he wondered aloud, staring up at her mischievously. "How about I find out?"
Inu-Yasha leaned forward and was just about to kiss her when a loud rustle came from a bush nearby and two figures tumbled out, arguing.
"How can we bet if he gives her tongue, when we won't even be able to see it?" Shippo yelled and Miroku, aware that they were now in view, clamped a hand over the kitsune cub's mouth.
"Heh, heh.... we were just passing through," the man smiled and began edging away.
Inu-Yasha sat up and his eyes narrowed.
"You have five seconds to run monk..."
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CHAPTER 2 - Some Tumbling Fun
Morning sunlight streamed in through the branches and for a moment Kagome didn't know where she was. Then she felt the warmth beside her and looked up to see a still sleeping Inu-Yasha. The lines of worry that had been on his face yesterday were all smoothed out and he looked young and innocent. His arms were around her and Kagome smiled, thinking that maybe she could see why she'd been in love with him.
Inu-Yasha's right ear twitched as a breeze blew up and Kagome had an urge to reach out and pet it. Tentatively she lifted her hand and gave the ear a little stroke. It was soft to the touch and without realizing it, Kagome began rubbing it. The action seemed incredibly familiar to her and as Inu-Yasha woke up and opened his eyes, the girl had a memory.
"I've done this before...." Her voice trailed off. "You were bound to a tree.... with an arrow in your chest. It was.... the first time.... I ever saw you."
Inu-Yasha was watching her intently and nodded. "You told me about that later, after you freed me."
Kagome smiled and gave his ear one last pet. "You see, I'm already remembering!"
Pleased with herself and glad to see Inu-Yasha awake, she leaned closer and gave the man a kiss on the cheek. "Good morning,"
Inu-Yasha's whole face was red when she pulled away and he looked up into the tree's canopy, trying to find a semblance of composure.
Kagome saw his embarrassment and bit her lip in doubt. "Did I do something wrong?"
Inu-Yasha looked down at her and shook his head. "N-No, it's just.... just that I--"
"Oh... you don't want me to kiss you when you're not sure if you love me anymore?" She asked, finishing what she thought he wanted to say.
"No!!! Don't try to complete my sentences for me woman! You did that last night and that's not what I meant at all!" Inu-Yasha tightened his hold around her and before he had time to think, the hanyou leaned over and kissed her full in the mouth. His head spun as he tasted her lips for the first time and he closed his eyes, savoring the moment. After a few seconds Inu-Yasha broke off and looked over at her sheepishly.
"That's what I meant to say," he said softly, and was rewarded with Kagome's smile.
* * * * * * *
"Are you sure Kagome? I don't think your ankle will be up to it yet. It's only had one night of rest." Inu-Yasha held the girl in his arms and looked at the ground under his feet warily.
"Well, I won't know until I try." Kagome shrugged. "Might as well see if I can do it now. I'll have to stand sometime."
The man nodded and gently set her down, keeping one hand on her hip just in case. For a tentative moment, Inu-Yasha saw Kagome grimace in pain as she put her weight down and he quickly brought his other hand up to her side.
"You okay?" He asked, steadying her.
"Yeah," Kagome said in a strong voice, biting her lip at the pain. "Don't worry," she smiled and reluctantly the hanyou let one of his hands fall.
Kagome looked down at his arm still around her and gave him a mock look of exasperation. "Inu-Yasha, how can I tell when I'm standing if you're still supporting me. Let go of me darling."
Inu-Yasha's face flushed with surprise and pleasure at the endearing term and he released her completely, taking a step back.
Kagome steadied herself and straightened, fighting to keep the pain from her face.
"Look, I'm doing it, I'm standing!!" She exclaimed happily and Inu-Yasha smiled.
"That's great, and now I think that's enough strain on your ankle for one day," he moved to pick her up again but the girl shook her head.
"No, I'm just getting started. Now let's see if I can walk. You stand over there," she pointed to a clump of trees a few feet away. "And I'll walk towards you." Kagome gave him a determined look and it was Inu-Yasha's turn to shake his head.
"You said you were just going to see if you could stand," he frowned. "We don't want to put unnecessary strain on your ankle, remember? Miroku said it might cause permanent damage."
Kagome shrugged. "Oh, it's not like the man's a doctor. Just one try, okay?" Her question came out more like a statement and Inu-Yasha couldn't help but sigh good-naturedly.
"You haven't changed at all, despite your memories. You're still my same stubborn Kagome," he said softly with acceptance, and a hint of shyness at the word "my".
The girl blushed and put a hand against his chest. "Well I'm taking that as a compliment," she looked up into the hanyou's amber eyes and saw the love he tried so hard to hide, pooling just below the surface. Kagome felt her heart start to race and she could hear it's beating in her ears.
"A-Alright, go on over there you," she waved him away, trying to regain her composure.
"Yeah, I better," Inu-Yasha nodded, stepping away from her. The girl's gentle touch left him with thoughts better left unsaid and Inu-Yasha didn't think he had ever blushed so much in his life.
He turned and walked to the clump of trees, conscious of Kagome's gaze on his back. He straightened without realizing it and wondered if he measured up in her eyes.
"Okay," Kagome took a small step forward. "Here I come." Hesitantly, she began to make her way across the field, favoring her ankle greatly.
Inu-Yasha held his arms out; ready for her to touch them and Kagome smiled as she drew closer.
"See I told you. I knew I could do it!" In her triumph, Kagome didn't notice a nasty pothole a few paces ahead and she continued talking, feeling very confident.
Mid-sentence her foot found the depression and Kagome yelped in surprise as her injured ankle gave way. Inu-Yasha saw her stumble and was a blur of moment as he rushed forward. Kagome fell face first into the hanyou and caught off balance, they both tumbled to the ground.
When the dust settled Kagome was on top of Inu-Yasha, clutching at his red kimono. She peeked her eyes open and met the intense amber gaze of the man under her. He wiped a smudge of dirt from her cheek and smiled.
"Walking huh?"
Kagome grinned. "Yep. Did you see me?"
"Kinda hard to miss you, especially your finale." Inu-Yasha's warm voice was filled with amusement and Kagome's smile grew.
"I'm taking that as another compliment," she said playfully, brushing some hair from his eyes. Leaning down, Kagome touched her forehead with his and kissed him squarely on the nose, smiling as a blush crept to his cheeks.
"You always make me do that woman," Inu-Yasha said, trying to wipe the red from his face. Kagome smiled again and nodded, pleased with herself.
"Better get used to it,"
"Think I have the same power over you?" he wondered aloud, staring up at her mischievously. "How about I find out?"
Inu-Yasha leaned forward and was just about to kiss her when a loud rustle came from a bush nearby and two figures tumbled out, arguing.
"How can we bet if he gives her tongue, when we won't even be able to see it?" Shippo yelled and Miroku, aware that they were now in view, clamped a hand over the kitsune cub's mouth.
"Heh, heh.... we were just passing through," the man smiled and began edging away.
Inu-Yasha sat up and his eyes narrowed.
"You have five seconds to run monk..."